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EXHIBIT 1.1
Quality Care Solutions, Inc.
0,000,000 shares of Common Stock*
Underwriting Agreement
[March] __, 2000
New York, New York
Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
Warburg Dillon Read LLC
CIBC World Markets Corp.
As Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
388 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 10013
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Quality Care Solutions, Inc., a corporation organized under
the laws of Nevada (the "Company"), proposes to sell to the several underwriters
named in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters"), for whom you (the
"Representatives") are acting as representatives, 0,000,000 shares of Common
Stock (the "Common Stock") of the Company (said shares to be issued and sold by
the Company being hereinafter called the "Underwritten Securities"). The Company
also proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to
_________________ additional shares of Common Stock to cover over-allotments
(the "Option Securities"; the Option Securities, together with the Underwritten
Securities, being hereinafter called the "Securities"). Certain terms used
herein are defined in Section 17 hereof.
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* Plus an option to purchase from the Company up to ________ additional
Securities to cover over-allotments.
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1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and
warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this
Section 1.
(a) The Company has prepared and filed with the Commission a
registration statement (file number 333- ) on Form S-1, including a
related preliminary prospectus, for registration under the Act of the
offering and sale of the Securities. The Company may have filed one or
more amendments thereto, including a related preliminary prospectus,
each of which has previously been furnished to you. The Company will
next file with the Commission either (1) prior to the Effective Date of
such registration statement, a further amendment to such registration
statement (including the form of final prospectus) or (2) after the
Effective Date of such registration statement, a final prospectus in
accordance with Rules 430A and 424(b). In the case of clause (2), the
Company has included in such registration statement, as amended at the
Effective Date, all information (other than Rule 430A Information)
required by the Act and the rules thereunder to be included in such
registration statement and the Prospectus. As filed, such amendment and
form of final prospectus, or such final prospectus, shall contain all
Rule 430A Information, together with all other such required
information and, except to the extent the Representatives shall agree
in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in
the form furnished to you prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent
not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only such specific
additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the
latest Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised you, prior to
the Execution Time, will be included or made therein.
(b) On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did or
will, and when the Prospectus is first filed (if required) in
accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date (as defined
herein), and on any date on which Option Securities are purchased, if
such date is not the Closing Date (a "settlement date"), the Prospectus
(and any supplement thereto) will, comply in all material respects with
the applicable requirements of the Act and the rules thereunder; on the
Effective Date and at the Execution Time, the Registration Statement
did not or will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and,
on the Effective Date, the Prospectus, if not filed pursuant to
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Rule 424(b), will not, and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule
424(b) and on the Closing Date and any settlement date , the Prospectus
(together with any supplement thereto) will not, include any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided,
however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to
the information contained in or omitted from the Registration
Statement, or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance
upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the
Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through Salomon Smith Barney
Inc. specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus (or any supplement thereto).
(c) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction in which it is chartered or organized with full corporate
power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate
its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus,
and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in
good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which requires such
qualification, except where the failure to be so duly qualified and in
good standing could not have a material adverse effect on the condition
(financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties
of the Company.
(d) The Company has no subsidiaries.
(e) The Company's authorized equity capitalization is as set
forth in the Prospectus; the capital stock of the Company conforms in
all material respects to the description thereof contained in the
Prospectus; the outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly and
validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable; the
Securities have been duly and validly authorized, and, when issued and
delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to this
Agreement, will be fully paid and nonassessable; the Securities are
duly listed, and admitted and authorized for trading, subject to
official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution
on the Nasdaq National Market; the certificates for the Securities are
in valid and sufficient form; the holders of outstanding shares of
capital stock of the Company are not entitled to preemptive or other
rights to subscribe for the Securities and, except
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as set forth in the Prospectus, no options, warrants or other rights to
purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to
convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares of
capital stock of or ownership interests in the Company are outstanding.
(f) There is no franchise, contract or other document of a
character required to be described in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit thereto, which is not
described or filed as required.
(g) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding obligation
of the Company enforceable in accordance with its terms.
(h) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the
offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds
thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be an "investment
company" as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(i) No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order
of any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection
with the transactions contemplated herein , except such as have been
obtained under the Act and such as may be required under the blue sky
laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and
distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner
contemplated herein and in the Prospectus.
(j) Neither the issue and sale of the Securities nor the
consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated nor
the fulfillment of the terms hereof will conflict with, result in a
breach or violation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance
upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to, (i) the charter
or bylaws of the Company, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract,
lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other
agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the
Company is a party or bound or to which its property is subject, or
(iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree
applicable to the Company of any court, regulatory body, administrative
agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties.
(k) No holders of securities of the Company have rights
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to the registration of such securities under the Registration
Statement.
(l) The historical financial statements and schedules of the
Company included in the Prospectus and the Registration Statement
present fairly in all material respects the financial condition,
results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of the dates and
for the periods indicated, comply as to form with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act and have been prepared in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent
basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted
therein). The selected financial data set forth under the caption
"Selected Financial [Data]" in the Prospectus and Registration
Statement fairly present, on the basis stated in the Prospectus and the
Registration Statement, the information included therein.
(m) No action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or
governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the
Company or its property is pending or, to the best knowledge of the
Company, threatened that (i) could reasonably be expected to have a
material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the
consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii)
could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or
properties of the Company, whether or not arising from transactions in
the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated
in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(n) The Company owns or leases all such properties as are
necessary to the conduct of its operations as presently conducted.
(o) The Company is not in violation or default of (i) any
provision of its charter or bylaws, (ii) the terms of any indenture,
contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan
agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or
instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property is
subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order
or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency,
governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction
over the Company or any of its properties, as applicable.
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(p) Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified certain
financial statements of the Company and delivered their report with
respect to the audited financial statements and schedules included in
the Prospectus, are independent public accountants with respect to the
Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published
rules and regulations thereunder.
(q) There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or
charges under Federal law or the laws of any state, or any political
subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the
execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance by the Company
or sale by the Company of the Securities.
(r) The Company has filed all foreign, federal, state and
local tax returns that are required to be filed or has requested
extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file
would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company,
whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of
business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus
(exclusive of any supplement thereto)) and has paid all taxes required
to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied
against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable,
except for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being
contested in good faith or as would not have a material adverse effect
on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings,
business or properties of the Company, whether or not arising from
transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in
or contemplated in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement
thereto).
(s) No labor problem or dispute with the employees of the
Company exists or is threatened or imminent, and the Company is not
aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of
any of its principal suppliers, contractors or customers, that could
have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company,
whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of
business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus
(exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(t) The Company is insured by insurers of recognized
financial responsibility against such losses and risks and
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in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which
it is engaged; all policies of insurance and any fidelity or surety
bonds insuring the Company or its business, assets, employees, officers
and directors are in full force and effect; the Company is in
compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all
material respects; and there are no claims by the Company under any
such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying
liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; the
Company has not been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied
for; and the Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able
to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage
expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be
necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a
material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise),
prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company, whether or
not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business,
except as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus (exclusive of
any supplement thereto).
(u) The Company possesses all licenses, certificates, permits
and other authorizations issued by the appropriate federal, state or
foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct its business, and
the Company has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the
revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or
permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an
unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a material adverse
effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings,
business or properties of the Company, whether or not arising from
transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in
or contemplated in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement
thereto).
(v) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i)
transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or
specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to
permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability;
(iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with
management's general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded
accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to
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any differences.
(w) The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any
action that has constituted or that was designed to or might reasonably
be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise,
the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the
Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(x) The Company is (i) in compliance with any and all
applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations
relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment
or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants
("Environmental Laws"), (ii) has received and are in compliance with
all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under
applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its business and (iii) has not
received notice of any actual or potential liability for the
investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or
toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except where
such non-compliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive
required permits, licenses or other approvals, or liability would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse change in the
condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or
properties of the Company, whether or not arising from transactions in
the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated
in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto). Except as set
forth in the Prospectus, the Company has not been named as a
"potentially responsible party" under the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended.
(y) In the ordinary course of its business, the Company
periodically reviews the effect of Environmental Laws on the business,
operations and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, in the
course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and
liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating
expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance
with Environmental Laws, or any permit, license or approval, any
related constraints on operating activities and any potential
liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such review, the Company
has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities
would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect
on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings,
business or properties of the Company, whether or not arising from
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transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in
or contemplated in the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement
thereto).
(z) The Company has fulfilled its obligations, if any, under
the minimum funding standards of Section 302 of the United States
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA") and the
regulations and published interpretations thereunder with respect to
each "plan" (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA and such regulations
and published interpretations) in which employees of the Company are
eligible to participate and each such plan is in compliance in all
material respects with the presently applicable provisions of ERISA and
such regulations and published interpretations. The Company has not
incurred any unpaid liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation (other than for the payment of premiums in the ordinary
course) or to any such plan under Title IV of ERISA.
(aa) The Company has implemented a comprehensive, detailed
program to analyze and address the risk that its computer hardware and
software may be unable to recognize and properly execute date-sensitive
functions involving any dates after December 31, 1999 (the "Year 2000
Problem") and has determined that its computer hardware and software
are, and will continue to be, able to process all date information
without any errors, aborts, delays or their interruptions in operations
associated with the Year 2000 Problem; and the Company believes, after
due inquiry, that each supplier, vendor, customer or financial service
organization used or serviced by the Company has remedied the Year 2000
Problem, except to the extent that a failure to remedy by any such
supplier, vendor, customer or financial service organization would not
have a material adverse effect on the Company.
(bb) The Company owns, possesses, licenses or has other rights
to use, on reasonable terms, all patents, patent applications, trade
and service marks, trade and service mark registrations, trade names,
copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets, technology, know-how
and other intellectual property (collectively, the "Intellectual
Property") necessary for the conduct of the Company's business as now
conducted or as proposed in the Prospectus to be conducted. Except as
set forth in the Prospectus under the caption ["Business--Patents and
Proprietary Rights,"] (a) there are no rights of third parties to any
such Intellectual Property; (b) there is, to the Company's best
knowledge, no material infringement by third parties of
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any such Intellectual Property; (c) there is no pending or threatened
action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company's
rights in or to any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is
unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such
claim; (d) there is no pending or threatened action, suit, proceeding
or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such
Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which
would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (e) there is no
pending or threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that
the Company infringes or otherwise violates any patent, trademark,
copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others, and the
Company is unaware of any other fact which would form a reasonable
basis for any such claim; (f) there is no U.S. patent or published U.S.
patent application which contains claims that dominate or may dominate
any Intellectual Property described in the Prospectus as being owned by
or licensed to the Company or that interferes with the issued or
pending claims of any such Intellectual Property; and (g) there is no
prior art of which the Company is aware that may render any U.S. patent
held by the Company invalid or any U.S. patent application held by the
Company unpatentable which has not been disclosed to the U.S. Patent
and Trademark Office.
(cc) The statements contained under the captions "Risk
Factors--Changes in government regulation of the healthcare industry
could adversely affect our business," "Business--Government
Regulation," and "United States Consequences to Non U.S. Holders,"
insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements,
documents, or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair
summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings.
(dd) The Company is in compliance with all applicable federal,
state and local laws and regulations relating to the healthcare
industry.
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and
delivered to the Underwriters or counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a
representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to
each Underwriter.
2. Purchase and Sale. Subject to the terms and conditions and
in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the
Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of
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$_________________ per share, the amount of the Underwritten Securities set
forth opposite such Underwriter's name in Schedule I hereto.
(b) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon
the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company hereby grants
an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up
to _________________ Option Securities at the same purchase price per share as
the Underwriters shall pay for the Underwritten Securities. Said option may
be exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Underwritten
Securities by the Underwriters. Said option may be exercised in whole or in
part at any time (but not more than once) on or before the 30th day after the
date of the Prospectus upon written or telegraphic notice by the
Representatives to the Company setting forth the number of shares of the
Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the
option and the settlement date. The number of Option Securities to be
purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage of the total
number of shares of the Option Securities to be purchased by the several
Underwriters as such Underwriter is purchasing of the Underwritten
Securities, subject to such adjustments as you in your absolute discretion
shall make to eliminate any fractional shares.
3. Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the
Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities (if the option provided for in
Section 2(b) hereof shall have been exercised on or before the third Business
Day prior to the Closing Date) shall be made at 10:00 AM, New York City time, on
[March] __, 2000, or at such time on such later date not more than three
Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate,
which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives
and the Company or as provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of
delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the "Closing Date").
Delivery of the Securities shall be made the Representatives for the respective
accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters
through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order
of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account
specified by the Company. Delivery of the Underwritten Securities and the Option
Securities shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company
unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.
If the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof is exercised
after the third Business Day prior to the Closing Date,
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the Company will deliver the Option Securities (at the expense of the Company)
to the Representatives, at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York, on the date
specified by the Representatives (which shall be within three Business Days
after exercise of said option) for the respective accounts of the several
Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the
Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the
Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by
the Company. If settlement for the Option Securities occurs after the Closing
Date, the Company will deliver to the Representatives on the settlement date for
the Option Securities, and the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase the
Option Securities shall be conditioned upon receipt of, supplemental opinions,
certificates and letters confirming as of such date the opinions, certificates
and letters delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6 hereof.
4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several
Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public as set forth
in the Prospectus.
5. Agreements. The Company agrees with the several
Underwriters that:
(a) The Company will use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement, if not effective at the Execution Time, and any
amendment thereof, to become effective. Prior to the termination of the
offering of the Securities, the Company will not file any amendment of
the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or any Rule
462(b) Registration Statement unless the Company has furnished you a
copy for your review prior to filing and will not file any such
proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object.
Subject to the foregoing sentence, if the Registration Statement has
become or becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A, or filing of the
Prospectus is otherwise required under Rule 424(b), the Company will
cause the Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to
be filed with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of
Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence
satisfactory to the Representatives of such timely filing. The Company
will promptly advise the Representatives (1) when the Registration
Statement, if not effective at the Execution Time, shall have become
effective,(2) when the Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall
have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule
424(b) or when any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have been
filed with the Commission,(3) when, prior to
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termination of the offering of the Securities, any amendment to the
Registration Statement shall have been filed or become effective,(4) of
any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the
Registration Statement, or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or
for any supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional
information,(5) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the
institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (6)
of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the
suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for
such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the
issuance of any such stop order or the suspension of any such
qualification and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the
withdrawal thereof.
(b) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the
Securities is required to be delivered under the Act, any event occurs
as a result of which the Prospectus as then supplemented would include
any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or if it shall
be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the
Prospectus to comply with the Act or the rules thereunder, the Company
promptly will (1) notify the Representatives of any such event, (2)
prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the second sentence of
paragraph (a) of this Section 5, an amendment or supplement which will
correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance and (3)
supply any supplemented Prospectus to you in such quantities as you may
reasonably request.
(c) As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally
available to its security holders and to the Representatives an
earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries
which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule
158 under the Act.
(d) The Company will furnish to the Representatives and
counsel for the Underwriters signed copies of the Registration
Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other Underwriter a
copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, so
long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be
required by the Act, as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus and
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the Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representatives may
reasonably request.
(e) The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the
qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such
jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and will maintain
such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution
of the Securities; provided that in no event shall the Company be
obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not
now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service
of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or
sale of the Securities, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so
subject.
(f) The Company will not, without the prior written consent of
Salomon Smith Barney Inc., offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or
otherwise dispose of, (or enter into any transaction which is designed
to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition
(whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to
cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any affiliate of the
Company or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of
the Company) directly or indirectly, including the filing (or
participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the
Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent
position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the
meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, any other shares of Common
Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or
exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock or publicly announce an
intention to effect any such transaction, for a period of 180 days
after the date of this Agreement, provided, however, that the Company
may issue and sell Common Stock pursuant to any employee stock option
plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan of the Company
in effect at the Execution Time and the Company may issue Common Stock
issuable upon the conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants
outstanding at the Execution Time.
(g) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any
action designed to or which has constituted or which might reasonably
be expected to cause or result, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, in
stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the
Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(h) The Company shall have the Underwriters named as
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additional insureds on the directors' and officers' liability insurance
policy and such insurance shall remain in effect for three years and
two months from the date of the Prospectus.
(i) The Company agrees to pay the costs and expenses relating
to the following matters: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction
and filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement (including
financial statements and exhibits thereto), each Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to any of
them; (ii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including
postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of
such copies of the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus,
the Prospectus, and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as
may, in each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with
the offering and sale of the Securities; (iii) the preparation,
printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates for the
Securities, including any stamp or transfer taxes in connection with
the original issuance and sale of the Securities; (iv) the printing (or
reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement, any blue sky memorandum
and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and
delivered in connection with the offering of the Securities; (v) the
registration of the Securities under the Exchange Act and the listing
of the Securities on the Nasdaq National Market; (vi) any registration
or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the
securities or blue sky laws of the several states (including filing
fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the
Underwriters relating to such registration and qualification); (vii)
any filings required to be made with the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (including filing fees and the reasonable fees
and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such filings);
(viii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on behalf
of Company representatives in connection with presentations to
prospective purchasers of the Securities; (ix) the fees and expenses of
the Company's accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel
(including local and special counsel) for the Company ; and (x) all
other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company of
its obligations hereunder.
6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Underwritten Securities and the
Option Securities, as the case may be, shall be subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties
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on the part of the Company contained herein as of the Execution Time, the
Closing Date and any settlement date pursuant to Section 3 hereof, to the
accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to
the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations
hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) If the Registration Statement has not become effective
prior to the Execution Time, unless the Representatives agree in
writing to a later time, the Registration Statement will become
effective not later than (i) 6:00 PM New York City time, on the date of
determination of the public offering price, if such determination
occurred at or prior to 3:00 PM New York City time on such date or (ii)
9:30 AM on the Business Day following the day on which the public
offering price was determined, if such determination occurred after
3:00 PM New York City time on such date; if filing of the Prospectus,
or any supplement thereto, is required pursuant to Rule 424(b), the
Prospectus, and any such supplement, will be filed in the manner and
within the time period required by Rule 424(b); and no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have
been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been
instituted or threatened.
(b) The Company shall have requested and caused Bryan Cave
LLP, counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives
their opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the
Representatives, to the effect that:
(i) the Company has been duly incorporated and is
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
laws of the jurisdiction in which it is chartered or
organized, with full corporate power and authority to own or
lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and
conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and is
duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is
in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which
requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so
duly qualified and in good standing could not have a material
adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise),
prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company;
(ii) the Company has no subsidiaries;
(iii) the Company's authorized equity capitalization
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is as set forth in the Prospectus; the capital stock of the
Company conforms in all material respects to the description
thereof contained in the Prospectus; the outstanding shares of
Common Stock have been duly and validly authorized and issued
and are fully paid and nonassessable; the Securities have been
duly and validly authorized, and, when issued and delivered to
and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement,
will be fully paid and nonassessable; the Securities are duly
listed, and admitted and authorized for trading, subject to
official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory
distribution, on the Nasdaq National Market; the certificates
for the Securities are in valid and sufficient form; the
holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company
are not entitled to preemptive or other rights to subscribe
for the Securities and, except as set forth in the Prospectus,
no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements
or other obligations to issue, or rights to convert any
obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares of
capital stock of or ownership interests in the Company are
outstanding;
(iv) to the knowledge of such counsel, there is no
pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding by or before
any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any
arbitrator involving the Company or its property of a
character required to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement which is not adequately disclosed in the Prospectus,
and there is no franchise, contract or other document of a
character required to be described in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit thereto,
which is not described or filed as required; and the
statements included in the Prospectus under the headings
"Business-Government Regulations" and "United States Tax
Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders" fairly summarize the matters
therein described;
(v) the Registration Statement has become effective
under the Act; any required filing of the Prospectus, and any
supplements thereto, pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in
the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b);
to the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued,
no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or
threatened and the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
(other than the financial statements and
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other financial information contained therein, as to which
such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act
and the rules thereunder; and such counsel has no reason to
believe that on the Effective Date or at the Execution Time
the Registration Statement contained any untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state any material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading or that the Prospectus as of its date
and on the Closing Date included or includes any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading (in each case, other than the financial statements
and other financial information contained therein, as to which
such counsel need express no opinion);
(vi) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the Company;
(vii) the Company is not and, after giving effect to
the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of
the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not
be, an "investment company" as defined in the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended;
(viii) no consent, approval, authorization, filing with
or order of any court or governmental agency or body is
required in connection with the transactions contemplated
herein, except such as have been obtained under the Act and
such as may be required under the blue sky laws of any
jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution
of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner
contemplated in this Agreement and in the Prospectus and such
other approvals (specified in such opinion) as have been
obtained;
(ix) neither the issue and sale of the Securities, nor
the consummation of any other of the transactions herein
contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof will
conflict with, result in a breach or violation of or
imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any
property or assets of the Company pursuant to, (i) the charter
or bylaws of the Company,
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(ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage,
deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other
agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to
which the Company is a party or bound or to which its property
is subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation,
judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company of any
court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental
body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over
the Company or any of its properties; and
(x) no holders of securities of the Company have rights
to the registration of such securities under the Registration
Statement.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters
involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the
State of Nevada or the Federal laws of the United States, to the extent
they deem proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of
other counsel of good standing whom they believe to be reliable and who
are satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters and (B) as to matters
of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible
officers of the Company and public officials. References to the
Prospectus in this paragraph (b) include any supplements thereto at the
Closing Date.
(c) The Representatives shall have received from Cravath,
Swaine & Moore, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions,
dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, with
respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and
other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require,
and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as
they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such
matters.
(d) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a
certificate of the Company, signed by the Chairman of the Board or the
President and the principal financial or accounting officer of the
Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such
certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus, any supplements to the Prospectus and this Agreement and
that:
(i) the representations and warranties of the
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Company in this Agreement are true and correct in all material
respects on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as
if made on the Closing Date and the Company has complied with
all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its
part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing
Date;
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for
that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company's
knowledge, threatened; and
(iii) since the date of the most recent financial
statements included in the Prospectus (exclusive of any
supplement thereto), there has been no material adverse effect
on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects,
earnings, business or properties of the Company, whether or
not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of
business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the
Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(e) The Company shall have requested and caused Deloitte &
Touche LLP to have furnished to the Representatives, at the Execution
Time and at the Closing Date, letters, dated respectively as of the
Execution Time and as of the Closing Date, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that they are
independent accountants within the meaning of the Act and the
applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder
and that they have performed a review of the unaudited interim
financial information of the Company for the 24-month period ended
December 31, 1999, and at December 31, 1999, in accordance with
Statement on Auditing Standards No. 71 and stating in effect that:
(i) in their opinion the audited financial statements
and financial statement schedules included in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus and reported on by them comply as
to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act and the related rules and
regulations adopted by the Commission;
(ii) on the basis of a reading of the latest unaudited
financial statements made available by the Company and its
subsidiaries; their limited review, in accordance with
standards established under Statement on Auditing Standards
No. 71, of the unaudited interim
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financial information for the 24-month period ended December
31, 1999 and at December 31, 1999; carrying out certain
specified procedures (but not an examination in accordance
with generally accepted auditing standards) which would not
necessarily reveal matters of significance with respect to the
comments set forth in such letter; a reading of the minutes of
the meetings of the stockholders, directors, audit committee,
and compensation committee of the Company; and inquiries of
certain officials of the Company who have responsibility for
financial and accounting matters of the Company as to
transactions and events subsequent to December 31, 1999,
nothing came to their attention which caused them to believe
that:
(1) any unaudited financial statements included in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus do not
comply as to form in all material respects with
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and with
the related rules and regulations adopted by the
Commission with respect to registration statements on
Form S-1; and said unaudited financial statements are
not in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles applied on a basis substantially consistent
with that of the audited financial statements included
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus;
(2) with respect to the period subsequent to December
31, 1999, there were any changes, at a specified date
not more than five days prior to the date of the
letter, in the long-term debt of the Company or capital
stock of the Company or decreases in the stockholders'
equity of the Company or the working capital of the
Company as compared with the amounts shown on the
December 31, 1999 balance sheet included in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, or for the
period from January 1, 2000 to such specified date
there were any decreases, as compared with the
corresponding period in the preceding quarter in net
revenues or income before income taxes or in total or
per share amounts of net income, operating income or
net interest income of the Company, except in all
instances for changes or decreases set forth in such
letter, in which case the letter shall be accompanied
by an explanation by the Company as to the significance
thereof unless said explanation is not deemed necessary
by the
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Representatives; or
(3) the information included in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus in response to Regulation S-K,
Item 301 (Selected Financial Data), Item 302
(Supplementary Financial Information), Item 402
(Executive Compensation) and Item 503(d) (Ratio of
Earnings to Fixed Charges) is not in conformity with
the applicable disclosure requirements of Regulation
S-K; and
(iii) they have performed certain other specified
procedures as a result of which they determined that certain
information of an accounting, financial or statistical nature
(which is limited to accounting, financial or statistical
information derived from the general accounting records of the
Company) set forth in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, agrees with the accounting records of the Company,
excluding any questions of legal interpretation; and the
accountants' report in the Prospectus shall include coverage
of the five-year table of selected financial information in
accordance with standards established under Statement on
Auditing Standards No. 42.
References to the Prospectus in this paragraph (e) include any
supplement thereto at the date of the letter.
The Company shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP
(and furnished to the Representatives) a report with respect to a
review of unaudited interim financial information of the Company for
the eight quarters ending December 31, 1999, in accordance with
Statement on Auditing Standards No. 71.
(f) Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates
as of which information is given in the Registration Statement
(exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the Prospectus (exclusive of
any supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i) any change or
decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph
(e) of this Section 6 or (ii) any change, or any development involving
a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or
otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company, whether or
not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business,
except as set forth in or contemplated in the Prospectus (exclusive of
any supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in
clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the sole
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judgment of Salomon Smith Barney Inc., so material and adverse as to
make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or
delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration
Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the Prospectus
(exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(g) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have
furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates
and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
(h) The Securities shall have been listed and admitted and
authorized for trading on the Nasdaq National Market, and satisfactory
evidence of such actions shall have been provided to the
Representatives.
(i) At the Execution Time, the Company shall have furnished to
the Representatives a letter substantially in the form of Exhibit A
hereto from each officer and director of the Company and Dominion Fund
IV, LP, Paradise Canyon Ventures LLC and Aztore Holdings Inc. addressed
to the Representatives.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not
have been fulfilled in all material respects when and as provided in this
Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or
elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be in all material respects reasonably
satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the
Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder
may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the
Representatives. Notice of such cancelation shall be given to the Company in
writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.
The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall
be delivered at the office of Cravath, Swaine & Moore, counsel for the
Underwriters, at Worldwide Plaza, 825 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10019, on the
Closing Date.
7. Reimbursement of Underwriters' Expenses. If the sale of the
Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the
obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied,
because of any termination pursuant to Section 10 hereof or because of any
refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any
agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a
default by any of the Underwriters, the
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Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally through Salomon Smith Barney
Inc. on demand for all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and
disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection
with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.
8. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees
and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter
within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all
losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any
of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or
state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the registration statement for the registration of
the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse
each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any
such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the
Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss,
claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made
therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to
the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives
specifically for inclusion therein. This indemnity agreement will be in addition
to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its
officers who signs the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the
Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same
extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only
with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to
the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives
specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing
indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any
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liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have. The Company acknowledges
that the statements set forth under the heading "Underwriting", (i) the list of
Underwriters and their respective participation in the sale of the Securities,
(ii) the sentences related to concessions and reallowances and (iii) the
paragraph related to stabilization, syndicate covering transactions and penalty
bids in any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus constitute the only
information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for
inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party
under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i)
will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and
to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results
in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses
and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any
obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation
provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled
to appoint counsel of the indemnifying party's choice at the indemnifying
party's expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which
indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not
thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel
retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below);
provided, however, that such counsel shall be satisfactory to the indemnified
party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party's election to appoint counsel to
represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have
the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the
indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such
separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to
represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of
interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such
action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the
indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal
defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different
from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the
indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the
indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time
after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party
shall
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authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the
indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written
consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the
entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action,
suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be
sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential
parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent
includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability
arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.
(d) In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a)
or (b) of this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an
indemnified party for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally
agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities
(including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with
investigating or defending same) (collectively "Losses") to which the Company
and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one
hand and by the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities;
provided, however, that in no case shall any Underwriter (except as may be
provided in any agreement among underwriters relating to the offering of the
Securities) be responsible for any amount in excess of the underwriting discount
or commission applicable to the Securities purchased by such Underwriter
hereunder. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is
unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally shall
contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such
relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and
of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions
which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to
the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by
it, and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the
total underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the
cover page of the Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by reference
to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a
material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
relates to information provided by the Company on the one hand or the
Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it
would
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not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation
or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable
considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any
person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of
this Section 8, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of
either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee and
agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such
Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of
either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have
signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have
the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the
applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).
9. Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters
shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased
by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall
constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this
Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up
and pay for (in the respective proportions which the amount of Securities set
forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto bears to the aggregate amount of
Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the
Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to
purchase; provided, however, that in the event that the aggregate amount of
Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to
purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate amount of Securities set forth in
Schedule I hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase
all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities,
and if such nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the Securities, this
Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter or
the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this
Section 9, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding
five Business Days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the
required changes in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any
other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this
Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to
the Company and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its
default
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hereunder.
10. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to
termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given
to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if at any
time prior to such time (i) trading in the Company's Common Stock shall have
been suspended by the Commission or the Nasdaq National Market or trading in
securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National
Market shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been
established on either of such Exchange or National Market, (ii) a banking
moratorium shall have been declared either by Federal or New York State
authorities or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of
hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or
other calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to
make it, in the sole judgment of Salomon Smith Barney Inc., impractical or
inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as
contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
11. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective
agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the
Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to
this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of
the officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons referred to in
Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities.
The provisions of Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or
cancelation of this Agreement.
12. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing
and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be
mailed, delivered or telefaxed to the Salomon Smith Barney Inc., General Counsel
(fax no.: (212) 816-7912) and confirmed to the General Counsel, Salomon Smith
Barney Inc., at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, Attention:
General Counsel; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or
telefaxed to Gregory S. Anderson and confirmed to it at 5030 E. Sunrise Drive,
Phoenix, AZ 85044, attention of the Finance Department (fax no.: (480)
940-1388).
13. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of
and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the
officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in
Section 8 hereof,
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and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
14. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to
contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.
15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
16. Headings. The section headings used herein are for
convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
17. Definitions. The terms which follow, when used in
this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.
"Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
"Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or
trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York
City or Phoenix, Arizona.
"Commission" shall mean the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
"Effective Date" shall mean each date and time that the
Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment or amendments
thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement became or become
effective.
"Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated
thereunder.
"Execution Time" shall mean the date and time that this
Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto.
"Preliminary Prospectus" shall mean any preliminary prospectus
referred to in paragraph 1(a) above and any preliminary prospectus
included in the Registration Statement at the Effective Date that omits
Rule 430A Information.
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"Prospectus" shall mean the prospectus relating to the
Securities that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the
Execution Time or, if no filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) is required,
shall mean the form of final prospectus relating to the Securities
included in the Registration Statement at the Effective Date.
"Registration Statement" shall mean the registration statement
referred to in paragraph 1(a) above, including exhibits and financial
statements, as amended at the Execution Time (or, if not effective at
the Execution Time, in the form in which it shall become effective)
and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto or any Rule
462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective prior to the Closing
Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended or such
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, as the case may be. Such term shall
include any Rule 430A Information deemed to be included therein at the
Effective Date as provided by Rule 430A.
"Rule 424", "Rule 430A" and "Rule 462" refer to such
rules under the Act.
"Rule 430A Information" shall mean information with respect to
the Securities and the offering thereof permitted to be omitted from
the Registration Statement when it becomes effective pursuant to Rule
430A.
"Rule 462(b) Registration Statement" shall mean a registration
statement and any amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b)
relating to the offering covered by the registration statement referred
to in Section 1(a) hereof.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your under standing of
our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof,
whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement
among the Company and the several Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
Quality Care Solutions, Inc.
By: _______________________
Name: _________________
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Title: ________________
The foregoing Agreement is hereby
confirmed and accepted as of the
date first above written.
Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
Warburg Dillon Read LLC and
CIBC World Markets Corp.
By: Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
By: _________________________
Name: ___________________
Title: __________________
For themselves and the other
several Underwriters
named in Schedule I to the
foregoing Agreement.
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SCHEDULE I
NUMBER OF
UNDERWRITTEN
SECURITIES
TO BE
Underwriters Purchased
- ------------ ---------
Salomon Smith Barney Inc........................................
Warburg Dillon Read LLC.........................................
CIBC World Markets Corp. .......................................
----------
Total ........................................
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Quality Care Solutions, Inc.
Public Offering of Common Stock
January __, 2000
Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
Warburg Dillon Read LLC
CIBC World Markets Corp.
As Representatives of the several Underwriters,
c/o Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
388 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 10013
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This letter is being delivered to you in connection with the
proposed Underwriting Agreement (the "Underwriting Agreement"), between Quality
Care Solutions, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), and each of you as
representatives of a group of Underwriters named therein, relating to an
underwritten public offering of Common Stock (the "Common Stock") of the
Company.
In order to induce you and the other Underwriters to enter
into the Underwriting Agreement, the undersigned will not, without the prior
written consent of Salomon Smith Barney Inc., offer, sell, contract to sell,
pledge or otherwise dispose of,(or enter into any transaction which is designed
to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by
actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or
otherwise)) directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in
the filing of) a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange
Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or
liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section
16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder
with respect to, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for such capital
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stock, or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, for a
period of 180 days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement, other than
shares of Common Stock disposed of as bona fide gifts approved by Salomon Smith
Barney Inc.
If for any reason the Underwriting Agreement shall be
terminated prior to the Closing Date (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement),
the agreement set forth above shall likewise be terminated.
Yours very truly,
[SIGNATURE OF OFFICER, DIRECTOR OR MAJOR
STOCKHOLDER]
[NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFICER, DIRECTOR
OR MAJOR STOCKHOLDER]