BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT (3 5/8% Senior Notes, due 2008)
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT (3 5/8% Senior Notes, due 2008)
To the Representativesnamed in Schedule I
hereto of the Underwriters
named in Schedule II hereto
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:
Bank of America Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes to sell to the underwriters named in Schedule II hereto (the "Underwriters"), for whom you are acting as representatives (the "Representatives"), the principal amount of its securities identified in Schedule I hereto (the "Securities"). The Securities will be issued under an indenture dated as of January 1, 1995 between the Company and The Bank of New York, as trustee (the "Trustee"), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of September 18, 1998 and the Second Supplemental Indenture dated as of May 7, 2001 (as so supplemented, the "Indenture"). The Securities are described more fully in the Final Prospectus, referred to below. If the firm or firms listed in Schedule II hereto include only the firm or firms listed in Schedule I hereto, then the terms "Underwriters" and "Representatives", as used herein, each shall be deemed to refer to such firm or firms.
1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter that:
(i) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and has filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") a registration
statement on such form (the file number of which is set forth in Schedule
I hereto), which has become effective, for the registration under the Act
of the Securities. Such registration statement, as amended at the date
of this Agreement, meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1) under
the Act and complies in all other material respects with said Rule. The
Company proposes to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or
Rule 434 under the Act a supplement to the form of prospectus included
in such registration statement relating to the Securities and the plan
of distribution thereof and has previously advised you of all further information
(financial and other) with respect to the Company to be set forth therein.
Such registration statement, including the exhibits thereto, as amended
at the date of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the "Registration
Statement"; such prospectus in the form in which it appears in the Registration
Statement is hereinafter called the "Basic Prospectus"; and such supplemented
form of
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prospectus, including the final prospectus in preliminary form, in the form in which it shall be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or Rule 434 (including the Basic Prospectus as so supplemented) is hereinafter called the "Final Prospectus." Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 which were filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), on or before the date of this Agreement, or the issue date of the Basic Prospectus, or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference herein to the terms "amend", "amendment" or "supplement" with respect to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act after the date of this Agreement, or the issue date of the Basic Prospectus, or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be, and deemed to be incorporated therein by reference. The Final Prospectus, if filed by electronic transmission pursuant to the Commission's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System ("▇▇▇▇▇") (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T under the Act), was identical to the copy thereof delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities.
(ii) As of the date hereof, when the Final Prospectus is first
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or Rule 434 under the
Act, when any supplement or amendment to the Final Prospectus is filed
with the Commission, at the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) and,
with respect to (i) and (ii) below, when the Registration Statement became
effective, (i) the Registration Statement, as amended as of any such time,
and the Final Prospectus, as amended or supplemented as of any such time,
and the Indenture will comply in all material respects with the applicable
provisions of the Act, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the
"Trust Indenture Act"), and the Exchange Act and the respective rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) the Registration Statement,
as amended as of any such time, will not contain any untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading,
and (iii) the Final Prospectus, as amended or supplemented as of any such
time, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company
makes no representations or warranties as to (A) that part of the Registration
Statement which shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification
of the Trustee (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee
or (B) the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement
or the Final Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto
in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing
to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives
specifically for use in connection with the preparation of the Registration
Statement and any Final Prospectus. If Rule 434 is used, the Company will
comply with the requirements of Rule 434 applicable to it. The documents
which are incorporated by reference in the Final Prospectus or from which
information is so incorporated by reference, when they were filed with
the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements
of the Act, the Exchange Act and the respective rules and regulations of
the Commission thereunder, as applicable, and did not, when such documents
were so filed, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state a material fact
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required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and any documents so filed and incorporated by reference subsequent to the effective date of the Registration Statement, when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects with the requirements of the Act, the Exchange Act and the respective rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, as applicable. The Commission has not issued any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any order preventing or suspending the use of the Final Prospectus and the Company is without knowledge that any proceedings have been instituted for either purpose.
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, represents and agrees that:
(i) it has not and will not, directly or indirectly, offer, sell or deliver any of the Securities or distribute the Final Prospectus or any other offering materials relating to the Securities in or from any jurisdiction except under circumstances that will result in compliance with any applicable laws and regulations thereof and that will not impose any obligations on the Company except as set forth herein;
(ii) it will comply with the selling restrictions set forth on Schedule III attached hereto.
2. Purchase and Sale. Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price set forth in Schedule I hereto, the principal amount of the Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter's name in Schedule II hereto.
3. Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Securities shall be made on the date and at the time specified in Schedule I hereto, which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section 8 hereto (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the "Closing Date"). Delivery of the Securities shall be made to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof in the manner set forth in Schedule I hereto. Unless otherwise agreed, certificates for the Securities shall be in the form set forth in Schedule I hereto, and such certificates may be deposited with The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") or a custodian for DTC and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC.
4. Agreements. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:
(a) Prior to the termination of the offering of the Securities,
the Company will not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or
supplement to the Basic Prospectus (including the Final Prospectus) unless
the Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and
will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably
object. Subject to the foregoing sentence, the Company will cause the Final
Prospectus to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 or Rule
434 via ▇▇▇▇▇. The
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Company will advise the Representatives promptly (i) when the Final Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 or Rule 434, (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement relating to the Securities shall have become effective, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment of the Registration Statement or amendment of or supplement to the Final Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (v) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(b) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act, except with respect to any such delivery requirement imposed upon an affiliate of the Company in connection with any secondary market sales, any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules and regulations thereunder, the Company promptly will prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the first sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 4, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or an amendment or supplement which will effect such compliance.
(c) The Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives as soon as practicable, but not later than 60 days after the close of the period covered thereby, an earnings statement (in form complying with the provisions of Rule 158 under the Act) covering a twelve-month period beginning not later than the first day of the Company's fiscal quarter next following the "effective date" (as defined in said Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.
(d) The Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and each amendment thereto which shall become effective on or prior to the Closing Date and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act, as many copies of any Final Prospectus and any amendments thereof and supplements thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing all documents relating to the offering.
(e) The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Securities
for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may
reasonably designate, will maintain such qualifications in effect so long
as required for the distribution of the Securities and will arrange for
the determination of the legality of the Securities for purchase by institutional
investors; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to
qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified
or to take any action which would subject it to general or unlimited service
of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.
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(f) Until the business day following the Closing Date, the Company will not, without the consent of the Representatives, offer or sell, or announce the offering of, any securities covered by the Registration Statement or by any other registration statement filed under the Act; provided, however, the Company may, at any time, offer or sell or announce the offering of any securities (A) covered by a registration statement on Form S-8 or (B) covered by a registration statement on Form S-3 and (i) pursuant to which the Company issues securities under one of the Company's medium-term note programs (including, without limitation, the Company's InterNotes program) or (ii) pursuant to which the Company issues securities for its dividend reinvestment plan.
5. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Securities shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the date hereof, as of the date of the effectiveness of any amendment to the Registration Statement filed prior to the Closing Date (including the filing of any document incorporated by reference therein) and as of the Closing Date, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates furnished pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended from time to time, shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened; and the Final Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission within the time period prescribed by the Commission.
(b) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives the opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇ Mulliss & Wicker, PLLC, counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect of paragraphs (i) and (iv) through (xii) below, and the opinion of ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, General Counsel to the Company (or such other attorney, reasonably acceptable to counsel to the Underwriters, who exercises general supervision or review in connection with a particular securities law matter for the Company), dated the Closing Date, to the effect of paragraphs (ii) and (iii) below:
(i) the Company is a duly organized and validly existing corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, has the corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Final Prospectus, and is duly registered as a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended; Bank of America, N.A. (the "Principal Subsidiary Bank") is a national banking association formed under the laws of the United States and authorized thereunder to transact business;
(ii) each of the Company and the Principal Subsidiary Bank is qualified
or licensed to do business as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction
in which such counsel has knowledge that the Company or the Principal Subsidiary
Bank, as the case may be, is required to be so qualified or licensed;
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(iii) all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Principal Subsidiary Bank have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and (except as provided in 12 U.S.C. § 55, as amended) nonassessable, and, except as otherwise set forth in the Final Prospectus, all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Principal Subsidiary Bank (except directors' qualifying shares) are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company free and clear of any perfected security interest and such counsel is without knowledge of any other security interests, claims, liens or encumbrances;
(iv) the Indenture and the Securities conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Final Prospectus;
(v) if the Securities are to be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, the Company has caused a listing application with respect to the Securities to be filed with the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and such counsel has received no information stating that the Securities will not be authorized for listing;
(vi) the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, and constitutes a legal, valid and binding instrument of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws affecting the rights of creditors now or hereafter in effect, and to equitable principles that may limit the right to specific enforcement of remedies, and further subject to 12 U.S.C. §1818(b)(6)(D) and similar bank regulatory powers and to the application of principles of public policy; and the Securities have been duly authorized and, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws affecting the rights of creditors now or hereafter in effect, and to equitable principles that may limit the right to specific enforcement of remedies, and further subject to 12 U.S.C. §1818(b)(6)(D) and similar bank regulatory powers and to the application of principles of public policy;
(vii) such counsel is without knowledge that (1) there is any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding before or by any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries, of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus which is omitted or not adequately disclosed therein, or (2) any franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement or Final Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, is not so described or filed as required;
(viii) the Registration Statement has become effective under
the Act; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued and, to such counsel's knowledge, no proceeding
for that purpose has been instituted or threatened; and the Registration
Statement, the Final Prospectus and each amendment thereof or supplement
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thereto (other than the financial statements and other financial and statistical information contained therein or incorporated by reference therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act, the Exchange Act, the Trust Indenture Act and the respective rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;
(ix) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws affecting the rights of creditors now or hereafter in effect, and to equitable principles that may limit the right to specific enforcement of remedies, and except insofar as the enforceability of the indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Agreement may be limited by federal and state securities laws, and further subject to 12 U.S.C. §1818(b)(6)(D) and similar bank regulatory powers and to the application of principles of public policy;
(x) no consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental agency or body in the United States is necessary or required on behalf of the Company for the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under the Act and such as may be required under the blue sky, securities or insurance or similar laws of the United States in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters and such other approvals (specified in such opinion) as have been obtained;
(xi) neither the issuance and sale of the Securities, nor the consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof will conflict with, result in a breach of, or constitute a default under the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or (1) the terms of any indenture or other material agreement or instrument known to such counsel and to which the Company or the Principal Subsidiary Bank is a party or bound, or (2) any order, law or regulation known to such counsel to be applicable to the Company or the Principal Subsidiary Bank of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body or arbitrator having jurisdiction over the Company or the Principal Subsidiary Bank; and
(xii) such counsel is without knowledge of any rights to the registration of securities of the Company under the Registration Statement which have not been waived by the holders of such rights or which have not expired by reason of lapse of time following notification of the Company's intention to file the Registration Statement.
In rendering such opinion, but
without opining in connection therewith, such counsel also shall state
that, although it expresses no view as to portions of the Registration
Statement consisting of financial statements and other financial, accounting
and statistical information and it has not independently verified, is not
passing upon and assumes no responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness
or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement or
Final Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (other than as
stated in (iv) above), it has no reason to believe that such remaining
portions of the Registration Statement or any
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amendment thereto at the time it became effective and as of the date of such opinion contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that, subject to the foregoing with respect to financial statements and other financial, accounting and statistical information, the Final Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date and as of the date of such opinion contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of North Carolina, the United States, or the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware to the extent deemed proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of counsel to the Underwriters, or upon the opinion of other counsel of good standing believed to be reliable and who are satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters; and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent deemed proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and public officials.
(c) The Representatives shall have received from Stroock & Stroock & ▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Indenture, the Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus and any other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(d) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer or a Senior Vice President, and the principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus and this Agreement and they are without knowledge that:
(i) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are not true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Date and the Company has not performed or complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date;
(ii) any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued or any proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened by the Commission; and
(iii) since the date of the most recent financial statements included
in the Final Prospectus, there has been any material adverse change or
any development involving a prospective material adverse change in the
condition (financial or other), earnings, business or properties of the
Company and its subsidiaries, whether or not arising from transactions
in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated
in the Final Prospectus.
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(e) At the Closing Date, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter or letters (which may refer to letters previously delivered to one or more of the Representatives), dated as of the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that the response, if any, to Item 10 of the Registration Statement is correct insofar as it relates to them and stating in effect that:
(i) They are independent accountants within the meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act and the respective applicable published rules and regulations thereunder.
(ii) In their opinion, the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries audited by them and included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and Final Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder with respect to registration statements on Form S-3 and the Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder.
(iii) On the basis of procedures (but not an audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards) consisting of:
(a) Reading the minutes of the meetings of the stockholders, the board of directors, executive committee and audit committee of the Company and the boards of directors and executive committees of its subsidiaries as set forth in the minute books through a specified date not more than five business days prior to the date of delivery of such letter;
(b) Performing the procedures specified by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants for a review of interim financial information as described in Statement of Accounting Standards No. 71, Interim Financial Information, on the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and Final Prospectus and reading the unaudited interim financial data, if any, for the period from the date of the latest balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and Final Prospectus to the date of the latest available interim financial data; and
(c) Making inquiries of certain officials of the Company who have responsibility for financial and accounting matters regarding the specific items for which representations are requested below;
nothing has come to their attention as a result of the foregoing procedures that caused them to believe that:
(1) the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and Final Prospectus, do not comply as to form in all material respects with the
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applicable accounting requirements of the Exchange Act and the published rules and regulations thereunder;
(2) any material modifications should be made to the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and Final Prospectus, for them to be in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles;
(3) (i) at the date of the latest available interim financial data and at the specified date not more than five business days prior to the date of the delivery of such letter, there was any change in the capital stock or the long-term debt (other than scheduled repayments of such debt) or any decreases in shareholders' equity of the Company and the subsidiaries on a consolidated basis as compared with the amounts shown in the latest balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus or (ii) for the period from the date of the latest available financial data to a specified date not more than five business days prior to the delivery of such letter, there was any change in the capital stock or the long-term debt (other than scheduled repayments of such debt) or any decreases in shareholders' equity of the Company and the subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, except in all instances for changes or decreases which the Registration Statement and Final Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur, or PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall state any specific changes or decreases.(iv) The letter shall also state that PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has carried out certain other specified procedures, not constituting an audit, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and financial information which are included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and Final Prospectus and which are specified by the Representatives and agreed to by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and has found such amounts, percentages and financial information to be in agreement with the relevant accounting, financial and other records of the Company and its subsidiaries identified in such letter.
In addition, at the time this Agreement is executed, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter or letters, dated the date of this Agreement, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in this paragraph (e) and in Schedule I hereto.
(f) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information
is given in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus, there
shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified in the letter
or letters referred to in paragraph (e) of this Section 5 or (ii) any change,
or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the
condition (financial or other), earnings, business or properties of the
Company and its subsidiaries the effect of which, in any case referred
to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the judgment of the Representatives,
so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed
with the offering or the delivery of the Securities as contemplated by
the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus.
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(g) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
(h) On or after the date hereof and prior to the Closing Date (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Company's debt securities by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization," as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company's debt securities.
(i) There shall not have come to the Representatives' attention any facts that would cause the Representatives to believe that the Final Prospectus, at the time it was required to be delivered to a purchaser of the Securities, included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances existing at the time of such delivery, not misleading.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 5 shall not have been fulfilled in all material respects when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be in all material respects reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and their counsel, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or telegraph confirmed in writing.
6.
Payment of Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses incident
to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i)
the printing and filing of the Registration Statement as originally filed
and of each amendment or supplement thereto, (ii) the copying of this Agreement,
(iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the
Securities to the Underwriters, including capital duties, stamp duties
and transfer taxes, if any, payable upon issuance of any of the Securities,
the sale of the Securities to the Underwriters and the fees and expenses
of any transfer agent or trustee for the Securities, (iv) the fees and
expenses of counsel to any such transfer agent or trustee, (v) the fees
and disbursements of the Company's counsel and accountants, (vi) the qualification
of the Securities under state securities laws in accordance with the provisions
of Section 4(e), including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements
of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection
with the preparation of any Blue Sky Survey, (vii) the printing and delivery
to the Underwriters of copies of the Registration Statement as originally
filed and of each amendment thereto and of the Final Prospectus and any
amendments or supplements thereto, (viii) the printing and delivery to
the Underwriters of copies of any Blue Sky Survey, and (ix) the fees of
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., (x) the preparation,
printing, reproduction and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the
Indentures and all supplements and amendments thereto, (xi) any fees charged
by rating agencies for the rating of the Securities, (xii) the fees and
expenses of any depository and any nominee thereof in connection with the
Securities, and, (xiii) if applicable, the fees of the Luxembourg Stock
Exchange.
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If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 5 hereof is not satisfied or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.
7. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning
of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims,
damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them
may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or
state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar
as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement as originally
filed or in any amendment thereof, or arise out of or are based upon omission
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or
arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact contained in the Final Prospectus, or any amendment
or supplement thereof, or arise out of or are based upon any omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each
such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred
by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action; provided, however, that (i) the Company will
not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim,
damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein
in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to
the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives
specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or Final Prospectus
or any amendment or supplement thereof, or arises out of or is based upon
statements in or omissions from that part of the Registration Statement
which shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification of
the Trustee (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee, and
(ii) such indemnity with respect to the Basic Prospectus or the Final Prospectus
shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter (or any person controlling
such Underwriter) from whom the person asserting any such loss, claim,
damage or liability purchased the Securities which are the subject thereof
if such person did not receive a copy of the Final Prospectus (or the Final
Prospectus as amended or supplemented) excluding documents incorporated
therein by reference at or prior to the confirmation of the sale of such
Securities to such person in any case where such delivery is required by
the Act and the untrue statement or omission of a material fact contained
in the Basic Prospectus or any preliminary Final Prospectus was corrected
in the Final Prospectus (or the Final Prospectus as amended or supplemented).
This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the
Company may otherwise have.
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12
(b) Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or Final Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have. The Company acknowledges that (i) the names of the Underwriters and the statements required by Item 508 of Regulation S-K set forth on the cover page or under the heading "Underwriting" in the Final Prospectus, and (ii) the sentences relating to concessions and reallowances and the paragraph related to stabilization and syndicate covering transactions, under the heading "Underwriting" in the Final Prospectus, constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in the Registration Statement or Final Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section
7 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will,
if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party
under this Section 7, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement
thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not
relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party
otherwise than under this Section 7. In case any such action is brought
against any indemnified party, and it notifies the indemnifying party of
the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate
therein, and, to the extent that it may elect by written notice delivered
to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice
from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel
satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, that if the
defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded
that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified
parties which are different from or additional to those available to the
indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right
to select separate counsel to assert such legal defenses and to otherwise
participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified
party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to
such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense of such
action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying
party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 7
for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified
party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified
party shall have employed separate counsel in connection with the assertion
of legal defenses in accordance with the proviso to the next preceding
sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall
not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (in addition
to local counsel), approved by the Representatives in the case of subparagraph
(a), representing the indemnified parties under subparagraph (a) who are
parties to such action), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed
counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified
party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action
or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized the employment of counsel
for the indemnified party at the expense of the
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indemnifying party; and except that if clause (i) or (iii) is applicable, such liability shall be only in respect of the counsel referred to in such clause (i) or (iii).
(d) To provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in paragraph (a) of this Section 7 is due in accordance with its terms but is for any reason held by a court to be unavailable from the Company on the grounds of policy or otherwise, the Company and the Underwriters shall contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending same) to which the Company and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion so that the Underwriters are responsible for that portion represented by the percentage that the underwriting discount bears to the sum of such discount and the purchase price of the Securities specified in Schedule I hereto and the Company is responsible for the balance; provided, however, that (y) in no case shall any Underwriter (except as may be provided in any agreement among underwriters relating to the offering of the Securities) be responsible for any amount in excess of the underwriting discount applicable to the Securities purchased by such Underwriter hereunder and (z) no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 7, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of the Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to clause (y) of this paragraph (d). Any party entitled to contribution will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action, suit or proceeding against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made against another party or parties under this paragraph (d), notify such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify such party or parties shall not relieve the party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have hereunder or otherwise than under this paragraph (d).
8. Default
by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase
and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter
or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute
a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement,
the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and
pay for (in the respective proportions which the amount of Securities set
forth opposite their names in Schedule II hereto bear to the aggregate
amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining
Underwriters) the Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters
agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that
the aggregate amount of Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate
amount of Securities set forth in Schedule II hereto, the remaining Underwriters
shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation
to purchase any, of the Securities, and if such non-defaulting Underwriters
do not purchase all the Securities, this Agreement will terminate without
liability to any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In the event
of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 8, the Closing
Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding
<Page 14
seven days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company and any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
9. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if prior to such time (i) trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such exchange, or (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in the commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or material escalation of hostilities or other calamity or crisis (in the United States or elsewhere) the effect of which on the financial markets of the United States is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable to market the Securities.
10. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the officers, directors or controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Section 6 and 7 hereof and this Section 10 shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.
11. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to them, at the address specified in Schedule I hereto, with a copy to: Stroock & Stroock & ▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, 18▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, Attn: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to it at Bank of America Corporate Center, 10▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, attention of the Secretary, with a copy to each of: Bank of America Corporation, Bank of America Corporate Center, 10▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇epartment, NC1-007-20-1, Ch▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attn: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, General Counsel; and ▇▇▇▇▇ Mulliss & Wicker, PLLC, 20▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attn: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇.
12. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
13. Applicable Law.
This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the
internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to principles
of conflict of laws.
<Page 15
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
By: /s/ Page P.C. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Name: Page P.C. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Senior Vice President
The foregoing Agreement is
hereby confirmed and accepted
as of the date specified in
Schedule I hereto.
By: BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES Limited
By: /s/ Yoko Katagishi
Name: Yoko Katagishi
Title: Director
By: BANCO SANTANDER CENTRAL HISPANO S.A..
BANK BRUSSEL ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ N.V.
BARCLAYS BANK PLC
BNP PARIBAS
CABOTO INTESABCI SIM S.P.A.
COÖPERATIEVE CENTRALE RAIFFEISEN-BOERENLEENBANK
B.A.
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON (EUROPE)
LIMITED
DEUTSCHE BANK AG LONDON
SVENSKA HANDELSBANKEN AB (PUBL)
THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attorney-in-Fact
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16
SCHEDULE I
Underwriting Agreement dated February 20, 2003
Registration Statement No. 333-97197
Representatives: |
Banc of America Securities Limited |
| Banco Santander Central Hispano S.A. | |
| Bank Brussel ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ N.V. | |
| Barclays Bank PLC | |
| BNP Paribas | |
| Caboto IntesaBci - SIM S.p.A. | |
| Coöperatieve Centrale Raiffeisen-Boerenleenbank B.A. | |
| Credit Suisse First Boston (Europe) Limited | |
| Deutsche Bank AG London | |
| Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ) | |
| The Royal Bank of Scotland plc |
Address of Representatives: c/o Banc of America Securities Limited
Bank of America House
1 Alie Street
London E1 8DE
England
Attention: ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title, Purchase Price and Description of Securities:
Title: 3 5/8% Senior Notes, due 2008
Principal amount: € 1,000,000,000
Purchase price (include type of funds and accrued interest or amortization, if applicable): 99.554%; in same day funds in euro or wire transfer to an account previously designated to the Representatives by the Company or, if agreed to by the Representatives and the Company, by certified or official bank check or checks.
Sinking fund provisions: none
Obligation to Make Additional Payments: The Company will, subject to certain exceptions, pay to a non United States person that is a beneficial holder of the Securities such additional amounts to ensure that every net payment on the Securities will not be less, due to the payment of United States withholding tax, than the amount then otherwise payable. For this purpose "net payment" means a payment by the Company or its paying agent, including payments of principal and interest, after deduction for any present or future tax, assessment or other governmental charge of the United States.
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Redemption provisions: Except in those situations in which the Company may become obligated to pay additional amounts (as described in the Final Prospectus), the Securities of this series are not subject to redemption at the option of the Company or repayment at the option of the holder prior to maturity.
Form, Delivery and Payment: Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3, the Securities will be represented by beneficial interests in a fully registered permanent global note without interest coupons attached in denominations of euro 1,000 (or integral multiples thereof), which will be registered in the name of The Bank of New York Depository (Nominees) Limited as nominee for, and shall be deposited on or about 3 March 2003 with The Bank of New York, as common depositary for, and in respect of interests held through, Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear System and Clearstream Banking, société anonyme.
Maturity Date: March 3, 2008
Other provisions: noneClosing Date, Time and Location: March 3, 2003, 9:00 A.M. New York City time, Office of Stroock & Stroock & ▇▇▇▇▇ LLP
Listing: Application will be made to list the Securities on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.
Stabilization: In connection with the distribution of the Securities, Bank of America Securities Limited or any person acting for it may over-allot or effect transactions which support the market price of the Securities at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail for a limited period. However, there may be no obligation on Banc of America Securities Limited or any agent of Banc of America Securities Limited to do this. In doing so Banc of America Securities Limited shall act as principal and not as agent of the Company. Stabilizing, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time and stabilization shall be borne, and any net profit arising therefrom shall be retained, by Banc of America Securities Limited for its own account.
The Company confirms that it has been informed of the existence of the informational guidance published by the United Kingdom Financial Services Authority in relation to stabilisation.
Additional items to be covered by the letter from PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP
delivered pursuant to Section 5(e) at the time this Agreement is executed:
none
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SCHEDULE II
| Underwriters |
Principal Amount
of Securities to be Purchased |
| Banc of America Securities Limited | €900,000,000 |
| Banco Santander Central Hispano S.A. | 10,000,000 |
| Bank Brussel ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ N.V. | 10,000,000 |
| Barclays Bank PLC | 10,000,000 |
| BNP Paribas | 10,000,000 |
| Caboto IntesaBci - SIM S.p.A. | 10,000,000 |
| Coöperatieve Centrale Raiffeisen-Boerenleenbank B.A. | 10,000,000 |
| Credit Suisse First Boston (Europe) Limited | 10,000,000 |
| Deutsche Bank AG London | 10,000,000 |
| Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ) | 10,000,000 |
| The Royal Bank of Scotland plc | 10,000,000 |
| _____________ | |
| TOTAL | €1,000,000,000 |
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SCHEDULE III
Jurisdictional Selling Restrictions:
Each Underwriter severally represents and agrees that (i) it has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Securities to persons in the United Kingdom prior to the expiration of the period six months from the Closing Date, except to persons whose ordinary activities involve them in acquiring, holding, managing or disposing of investments (whether as principal or agent) for the purpose of their businesses or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and will not result in an offer to the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of the Public Offers of Securities Regulation 1995, (ii) it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the "FSMA") with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom, and (iii) it will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of the FSMA) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the Securities in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the Company..
Each Underwriter severally represents and agrees that it will not offer, sell, transfer or deliver the Securities in or from The Netherlands, as part of their initial distribution or as part of any re-offering, and will not distribute or circulate the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any other document in respect of the offering in The Netherlands, other than to individuals or legal entities which include, but are not limited to, banks, brokers, dealers, institutional investors and undertakings with a treasury department, who or which trade or invest in securities in the conduct of a business or profession.
Each Underwriter severally represents and agrees that it will not offer or sell the Securities in the United States or to United States persons except if such offers or sales are made by or through broker-dealers registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Other Selling Restrictions:
Each Underwriter severally represents and agrees
that it has not and will not offer or sell any Securities to any person
whose assets are the assets of an "employee benefit plan" subject to the
fiduciary responsibility provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), a "plan" subject to Section 4975(e)(1)
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), any person
or an entity whose underlying assets include "plan assets" by reason of
Department of Labor regulation section 2510.3-101 or otherwise, or a governmental
plan that is subject to any federal, state or local law that is substantially
similar to the provisions of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the
Code, unless the purchase, holding and disposition of the Securities will
not result in a prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section
4975 of the Code (or in the case of a governmental plan, any federal, state
or local provision that is substantially similar to Section 406 of ERISA
or Section 4975 of the Code) under an exemption for transactions effected
on behalf of that plan by a "qualified professional asset manager," or
an "in house asset manager," or for transactions involving
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insurance company general accounts, for transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts, for transactions involving bank collective trusts or under another available exemption.