EXHIBIT 10.14
EXECUTION COPY
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GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT
made by
NCI ACQUISITION CORPORATION
NATIONWIDE CREDIT, INC.
and certain of its Subsidiaries
in favor of
FLEET CAPITAL CORPORATION,
as Administrative Agent
Dated as of January , 1998
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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SECTION 1. DEFINED TERMS................................................. 1
1.1 Definitions.................................................. 1
1.2 Other Definitional Provisions................................ 4
SECTION 2. GUARANTEE.................................................... 5
2.1 Guarantee.................................................... 5
2.2 Right of Contribution........................................ 5
2.3 No Subrogation............................................... 6
2.4 Amendments, etc. with respect to the Borrower Obligations.... 6
2.5 Guarantee Absolute and Unconditional......................... 6
2.6 Reinstatement................................................ 7
2.7 Payments..................................................... 7
SECTION 3. GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST................................... 7
SECTION 4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES............................... 8
4.1 Representations in Credit Agreement.......................... 8
4.2 Title; No Other Liens........................................ 8
4.3 Perfected First Priority Liens............................... 8
4.4 Chief Executive Office....................................... 9
4.5 Inventory and Equipment...................................... 9
4.6 Farm Products................................................ 9
4.7 Pledged Securities........................................... 9
4.8 Receivables.................................................. 9
4.9 Intellectual Property........................................ 9
SECTION 5. COVENANTS 10
5.1 Covenants in Credit Agreement................................ 10
5.2 Delivery of Instruments and Chattel Paper.................... 10
5.3 Maintenance of Insurance..................................... 10
5.4 Payment of Obligations....................................... 11
5.5 Maintenance of Perfected Security Interest;
Further Documentation...................................... 11
5.6 Changes in Locations, Name, etc.............................. 11
5.7 Notices...................................................... 12
5.8 Pledged Securities........................................... 12
5.9 Receivables.................................................. 13
5.10 Intellectual Property........................................ 13
SECTION 6. REMEDIAL PROVISIONS.......................................... 14
6.1 Certain Matters Relating to Receivables...................... 14
6.2 Communications with Obligors; Grantors Remain Liable......... 15
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6.3 Pledged Stock................................................ 15
6.4 Proceeds to be Turned Over To Administrative Agent........... 16
6.5 Application of Proceeds...................................... 16
6.6 Code and Other Remedies...................................... 17
6.7 Registration Rights.......................................... 17
6.8 Waiver; Deficiency........................................... 18
SECTION 7. THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT..................................... 18
7.1 Administrative Agent's Appointment as Attorney-in-Fact, etc.. 18
7.2 Duty of Administrative Agent................................. 20
7.3 Execution of Financing Statements............................ 20
7.4 Authority of Administrative Agent............................ 20
SECTION 8. MISCELLANEOUS................................................ 21
8.1 Amendments in Writing........................................ 21
8.2 Notices...................................................... 21
8.3 No Waiver by Course of Conduct; Cumulative Remedies.......... 21
8.4 Enforcement Expenses; Indemnification........................ 21
8.5 Successors and Assigns....................................... 22
8.6 Set-Off...................................................... 22
8.7 Counterparts................................................. 22
8.8 Severability................................................. 22
8.9 Section Headings............................................. 22
8.10 Integration.................................................. 22
8.11 GOVERNING LAW................................................ 23
8.12 Submission To Jurisdiction; Waivers.......................... 23
8.13 Acknowledgements............................................. 23
8.14 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL......................................... 23
8.15 Additional Grantors.......................................... 24
8.16 Releases..................................................... 24
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EXHIBIT A
FORM OF
GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT
GUARANTEE AND COLLATERAL AGREEMENT, dated as of January __, 1998, made
by each of the signatories hereto (together with any other entity that may
become a party hereto as provided herein, the "Grantors"), in favor of Fleet
Capital Corporation, as Administrative Agent (in such capacity, the
"Administrative Agent") for the banks and other financial institutions (the
"Lenders") from time to time parties to the Credit Agreement, dated as of
January __, 1998 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to
time, the "Credit Agreement"), among NCI Acquisition Corporation, Nationwide
Credit, Inc. (the "Borrower"), the Lenders, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers, Inc., as Arranger,
▇▇▇▇▇▇ Commercial Paper Inc., as Syndication Agent, the Administrative Agent and
BHF - Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Grand Cayman Branch, as Documentation Agent.
W I T N E S S E T H:
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WHEREAS, pursuant to the Credit Agreement, the Lenders have severally
agreed to make extensions of credit to the Borrower upon the terms and subject
to the conditions set forth therein;
WHEREAS, the Borrower is a member of an affiliated group of companies
that includes each other Grantor;
WHEREAS, the proceeds of the extensions of credit under the Credit
Agreement will be used in part to enable the Borrower to make valuable transfers
to one or more of the other Grantors in connection with the operation of their
respective businesses;
WHEREAS, the Borrower and the other Grantors are engaged in related
businesses, and each Grantor will derive substantial direct and indirect benefit
from the making of the extensions of credit under the Credit Agreement; and
WHEREAS, it is a condition precedent to the obligation of the Lenders
to make their respective extensions of credit to the Borrower under the Credit
Agreement that the Grantors shall have executed and delivered this Agreement to
the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and to induce the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders to enter into the Credit Agreement and to
induce the Lenders to make their respective extensions of credit to the Borrower
thereunder, each Grantor hereby agrees with the Administrative Agent, for the
ratable benefit of the Lenders, as follows:
SECTION 1. DEFINED TERMS
1.1 Definitions. (a) Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined
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in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in
the Credit Agreement, and the following terms which are defined in the Uniform
Commercial Code in effect in the State of New York on the date hereof are used
herein as so defined: Accounts, Chattel Paper, Documents, Equipment, Farm
Products, Instruments, Inventory and Investment Property.
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(b) The following terms shall have the following meanings:
"Agreement": this Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, as the same may
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be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
"Borrower Obligations": the collective reference to the unpaid
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principal of and interest on the Loans and Reimbursement Obligations and
all other obligations and liabilities of the Borrower (including, without
limitation, interest accruing at the then applicable rate provided in the
Credit Agreement after the maturity of the Loans and Reimbursement
Obligations and interest accruing at the then applicable rate provided in
the Credit Agreement after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the
commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding,
relating to the Borrower, whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-
petition interest is allowed in such proceeding) to the Administrative
Agent or any Lender (or, in the case of any Hedge Agreement referred to
below, any Affiliate of any Lender), whether direct or indirect, absolute
or contingent, due or to become due, or now existing or hereafter incurred,
which may arise under, out of, or in connection with, the Credit Agreement,
this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, any Letter of Credit or any Hedge
Agreement entered into by the Borrower with any Lender (or any Affiliate of
any Lender) or any other document made, delivered or given in connection
therewith, in each case whether on account of principal, interest,
reimbursement obligations, fees, indemnities, costs, expenses or otherwise
(including, without limitation, all fees and disbursements of counsel to
the Administrative Agent or to the Lenders that are required to be paid by
the Borrower pursuant to the terms of any of the foregoing agreements).
"Collateral": as defined in Section 3.
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"Collateral Account": any collateral account established by the
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Administrative Agent as provided in Section 6.1 or 6.4.
"Copyrights": (i) all copyrights arising under the laws of the United
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States, any other country or any political subdivision thereof, whether
registered or unregistered and whether published or unpublished (including,
without limitation, those listed in Schedule 6), all registrations and
recordings thereof, and all applications in connection therewith,
including, without limitation, all registrations, recordings and
applications in the United States Copyright Office, and (ii) the right to
obtain all renewals thereof.
"Copyright Licenses": any written agreement naming any Grantor as
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licensor or licensee (including, without limitation, those listed in
Schedule 6), granting any right under any Copyright, including, without
limitation, the grant of rights to manufacture, distribute, exploit and
sell materials derived from any Copyright.
"General Intangibles": all "general intangibles" as such term is
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defined in Section 9-106 of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the
State of New York on the date hereof and, in any event, including, without
limitation, with respect to any Grantor, all contracts, agreements,
instruments and indentures in any form, and portions thereof, to which such
Grantor is a party or under which such Grantor has any right, title or
interest or to which such Grantor or any property of such Grantor is
subject, as the same may from time to time be amended, supplemented or
otherwise modified, including, without limitation, (i) all rights of such
Grantor to receive moneys due and to become due to it thereunder or in
connection therewith, (ii) all rights of such Grantor to damages arising
thereunder and (iii) all rights of
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such Grantor to perform and to exercise all remedies thereunder, in each
case to the extent the grant by such Grantor of a security interest
pursuant to this Agreement in its right, title and interest in such
contract, agreement, instrument or indenture is not prohibited by such
contract, agreement, instrument or indenture without the consent of any
other party thereto, would not give any other party to such contract,
agreement, instrument or indenture the right to terminate its obligations
thereunder, or is permitted with consent if all necessary consents to such
grant of a security interest have been obtained from the other parties
thereto (it being understood that the foregoing shall not be deemed to
obligate such Grantor to obtain such consents); provided, that the
foregoing limitation shall not affect, limit, restrict or impair the grant
by such Grantor of a security interest pursuant to this Agreement in any
Receivable or any money or other amounts due or to become due under any
such contract, agreement, instrument or indenture.
"Guarantor Obligations": with respect to any Guarantor, the
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collective reference to (i) the Borrower Obligations and (ii) all
obligations and liabilities of such Guarantor which may arise under or in
connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document to which such
Guarantor is a party, in each case whether on account of guarantee
obligations, reimbursement obligations, fees, indemnities, costs, expenses
or otherwise (including, without limitation, all fees and disbursements of
counsel to the Administrative Agent or to the Lenders that are required to
be paid by such Guarantor pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any
other Loan Document).
"Guarantors": the collective reference to each Grantor other than the
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Borrower.
"Hedge Agreements": as to any Person, all interest rate swaps, caps
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or collar agreements or similar arrangements entered into by such Person
providing for protection against fluctuations in interest rates or currency
exchange rates or the exchange of nominal interest obligations, either
generally or under specific contingencies.
"Intellectual Property": the collective reference to all rights,
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priorities and privileges relating to intellectual property, whether
arising under United States, multinational or foreign laws or otherwise,
including, without limitation, the Copyrights, the Copyright Licenses, the
Patents, the Patent Licenses, the Trademarks and the Trademark Licenses,
and all rights to ▇▇▇ at law or in equity for any infringement or other
impairment thereof, including the right to receive all proceeds and damages
therefrom.
"Intercompany Note": any promissory note evidencing loans made by any
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Grantor to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries.
"Issuers": the collective reference to each issuer of a Pledged
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Security.
"New York UCC": the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in
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effect in the State of New York.
"Obligations": (i) in the case of the Borrower, the Borrower
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Obligations, and (ii) in the case of each Guarantor, its Guarantor
Obligations.
"Patents": (i) all letters patent of the United States, any other
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country or any political subdivision thereof, all reissues and extensions
thereof and all goodwill associated therewith, including, without
limitation, any of the foregoing referred to in Schedule 6, (ii) all
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applications for letters patent of the United States or any other country
and all divisions, continuations and continuations-in-part thereof,
including, without limitation, any of the foregoing referred to in Schedule
6, and (iii) all rights to obtain any reissues or extensions of the
foregoing.
"Patent License": all agreements, whether written or oral, providing
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for the grant by or to any Grantor of any right to manufacture, use or sell
any invention covered in whole or in part by a Patent, including, without
limitation, any of the foregoing referred to in Schedule 6.
"Pledged Notes": all promissory notes listed on Schedule 2, all
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Intercompany Notes at any time issued to any Grantor and all other
promissory notes issued to or held by any Grantor (other than promissory
notes issued in connection with extensions of trade credit by any Grantor
in the ordinary course of business).
"Pledged Securities": the collective reference to the Pledged Notes
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and the Pledged Stock.
"Pledged Stock": the shares of Capital Stock listed on Schedule 2,
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together with any other shares, stock certificates, options or rights of
any nature whatsoever in respect of the Capital Stock of any Person that
may be issued or granted to, or held by, any Grantor while this Agreement
is in effect.
"Proceeds": all "proceeds" as such term is defined in Section 9-
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306(1) of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of New York on
the date hereof and, in any event, shall include, without limitation, all
dividends or other income from the Pledged Securities, collections thereon
or distributions or payments with respect thereto.
"Receivable": any right to payment for goods sold or leased or for
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services rendered, whether or not such right is evidenced by an Instrument
or Chattel Paper and whether or not it has been earned by performance
(including, without limitation, any Account).
"Securities Act": the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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"Trademarks": (i) all trademarks, trade names, corporate names,
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company names, business names, fictitious business names, trade styles,
service marks, logos and other source or business identifiers, and all
goodwill associated therewith, now existing or hereafter adopted or
acquired, all registrations and recordings thereof, and all applications in
connection therewith, whether in the United States Patent and Trademark
Office or in any similar office or agency of the United States, any State
thereof or any other country or any political subdivision thereof, or
otherwise, and all common-law rights related thereto, including, without
limitation, any of the foregoing referred to in Schedule 6, and (ii) the
right to obtain all renewals thereof.
"Trademark License": any agreement, whether written or oral,
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providing for the grant by or to any Grantor of any right to use any
Trademark, including, without limitation, any of the foregoing referred to
in Schedule 6.
1.2 Other Definitional Provisions. (a) The words "hereof,"
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"herein", "hereto" and "hereunder" and words of similar import when used in this
Agreement shall refer to this Agreement
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as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement, and Section
and Schedule references are to this Agreement unless otherwise specified.
(b) The meanings given to terms defined herein shall be equally
applicable to both the singular and plural forms of such terms.
(c) Where the context requires, terms relating to the Collateral or
any part thereof, when used in relation to a Grantor, shall refer to such
Grantor's Collateral or the relevant part thereof.
SECTION 2. GUARANTEE
2.1 Guarantee. (a) Each of the Guarantors hereby, jointly and
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severally, unconditionally and irrevocably, guarantees to the Administrative
Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders and their respective successors,
indorsees, transferees and assigns, the prompt and complete payment and
performance by the Borrower when due (whether at the stated maturity, by
acceleration or otherwise) of the Borrower Obligations.
(b) Anything herein or in any other Loan Document to the contrary
notwithstanding, the maximum liability of each Guarantor hereunder and under the
other Loan Documents shall in no event exceed the amount which can be guaranteed
by such Guarantor under applicable federal and state laws relating to the
insolvency of debtors (after giving effect to the right of contribution
established in Section 2.2).
(c) Each Guarantor agrees that the Borrower Obligations may at any
time and from time to time exceed the amount of the liability of such Guarantor
hereunder without impairing the guarantee contained in this Section 2 or
affecting the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent or any Lender
hereunder.
(d) The guarantee contained in this Section 2 shall remain in full
force and effect until all the Borrower Obligations and the obligations of each
Guarantor under the guarantee contained in this Section 2 shall have been
satisfied by payment in full, no Letter of Credit shall be outstanding and the
Commitments shall be terminated, notwithstanding that from time to time during
the term of the Credit Agreement the Borrower may be free from any Borrower
Obligations.
(e) No payment made by the Borrower, any of the Guarantors, any other
guarantor or any other Person or received or collected by the Administrative
Agent or any Lender from the Borrower, any of the Guarantors, any other
guarantor or any other Person by virtue of any action or proceeding or any set-
off or appropriation or application at any time or from time to time in
reduction of or in payment of the Borrower Obligations shall be deemed to
modify, reduce, release or otherwise affect the liability of any Guarantor
hereunder which shall, notwithstanding any such payment (other than any payment
made by such Guarantor in respect of the Borrower Obligations or any payment
received or collected from such Guarantor in respect of the Borrower
Obligations), remain liable for the Borrower Obligations up to the maximum
liability of such Guarantor hereunder until the Borrower Obligations are paid in
full, no Letter of Credit shall be outstanding and the Commitments are
terminated.
2.2 Right of Contribution. Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby agrees
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that to the extent that a Subsidiary Guarantor shall have paid more than its
proportionate share of any payment
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made hereunder, such Subsidiary Guarantor shall be entitled to seek and receive
contribution from and against any other Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder which has
not paid its proportionate share of such payment. Each Subsidiary Guarantor's
right of contribution shall be subject to the terms and conditions of Section
2.3. The provisions of this Section 2.2 shall in no respect limit the
obligations and liabilities of any Subsidiary Guarantor to the Administrative
Agent and the Lenders, and each Subsidiary Guarantor shall remain liable to the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders for the full amount guaranteed by such
Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder.
2.3 No Subrogation. Notwithstanding any payment made by any
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Guarantor hereunder or any set-off or application of funds of any Guarantor by
the Administrative Agent or any Lender, no Guarantor shall be entitled to be
subrogated to any of the rights of the Administrative Agent or any Lender
against the Borrower or any other Guarantor or any collateral security or
guarantee or right of offset held by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for
the payment of the Borrower Obligations, nor shall any Guarantor seek or be
entitled to seek any contribution or reimbursement from the Borrower or any
other Guarantor in respect of payments made by such Guarantor hereunder, until
all amounts owing to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders by the Borrower on
account of the Borrower Obligations are paid in full, no Letter of Credit shall
be outstanding and the Commitments are terminated. If any amount shall be paid
to any Guarantor on account of such subrogation rights at any time when all of
the Borrower Obligations shall not have been paid in full, such amount shall be
held by such Guarantor in trust for the Administrative Agent and the Lenders,
segregated from other funds of such Guarantor, and shall, forthwith upon receipt
by such Guarantor, be turned over to the Administrative Agent in the exact form
received by such Guarantor (duly indorsed by such Guarantor to the
Administrative Agent, if required), to be applied against the Borrower
Obligations, whether matured or unmatured, in such order as the Administrative
Agent may determine.
2.4 Amendments, etc. with respect to the Borrower Obligations. Each
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Guarantor shall remain obligated hereunder notwithstanding that, without any
reservation of rights against any Guarantor and without notice to or further
assent by any Guarantor, any demand for payment of any of the Borrower
Obligations made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender may be rescinded by
the Administrative Agent or such Lender and any of the Borrower Obligations
continued, and the Borrower Obligations, or the liability of any other Person
upon or for any part thereof, or any collateral security or guarantee therefor
or right of offset with respect thereto, may, from time to time, in whole or in
part, be renewed, extended, amended, modified, accelerated, compromised, waived,
surrendered or released by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, and the
Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any other documents executed
and delivered in connection therewith may be amended, modified, supplemented or
terminated, in whole or in part, as the Administrative Agent (or the Required
Lenders or all Lenders, as the case may be) may deem advisable from time to
time, and any collateral security, guarantee or right of offset at any time held
by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for the payment of the Borrower
Obligations may be sold, exchanged, waived, surrendered or released. Neither
the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall have any obligation to protect,
secure, perfect or insure any Lien at any time held by it as security for the
Borrower Obligations or for the guarantee contained in this Section 2 or any
property subject thereto.
2.5 Guarantee Absolute and Unconditional. Each Guarantor waives any
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and all notice of the creation, renewal, extension or accrual of any of the
Borrower Obligations and notice of or proof of reliance by the Administrative
Agent or any Lender upon the guarantee contained in this Section 2 or acceptance
of the guarantee contained in this Section 2; the Borrower Obligations, and any
of them, shall conclusively be deemed to have been created, contracted or
incurred, or renewed,
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extended, amended or waived, in reliance upon the guarantee contained in this
Section 2; and all dealings between the Borrower and any of the Guarantors, on
the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, on the other hand,
likewise shall be conclusively presumed to have been had or consummated in
reliance upon the guarantee contained in this Section 2. Each Guarantor waives
diligence, presentment, protest, demand for payment and notice of default or
nonpayment to or upon the Borrower or any of the Guarantors with respect to the
Borrower Obligations. Each Guarantor understands and agrees that the guarantee
contained in this Section 2 shall be construed as a continuing, absolute and
unconditional guarantee of payment without regard to (a) the validity or
enforceability of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, any of the
Borrower Obligations or any other collateral security therefor or guarantee or
right of offset with respect thereto at any time or from time to time held by
the Administrative Agent or any Lender, (b) any defense, set-off or counterclaim
(other than a defense of payment or performance) which may at any time be
available to or be asserted by the Borrower or any other Person against the
Administrative Agent or any Lender, or (c) any other circumstance whatsoever
(with or without notice to or knowledge of the Borrower or such Guarantor) which
constitutes, or might be construed to constitute, an equitable or legal
discharge of the Borrower for the Borrower Obligations, or of such Guarantor
under the guarantee contained in this Section 2, in bankruptcy or in any other
instance. When making any demand hereunder or otherwise pursuing its rights and
remedies hereunder against any Guarantor, the Administrative Agent or any Lender
may, but shall be under no obligation to, make a similar demand on or otherwise
pursue such rights and remedies as it may have against the Borrower, any other
Guarantor or any other Person or against any collateral security or guarantee
for the Borrower Obligations or any right of offset with respect thereto, and
any failure by the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make any such demand,
to pursue such other rights or remedies or to collect any payments from the
Borrower, any other Guarantor or any other Person or to realize upon any such
collateral security or guarantee or to exercise any such right of offset, or any
release of the Borrower, any other Guarantor or any other Person or any such
collateral security, guarantee or right of offset, shall not relieve any
Guarantor of any obligation or liability hereunder, and shall not impair or
affect the rights and remedies, whether express, implied or available as a
matter of law, of the Administrative Agent or any Lender against any Guarantor.
For the purposes hereof "demand" shall include the commencement and continuance
of any legal proceedings.
2.6 Reinstatement. The guarantee contained in this Section 2 shall
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continue to be effective, or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time
payment, or any part thereof, of any of the Borrower Obligations is rescinded or
must otherwise be restored or returned by the Administrative Agent or any Lender
upon the insolvency, bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation or reorganization of
the Borrower or any Guarantor, or upon or as a result of the appointment of a
receiver, intervenor or conservator of, or trustee or similar officer for, the
Borrower or any Guarantor or any substantial part of its property, or otherwise,
all as though such payments had not been made.
2.7 Payments. Each Guarantor hereby guarantees that payments
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hereunder will be paid to the Administrative Agent without set-off or
counterclaim in Dollars at the office of the Administrative Agent located at
Three World Financial Center, New York, New York.
SECTION 3. GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST
Each Grantor hereby assigns and transfers to the Administrative Agent,
and hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the
Lenders, a security interest in, all of the following property now owned or at
any time hereafter acquired by such Grantor or in which such Grantor now has or
at any time in the future may acquire any right, title or interest
(collectively, the
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"Collateral"), as collateral security for the prompt and complete payment and
performance when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or
otherwise) of such Grantor's Obligations,:
(a) all Accounts;
(b) all Chattel Paper;
(c) all Documents;
(d) all Equipment;
(e) all General Intangibles;
(f) all Instruments;
(g) all Intellectual Property;
(h) all Inventory;
(i) all Pledged Securities;
(j) all Investment Property;
(k) all books and records pertaining to the Collateral; and
(l) to the extent not otherwise included, all Proceeds and products
of any and all of the foregoing and all collateral security and guarantees
given by any Person with respect to any of the foregoing.
SECTION 4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
To induce the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to enter into the
Credit Agreement and to induce the Lenders to make their respective extensions
of credit to the Borrower thereunder, each Grantor hereby represents and
warrants to the Administrative Agent and each Lender that:
4.1 Representations in Credit Agreement. In the case of each
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Guarantor, the representations and warranties set forth in Section 4 of the
Credit Agreement as they relate to such Guarantor or to the Loan Documents to
which such Guarantor is a party, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by
reference, are true and correct, and the Administrative Agent and each Lender
shall be entitled to rely on each of them as if they were fully set forth
herein, provided that each reference in each such representation and warranty to
the Borrower's knowledge shall, for the purposes of this Section 4.1, be deemed
to be a reference to such Guarantor's knowledge.
4.2 Title; No Other Liens. Except for the security interest granted
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to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders pursuant to
this Agreement and the other Liens permitted to exist on the Collateral by the
Credit Agreement, such Grantor owns each item of the Collateral free and clear
of any and all Liens or claims of others. No financing statement or other
public notice with respect to all or any part of the Collateral is on file or of
record in any public
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office, except such as have been filed in favor of the Administrative Agent, for
the ratable benefit of the Lenders, pursuant to this Agreement or as are
permitted by the Credit Agreement.
4.3 Perfected First Priority Liens. The security interests granted
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pursuant to this Agreement (a) upon completion of the filings and other actions
specified on Schedule 3 (which, in the case of all filings and other documents
referred to on said Schedule, have been delivered to the Administrative Agent in
completed and duly executed form) will constitute valid perfected security
interests in all of the Collateral in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the
ratable benefit of the Lenders, as collateral security for such Grantor's
Obligations, enforceable in accordance with the terms hereof against all
creditors of such Grantor and any Persons purporting to purchase any Collateral
from such Grantor and (b) are prior to all other Liens on the Collateral in
existence on the date hereof except for Liens permitted by the Credit Agreement.
4.4 Chief Executive Office. On the date hereof, such Grantor's
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jurisdiction of organization and the location of such Grantor's chief executive
office or sole place of business are specified on Schedule 4.
4.5 Inventory and Equipment. On the date hereof, the Inventory and
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the Equipment (other than mobile goods) are kept at the locations listed on
Schedule 5.
4.6 Farm Products. None of the Collateral constitutes, or is the
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Proceeds of, Farm Products.
4.7 Pledged Securities. (a) The shares of Pledged Stock pledged by
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such Grantor hereunder constitute all the issued and outstanding shares of all
classes of the Capital Stock of each Issuer owned by such Grantor; provided,
that the security interest granted hereby in any Capital Stock of any Excluded
Foreign Subsidiary is limited to 65% of the Capital Stock of each Excluded
Foreign Subsidiary.
(b) All the shares of the Pledged Stock have been duly and validly
issued and are fully paid and nonassessable.
(c) Each of the Pledged Notes constitutes the legal, valid and
binding obligation of the obligor with respect thereto, enforceable in
accordance with its terms, subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency,
fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws
relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally, general equitable
principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and an
implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
(d) Such Grantor is the record and beneficial owner of, and has good
and marketable title to, the Pledged Securities pledged by it hereunder, free of
any and all Liens or options in favor of, or claims of, any other Person, except
the security interest created by this Agreement.
4.8 Receivables. (a) No amount payable to such Grantor under or in
-----------
connection with any Receivable is evidenced by any Instrument or Chattel Paper
which has not been delivered to the Administrative Agent.
(b) The amounts represented by such Grantor to the Lenders from time
to time as owing to such Grantor in respect of the Receivables will at such
times be accurate.
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4.9 Intellectual Property. (a) Schedule 6 lists all Intellectual
---------------------
Property owned by such Grantor in its own name on the date hereof.
(b) On the date hereof, all material Intellectual Property is valid,
subsisting, unexpired and enforceable, has not been abandoned and does not
infringe the intellectual property rights of any other Person.
(c) Except as set forth in Schedule 6, on the date hereof, none of
the Intellectual Property is the subject of any licensing or franchise agreement
pursuant to which such Grantor is the licensor or franchisor.
(d) No holding, decision or judgment has been rendered by any
Governmental Authority which would limit, cancel or question the validity of, or
such Grantor's rights in, any Intellectual Property in any respect that could
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(e) No action or proceeding is pending, or, to the knowledge of such
Grantor, threatened, on the date hereof (i) seeking to limit, cancel or question
the validity of any Intellectual Property or such Grantor's ownership interest
therein, or (ii) which, if adversely determined, would have a material adverse
effect on the value of any Intellectual Property.
SECTION 5. COVENANTS
Each Grantor covenants and agrees with the Administrative Agent and
the Lenders that, from and after the date of this Agreement until the
Obligations shall have been paid in full, no Letter of Credit shall be
outstanding and the Commitments shall have terminated:
5.1 Covenants in Credit Agreement. In the case of each Guarantor,
-----------------------------
such Guarantor shall take, or shall refrain from taking, as the case may be,
each action that is necessary to be taken or not taken, as the case may be, so
that no Default or Event of Default is caused by the failure to take such action
or to refrain from taking such action by such Guarantor or any of its
Subsidiaries.
5.2 Delivery of Instruments and Chattel Paper. If any amount payable
-----------------------------------------
under or in connection with any of the Collateral shall be or become evidenced
by any Instrument or Chattel Paper, such Instrument or Chattel Paper shall be
immediately delivered to the Administrative Agent, duly indorsed in a manner
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, to be held as Collateral pursuant to
this Agreement.
5.3 Maintenance of Insurance. (a) Such Grantor will maintain, with
------------------------
financially sound and reputable companies, insurance policies (i) insuring the
Inventory and Equipment against loss by fire, explosion, theft and such other
casualties as may be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and
(ii) insuring such Grantor, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders against
liability for personal injury and property damage relating to such Inventory and
Equipment, such policies to be in such form and amounts and having such coverage
as may be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders.
(b) All such insurance shall (i) provide that no cancellation,
material reduction in amount or material change in coverage thereof shall be
effective until at least 30 days after receipt by the Administrative Agent of
written notice thereof, (ii) name the Administrative Agent as insured
11
party or loss payee, (iii) if reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent,
include a breach of warranty clause and (iv) be reasonably satisfactory in all
other respects to the Administrative Agent.
(c) The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders a report of a reputable insurance broker with respect to such insurance
during the month of November in each calendar year and such supplemental reports
with respect thereto as the Administrative Agent may from time to time
reasonably request.
5.4 Payment of Obligations. Such Grantor will pay and discharge or
----------------------
otherwise satisfy at or before maturity or before they become delinquent, as the
case may be, all taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed
upon the Collateral or in respect of income or profits therefrom, as well as all
claims of any kind (including, without limitation, claims for labor, materials
and supplies) against or with respect to the Collateral, except that no such
charge need be paid if the amount or validity thereof is currently being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, reserves in conformity with
GAAP with respect thereto have been provided on the books of such Grantor and
such proceedings could not reasonably be expected to result in the sale,
forfeiture or loss of any material portion of the Collateral or any interest
therein.
5.5 Maintenance of Perfected Security Interest; Further
---------------------------------------------------
Documentation. (a) Such Grantor shall maintain the security interest created
-------------
by this Agreement as a perfected security interest having at least the priority
described in Section 4.3 and shall defend such security interest against the
claims and demands of all Persons whomsoever.
(b) Such Grantor will furnish to the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders from time to time statements and schedules further identifying and
describing the Collateral and such other reports in connection with the
Collateral as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request, all in reasonable
detail.
(c) At any time and from time to time, upon the written request of
the Administrative Agent, and at the sole expense of such Grantor, such Grantor
will promptly and duly execute and deliver, and have recorded, such further
instruments and documents and take such further actions as the Administrative
Agent may reasonably request for the purpose of obtaining or preserving the full
benefits of this Agreement and of the rights and powers herein granted,
including, without limitation, the filing of any financing or continuation
statements under the Uniform Commercial Code (or other similar laws) in effect
in any jurisdiction with respect to the security interests created hereby,
including, without limitation, compliance with any applicable federal laws with
respect to Receivables as to which the obligor is a Governmental Authority
(provided that the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent written notice
of the aggregate book value of such Receivables at such time as the aggregate
book value of such Receivables exceeds $10,000,000).
5.6 Changes in Locations, Name, etc. Such Grantor will not, except
-------------------------------
upon 15 days' prior written notice to the Administrative Agent and delivery to
the Administrative Agent of (a) all additional executed financing statements and
other documents reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to maintain the
validity, perfection and priority of the security interests provided for herein
and (b) if applicable, a written supplement to Schedule 5 showing any additional
location at which Inventory or Equipment shall be kept:
(i) permit any of the Inventory or Equipment to be kept at a location
other than those listed on Schedule 5;
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(ii) change the location of its chief executive office or sole place
of business from that referred to in Section 4.4; or
(iii) change its name, identity or corporate structure to such an
extent that any financing statement filed by the Administrative Agent in
connection with this Agreement would become misleading.
5.7 Notices. Such Grantor will advise the Administrative Agent and
-------
the Lenders promptly, in reasonable detail, of:
(a) any Lien (other than security interests created hereby or Liens
permitted under the Credit Agreement) on any of the Collateral which would
adversely affect the ability of the Administrative Agent to exercise any of its
remedies hereunder; and
(b) of the occurrence of any other event which could reasonably be
expected to have a material adverse effect on the aggregate value of the
Collateral or on the security interests created hereby.
5.8 Pledged Securities. (a) If such Grantor shall become entitled
------------------
to receive or shall receive any stock certificate (including, without
limitation, any certificate representing a stock dividend or a distribution in
connection with any reclassification, increase or reduction of capital or any
certificate issued in connection with any reorganization), option or rights in
respect of the Capital Stock of any Issuer, whether in addition to, in
substitution of, as a conversion of, or in exchange for, any shares of the
Pledged Stock, or otherwise in respect thereof, such Grantor shall accept the
same as the agent of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, hold the same in
trust for the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and deliver the same
forthwith to the Administrative Agent in the exact form received, duly indorsed
by such Grantor to the Administrative Agent, if required, together with an
undated stock power covering such certificate duly executed in blank by such
Grantor and with, if the Administrative Agent so requests, signature guaranteed,
to be held by the Administrative Agent, subject to the terms hereof, as
additional collateral security for the Obligations. Any sums paid upon or in
respect of the Pledged Securities upon the liquidation or dissolution of any
Issuer shall be paid over to the Administrative Agent to be held by it hereunder
as additional collateral security for the Obligations, and in case any
distribution of capital shall be made on or in respect of the Pledged Securities
or any property shall be distributed upon or with respect to the Pledged
Securities pursuant to the recapitalization or reclassification of the capital
of any Issuer or pursuant to the reorganization thereof, the property so
distributed shall, unless otherwise subject to a perfected security interest in
favor of the Administrative Agent, be delivered to the Administrative Agent to
be held by it hereunder as additional collateral security for the Obligations.
If any sums of money or property so paid or distributed in respect of the
Pledged Securities shall be received by such Grantor, such Grantor shall, until
such money or property is paid or delivered to the Administrative Agent, hold
such money or property in trust for the Lenders, segregated from other funds of
such Grantor, as additional collateral security for the Obligations.
(b) Without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent,
such Grantor will not (i) vote to enable, or take any other action to permit,
any Issuer to issue any stock or other equity securities of any nature or to
issue any other securities convertible into or granting the right to purchase or
exchange for any stock or other equity securities of any nature of any Issuer,
(ii) sell, assign, transfer, exchange, or otherwise dispose of, or grant any
option with respect to, the Pledged Securities or Proceeds thereof (except
pursuant to a transaction expressly permitted by the Credit Agreement), (iii)
create, incur or permit to exist any Lien or option in favor of, or any claim of
any
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Person with respect to, any of the Pledged Securities or Proceeds thereof, or
any interest therein, except for the security interests created by this
Agreement or (iv) enter into any agreement or undertaking restricting the right
or ability of such Grantor or the Administrative Agent to sell, assign or
transfer any of the Pledged Securities or Proceeds thereof.
(c) In the case of each Grantor which is an Issuer, such Issuer
agrees that (i) it will be bound by the terms of this Agreement relating to the
Pledged Securities issued by it and will comply with such terms insofar as such
terms are applicable to it, (ii) it will notify the Administrative Agent
promptly in writing of the occurrence of any of the events described in Section
5.8(a) with respect to the Pledged Securities issued by it and (iii) the terms
of Sections 6.3(c) and 6.7 shall apply to it, mutatis mutandis, with respect to
all actions that may be required of it pursuant to Section 6.3(c) or 6.7 with
respect to the Pledged Securities issued by it.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, no Grantor
shall be obligated to pledge or deliver to the Administrative Agent or the
Lenders more than 65% of the Capital Stock of any Excluded Foreign Subsidiary.
5.9 Receivables. (a) Other than in the ordinary course of business
-----------
consistent with its past practice, such Grantor will not (i) grant any extension
of the time of payment of any Receivable, (ii) compromise or settle any
Receivable for less than the full amount thereof, (iii) release, wholly or
partially, any Person liable for the payment of any Receivable, (iv) allow any
credit or discount whatsoever on any Receivable or (v) amend, supplement or
modify any Receivable in any manner that could adversely affect the value
thereof.
(b) Such Grantor will deliver to the Administrative Agent a copy of
each material demand, notice or document received by it that questions or calls
into doubt the validity or enforceability of more than 5% of the aggregate
amount of the then outstanding Receivables.
5.10 Intellectual Property. (a) Such Grantor (either itself or
---------------------
through licensees) will (i) continue to use each material Trademark on each and
every trademark class of goods applicable to its current line as reflected in
its current catalogs, brochures and price lists in order to maintain such
Trademark in full force free from any claim of abandonment for non-use, (ii)
maintain as in the past the quality of products and services offered under such
Trademark, (iii) use such Trademark with the appropriate notice of registration
and all other notices and legends required by applicable Requirements of Law,
(iv) not adopt or use any ▇▇▇▇ which is confusingly similar or a colorable
imitation of such Trademark unless the Administrative Agent, for the ratable
benefit of the Lenders, shall obtain a perfected security interest in such ▇▇▇▇
pursuant to this Agreement, and (v) not (and not permit any licensee or
sublicensee thereof to) do any act or knowingly omit to do any act whereby such
Trademark may become invalidated or impaired in any way.
(b) Such Grantor (either itself or through licensees) will not do any
act, or omit to do any act, whereby any material Patent may become forfeited,
abandoned or dedicated to the public.
(c) Such Grantor (either itself or through licensees) (i) will employ
each material Copyright and (ii) will not (and will not permit any licensee or
sublicensee thereof to) do any act or knowingly omit to do any act whereby any
material portion of the Copyrights may become invalidated or otherwise impaired.
Such Grantor will not (either itself or through licensees) do any act whereby
any material portion of the Copyrights may fall into the public domain.
14
(d) Such Grantor (either itself or through licensees) will not do any
act that knowingly uses any material Intellectual Property to infringe the
intellectual property rights of any other Person.
(e) Such Grantor will notify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
immediately if it knows, or has reason to know, that any application or
registration relating to any material Intellectual Property may become
forfeited, abandoned or dedicated to the public, or of any adverse determination
or development (including, without limitation, the institution of, or any such
determination or development in, any proceeding in the United States Patent and
Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office or any court or tribunal in
any country) regarding such Grantor's ownership of, or the validity of, any
material Intellectual Property or such Grantor's right to register the same or
to own and maintain the same.
(f) Whenever such Grantor, either by itself or through any agent,
employee, licensee or designee, shall file an application for the registration
of any Intellectual Property with the United States Patent and Trademark Office,
the United States Copyright Office or any similar office or agency in any other
country or any political subdivision thereof, such Grantor shall report such
filing to the Administrative Agent within five Business Days after the last day
of the fiscal quarter in which such filing occurs. Upon request of the
Administrative Agent, such Grantor shall execute and deliver, and have recorded,
any and all agreements, instruments, documents, and papers as the Administrative
Agent may request to evidence the Administrative Agent's and the Lenders'
security interest in any Copyright, Patent or Trademark and the goodwill and
general intangibles of such Grantor relating thereto or represented thereby.
(g) Such Grantor will take all reasonable and necessary steps,
including, without limitation, in any proceeding before the United States Patent
and Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office or any similar office
or agency in any other country or any political subdivision thereof, to maintain
and pursue each application (and to obtain the relevant registration) and to
maintain each registration of the material Intellectual Property, including,
without limitation, filing of applications for renewal, affidavits of use and
affidavits of incontestability.
(h) In the event that any material Intellectual Property is
infringed, misappropriated or diluted by a third party, such Grantor shall (i)
take such actions as such Grantor shall reasonably deem appropriate under the
circumstances to protect such Intellectual Property and (ii) if such
Intellectual Property is of material economic value, promptly notify the
Administrative Agent after it learns thereof and ▇▇▇ for infringement,
misappropriation or dilution, to seek injunctive relief where appropriate and to
recover any and all damages for such infringement, misappropriation or dilution.
SECTION 6. REMEDIAL PROVISIONS
6.1 Certain Matters Relating to Receivables. (a) The Administrative
---------------------------------------
Agent shall have the right to make test verifications of the Receivables in any
manner and through any medium that it reasonably considers advisable, and each
Grantor shall furnish all such assistance and information as the Administrative
Agent may require in connection with such test verifications. At any time and
from time to time, upon the Administrative Agent's request and at the expense of
the relevant Grantor, such Grantor shall cause independent public accountants or
others satisfactory to the Administrative Agent to furnish to the Administrative
Agent reports showing reconciliations, aging and test verifications of, and
trial balances for, the Receivables.
15
(b) The Administrative Agent hereby authorizes each Grantor to
collect such Grantor's Receivables, subject to the Administrative Agent's
direction and control, and the Administrative Agent may curtail or terminate
said authority at any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of an
Event of Default. If required by the Administrative Agent at any time after the
occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, any payments of
Receivables, when collected by any Grantor, (i) shall be forthwith (and, in any
event, within two Business Days) deposited by such Grantor in the exact form
received, duly indorsed by such Grantor to the Administrative Agent if required,
in a Collateral Account maintained under the sole dominion and control of the
Administrative Agent, subject to withdrawal by the Administrative Agent for the
account of the Lenders only as provided in Section 65, and (ii) until so turned
over, shall be held by such Grantor in trust for the Administrative Agent and
the Lenders, segregated from other funds of such Grantor. Each such deposit of
Proceeds of Receivables shall be accompanied by a report identifying in
reasonable detail the nature and source of the payments included in the deposit.
(c) At the Administrative Agent's request, each Grantor shall deliver
to the Administrative Agent all original and other documents evidencing, and
relating to, the agreements and transactions which gave rise to the Receivables,
including, without limitation, all original orders, invoices and shipping
receipts.
6.2 Communications with Obligors; Grantors Remain Liable. (a) The
----------------------------------------------------
Administrative Agent in its own name or in the name of others may at any time
communicate with obligors under the Receivables to verify with them to the
Administrative Agent's satisfaction the existence, amount and terms of any
Receivables.
(b) Upon the request of the Administrative Agent at any time after
the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, each Grantor
shall notify obligors on the Receivables that the Receivables have been assigned
to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders and that
payments in respect thereof shall be made directly to the Administrative Agent.
(c) Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, each Grantor
shall remain liable under each of the Receivables to observe and perform all the
conditions and obligations to be observed and performed by it thereunder, all in
accordance with the terms of any agreement giving rise thereto. Neither the
Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall have any obligation or liability under
any Receivable (or any agreement giving rise thereto) by reason of or arising
out of this Agreement or the receipt by the Administrative Agent or any Lender
of any payment relating thereto, nor shall the Administrative Agent or any
Lender be obligated in any manner to perform any of the obligations of any
Grantor under or pursuant to any Receivable (or any agreement giving rise
thereto), to make any payment, to make any inquiry as to the nature or the
sufficiency of any payment received by it or as to the sufficiency of any
performance by any party thereunder, to present or file any claim, to take any
action to enforce any performance or to collect the payment of any amounts which
may have been assigned to it or to which it may be entitled at any time or
times.
6.3 Pledged Stock. (a) Unless an Event of Default shall have
-------------
occurred and be continuing and the Administrative Agent shall have given notice
to the relevant Grantor of the Administrative Agent's intent to exercise its
corresponding rights pursuant to Section 6.3(b), each Grantor shall be permitted
to receive all cash dividends paid in respect of the Pledged Stock and all
payments made in respect of the Pledged Notes, in each case paid in the normal
course of business of the relevant Issuer and consistent with past practice, to
the extent permitted in the Credit Agreement, and to exercise all voting and
corporate rights with respect to the Pledged Securities; provided,
16
however, that no vote shall be cast or corporate right exercised or other action
taken which, in the Administrative Agent's reasonable judgment, would impair the
Collateral or which would be inconsistent with or result in any violation of any
provision of the Credit Agreement, this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
(b) If an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing and the
Administrative Agent shall give notice of its intent to exercise such rights to
the relevant Grantor or Grantors, (i) the Administrative Agent shall have the
right to receive any and all cash dividends, payments or other Proceeds paid in
respect of the Pledged Securities and make application thereof to the
Obligations in the order set forth in Section 6.5, and (ii) any or all of the
Pledged Securities shall be registered in the name of the Administrative Agent
or its nominee, and the Administrative Agent or its nominee may thereafter
exercise (x) all voting, corporate and other rights pertaining to such Pledged
Securities at any meeting of shareholders of the relevant Issuer or Issuers or
otherwise and (y) any and all rights of conversion, exchange and subscription
and any other rights, privileges or options pertaining to such Pledged
Securities as if it were the absolute owner thereof (including, without
limitation, the right to exchange at its discretion any and all of the Pledged
Securities upon the merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization or
other fundamental change in the corporate structure of any Issuer, or upon the
exercise by any Grantor or the Administrative Agent of any right, privilege or
option pertaining to such Pledged Securities, and in connection therewith, the
right to deposit and deliver any and all of the Pledged Securities with any
committee, depositary, transfer agent, registrar or other designated agency upon
such terms and conditions as the Administrative Agent may determine), all
without liability except to account for property actually received by it, but
the Administrative Agent shall have no duty to any Grantor to exercise any such
right, privilege or option and shall not be responsible for any failure to do so
or delay in so doing.
(c) Each Grantor hereby authorizes and instructs each Issuer of any
Pledged Securities pledged by such Grantor hereunder to (i) comply with any
instruction received by it from the Administrative Agent in writing that (x)
states that an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (y) is
otherwise in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, without any other or
further instructions from such Grantor, and each Grantor agrees that each Issuer
shall be fully protected in so complying, and (ii) unless otherwise expressly
permitted hereby, pay any dividends or other payments with respect to the
Pledged Securities directly to the Administrative Agent.
6.4 Proceeds to be Turned Over To Administrative Agent. In addition
--------------------------------------------------
to the rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders specified in Section
6.1 with respect to payments of Receivables, if an Event of Default shall occur
and be continuing, all Proceeds received by any Grantor consisting of cash,
checks and other near-cash items shall be held by such Grantor in trust for the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders, segregated from other funds of such
Grantor, and shall, forthwith upon receipt by such Grantor, be turned over to
the Administrative Agent in the exact form received by such Grantor (duly
indorsed by such Grantor to the Administrative Agent, if required). All
Proceeds received by the Administrative Agent hereunder shall be held by the
Administrative Agent in a Collateral Account maintained under its sole dominion
and control. All Proceeds while held by the Administrative Agent in a
Collateral Account (or by such Grantor in trust for the Administrative Agent and
the Lenders) shall continue to be held as collateral security for all the
Obligations and shall not constitute payment thereof until applied as provided
in Section 65.
6.5 Application of Proceeds. At such intervals as may be agreed upon
-----------------------
by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, or, if an Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing, at any time at the Administrative Agent's
election, the Administrative Agent may apply all or any part of Proceeds
constituting Collateral, whether or not held in any Collateral Account, and
17
any proceeds of the guarantee set forth in Section 2, in payment of the
Obligations in the following order:
First, to pay incurred and unpaid fees and expenses of the
-----
Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents;
Second, to the Administrative Agent, for application by it towards
------
payment of amounts then due and owing and remaining unpaid in respect of
the Obligations, pro rata among the Lenders according to the amounts of the
Obligations then due and owing and remaining unpaid to the Lenders;
Third, to the Administrative Agent, for application by it towards
-----
prepayment of the Obligations, pro rata among the Lenders according to the
amounts of the Obligations then held by the Lenders; and
Fourth, any balance of such Proceeds remaining after the Obligations
------
shall have been paid in full, no Letters of Credit shall be outstanding and
the Commitments shall have terminated shall be paid over to the Borrower or
to whomsoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same.
6.6 Code and Other Remedies. If an Event of Default shall occur and
-----------------------
be continuing, the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, may exercise,
in addition to all other rights and remedies granted to them in this Agreement
and in any other instrument or agreement securing, evidencing or relating to the
Obligations, all rights and remedies of a secured party under the New York UCC
or any other applicable law. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
the Administrative Agent, without demand of performance or other demand,
presentment, protest, advertisement or notice of any kind (except any notice
required by law referred to below) to or upon any Grantor or any other Person
(all and each of which demands, defenses, advertisements and notices are hereby
waived), may in such circumstances forthwith collect, receive, appropriate and
realize upon the Collateral, or any part thereof, and/or may forthwith sell,
lease, assign, give option or options to purchase, or otherwise dispose of and
deliver the Collateral or any part thereof (or contract to do any of the
foregoing), in one or more parcels at public or private sale or sales, at any
exchange, broker's board or office of the Administrative Agent or any Lender or
elsewhere upon such terms and conditions as it may deem advisable and at such
prices as it may deem best, for cash or on credit or for future delivery without
assumption of any credit risk. The Administrative Agent or any Lender shall
have the right upon any such public sale or sales, and, to the extent permitted
by law, upon any such private sale or sales, to purchase the whole or any part
of the Collateral so sold, free of any right or equity of redemption in any
Grantor, which right or equity is hereby waived and released. Each Grantor
further agrees, at the Administrative Agent's request, to assemble the
Collateral and make it available to the Administrative Agent at places which the
Administrative Agent shall reasonably select, whether at such Grantor's premises
or elsewhere. The Administrative Agent shall apply the net proceeds of any
action taken by it pursuant to this Section 6.6, after deducting all reasonable
costs and expenses of every kind incurred in connection therewith or incidental
to the care or safekeeping of any of the Collateral or in any way relating to
the Collateral or the rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
hereunder, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees and
disbursements, to the payment in whole or in part of the Obligations, in such
order as the Administrative Agent may elect, and only after such application and
after the payment by the Administrative Agent of any other amount required by
any provision of law, including, without limitation, Section 9-504(1)(c) of the
New York UCC, need the Administrative Agent account for the surplus, if any, to
any Grantor. To the extent permitted by applicable law, each Grantor waives all
18
claims, damages and demands it may acquire against the Administrative Agent or
any Lender arising out of the exercise by them of any rights hereunder. If any
notice of a proposed sale or other disposition of Collateral shall be required
by law, such notice shall be deemed reasonable and proper if given at least 10
days before such sale or other disposition.
6.7 Registration Rights. (a) If the Administrative Agent shall
-------------------
determine to exercise its right to sell any or all of the Pledged Stock pursuant
to Section 6.6, and if in the opinion of the Administrative Agent it is
necessary or advisable to have the Pledged Stock, or that portion thereof to be
sold, registered under the provisions of the Securities Act, the relevant
Grantor will cause the Issuer thereof to (i) execute and deliver, and cause the
directors and officers of such Issuer to execute and deliver, all such
instruments and documents, and do or cause to be done all such other acts as may
be, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent, necessary or advisable to
register the Pledged Stock, or that portion thereof to be sold, under the
provisions of the Securities Act, (ii) use its best efforts to cause the
registration statement relating thereto to become effective and to remain
effective for a period of one year from the date of the first public offering of
the Pledged Stock, or that portion thereof to be sold, and (iii) make all
amendments thereto and/or to the related prospectus which, in the opinion of the
Administrative Agent, are necessary or advisable, all in conformity with the
requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission applicable thereto. Each Grantor agrees to
cause such Issuer to comply with the provisions of the securities or "Blue Sky"
laws of any and all jurisdictions which the Administrative Agent shall designate
and to make available to its security holders, as soon as practicable, an
earnings statement (which need not be audited) which will satisfy the provisions
of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act.
(b) Each Grantor recognizes that the Administrative Agent may be
unable to effect a public sale of any or all the Pledged Stock, by reason of
certain prohibitions contained in the Securities Act and applicable state
securities laws or otherwise, and may be compelled to resort to one or more
private sales thereof to a restricted group of purchasers which will be obliged
to agree, among other things, to acquire such securities for their own account
for investment and not with a view to the distribution or resale thereof. Each
Grantor acknowledges and agrees that any such private sale may result in prices
and other terms less favorable than if such sale were a public sale and,
notwithstanding such circumstances, agrees that any such private sale shall be
deemed to have been made in a commercially reasonable manner. The
Administrative Agent shall be under no obligation to delay a sale of any of the
Pledged Stock for the period of time necessary to permit the Issuer thereof to
register such securities for public sale under the Securities Act, or under
applicable state securities laws, even if such Issuer would agree to do so.
(c) Each Grantor agrees to use its best efforts to do or cause to be
done all such other acts as may be necessary to make such sale or sales of all
or any portion of the Pledged Stock pursuant to this Section 6.7 valid and
binding and in compliance with any and all other applicable Requirements of Law.
Each Grantor further agrees that a breach of any of the covenants contained in
this Section 6.7 will cause irreparable injury to the Administrative Agent and
the Lenders, that the Administrative Agent and the Lenders have no adequate
remedy at law in respect of such breach and, as a consequence, that each and
every covenant contained in this Section 6.7 shall be specifically enforceable
against such Grantor, and such Grantor hereby waives and agrees not to assert
any defenses against an action for specific performance of such covenants except
for a defense that no Event of Default has occurred under the Credit Agreement.
6.8 Waiver; Deficiency. Each Grantor waives and agrees not to assert
------------------
any rights or privileges which it may acquire under Section 9-112 of the New
York UCC. Each Grantor shall
19
remain liable for any deficiency if the proceeds of any sale or other
disposition of the Collateral are insufficient to pay its Obligations and the
fees and disbursements of any attorneys employed by the Administrative Agent or
any Lender to collect such deficiency.
SECTION 7. THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
7.1 Administrative Agent's Appointment as Attorney-in-Fact, etc. (a)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Each Grantor hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints the Administrative
Agent and any officer or agent thereof, with full power of substitution, as its
true and lawful attorney-in-fact with full irrevocable power and authority in
the place and stead of such Grantor and in the name of such Grantor or in its
own name, for the purpose of carrying out the terms of this Agreement, to take
any and all appropriate action and to execute any and all documents and
instruments which may be necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes of
this Agreement, and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each
Grantor hereby gives the Administrative Agent the power and right, on behalf of
such Grantor, without notice to or assent by such Grantor, to do any or all of
the following:
(i) in the name of such Grantor or its own name, or otherwise, take
possession of and indorse and collect any checks, drafts, notes,
acceptances or other instruments for the payment of moneys due under any
Receivable or with respect to any other Collateral and file any claim or
take any other action or proceeding in any court of law or equity or
otherwise deemed appropriate by the Administrative Agent for the purpose of
collecting any and all such moneys due under any Receivable or with respect
to any other Collateral whenever payable;
(ii) in the case of any Intellectual Property, execute and deliver,
and have recorded, any and all agreements, instruments, documents and
papers as the Administrative Agent may request to evidence the
Administrative Agent's and the Lenders' security interest in such
Intellectual Property and the goodwill and general intangibles of such
Grantor relating thereto or represented thereby;
(iii) pay or discharge taxes and Liens levied or placed on or
threatened against the Collateral, effect any repairs or any insurance
called for by the terms of this Agreement and pay all or any part of the
premiums therefor and the costs thereof;
(iv) execute, in connection with any sale provided for in Section 6.6
or 6.7, any indorsements, assignments or other instruments of conveyance or
transfer with respect to the Collateral; and
(v) (1) direct any party liable for any payment under any of the
Collateral to make payment of any and all moneys due or to become due
thereunder directly to the Administrative Agent or as the Administrative
Agent shall direct; (2) ask or demand for, collect, and receive payment of
and receipt for, any and all moneys, claims and other amounts due or to
become due at any time in respect of or arising out of any Collateral; (3)
sign and indorse any invoices, freight or express bills, bills of lading,
storage or warehouse receipts, drafts against debtors, assignments,
verifications, notices and other documents in connection with any of the
Collateral; (4) commence and prosecute any suits, actions or proceedings at
law or in equity in any court of competent jurisdiction to collect the
Collateral or any portion thereof and to enforce any other right in respect
of any Collateral; (5) defend any suit, action or proceeding brought
against such Grantor with respect to any Collateral; (6) settle, compromise
or adjust any such suit, action or proceeding and, in connection therewith,
give
20
such discharges or releases as the Administrative Agent may deem
appropriate; (7) assign any Copyright, Patent or Trademark (along with the
goodwill of the business to which any such Copyright, Patent or Trademark
pertains), throughout the world for such term or terms, on such conditions,
and in such manner, as the Administrative Agent shall in its sole
discretion determine; and (8) generally, sell, transfer, pledge and make
any agreement with respect to or otherwise deal with any of the Collateral
as fully and completely as though the Administrative Agent were the
absolute owner thereof for all purposes, and do, at the Administrative
Agent's option and such Grantor's expense, at any time, or from time to
time, all acts and things which the Administrative Agent deems necessary to
protect, preserve or realize upon the Collateral and the Administrative
Agent's and the Lenders' security interests therein and to effect the
intent of this Agreement, all as fully and effectively as such Grantor
might do.
Anything in this Section 7.1(a) to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Administrative Agent agrees that it will not exercise any rights under the power
of attorney provided for in this Section 7.1(a) unless an Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing.
(b) If any Grantor fails to perform or comply with any of its
agreements contained herein, the Administrative Agent, at its option, but
without any obligation so to do, may perform or comply, or otherwise cause
performance or compliance, with such agreement.
(c) The expenses of the Administrative Agent incurred in connection
with actions undertaken as provided in this Section 7.1, together with interest
thereon at a rate per annum equal to the rate per annum at which interest would
then be payable on past due Revolving Credit Loans that are Base Rate Loans
under the Credit Agreement, from the date of payment by the Administrative Agent
to the date reimbursed by the relevant Grantor, shall be payable by such Grantor
to the Administrative Agent on demand.
(d) Each Grantor hereby ratifies all that said attorneys shall
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. All powers, authorizations
and agencies contained in this Agreement are coupled with an interest and are
irrevocable until this Agreement is terminated and the security interests
created hereby are released.
7.2 Duty of Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent's sole
----------------------------
duty with respect to the custody, safekeeping and physical preservation of the
Collateral in its possession, under Section 9-207 of the New York UCC or
otherwise, shall be to deal with it in the same manner as the Administrative
Agent deals with similar property for its own account. Neither the
Administrative Agent, any Lender nor any of their respective officers,
directors, employees or agents shall be liable for failure to demand, collect or
realize upon any of the Collateral or for any delay in doing so or shall be
under any obligation to sell or otherwise dispose of any Collateral upon the
request of any Grantor or any other Person or to take any other action
whatsoever with regard to the Collateral or any part thereof. The powers
conferred on the Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereunder are solely to
protect the Administrative Agent's and the Lenders' interests in the Collateral
and shall not impose any duty upon the Administrative Agent or any Lender to
exercise any such powers. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be
accountable only for amounts that they actually receive as a result of the
exercise of such powers, and neither they nor any of their officers, directors,
employees or agents shall be responsible to any Grantor for any act or failure
to act hereunder, except for their own gross negligence or willful misconduct.
7.3 Execution of Financing Statements. Pursuant to Section 9-402 of
---------------------------------
the New York UCC and any other applicable law, each Grantor authorizes the
Administrative Agent to file or record
21
financing statements and other filing or recording documents or instruments with
respect to the Collateral without the signature of such Grantor in such form and
in such offices as the Administrative Agent reasonably determines appropriate to
perfect the security interests of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement.
A photographic or other reproduction of this Agreement shall be sufficient as a
financing statement or other filing or recording document or instrument for
filing or recording in any jurisdiction.
7.4 Authority of Administrative Agent. Each Grantor acknowledges
---------------------------------
that the rights and responsibilities of the Administrative Agent under this
Agreement with respect to any action taken by the Administrative Agent or the
exercise or non-exercise by the Administrative Agent of any option, voting
right, request, judgment or other right or remedy provided for herein or
resulting or arising out of this Agreement shall, as between the Administrative
Agent and the Lenders, be governed by the Credit Agreement and by such other
agreements with respect thereto as may exist from time to time among them, but,
as between the Administrative Agent and the Grantors, the Administrative Agent
shall be conclusively presumed to be acting as agent for the Lenders with full
and valid authority so to act or refrain from acting, and no Grantor shall be
under any obligation, or entitlement, to make any inquiry respecting such
authority.
SECTION 8. MISCELLANEOUS
8.1 Amendments in Writing. None of the terms or provisions of this
---------------------
Agreement may be waived, amended, supplemented or otherwise modified except in
accordance with Section 10.1 of the Credit Agreement.
8.2 Notices. All notices, requests and demands to or upon the
-------
Administrative Agent or any Grantor hereunder shall be effected in the manner
provided for in subsection 10.2 of the Credit Agreement; provided that any such
notice, request or demand to or upon any Guarantor shall be addressed to such
Guarantor at its notice address set forth on Schedule 1.
8.3 No Waiver by Course of Conduct; Cumulative Remedies. Neither the
---------------------------------------------------
Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall by any act (except by a written
instrument pursuant to Section 8.1), delay, indulgence, omission or otherwise be
deemed to have waived any right or remedy hereunder or to have acquiesced in any
Default or Event of Default. No failure to exercise, nor any delay in
exercising, on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any right,
power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. No single or
partial exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder shall preclude any
other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or
privilege. A waiver by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of any right or
remedy hereunder on any one occasion shall not be construed as a bar to any
right or remedy which the Administrative Agent or such Lender would otherwise
have on any future occasion. The rights and remedies herein provided are
cumulative, may be exercised singly or concurrently and are not exclusive of any
other rights or remedies provided by law.
8.4 Enforcement Expenses; Indemnification. (a) Each Guarantor
-------------------------------------
agrees to pay or reimburse each Lender and the Administrative Agent for all its
costs and expenses incurred in collecting against such Guarantor under the
guarantee contained in Section 2 or otherwise enforcing or preserving any rights
under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Guarantor is a
party, including, without limitation, the fees and disbursements of counsel
(including the allocated fees and expenses of in-house counsel) to each Lender
and of counsel to the Administrative Agent.
22
(b) Each Guarantor agrees to pay, and to save the Administrative
Agent and the Lenders harmless from, any and all liabilities with respect to, or
resulting from any delay in paying, any and all stamp, excise, sales or other
taxes which may be payable or determined to be payable with respect to any of
the Collateral or in connection with any of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement.
(c) Each Guarantor agrees to pay, and to save the Administrative
Agent and the Lenders harmless from, any and all liabilities, obligations,
losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or
disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the execution,
delivery, enforcement, performance and administration of this Agreement to the
extent the Borrower would be required to do so pursuant to subsection 10.5 of
the Credit Agreement.
(d) The agreements in this Section 8.4 shall survive repayment of the
Obligations and all other amounts payable under the Credit Agreement and the
other Loan Documents.
8.5 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
----------------------
successors and assigns of each Grantor and shall inure to the benefit of the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders and their successors and assigns; provided
that no Grantor may assign, transfer or delegate any of its rights or
obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the
Administrative Agent.
8.6 Set-Off. Each Grantor hereby irrevocably authorizes the
-------
Administrative Agent and each Lender at any time and from time to time while an
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, without notice to such
Grantor or any other Grantor, any such notice being expressly waived by each
Grantor, to set-off and appropriate and apply any and all deposits (general or
special, time or demand, provisional or final), in any currency, and any other
credits, indebtedness or claims, in any currency, in each case whether direct or
indirect, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, at any time held or
owing by the Administrative Agent or such Lender to or for the credit or the
account of such Grantor, or any part thereof in such amounts as the
Administrative Agent or such Lender may elect, against and on account of the
obligations and liabilities of such Grantor to the Administrative Agent or such
Lender hereunder and claims of every nature and description of the
Administrative Agent or such Lender against such Grantor, in any currency,
whether arising hereunder, under the Credit Agreement, any other Loan Document
or otherwise, as the Administrative Agent or such Lender may elect, whether or
not the Administrative Agent or any Lender has made any demand for payment and
although such obligations, liabilities and claims may be contingent or
unmatured. The Administrative Agent and each Lender shall notify such Grantor
promptly of any such set-off and the application made by the Administrative
Agent or such Lender of the proceeds thereof, provided that the failure to give
such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and application. The
rights of the Administrative Agent and each Lender under this Section 8.6 are in
addition to other rights and remedies (including, without limitation, other
rights of set-off) which the Administrative Agent or such Lender may have.
8.7 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by one or more of
------------
the parties to this Agreement on any number of separate counterparts (including
by telecopy), and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to
constitute one and the same instrument.
8.8 Severability. Any provision of this Agreement which is
------------
prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction,
be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without
invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such
23
prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or
render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.
8.9 Section Headings. The Section headings used in this Agreement
----------------
are for convenience of reference only and are not to affect the construction
hereof or be taken into consideration in the interpretation hereof.
8.10 Integration. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents
-----------
represent the agreement of the Grantors, the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and there are no
promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by the Administrative
Agent or any Lender relative to subject matter hereof and thereof not expressly
set forth or referred to herein or in the other Loan Documents.
8.11 GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND
-------------
CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
8.12 Submission To Jurisdiction; Waivers. Each Grantor hereby
-----------------------------------
irrevocably and unconditionally:
(a) submits for itself and its property in any legal action or
proceeding relating to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which
it is a party, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in
respect thereof, to the non-exclusive general jurisdiction of the Courts of
the State of New York, the courts of the United States of America for the
Southern District of New York, and appellate courts from any thereof;
(b) consents that any such action or proceeding may be brought in
such courts and waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to
the venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such
action or proceeding was brought in an inconvenient court and agrees not to
plead or claim the same;
(c) agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding
may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail
(or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to such
Grantor at its address referred to in Section 8.2 or at such other address
of which the Administrative Agent shall have been notified pursuant
thereto;
(d) agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right to effect
service of process in any other manner permitted by law or shall limit the
right to ▇▇▇ in any other jurisdiction; and
(e) waives, to the maximum extent not prohibited by law, any right it
may have to claim or recover in any legal action or proceeding referred to
in this Section any special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages.
8.13 Acknowledgements. Each Grantor hereby acknowledges that:
----------------
(a) it has been advised by counsel in the negotiation, execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a
party;
(b) neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender has any fiduciary
relationship with or duty to any Grantor arising out of or in connection
with this Agreement or any of the
24
other Loan Documents, and the relationship between the Grantors, on the one
hand, and the Administrative Agent and Lenders, on the other hand, in
connection herewith or therewith is solely that of debtor and creditor; and
(c) no joint venture is created hereby or by the other Loan Documents
or otherwise exists by virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby among
the Lenders or among the Grantors and the Lenders.
8.14 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH GRANTOR HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND
--------------------
UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING
TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN.
8.15 Additional Grantors. Each Subsidiary of the Borrower that is
-------------------
required to become a party to this Agreement pursuant to subsection 6.9 of the
Credit Agreement shall become a Grantor for all purposes of this Agreement upon
execution and delivery by such Subsidiary of an Assumption Agreement in the form
of Annex 1 hereto.
8.16 Releases. (a) At such time as the Loans, the Reimbursement
--------
Obligations and the other Obligations shall have been paid in full, the
Commitments have been terminated and no Letters of Credit shall be outstanding,
the Collateral shall be released from the Liens created hereby, and this
Agreement and all obligations (other than those expressly stated to survive such
termination) of the Administrative Agent and each Grantor hereunder shall
terminate, all without delivery of any instrument or performance of any act by
any party, and all rights to the Collateral shall revert to the Grantors. At
the request and sole expense of any Grantor following any such termination, the
Administrative Agent shall deliver to such Grantor any Collateral held by the
Administrative Agent hereunder, and execute and deliver to such Grantor such
documents as such Grantor shall reasonably request to evidence such termination.
(b) If any of the Collateral shall be sold, transferred or otherwise
disposed of by any Grantor in a transaction permitted by the Credit Agreement,
then the Administrative Agent, at the request and sole expense of such Grantor,
shall execute and deliver to such Grantor all releases or other documents
reasonably necessary or desirable for the release of the Liens created hereby on
such Collateral. At the request and sole expense of the Borrower, a Subsidiary
Guarantor shall be released from its obligations hereunder in the event that all
the Capital Stock of such Subsidiary Guarantor shall be sold, transferred or
otherwise disposed of in a transaction permitted by the Credit Agreement;
provided that the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent, at
least ten Business Days prior to the date of the proposed release, a written
request for release identifying the relevant Subsidiary Guarantor and the terms
of the sale or other disposition in reasonable detail, including the price
thereof and any expenses in connection therewith, together with a certification
by the Borrower stating that such transaction is in compliance with the Credit
Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
25
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has caused this Guarantee
and Collateral Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first
above written.
NCI ACQUISITION CORPORATION
By: _________________________________
NATIONWIDE CREDIT, INC.
By: _________________________________
Title:
Schedule 1
----------
NOTICE ADDRESSES OF GUARANTORS
Schedule 2
----------
DESCRIPTION OF PLEDGED SECURITIES
PLEDGED STOCK:
Issuer Class of Stock Stock Certificate No. No. of Shares
---------------------------- ------------------ ------------------------- ---------------
PLEDGED NOTES:
Issuer Payee Principal Amount
------------------------------- -------------- -------------------------
Schedule 3
----------
FILINGS AND OTHER ACTIONS
REQUIRED TO PERFECT SECURITY INTERESTS
Uniform Commercial Code Filings
-------------------------------
[List each office where a financing statement is to be filed]
Patent and Trademark Filings
----------------------------
[List all filings]
Actions with respect to Pledged Stock
-------------------------------------
Other Actions
-------------
[Describe other actions to be taken]
Schedule 4
----------
LOCATION OF JURISDICTION OF ORGANIZATION AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICE
Grantor Location
------- --------
Schedule 5
----------
LOCATION OF INVENTORY AND EQUIPMENT
Grantor Locations
------- ---------
Schedule 6
----------
COPYRIGHTS AND COPYRIGHT LICENSES
PATENTS AND PATENT LICENSES
TRADEMARKS AND TRADEMARK LICENSES
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND CONSENT*
The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Guarantee and
Collateral Agreement dated as of January ___, 1998 (the "Agreement"), made by
the Grantors parties thereto for the benefit of _________________, as
Administrative Agent. The undersigned agrees for the benefit of the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders as follows:
1. The undersigned will be bound by the terms of the Agreement and will
comply with such terms insofar as such terms are applicable to the undersigned.
2. The undersigned will notify the Administrative Agent promptly in
writing of the occurrence of any of the events described in Section 5.8(a) of
the Agreement.
3. The terms of Sections 6.3(a) and 6.7 of the Agreement shall apply to
it, mutatis mutandis, with respect to all actions that may be required of it
pursuant to Section 6.3(a) or 6.7 of the Agreement.
[NAME OF ISSUER]
By
---------------------------------------
Title
------------------------------------
Address for Notices:
------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
Fax:
--------------------------------------
---------------------
* This consent is necessary only with respect to any Issuer which is
not also a Grantor.
Annex 1 to
Guarantee and Collateral Agreement
----------------------------------
ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT, dated as of ________________, 199_, made by
______________________________, a ______________ corporation (the "Additional
Grantor"), in favor of ____________________, as administrative agent (in such
capacity, the "Administrative Agent") for the banks and other financial
institutions (the "Lenders") parties to the Credit Agreement referred to below.
All capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them
in such Credit Agreement.
W I T N E S S E T H :
- - - - - - - - - -
WHEREAS, NCI Acquisition Corporation, Nationwide Credit, Inc. (the
"Borrower"), the Lenders, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers Inc., as Arranger, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Commercial
Paper Inc., as Syndication Agent and the Administrative Agent have entered into
a Credit Agreement, dated as of January __, 1998 (as amended, supplemented or
otherwise modified from time to time, the "Credit Agreement");
WHEREAS, in connection with the Credit Agreement, the Borrower and
certain of its Affiliates (other than the Additional Grantor) have entered into
the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, dated as of January __, 1998 (as
amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Guarantee
and Collateral Agreement") in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit
of the Lenders;
WHEREAS, the Credit Agreement requires the Additional Grantor to
become a party to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the Additional Grantor has agreed to execute and deliver this
Assumption Agreement in order to become a party to the Guarantee and Collateral
Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS AGREED:
1. Guarantee and Collateral Agreement. By executing and delivering
this Assumption Agreement, the Additional Grantor, as provided in Section 8.15
of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, hereby becomes a party to the
Guarantee and Collateral Agreement as a Grantor thereunder with the same force
and effect as if originally named therein as a Grantor and, without limiting
the generality of the foregoing, hereby expressly assumes all obligations and
liabilities of a Grantor thereunder. The information set forth in Annex 1-A
hereto is hereby added to the information set forth in Schedules
____________** to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement. The Additional
Grantor hereby represents and warrants that each of the representations and
warranties contained in Section 4 of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement is
true and correct on and as the date hereof (after giving effect to this
Assumption Agreement) as if made on and as of such date.
---------------
** Refer to each Schedule which needs to be supplemented.
2
2. GOVERNING LAW. THIS ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY,
AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW
YORK.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Assumption
Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.
[ADDITIONAL GRANTOR]
By:
-----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
This Compliance Certificate is delivered to you pursuant to Section
6.2 of the Credit Agreement, dated as of January __, 1998, as amended,
supplemented or modified from time to time (the "Credit Agreement"), among NCI
Acquisition Corporation, Nationwide Credit, Inc. (the "Borrower"), the financial
institutions from time to time party thereto as lenders (the "Lenders"), ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Brothers, Inc., as Arranger, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Commercial Paper Inc., as Syndication Agent,
Fleet Capital Corporation , as Administrative Agent for the Lenders (in such
capacity, the "Administrative Agent") and BHF - Bank Aktiengesellshcaft, Grand
Cayman Branch, as Documentation Agent. Terms defined in the Credit Agreement
and not otherwise defined herein are used herein with the meanings so defined.
1. I am the duly elected, qualified and acting Vice President -
Finance of the Borrower.
2. I have reviewed and am familiar with the contents of this
Certificate.
3. I have reviewed the terms of the Credit Agreement and the Loan
Documents and have made or caused to be made under my supervision, a review in
reasonable detail of the transactions and condition of the Borrower during the
accounting period covered by the financial statements attached hereto as
Attachment 1 (the "Financial Statements"). Such review did not disclose the
existence during or at the end of the accounting period covered by the Financial
Statements, and I have no knowledge of the existence, as of the date of this
Certificate, of any condition or event which constitutes a Default or Event of
Default [, except as set forth below].
4. Attached hereto as Attachment 2 are the computations showing
compliance with the covenants set forth in Section 7.1, 7.2, 7.5 7.6 and 7.7 of
the Credit Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I execute this Certificate this _____ day of
_________, 199__.
NATIONWIDE CREDIT, INC.
By:
----------------------------------
Title:
--------------------------------
Attachment 2
to Exhibit B
The information described herein is as of ____________, 199_,
and pertains to the period from ______________ ___, 19__ to ________________ __,
19__.
[Set forth Covenant Calculations]
EXHIBIT C
FORM OF CLOSING CERTIFICATE
Pursuant to subsection 5.1(l) of the Credit Agreement dated as of
January __, 1998 (the "Credit Agreement"; terms defined therein being used
herein as therein defined), among NCI Acquisition Corporation, Nationwide
Credit, Inc. (the "Borrower"), the Lenders parties thereto, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers,
Inc., as Arranger, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Commercial Paper Inc., as Syndication Agent, Fleet
Capital Corporation, as Administrative Agent, and BHF - Bank Aktiengesellschaft,
Grand Cayman Branch, the undersigned [INSERT TITLE OF OFFICER] of [INSERT NAME
OF COMPANY] (the "Company") hereby certifies as follows:
1. The representations and warranties of the Company set forth in
each of the Loan Documents to which it is a party or which are contained in any
certificate furnished by or on behalf of the Company pursuant to any of the Loan
Documents to which it is a party are true and correct in all material respects
on and as of the date hereof with the same effect as if made on the date hereof,
except for representations and warranties expressly stated to relate to a
specific earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties were
true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date.
2. ___________________ is the duly elected and qualified Corporate
Secretary of the Company and the signature set forth for such officer below is
such officer's true and genuine signature.
3. No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing as
of the date hereof or after giving effect to the Loans to be made on the date
hereof.
4. The conditions precedent set forth in Section 5.1 of the Credit
Agreement were satisfied as of the Closing Date.
The undersigned Corporate Secretary of the Company certifies as
follows:
5. There are no liquidation or dissolution proceedings pending or to
my knowledge threatened against the Company, nor has any other event occurred
adversely affecting or threatening the continued corporate existence of the
Company.
6. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing
and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization.
7. Attached hereto as Annex 1 is a true and complete copy of
resolutions duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company of Acquisition
Co; such resolutions have not in any way been amended, modified, revoked or
rescinded, have been in full force and effect since their adoption to and
including the date hereof and are now in full force and effect and are the only
corporate proceedings of the Company now in force relating to or affecting the
matters referred to therein.
8. Attached hereto as Annex 2 is a true and complete copy of the By-
Laws of the Company as in effect on the date hereof.
2
9. Attached hereto as Annex 3 is a true and complete copy of the
Certificate of Incorporation of the Company as in effect on the date hereof, and
such certificate has not been amended, repealed, modified or restated.
10. The following persons are now duly elected and qualified officers
of the Company holding the offices indicated next to their respective names
below, and such officers have held such offices with the Company at all times
since the date indicated next to their respective titles to and including the
date hereof, and the signatures appearing opposite their respective names below
are the true and genuine signatures of such officers, and each of such officers
is duly authorized to execute and deliver on behalf of the Company each of the
Loan Documents to which it is a party and any certificate or other document to
be delivered by the Company pursuant to the Loan Documents to which it is a
party:
Name Office Date Signature
---- ------ ---- ---------
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have hereunto set our names as of
the date set forth below.
----------------------------------- -----------------------------------
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
Date: 199
--------------, --
ANNEX 1
[Board Resolutions]
ANNEX 2
[By-Laws]
ANNEX 3
[Certificate of Incorporation]
EXHIBIT D
FORM OF
ASSIGNMENT AND ACCEPTANCE
Reference is made to the Credit Agreement, dated as of January __,
1998 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the
"Credit Agreement"), among NCI Acquisition Corporation, Nationwide Credit, Inc.
(the "Borrower"), the Lenders named therein, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers, Inc., as Arranger,
▇▇▇▇▇▇ Commercial Paper Inc., as Syndication Agent, Fleet Capital Corporation,
as administrative agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, the "Administrative
Agent"), and BHF - Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Grand Cayman Branch, as
Documentation Agent. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the
Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the
Credit Agreement.
The Assignor identified on Schedule l hereto (the "Assignor") and the
Assignee identified on Schedule l hereto (the "Assignee") agree as follows:
1. The Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee
without recourse to the Assignor, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases
and assumes from the Assignor without recourse to the Assignor, as of the
Effective Date (as defined below), the interest described in Schedule 1 hereto
(the "Assigned Interest") in and to the Assignor's rights and obligations under
the Credit Agreement with respect to those credit facilities contained in the
Credit Agreement as are set forth on Schedule 1 hereto (individually, an
"Assigned Facility"; collectively, the "Assigned Facilities"), in a principal
amount for each Assigned Facility as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.
2. The Assignor (a) makes no representation or warranty and assumes
no responsibility with respect to any statements, warranties or representations
made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or with respect to the
execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value
of the Credit Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other instrument or
document furnished pursuant thereto, other than that the Assignor has not
created any adverse claim upon the interest being assigned by it hereunder and
that such interest is free and clear of any such adverse claim; (b) makes no
representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to the
financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any other
obligor or the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its
Subsidiaries or any other obligor of any of their respective obligations under
the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document or any other instrument or
document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto; and (c) attaches any Notes held
by it evidencing the Assigned Facilities and (i) requests that the
Administrative Agent, upon request by the Assignee, exchange the attached Notes
for a new Note or Notes payable to the Assignee and (ii) if the Assignor has
retained any interest in the Assigned Facility, requests that the Administrative
Agent exchange the attached Notes for a new Note or Notes payable to the
Assignor, in each case in amounts which reflect the assignment being made hereby
(and after giving effect to any other assignments which have become effective on
the Effective Date).
2
3. The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that it is legally
authorized to enter into this Assignment and Acceptance; (b) confirms that it
has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the
financial statements delivered pursuant to subsection 4.1 thereof and such other
documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit
analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Acceptance; (c) agrees
that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Assignor, the Agents
or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall deem
appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or
not taking action under the Credit Agreement, the other Loan Documents or any
other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto; (d) appoints
and authorizes the Agents to take such action as agent on its behalf and to
exercise such powers and discretion under the Credit Agreement, the other Loan
Documents or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or
thereto as are delegated to the Agents by the terms thereof, together with such
powers as are incidental thereto; and (e) agrees that it will be bound by the
provisions of the Credit Agreement and will perform in accordance with its terms
all the obligations which by the terms of the Credit Agreement are required to
be performed by it as a Lender including, if it is organized under the laws of a
jurisdiction outside the United States, its obligation pursuant to subsection
2.17(d) of the Credit Agreement.
4. The effective date of this Assignment and Acceptance shall be the
Effective Date of Assignment described in Schedule 1 hereto (the "Effective
Date"). Following the execution of this Assignment and Acceptance, it will be
delivered to the Administrative Agent for acceptance by it and recording by the
Administrative Agent pursuant to the Credit Agreement, effective as of the
Effective Date (which shall not, unless otherwise agreed to by the
Administrative Agent, be earlier than five Business Days after the date of such
acceptance and recording by the Administrative Agent).
5. Upon such acceptance and recording, from and after the Effective
Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the
Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other
amounts) [to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to the Effective Date
and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued subsequent to the Effective
Date] [to the Assignee whether such amounts have accrued prior to the Effective
Date or accrued subsequent to the Effective Date. The Assignor and the Assignee
shall make all appropriate adjustments in payments by the Agent for periods
prior to the Effective Date or with respect to the making of this assignment
directly between themselves.]
6. From and after the Effective Date, (a) the Assignee shall be a
party to the Credit Agreement and, to the extent provided in this Assignment and
Acceptance, have the rights and obligations of a Lender thereunder and under the
other Loan Documents and shall be bound by the provisions thereof and (b) the
Assignor shall, to the extent provided in this Assignment and Acceptance,
relinquish its rights and be released from its obligations under the Credit
Agreement.
7. This Assignment and Acceptance shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
3
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Assignment and
Acceptance to be executed as of the date first above written by their respective
duly authorized officers on Schedule 1 hereto.
Schedule 1
to Assignment and Acceptance
Name of Assignor:
----------------------------------------------
Name of Assignee:
---------------------------------------------
Effective Date of Assignment:
---------------------------------
Credit Principal Commitment Percentage Assigned/1/
Facility Assigned Amount Assigned
------------------- ----------------- -----------------------------------
$________ __._______ %
[Name of Assignee] [Name of Assignor]
By: By:
------------------------- ------------------------------
Title: Title:
________________
1. Calculate the Commitment Percentage that is assigned to at least 15 decimal
places and show as a percentage of the aggregate commitments of all Lenders.
2
Accepted:
▇▇▇▇▇▇ COMMERCIAL PAPER INC.,
------------------------------,
as Syndication Agent as Administrative Agent
By: By:
------------------------- ------------------------------
Title: Title:
[Consented To:
NATIONWIDE CREDIT, INC.
By:
-------------------------
Title:]
EXHIBIT ▇-▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇ TERM NOTE
THIS NOTE AND THE OBLIGATIONS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT
IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THE CREDIT AGREEMENT REFERRED TO
BELOW. TRANSFERS OF THIS NOTE AND THE OBLIGATIONS REPRESENTED HEREBY MUST BE
RECORDED IN THE REGISTER MAINTAINED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO THE
TERMS OF SUCH CREDIT AGREEMENT.
$___________ New York, New York
January __, 1998
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, Nationwide Credit, Inc., a
Georgia corporation (the "Borrower"), hereby unconditionally promises to pay to
_______________ (the "Lender") or its registered assigns at the Payment Office
specified in the Credit Agreement (as hereinafter defined) in lawful money of
the United States and in immediately available funds, the principal amount of
(a) _______________________ DOLLARS ($_________), or, if less, (b) the unpaid
principal amount of the Tranche B Term Loan made by the Lender pursuant to
Section 2.1 of the Credit Agreement. The principal amount shall be paid in the
amounts and on the dates specified in Section 2.3 of the Credit Agreement. The
Borrower further agrees to pay interest in like money at such office on the
unpaid principal amount hereof from time to time outstanding at the rates and on
the dates specified in the Credit Agreement.
The holder of this Note is authorized to endorse on the schedules
annexed hereto and made a part hereof or on a continuation thereof which shall
be attached hereto and made a part hereof the date, Type and amount of the
Tranche B Term Loan and the date and amount of each payment or prepayment of
principal with respect thereto, each conversion of all or a portion thereof to
another Type, each continuation of all or a portion thereof as the same Type
and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, the length of each Interest Period with
respect thereto. Each such endorsement shall constitute prima facie evidence of
the accuracy of the information endorsed. The failure to make any such
endorsement or any error in any such endorsement shall not affect the
obligations of the Borrower in respect of the Tranche B Term Loan.
This Note (a) is one of the Tranche B Term Notes referred to in the
Credit Agreement dated as of January __, 1998 (as amended, supplemented or
otherwise modified from time to time, the "Credit Agreement"), among the
Borrower, NCI Acquisition Corporation, the Lender, the other banks and financial
institutions or entities from time to time parties thereto, __________________,
as Administrative Agent, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers, Inc., as Arranger and ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Commercial Paper Inc., as Syndication Agent, (b) is subject to the provisions of
the Credit Agreement and (c) is subject to optional and mandatory prepayment in
whole or in part as provided in the Credit Agreement. This Note is secured and
guaranteed as provided in the Loan Documents. Reference is hereby made to the
Loan Documents for a description of the properties and assets in which a
security interest has been granted, the nature and extent of the security and
the guarantees, the terms and conditions
2
upon which the security interests and each guarantee were granted and the rights
of the holder of this Note in respect thereof.
Upon the occurrence of any one or more of the Events of Default, all
principal and all accrued interest then remaining unpaid on this Note shall
become, or may be declared to be, immediately due and payable, all as provided
in the Credit Agreement.
All parties now and hereafter liable with respect to this Note,
whether maker, principal, surety, guarantor, endorser or otherwise, hereby waive
presentment, demand, protest and all other notices of any kind.
Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement
and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY CONTAINED HEREIN OR IN THE
CREDIT AGREEMENT, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AND IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE REGISTRATION AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF SECTION 10.6 OF THE
CREDIT AGREEMENT.
THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
NATIONWIDE CREDIT, INC.
By:
--------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Schedule A
to Tranche B Term Note
----------------------
LOANS, CONVERSIONS AND REPAYMENTS OF BASE RATE LOANS
Amount Amount of Base Rate Unpaid Principal
Amount of Base Converted to Amount of Principal of Loans Converted to Balance of
Date Rate Loans Base Rate Loans Base Rate Loans Repaid Eurodollar Loans Base Rate Loans Notation Made By
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================================================================================================-
Schedule B
to Tranche B Term Note
----------------------
LOANS, CONTINUATIONS, CONVERSIONSS AND REPAYMENTS OF EURODOLLAR LOANS
Amount Interest Period and Amount of Principal Amount of Eurodollar
Amount of Converted to Eurodollar Rate with of Eurodollar Loans Loans Converted to
Date Eurodollar Loans Eurodollar Loans Respect Thereto Repaid Base Rate Loans
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
============================================================================================================
Unpaid Principal
Balance of Eurodollar Notation
Loans Made By
---------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------
=========================================================
EXHIBIT F-2
FORM OF REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE
THIS NOTE AND THE OBLIGATIONS REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT
IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THE CREDIT AGREEMENT REFERRED TO
BELOW. TRANSFERS OF THIS NOTE AND THE OBLIGATIONS REPRESENTED HEREBY MUST BE
RECORDED IN THE REGISTER MAINTAINED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO THE
TERMS OF SUCH CREDIT AGREEMENT.
$ New York, New York
------------ January __, 1998
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, Nationwide Credit, Inc., a Georgia
corporation (the "Borrower"), hereby unconditionally promises to pay to
____________________ (the "Lender") or its registered assigns at the Payment
Office specified in the Credit Agreement (as hereinafter defined) in lawful
money of the United States and in immediately available funds, on the Revolving
Credit Termination Date the principal amount of (a) ________________ DOLLARS
($__________), or, if less, (b) the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all
Revolving Credit Loans made by the Lender to the Borrower pursuant to Section
2.4 of the Credit Agreement. The Borrower further agrees to pay interest in
like money at such Payment Office on the unpaid principal amount hereof from
time to time outstanding at the rates and on the dates specified in the Credit
Agreement.
The holder of this Note is authorized to endorse on the schedules annexed
hereto and made a part hereof or on a continuation thereof which shall be
attached hereto and made a part hereof the date, Type and amount of each
Revolving Credit Loan made pursuant to the Credit Agreement and the date and
amount of each payment or prepayment of principal thereof, each continuation
thereof, each conversion of all or a portion thereof to another Type and, in the
case of Eurodollar Loans, the length of each Interest Period with respect
thereto. Each such endorsement shall constitute prima facie evidence of the
accuracy of the information endorsed. The failure to make any such endorsement
or any error in any such endorsement shall not affect the obligations of the
Borrower in respect of any Revolving Credit Loan.
This Note (a) is one of the Revolving Credit Notes referred to in the Credit
Agreement dated as of January __, 1998 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise
modified from time to time, the "Credit Agreement"), among the Borrower, NCI
Acquisition Corporation, the Lender, the other banks and financial institutions
or entities from time to time parties thereto, ___________________, as
Administrative Agent, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers, Inc., as Arranger, and ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Commercial
Paper Inc., as Syndication Agent, (b) is subject to the provisions of the Credit
Agreement and (c) is subject to optional and mandatory prepayment in whole or in
part as provided in the Credit Agreement. This Note is secured and guaranteed
as provided in the Loan Documents. Reference is hereby made to the Loan
Documents for a description of the properties and assets in which a security
interest has been granted, the nature and extent of the security and the
guarantees, the terms and conditions
2
upon which the security interests and each guarantee were granted and the rights
of the holder of this Note in respect thereof.
Upon the occurrence of any one or more of the Events of Default, all principal
and all accrued interest then remaining unpaid on this Note shall become, or may
be declared to be, immediately due and payable, all as provided in the Credit
Agreement.
All parties now and hereafter liable with respect to this Note, whether maker,
principal, surety, guarantor, endorser or otherwise, hereby waive presentment,
demand, protest and all other notices of any kind.
Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and
used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY CONTAINED HEREIN OR IN THE CREDIT
AGREEMENT, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AND IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE REGISTRATION AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF SECTION 10.6 OF THE CREDIT
AGREEMENT.
THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE
WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
NATIONWIDE CREDIT, INC.
By:
---------------------------------
Name:
Title:
SCHEDULE A
TO REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE
-----------------------
LOANS, CONVERSIONS AND REPAYMENTS OF BASE RATE LOANS
Amount Amount of Base Rate Unpaid Principal
Amount of Base Converted to Amount of Principal of Loans Converted to Balance of
Date Rate Loans Base Rate Loans Base Rate Loans Repaid Eurodollar Loans Base Rate Loans Notation Made By
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================================================================================================-
Schedule B
to Revolving Credit Note
------------------------
LOANS, CONTINUATIONS, CONVERSIONS AND REPAYMENTS OF EURODOLLAR LOANS
Amount Interest Period end Amount of Principal Amount of Eurodollar
Amount of Base Converted to Eurodollar Rate with of Eurodollar Loans Loans Converted to Notation
Date Eurodollar Loans Eurodollar Loans Respect Thereto Repaid Base Rate Loans Made By
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================================================================================================-
EXHIBIT G
FORM OF EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE
Reference is made to the Credit Agreement, dated as of January __, 1998 (as
amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Credit
Agreement") among NCI Acquisition Corporation, Nationwide Credit, Inc. (the
"Borrower"), the several banks and other financial institutions from time to
time parties thereto (the "Lenders"), Fleet Capital Corporation, as
administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder (in such capacity, the
"Administrative Agent"), ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Brothers, Inc., as Arranger, and ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Commercial Paper Inc., as Syndication Agent and BHF - Bank Aktiengesellschaft,
Grand Cayman Branch, as Documentation Agent. Capitalized terms used herein that
are not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Credit
Agreement. ______________________ (the "Non-U.S. Lender") is providing this
certificate pursuant to subsection 2.17(d) of the Credit Agreement. The Non-
U.S. Lender hereby represents and warrants that:
1. The Non-U.S. Lender is the sole record and beneficial owner of the Loans
or the obligations evidenced by Note(s) in respect of which it is providing this
certificate.
2. The Non-U.S. Lender is not a "bank" for purposes of Section 881(c)(3)(A)
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). In this regard,
the Non-U.S. Lender further represents and warrants that:
(a) the Non-U.S. Lender is not subject to regulatory or other legal
requirements as a bank in any jurisdiction; and
(b) the Non-U.S. Lender has not been treated as a bank for purposes
of any tax, securities law or other filing or submission made to any
Governmental Authority, any application made to a rating agency or
qualification for any exemption from tax, securities law or other
legal requirements;
3. The Non-U.S. Lender is not a 10-percent shareholder of the Borrower within
the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code; and
4. The Non-U.S. Lender is not a controlled foreign corporation receiving
interest from a related person within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the
Code.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has duly executed this certificate.
[NAME OF NON-U.S. LENDER]
By:
--------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Date: ____________________