UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): May 17, 2013 (May 13, 2013)

 

 

Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-35917   46-1972941

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation or Organization)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

6640 W. 143rd Street, Suite 200

Overland Park, Kansas

  66223
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (913) 928-6060

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

  ¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

  ¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

  ¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

  ¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 


Item 1.01. Entry Into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Underwriting Agreement

On May 13, 2013, Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP (the “ Partnership ”) entered into an Underwriting Agreement (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”), by and among the Partnership, Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC (the “ General Partner ”) and Tallgrass Development, LP (“ Tallgrass Development ” and, together with the Partnership and the General Partner, the “ Partnership Parties ”) and Barclays Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (the “ Underwriters ”), providing for the offer and sale by the Partnership (the “ Offering ”), and purchase by the Underwriters, of 13,050,000 common units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership at a price to the public of $21.50 per common unit. Pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the Partnership also granted the Underwriters an option for a period of 30 days to purchase up to an additional 1,957,500 common units (the “ Option Units ”) to cover over-allotments, if any, on the same terms. On May 15, 2013, the Underwriters exercised their option in part to purchase an additional 1,550,000 common units.

The material terms of the Offering are described in the prospectus, dated May 13, 2013 (the “ Prospectus ”), filed by the Partnership with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”). The Offering is registered with the Commission pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-187595).

The Underwriting Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and agreements of the Partnership Parties, and customary conditions to closing, obligations of the parties and termination provisions. The Partnership Parties, Tallgrass MLP Operations, LLC, Tallgrass Midstream, LLC and Tallgrass Interstate Gas Transmission, LLC have agreed to indemnify the Underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

The Offering closed on May 17, 2013. At closing, the Partnership received proceeds from the Offering (net of underwriting discounts and after deducting the structuring fee and certain offering expenses) of approximately $295.9 million. The Partnership will use the net proceeds from the sale of the common units to retire approximately $295.9 million of the indebtedness assumed from Tallgrass Development.

As more fully described under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus, certain of the Underwriters and their affiliates have engaged, and may in the future engage, in commercial banking, investment banking and advisory and other services for the Partnership and its respective affiliates from time to time in the ordinary course of their business for which they have received customary fees and reimbursement of expenses. Affiliates of Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and RBC Capital Markets, LLC are lenders under the senior secured term loan under which the debt assumed from Tallgrass Development was initially borrowed and, in that respect, indirectly received a portion of the net


proceeds from the Offering when the net proceeds of the Offering were used to pay down a portion of that senior secured term loan. In addition, affiliates of Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are lenders under the new revolving credit facility that the Partnership entered into in connection with the Offering.

The foregoing description and the description contained in the Prospectus are not complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Underwriting Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.

Omnibus Agreement

On May 17, 2013, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the Partnership entered into an Omnibus Agreement (the “ Omnibus Agreement ”) by and among the Partnership, the General Partner, Tallgrass Development and Tallgrass Development GP, LLC (“ Development GP ”).

As more fully described in the Prospectus, the Omnibus Agreement addresses the following matters:

 

   

Development GP’s obligation to provide, or to cause its affiliates or third parties to provide, the Partnership, its subsidiaries and the General Partner with general and administrative services and management and operating services;

 

   

the Partnership’s obligation to reimburse Development GP and its affiliates for certain direct and indirect operating expenses they pay on behalf of the Partnership or its subsidiaries;

 

   

Tallgrass Development’s agreement to provide the Partnership, its subsidiaries and the General Partner with a license to use the name “Tallgrass” and related marks;

 

   

Tallgrass Development’s obligation (i) to indemnify the Partnership and its subsidiaries for any federal, state and local income tax liabilities attributable to the ownership and operation of the Partnership’s assets and the assets of its subsidiaries prior to the closing of the Offering until 60 days after the applicable statute of limitations, (ii) to reimburse the Partnership and its subsidiaries for any amounts paid by the Partnership or its subsidiaries pursuant to any settlement agreement or judgment related to or resulting from the proceeding pending in state court in Douglas County, Nebraska, entitled Cornhusker Energy Lexington, LLC and National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania vs. Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transmission , now known as Tallgrass Interstate Gas Transmission, that exceeds $3.9 million, in the amount by which such settlement or damage award actually exceeds $3.9 million and (iii) to use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain indemnification from Kinder Morgan for losses suffered or incurred by us with respect to the assets being contributed to the Partnership


in connection with this Offering to the extent that Kinder Morgan is obligated to indemnify Tallgrass Development for such losses under the purchase and sale agreement pursuant to which Tallgrass Development acquired the assets being contributed to us in connection with this offering and to remit any proceeds received from Kinder Morgan pursuant to such indemnification obligations to the Partnership; and

 

   

Tallgrass Development’s obligation to notify the Partnership of its desire to sell certain assets, and prior to selling such assets to a third party, Tallgrass Development’s obligation to negotiate with the Partnership exclusively and in good faith for a period of 45 days in order to give the Partnership an opportunity to enter into definitive documentation for the purchase and sale of such assets on terms that are mutually acceptable to Tallgrass Development or its affiliate and the Partnership.

The foregoing description and the description contained in the Prospectus are not complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Omnibus Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.2 to this Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.

Revolving Credit Agreement

On May 17, 2013, in connection with the Offering, the Partnership entered into a $500 million senior secured revolving credit facility with Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent, and a syndicate of lenders, which will mature on the fifth anniversary of the closing date of the Offering. On the closing date of the Offering, the Partnership borrowed $231.0 million under the credit facility. The remaining commitments under the credit facility are available for capital expenditures and permitted acquisitions, to provide for working capital requirements and for other general partnership purposes. The credit facility has an accordion feature that will allow the Partnership to increase the available revolving borrowings under the facility by up to an additional $100 million, subject to the Partnership’s receipt of increased or new commitments from lenders and satisfaction of certain other conditions. In addition, the credit facility includes a sublimit up to $40 million for swing line loans and a sublimit up to $50 million for letters of credit.

The Partnership’s obligations under the credit facility, as well as obligations under certain interest rate protection and other hedging arrangements, are (i) guaranteed by the Partnership and each of its existing and subsequently acquired or organized direct or indirect wholly-owned domestic subsidiaries, subject to the Partnership’s ability to designate certain of its subsidiaries as “Unrestricted Subsidiaries” and (ii) secured by a first priority lien on substantially all of the present and after acquired property owned by the Partnership and each guarantor (other than real property interests related to the Partnership’s pipelines).

The credit facility contains various covenants and restrictive provisions that, among other things, limits or restricts the Partnership’s ability (as well as the ability of the Partnership’s restricted subsidiaries) to incur or guarantee additional debt, incur certain liens on assets, dispose of assets, make certain distributions, including distributions from available cash, if a default or event of default under the credit agreement then exists or would result therefrom, change the nature of the Partnership’s business, engage in certain mergers or make certain investments and acquisitions, enter into non arms-length transactions with affiliates and designate certain


subsidiaries as “Unrestricted Subsidiaries,” and also requires maintenance of a consolidated leverage ratio of not more than 4.75 to 1.00 (which will be increased to 5.25 to 1.00 for certain measurement periods following the consummation of certain acquisitions) and a consolidated interest coverage ratio of not less than 2.50 to 1.00.

Borrowings under the credit facility will bear interest, at the Partnership’s option, at either (a) a base rate, which will be a rate equal to the greatest of (i) the prime rate, (ii) the U.S. federal funds rate plus 0.5% and (iii) a one-month reserve adjusted Eurodollar rate plus 1.00%, in each case, plus an applicable margin, or (b) a reserve adjusted Eurodollar rate, plus an applicable margin. Swing line loans will bear interest at the base rate plus an applicable margin. For borrowings bearing interest based on the base rate, the applicable margin will initially be 1.00%, and for loans bearing interest based on the reserve adjusted Eurodollar rate, the applicable margin will initially be 2.00%. After the first full fiscal quarter after the closing date of the Offering, the applicable margin will range from 1.00% to 2.00% for base rate borrowings and 2.00% to 3.00% for reserve adjusted Eurodollar rate borrowings, based upon the Partnership’s total leverage ratio. The unused portion of the credit facility will be subject to a commitment fee, which will initially be 0.375%, and after the first full fiscal quarter after the closing date of the Offering, will be either 0.375% or 0.500%, based on the Partnership’s total leverage ratio.

The credit facility contains certain events of default, including, but not limited to, the failure to pay any principal, interest or fees when due, failure to satisfy any covenant, material inaccuracy of representations or warranties, impairment of liens or invalidity of guarantees, cross-defaults to other material debt, insolvency, certain bankruptcy proceedings, change of control, liquidation, material money judgment, material events related to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and certain amendments or modifications to the limited partnership agreement of the Partnership. Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of an event of default, the lenders may, among other things, terminate their revolving loan commitments, accelerate and declare the outstanding loans to be immediately due and payable, charge the Partnership with additional interest in the amount of 2.0%  per annum plus the rate otherwise applicable to such amounts and exercise remedies against the Partnership and the collateral.

The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Credit Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.3 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.

Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement

The description of the Contribution Agreement (as defined below) provided below under Item 2.01 (and as defined therein) is incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference. A copy of the Contribution Agreement is attached as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.


Long-Term Incentive Plan

In connection with the Offering, the Board of Directors of the General Partner adopted the Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC Long Term Incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”) for officers, directors, employees and consultants of the General Partner and its affiliates. The Plan consists of unit options, restricted units, equity participation units, unit appreciation rights, distribution equivalent rights, other unit-based awards and unit awards. The Plan limits the number of common units that may be delivered pursuant to vested awards under the Plan to 10,000,000 units. The Plan will be administered by the Board of Directors of the General Partner or a committee thereof.

The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Plan, which is filed as Exhibit 10.4 to this Form 8-K and is incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.

Relationships

As more fully described in the section “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions” of the Prospectus, which is incorporated herein by reference, affiliates of Tallgrass Development own common units and subordinated units in the Partnership. In addition, the General Partner owns a 2.0% general partner interest in the Partnership and the incentive distribution rights.

 

Item 2.01. Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement

On May 17, 2013, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the following transactions, among others, occurred in connection with or pursuant to the Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement by and among the Partnership, the General Partner, Tallgrass Development, Development GP, Tallgrass GP Holdings, LLC (“ GP Holdings ”), Tallgrass Operations, LLC (“ TO ”), Tallgrass Interstate Gas Transmission, LLC (“ TIGT ”), Tallgrass Midstream, LLC (“ TMID ”) and Tallgrass MLP Operations, LLC (“ OLLC ”) (the “ Contribution Agreement ”):

 

   

The members of Development GP formed GP Holdings under the terms of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the “ Delaware LLC Act ”) and contributed their interest in Development GP to GP Holdings in exchange for identical membership interests in GP Holdings;

 

   

TO formed the General Partner under the terms of the Delaware LLC Act and contributed $1,000 for all of the membership interests in the General Partner;

 

   

The General Partner and TO formed the Partnership under the terms of the Delaware LP Act and contributed $20 and $980, respectively, in exchange for a 2.0% general partner interest (the “ Initial General Partner Interest ”) and a 98.0% limited partner interest (the “ Initial Limited Partner Interest ”), respectively, in the Partnership;


   

TO formed OLLC under the terms of the Delaware LLC Act;

 

   

TO contributed its 100% membership interest in each of TIGT and TMID to OLLC in exchange for the continuation of its 100% membership interest in OLLC and OLLC’s assumption of $400 million of debt (the “ Assumed Debt ”) of TO under the Credit Agreement, dated as of November 13, 2012, among TO, Tallgrass Development, the Lenders Party thereto and Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent and collateral agent (the “ Credit Agreement ”);

 

   

TO contributed a 2.0% interest in OLLC to the General Partner as a capital contribution (the “ OLLC 2.0% Interest ”);

 

   

The General Partner contributed the OLLC 2.0% Interest to the Partnership as a capital contribution in exchange for (i) 826,531 general partner units in the Partnership representing a continuation of its 2.0% general partner interest in the Partnership and (ii) the incentive distribution rights in the Partnership;

 

   

TO contributed the remaining 98% membership interest in OLLC to the Partnership as a capital contribution in exchange for (i) 9,292,500 Common Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership, (ii) 16,200,000 Subordinated Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership and (iii) the right to receive the deferred issuance and distribution;

 

   

The Partnership redeemed the Initial General Partner Interest and the Initial Limited Partner Interest and refunded the General Partner’s initial contribution of $20, TO’s initial contribution of $980, as well as any interest or other profit that may have resulted from the investment or other use of such initial capital contributions to the General Partner and TO, respectively, in proportion to such initial contribution;

 

   

TO conveyed 100% of the membership interest in the General Partner to Tallgrass Development;

 

   

Tallgrass Development conveyed 100% of the membership interest in the General Partner to Development GP;

 

   

Development GP conveyed 100% of the membership interest in the General Partner to GP Holdings;

 

   

The Underwriters, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, made a capital contribution to the Partnership of approximately $295.9 in cash, net to the Partnership after the underwriting discount, in exchange for the issuance by the Partnership to the Underwriters of 14,600,000 Common Units (of which 1,550,000 are Option Units);

 

   

The Partnership paid Barclays Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. the applicable structuring fee;


   

The Partnership paid OLLC $295.9 million, and OLLC used the $295.9 million received from the Partnership to repay $295.9 million of the Assumed Debt; and

 

   

The Partnership (i) entered into a new credit facility with Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent, and a syndicate of lenders (the “ New Credit Agreement ”) and (ii) borrowed $231.0 million pursuant to the New Credit Agreement and used the proceeds of the New Credit Agreement to (a) pay $104.2 million to OLLC, which OLLC used to repay the remaining balance of the Assumed Debt, (b) pay $85.5 million to TO, in order to reimburse Tallgrass Development for a portion of the capital expenditures made by Tallgrass Development to purchase TIGT and TMID (c) pay approximately $6.4 million of original fees associated with the entry into the New Credit Agreement, (d) pay Tallgrass Development a cash distribution of approximately $31.2 million in connection with the Underwriter’s partial exercise of the Over-Allotment Option and (e) approximately $3.7 million for general corporate purposes.

 

The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Contribution Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated in this Item 2.01 by reference.

 

Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

The description of the New Credit Agreement provided above under Item 1.01 is incorporated in this Item 2.03 by reference.

 

Item 3.02. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

The description in Item 2.01 above of the issuances by the Partnership of securities on May 17, 2013 in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Contribution Agreement is incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing transactions were undertaken in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements in Section 4(2) of the Securities Act. The Partnership believes that exemptions other than the foregoing exemption may exist for these transactions.

Each of the subordinated units will convert into one common unit at the end of the subordination period. The subordination period will end on the first business day after June 30, 2016 on which the Partnership has earned and paid at least $1.15 (the minimum quarterly distribution on an annualized basis) on each outstanding common unit, subordinated unit and general partner unit for each of three consecutive, non-overlapping four-quarter periods, provided that there are no arrearages on our common units at that time.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the subordination period will end on the first business day after the Partnership has earned and paid at least $1.725 (150% of the minimum quarterly distribution on an annualized basis) on each outstanding common, subordinated and general partner unit, and the related distribution on the incentive distribution rights (the “ IDRs ”), for any four-quarter period ending on or after June 30, 2014, provided that there are no arrearages on the Partnership’s common units at that time. In addition, the subordination period will end (i) with


respect to 50% of the subordinated units, on the first business day after the Partnership has earned and paid at least $0.3306 (115% of the minimum quarterly distribution) on each outstanding common, subordinated and general partner unit, and the related distribution on the IDRs, for any full quarter ending on or after December 31, 2014 and (ii) with respect to 100% of the subordinated units, on the first business day after the Partnership has earned and paid at least $0.3594 (125% of the minimum quarterly distribution) on each outstanding common, subordinated and general partner unit, and the related distribution on the IDRs, for any full quarter ending on or after December 31, 2014, in each case provided that there are no arrearages on the Partnership’s common units at that time.

The subordination period also will end with respect to a holder of subordinated units upon the removal of the General Partner other than for cause if no subordinated units or common units held by such holder of subordinated units or its affiliates are voted in favor of such removal. When the subordination period ends, all subordinated units not previously converted will convert into common units on a one-for-one basis, and all common units thereafter will no longer be entitled to arrearages.

The description of the subordination period contained in the section of the Prospectus entitled “Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions—Subordination Period” is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

The description of the Long-Term Incentive Plan provided above under Item 1.01 is incorporated in this Item 5.02 by reference.

 

Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Changes in Fiscal Year.

Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP

On May 17, 2013, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the Partnership amended and restated its Limited Partnership Agreement (as amended, the “ Partnership Agreement ”). A description of the Partnership Agreement is contained in the section of the Prospectus entitled “The Partnership Agreement” and is incorporated herein by reference.

The foregoing description and the description contained in the Prospectus are not complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Partnership Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 3.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated in this Item 5.03 by reference.


Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC

On May 17, 2013, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the General Partner amended and restated its Limited Liability Company Agreement (as amended, the “ LLC Agreement ”). The amendments to the LLC Agreement included, among other things, outlining the rights of the sole member and management by the board of directors of the Partnership’s business.

The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the LLC Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 3.4 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated in this Item 5.03 by reference.

 

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure

On May 13, 2013, the Partnership issued a press release announcing that it had priced the Offering described in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K. A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.

In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the press release is deemed to be “furnished” and shall not be deemed “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall such information and Exhibit be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

  (d) Exhibits.

 

EXHIBIT
NUMBER

  

DESCRIPTION

  1.1    Underwriting Agreement, dated as of May 13, 2013, by and among Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, Tallgrass Development, LP, Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC and the Underwriters named therein.
  3.2    Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, dated May 17, 2013.
  3.4    Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC dated May 17, 2013.
10.1    Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement, dated May 17, 2013, by and among Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC, Tallgrass Development, LP, Tallgrass Development GP, LLC, Tallgrass GP Holdings, LLC, Tallgrass Operations, LLC, Tallgrass Interstate Gas Transmission, LLC, Tallgrass Midstream, LLC and Tallgrass MLP Operations, LLC.
10.2    Omnibus Agreement, dated May 17, 2013, by and among Tallgrass Development, LP, Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC and Tallgrass Development GP, LLC.
10.3    Revolving Credit Agreement, dated May 17, 2013, by and among Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent, and a syndicate of lenders named therein.
10.4    Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC Long-Term Incentive Plan
99.1    Press Release, dated May 13, 2013


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

    TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP
    By:   Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC
     

its general partner

Date: May 17, 2013     By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

      David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
      President and Chief Executive Officer


INDEX TO EXHIBITS

 

EXHIBIT
NUMBER

  

DESCRIPTION

  1.1    Underwriting Agreement, dated as of May 13, 2013, by and among Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, Tallgrass Development, LP, Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC and the Underwriters named therein.
  3.2    Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, dated May 17, 2013.
  3.4    Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC dated May 17, 2013.
10.1    Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement, dated May 17, 2013, by and among Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC, Tallgrass Development, LP, Tallgrass Development GP, LLC, Tallgrass GP Holdings, LLC, Tallgrass Operations, LLC, Tallgrass Interstate Gas Transmission, LLC, Tallgrass Midstream, LLC and Tallgrass MLP Operations, LLC.
10.2    Omnibus Agreement, dated May 17, 2013, by and among Tallgrass Development, LP, Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC and Tallgrass Development GP, LLC.
10.3    Revolving Credit Agreement, dated May 17, 2013, by and among Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent, and a syndicate of lenders named therein.
10.4    Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC Long-Term Incentive Plan.
99.1    Press Release, dated May 13, 2013

Exhibit 1.1

TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP

13,050,000 Common Units

Representing Limited Partner Interests

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

May 13, 2013

 

B ARCLAYS C APITAL I NC .

C ITIGROUP G LOBAL M ARKETS I NC .,

As Representatives of the several

  Underwriters named in Schedule I attached hereto,

c/o Barclays Capital Inc.

745 Seventh Avenue

New York, New York 10019

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), proposes to sell 13,050,000 common units (the “ Firm Units ”) representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “ Common Units ”) to the underwriters (the “ Underwriters ”) named in Schedule I attached to this agreement (this “ Agreement ”). In addition, the Partnership proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to 1,957,500 additional Common Units on the terms set forth in Section 2 (the “ Option Units ”). The Firm Units and the Option Units, if purchased, are hereinafter collectively called the “ Units ”. This Agreement is to confirm the agreement concerning the purchase of the Units from the Partnership by the Underwriters.

It is understood and agreed by all parties hereto that the Partnership was recently formed to own, operate, develop and acquire a diversified portfolio of midstream energy assets, as described more particularly in the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, and the Contribution Agreement (as such terms are hereinafter defined). It is further understood and agreed to by all parties hereto that prior to the date hereof the following transactions (the “ Prior Transactions ”) occurred:

(a) The members of Tallgrass Development GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Tallgrass Development GP ”), formed Tallgrass GP Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Tallgrass GP Holdings ”), and contributed their membership interests in Tallgrass Development GP to Tallgrass GP Holdings in exchange for all the membership interests in Tallgrass GP Holdings;

(b) Tallgrass Operations, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Tallgrass Operations ”), formed Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ General Partner ”), and contributed $1,000 in exchange for all the membership interests in the General Partner;


(c) The General Partner and Tallgrass Operations formed the Partnership and contributed $20 and $980, respectively, in exchange for a 2.0% general partner interest and a 98.0% limited partner interest in the Partnership, respectively; and

(d) Tallgrass Operations formed Tallgrass MLP Operations, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Tallgrass MLP Operations ”).

It is further understood and agreed to by all parties hereto that the following additional transactions (the “ Closing Transactions ”) will occur on or before the Initial Delivery Date (as defined in Section 4):

(a) The General Partner, the Partnership, Tallgrass Development, LP (“ Tallgrass Development ”) and Tallgrass Development GP will enter into a Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement, substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (as defined below) (the “ Contribution Agreement ,” together with any related bills of sale, conveyances and similar transfer documents necessary to effectuate the intent of the Contribution Agreement, the “ Contribution Documents ”) pursuant to which:

(i) Tallgrass Operations will contribute all the membership interests in each of Tallgrass Interstate Gas Transmission, LLC, a Colorado limited liability company (“ TIGT ”) and Tallgrass Midstream, LLC, a Delaware limited liability Company (“ Tallgrass Midstream ”) to Tallgrass MLP Operations (the “ Contributed Assets ”) in exchange for (A) a continuation of all the membership interests in Tallgrass MLP Operations and (B) Tallgrass MLP Operations’ assumption of $400 million of indebtedness of Tallgrass Operations (the “ Assumed Debt ”) under the Credit Agreement, dated as of November 13, 2012, among Tallgrass Operations, Tallgrass Development, the lenders party thereto and Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent and collateral agent (the “ Tallgrass Development Credit Agreement ”);

(ii) Tallgrass Operations will contribute a 2.0% interest in Tallgrass MLP Operations to the General Partner (the “ Tallgrass MLP Operations 2.0% Interest ”) in exchange for the continuation of its 100% ownership interest in the General Partner;

(iii) The General Partner will contribute the Tallgrass MLP Operations 2.0% Interest to the Partnership in exchange for (A) 826,531 general partner units (the “ General Partner Units ”), representing a 2.0% general partner interest in the Partnership, and (B) the Incentive Distribution Rights (as such term is defined in the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement (as defined below));

(iv) Tallgrass Operations will contribute a 98.0% membership interest in Tallgrass MLP Operations to the Partnership in exchange for (A) 11,250,000 Common Units, (B) 16,200,000 subordinated units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “ Subordinated Units ”) and (C) the right to receive, upon the earlier to occur of the expiration of the option granted in Section 2 or the exercise in full of the option granted in Section 2, (1) a number of additional Common Units that is equal to the excess, if any, of (x) 1,957,500 over (y) the aggregate number of Common Units, if any, actually purchased by and issued to the Underwriters pursuant to the exercise of the

 

2


option granted in Section 2 and (2) a cash distribution in an amount equal to the net proceeds of the sale of Option Units purchased by and issued to the Underwriters pursuant to any exercise of the option granted in Section 2. The Subordinated Units and the Common Units described in clauses (A) through (C) of this paragraph are referred to collectively herein as the “ Sponsor Units ”;

(v) The Partnership will redeem the initial limited partner interest of Tallgrass Operations for $980 and will redeem the general partner interest of the General Partner for $20;

(vi) Tallgrass Operations will convey all the membership interests in the General Partner to Tallgrass Development;

(vii) Tallgrass Development will convey all the membership interests in the General Partner to Tallgrass Development GP;

(viii) Tallgrass Development GP will convey all the membership interests in the General Partner to Tallgrass GP Holdings;

(b) The parties to the Tallgrass Development Credit Agreement will enter into the First Amendment to the Tallgrass Development Credit Agreement (the “ Tallgrass Development Credit Agreement Amendment ,” and the Tallgrass Development Credit Agreement, as amended by the Tallgrass Development Credit Agreement Amendment, the “ Amended Tallgrass Development Credit Agreement ”);

(c) The Partnership will amend and restate its partnership agreement, substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (as so amended and restated, the “ Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement ”);

(d) The General Partner will amend and restate its limited liability company agreement, substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (as so amended and restated, the “ Amended and Restated GP LLC Agreement ”);

(e) The Partnership, as borrower, will enter into a $500 million credit agreement with Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent, substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “ Partnership Credit Agreement ”);

(f) The public offering of the Firm Units contemplated hereby (the “ Offering ”) will be consummated;

(g) The Partnership will use the net proceeds of the Offering, after deducting underwriting discounts, the structuring fee and offering expenses, estimated to be an aggregate of $21.0 million, to fund a contribution of $259.5 million to Tallgrass MLP Operations, the proceeds of which Tallgrass MLP Operations will use to repay $259.5 million of the Assumed Debt;

 

3


(h) The Partnership will borrow approximately $231.1 million under the Partnership Credit Agreement and will use the proceeds of such borrowings (i) to fund a contribution of $140.5 million to Tallgrass MLP Operations, the proceeds of which Tallgrass MLP Operations will use to repay $140.5 million of the Assumed Debt, (ii) to pay $85.5 million to Tallgrass Operations in order to reimburse Tallgrass Development for certain capital expenditures made by Tallgrass Development in acquiring the Contributed Assets, and (iii) to pay $5.2 million of origination fees associated with the entry into the Partnership Credit Agreement;

(i) The Partnership, the General Partner, Tallgrass Development and Tallgrass Development GP will enter into an omnibus agreement, substantially in the form attached as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “ Omnibus Agreement ”); and

(j) Tallgrass Development will amend and restate its Agreement of Limited Partnership into the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Tallgrass Development.

The Prior Transactions and the Closing Transactions are referred to collectively herein as the “ Transactions. ” The Contribution Documents, the Omnibus Agreement and the Partnership Credit Agreement, together with any ancillary documents executed or entered into in connection with the foregoing, are referred to collectively herein as the “ Transaction Agreements .” The Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement, the Amended and Restated GP LLC Agreement, the Limited Liability Company Agreement, dated February 6, 2013, of Tallgrass MLP Operations (the “ Tallgrass MLP Operations LLC Agreement ”), the First Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement, dated November 13, 2012, of Tallgrass Midstream (the “ Tallgrass Midstream LLC Agreement ”), and the First Amended and Restated Operating Agreement, dated November 13, 2012, of TIGT (the “ TIGT LLC Agreement ”), are referred to collectively herein as the “ Organizational Agreements .” The Transaction Agreements and the Organizational Agreements are referred to collectively herein as the “ Operative Agreements .”

The General Partner, the Partnership and Tallgrass Development are referred to collectively herein as the “ Partnership Parties .” The General Partner, the Partnership, Tallgrass MLP Operations, Tallgrass Midstream and TIGT are referred to collectively herein as the “ Partnership Entities .” The Partnership Entities, Tallgrass GP Holdings, Tallgrass Development GP, Tallgrass Development and Tallgrass Operations are referred to collectively herein as the “ Tallgrass Entities .” Tallgrass MLP Operations, Tallgrass Midstream and TIGT are referred to collectively herein as the “ Operating Subsidiaries .”

1. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Partnership Parties . The Partnership Parties represent, warrant and agree that:

(a) Registration Statement . A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-187595) relating to the Units has (i) been prepared by the Partnership in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) thereunder; (ii) been filed with the Commission under the Securities Act; and (iii) become effective under the Securities Act. Copies of such registration statement and any amendment thereto have been

 

4


delivered by the Partnership to the representatives (the “ Representatives ”) of the Underwriters. As used in this Agreement:

(i) “ Applicable Time ” means 6:15 p.m. (New York City time) on May 13, 2013;

(ii) “ Effective Date ” means the date and time as of which such registration statement, or the most recent post-effective amendment thereto, was declared effective by the Commission;

(iii) “ Issuer Free Writing Prospectus ” means each “issuer free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act);

(iv) “ Preliminary Prospectus ” means any preliminary prospectus relating to the Units included in such registration statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act;

(v) “ Pricing Disclosure Package ” means, as of the Applicable Time, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, together with the information included in Schedule II hereto and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed or used by the Partnership on or before the Applicable Time, other than a road show that is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus but is not required to be filed under Rule 433 under the Securities Act;

(vi) “ Prospectus ” means the final prospectus relating to the Units, as filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act;

(vii) “ Registration Statement ” means such registration statement, as amended as of the Effective Date, including any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, all exhibits to such registration statement and including the information deemed by virtue of Rule 430A under the Securities Act to be part of such registration statement as of the Effective Date;

(viii) “ Testing-the-Waters Communication ” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act; and

(ix) “ Written Testing-the-Waters Communication ” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

Any reference to the “ most recent Preliminary Prospectus ” shall be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement or filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act prior to or on the date hereof. Any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include the abbreviated registration statement to register additional Units under Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “ Rule 462(b) Registration Statement ”).

 

5


(b) No Stop Order . The Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and no proceeding or examination for such purpose has been instituted or threatened by the Commission.

(c) Emerging Growth Company Status . From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Partnership engaged directly or through any Person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the date hereof, the Partnership has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “ Emerging Growth Company ”).

(d) Testing-the-Waters Communications . The Partnership (i) has not engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication and (ii) has not authorized anyone to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Partnership has not distributed or approved for distribution any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications.

(e) Ineligible Issuer . The Partnership was not at the time of initial filing of the Registration Statement and at the earliest time thereafter that the Partnership or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Units, is not on the date hereof and will not be on the applicable Delivery Date, an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act).

(f) Form of Documents . The Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all material respects on the Effective Date and on the applicable Delivery Date, and any amendment to the Registration Statement filed after the date hereof will conform in all material respects when filed, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. The most recent Preliminary Prospectus conformed, and the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects when filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act and on the applicable Delivery Date to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

(g) No Material Misstatements or Omissions in the Registration Statement . The Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

(h) No Material Misstatements or Omissions in the Prospectus . The Prospectus will not, as of its date or as of the applicable Delivery Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

 

6


(i) No Material Misstatements or Omissions in the Pricing Disclosure Package . The Pricing Disclosure Package did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).

(j) No Material Misstatements or Omissions in Issuer Free Writing Prospectus . Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed in Schedule III hereto, when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed in Schedule III hereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e). The information included in each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed in Schedule III hereto does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or to be contained in the Prospectus.

(k) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses Conform to the Requirements of the Securities Act . Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conformed or will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder on the date of first use, and the Partnership has complied with all prospectus delivery and any filing requirements applicable to such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to the Securities Act and rules and regulations thereunder. The Partnership has not made any offer relating to the Units that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representatives. The Partnership has retained in accordance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that were not required to be filed pursuant to the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. The Partnership has taken all actions necessary so that any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) in connection with the offering of the Units will not be required to be filed pursuant to the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

(l) Forward-Looking and Supporting Information.  Each of the statements made by the Partnership in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Disclosure Package and to be made in the Prospectus (and any supplements thereto) within the coverage of Rule 175(b) under the Securities Act, including (but not limited to) any statements with respect to projected results of operations, estimated cash available for distributions and future cash distributions of the Partnership, and any statements made in support thereof or related thereto under the heading “Our Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on Distributions” or the anticipated ratio of taxable income to distributions, was made or will be made with a reasonable basis and in good faith.

 

7


(m) Formation and Qualification of the Tallgrass Entities . Each of the Tallgrass Entities has been duly formed, is validly existing and in good standing as a limited partnership or limited liability company, as the case may be, under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization (as set forth on Schedule IV) and is duly qualified or licensed to do business and in good standing as a foreign limited partnership or limited liability company, as the case may be, in each jurisdiction (as set forth on Schedule IV ) in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its businesses requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to (i) have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, members’ equity or partners’ capital, properties, business or prospects of the Partnership and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a “ Material Adverse Effect ”), (ii) materially impair the ability of any of the Tallgrass Entities to consummate the Transactions or any other transactions provided for in this Agreement or the Operative Agreements or (iii) subject the limited partners of the Partnership to any material liability or disability. Each of the Tallgrass Entities has all limited partnership or limited liability company power and authority, as the case may be, necessary to enter into and perform its obligations under the Operative Agreements to which it is a party and to own or hold its properties and to conduct the businesses as presently conducted in all material respects.

(n) General Partner . The General Partner has, and at each Delivery Date will have, full limited liability company power and authority to serve as general partner of the Partnership in all material respects as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.

(o) Ownership of the General Partner . At each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Closing Transactions, Tallgrass GP Holdings will own a 100% membership interest in the General Partner; such membership interest will have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Amended and Restated GP LLC Agreement and will be fully paid (to the extent required under the Amended and Restated GP LLC Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the “ Delaware LLC Act ”)); and such membership interest will be owned free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, equities, charges or other claims (“ Liens ”), except for restrictions on transferability that may be imposed by federal or state securities laws or contained in the Amended and Restated GP LLC Agreement.

(p) Ownership of the General Partner Interest in the Partnership.  At each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Closing Transactions, the General Partner will be the sole general partner of the Partnership, with a 2.0% general partner interest in the Partnership (the “ General Partner Interest ”), such General Partner Interest to be represented by the General Partner Units; such General Partner Units will have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement; and the General Partner will own such General Partner Units free and clear of all Liens, except for restrictions on transferability that may be imposed by federal or state securities laws or contained in the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement.

 

8


(q) Ownership of the Incentive Distribution Rights.  At each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Closing Transactions, the General Partner will own all of the Incentive Distribution Rights; the Incentive Distribution Rights and the limited partner interests represented thereby will have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement and will be fully paid (to the extent required under the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the “ Delaware LP Act ”)); and the General Partner will own such Incentive Distribution Rights free and clear of all Liens, except for restrictions on transferability that may be imposed by federal or state securities laws or contained in the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement.

(r) Ownership of the Sponsor Units.  At each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Closing Transactions, Tallgrass Operations will own all of the Sponsor Units; the Sponsor Units and the limited partner interests represented thereby will have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement and will be fully paid (to the extent required under the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware LP Act); and Tallgrass Operations will own such Sponsor Units free and clear of all Liens, except for (i) restrictions on transferability that may be imposed by federal or state securities laws or contained in the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement, and (ii) Liens arising under or in connection with the Amended Tallgrass Development Credit Agreement.

(s) Duly Authorized and Validly Issued Units.  At each applicable Delivery Date, the Units to be sold by the Partnership and the limited partner interests represented thereby will have been duly authorized in accordance with the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement and, when issued and delivered to the Underwriters against payment therefor in accordance with the terms hereof, will be validly issued, fully paid (to the extent required under the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware LP Act). Other than the Sponsor Units, the Incentive Distribution Rights and any limited partner interests issued pursuant to the long-term incentive plan of the General Partner (the “ LTIP ”) as described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, the Units will be the only limited partner interests of the Partnership issued or outstanding at the Initial Delivery Date and at each Option Unit Delivery Date, as applicable.

(t) Ownership of Tallgrass MLP Operations . At each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Closing Transactions, the Partnership will own a 100% membership interest in Tallgrass MLP Operations; such membership interest will have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Tallgrass MLP Operations LLC Agreement and will be fully paid (to the extent required under the Tallgrass MLP Operations LLC Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act); and such membership interest will be owned free and clear of all Liens, except for restrictions on transferability that may be imposed by federal or state securities laws or Liens arising under or in connection with the Partnership Credit Agreement.

 

9


(u) Ownership of Tallgrass Midstream . At each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Closing Transactions, Tallgrass MLP Operations will own a 100% membership interest in Tallgrass Midstream; such membership interest will have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Tallgrass Midstream LLC Agreement and will be fully paid (to the extent required under the Tallgrass Midstream LLC Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act); and such membership interest will be owned free and clear of all Liens, except for restrictions on transferability that may be imposed by federal or state securities laws or Liens arising under or in connection with the Partnership Credit Agreement.

(v) Ownership of TIGT . At each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Closing Transactions, Tallgrass MLP Operations will own a 100% membership interest in TIGT; such membership interest will have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the TIGT LLC Agreement and will be fully paid (to the extent required under the TIGT LLC Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act); and such membership interest will be owned free and clear of all Liens, except for restrictions on transferability that may be imposed by federal or state securities laws or Liens arising under or in connection with the Partnership Credit Agreement.

(w) No Other Subsidiaries . At each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Closing Transactions, the General Partner will not own, directly or indirectly, any equity or long-term debt securities of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association or other entity, other than the Partnership and the Operating Subsidiaries. At each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Closing Transactions, the Partnership will not own, directly or indirectly, any equity or long-term debt securities of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association or other entity, other than the Operating Subsidiaries.

(x) Distribution Restrictions.  After giving effect to the Closing Transactions, none of the Operating Subsidiaries will be prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or to which it is subject, from paying any distributions to the Partnership, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s equity interests, from repaying to the Partnership any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Partnership or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Partnership or any other subsidiary of the Partnership, except for (a) restrictions on distributions under the laws of the Operating Subsidiaries’ jurisdictions of formation or (b) as described in or contemplated by the Partnership Credit Agreement.

(y) Conformity of Securities to Descriptions.  The Units, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement and this Agreement against payment therefor as provided therein and herein, and the Sponsor Units, the General Partner Interest and the Incentive Distribution Rights, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement and the Contribution Agreement, will conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Disclosure Package and to be contained in the Prospectus, and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same.

 

10


(z) No Options, Preemptive Rights, Registration Rights, or Other Rights.  Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Disclosure Package and to be described in the Prospectus, there are no options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, nor any restriction upon the voting or transfer of, any equity securities of any of the Partnership Entities, in each case pursuant to the Organizational Agreement of any such Partnership Entity, the certificates of limited partnership or formation or any other organizational documents of any such Partnership Entity or any other agreement or other instrument to which any such Partnership Entity is a party or by which any such Partnership Entity may be bound. Neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Units as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights for or relating to the registration of any Common Units or other securities of the Partnership.

(aa) Authority and Authorization.  Each of the Partnership Parties has all requisite limited partnership or limited liability company power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its respective obligations hereunder. The Partnership has all requisite limited partnership power and authority to issue, sell and deliver (i) the Units, in accordance with and upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement, the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and (ii) the Sponsor Units and the Incentive Distribution Rights, in accordance with and upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement and the Contribution Agreement. At each Delivery Date, all limited partnership or limited liability company action, as the case may be, required to be taken by any of the Tallgrass Entities or any of their respective unitholders, members or partners for the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Units, the Sponsor Units, and the Incentive Distribution Rights, the execution and delivery of the Operative Agreements and the consummation of the Transactions and any other transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Operative Agreements, shall have been validly taken.

(bb) Authorization, Execution and Delivery of the Underwriting Agreement.  This Agreement has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by or on behalf of each of the Partnership Parties.

(cc) Authorization, Execution, Delivery and Enforceability of Certain Agreements.  At each applicable Delivery Date:

(i) each of the Transaction Agreements will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Tallgrass Entities party thereto and will be a valid and legally binding agreement of such Tallgrass Entities, enforceable against such Tallgrass Entities in accordance with its terms;

(ii) the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the General Partner and Tallgrass Development and will be a valid and legally binding agreement of the General Partner and Tallgrass Development, enforceable against the General Partner and Tallgrass Development in accordance with its terms;

 

11


(iii) the Amended and Restated GP LLC Agreement will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Tallgrass GP Holdings and will be a valid and legally binding agreement of Tallgrass GP Holdings, enforceable against Tallgrass GP Holdings in accordance with its terms; and

(iv) the limited liability company agreements of each of the Operating Subsidiaries will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the members thereof and will be valid and legally binding agreements of the members thereof, enforceable against the members thereof in accordance with their respective terms;

provided , that, with respect to each such agreement, the enforceability thereof may be limited by (A) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and (B) public policy, applicable law relating to fiduciary duties and indemnification and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

(dd) Legal Sufficiency of Contribution Documents . The Contribution Documents will be legally sufficient to transfer or convey, directly or indirectly, all of the equity interests in the Operating Subsidiaries to the Partnership, as contemplated by the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, subject to the conditions, reservations, encumbrances and limitations contained in the Contribution Agreement and described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus. Except as described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, the Partnership Entities, upon execution and delivery of the Contribution Documents and consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, will directly or indirectly succeed in all material respects to the business, assets, properties, liabilities and operations reflected in the financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.

(ee) No Conflicts.  None of (i) the offering, issuance or sale of the Units as described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or the Operative Agreements by the Tallgrass Entities party hereto or thereto, (iii) the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Transaction Agreements or (iv) the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Units as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus (A) conflicts with or will conflict with or constitutes or will constitute a violation of the partnership agreement, limited liability company agreement, certificate of formation or conversion or other governing document (the “ Organizational Documents ”) of any of the Tallgrass Entities, (B) conflicts or will conflict with or constitutes or will constitute a breach or violation of, or a change of control or default (or an event that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such an event) under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of the Tallgrass Entities is a party or by which any of them or any of their respective properties may be bound, (C) violates or will violate any statute, law, regulation, ruling or any order, judgment,

 

12


decree or injunction of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over any of the Tallgrass Entities or any of their properties in a proceeding to which any of them or their property is a party or is bound or (D) results or will result in the creation or imposition of any Lien (other than Liens arising under or in connection with the Partnership Credit Agreement or the Amended Tallgrass Development Credit Agreement) upon any property or assets of any of the Tallgrass Entities, except in the case of clauses (B), (C) and (D) for any such conflicts, violations, breaches, changes of control, defaults or Liens that, individually or in the aggregate, have not materially impaired and will not materially impair the ability of any of the Tallgrass Entities to consummate the Transactions or any other transactions provided for in this Agreement or the Transaction Agreements.

(ff) No Consents.  No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, filing or qualification (“ consent ”) of or with any court, governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over any of the Tallgrass Entities or any of their properties or assets is required in connection with (i) the offering, issuance or sale of the Units as described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Operative Agreements by the Tallgrass Entities party hereto and thereto, (iii) the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Operative Agreements or (iv) the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Units as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, except (A) for registration of the Units under the Securities Act and consents required under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws, and the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“ FINRA ”) in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Units by the Underwriters, (B) for such consents that have been, or prior to the Initial Delivery Date will be, obtained or made, (C) for any such consents the absence or omission of which would not reasonably be expected to materially impair the ability of any of the Tallgrass Entities to consummate the Transactions or any other transactions provided for in this Agreement or the Operative Agreements and (D) as described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.

(gg) No Defaults.  None of the Tallgrass Entities is in (i) violation of its Organizational Documents, (ii) violation of any law, statute, ordinance, administrative or governmental rule or regulation applicable to it or of any order, judgment, decree or injunction of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over it or any of its properties or (iii) breach, default (or an event that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such an event) or violation in the performance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any bond, debenture, note or any other evidence of indebtedness or in any agreement, indenture, lease or other instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except in the cases of clauses (ii) and (iii) for any such breaches, defaults and violations that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to materially impair the ability of any of the Tallgrass Entities to consummate the Transactions or any other transactions provided for in this Agreement or the Operative Agreements.

(hh) Financial Statements.  The financial statements (including the related notes and supporting schedules) included in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto) present fairly in all material respects the

 

13


financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby, at the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated, except to the extent disclosed therein. The summary historical financial and operating data included under the caption “Summary—Summary Historical and Pro Forma Financial and Operating Data” in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto) and the selected historical financial and operating data set forth under the caption “Selected Historical and Pro Forma Financial and Operating Data” included in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto) is accurately presented in all material respects and prepared on a basis consistent with the audited and unaudited historical consolidated financial statements from which they have been derived, except as described therein. The other financial information of the Partnership (or its predecessor for accounting purposes), including non-GAAP financial measures contained in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Tallgrass Entities or their predecessors for accounting purposes, fairly presents in all material respects the information purported to be shown thereby and complies with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. There are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included in the Registration Statement or the most recent Preliminary Prospectus that are not so included as required and the Partnership Entities do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), not described in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto) or the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.

(ii) Pro Forma Financial Statements.  The pro forma financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus include assumptions that provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions and events described therein, the related pro forma adjustments give appropriate effect to those assumptions, and the pro forma adjustments reflect an appropriate application of those adjustments to the historical financial statement amounts in the pro forma financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus. The pro forma financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act.

(jj) Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who has audited certain financial statements of the Partnership, TIGT and Tallgrass Midstream, whose reports appear in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to each of the Partnership, TIGT and Tallgrass Midstream as required by the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

(kk) Internal Controls . The Partnership Entities maintain internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to

 

14


permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and to maintain accountability for its assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Partnership Entities’ internal controls over financial reporting are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established. As of the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Partnership and its consolidated subsidiaries reviewed or audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Partnership Parties were not aware of any material weaknesses in the internal controls of any Partnership Entity.

(ll) Disclosure Controls and Procedures.  (i) To the extent required by Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act, the Partnership Entities have established and maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act), (ii) such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by the Partnership in the reports to be filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management of the Partnership, including the principal executive officer and principal financial officer of the General Partner, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure to be made and (iii) to the extent required by Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act, such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established.

(mm) No Changes in Internal Controls.  Since the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Partnership and its consolidated subsidiaries reviewed or audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, (i) the Partnership has not been advised of or become aware of any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees of any Partnership Entity who have a significant role in the Partnership Entities’ internal control over financial reporting.

(nn) Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.  There is and has been no failure on the part of the Partnership or, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, any of the General Partner’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 or the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith or the rules of The New York Stock Exchange, in each case that are effective and applicable to the Partnership.

(oo) No Material Changes.  Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Disclosure Package, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, no Partnership Entity has (i) sustained any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, (ii) issued or granted any securities, (iii) incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, other than liabilities and obligations that were incurred in the ordinary course of business, (iv) entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business or (v) declared or paid any distribution or dividend on its equity interests, and since such date, there has not been any change in the partnership or limited liability company interests, as applicable, or long-term debt of any of the Partnership Entities or any adverse change, or any development

 

15


involving a prospective adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, partners’ equity, properties, management, business or prospects of the Partnership Entities taken as a whole, in each of items (i) through (v) above, except as would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(pp) Title to Properties.  Each of the Partnership Entities, directly or indirectly, has good and indefeasible title to all real property owned in fee by the Partnership Entities (excluding easements or rights-of-way) and good title to all personal property owned by it, in each case free and clear of all Liens, except (a) as described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (b) such as are created under or permitted by the Partnership Credit Agreement and (c) such as does not materially affect the value of such property and does not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by any of the Partnership Entities. All assets held under lease by each of the Partnership Entities are held by it under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such assets by any of the Partnership Entities as described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.

(qq) Rights of Way . Each of the Partnership Entities has such consents, easements, rights-of-way, permits or licenses from each person (collectively, “ rights-of-way ”) as are necessary to conduct its business in the manner described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, subject to the limitations described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, if any, except for (i) qualifications, reservations and encumbrances with respect thereto that would not have a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) such rights-of-way that, if not obtained, would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; each of the Partnership Entities has, or at the applicable Delivery Date will have, fulfilled and performed, in all material respects, its obligations with respect to such rights-of-way and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or would result in any impairment of the rights of the holder of any such rights-of-way, except for such revocations, terminations and impairments that, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and none of such rights-of-way contains any restriction that would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

(rr) Permits . Each of the Partnership Entities has such permits, licenses, patents, franchises, certificates of need and other approvals or authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities (“ Permits ”) as are necessary under applicable law to own its properties and conduct its business in the manner described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, except for any of the foregoing that could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Each of the Partnership Entities has fulfilled and performed all of its obligations with respect to the Permits, and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other impairment of the rights of the holder or any such Permits, except for any of the foregoing that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No event has occurred that would prevent the Permits from being renewed or reissued or which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Permit, except for such non-renewals, non-issuances, revocations, terminations and impairments that would not reasonably be expected

 

16


to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, none of the Tallgrass Entities has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Permits that, individually or in the aggregate, if subject to an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(ss) Intellectual Property.  Each of the Partnership Entities owns or possesses adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, know-how, software, systems and technology (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of its businesses and has no reason to believe that the conduct of its businesses conflicts with, and has not received any notice of any claim of conflict with, any such rights of others, except in each case as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(tt) Legal Proceedings.  Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Disclosure Package, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which any of the Tallgrass Entities is a party or of which any property or assets of any of the Tallgrass Entities is the subject that would, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or to materially impair the ability of any of the Tallgrass Entities to consummate the Transactions or any other transactions provided for in this Agreement or the Operative Agreements; and to the Partnership Parties’ knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened by governmental authorities or others.

(uu) Contracts to be Described or Filed.  There are no contracts or other documents required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement or the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that are not described and filed as required. The statements made in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of the contracts and other documents described and filed, constitute accurate summaries of the terms of such contracts and documents in all material respects. Each such contract and other document is in full force and effect and (assuming that such contracts and documents constitute the legal, valid and binding obligation of the other persons party thereto) is valid and enforceable by and against the Partnership Entities, as the case may be, in accordance with its terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Partnership Parties have no knowledge that any other party to any such contract or other document has any intention not to render full performance as contemplated by the terms thereof.

(vv) Summaries of Law.  Statements made in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of statutes, rules or regulations, or legal or governmental proceedings, constitute accurate summaries of the terms of such statutes, rules and regulations, and legal and governmental proceedings in all material respects.

 

17


(ww) Insurance.  Each of the Partnership Entities has, or is covered by, insurance from reputable insurers in such amounts and covering such risks as is reasonably adequate for the conduct of its businesses and the value of its properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries. All policies of insurance of any of the Partnership Entities are in full force and effect; each of the Partnership Entities is in compliance with the terms of such policies in all material respects; and none of the Partnership Entities has received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance. There are no claims by any of the Partnership Entities under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause and none of the Partnership Entities has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xx) Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions.  No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any of the Partnership Entities, on the one hand, and any “affiliate,” equity holder, director, manager, officer, customer or supplier of any of the Partnership Entities, on the other hand, that is required by the Securities Act to be disclosed in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus that is not so disclosed. There are no outstanding personal loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by any Partnership Entity to or for the benefit of any of the executive officers, directors or managers of any Partnership Entity or their respective family members.

(yy) No Labor Dispute; No Notice of Labor Law Violations.  No labor disturbance by or dispute with the employees of any of the Partnership Entities or Tallgrass Management LLC exists or, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, is imminent or threatened that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(zz) Environmental Compliance. Except as described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, and except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each of the Partnership Entities is in compliance with all laws, statutes, codes, regulations, ordinances, rules, orders, judgments, decrees, permits, authorizations or other approvals or other legal approvals of any governmental authority, including without limitation any international, foreign, national, state, provincial, regional or local authority, relating to pollution or the protection of human health or safety (to the extent such health or safety relates to exposure to Hazardous Materials, as defined below), the environment, natural resources, or the use, handling, storage, manufacturing, transportation, treatment, discharge, disposal, arrangement for transport or disposal, or release of hazardous or toxic substances, materials or wastes as such terms are defined under applicable Federal or state law, solid wastes as defined under the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, pollutants, contaminants, petroleum, petroleum derivatives or any fraction thereof, natural gas, natural gas liquids and by-products, asbestos, urea formaldehyde and polychlorinated biphenyls (“ Hazardous Materials ”) applicable to such entity and/or its respective operations (“ Environmental Laws ”), which compliance includes, without limitation, obtaining and maintaining, and complying with the terms and conditions of, all permits,

 

18


authorizations and other approvals issued by governmental authorities or required by Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, (ii) no Partnership Entity has received notice or otherwise has knowledge of any actual or alleged violation of Environmental Laws that has not been resolved, or of any actual or potential liability for, or other obligation concerning the presence, transport, disposal arrangement for transport or disposal, or release of Hazardous Materials. Except as described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (x) there are no proceedings that are pending, or known to be contemplated, against any of the Partnership Entities under Environmental Laws in which a governmental authority is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (y) none of the Partnership Entities is aware of any issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, including any pending or proposed Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or relating to Hazardous Materials, that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect , and (z) none of the Partnership Entities anticipates material capital expenditures as a result of or in connection with Environmental Laws.

(aaa) Tax Returns.  The Partnership Entities have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed by the Partnership Entities through the date hereof (which returns are complete and correct in all material respects), subject to any applicable extensions, and have timely paid all taxes (and any interest, fine, penalty or other like assessment or addition thereto) due, except those taxes, assessments or other charges that are being contested in good faith, if such taxes, assessments, or other charges are adequately provided for in the financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, and no material tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Partnership Entities that has not been abated, paid in full, or adequately provided for in the financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, nor do any of the Partnership Parties have any knowledge of any tax deficiencies that have been asserted against the Partnership Entities that could, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(bbb) ERISA. (i) There exists no “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ ERISA ”)) for which the Partnership or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”)) would have any liability (each, a “ Plan ”) that is subject to Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code; and (ii) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

(ccc) Statistical and Market-Related Data.  The statistical and market-related data included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Partnership believes to be reliable and accurate in all material respects, and the Partnership has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources to the extent required.

(ddd) Investment Company . None of the Partnership Entities is, and as of each applicable Delivery Date, after giving effect to the offer and sale of the Units and the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary

 

19


Prospectus and the Prospectus, none of them will be, (i) an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “ Investment Company Act ”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, or (ii) a “business development company” (as defined in Section 2(a)(48) of the Investment Company Act).

(eee) No Brokers.  Except as described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, none of the Tallgrass Entities is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against any of them or the Underwriters for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Units.

(fff) Private Placement.  The sale and issuance of the Sponsor Units to Tallgrass Operations and the Incentive Distribution Rights and the General Partner Units to the General Partner are exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and securities laws of any state having jurisdiction with respect thereto, and none of the Tallgrass Entities has taken or will take any action that would cause the loss of such exemption. The Partnership has not sold or issued any securities that would be integrated with the offering of the Units contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the Securities Act, the Rules and Regulations or the interpretations thereof by the Commission.

(ggg) Stabilization.  The Partnership Entities have not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that has constituted, or that was designed to or could reasonably be expected to cause or result in, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Partnership in connection with the offering of the Units.

(hhh) NYSE Listing of Common Units.  The Units have been approved for listing, subject to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution, on the New York Stock Exchange.

(iii) Distribution of Offering Materials.  The Partnership has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of any Delivery Date and completion of the distribution of the Units, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Units other than any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to which the Representatives have consented in accordance with Section 1(i) or 5(f), any press release or other announcement permitted by Rule 134 or Rule 135 under the Securities Act and, in connection with the Directed Unit Program (as defined in Section 3), the enrollment materials prepared by Wells Fargo Securities, LLC on behalf of the Partnership.

(jjj) Anti-Corruption.  None of the Partnership Entities nor, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of any of the Partnership Entities, has (i) used any of its funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from its funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

 

20


(kkk) Money Laundering.  The operations of the Tallgrass Entities are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “ Money Laundering Laws ”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving any Partnership Entity with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of any of the Partnership Parties, threatened.

(lll) OFAC.  None of the Tallgrass Entities nor, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of any of the Partnership Entities is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“ OFAC ”); and the Partnership will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the Offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

(mmm) Lending Relationship . Except as described in the Registration Statement and the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, no Tallgrass Entity (i) has any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any of the Underwriters and (ii) intends to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Units hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of the Underwriters.

(nnn) Directed Units.  None of the Directed Units distributed in connection with the Directed Unit Program (each as defined in Section 3) will be offered or sold outside of the United States. The Partnership has not offered, or caused Wells Fargo Securities, LLC to offer, Units to any person pursuant to the Directed Unit Program with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Partnership to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Partnership or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Partnership, its business or its products.

Any certificate signed by any officer of any of the Partnership Parties and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Units shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Partnership, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.

2. Purchase of the Units by the Underwriters. On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants contained in, and subject to the terms and conditions of, this Agreement, the Partnership agrees to sell 13,050,000 Firm Units to the several Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase the number of Firm Units set forth opposite that Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto. The respective purchase obligations of the Underwriters with respect to the Firm Units shall be rounded among the Underwriters to avoid fractional shares, as the Representatives may determine.

 

21


In addition, the Partnership grants to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to 1,957,500 additional Option Units. Such option is exercisable in the event that the Underwriters sell more Common Units than the number of Firm Units in the offering and as set forth in Section 4 hereof. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Option Units (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Option Units to be sold on the applicable Option Units Delivery Date (as defined in Section 4) as the number of Firm Units set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Units.

The purchase price payable by the Underwriters for the Firm Units and any Option Units is $20.2637 per Unit (the “ Purchase Price ”).

The Partnership is not obligated to deliver any of the Firm Units or Option Units to be delivered on the applicable Delivery Date, except upon payment for all such Units to be purchased on such Delivery Date as provided herein.

3. Offering of Units by the Underwriters . Upon authorization by the Representatives of the release of the Firm Units, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Units for sale upon the terms and conditions to be set forth in the Prospectus.

It is understood that approximately 1,305,000 of the Firm Units (the “ Directed Units ”) will initially be reserved by the several Underwriters for offer and sale upon the terms and conditions to be set forth in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA to employees of the Partnership and its affiliates and subsidiaries and persons having relationships with the Partnership and its affiliates and subsidiaries who have heretofore delivered to Wells Fargo Securities, LLC offers or indications of interest to purchase Firm Units in form satisfactory to Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (such program, the “ Directed Unit Program ” and each person that purchases any Directed Units, a “ Directed Unit Participant ”) and that any allocation of such Firm Units among such persons will be made in accordance with timely directions received by Wells Fargo Securities, LLC from the Partnership; provided that under no circumstances will Wells Fargo Securities, LLC or any Underwriter be liable to the Partnership or to any such person for any action taken or omitted in good faith in connection with such Directed Unit Program. It is further understood that any Directed Units not affirmatively reconfirmed for purchase by any participant in the Directed Unit Program by 8:30 A.M., New York City time, on the first business day following the date hereof or otherwise are not purchased by such persons will be offered by the Underwriters to the public upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.

The Partnership agrees to pay all fees and disbursements incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Unit Program and any stamp duties or other taxes incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Unit Program.

4. Delivery of and Payment for the Units. Delivery of and payment for the Firm Units shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the third full business day following the date of this Agreement or at such other date or place as shall be determined by agreement between the Representatives and the Partnership. This date and time are sometimes

 

22


referred to as the “ Initial Delivery Date ”. Delivery of the Firm Units shall be made to the Representatives for the account of each Underwriter against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the respective aggregate purchase prices of the Firm Units being sold by the Partnership to or upon the order of the Partnership by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Partnership. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of each Underwriter hereunder. The Partnership shall deliver the Firm Units through the facilities of DTC unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

The option granted in Section 2 will expire 30 days after the date of this Agreement and may be exercised in whole or from time to time in part by written notice being given to the Partnership by the Representatives; provided that if such date falls on a day that is not a business day, the option granted in Section 2 will expire on the next succeeding business day. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Units as to which the option is being exercised, the names in which the Option Units are to be registered, the denominations in which the Option Units are to be issued and the date and time, as determined by the Representatives, when the Option Units are to be delivered; provided, however , that this date and time shall not be earlier than the Initial Delivery Date nor earlier than the second business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised nor later than the fifth business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised. Each date and time any Option Units are delivered is sometimes referred to as an “ Option Units Delivery Date ”, and the Initial Delivery Date and any Option Units Delivery Date are sometimes each referred to as a “ Delivery Date ”.

Delivery of the Option Units by the Partnership and payment for the Option Units by the several Underwriters through the Representatives shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in the preceding paragraph or at such other date or place as shall be determined by agreement between the Representatives and the Partnership. On each Option Units Delivery Date, the Partnership shall deliver or cause to be delivered the Option Units to the Representatives for the account of each Underwriter against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives and of the respective aggregate purchase prices of the Option Units being sold by the Partnership to or upon the order of the Partnership of the purchase price by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Partnership. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of each Underwriter hereunder. The Partnership shall deliver the Option Units through the facilities of DTC unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

5. Further Agreements . (a) The Partnership and the General Partner jointly and severally covenant and agree with each of the Underwriters with respect to items (i) through (ix) and items (xi) through (xvii) below, and the Partnership Parties jointly and severally covenant and agree with each of the Underwriters with respect to item (x) below:

(i) Preparation of Prospectus . To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement; to make no further

 

23


amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to the last Delivery Date except as provided herein; to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Units for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding or examination for any such purpose or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to use promptly its best efforts to obtain its withdrawal.

(ii) Copies of Registration Statement . To furnish promptly to each of the Representatives and to counsel for the Underwriters a signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission, and each amendment thereto filed with the Commission, including all consents and exhibits filed therewith.

(iii) Copies of Documents . To deliver promptly to the Representatives such number of the following documents as the Representatives shall reasonably request: (A) conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission and each amendment thereto (in each case excluding exhibits other than this Agreement), (B) each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amended or supplemented Prospectus, and (C) each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time after the date hereof in connection with the offering or sale of the Units or any other securities relating thereto and if at such time any events shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act, to notify the Representatives and, upon their request, to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.

(iv) Filing of Amendment or Supplement . To file promptly with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that may, in the judgment of the Partnership or the Representatives, be required by the Securities Act or requested by the Commission.

(v) Copies of Amendment or Supplement . Prior to filing with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, to furnish a copy thereof to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters and obtain the consent of the Representatives to the filing.

 

24


(vi) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus . Not to make any offer relating to the Units that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representatives.

(vii) Rule 433 . To comply with all applicable requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act with respect to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. If at any time after the date hereof any events shall have occurred as a result of which any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to notify the Representatives and, upon their request, to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that will correct such conflict, statement or omission or effect such compliance.

(viii) Earnings Statement . As soon as practicable after the Effective Date (it being understood that the Partnership shall have until at least 410 days or, if the fourth quarter following the fiscal quarter that includes the Effective Date is the last fiscal quarter of the Partnership’s fiscal year, 455 days after the end of the Partnership’s current fiscal quarter), to make generally available to the Partnership’s security holders and the Representatives an earnings statement of the Partnership (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (including, at the option of the Partnership, Rule 158).

(ix) Blue Sky Laws . Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Representatives may reasonably request to qualify the Units for offering and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Units; provided that in connection therewith the Partnership shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign entity in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction, or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be subject.

(x) Lock-Up Period . For a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 180th day after the date of the Prospectus (the “ Lock-Up Period ”), not to, directly or indirectly, (A) offer for sale, sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any Common Units or securities convertible

 

25


into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Units (other than Common Units issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified option plans or other employee compensation plans existing on the date hereof), or sell or grant options, rights or warrants with respect to any Common Units or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Units, (B) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of such Common Units, whether any such transaction described in clause (A) or (B) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Units or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (C) file or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any Common Units or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into Common Units or any other securities of the Partnership (other than any registration statement on Form S-8), or (D) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, in each case without the prior written consent of Barclays Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., on behalf of the Underwriters, and to cause each officer or director of the General Partner and unitholders of the Partnership set forth on Schedule V hereto to furnish to the Representatives, prior to the Initial Delivery Date, a letter or letters, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (the “ Lock-Up Agreements ”); notwithstanding the foregoing, if (x) during the last 17 days of the Lock-Up Period, the Partnership issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Partnership occurs, or (y) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Partnership announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, then, in each case, to the extent that the Partnership is not then an Emerging Growth Company, the restrictions imposed in this paragraph shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the announcement of the material news or the occurrence of the material event, unless Barclays Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., on behalf of the Underwriters, agree to not require such extension in writing.

(xi) Use of Proceeds . To apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Units being sold by the Partnership substantially in accordance with the description as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds.”

(xii) Rule 463 . To file with the Commission such information on Form 10-Q or Form 10-K as may be required by Rule 463 under the Securities Act.

(xiii) Rule 462(b) . If the Partnership elects to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Partnership shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Partnership shall at the time of filing pay the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.

(xiv) Directed Unit Program Lock-Up . In connection with the Directed Unit Program, to ensure that the Directed Units will be restricted from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation to the same extent as sales and dispositions of Common Units by the Partnership are restricted pursuant to Section 5(a)(x), and Barclays

 

26


Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. will notify the Partnership as to which Directed Unit Participants will need to be so restricted. At the request of Barclays Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., the Partnership will direct the transfer agent to place stop transfer restrictions upon such securities for such period of time as is consistent with Section 5(a)(x).

(xv) Emerging Growth Company Status . The Partnership will promptly notify the Representatives if the Partnership ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (A) the time when a prospectus relating to the offering or sale of the Units or any other securities relating thereto is not required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) and (B) completion of the Lock-Up Period.

(xvi) Stabilization . The Partnership and its affiliates will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that reasonably would be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Partnership in connection with the offering of the Units.

(xvii) Necessary Actions . The Partnership will do and perform all things required or necessary to be done and performed under this Agreement by it prior to each Delivery Date, and to satisfy all conditions precedent to the Underwriters’ obligations hereunder to purchase the Units.

(b) Permitted Issuer Information . Each Underwriter severally agrees that such Underwriter shall not include any “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) in any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) used or referred to by such Underwriter without the prior consent of the Partnership (any such issuer information with respect to whose use the Partnership has given its consent, “ Permitted Issuer Information ”); provided that (i) no such consent shall be required with respect to any such issuer information contained in any document filed by the Partnership with the Commission prior to the use of such free writing prospectus, and (ii) “issuer information”, as used in this Section 5(b), shall not be deemed to include information prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter on the basis of or derived from issuer information.

6. Expenses. The Partnership agrees, whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay all expenses, costs, fees and taxes incident to and in connection with (a) the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Units and any stamp duties or other taxes payable in that connection, and the preparation and printing of certificates for the Units; (b) the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, and any amendment or supplement thereto; (c) the distribution of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, and any amendment or supplement thereto, all as provided in this Agreement; (d) the printing (or reproduction) and distribution of this Agreement, and any other related documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Units; (e) any

 

27


required review by the FINRA of the terms of sale of the Units (including related fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters in an amount that is not greater than $20,000); (f) the listing of the Units on the New York Stock Exchange; (g) the qualification of the Units under the securities laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in Section 5(a)(ix) and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including related fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters); (hi) the preparation, printing and distribution of one or more versions of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus for distribution in Canada, including in the form of a Canadian “wrapper” (including related fees and expenses of Canadian counsel to the Underwriters); (i) the offer and sale of Units by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Unit Program, including the fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters related thereto, the costs and expenses of preparation, printing and distribution of the Directed Unit Program material and all stamp duties or other taxes incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Unit Program; (j) the investor presentations on any “road show” or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Units, including, without limitation, expenses associated with any electronic road show, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Partnership and one-half of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show; and (k) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Partnership under this Agreement; provided that, except as provided in this Section 6 and in Section 11, the Underwriters shall pay their own costs and expenses, including the costs and expenses of their counsel, any transfer taxes on the Units which they may sell, the expenses of advertising any offering of the Units made by the Underwriters and the transportation and other expenses incurred by the Underwriters on their own behalf in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Units.

7. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations . The respective obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy, when made and on each Delivery Date, of the representations and warranties of the Partnership Parties contained herein, to the performance by the Partnership Parties of their respective obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions:

(a) Filing of Prospectus; No Stop Order . The Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 5(a)(i). The Partnership shall have complied with all filing requirements applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus used or referred to after the date hereof; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued and no proceeding or examination for such purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and any request of the Commission for inclusion of additional information in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise shall have been complied with. If the Partnership has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement.

(b) No Misstatements or Omissions . No Underwriter shall have discovered and disclosed to the Partnership on or prior to such Delivery Date that the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package, or any amendment or

 

28


supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., counsel for the Underwriters, is material or omits to state a fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, in the light of the circumstances under which such statements were made) not misleading.

(c) Authorization and Validity . All limited liability company and limited partnership proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of this Agreement, the Units, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the Transactions (and any other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Operative Agreements) shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel for the Underwriters, and the Partnership shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

(d) Tallgrass Entities’ Counsel Opinion . Baker Botts L.L.P. shall have furnished to the Representatives its written opinion, as counsel to the Partnership, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B-1 .

(e) General Counsel Opinion . George Rider shall have furnished to the Representatives his written opinion, as general counsel to the General Partner, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B-2 .

(f) Colorado Counsel Opinion . Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives its written opinion, as Colorado counsel to the Tallgrass Entities, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B-3 .

(g) Underwriters’ Counsel Opinion . The Representatives shall have received from Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated such Delivery Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Units, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Partnership shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(h) Comfort Letter . At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the date hereof (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants within

 

29


the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, and (ii) stating, as of the date hereof (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, as of a date not more than three days prior to the date hereof), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.

(i) Bring-Down Comfort Letter . With respect to the letter of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP referred to in the preceding paragraph and delivered to the Representatives concurrently with the execution of this Agreement (the “ initial letter ”), the Partnership shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter (the “ bring-down letter ”) of such accountants, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, (ii) stating, as of the date of the bring-down letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Prospectus, as of a date not more than three days prior to the date of the bring-down letter), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters covered by the initial letter, and (iii) confirming in all material respects the conclusions and findings set forth in the initial letter.

(j) Officers’ Certificate . The Partnership Parties shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate, dated such Delivery Date, of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the General Partner as to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, including, without limitation, a statement:

(i) That the representations, warranties and agreements of the Partnership Parties in Section 1 are true and correct on and as of such Delivery Date, and each Partnership Party has complied with all its agreements contained herein and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Delivery Date;

(ii) That no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued; and no proceedings or examination for that purpose have been instituted or, to the knowledge of such officers, threatened;

(iii) That they have examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, and, in their opinion, (A) (1) the Registration Statement, as of the Effective Date, (2) the Prospectus, as of its date and on the applicable Delivery Date, and (3) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not and do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact and did not and do not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (except in the case of

 

30


the Registration Statement, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, and (B) since the Effective Date, no event has occurred that should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that has not been so set forth; and

(iv) To the effect of Section 7(l) ( provided that no representation with respect to the judgment of the Representatives need be made) and Section 7(m).

(k) Chief Financial Officer’s Certificate . The Partnership Parties shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate, dated such Delivery Date, of the Chief Financial Officer, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit C hereto.

(l) No Material Change . Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (i) none of the Partnership Entities shall have sustained, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, or (ii) since such date there shall not have been any change in the equity interests or long-term debt of any of the Partnership Entities or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, partners’ or members’ equity, properties, management, business or prospects of the Partnership Entities taken as a whole, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is, individually or in the aggregate, in the judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Units being delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

(m) No Downgrading . Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, to the extent applicable, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Partnership’s debt securities or preferred stock by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined by the Commission in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange 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 Partnership’s debt securities or preferred stock.

(n) No Other Changes . Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) (A) trading in securities generally on any securities exchange that has registered with the Commission under Section 6 of the Exchange Act (including the New York Stock Exchange, The NASDAQ Global Select Market, The NASDAQ Global Market, The NASDAQ Capital Market or the NYSE MKT or in the over-the-counter market), or (B) trading in any securities of the Partnership on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been suspended or materially limited or the settlement of such trading generally shall have been materially disrupted or minimum prices shall have been established on any such exchange or such market by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other

 

31


regulatory body or governmental authority having jurisdiction, (ii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or state authorities, (iii) the United States shall have become engaged in hostilities, there shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving the United States or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States, or (iv) there shall have occurred such a material adverse change in general economic, political or financial conditions, including, without limitation, as a result of terrorist activities after the date hereof (or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States shall be such), as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or delivery of the Units being delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

(o) NYSE Listing.  The New York Stock Exchange shall have approved the Units for listing, subject only to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution.

(p) Lock-Up Agreements . The Lock-Up Agreements between the Representatives and the officers and directors of the General Partner and unitholders of the Partnership set forth on Schedule V , delivered to the Representatives on or before the date of this Agreement, shall be in full force and effect on such Delivery Date.

(q) Other Certificates . On or prior to each Delivery Date, the Partnership Parties shall have furnished to the Underwriters such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

8. Indemnification and Contribution.

(a) The Partnership Entities hereby agree, jointly and severally, to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors, officers and employees, and the agents of each Underwriter who have or who are alleged to have participated in the distribution of the Units as underwriters (collectively, the “ selling agents ”), and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof (including, but not limited to, any loss, claim, damage, liability or action relating to purchases and sales of Units), to which that Underwriter, affiliate, director, officer, employee, selling agent or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (A) any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, (B) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, (C) any Permitted Issuer Information used or referred to in any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) used or referred to

 

32


by any Underwriter, or (D) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Partnership in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Units, including any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) not constituting an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (“ Marketing Materials ”) (in the case of (B), (C) or (D), taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package) or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information or any Marketing Materials, any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (except in the case of the Registration Statement, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, and shall reimburse each Underwriter and each such affiliate, director, officer, employee, selling agent or controlling person promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by that Underwriter, affiliate, director, officer, employee, selling agent or controlling person in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided , however , that none of the Partnership Entities shall be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any such amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information or any Marketing Materials, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning such Underwriter furnished to the Partnership through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information consists solely of the information specified in Section 8(e); and provided, further, that to the extent the Partnership Entities fail, refuse or otherwise default, in whole or in part, in respect of any indemnification obligations under this Section 8, Tallgrass Development agrees to be liable for the indemnification obligations of the Partnership Entities under this Section 8, subject to the limitations described herein, and shall promptly undertake to diligently perform and discharge, or caused to be so undertaken, performed and discharged, such obligations; provided, however , that Tallgrass Development’s liability under this Section 8 shall not exceed the aggregate net cash proceeds of the Offering received by the Partnership Entities in connection with the Offering. The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability which any Partnership Entity or Tallgrass Development may otherwise have to any Underwriter or to any affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person of that Underwriter.

(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and hold harmless each Partnership Entity, their respective directors (including any person who, with his or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as about to become a director of the General Partner), officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls such Partnership Entity within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof, to which such Partnership Entity or any such director, officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises

 

33


out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Marketing Materials, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Marketing Materials, any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning such Underwriter furnished to the Partnership through the Representatives by or on behalf of that Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is limited to the information set forth in Section 8(e). The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability that any Underwriter may otherwise have to any Partnership Entity or any such director, officer, employee or controlling person.

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action; provided , however , that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 8 except to the extent it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights and defenses) by such failure and, provided , further , that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 8. If any such claim or action shall be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however , that the indemnified party shall have the right to employ counsel to represent jointly the indemnified party and those other indemnified parties and their respective directors, officers, employees and controlling persons who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought under this Section 8 if (i) the indemnified party and the indemnifying party shall have so mutually agreed; (ii) the indemnifying party has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party; (iii) the indemnified party and its directors, officers, employees and controlling persons shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to them that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnified parties or their respective directors, officers, employees or controlling persons, on the one hand, and the indemnifying party, on the other hand, and representation of both sets of parties

 

34


by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them, and in any such event the fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be paid by the indemnifying party. No indemnifying party shall (x) without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and does not include a statement as to, or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party, or (y) be liable for any settlement of any such action effected without its written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with the consent of the indemnifying party or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 8(a) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request or disputed in good faith the indemnified party’s entitlement to such reimbursement prior to the date of such settlement.

(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 8(a), 8(b) or 8(f) in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Partnership Entities, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the offering of the Units, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Partnership Entities, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Partnership Entities, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to such offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Units purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Partnership Parties, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the Units purchased under this Agreement, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the other

 

35


hand. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Partnership Entities or the Underwriters, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Partnership Entities and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 8(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8(d), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Units exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute as provided in this Section 8(d) are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

(e) The Underwriters severally confirm and the Partnership Entities acknowledge and agree that the statements regarding delivery of the Common Units by the Underwriters set forth on the cover page, the statements in the first sentence of the second paragraph following the table under the caption “Underwriting—Commissions and Expenses,” the paragraph relating to stabilization by the Underwriters under the caption “Underwriting—Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids” and the statements under the caption “Underwriting—Discretionary Sales” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus are correct and constitute the only information concerning such Underwriters furnished in writing to the Partnership by or on behalf of the Underwriters specifically for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Marketing Materials.

(f) The Partnership Entities shall indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors, officers, employees, selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability or any action in respect thereof to which that Underwriter, affiliate, director, officer, employee, selling agent or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action (i) arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the approval of the Partnership for distribution to Directed Unit Participants in connection with the Directed

 

36


Unit Program or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) arises out of, or is based upon, the failure of any Directed Unit Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Units that such Directed Unit Participant agreed to purchase, or (iii) is otherwise related to the Directed Unit Program; provided that the Partnership Entities shall not be liable to any such Underwriter, affiliate, director, officer, employee, selling agent or controlling person under this clause (iii) for any loss, claim, damage, liability or action that is determined in a final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of that Underwriter, affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person. The Partnership Entities shall reimburse each Underwriter, affiliate, director, officer, employee, selling agent or controlling person promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action described in (i), (ii) or (iii) above as such expenses are incurred.

9. Defaulting Underwriters .

(a) If, on any Delivery Date, any Underwriter defaults in its obligations to purchase the Units that it has agreed to purchase under this Agreement, the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Units by the non-defaulting Underwriters or other persons satisfactory to the Partnership on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Units, then the Partnership shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Units on such terms. In the event that within the respective prescribed periods, the non-defaulting Underwriters notify the Partnership that they have so arranged for the purchase of such Units, or the Partnership notifies the non-defaulting Underwriters that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Units, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Partnership may postpone such Delivery Date for up to seven full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Partnership or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Partnership agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any such other document or arrangement that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context requires otherwise, any party not listed in Schedule I hereto that, pursuant to this Section 9, purchases Units that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Units of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Partnership as provided in paragraph (a) above, the total number of Units that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the total

 

37


number of all Units, then the Partnership shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the total number of Units that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the total number of Units that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Units of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; provided that the non-defaulting Underwriters shall not be obligated to purchase more than 110% of the total number of Units that it agreed to purchase on such Delivery Date pursuant to the terms of Section 2.

(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Units of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Partnership as provided in paragraph (a) above, the total number of Units that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the total number of all Units, or if the Partnership shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 9 shall be without liability on the part of the Partnership, except that the Partnership will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Sections 6 and 11 and except that the provisions of Section 8 shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Partnership or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

10. Termination. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by the Representatives by notice given to and received by the Partnership prior to delivery of and payment for the Firm Units if, prior to that time, any of the events described in Sections 7(k), 7(l) or 7(m) shall have occurred or if the Underwriters shall decline to purchase the Units for any reason permitted under this Agreement.

11. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If (a) the Partnership shall fail to tender the Units for delivery to the Underwriters for any reason other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, or (b) the Underwriters shall decline to purchase the Units for any reason permitted under this Agreement (other than Sections 7(m)(i)(A), (m)(ii), (m)(iii) or (m)(iv)), the Partnership will reimburse the Underwriters for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters) incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the proposed purchase of the Units, and upon demand the Partnership shall pay the full amount thereof to the Representatives. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9 by reason of the default of one or more Underwriters or pursuant to Section 10 as a result of the occurrence of any of the events listed in Sections 7(m)(i)(A), (m)(ii), (m)(iii) or (m)(iv), the Partnership shall not be obligated to reimburse any defaulting Underwriter on account of those expenses.

12. Research Analyst Independence. The Partnership Parties acknowledge that the Underwriters’ research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and

 

38


internal policies, and that such Underwriters’ research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Partnership and/or the offering that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. Each of the Partnership Parties hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that any of the Partnership Parties may have against the Underwriters with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views expressed by their independent research analysts and research departments may be different from or inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to any of the Partnership Parties by such Underwriters’ investment banking divisions. Each of the Partnership Parties acknowledges that each of the Underwriters is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

13. No Fiduciary Duty . Each of the Partnership Parties acknowledges and agrees that in connection with this offering, sale of the Units or any other services the Underwriters may be deemed to be providing hereunder, notwithstanding any preexisting relationship, advisory or otherwise, between the parties or any oral representations or assurances previously or subsequently made by the Underwriters: (a) no fiduciary or agency relationship between any of the Partnership Parties and any other person, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, exists; (b) the Underwriters are not acting as advisors, expert or otherwise, to any of the Partnership Parties, including, without limitation, with respect to the determination of the public offering price of the Units, and such relationship between the Partnership Parties, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, is entirely and solely commercial, based on arms-length negotiations; (c) any duties and obligations that the Underwriters may have to any of the Partnership Parties shall be limited to those duties and obligations specifically stated herein; and (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may have interests that differ from those of the Partnership Parties. Each of the Partnership Parties hereby waives any claims that any of the Partnership Parties may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach of fiduciary duty in connection with this offering.

14. Notices, etc. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and:

(a) if to the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Syndicate Registration (Fax: (646) 834-8133), with a copy, in the case of any notice pursuant to Section 8, to the Director of Litigation, Office of the General Counsel, Barclays Capital Inc., 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019; and

(b) if to any of the Partnership Parties, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to the address of the Partnership set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: George E. Rider (Fax: (913) 928.6011); and

Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect at the time of receipt thereof. The Partnership Parties shall be entitled to act and rely upon any request, consent, notice or agreement given or made on behalf of the Underwriters by Barclays Capital Inc. on behalf of the Representatives.

 

39


15. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement . This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Partnership Parties and their respective successors. This Agreement and the terms and provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of only those persons, except that (a) the representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements of the Partnership Parties contained in this Agreement shall also be deemed to be for the benefit of the directors, officers and employees of the Underwriters and each person or persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, and (b) the indemnity agreement of the Underwriters contained in Section 8(b) of this Agreement shall be deemed to be for the benefit of the directors of the General Partner, the officers of the General Partner who have signed the Registration Statement and any person controlling the Partnership within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, other than the persons referred to in this Section 15, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.

16. Survival. The respective indemnities and agreements of the Partnership Parties and the Underwriters contained in Section 8 of this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement, shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Units and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any of them or any person controlling any of them. In addition, any covenants or agreements that by their terms are to be performed subsequent to the delivery of and payment for the Units shall survive such delivery and payment. Except as expressly provided above, all of the parties’ respective representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in this Agreement shall terminate upon the delivery of and payment for the Units.

17. Definition of the Terms “Business Day”, “Affiliate” and “Subsidiary” . For purposes of this Agreement, (a) “ business day ” means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close, and (b) “ affiliate ” and “ subsidiary ” have the meanings set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

18. Governing Law . This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to conflict of laws principles (other than Section 5-1401 of the General Obligations Law).

19. Waiver of Jury Trial . The Partnership Parties and the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

20. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

 

40


21. Headings. The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

 

41


If the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement among the Partnership Parties and the Underwriters, please indicate your acceptance in the space provided for that purpose below.

 

Very truly yours,
TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer
TALLGRASS MLP GP, LLC
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer
TALLGRASS DEVELOPMENT, LP
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer

 

42


Accepted:

B ARCLAYS C APITAL I NC .

C ITIGROUP G LOBAL M ARKETS I NC .

For themselves and as Representatives of

the several Underwriters named

in Schedule I hereto

 

B ARCLAYS C APITAL I NC .
By:  

/s/ Crystal A. Simpson

  Authorized Representative

 

C ITIGROUP G LOBAL M ARKETS I NC .
By:  

/s/ Matt Hartman

  Authorized Representative

 

 

43


SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriters

   Number of Firm Units  

Barclays Capital Inc.

     2,610,000   

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

     2,610,000   

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

  Incorporated

     1,827,000   

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.

     1,827,000   

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC

     750,375   

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

     750,375   

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

     750,375   

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

     750,375   

Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated

     587,250   

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company Incorporated

     587,250   
  

 

 

 

Total

     13,050,000   
  

 

 

 

 

Schedule I-1


SCHEDULE II

ORALLY CONVEYED PRICING INFORMATION

1. Public offering price

$21.50

2. Number of Units offered

13,050,000

 

Schedule II-1


SCHEDULE III

ISSUER FREE WRITING PROSPECTUSES

Electronic roadshow as made available at http://www.netroadshow.com

 

Schedule III-1


SCHEDULE IV

LIST OF JURISDICTIONS OF FORMATION AND FOREIGN QUALIFICATION

 

Entity

 

Jurisdiction of Formation

 

Foreign Qualifications

Tallgrass Development, LP

  Delaware  

Tallgrass Development GP, LLC

  Delaware  

Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP

  Delaware  

Tallgrass GP Holdings, LLC

  Delaware  

Tallgrass Interstate Gas Transmission LLC

  Colorado  

Kansas, Missouri, Montana,

Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas,

Utah, Wyoming

Tallgrass Midstream, LLC

  Delaware   Wyoming

Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC

  Delaware  

Tallgrass MLP Operations, LLC

  Delaware  

Tallgrass Operations, LLC

  Delaware  

Colorado, Kansas, Illinois,

Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio,

Oklahoma, Texas, Utah,

Wyoming

 

Schedule IV-1


SCHEDULE V

PERSONS DELIVERING LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS

David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

William R. Moler

Gary J. Brauchle

George E. Rider

Richard L. Bullock

Frank J. Loverro

Stanley de J. Osborne

Jeffrey A. Ball

John T. Raymond

Tallgrass Operations, LLC

 

Schedule V-1


EXHIBIT A

LOCK-UP LETTER AGREEMENT

B ARCLAYS C APITAL I NC .

C ITIGOUP G LOBAL M ARKETS I NC .

As Representatives of the several

  Underwriters named in Schedule I ,

c/o Barclays Capital Inc.

745 Seventh Avenue

New York, New York 10019

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned understands that you and certain other firms (the “ Underwriters ”) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”) providing for the purchase by the Underwriters of common units representing limited partner interests (“ Common Units ”) of Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), and that the Underwriters propose to reoffer the Common Units to the public (the “ Offering ”).

In consideration of the execution of the Underwriting Agreement by the Underwriters, and for other good and valuable consideration, the undersigned hereby irrevocably agrees that, without the prior written consent of Barclays Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, directly or indirectly, (1) offer for sale, sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any Common Units (including, without limitation, Common Units that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Common Units that may be issued upon exercise of any options or warrants) or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Units, (2) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of Common Units, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Units or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any Common Units or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Units or any other securities of the Partnership, or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing for a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 180th day after the date of the Prospectus relating to the Offering (such 180-day period, the “ Lock-Up Period ”).

The foregoing paragraph shall not apply to bona fide gifts, sales or other dispositions of Common Units, in each case that are made exclusively between and among the undersigned or members of the undersigned’s family, or affiliates of the undersigned, including its partners (if a partnership) or members (if a limited liability

 

Exhibit A-1


company); provided that it shall be a condition to any transfer pursuant to this paragraph that (i) the transferee/donee agrees to be bound by the terms of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement (including, without limitation, the restrictions set forth in the preceding sentence) to the same extent as if the transferee/donee were a party hereto, (ii) each party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) shall not be required by law (including without limitation the disclosure requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act ”), and the Exchange Act) to make, and shall agree to not voluntarily make, any filing or public announcement of the transfer or disposition prior to the expiration of the 180-day period referred to above, and (iii) the undersigned notifies Barclays Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at least two business days prior to the proposed transfer or disposition.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the Lock-Up Period, the Partnership issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Partnership occurs, or (2) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Partnership announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, then, in each case, to the extent that the Partnership is not then an “emerging growth company” (as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act), the restrictions imposed by this Lock-Up Letter Agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the announcement of the material news or the occurrence of the material event, unless the Representatives agree not to require such extension in writing. The undersigned hereby further agrees that, prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is subject to the terms of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement during the period from the date of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement to and including the 34 th day following the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, it will give notice thereof to the Partnership and will not consummate such transaction or take any such action unless it has received written confirmation from the Partnership that the Lock-Up Period (as such may have been extended pursuant to this paragraph) has expired.

Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, to the extent that (i) at any time subsequent to the execution of this Lock-up Letter Agreement the undersigned is not required to make any filings under Section 16 or Sections 13(d) or (g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 with respect to any shares of Common Units, and (ii) the undersigned has entered into or will enter into an agreement similar to this Lock-up Letter Agreement (a) in connection with a bona fide issuer directed unit program relating to the underwritten public offering of Common Units (a “ DUP Program ”) with respect to any Common Units to be purchased in such DUP Program (the “ DUP Units ”) and (b) with any member of the underwriting syndicate or any affiliate of such member who is acting as administrator of such DUP Program, the terms of such other similar lock-up agreement and not of this Lock-up Letter Agreement shall govern the undersigned’s rights with respect to such DUP Units.

 

Exhibit A-2


In furtherance of the foregoing, the Partnership and its transfer agent are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.

It is understood that, if the Partnership notifies the Underwriters that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Units, the undersigned will be released from its obligations under this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.

The undersigned understands that the Partnership and the Underwriters will proceed with the Offering in reliance on this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.

Whether or not the Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Partnership and certain of its affiliates and the Underwriters.

[Signature page follows]

 

Exhibit A-3


The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Lock-Up Letter Agreement and that, upon request, the undersigned will execute any additional documents necessary in connection with the enforcement hereof. Any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns of the undersigned.

 

Very truly yours,
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

Dated:                     

 

Exhibit A-4


EXHIBIT B-1

FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE TALLGRASS ENTITIES

1. Formation and Qualification . Each of the Tallgrass Entities (other than TIGT and Tallgrass Midstream) has been duly formed, and each of the Tallgrass Entities (other than TIGT) (the “ Delaware Tallgrass Entities ”) is validly existing as a limited partnership or limited liability company, as the case may be, and is in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and is duly qualified to do business and in good standing as a foreign limited partnership or foreign limited liability company, as the case may be, in each jurisdiction set forth opposite its name on Schedule I hereto. Each of the Delaware Tallgrass Entities has all requisite limited partnership or limited liability company power and authority, as the case may be, necessary to own or lease its properties currently owned or leased and to conduct the businesses in which it is currently engaged, in each case in all material respects as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

2. Power and Authority to Act as General Partner of the Partnership . The General Partner has all requisite limited liability company power and authority to serve as general partner of the Partnership in all material respects as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

3. Ownership of the General Partner . Tallgrass GP Holdings is the sole member of the General Partner, with a 100% membership interest in the General Partner; such membership interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Amended and Restated GP LLC Agreement and is fully paid (to the extent required under the Amended and Restated GP LLC Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act); and Tallgrass GP Holdings owns such membership interest free and clear of all Liens (other than those created by or arising under the Delaware LLC Act, restrictions on transferability contained in the Amended and Restated GP LLC Agreement or as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus) (i) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware naming Tallgrass GP Holdings as debtor is on file in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or (ii) otherwise known to us, without independent investigation.

4. Ownership of the General Partner Interest in the Partnership . The General Partner is the sole general partner of the Partnership, with a 2.0% general partner interest in the Partnership and, after giving effect to the Transactions, such interest will be represented by 826,531 General Partner Units; such General Partner Units will be duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement; and the General Partner will own such General Partner Units free and clear of all Liens (other than those created by or arising under the Delaware LP Act, restrictions on transferability contained in the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement or as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus) (i) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware naming the General Partner as debtor is on file in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or (ii) otherwise known to us, without independent investigation.

 

Exhibit B-1-1


5. Ownership of Incentive Distribution Rights . After giving effect to the Transactions, the General Partner will own all of the Incentive Distribution Rights; the Incentive Distribution Rights and the limited partner interests represented thereby will be duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement and fully paid (to the extent required under the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware LP Act); and the General Partner will own such Incentive Distribution Rights free and clear of all Liens (other than those created by or arising under the Delaware LP Act, restrictions on transferability contained in the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement or as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus) (i) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware naming the General Partner as debtor is on file in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or (ii) otherwise known to us, without independent investigation.

6. Ownership of the Sponsor Units . After giving effect to the Transactions, Tallgrass Operations will own all of the Sponsor Units; all of such Sponsor Units and the limited partner interests represented thereby will be duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement and fully paid (to the extent required under the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware LP Act); and Tallgrass Operations will own the Sponsor Units free and clear of all Liens (other than those created by or arising under the Delaware LP Act or the Amended Tallgrass Development Credit Agreement, restrictions on transferability contained in the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement or as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus) (i) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware naming Tallgrass Operations as debtor is on file in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or (ii) otherwise known to us, without independent investigation.

7. Ownership of Tallgrass MLP Operations . The Partnership owns all of the issued and outstanding membership interests of Tallgrass MLP Operations; such membership interests have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Tallgrass MLP Operations LLC Agreement and are fully paid (to the extent required under the Tallgrass MLP Operations LLC Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act); and the Partnership owns such membership interests free and clear of all Liens (other than those created by or arising under the Delaware LLC Act or the Partnership Credit Agreement, restrictions on transferability contained in the Tallgrass MLP Operations LLC Agreement or as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus) (i) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware naming the Partnership as debtor is on file in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or (ii) otherwise known to us, without independent investigation.

8. Ownership of Tallgrass Midstream . Tallgrass MLP Operations owns all of the issued and outstanding membership interests of Tallgrass Midstream; such membership interests have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Tallgrass Midstream LLC

 

Exhibit B-1-2


Agreement and are fully paid (to the extent required under the Tallgrass Midstream LLC Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act); and Tallgrass MLP Operations owns such membership interests free and clear of all Liens (other than those created by or arising under the Delaware LLC Act or the Partnership Credit Agreement, restrictions on transferability contained in the Tallgrass Midstream LLC Agreement or as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus) (i) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware naming Tallgrass MLP Operations as debtor is on file in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or (ii) otherwise known to us, without independent investigation.

9. Ownership of TIGT . Tallgrass MLP Operations owns all of the issued and outstanding membership interests in TIGT free and clear of all Liens (other than those created by or arising under the Delaware LLC Act or the Partnership Credit Agreement, restrictions on transferability contained in the TIGT LLC Agreement or as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus) (i) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware naming Tallgrass MLP Operations as debtor is on file in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or (ii) otherwise known to us, without independent investigation.

10. Duly Authorized and Validly Issued Units . The Units to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Partnership and the limited partner interests represented thereby have been duly authorized in accordance with the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Partnership to the Underwriters against payment thereof in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid (to the extent required under the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware LP Act).

11. Capitalization . As of the date hereof, immediately after the issuance and sale of the Units to the Underwriters in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement, the issued and outstanding limited partner interests of the Partnership will consist of (i) 24,300,000 Common Units, (ii) 16,200,000 Subordinated Units and the Incentive Distribution Rights.

12. No Options, Preemptive Rights, Registration Rights, or Other Rights . Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, nor any restriction upon the voting or transfer of, any equity securities of any of the Partnership Entities, in each case pursuant to the Organizational Agreement of any such Partnership Entity, the certificates of limited partnership or formation or any other organizational documents of any such Partnership Entity or any other agreement or instrument filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (other than the agreements listed on Schedule II hereto). To the knowledge of such counsel, neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Units as contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement gives rise to any rights for or relating to the registration of any Common Units or other securities of the Partnership.

 

Exhibit B-1-3


13. Authority and Authorization . Each of the Delaware Tallgrass Entities has all requisite limited partnership or limited liability company power and authority to execute and deliver each of the Underwriting Agreement and the Operative Agreements to which such Delaware Tallgrass Entity is a party, as applicable, and to perform its respective obligations thereunder. The Partnership has all requisite limited partnership power and authority to issue, sell and deliver (i) the Units, in accordance with and upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Underwriting Agreement, the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (ii) the Sponsor Units and the Incentive Distribution Rights, in accordance with and upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement and the Contribution Agreement. All limited partnership or limited liability company action, as the case may be, required to be taken by the Delaware Tallgrass Entities or any of their respective unitholders, members or partners for the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Units, the Sponsor Units and the Incentive Distribution Rights, the execution and delivery by the Delaware Tallgrass Entities of the Operative Agreements to which they are a party and the consummation of the Transactions and any other transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement and the Transaction Agreements has been validly taken.

14. Authorization, Execution and Delivery of the Underwriting Agreement . The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Partnership Parties.

15. Enforceability of the Operative Agreements . The Operative Agreements have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Delaware Tallgrass Entities that are parties thereto, and the Contribution Documents, Omnibus Agreement, Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement, Amended and Restated GP LLC Agreement, Tallgrass MLP Operations LLC Agreement and Tallgrass Midstream LLC Agreement, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties thereto, are valid and legally binding agreements of the Tallgrass Entities that are parties thereto, enforceable against such Tallgrass Entities that are parties thereto in accordance with their terms; provided that, with respect to each such agreement, the enforceability thereof may be limited by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), and (ii) public policy, applicable law relating to fiduciary duties and indemnification and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

16. Legal Sufficiency of Contribution Documents . The Contribution Documents are in a form legally sufficient to transfer or convey, directly or indirectly, all of the equity interests in the Operating Subsidiaries to the Partnership, subject to the conditions, reservations, encumbrances and limitations described in the Contribution Documents.

17. Non-Contravention . None of (i) the offering, issuance or sale by the Partnership of the Units, (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement and the Operative Agreements by the Tallgrass Entities that are parties thereto, (iii) the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement or the Transaction Agreements by the Tallgrass Entities party thereto or (iv) the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Units as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration

 

Exhibit B-1-4


Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) constitutes or will constitute a violation of the Organizational Documents of any of the Delaware Tallgrass Entities party thereto, (B) constitutes or will constitute a breach or violation of, or a default (or an event that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default) under, any agreement or other instrument filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (other than the agreements listed on Schedule II hereto) (the “ Applicable Documents ”), (C) violates or will violate any of the Delaware LP Act, the Delaware LLC Act or federal law, or (D) results or will result in the creation or imposition of any Lien (other than Liens arising under or in connection with the Partnership Credit Agreement) upon any property or assets of any of the Tallgrass Entities under the Applicable Documents, except in the case of clauses (B), (C) and (D) for any such conflicts, violations, breaches, defaults or Liens that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be likely to materially impair the ability of any of the Tallgrass Entities to consummate the Transactions or any other transactions provided for in the Underwriting Agreement or the Transaction Agreements; provided, however, that such counsel need express no opinion in this paragraph 16 with respect to federal or state securities laws and other anti-fraud laws.

18. No Consents . No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, filing or qualification (“ consent ”) of or with any Delaware or federal court, governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over any of the Tallgrass Entities or any of their properties or assets is required in connection with (i) the offering, issuance or sale of the Units by the Partnership, (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement and the Operative Agreements by the Tallgrass Entities party thereto, (iii) the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement or the Transaction Agreements by the Tallgrass Entities party thereto or (iv) the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Units as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except (A) for registration of the Units under the Securities Act and consents required under the Exchange Act, applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws, and the rules of the FINRA in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Units by the Underwriters (as to which such counsel need not express an opinion), (B) for such consents that have been obtained or made, (C) for any such consents the absence or omission of which would not reasonably be expected to materially impair the ability of any of the Tallgrass Entities to consummate the Transactions or any other transactions provided for in the Underwriting Agreement or the Transaction Agreements and (D) as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

19. Effectiveness of Registration Statement . The Registration Statement has been declared effective under the Securities Act; any required filing of the Prospectus, and any supplements thereto, pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); to the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened by the Commission.

20. Description of Common Units . The descriptions of the Common Units included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions “Prospectus Summary—The Offering,” “Our Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on Distributions—General,” “Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions,” “Description of the Common Units,” and “The Partnership Agreement” constitute accurate summaries of the terms of the Common Units in all material respects.

 

Exhibit B-1-5


21. Descriptions and Summaries . The statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions “Our Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on Distributions,” “Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions,” “Business—Regulatory Environment,” “Business—Environmental, Health and Safety Matters,” “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions,” “Conflicts of Interest and Duties,” “The Partnership Agreement,” and “Investment in Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP by Employee Benefit Plans and IRAs” insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the provisions of federal statutes, rules or regulations or the Delaware LP Act or the Delaware LLC Act or any contracts and other documents, constitute accurate summaries of such provisions of such statutes, rules and regulations, and contracts and other documents in all material respects.

22. Tax Opinion . The opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P. that is filed as Exhibit 8.1 to the Registration Statement is confirmed and the Underwriters may rely upon such opinion as if it were addressed to them.

23. Investment Company Act . None of the Partnership Entities is now, or immediately following the sale of the Units to be sold by the Partnership pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement and application of the net proceeds from such sale as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds” will be, an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act.

In rendering such opinion, such counsel may (i) rely in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of officers and employees of the Tallgrass Entities and upon information obtained from public officials, (ii) assume that all documents submitted to such counsel as originals are authentic, that all copies submitted to such counsel conform to the originals thereof, and that the signatures on all documents examined by such counsel are genuine, (iii) state that its opinion is limited to matters governed by federal law and the Delaware LP Act and the Delaware LLC Act, (iv) with respect to the opinions expressed as to the good standing or due qualification or registration as a foreign limited partnership or limited liability company, as the case may be, of the Delaware Tallgrass Entities, state that such opinions are based upon certificates of good standing provided by the Secretary of State of the state of formation and certificates of foreign qualification or registration provided by the Secretary of State of the states listed on an annex to be attached to such counsel’s opinion (each of which shall be dated as of a date not more than fourteen days prior to the applicable Delivery Date and shall be provided to counsel to the Underwriters), (v) state that they express no opinion with respect to (A) any permits to own or operate any real or personal property or (B) state or local taxes or tax statutes to which any of the limited partners of the Partnership or any of the Tallgrass Entities may be subject; and (vi) with respect to the opinions expressed in paragraphs 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 relating to the existence of any Lien for which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code is on file, rely solely upon such counsel’s review of reports, dated as of recent dates, prepared by CT Lien Solutions, a Wolters Kluwer Company, purporting to describe all financing statements on file as of the dates thereof in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, naming such applicable Delaware Tallgrass Entity as debtor.

 

Exhibit B-1-6


In addition, such counsel shall make statements to the following effect:

We have reviewed the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and have participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Tallgrass Entities, with representatives of the Partnership’s independent registered public accounting firm, with your representatives and your counsel, at which the contents of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and related matters were discussed. The purpose of our professional engagement was not to establish or confirm factual matters set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, and we have not undertaken to verify independently any of the factual matters in such documents. Moreover, many of the determinations required to be made in the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus involve matters of a non-legal nature. Accordingly, we are not passing upon, and do not assume any responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained or included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (except to the extent stated in paragraphs 20 and 21 above). Subject to the foregoing and on the basis of the information we gained in the course of performing the services referred to above, we advise you that:

(a) the Registration Statement, as of the Effective Date, and the Prospectus, as of its date and the applicable Delivery Date, appear on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; and

(b) nothing came to our attention that caused us to believe that:

(A) the Registration Statement, as of the Effective Date, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,

(B) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or

(C) the Prospectus, as of its date or as of the applicable Delivery Date, included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

it being understood that in each case we have not been asked to, and do not express any belief with respect to (i) the financial statements and schedules or other financial or accounting information contained or included therein or omitted therefrom or (ii) representations and warranties and other statements of fact contained in the exhibits to the Registration Statement.

 

Exhibit B-1-7


SCHEDULE I

 

Entity

 

Foreign Qualifications

Tallgrass Development, LP

 

Tallgrass Development GP, LLC

 

Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP

 

Tallgrass GP Holdings, LLC

 

Tallgrass Midstream, LLC

  Wyoming

Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC

 

Tallgrass MLP Operations, LLC

 

Tallgrass Operations, LLC

 

Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana,

Louisiana, Missouri, Montana,

Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas,

Utah, Wyoming

 

Exhibit B-1-8


SCHEDULE II

 

1. Form of Revolving Credit Agreement

 

2. Amended and Restated Employment Agreement between Tallgrass Management, LLC, Tallgrass Development GP, LLC, Tallgrass GP Holdings, LLC, Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC and David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

 

3. Purchase and Sale Agreement between Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transmission LLC and Kinder Morgan Pony Express Pipeline LLC

 

Exhibit B-1-9


EXHIBIT B-2

FORM OF OPINION OF GENERAL COUNSEL TO THE GENERAL PARTNER

1. Legal Proceedings . To the knowledge of such counsel, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending or threatened to which any of the Tallgrass Entities is a party or to which any of their respective properties is subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus but are not so described as required by the Securities Act.

2. Exhibits . To the knowledge of such counsel, there are no agreements, contracts, indentures, leases or other instruments to which any of the Tallgrass Entities is a party that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required by the Securities Act.

3. Non-Contravention . None of (i) the offering, issuance or sale by the Partnership of the Units, (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement and the Operative Agreements by the Tallgrass Entities that are parties thereto, (iii) the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement or the Transaction Agreements by the Tallgrass Entities or (iv) the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Units as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) violates or will violate any order, judgment, decree, or injunction known to such counsel to which any of the Tallgrass Entities is a party or any of their property or assets is subject, (ii) to the knowledge of such counsel, constitutes or will constitute a breach or violation of, or a or default (or an event that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default) under, any agreement or other instrument to which a Tallgrass Entity is a party (excluding for purposes of this clause (ii) of this opinion those agreements and instruments filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and the Amended Tallgrass Development Credit Agreement) (collectively, the “Applicable Agreements”), or (iii) to the knowledge of such counsel, results or will result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any property or assets of the Partnership Entities under any Applicable Agreement, except for any such violations, breaches, defaults or Liens that, individually or in the aggregate, are not reasonably likely to materially impair the ability of any of the Tallgrass Entities to consummate the Transactions or any other transactions provided for in the Underwriting Agreement or the Transaction Agreements.

In rendering such opinion, such counsel may (i) rely in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of officers and employees of the Tallgrass Entities and upon information obtained from public officials, (ii) assume that all documents submitted to such counsel as originals are authentic, that all copies submitted to such counsel conform to the originals thereof, and that the signatures on all documents examined by such counsel are genuine and (iii) state that its opinion is limited to matters governed by the laws of the State of Kansas.

 

Exhibit B-2-1


In addition, such counsel shall make statements to the following effect:

I have reviewed the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and I or my representatives have participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the Tallgrass Entities, with representatives of the Partnership’s independent registered public accounting firm, and with your representatives and your counsel, at which the contents of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and related matters were discussed. I have not undertaken to verify independently any of the factual matters in such documents. Moreover, many of the determinations required to be made in the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus involve matters of a non-legal nature. Accordingly, I am not passing upon, and do not assume any responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained or included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (except to the extent stated in paragraph 1). Subject to the foregoing and on the basis of the information I gained in the course of performing the services referred to above, I advise you that nothing came to my attention that caused me to believe that:

(a) the Registration Statement, as of the Effective Date, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,

(b) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or

(c) the Prospectus, as of its date or as of the applicable Delivery Date included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

it being understood that in each case I have not been asked to, and do not express any belief with respect to (i) the financial statements and schedules or other financial, accounting or reserve information contained or included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom or (ii) representations and warranties and other statements of fact contained in the exhibits to the Registration Statement or to documents incorporated by reference therein.

 

Exhibit B-2-2


EXHIBIT B-3

FORM OF OPINION OF COLORADO COUNSEL TO THE TALLGRASS ENTITIES

1. Formation and Qualification . TIGT is validly existing and in good standing as a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Colorado and is duly qualified to do business or in good standing as a foreign limited liability company, as the case may be, in each jurisdiction set forth opposite its name on Schedule I hereto. TIGT has all limited liability company power and authority necessary to enter into and perform its obligations under the Operative Agreements to which it is a party and to own or hold its properties currently owned or leased to it and to conduct the businesses in which it is currently engaged as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure and the Prospectus, in each case in all material respects.

2. Ownership of Membership Interests in TIGT . After giving effect to the Transactions, Tallgrass MLP Operations owns, of record, all of the outstanding membership interests in TIGT; and such membership interests have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the TIGT LLC Agreement. Under the Colorado Limited Liability Company Act, C.R.S. §§ 7-80-101 et seq. (the “Colorado LLC Act”), no member of TIGT has any obligation to make further payments for its purchase of membership interests in TIGT or contributions to TIGT solely by reason of such member’s status as a member of TIGT, except for such member’s obligation to repay any funds wrongfully distributed to it.

3. Authority and Authorization . TIGT has all requisite limited liability company power and authority to execute and deliver the Operative Agreements to which it is a party and to perform its obligations thereunder. All limited liability company action required to be taken by TIGT or any of its members for the execution and delivery by TIGT of the Operative Agreements to which it is a party and the consummation by TIGT of the Transactions and any other transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement and the Operative Agreements has been validly taken.

4. Enforceability of the Partnership Credit Agreement. The Partnership Credit Agreement is, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the parties thereto (other than Tallgrass Entities party thereto), a valid and legally binding agreement of the Tallgrass Entities party thereto, enforceable against such Tallgrass Entities in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), and (ii) public policy, applicable law relating to fiduciary duties and indemnification and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

5. C ertain Operative Agreements . The Contribution Agreement and the TIGT LLC Agreement have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by TIGT. The TIGT LLC Agreement is a valid and legally binding agreement of TIGT, enforceable against TIGT in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally and by general principles of equity (regardless

 

Exhibit B-3-1


of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), and (ii) public policy, applicable law relating to fiduciary duties and indemnification and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

6. Non-Contravention . None of (i) the execution, delivery and performance of the Operative Agreements to which TIGT is a party by TIGT or (ii) the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement or the Transaction Agreements to which TIGT is a party by TIGT, constitutes or will constitute a violation of the TIGT Governing Documents or the Colorado LLC Act. None of (i) the offering, issuance or sale by the Partnership of the Units, (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement and the Operative Agreements by the Tallgrass Entities party thereto, (iii) the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement or the Transaction Agreements by the Tallgrass Entities party thereto, or (iv) the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Units as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) constitutes or will constitute a breach or violation of, or a default (or an event that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default) under (w) the Amended and Restated Employment Agreement between Tallgrass Management, LLC, Tallgrass Development GP, LLC, Tallgrass GP Holdings, LLC, Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC and David G. Dehaemers, Jr., (x) the Purchase and Sale Agreement between Tallgrass Interstate Gas Transmission LLC (f/k/a Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transmission LLC) and Tallgrass Pony Express Pipeline LLC (f/k/a Kinder Morgan Pony Express Pipeline LLC), (y) the Partnership Credit Agreement or (z) the Amended Tallgrass Development Credit Agreement (collectively, the “Applicable Documents”), or (B) results or will result in the creation or imposition of any Lien (other than Liens arising under or in connection with the Partnership Credit Agreement or the Amended Tallgrass Development Credit Agreement) upon any property or assets of any of the Tallgrass Entities under any of the Applicable Documents, in each case, except for any such breaches, violations, defaults or Liens that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to materially impair the ability of any of the Tallgrass Entities to consummate the Transactions or any other transactions provided for in the Underwriting Agreement or the Transaction Agreements.

7. No Consents . No Colorado Governmental Approval is required in connection with (i) the execution, delivery and performance of the Operative Agreements to which TIGT is a party by TIGT, or (ii) the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreements to which TIGT is a party by TIGT, except (A) for such Colorado Governmental Approval that has been obtained or made, as applicable, (B) for any Colorado Governmental Approval the absence or omission of which would not reasonably be expected to materially impair the ability of TIGT to consummate the Transactions or any other transactions provided for in the Transaction Agreements to which TIGT is a party, and (C) as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.

8. No Options, Preemptive Rights, Registration Rights or Other Rights. Except for any voting or transfer restrictions arising under or in connection with the Amended Tallgrass Development Credit Agreement or the Partnership Credit Agreement or as otherwise described in the in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, there are no options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, nor any restriction upon the voting or transfer of, any equity securities of any of the Partnership Entities, in each case pursuant to the Applicable Documents.

 

Exhibit B-3-2


In rendering such opinion, such counsel may (i) rely in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of officers and employees of the Tallgrass Entities and upon information obtained from public officials, (ii) assume that all documents submitted to such counsel as originals are authentic, that all copies submitted to such counsel conform to the originals thereof, and that the signatures on all documents examined by such counsel are genuine, (iii) state that its opinion is limited to matters governed by Applicable Colorado Law and, for purposes of the enforceability opinion contained in paragraph number 4 above, the contract law of the State of New York and for purposes of the no conflicts opinion contained in paragraph number 6 above with respect to the Applicable Documents stated to be governed by the laws of New York or Kansas, the contract law of the States of New York and Kansas, as the case may be, (iv) with respect to the opinions expressed as to the valid existence and good standing of TIGT in the State of Colorado and as to its good standing or qualification as a foreign limited liability company, state that such opinions are based upon, as applicable, a certificate of good standing provided by the Secretary of State of the State of Colorado and certificates of good standing or foreign qualification provided by the Secretary of State of the states listed on an annex to be attached to such counsel’s opinion (each of which shall be dated as of a date not more than fourteen days prior to the applicable Delivery Date and shall be provided to counsel to the Underwriters), (v) define TIGT Governing Documents as the articles of organization of TIGT, as amended to date, and the TIGT LLC Agreement, (vi) define Applicable Colorado Law to mean those statutes, rules and regulations of the State of Colorado which, based upon such counsel’s scope of representation of and its experience with TIGT, such counsel reasonably recognizes, in the exercise of customary professional diligence, as applicable to TIGT with respect to transactions of the type contemplated by the Operative Agreements and to general business entities which are not engaged in regulated business activities, (vii) define Colorado Governmental Authority to mean the governmental and regulatory authorities, bodies, instrumentalities and agencies and courts of the State of Colorado, excluding its political subdivisions and local agencies, (viii) define Colorado Governmental Approval to mean any authorization, approval or consent of, notification to, or filing with, any Colorado Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over TIGT required to be made or obtained by TIGT pursuant to Applicable Colorado Law, (ix) with respect any opinion regarding the enforceability of any agreement to which a Tallgrass Entity is a party, assume that such agreement is enforceable against all other parties thereto (other than any Tallgrass Entity), (x) state that such counsel expresses no opinion with respect to (A) any permits to own or operate any real or personal property, (B) state or local taxes or tax statutes to which any of the limited partners of the Partnership or any of the Tallgrass Entities (including TIGT) may be subject, or (C) securities laws, including Blue Sky laws, and other anti-fraud laws, and (xi) state that the opinions expressed therein are subject to other assumptions, qualifications and limitations (including, without limitation, a Practical Realization Limitation) that are customarily made by such counsel in similar opinion letters, and are acceptable to the Underwriters in their reasonable discretion. For purposes hereof, a “Practical Realization Limitation” means a qualification regarding the enforceability of one or more reviewed agreements (a Reviewed Agreement ) in substantially the following form: “In addition to the other qualifications set forth in this opinion letter regarding the enforceability of a Reviewed Agreement, certain waivers, procedures, remedies and other provisions of the Reviewed Agreements may be rendered unenforceable or limited by certain laws, regulations or judicial decisions, but such laws,

 

Exhibit B-3-3


regulations and judicial decisions would not render any Reviewed Agreement invalid as a whole and would not make the remedies available under the Reviewed Agreements, taken as a whole, inadequate for the practical realization of the principal rights and benefits purported to be afforded thereby, except for the economic consequences of any judicial, administrative or other delay or procedure which may be imposed by applicable law.”

 

Exhibit B-3-4


SCHEDULE I

 

Entity

 

Foreign Qualifications

Tallgrass Interstate Gas Transmission, LLC

 

Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska,

Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Wyoming

 

Exhibit B-3-5


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER’S CERTIFICATE

The undersigned, Gary J. Brauchle, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC (the “ General Partner ”), a Delaware limited liability company and the general partner of Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), hereby delivers this certificate (this “ Certificate ”) pursuant to Section 7(k) of the Underwriting Agreement, dated May 13, 2013 (the “ Agreement ”), by and among the Partnership, the General Partner, Tallgrass Development, LP and the several underwriters listed on Schedule I thereto. Defined terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement. For purposes of this Certificate, “TEP Pre-Predecessor” means Tallgrass Midstream, LLC (“TMLLC”) and Tallgrass Interstate Gas Transmission, LLC (“TIGT”), for periods prior to their acquisition by Tallgrass Development from Kinder Morgan on November 13, 2012 and “TEP Predecessor” means each of TMLLC and TIGT for the period from November 13, 2012 to December 31, 2012.

The undersigned does hereby certify that he is the Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the General Partner and based upon an examination of the financial records and schedules of the Partnership undertaken by himself, or members of his staff who are responsible for the Partnership’s financial and accounting matters, the undersigned does hereby certify as follows:

 

  1. The undersigned is familiar with the accounting, operations and records systems of the Partnership. The undersigned has read the Preliminary Prospectus, dated May 6, 2013 (the “ Preliminary Prospectus ”), forming a part of the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-187595) initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2013 (as amended as of the date hereof, the “ Registration Statement ”) related to the issuance and sale of common units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “ Units ”).

 

  2. The accounting, operations and records procedures of the Partnership and its consolidated subsidiaries have not been completed with respect to the quarter ended March 31, 2013.

 

  3.

Nothing has come to the undersigned’s attention to suggest that (i) at February 28, 2013 there was any increase in long-term debt, or decrease in net current assets (working capital) or members’ equity of TEP Predecessor as compared with amounts shown in the December 31, 2012 balance sheet of TEP Predecessor included in the Registration Statement, or (ii) for the period from January 1, 2013 to February 28, 2013, there were any decreases in total revenues, operating income or net income of TEP Predecessor, as compared with the total revenues, operating income and net income of TEP Pre-Predecessor for the corresponding period in the prior year, except in all instances for changes, increases or decreases which the Registration Statement discloses have occurred or may occur and except that (i) financial information for January 2013 and February 2013 were prepared under a different basis of accounting

 

Exhibit C-1


  as compared with the basis of presentation for the financial information for January 2012 and February 2012; (ii) the unaudited combined financial data as of February 28, 2013, which we were furnished by the Partnership, showed a decrease from December 31, 2012 in net current assets (working capital), and the unaudited combined financial data for the period from January 1, 2013 to February 28, 2013 showed that there were decreases in total revenue, operating income, and net income as compared with the corresponding period in the preceding year as follows (in thousands of dollars):

 

     Net Current Assets (working
capital)
 

December 31, 2012

   $ (43,786

February 28, 2013

   $ (52,442

Total Decrease

   $ (8,656

 

     Total
revenues
    Operating
Income
    Net Income  

February 28, 2012

   $ 43,183      $ 11,501      $ 9,437   

February 28, 2013

   $ 41,133      $ 7,748      $ 3,800   

Total Decrease

   $ (2,050   $ (3,753   $ (5,637

 

  4. Nothing has come to the undersigned’s attention to suggest that there has been with respect to TEP Predecessor, for the period from January 1, 2013 to May 17, 2013, any increase in long term debt as compared with amounts shown in the December 31, 2012 audited balance sheet of TEP Predecessor included in the Registration Statement, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement.

 

  5. The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the underwriters will be relying upon this Certificate as part of their due diligence review in relation to the offering of the Units and that Baker Botts LLP and Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. may rely on this Certificate in connection with the opinions and disclosure letters such firms are rendering and delivering pursuant to the Agreement.

 

Exhibit C-2

Exhibit 3.2

AMENDED & RESTATED

AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

OF

TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     1   

Section 1.1

   Definitions      1   

Section 1.2

   Construction      25   

ARTICLE II ORGANIZATION

     25   

Section 2.1

   Formation      25   

Section 2.2

   Name      25   

Section 2.3

   Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices      25   

Section 2.4

   Purpose and Business      26   

Section 2.5

   Powers      26   

Section 2.6

   Term      26   

Section 2.7

   Title to Partnership Assets      26   

ARTICLE III RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS

     27   

Section 3.1

   Limitation of Liability      27   

Section 3.2

   Management of Business      27   

Section 3.3

   Outside Activities of the Limited Partners      27   

Section 3.4

   Rights of Limited Partners      27   

ARTICLE IV CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS; REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

     28   

Section 4.1

   Certificates      28   

Section 4.2

   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates      29   

Section 4.3

   Record Holders      30   

Section 4.4

   Transfer Generally      30   

Section 4.5

   Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests      31   

Section 4.6

   Transfer of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest      32   

Section 4.7

   Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights      32   

Section 4.8

   Restrictions on Transfers      33   

Section 4.9

   Eligibility Certificates; Ineligible Holders      34   

Section 4.10

   Redemption of Partnership Interests of Ineligible Holders      35   

ARTICLE V CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

     37   

Section 5.1

   Initial Capital Contributions      37   

Section 5.2

   Contributions by the General Partner and its Affiliates      37   

Section 5.3

   Contributions by Limited Partners      37   

Section 5.4

   Interest and Withdrawal      38   

Section 5.5

   Capital Accounts      38   

Section 5.6

   Issuances of Additional Partnership Interests      41   

Section 5.7

   Conversion of Subordinated Units      42   

Section 5.8

   Limited Preemptive Right      45   

Section 5.9

   Splits and Combinations      45   


Section 5.10

   Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests      46   

Section 5.11

   Issuance of Common Units in Connection with Reset of Incentive Distribution Rights      46   

ARTICLE VI ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

     48   

Section 6.1

   Allocations for Capital Account Purposes      48   

Section 6.2

   Allocations for Tax Purposes      57   

Section 6.3

   Requirement and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record Holders      59   

Section 6.4

   Distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus      60   

Section 6.5

   Distributions of Available Cash from Capital Surplus      62   

Section 6.6

   Adjustment of Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels      62   

Section 6.7

   Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Subordinated Units and IDR Reset Common Units      62   

Section 6.8

   Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Incentive Distribution Rights      63   

Section 6.9

   Entity-Level Taxation      63   

ARTICLE VII MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS

     64   

Section 7.1

   Management      64   

Section 7.2

   Certificate of Limited Partnership      66   

Section 7.3

   Restrictions on the General Partner’s Authority to Sell Assets of the Partnership Group      66   

Section 7.4

   Reimbursement of the General Partner      67   

Section 7.5

   Outside Activities      68   

Section 7.6

   Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or Group Members      69   

Section 7.7

   Indemnification      70   

Section 7.8

   Liability of Indemnitees      71   

Section 7.9

   Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of Duties      72   

Section 7.10

   Other Matters Concerning the General Partner      75   

Section 7.11

   Purchase or Sale of Partnership Interests      75   

Section 7.12

   Registration Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates      75   

Section 7.13

   Reliance by Third Parties      80   

ARTICLE VIII BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS

     80   

Section 8.1

   Records and Accounting      80   

Section 8.2

   Fiscal Year      81   

Section 8.3

   Reports      81   

ARTICLE IX TAX MATTERS

     81   

Section 9.1

   Tax Returns and Information      81   

Section 9.2

   Tax Elections      82   

Section 9.3

   Tax Controversies      82   

 

ii


Section 9.4

   Withholding      82   

ARTICLE X ADMISSION OF PARTNERS

     83   

Section 10.1

   Admission of Limited Partners      83   

Section 10.2

   Admission of Successor General Partner      84   

Section 10.3

   Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership      84   

ARTICLE XI WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS

     84   

Section 11.1

   Withdrawal of the General Partner      84   

Section 11.2

   Removal of the General Partner      86   

Section 11.3

   Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner      86   

Section 11.4

   Termination of Subordination Period, Conversion of Subordinated Units and Extinguishment of Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages      88   

Section 11.5

   Withdrawal of Limited Partners      88   

ARTICLE XII DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION

     88   

Section 12.1

   Dissolution      88   

Section 12.2

   Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution      89   

Section 12.3

   Liquidator      89   

Section 12.4

   Liquidation      90   

Section 12.5

   Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership      91   

Section 12.6

   Return of Contributions      91   

Section 12.7

   Waiver of Partition      91   

Section 12.8

   Capital Account Restoration      91   

ARTICLE XIII AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE

     91   

Section 13.1

   Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner      91   

Section 13.2

   Amendment Procedures      92   

Section 13.3

   Amendment Requirements      93   

Section 13.4

   Special Meetings      94   

Section 13.5

   Notice of a Meeting      94   

Section 13.6

   Record Date      94   

Section 13.7

   Postponement and Adjournment      95   

Section 13.8

   Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting      95   

Section 13.9

   Quorum and Voting      95   

Section 13.10

   Conduct of a Meeting      96   

Section 13.11

   Action Without a Meeting      96   

Section 13.12

   Right to Vote and Related Matters      97   

Section 13.13

   Voting of Incentive Distribution Rights      97   

ARTICLE XIV MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR CONVERSION

     98   

Section 14.1

   Authority      98   

Section 14.2

   Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion      98   

Section 14.3

   Approval by Limited Partners      100   

 

iii


Section 14.4

   Certificate of Merger or Certificate of Conversion      101   

Section 14.5

   Effect of Merger, Consolidation or Conversion      101   

ARTICLE XV RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS

     103   

Section 15.1

   Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests      103   

ARTICLE XVI GENERAL PROVISIONS

     104   

Section 16.1

   Addresses and Notices; Written Communications      104   

Section 16.2

   Further Action      105   

Section 16.3

   Binding Effect      105   

Section 16.4

   Integration      105   

Section 16.5

   Creditors      105   

Section 16.6

   Waiver      105   

Section 16.7

   Third-Party Beneficiaries      105   

Section 16.8

   Counterparts      105   

Section 16.9

   Applicable Law; Forum; Venue and Jurisdiction; Waiver of Trial by Jury      105   

Section 16.10

   Invalidity of Provisions      106   

Section 16.11

   Consent of Partners      106   

Section 16.12

   Facsimile and Email Signatures      107   

 

iv


AMENDED & RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

OF

TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP

THIS AMENDED & RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP dated as of May 17, 2013, is entered into by and between Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as the General Partner, and Tallgrass Operations, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as the Organizational Limited Partner, together with any other Persons who become Partners in the Partnership or parties hereto as provided herein. In consideration of the covenants, conditions and agreements contained herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1 Definitions . The following definitions shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to the contrary, applied to the terms used in this Agreement.

Acquisition ” means any transaction in which any Group Member acquires (through an asset acquisition, stock acquisition, merger or other form of investment) control over all or a portion of the assets, properties or business of another Person for the purpose of increasing, over the long-term, the operating capacity or operating income of the Partnership Group from the operating capacity or operating income of the Partnership Group existing immediately prior to such transaction. For purposes of this definition, “long-term” generally refers to a period of not less than twelve months.

Additional Book Basis ” means the portion of any remaining Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property that is attributable to positive adjustments made to such Carrying Value as a result of Book-Up Events. For purposes of determining the extent that Carrying Value constitutes Additional Book Basis:

(a) Any negative adjustment made to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property as a result of either a Book-Down Event or a Book-Up Event shall first be deemed to offset or decrease that portion of the Carrying Value of such Adjusted Property that is attributable to any prior positive adjustments made thereto pursuant to a Book-Up Event or Book-Down Event; and

(b) If Carrying Value that constitutes Additional Book Basis is reduced as a result of a Book-Down Event and the Carrying Value of other property is increased as a result of such Book-Down Event, an allocable portion of any such increase in Carrying Value shall be treated as Additional Book Basis; provided , that the amount treated as Additional Book Basis pursuant hereto as a result of such Book-Down Event shall not exceed the amount by which the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments after such Book-Down Event exceeds the remaining Additional Book Basis attributable to all of the Partnership’s Adjusted Property after such Book-Down Event (determined without regard to the application of this clause (b) to such Book-Down Event).

Additional Book Basis Derivative Items ” means any Book Basis Derivative Items that are computed with reference to Additional Book Basis. To the extent that the Additional Book


Basis attributable to all of the Partnership’s Adjusted Property as of the beginning of any taxable period exceeds the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the beginning of such period (the “ Excess Additional Book Basis ”), the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for such period shall be reduced by the amount that bears the same ratio to the amount of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items determined without regard to this sentence as the Excess Additional Book Basis bears to the Additional Book Basis as of the beginning of such period. With respect to a Disposed of Adjusted Property, the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items shall be the amount of Additional Book Basis taken into account in computing gain or loss from the disposition of such Disposed of Adjusted Property.

Adjusted Capital Account ” means the Capital Account maintained for each Partner as of the end of each taxable period of the Partnership, (a) increased by any amounts that such Partner is obligated to restore under the standards set by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c) (or is deemed obligated to restore under Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5)) and (b) decreased by (i) the amount of all losses and deductions that, as of the end of such taxable period, are reasonably expected to be allocated to such Partner in subsequent taxable periods under Sections 704(e)(2) and 706(d) of the Code and Treasury Regulation Section 1.751-1(b)(2)(ii), and (ii) the amount of all distributions that, as of the end of such taxable period, are reasonably expected to be made to such Partner in subsequent taxable periods in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or otherwise to the extent they exceed offsetting increases to such Partner’s Capital Account that are reasonably expected to occur during (or prior to) the taxable period in which such distributions are reasonably expected to be made (other than increases as a result of a minimum gain chargeback pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i) or Section 6.1(d)(ii). The foregoing definition of Adjusted Capital Account is intended to comply with the provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith. The “Adjusted Capital Account” of a Partner in respect of any Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such Adjusted Capital Account would be if such Partnership Interest were the only interest in the Partnership held by such Partner from and after the date on which such Partnership Interest was first issued.

Adjusted Operating Surplus ” means, with respect to any period, (a) Operating Surplus generated with respect to such period; (b) less (i) the amount of any net increase in Working Capital Borrowings (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of any net increase in Working Capital Borrowings in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) with respect to such period; and (ii) the amount of any net decrease in cash reserves (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of any net decrease in cash reserves in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) for Operating Expenditures with respect to such period not relating to an Operating Expenditure made with respect to such period; and (c) plus (i) the amount of any net decrease in Working Capital Borrowings (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of any net decrease in Working Capital Borrowings in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) with respect to such period; (ii) the amount of any net increase in cash reserves (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of any net increase in cash reserves in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) for Operating Expenditures with respect to such period required by any debt instrument for the repayment of principal, interest or premium; and (iii) the amount of any net decrease made in subsequent periods in cash reserves for Operating Expenditures initially established with respect to such period to the extent such decrease results in a reduction in Adjusted Operating Surplus in subsequent periods pursuant to clause (b)(ii) above. Adjusted Operating Surplus does not include that portion of Operating Surplus included in clause (a)(i) of the definition of Operating Surplus.

 

2


Adjusted Property ” means any property the Carrying Value of which has been adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d).

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question. As used herein, the term “control” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.11(a).

Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments ” means, as of the end of any taxable period, the sum of the Remaining Net Positive Adjustments of all the Partners.

Agreed Allocation ” means any allocation, other than a Required Allocation, of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1, including a Curative Allocation (if appropriate to the context in which the term “Agreed Allocation” is used).

Agreed Value ” of any Contributed Property means the fair market value of such property or other consideration at the time of contribution and in the case of an Adjusted Property, the fair market value of such Adjusted Property on the date of the revaluation event as described in Section 5.5(d), in both cases as determined by the General Partner. The General Partner shall use such method as it determines to be appropriate to allocate the aggregate Agreed Value of Contributed Properties contributed to the Partnership in a single or integrated transaction among each separate property on a basis proportional to the fair market value of each Contributed Property.

Agreement ” means this Amended & Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Associate ” means, when used to indicate a relationship with any Person, (a) any corporation or organization of which such Person is a director, officer, manager, general partner or managing member or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of voting stock or other voting interest; (b) any trust or other estate in which such Person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (c) any relative or spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same principal residence as such Person.

Available Cash ” means, with respect to any Quarter ending prior to the Liquidation Date:

(a) the sum of:

(i) all cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership Group (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash and cash equivalents in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) on hand at the end of such Quarter; and

 

3


(ii) if the General Partner so determines, all or any portion of any additional cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership Group (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash and cash equivalents in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) on hand on the date of distribution of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter, including cash on hand resulting from Working Capital Borrowings made subsequent to the end of such Quarter, less;

(b) the amount of any cash reserves established by the General Partner (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash reserves in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) to:

(i) provide for the proper conduct of the business of the Partnership Group (including reserves for future capital expenditures, for anticipated future credit needs of the Partnership Group, reserves for legal matters and for refunds of collected rates reasonably likely to be refunded as a result of a settlement or hearing related to FERC rate proceedings) subsequent to such Quarter;

(ii) comply with applicable law or regulation or any loan agreement, security agreement, mortgage, debt instrument or other agreement or obligation to which any Group Member is a party or by which it is bound or its assets are subject; or

(iii) provide funds for distributions under Section 6.4 or Section 6.5 in respect of any one or more of the next four Quarters;

provided , however , that the General Partner may not establish cash reserves pursuant to subclause (iii) above if the effect of such reserves would be that the Partnership is unable to distribute the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all Common Units, plus any Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage on all Common Units, with respect to such Quarter; and, provided further , that disbursements made by a Group Member or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of such Quarter but on or before the date of determination of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter shall be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of determining Available Cash, within such Quarter if the General Partner so determines.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Available Cash” with respect to the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs and any subsequent Quarter shall equal zero.

Board of Directors ” means, with respect to the General Partner, its board of directors or board of managers, if the General Partner is a corporation or limited liability company, or the board of directors or board of managers of the general partner of the General Partner, if the General Partner is a limited partnership, as applicable.

 

4


Book Basis Derivative Items ” means any item of income, deduction, gain or loss that is computed with reference to the Carrying Value of an Adjusted Property ( e.g. , depreciation, depletion, or gain or loss with respect to an Adjusted Property).

Book-Down Event ” means an event that triggers a negative adjustment to the Capital Accounts of the Partners pursuant to Section 5.5(d).

Book-Tax Disparity ” means with respect to any item of Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, as of the date of any determination, the difference between the Carrying Value of such Contributed Property or Adjusted Property and the adjusted basis thereof for U.S. federal income tax purposes as of such date. A Partner’s share of the Partnership’s Book-Tax Disparities in all of its Contributed Property and Adjusted Property will be reflected by the difference between such Partner’s Capital Account balance as maintained pursuant to Section 5.5 and the hypothetical balance of such Partner’s Capital Account computed as if it had been maintained strictly in accordance with U.S. federal income tax accounting principles.

Book-Up Event ” means an event that triggers a positive adjustment to the Capital Accounts of the Partners pursuant to Section 5.5(d).

Business Day ” means Monday through Friday of each week, except that a legal holiday recognized as such by the government of the United States of America or the State of New York shall not be regarded as a Business Day.

Capital Account ” means the capital account maintained for a Partner pursuant to Section 5.5. The “Capital Account” of a Partner in respect of any Partnership Interest shall be the amount that such Capital Account would be if such Partnership Interest were the only interest in the Partnership held by such Partner from and after the date on which such Partnership Interest was first issued.

Capital Contribution ” means (a) any cash, cash equivalents or the Net Agreed Value of Contributed Property that a Partner contributes to the Partnership or that is contributed or deemed contributed to the Partnership on behalf of a Partner (including, in the case of an underwritten offering of Units, the amount of any underwriting discounts or commissions) or (b) current distributions that a Partner is entitled to receive but otherwise waives.

Capital Improvement ” means (a) the construction or development of new capital assets by a Group Member, (b) the replacement, acquisition, improvement or expansion of existing capital assets by a Group Member or (c) a Capital Contribution by a Group Member to a Person that is not a Subsidiary in which a Group Member has, or after such Capital Contribution will have, directly or indirectly, an equity interest, to fund such Group Member’s pro rata share of the cost of the construction or development of new, or the replacement, acquisition, improvement or expansion of existing, capital assets by such Person, in each case if and to the extent such construction, development, replacement, acquisition, improvement or expansion is made to increase over the long-term, the operating capacity or operating income of the Partnership Group, in the case of clauses (a) and (b), or such Person, in the case of clause (c), from the operating capacity or operating income of the Partnership Group or such Person, as the case may be, existing immediately prior to such construction, development, replacement, acquisition, improvement, expansion or Capital Contribution. For purposes of this definition, “long-term” generally refers to a period of not less than twelve months

 

5


Capital Surplus ” means Available Cash distributed by the Partnership in excess of Operating Surplus, as described in Section 6.3(a).

Carrying Value ” means (a) with respect to a Contributed Property or an Adjusted Property, the Agreed Value of such property reduced (but not below zero) by all depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions charged to the Partners’ Capital Accounts in respect of such property, and (b) with respect to any other Partnership property, the adjusted basis of such property for U.S. federal income tax purposes, all as of the time of determination; provided however, that the Carrying Value of any property shall be adjusted from time to time in accordance with Sections 5.5(d)(i) and 5.5(d)(ii) and to reflect changes, additions or other adjustments to the Carrying Value for dispositions and acquisitions of Partnership properties, as deemed appropriate by the General Partner.

Cause ” means a court of competent jurisdiction has entered a final, non-appealable judgment finding the General Partner liable to the Partnership or any Limited Partner for actual fraud or willful misconduct in its capacity as a general partner of the Partnership.

Certificate ” means a certificate in such form (including in global form if permitted by applicable rules and regulations) as may be adopted by the General Partner, issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership of one or more classes of Partnership Interests. The initial form of certificate approved by the General Partner for use with respect to the Common Units is attached as Exhibit A to this Agreement.

Certificate of Limited Partnership ” means the Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Partnership filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as referenced in Section 7.2, as such Certificate of Limited Partnership may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

claim ” (as used in Section 7.12(g)) has the meaning given such term in Section 7.12(g).

Closing Date ” means the first date on which Common Units are sold by the Partnership to the IPO Underwriters pursuant to the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement.

Closing Price ” for any day, means the last sale price on such day, regular way, or in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the last closing bid and ask prices on such day, regular way, in either case as reported on the principal National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed or admitted to trading or, if such Limited Partner Interests of such class are not listed or admitted to trading on any National Securities Exchange, the average of the high bid and low ask prices on such day in the over-the-counter market, as reported by such other system then in use, or, if on any such day such Limited Partner Interests of such class are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and ask prices on such day as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such Limited Partner Interests of such class selected by the General Partner, or if on any such day no market maker is making a market in such Limited Partner Interests of such class, the fair value of such Limited Partner Interests on such day as determined by the General Partner.

 

6


Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time. Any reference herein to a specific section or sections of the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any corresponding provision of any successor law.

Combined Interest ” has the meaning given such term in Section 11.3(a).

Commences Commercial Service ” means the date upon which a Capital Improvement is first put into commercial service by a Group Member following completion of construction, replacement, improvement or expansion and testing, as applicable.

Commission ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Common Unit ” means a Limited Partner Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Common Units in this Agreement. The term “Common Unit” does not refer to a Subordinated Unit prior to its conversion into a Common Unit pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

Common Unit Arrearage ” means, with respect to any Common Unit, whenever issued, and as to any Quarter within the Subordination Period, the excess, if any, of (a) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution with respect to a Common Unit in respect of such Quarter over (b) the sum of all Available Cash distributed with respect to a Common Unit in respect of such Quarter pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(i).

Common Unit Trading Price ” means the current trading price of the Common Units as determined in the reasonable discretion of the General Partner.

Conflicts Committee ” means a committee of the Board of Directors composed of two or more directors, each of whom (a) is not an officer or employee of the General Partner, (b) is not an officer, director or employee of any Affiliate of the General Partner, (c) is not a holder of any ownership interest in the General Partner or its Affiliates or the Partnership Group other than (i) Common Units and (ii) awards that are granted to such director in his capacity as a director under any long-term incentive plan, equity compensation plan or similar plan implemented by the General Partner or the Partnership, and (d) is determined by the Board of Directors of the General Partner to be independent under the independence standards for directors who serve on an audit committee of a board of directors established by the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and by the National Securities Exchange on which the Common Units are listed or admitted to trading (or if no such National Securities Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange).

Construction Debt ” means debt incurred to fund (a) all or a portion of a Capital Improvement, (b) interest payments (including periodic net payments under related interest rate swap agreements) and related fees on other Construction Debt or (c) distributions (including incremental Incentive Distributions) on Construction Equity.

Construction Equity ” means equity issued to fund (a) all or a portion of a Capital Improvement, (b) interest payments (including periodic net payments under related interest rate swap agreements) and related fees on Construction Debt or (c) distributions (including incremental Incentive Distributions) on other Construction Equity. Construction Equity does not include equity issued in the Initial Public Offering.

 

7


Construction Period ” means the period beginning on the date that a Group Member enters into a binding obligation to commence a Capital Improvement and ending on the earlier to occur of the date that such Capital Improvement Commences Commercial Service and the date that the Group Member abandons or disposes of such Capital Improvement.

Contributed Property ” means each property or other asset, in such form as may be permitted by the Delaware Act, but excluding cash, contributed to the Partnership. Once the Carrying Value of a Contributed Property is adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d), such property or other asset shall no longer constitute a Contributed Property, but shall be deemed an Adjusted Property.

Contribution Agreement ” means that certain Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement, dated as of May 17, 2013, among the Partnership, the General Partner, Tallgrass Development, LP, Tallgrass Development GP, LLC, Tallgrass GP Holdings, LLC, Tallgrass Operations, LLC, Tallgrass Interstate Gas Transmission, LLC, Tallgrass Midstream, LLC and Tallgrass MLP Operations, LLC, together with the additional conveyance documents and instruments contemplated or referenced thereunder, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage ” means, with respect to any Common Unit, whenever issued, and as of the end of any Quarter, the excess, if any, of (a) the sum of the Common Unit Arrearages as to an Initial Common Unit for each of the Quarters within the Subordination Period ending on or before the last day of such Quarter over (b) the sum of any distributions theretofore made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(ii) and the second sentence of Section 6.5 with respect to an Initial Common Unit (including any distributions to be made in respect of the last of such Quarters).

Curative Allocation ” means any allocation of an item of income, gain, deduction, loss or credit pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1(d)(xi).

Current Market Price ” as of any date in respect of any class of Limited Partner Interests, means the average of the daily Closing Prices per Limited Partner Interest of such class for the 20 consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date.

Deferred Issuance and Distribution ” means both (a) the issuance by the Partnership of a number of additional Common Units that is equal to the excess, if any, of (x) 1,957,500, over (y) the aggregate number, if any, of Common Units actually purchased by and issued to the IPO Underwriters pursuant to the Over-Allotment Option on the Option Closing Date(s), and (b) distribution(s) of cash to Tallgrass Operations, LLC, pursuant to the Contribution Agreement, in an amount equal to the total amount of cash contributed by the IPO Underwriters to the Partnership on or in connection with any Option Closing Date with respect to Common Units issued by the Partnership upon the applicable exercise of the Over-Allotment Option in accordance with Section 5.3(b), if any.

 

8


Delaware Act ” means the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, 6 Del C. Section 17-101, et seq., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.

Departing General Partner ” means a former general partner from and after the effective date of any withdrawal or removal of such former general partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2.

Derivative Partnership Interests ” means any options, rights, warrants, appreciation rights, tracking, profit and phantom interests and other derivative securities relating to, convertible into or exchangeable for Partnership Interests.

Disposed of Adjusted Property ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(d)(xii)(B).

Economic Risk of Loss ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-2(a).

Eligibility Certificate ” means a certificate the General Partner may request a Limited Partner to execute as to such Limited Partner’s (or such Limited Partner’s beneficial owners’) federal income tax status or nationality, citizenship or other related status for the purpose of determining whether such Limited Partner is an Ineligible Holder.

Eligible Taxable Holder ” means (a) a Limited Partner subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by the Partnership or (b) an entity not subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by the Partnership, so long as all of the entity’s owners are subject to such taxation.

Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.9.

Event of Withdrawal ” has the meaning given such term in Section 11.1(a).

Excess Additional Book Basis ” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Additional Book Basis Derivative Items.”

Excess Distribution ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A).

Excess Distribution Unit ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A).

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.

Expansion Capital Expenditures ” means cash expenditures for Acquisitions or Capital Improvements. Expansion Capital Expenditures shall include interest (including periodic net payments under related interest rate swap agreements) and related fees paid during the Construction Period on Construction Debt. Where cash expenditures are made in part for Expansion Capital Expenditures and in part for other purposes, the General Partner shall determine the allocation between the amounts paid for each.

 

9


FERC ” means the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or any successor to the powers thereof.

Final Subordinated Units ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(d)(x)(A).

First Liquidation Target Amount ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(c)(i)(D).

First Target Distribution ” means $0.3048 per Unit per Quarter (or, with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on June 30, 2013, it means the product of $0.3048 multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is the number of days in such period and of which the denominator is 91), subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 5.11, Section 6.6 and Section 6.9.

Fully Diluted Weighted Average Basis ” means, when calculating the number of Outstanding Units for any period, a basis that includes (a) the weighted average number of Outstanding Units during such period plus (b) all Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests (i) that are convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Units or for which Units are issuable, in each case that are senior to or pari passu with the Subordinated Units, (ii) whose conversion, exercise or exchange price, if any, is less than the Current Market Price on the date of such calculation, (iii) that may be converted into or exercised or exchanged for such Units prior to or during the Quarter immediately following the end of the period for which the calculation is being made without the satisfaction of any contingency beyond the control of the holder other than the payment of consideration and the compliance with administrative mechanics applicable to such conversion, exercise or exchange and (iv) that were not converted into or exercised or exchanged for such Units during the period for which the calculation is being made; provided, however , that for purposes of determining the number of Outstanding Units on a Fully Diluted Weighted Average Basis when calculating whether the Subordination Period has ended or Subordinated Units are entitled to convert into Common Units pursuant to Section 5.7, such Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests shall be deemed to have been Outstanding Units only for the four Quarters that comprise the last four Quarters of the measurement period; provided, further , that if consideration will be paid to any Group Member in connection with such conversion, exercise or exchange, the number of Units to be included in such calculation shall be that number equal to the difference between (x) the number of Units issuable upon such conversion, exercise or exchange and (y) the number of Units that such consideration would purchase at the Current Market Price.

General Partner ” means Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and its successors and permitted assigns that are admitted to the Partnership as general partner of the Partnership, in their capacity as general partner of the Partnership (except as the context otherwise requires).

General Partner Interest ” means the ownership interest of the General Partner in the Partnership (in its capacity as a general partner without reference to any Limited Partner Interest

 

10


held by it), which is evidenced by General Partner Units, and includes any and all benefits to which the General Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of the General Partner to comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement.

General Partner Unit ” means a fractional part of the General Partner Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to the General Partner Interest. A General Partner Unit is not a Unit.

Governmental Authority ” or “ Governmental ” means any federal, state, local or foreign court or governmental or regulatory agency or authority or any arbitration board, tribunal or mediator having jurisdiction over the Partnership or its assets or Partners.

Gross Liability Value ” means, with respect to any Liability of the Partnership described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-7(b)(3)(i), the amount of cash that a willing assignor would pay to a willing assignee to assume such Liability in an arm’s-length transaction.

Group ” means two or more Persons that with or through any of their respective Affiliates or Associates have any contract, arrangement, understanding or relationship for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to 10 or more Persons), exercising investment power over or disposing of any Partnership Interests with any other Person that beneficially owns, or whose Affiliates or Associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, Partnership Interests.

Group Member ” means a member of the Partnership Group.

Group Member Agreement ” means the partnership agreement of any Group Member, other than the Partnership, that is a limited or general partnership, the limited liability company agreement of any Group Member that is a limited liability company, the certificate of incorporation and bylaws or similar organizational documents of any Group Member that is a corporation, the joint venture agreement or similar governing document of any Group Member that is a joint venture and the governing or organizational or similar documents of any other Group Member that is a Person other than a limited or general partnership, limited liability company, corporation or joint venture, as such may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Hedge Contract ” means any exchange, swap, forward, cap, floor, collar, option or other similar agreement or arrangement entered into for the purpose of reducing the exposure of a Group Member to fluctuations in interest rates, the price of hydrocarbons, basis differentials or currency exchange rates in their operations or financing activities and not for speculative purposes.

Holder ” means any of the following:

(a) the General Partner who is the Record Holder of Registrable Securities;

 

11


(b) any Affiliate of the General Partner who is the Record Holder of Registrable Securities (other than natural persons who are Affiliates of the General Partner by virtue of being officers, directors or employees of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates);

(c) any Person who has been the General Partner within the prior two years and who is the Record Holder of Registrable Securities;

(d) any Person who has been an Affiliate of the General Partner within the prior two years and who is the Record Holder of Registrable Securities (other than natural persons who were Affiliates of the General Partner by virtue of being officers, directors or employees of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates); and

(e) a transferee and current Record Holder of Registrable Securities to whom the transferor of such Registrable Securities, who was a Holder at the time of such transfer, assigns its rights and obligations under this Agreement; provided , such transferee agrees in writing to comply with all applicable requirements and obligations in connection with the registration and disposition of such Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 7.12.

IDR Reset Common Units ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.11(a).

IDR Reset Election ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.11(a).

Incentive Distribution Right ” means a Limited Partner Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Incentive Distribution Rights in this Agreement.

Incentive Distributions ” means any amount of cash distributed to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights pursuant to Section 6.4 or Section 6.5.

Incremental Income Taxes ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.9.

Indemnified Persons ” has the meaning given such term in Section 7.12(g)(i).

Indemnitee ” means (a) the General Partner, (b) any Departing General Partner, (c) any Person who is or was an Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (d) any Person who is or was a manager, managing member, general partner, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee of (i) any Group Member, the General Partner or any Departing General Partner or (ii) any Affiliate of any Group Member, the General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (e) any Person who is or was serving at the request of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner as a manager, managing member, general partner, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee of another Person owing a fiduciary duty to any Group Member; provided , that a Person shall not be an Indemnitee by reason of providing, on a fee-for-services basis, trustee, fiduciary or custodial services, and (f) any Person the General Partner designates as an “Indemnitee” for purposes of this Agreement because such Person’s status, service or relationship exposes such Person to potential claims, demands, suits or proceedings relating to the Partnership Group’s business and affairs.

 

12


Ineligible Holder ” means a Limited Partner who is not an Eligible Taxable Holder or whose nationality, citizenship or other related status the General Partner determines, upon receipt of an Eligibility Certificate or other requested information, has created or would create under any federal, state or local law or regulation to which a Group Member is subject, a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property in which a Group Member has an interest.

Initial Common Units ” means the Common Units sold in the Initial Public Offering.

Initial Limited Partners ” means the Organizational Limited Partner, Tallgrass Operations (with respect to the Common Units and Subordinated Units received by it pursuant to Section 5.2(a)), the General Partner (with respect to the Incentive Distribution Rights received by it pursuant to Section 5.2) and the IPO Underwriters upon the issuance by the Partnership of Common Units as described in Section 5.3(a) in connection with the Initial Public Offering.

Initial Public Offering ” means the initial offering and sale of Common Units to the public (including the offer and sale of Common Units pursuant to the Over-Allotment Option), as described in the IPO Registration Statement.

Initial Unit Price ” means (a) with respect to the Common Units and the Subordinated Units, the initial public offering price per Common Unit at which the Common Units were first offered to the public for sale as set forth on the cover page of the IPO Prospectus or (b) with respect to any other class or series of Units, the price per Unit at which such class or series of Units is initially sold by the Partnership as determined by the General Partner, in each case adjusted as the General Partner determines to be appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or combination of Units.

Interim Capital Transactions ” means the following transactions if they occur prior to the Liquidation Date: (a) borrowings, refinancings or refundings of indebtedness (other than Working Capital Borrowings and items purchased on open account or for a deferred purchase price in the ordinary course of business) by any Group Member and sales of debt securities of any Group Member; (b) sales of equity interests of any Group Member (including the Common Units sold to the IPO Underwriters in the Initial Public Offering) to anyone other than the Partnership Group; (c) sales or other voluntary or involuntary dispositions of any assets of any Group Member (other than (i) sales or other dispositions of inventory, accounts receivable and other assets in the ordinary course of business, and (ii) sales or other dispositions of assets as part of normal retirements or replacements); and (d) Capital Contributions.

Investment Capital Expenditures ” means capital expenditures that are neither Maintenance Capital Expenditures nor Expansion Capital Expenditures.

IPO Prospectus ” means the final prospectus relating to the Initial Public Offering dated May 13, 2013 and filed by the Partnership with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act on May 14, 2013.

IPO Registration Statement ” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-187595) as it has been or as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, filed by the Partnership with the Commission under the Securities Act to register the offering and sale of the Common Units in the Initial Public Offering.

 

13


IPO Underwriter ” means each Person named as an underwriter in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement who purchases Common Units pursuant thereto.

Liability ” means any liability or obligation of any nature, whether accrued, contingent or otherwise.

Limited Partner ” means, unless the context otherwise requires, each Initial Limited Partner, each additional Person that becomes a Limited Partner pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and any Departing General Partner upon the change of its status from General Partner to Limited Partner pursuant to Section 11.3, in each case, in such Person’s capacity as a limited partner of the Partnership.

Limited Partner Interest ” means an interest of a Limited Partner in the Partnership, which may be evidenced by Common Units, Subordinated Units, Incentive Distribution Rights or other Partnership Interests (other than a General Partner Interest) or a combination thereof (but excluding Derivative Partnership Interests), and includes any and all benefits to which such Limited Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of such Limited Partner pursuant to the terms and provisions of this Agreement.

Liquidation Date ” means (a) in the case of an event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership of the type described in clauses (a) and (b) of the first sentence of Section 12.2, the date on which the applicable time period during which the holders of Outstanding Units have the right to elect to continue the business of the Partnership has expired without such an election being made, and (b) in the case of any other event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership, the date on which such event occurs.

Liquidator ” means one or more Persons selected by the General Partner to perform the functions described in Section 12.4 as liquidating trustee of the Partnership within the meaning of the Delaware Act.

Maintenance Capital Expenditure ” means cash expenditures (including expenditures for the construction or development of new capital assets or the replacement, improvement or expansion of existing capital assets) by a Group Member made to maintain, over the long-term, the operating capacity or operating income of the Partnership Group. For purposes of this definition, “long-term” generally refers to a period of not less than twelve months.

Merger Agreement ” has the meaning given such term in Section 14.1.

Minimum Quarterly Distribution ” means $0.2875 per Unit per Quarter (or with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on June 30, 2013, it means the product of $0.2875 multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is the number of days in such period and of which the denominator is 91), subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 5.11, Section 6.6 and Section 6.9.

National Securities Exchange ” means an exchange registered with the Commission under Section 6(a) of the Exchange Act (or any successor to such Section).

 

14


Net Agreed Value ” means, (a) in the case of any Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of such property or other consideration reduced by any Liabilities either assumed by the Partnership upon such contribution or to which such property or other consideration is subject when contributed and (b) in the case of any property distributed to a Partner by the Partnership, the Partnership’s Carrying Value of such property (as adjusted pursuant to Section 5.5(d)(ii)) at the time such property is distributed, reduced by any Liabilities either assumed by such Partner upon such distribution or to which such property is subject at the time of distribution in either case as determined and required by the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code.

Net Income ” means, for any taxable period, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of income and gain (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period over the Partnership’s items of loss and deduction (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period. The items included in the calculation of Net Income shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and shall not include any items specially allocated under Section 6.1(d); provided , that the determination of the items that have been specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) shall be made without regard to any reversal of such items under Section 6.1(d)(xii).

Net Loss ” means, for any taxable period, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of loss and deduction (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period over the Partnership’s items of income and gain (other than those items taken into account in the computation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period. The items included in the calculation of Net Loss shall be determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and shall not include any items specially allocated under Section 6.1(d); provided , that the determination of the items that have been specially allocated under Section 6.1(d) shall be made without regard to any reversal of such items under Section 6.1(d)(xii).

Net Positive Adjustments ” means, with respect to any Partner, the excess, if any, of the total positive adjustments over the total negative adjustments made to the Capital Account of such Partner pursuant to Book-Up Events and Book-Down Events.

Net Termination Gain ” means, for any taxable period, the sum, if positive, of all items of income, gain, loss or deduction (determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b)) that are (a) recognized by the Partnership (i) after the Liquidation Date or (ii) upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions (excluding any disposition to a member of the Partnership Group), or (b) deemed recognized by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.5(d); provided, however , the items included in the determination of Net Termination Gain shall not include any items of income, gain or loss specially allocated under Section 6.1(d).

Net Termination Loss ” means, for any taxable period, the sum, if negative, of all items of income, gain, loss or deduction (determined in accordance with Section 5.5(b)) that are (a) recognized by the Partnership (i) after the Liquidation Date or (ii) upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a

 

15


whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions (excluding any disposition to a member of the Partnership Group), or (b) deemed recognized by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.5(d); provided, however , items included in the determination of Net Termination Loss shall not include any items of income, gain or loss specially allocated under Section 6.1(d).

Nonrecourse Built-in Gain ” means with respect to any Contributed Properties or Adjusted Properties that are subject to a mortgage or pledge securing a Nonrecourse Liability, the amount of any taxable gain that would be allocated to the Partners pursuant to Section 6.2(b) if such properties were disposed of in a taxable transaction in full satisfaction of such liabilities and for no other consideration.

Nonrecourse Deductions ” means any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditure (including any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code) that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b), are attributable to a Nonrecourse Liability.

Nonrecourse Liability ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-1(a)(2).

Notice ” means a written request from a Holder pursuant to Section 7.12 which shall (i) specify the Registrable Securities intended to be registered, offered and sold by such Holder, (ii) describe the nature or method of the proposed offer and sale of Registrable Securities, and (iii) contain the undertaking of such Holder to provide all such information and materials and take all action as may be required or appropriate in order to permit the Partnership to comply with all applicable requirements and obligations in connection with the registration and disposition of such Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 7.12.

Notice of Election to Purchase ” has the meaning given such term in Section 15.1(b).

Omnibus Agreement ” means that certain Omnibus Agreement, dated as of May 17, 2013, among Tallgrass Development, LP, the Partnership, the General Partner and Tallgrass Development GP, LLC as such agreement may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Operating Expenditures ” means all Partnership Group cash expenditures (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of expenditures in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned), including taxes, compensation of employees and directors of the General Partner and its Affiliates, reimbursement of expenses of the General Partner and its Affiliates, debt service payments, Maintenance Capital Expenditures, repayment of Working Capital Borrowings, payments made in the ordinary course of business under any Hedge Contracts, subject to the following:

(a) repayments of Working Capital Borrowings deducted from Operating Surplus pursuant to clause (b)(iii) of the definition of Operating Surplus shall not constitute Operating Expenditures when actually repaid;

 

16


(b) payments (including prepayments and prepayment penalties) of principal of and premium on indebtedness other than Working Capital Borrowings shall not constitute Operating Expenditures;

(c) Operating Expenditures shall not include (i) Expansion Capital Expenditures or Investment Capital Expenditures, (ii) payment of transaction expenses (including taxes) relating to Interim Capital Transactions, (iii) distributions to Partners, (iv) repurchases of Partnership Interests, other than repurchases of Partnership Interests by the Partnership to satisfy obligations under employee benefit plans or reimbursement of expenses of the General Partner for purchases of Partnership Interests by the General Partner to satisfy obligations under employee benefit plans, or (v) any other expenditures or payments using the proceeds of the Initial Public Offering as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the IPO Registration Statement; and

(d) (i) amounts paid in connection with the initial purchase of a Hedge Contract shall be amortized over the life of such Hedge Contract and (ii) payments made in connection with the termination of any Hedge Contract prior to the expiration of its scheduled settlement or termination date shall be included in equal quarterly installments over the remaining scheduled life of such Hedge Contract.

Operating Surplus ” means, with respect to any period ending prior to the Liquidation Date, on a cumulative basis and without duplication,

(a) the sum of (i) $40 million, (ii) all cash receipts of the Partnership Group (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash receipts in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) for the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the last day of such period, but excluding cash receipts from Interim Capital Transactions and the termination of Hedge Contracts (provided that cash receipts from the termination of a Hedge Contract prior to its scheduled settlement or termination date shall be included in Operating Surplus in equal quarterly installments over the remaining scheduled life of such Hedge Contract had it not been terminated), (iii) all cash receipts of the Partnership Group (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash receipts in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) after the end of such period but on or before the date of distribution of Available Cash with respect to such period resulting from Working Capital Borrowings and (iv) the amount of cash distributions paid during a Construction Period (including incremental Incentive Distributions) on Construction Equity, less

(b) the sum of (i) Operating Expenditures for the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the last day of such period, (ii) the amount of cash reserves (or the Partnership’s proportionate share of cash reserves in the case of Subsidiaries that are not wholly owned) established by the General Partner to provide funds for future Operating Expenditures, (iii) all Working Capital Borrowings not repaid within twelve months after having been incurred, or repaid within such 12-month period with the proceeds of additional Working Capital Borrowings, and (iv) any cash loss realized on disposition of an Investment Capital Expenditure;

provided, however, that disbursements made (including contributions to a Group Member or disbursements on behalf of a Group Member) or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of such period but on or before the date of determination of Available Cash with respect to such period shall be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of determining Operating Surplus, within such period if the General Partner so determines.

 

17


Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Operating Surplus” with respect to the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs and any subsequent Quarter shall equal zero. Cash receipts from an Investment Capital Expenditure shall be treated as cash receipts only to the extent they are a return on principal, but return of principal shall not be treated as cash receipts.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel (who may be regular counsel to, or the general counsel or other inside counsel of, the Partnership or the General Partner or any of its Affiliates) reasonably acceptable to the General Partner or to such other Person selecting such counsel or obtaining such opinion.

Option Closing Date ” means the date or dates on which any Common Units are sold by the Partnership to the IPO Underwriters upon exercise of the Over-Allotment Option.

Organizational Limited Partner ” means Tallgrass Operations in its capacity as the organizational limited partner of the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement.

Outstanding ” means, with respect to Partnership Interests, all Partnership Interests that are issued by the Partnership and reflected as outstanding in the Register as of the date of determination; provided, however, that if at any time any Person or Group (other than the General Partner or its Affiliates) beneficially owns 20% or more of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of any class then Outstanding, none of the Partnership Interests owned by such Person or Group shall be entitled to be voted on any matter and shall not be considered to be Outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of Limited Partners to vote on any matter (unless otherwise required by law), calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes under this Agreement, except that Partnership Interests so owned shall be considered to be Outstanding for purposes of Section 11.1(b) (such Partnership Interests shall not, however, be treated as a separate class of Partnership Interests for purposes of this Agreement or the Delaware Act); provided, further, that the foregoing limitation shall not apply to (i) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of any class then Outstanding directly from the General Partner or its Affiliates (other than the Partnership), (ii) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of any class then Outstanding directly or indirectly from a Person or Group described in clause (i) provided that, upon or prior to such acquisition, the General Partner shall have notified such Person or Group in writing that such limitation shall not apply, (iii) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of any Partnership Interests issued by the Partnership with the prior approval of the Board of Directors of the General Partner, (iv) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of any Outstanding Partnership Interests of any class then Outstanding directly or indirectly from an Affiliate or Affiliates of such Person or Group and such Affiliate or Affiliates are described in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) above, or (v) any Person or Group who acquired 20% or more of any Outstanding Partnership Interests directly or indirectly from any Person or Group described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) above prior to the Initial Public Offering and in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.8.

 

18


Over-Allotment Option ” means the over-allotment option to purchase additional Common Units granted to the IPO Underwriters by the Partnership pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.

Partner Nonrecourse Debt ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(b)(4).

Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain ” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(2).

Partner Nonrecourse Deductions ” means any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditure (including any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code) that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i), are attributable to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt.

Partners ” means the General Partner and the Limited Partners.

Partnership ” means Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership.

Partnership Group ” means, collectively, the Partnership and its Subsidiaries.

Partnership Interest ” means any class or series of equity interest in the Partnership, which shall include any Limited Partner Interests and the General Partner Interest but shall exclude any Derivative Partnership Interests.

Partnership Minimum Gain ” means that amount determined in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(b)(2) and 1.704-2(d).

Percentage Interest ” means as of any date of determination (a) as to the General Partner with respect to the General Partner Units, and as to any Unitholder with respect to Units, as the case may be, the product obtained by multiplying (i) 100% less the percentage applicable to clause (b) below by (ii) the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the number of General Partner Units held by the General Partner or the number of Units held by such Unitholder, as the case may be, by (B) the total number of Outstanding Units and General Partner Units, and (b) as to the holders of other Partnership Interests issued by the Partnership in accordance with Section 5.6, the percentage established as a part of such issuance. The Percentage Interest with respect to an Incentive Distribution Right shall at all times be zero.

Person ” means an individual or a corporation, firm, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, estate, unincorporated organization, association, Governmental Authority or political subdivision thereof or other entity.

Per Unit Capital Amount ” means, as of any date of determination, the Capital Account, stated on a per Unit basis, underlying any Unit held by a Person other than the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner who holds Units.

Plan of Conversion ” has the meaning given such term in Section 14.1.

 

19


Pro Rata ” means (a) when used with respect to Units or any class thereof, apportioned among all designated Units in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, (b) when used with respect to Partners or Record Holders, apportioned among all Partners or Record Holders in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, (c) when used with respect to holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, apportioned among all holders of Incentive Distribution Rights in accordance with the relative number or percentage of Incentive Distribution Rights held by each such holder, and (d) when used with respect to Holders who have requested to include Registrable Securities in a Registration Statement pursuant to Section 7.12(a) or 7.12(b), apportioned among all such Holders in accordance with the relative number of Registrable Securities held by each such holder and included in the Notice relating to such request.

Purchase Date ” means the date determined by the General Partner as the date for purchase of all Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of a certain class (other than Limited Partner Interests owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) pursuant to Article XV.

Quarter ” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a fiscal quarter of the Partnership, or, with respect to the fiscal quarter of the Partnership which includes the Closing Date, the portion of such fiscal quarter after the Closing Date.

Recapture Income ” means any gain recognized by the Partnership (computed without regard to any adjustment required by Section 734 or Section 743 of the Code) upon the disposition of any property or asset of the Partnership, which gain is characterized as ordinary income because it represents the recapture of deductions previously taken with respect to such property or asset.

Record Date ” means the date established by the General Partner or otherwise in accordance with this Agreement for determining (a) the identity of the Record Holders entitled to receive notice of, or entitled to exercise rights in respect of, any lawful action of Limited Partners (including voting) or (b) the identity of Record Holders entitled to receive any report or distribution or to participate in any offer.

Record Holder ” means (a) with respect to any class of Partnership Interests for which a Transfer Agent has been appointed, the Person in whose name a Partnership Interest of such class is registered on the books of the Transfer Agent and the Register as of the Partnership’s close of business on a particular Business Day or (b) with respect to other classes of Partnership Interests, the Person in whose name any such other Partnership Interest is registered in the Register as of the Partnership’s close of business on a particular Business Day.

Redeemable Interests ” means any Partnership Interests for which a redemption notice has been given, and has not been withdrawn, pursuant to Section 4.10.

Register ” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.5(a).

Registrable Security ” means any Partnership Interest other than the General Partner Interest and General Partner Units; provided any Registrable Security shall cease to be a Registrable Security (a) at the time a Registration Statement covering such Registrable Security is declared effective by the Commission or otherwise becomes effective under the Securities Act, and such Registrable Security has been sold or disposed of pursuant to such Registration

 

20


Statement; (b) at the time such Registrable Security has been disposed of pursuant to Rule 144 (or any successor or similar rule or regulation under the Securities Act); (c) when such Registrable Security is held by a Group Member; and (d) at the time such Registrable Security has been sold in a private transaction in which the transferor’s rights under Section 7.12 have not been assigned to the transferee of such securities.

Registration Statement ” has the meaning given such term in Section 7.12(a) of this Agreement.

Remaining Net Positive Adjustments ” means as of the end of any taxable period, (i) with respect to the Unitholders holding Common Units or Subordinated Units, the excess of (a) the Net Positive Adjustments of the Unitholders holding Common Units or Subordinated Units as of the end of such period over (b) the sum of those Partners’ Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for each prior taxable period, (ii) with respect to the General Partner (as holder of the General Partner Units), the excess of (a) the Net Positive Adjustments of the General Partner as of the end of such period over (b) the sum of the General Partner’s Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items with respect to the General Partner Units for each prior taxable period, and (iii) with respect to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, the excess of (a) the Net Positive Adjustments of the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights as of the end of such period over (b) the sum of the Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items of the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights for each prior taxable period.

Required Allocations ” means any allocation of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i), Section 6.1(d)(ii), Section 6.1(d)(iv), Section 6.1(d)(v), Section 6.1(d)(vi), Section 6.1(d)(vii) or Section 6.1(d)(ix).

Reset MQD ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.11(e).

Reset Notice ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.11(b).

Retained Converted Subordinated Units ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5.5(c)(ii).

Second Liquidation Target Amount ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(c)(i)(E).

Second Target Distribution ” means $0.3536 per Unit per Quarter (or, with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on June 30, 2013, it means the product of $0.3536 multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is equal to the number of days in such period and of which the denominator is 91), subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 5.11, Section 6.6 and Section 6.9.

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time and any successor to such statute.

Selling Holder ” means a Holder who is selling Registrable Securities pursuant to the procedures in Section 7.12 of this Agreement.

 

21


Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items ” means in connection with any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items for any taxable period, (i) with respect to the Unitholders holding Common Units or Subordinated Units, the amount that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the Unitholders’ Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the end of such taxable period bears to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of that time, (ii) with respect to the General Partner (as holder of the General Partner Units), the amount that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the General Partner’s Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of the end of such taxable period bears to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustment as of that time, and (iii) with respect to the Partners holding Incentive Distribution Rights, the amount that bears the same ratio to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items as the Remaining Net Positive Adjustments of the Partners holding the Incentive Distribution Rights as of the end of such taxable period bears to the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments as of that time.

Special Approval ” means approval by a majority of the members of the Conflicts Committee acting in good faith.

Subordinated Unit ” means a Limited Partner Interest having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Subordinated Units in this Agreement. The term “Subordinated Unit” does not include a Common Unit. A Subordinated Unit that is convertible into a Common Unit shall not constitute a Common Unit until such conversion occurs.

Subordinated Unit Value ” means the current fair market value of a Subordinated Unit as determined in the reasonable discretion of the General Partner.

Subordination Period ” means the period commencing on the Closing Date and expiring on the first date on which there are no longer outstanding any Subordinated Units due to the conversion of Subordinated Units pursuant to Section 5.7 or otherwise.

Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person, (a) a corporation of which more than 50% of the voting power of shares entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors or other governing body of such corporation is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof, (b) a partnership (whether general or limited) in which such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person is, at the date of determination, a general or limited partner of such partnership, but only if more than 50% of the partnership interests of such partnership (considering all of the partnership interests of the partnership as a single class) is owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof; or (c) any other Person (other than a corporation or a partnership) in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, has (i) at least a majority ownership interest or (ii) the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of the directors or other governing body of such Person.

Surviving Business Entity ” has the meaning given such term in Section 14.2(b)(ii).

 

22


Tallgrass Operations ” means Tallgrass Operations, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

Target Distributions ” means, collectively, the First Target Distribution, Second Target Distribution and Third Target Distribution.

Third Target Distribution ” means $0.4313 per Unit per Quarter (or, with respect to the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on June 30, 2013, it means the product of $0.4313 multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is equal to the number of days in such period and of which the denominator is 91), subject to adjustment in accordance with Sections 5.10, 6.6 and 6.9.

Trading Day ” means a day on which the principal National Securities Exchange on which the referenced Partnership Interests of any class are listed or admitted for trading is open for the transaction of business or, if such Partnership Interests are not listed or admitted for trading on any National Securities Exchange, a day on which banking institutions in New York City are not legally required to be closed.

Transaction Documents ” has the meaning given such term in Section 7.1(b).

transfer ” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.4(a).

Transfer Agent ” means such bank, trust company or other Person (including the General Partner or one of its Affiliates) as may be appointed from time to time by the General Partner to act as registrar and transfer agent for any class of Partnership Interests in accordance with the Exchange Act and the rules of the National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed (if any); provided that, if no such Person is appointed as registrar and transfer agent for any class of Partnership Interests, the General Partner shall act as registrar and transfer agent for such class of Partnership Interests.

Treasury Regulations ” means the United States Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Code.

Underwriting Agreement ” means that certain Underwriting Agreement dated as of May 13, 2013 among the IPO Underwriters, the Partnership, the General Partner and Tallgrass Development, LP providing for the purchase of Common Units by the IPO Underwriters.

Underwritten Offering ” means (a) an offering pursuant to a Registration Statement in which Partnership Interests are sold to an underwriter on a firm commitment basis for reoffering to the public (other than the Initial Public Offering), (b) an offering of Partnership Interests pursuant to a Registration Statement that is a “bought deal” with one or more investment banks, and (c) an “at-the-market” offering pursuant to a Registration Statement in which Partnership Interests are sold to the public through one or more investment banks or managers on a best efforts basis.

Unit ” means a Partnership Interest that is designated by the General Partner as a “Unit” and shall include Common Units and Subordinated Units but shall not include (a) General Partner Units (or the General Partner Interest represented thereby) or (b) Incentive Distribution Rights.

 

23


Unitholders ” means the Record Holders of Units.

Unit Majority ” means (a) during the Subordination Period, at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates), voting as a class, and at least a majority of the Outstanding Subordinated Units, voting as a class, and (b) after the end of the Subordination Period, at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units.

Unpaid MQD ” has the meaning given such term in Section 6.1(c)(i)(B).

Unrealized Gain ” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.5(d)) over (b) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.5(d) as of such date).

Unrealized Loss ” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date (prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 5.5(d) as of such date) over (b) the fair market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 5.5(d)).

Unrecovered Initial Unit Price ” means at any time, with respect to a Unit, (a) the Initial Unit Price less (b) the sum of all distributions constituting Capital Surplus theretofore made in respect of an Initial Common Unit and any distributions of cash (or the Net Agreed Value of any distributions in kind) in connection with the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership theretofore made in respect of an Initial Common Unit, adjusted as the General Partner determines to be appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or combination of such Units.

Unrestricted Person ” means (a) each Indemnitee, (b) each Partner, (c) each Person who is or was a member, partner, director, officer, employee or agent of any Group Member, a General Partner or any Departing General Partner or any Affiliate of any Group Member, a General Partner or any Departing General Partner and (d) any Person the General Partner designates as an “Unrestricted Person” for purposes of this Agreement from time to time.

U.S. GAAP ” means United States generally accepted accounting principles, as in effect from time to time, consistently applied.

Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel ” has the meaning given such term in Section 11.1(b).

Working Capital Borrowings ” means borrowings incurred pursuant to a credit facility, commercial paper facility or similar financing arrangement that are used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to the Partners; provided that when such borrowings are incurred it is the intent of the borrower to repay such borrowings within 12 months from the date of such borrowings other than from additional Working Capital Borrowings.

 

24


Section 1.2 Construction . Unless the context requires otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa; (b) references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement; (c) the terms “include”, “includes”, “including” and words of like import shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; and (d) the terms “hereof”, “herein” and “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only, and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. The General Partner has the power to construe and interpret this Agreement and to act upon any such construction or interpretation. Any construction or interpretation of this Agreement and any action taken pursuant thereto and any determination, in each case, made by the General Partner in good faith shall, in each such case, be conclusive and binding on all Record Holders and all other Persons for all purposes.

ARTICLE II

ORGANIZATION

Section 2.1 Formation . The General Partner and the Organizational Limited Partner have previously formed the Partnership as a limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act and hereby amend and restate the original Agreement of Limited Partnership of Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP in its entirety. This amendment and restatement shall become effective on the date of this Agreement. Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement, the rights, duties, liabilities and obligations of the Partners and the administration, dissolution and termination of the Partnership shall be governed by the Delaware Act. All Partnership Interests shall constitute personal property of the record owner thereof for all purposes.

Section 2.2 Name . The name of the Partnership shall be “Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP” Subject to applicable law, the Partnership’s business may be conducted under any other name or names as determined by the General Partner, including the name of the General Partner. The words “Limited Partnership,” the letters “LP,” or “Ltd.” or similar words or letters shall be included in the Partnership’s name where necessary for the purpose of complying with the laws of any jurisdiction that so requires. The General Partner may change the name of the Partnership at any time and from time to time and shall notify the Limited Partners of such change in the next regular communication to the Limited Partners.

Section 2.3 Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices . Unless and until changed by the General Partner, the registered office of the Partnership in the State of Delaware shall be located at 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19801, and the registered agent for service of process on the Partnership in the State of Delaware at such registered office shall be The Corporation Trust Company. The principal office of the Partnership shall be located at 6640 West 143rd Street, Suite 200, Overland Park, KS 66223, or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited Partners. The Partnership may maintain offices at such other place or places within or outside the State of Delaware as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate. The address of the General Partner shall be 6640 West 143rd Street, Suite 200, Overland Park, KS 66223, or such other place as the General Partner may from time to time designate by notice to the Limited Partners.

 

25


Section 2.4 Purpose and Business . The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the Partnership shall be to (a) engage directly in, or enter into or form, hold and dispose of any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other arrangement to engage indirectly in, any business activity that is approved by the General Partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant to the Delaware Act and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers conferred upon the Partnership pursuant to the agreements relating to such business activity, and (b) do anything necessary or appropriate to the foregoing, including the making of capital contributions or loans to a Group Member; provided , however , that the General Partner shall not cause the Partnership to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that the General Partner determines would be reasonably likely to cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to propose or approve the conduct by the Partnership of any business, and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner and, in declining to so propose or approve, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity and the General Partner in determining whether to propose or approve the conduct by the Partnership of any business shall be permitted to do so in its sole and absolute discretion.

Section 2.5 Powers . The Partnership shall be empowered to do any and all acts and things necessary, appropriate, proper, advisable, incidental to or convenient for the furtherance and accomplishment of the purposes and business described in Section 2.4 and for the protection and benefit of the Partnership.

Section 2.6 Term . The term of the Partnership commenced upon the filing of the Certificate of Limited Partnership in accordance with the Delaware Act and shall continue in existence until the dissolution of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of Article XII. The existence of the Partnership as a separate legal entity shall continue until the cancellation of the Certificate of Limited Partnership as provided in the Delaware Act.

Section 2.7 Title to Partnership Assets . Title to the assets of the Partnership, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Partnership as an entity, and no Partner, individually or collectively, shall have any ownership interest in such assets of the Partnership or any portion thereof. Title to any or all of the assets of the Partnership may be held in the name of the Partnership, the General Partner, one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees of the General Partner or its Affiliates as the General Partner may determine. The General Partner hereby declares and warrants that any of the assets of the Partnership for which record title is held in the name of the General Partner or one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees of the General Partner or its Affiliates shall be held by the General Partner or such Affiliate or nominee for the use and benefit of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; provided , however , that the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to cause record title to such assets (other than those assets in respect

 

26


of which the General Partner determines that the expense and difficulty of conveyancing makes transfer of record title to the Partnership impracticable) to be vested in the Partnership or one or more of the Partnership’s designated Affiliates as soon as reasonably practicable; provided , further , that, prior to the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner or as soon thereafter as practicable, the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to effect the transfer of record title to the Partnership and, prior to any such transfer, will provide for the use of such assets in a manner satisfactory to any successor General Partner. All of the assets of the Partnership shall be recorded as the property of the Partnership in its books and records, irrespective of the name in which record title to such assets of the Partnership is held.

ARTICLE III

RIGHTS OF LIMITED PARTNERS

Section 3.1 Limitation of Liability . The Limited Partners shall have no liability under this Agreement except as expressly provided in this Agreement or the Delaware Act.

Section 3.2 Management of Business . No Limited Partner, in its capacity as such, shall participate in the operation, management or control (within the meaning of the Delaware Act) of the Partnership’s business, transact any business in the Partnership’s name or have the power to sign documents for or otherwise bind the Partnership. No action taken by any Affiliate of the General Partner or any officer, director, employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, or any officer, director, employee, manager, member, general partner, agent or trustee of a Group Member, in its capacity as such, shall be deemed to be participating in the control of the business of the Partnership by a limited partner of the Partnership (within the meaning of Section 17-303(a) of the Delaware Act) nor shall any such action affect, impair or eliminate the limitations on the liability of the Limited Partners under this Agreement.

Section 3.3 Outside Activities of the Limited Partners . Subject to the provisions of Section 7.5, which shall continue to be applicable to the Persons referred to therein, regardless of whether such Persons shall also be Limited Partners, each Limited Partner shall be entitled to and may have business interests and engage in business activities in addition to those relating to the Partnership, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the Partnership Group. Neither the Partnership nor any of the other Partners shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement in any business ventures of any Limited Partner.

Section 3.4 Rights of Limited Partners .

(a) Each Limited Partner shall have the right, for a purpose reasonably related to such Limited Partner’s interest as a Limited Partner in the Partnership, upon reasonable written demand stating the purpose of such demand, and at such Limited Partner’s own expense, to obtain:

(i) from the General Partner either (A) the Partnership’s most recent filings with the Commission on Form 10-K and any subsequent filings on Form 10-Q or 8-K or (B) if the Partnership is no longer subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the information specified in, and meeting the requirements of, Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities

 

27


Act or any successor or similar rule or regulation under the Securities Act; provided that the foregoing materials shall be deemed to be available to a Limited Partner in satisfaction of the requirements of this Section 3.4(a)(i) if posted on or accessible through the Partnership’s or the Commission’s website;

(ii) a current list of the name and last known business, residence or mailing address of each Partner;

(iii) a copy of this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto; and

(iv) such other information regarding the affairs of the Partnership as the General Partner determines in its sole discretion is just and reasonable.

(b) The rights to information granted the Limited Partners pursuant to Section 3.4(a) replace in their entirety any rights to information provided for in Section 17-305(a) of the Delaware Act and each of the Partners and each other Person or Group who acquires an interest in Partnership Interests hereby agrees to the fullest extent permitted by law that they do not have any rights as Partners to receive any information either pursuant to Sections 17-305(a) of the Delaware Act or otherwise except for the information identified in Section 3.4(a).

(c) The General Partner may keep confidential from the Limited Partners for such period of time as the General Partner deems reasonable, (i) any information that the General Partner reasonably believes to be in the nature of trade secrets or (ii) other information the disclosure of which the General Partner in good faith believes (A) is not in the best interests of the Partnership Group, (B) could damage the Partnership Group or its business or (C) that any Group Member is required by law or regulation or by agreement with any third party to keep confidential (other than agreements with Affiliates of the Partnership the primary purpose of which is to circumvent the obligations set forth in this Section 3.4).

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or Section 17-305 of the Delaware Act, each of the Partners, each other Person or Group who acquires an interest in a Partnership Interest and each other Person bound by this Agreement hereby agrees to the fullest extent permitted by law that they do not have rights to receive information from the Partnership or any Indemnitee for the purpose of determining whether to pursue litigation or assist in pending litigation against the Partnership or any Indemnitee relating to the affairs of the Partnership except pursuant to the applicable rules of discovery relating to litigation commenced by such Person or Group.

ARTICLE IV

CERTIFICATES; RECORD HOLDERS; TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS;

REDEMPTION OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

Section 4.1 Certificates . Owners of Partnership Interests and, where appropriate, Derivative Partnership Interests, shall be recorded in the Register and ownership of such interests shall be evidenced by a physical certificate or book entry notation in the Register. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, unless the General Partner shall determine otherwise in respect of some or all of any or all classes of Partnership Interests and

 

28


Derivative Partnership Interests, Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests shall not be evidenced by physical certificates. Certificates, if any, shall be executed on behalf of the Partnership by the Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer or any Vice President and the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, or other authorized officer of the General Partner, and shall bear the legend set forth in Section 4.8(f). The signatures of such officers upon a certificate may be facsimiles. In case any officer who has signed or whose signature has been placed upon such certificate shall have ceased to be such officer before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Partnership with the same effect as if he were such officer at the date of its issuance. If a Transfer Agent has been appointed for a class of Partnership Interests, no Certificate for such class of Partnership Interests shall be valid for any purpose until it has been countersigned by the Transfer Agent; provided , however , that if the General Partner elects to cause the Partnership to issue Partnership Interests of such class in global form, the Certificate shall be valid upon receipt of a certificate from the Transfer Agent certifying that the Partnership Interests have been duly registered in accordance with the directions of the Partnership. Subject to the requirements of Section 6.7(b) and Section 6.7(c), if Common Units are evidenced by Certificates, on or after the date on which Subordinated Units are converted into Common Units pursuant to the terms of Section 5.7, the Record Holders of such Subordinated Units (i) if the Subordinated Units are evidenced by Certificates, may exchange such Certificates for Certificates evidencing the Common Units into which such Record Holder’s Subordinated Units converted, or (ii) if the Subordinated Units are not evidenced by Certificates, shall be issued Certificates evidencing the Common Units into which such Record Holders’ Subordinated Units converted. With respect to any Partnership Interests that are represented by physical certificates, the General Partner may determine that such Partnership Interests will no longer be represented by physical certificates and may, upon written notice to the holders of such Partnership Interests and subject to applicable law, take whatever actions it deems necessary or appropriate to cause such Partnership Interests to be registered in book entry or global form and may cause such physical certificates to be cancelled or deemed cancelled.

Section 4.2 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates .

(a) If any mutilated Certificate is surrendered to the Transfer Agent, the appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver in exchange therefor, a new Certificate evidencing the same number and type of Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests as the Certificate so surrendered.

(b) The appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and deliver, and the Transfer Agent shall countersign, a new Certificate in place of any Certificate previously issued if the Record Holder of the Certificate:

(i) makes proof by affidavit, in form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner, that a previously issued Certificate has been lost, destroyed or stolen;

(ii) requests the issuance of a new Certificate before the General Partner has notice that the Certificate has been acquired by a purchaser for value in good faith and without notice of an adverse claim;

 

29


(iii) if requested by the General Partner, delivers to the General Partner a bond, in form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner, with surety or sureties and with fixed or open penalty as the General Partner may direct to indemnify the Partnership, the Partners, the General Partner and the Transfer Agent against any claim that may be made on account of the alleged loss, destruction or theft of the Certificate; and

(iv) satisfies any other reasonable requirements imposed by the General Partner or the Transfer Agent.

If a Limited Partner fails to notify the General Partner within a reasonable period of time after such Limited Partner has notice of the loss, destruction or theft of a Certificate, and a transfer of the Limited Partner Interests represented by the Certificate is registered before the Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent receives such notification, the Limited Partner shall be precluded from making any claim against the Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent for such transfer or for a new Certificate.

(c) As a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section 4.2, the General Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other Governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) reasonably connected therewith.

Section 4.3 Record Holders . The names and addresses of Unitholders as they appear in the Register shall be the official list of Record Holders of the Partnership Interests for all purposes. The Partnership and the General Partner shall be entitled to recognize the Record Holder as the Partner with respect to any Partnership Interest and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to, or interest in, such Partnership Interest on the part of any other Person or Group, regardless of whether the Partnership or the General Partner shall have actual or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by law or any applicable rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading. Without limiting the foregoing, when a Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing) is acting as nominee, agent or in some other representative capacity for another Person or Group in acquiring and/or holding Partnership Interests, as between the Partnership on the one hand, and such other Person on the other, such representative Person shall be the Limited Partner with respect to such Partnership Interest upon becoming the Record Holder in accordance with Section 10.1(b) and have the rights and obligations of a Partner hereunder as, and to the extent, provided herein, including Section 10.1(c).

Section 4.4 Transfer Generally .

(a) The term “ transfer ,” when used in this Agreement with respect to a Partnership Interest, shall be deemed to refer to a transaction (i) by which the General Partner assigns all or any part of its General Partner Interest to another Person, and includes a sale, assignment, gift, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation, mortgage, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise or (ii) by which the holder of a Limited Partner Interest assigns all or any part of such Limited Partner Interest to another Person who is or becomes a Limited Partner as a result thereof, and includes a sale, assignment, gift, exchange or any other

 

30


disposition by law or otherwise. A “transfer” of a Limited Partner Interest shall exclude a pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage but shall include any transfer upon foreclosure of any pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage.

(b) No Partnership Interest shall be transferred, in whole or in part, except in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Article IV. Any transfer or purported transfer of a Partnership Interest not made in accordance with this Article IV shall be null and void, and the Partnership shall have no obligation to effect or recognize any such transfer or purported transfer.

(c) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent or limit a disposition by any stockholder, member, partner or other owner of any Partner of any or all of the shares of stock, membership interests, partnership interests or other ownership interests in such Partner and the term “transfer” shall not include any such disposition.

Section 4.5 Registration and Transfer of Limited Partner Interests .

(a) The General Partner shall keep, or cause to be kept by the Transfer Agent on behalf of the Partnership, one or more registers in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe and subject to the provisions of Section 4.5(b), the registration and transfer of Partnership Interests, and any Derivative Partnership Interests as applicable, shall be recorded (the “ Register ”).

(b) The General Partner shall not recognize any transfer of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by Certificates until the Certificates evidencing such Limited Partner Interests are surrendered for registration of transfer. No charge shall be imposed by the General Partner for such transfer; provided , that as a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section 4.5, the General Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other Governmental charge that may be imposed with respect thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) reasonably connected therewith. Upon surrender of a Certificate for registration of transfer of any Limited Partner Interests evidenced by a Certificate, and subject to the provisions of this Section 4.5(b), the appropriate officers of the General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute and deliver, and in the case of Certificates evidencing Limited Partner Interests for which a Transfer Agent has been appointed, the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver, in the name of the holder or the designated transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the holder’s instructions, one or more new Certificates evidencing the same aggregate number and type of Limited Partner Interests as was evidenced by the Certificate so surrendered. Upon the proper surrender of a Certificate, such transfer shall be recorded in the Register.

(c) Upon the receipt by the General Partner of proper transfer instructions from the Record Holder of uncertificated Partnership Interests, such transfer shall be recorded in the Register.

(d) Except as provided in Section 4.9, by acceptance of any Limited Partner Interests pursuant to a transfer in accordance with this Article IV, each transferee of a Limited Partner Interest (including any nominee, or agent or representative acquiring such Limited

 

31


Partner Interests for the account of another Person or Group) (i) shall be admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interests so transferred to such Person when any such transfer or admission is reflected in the Register and such Person becomes the Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interests so transferred, (ii) shall become bound, and shall be deemed to have agreed to be bound, by the terms of this Agreement, (iii) shall be deemed to represent that the transferee has the capacity, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and (iv) shall be deemed to make any consents, acknowledgements or waivers contained in this Agreement. The transfer of any Limited Partner Interests and the admission of any new Limited Partner shall not constitute an amendment to this Agreement.

(e) Subject to this Article IV, (i) with respect to any class or series of Limited Partner Interests, the provisions of any statement of designations or an amendment to this Agreement establishing such class or series, (ii) any contractual provisions binding on any Limited Partner and (iii) provisions of applicable law, including the Securities Act, Limited Partner Interests shall be freely transferable.

(f) Subject to the provisions of this Article IV, the General Partner and its Affiliates shall have the right at any time to transfer their Subordinated Units, Common Units (whether issued upon conversion of Subordinated Units or otherwise) and Incentive Distribution Rights to one or more Persons.

Section 4.6 Transfer of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest .

(a) Subject to Section 4.6(b) below, the General Partner may at its option transfer all or any part of its General Partner Interest without Unitholder approval or the approval of the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights.

(b) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no transfer by the General Partner of all or any part of its General Partner Interest to another Person shall be permitted unless (i) the transferee agrees to assume the rights and duties of the General Partner under this Agreement and to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement, (ii) the Partnership receives an Opinion of Counsel that such transfer would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner under the Delaware Act or cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed) and (iii) such transferee also agrees to purchase all (or the appropriate portion thereof, if applicable) of the partnership or membership interest of the General Partner as the general partner or managing member, if any, of each other Group Member. In the case of a transfer pursuant to and in compliance with this Section 4.6, the transferee or successor (as the case may be) shall, subject to compliance with the terms of Section 10.2, be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner effective immediately prior to the transfer of the General Partner Interest, and the business of the Partnership shall continue without dissolution.

Section 4.7 Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights . The General Partner or any other holder of Incentive Distribution Rights may transfer any or all of its Incentive Distribution Rights without Unitholder approval.

 

32


Section 4.8 Restrictions on Transfers .

(a) No Partnership Interest shall be transferred, in whole or in part, except in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 4.8 of this Agreement.

(b) Except as provided in Section 4.8(e), notwithstanding the other provisions of this Article IV, no transfer of any Partnership Interests shall be made if such transfer would (i) violate the then applicable federal or state securities laws or rules and regulations of the Commission, any state securities commission or any other Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over such transfer, (ii) terminate the existence or qualification of the Partnership under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation, or (iii) cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed). The Partnership may issue stop transfer instructions to any Transfer Agent in order to implement any restriction on transfer contemplated by this Agreement.

(c) The General Partner may impose restrictions on the transfer of Partnership Interests if it receives an Opinion of Counsel that such restrictions are necessary to (i) avoid a significant risk of the Partnership becoming taxable as a corporation or otherwise becoming taxable as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed) or (ii) preserve the uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof). The General Partner may impose such restrictions by amending this Agreement; provided , however , that any amendment that would result in the delisting or suspension of trading of any class of Limited Partner Interests on the principal National Securities Exchange on which such class of Limited Partner Interests is then listed or admitted to trading must be approved, prior to such amendment being effected, by the holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Limited Partner Interests of such class.

(d) The transfer of an IDR Reset Common Unit or a Common Unit issued upon conversion of a Subordinated Unit shall be subject to the restrictions imposed by Section 6.7(b) and Section 6.7(c).

(e) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall preclude the settlement of any transactions involving Partnership Interests entered into through the facilities of any National Securities Exchange on which such Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading.

(f) Each certificate or book entry evidencing Partnership Interests shall bear a conspicuous legend in substantially the following form:

THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY ACKNOWLEDGES FOR THE BENEFIT OF TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED IF SUCH TRANSFER (AS DEFINED IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT) WOULD (A) VIOLATE THE THEN APPLICABLE FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY WITH JURISDICTION OVER SUCH

 

33


TRANSFER, (B) TERMINATE THE EXISTENCE OR QUALIFICATION OF TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, OR (C) CAUSE TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP TO BE TREATED AS AN ASSOCIATION TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE TO BE TAXED AS AN ENTITY FOR U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES (TO THE EXTENT NOT ALREADY SO TREATED OR TAXED). THE GENERAL PARTNER OF TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP MAY IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IF IT RECEIVES AN OPINION OF COUNSEL THAT SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE NECESSARY TO AVOID A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP BECOMING TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE BECOMING TAXABLE AS AN ENTITY FOR U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES. THIS SECURITY MAY BE SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON ITS TRANSFER PROVIDED IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT. COPIES OF SUCH AGREEMENT MAY BE OBTAINED AT NO COST BY WRITTEN REQUEST MADE BY THE RECORD HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY TO THE SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL PARTNER AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF THE PARTNERSHIP. THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY IS LISTED OR ADMITTED TO TRADING.

Section 4.9 Eligibility Certificates; Ineligible Holders .

(a) The General Partner may upon demand or on a regular basis require Limited Partners, and transferees of Limited Partner Interests in connection with a transfer, to execute an Eligibility Certificate or provide other information as is necessary for the General Partner to determine if any such Limited Partners or transferees are Ineligible Holders.

(b) If any Limited Partner (or its beneficial owners) falsely certifies its status as an Eligible Taxable Holder or fails to furnish to the General Partner within 30 days of its request an Eligibility Certificate and other information related thereto, or if upon receipt of such Eligibility Certificate or other requested information the General Partner determines that a Limited Partner or a transferee of a Limited Partner is an Ineligible Holder, the Limited Partner Interests owned by such Limited Partner shall be subject to redemption in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.10 or the General Partner may refuse to effect the transfer of the Limited Partner Interests to such transferee. In addition, the General Partner shall be substituted for any Limited Partner that is an Ineligible Holder as the Limited Partner in respect of the Ineligible Holder’s Limited Partner Interests.

(c) The General Partner shall, in exercising voting rights in respect of Limited Partner Interests held by it on behalf of Ineligible Holders, distribute the votes in the same ratios as the votes of Limited Partners (including the General Partner and its Affiliates) in respect of Limited Partner Interests other than those of Ineligible Holders are cast, either for, against or abstaining as to the matter.

 

34


(d) Upon dissolution of the Partnership, an Ineligible Holder shall have no right to receive a distribution in kind pursuant to Section 12.4 but shall be entitled to the cash equivalent thereof, and the Partnership shall provide cash in exchange for an assignment of the Ineligible Holder’s share of any distribution in kind. Such payment and assignment shall be treated for Partnership purposes as a purchase by the Partnership from the Ineligible Holder of its Limited Partner Interest (representing the right to receive its share of such distribution in kind).

(e) At any time after an Ineligible Holder can and does certify that it no longer is an Ineligible Holder, it may, upon application to the General Partner, request that with respect to any Limited Partner Interests of such Ineligible Holder not redeemed pursuant to Section 4.10, such Ineligible Holder upon approval of the General Partner, shall no longer constitute an Ineligible Holder and the General Partner shall cease to be deemed to be the Limited Partner in respect of such Limited Partner Interests.

(f) If at any time a transferee of a Partnership Interest fails to furnish an Eligibility Certificate or any other information requested by the General Partner pursuant to this Section 4.9 within 30 days of such request, or if upon receipt of such Eligibility Certificate or such other information the General Partner determines, with the advice of counsel, that such transferee is an Ineligible Holder, the Partnership may, unless the transferee establishes to the satisfaction of the General Partner that such transferee is not an Ineligible Holder, prohibit and void the transfer, including by placing a stop order with the Transfer Agent.

(g) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the provisions of this Section 4.9(b) - (f) shall not be applicable and shall have no force and effect with respect to Affiliates of the General Partner.

Section 4.10 Redemption of Partnership Interests of Ineligible Holders .

(a) If at any time a Limited Partner falsely certifies its status as an Eligible Taxable Holder or fails to furnish an Eligibility Certificate or any other information requested by the General Partner pursuant to Section 4.9 within 30 days of such request, or if upon receipt of such Eligibility Certificate or such other information the General Partner determines, with the advice of counsel, that a Limited Partner is an Ineligible Holder, the Partnership may, unless the Limited Partner establishes to the satisfaction of the General Partner that such Limited Partner is not an Ineligible Holder or has transferred his Limited Partner Interests to a Person who is not an Ineligible Holder and who furnishes an Eligibility Certificate to the General Partner prior to the date fixed for redemption as provided below, redeem the Limited Partner Interest of such Limited Partner as follows:

(i) The General Partner shall, not later than the 30th day before the date fixed for redemption, give notice of redemption to the Limited Partner, at his last address designated in the Register, by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid. The notice shall be deemed to have been given when so mailed. The notice shall specify the Redeemable Interests, the date fixed for redemption, the place of payment, that payment of the redemption price will be

 

35


made upon redemption of the Redeemable Interests (or, if later in the case of Redeemable Interests evidenced by Certificates, upon surrender of the Certificate evidencing the Redeemable Interests) and that on and after the date fixed for redemption no further allocations or distributions to which the Limited Partner would otherwise be entitled in respect of the Redeemable Interests will accrue or be made.

(ii) The aggregate redemption price for Redeemable Interests shall be an amount equal to the Current Market Price (the date of determination of which shall be the date fixed for redemption) of Limited Partner Interests of the class to be so redeemed multiplied by the number of Limited Partner Interests of each such class included among the Redeemable Interests. The redemption price shall be paid, as determined by the General Partner, in cash or by delivery of a promissory note of the Partnership in the principal amount of the redemption price, bearing interest at the rate of 5% annually and payable in three equal annual installments of principal together with accrued interest, commencing one year after the redemption date.

(iii) The Limited Partner or his duly authorized representative shall be entitled to receive the payment for the Redeemable Interests at the place of payment specified in the notice of redemption on the redemption date (or, if later in the case of Redeemable Interests evidenced by Certificates, upon surrender by or on behalf of the Limited Partner or Transferee at the place specified in the notice of redemption, of the Certificate evidencing the Redeemable Interests, duly endorsed in blank or accompanied by an assignment duly executed in blank).

(iv) After the redemption, Redeemable Interests shall no longer constitute issued and Outstanding Limited Partner Interests.

(b) The provisions of this Section 4.10 shall also be applicable to Limited Partner Interests held by a Limited Partner as nominee, agent or representative of a Person determined to be an Ineligible Holder.

(c) Nothing in this Section 4.10 shall prevent the recipient of a notice of redemption from transferring his Limited Partner Interest before the redemption date if such transfer is otherwise permitted under this Agreement and the transferor provides notice of such transfer to the General Partner. Upon receipt of notice of such a transfer, the General Partner shall withdraw the notice of redemption, provided the transferee of such Limited Partner Interest certifies to the satisfaction of the General Partner that such transferee is not an Ineligible Holder. If the transferee fails to make such certification within 30 days after the request and, in any event, before the redemption date, such redemption shall be effected from the transferee on the original redemption date.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the provisions of this Section 4.10 shall not be applicable and shall have no force and effect with respect to Affiliates of the General Partner.

 

36


ARTICLE V

CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ISSUANCE OF PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS

Section 5.1 Initial Capital Contributions . In connection with the formation of the Partnership under the Delaware Act, the General Partner made an initial Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the amount of $20.00 in exchange for a 2% General Partner Interest in the Partnership and has been admitted as the General Partner of the Partnership, and the Organizational Limited Partner made an initial Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the amount of $980.00 in exchange for a 98% Limited Partner Interest in the Partnership and has been admitted as a Limited Partner of the Partnership. As of the Closing Date, the interests of the General Partner and the Organizational Limited Partner shall be redeemed as provided in the Contribution Agreement and the initial Capital Contributions of the General Partner and the Organizational Limited Partner shall be refunded, and all interest or other profit that may have resulted from the investment or other use of such initial Capital Contributions shall be allocated and distributed to the General Partner and the Organizational Limited Partner, respectively.

Section 5.2 Contributions by the General Partner and its Affiliates.

(a) On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Contribution Agreement, the General Partner contributed to the Partnership, as a Capital Contribution, a 2% membership interest in Tallgrass MLP Operations, LLC in exchange for (i) 826,531 General Partner Units representing a continuation of its 2% General Partner Interest (after giving effect to any exercise of the Over-Allotment Option and the Deferred Issuance and Distribution), subject to all of the rights, privileges and duties of the General Partner under this Agreement and (ii) the Incentive Distribution Rights. On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Contribution Agreement, Tallgrass Operations contributed to the Partnership, as a Capital Contribution, a 98% membership interest in Tallgrass MLP Operations, LLC in exchange for (i) 9,292,500 Common Units, (ii) 16,200,000 Subordinated Units, (iii) a right to receive approximately $85.5 million in part as a reimbursement for certain capital expenditures incurred with respect to the assets of Tallgrass MLP Operations, LLC pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.707-4(d) and (iv) the right to receive the Deferred Issuance and Distribution upon the earlier to occur of (A) the expiration of the Over-Allotment Option or (B) the exercise in full of the Over-Allotment Option.

(b) The General Partner shall have the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its Affiliates, to make additional Capital Contributions to the Partnership in exchange for additional General Partner Units at any time to the extent necessary to maintain or attain a 2% General Partner Interest. The price to be paid for the additional General Partner Units shall be an amount per General Partner Unit equal to the Current Market Price of a Common Unit as of the day such Capital Contribution is actually made.

Section 5.3 Contributions by Limited Partners.

(a) On the Closing Date and pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, each IPO Underwriter contributed cash to the Partnership in exchange for the issuance by the Partnership of Common Units to each IPO Underwriter, all as set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

37


(b) Upon the exercise, if any, of the Over-Allotment Option, each IPO Underwriter shall contribute cash to the Partnership on the Option Closing Date in exchange for the issuance by the Partnership of Common Units to each IPO Underwriter, all as set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

(c) No Limited Partner Interests will be issued or issuable as of or at the Closing Date other than (i) the Common Units and Subordinated Units issued to Tallgrass Operations pursuant to subparagraph (a) of Section 5.2, (ii) the Common Units issued to the IPO Underwriters as described in subparagraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 5.3 and (iii) the Incentive Distribution Rights issued to the General Partner.

(d) No Limited Partner will be required to make any additional Capital Contribution to the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement.

Section 5.4 Interest and Withdrawal. No interest shall be paid by the Partnership on Capital Contributions. No Partner shall be entitled to the withdrawal or return of its Capital Contribution, except to the extent, if any, that distributions made pursuant to this Agreement or upon termination of the Partnership may be considered as such by law and then only to the extent provided for in this Agreement. Except to the extent expressly provided in this Agreement, no Partner shall have priority over any other Partner either as to the return of Capital Contributions or as to profits, losses or distributions. Any such return shall be a compromise to which all Partners agree within the meaning of Section 17-502(b) of the Delaware Act.

Section 5.5 Capital Accounts.

(a) The Partnership shall maintain for each Partner (or a beneficial owner of Partnership Interests held by a nominee, agent or representative in any case in which such nominee, agent or representative has furnished the identity of such beneficial owner to the Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method acceptable to the General Partner) owning a Partnership Interest a separate Capital Account with respect to such Partnership Interest in accordance with the rules of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv). The initial Capital Account balance attributable to the General Partner Units issued to the General Partner pursuant to Section 5.2(a) shall equal the Net Agreed Value of the Capital Contribution specified in Section 5.2(a), which shall be deemed to equal the product of the number of General Partner Units issued to the General Partner pursuant to Section 5.2(a) and the Initial Unit Price for each Common Unit (and the initial Capital Account balance attributable to each General Partner Unit shall equal the Initial Unit Price for each Common Unit). The initial Capital Account balance attributable to the Common Units and Subordinated Units issued to Tallgrass Operations pursuant to Section 5.2(a) shall equal the Net Agreed Value of the Capital Contributions specified in Section 5.2(a), which shall be deemed to equal the product of the number of Common Units and Subordinated Units issued to Tallgrass Operations pursuant to Section 5.2(a) and the Initial Unit Price for each such Common Unit and Subordinated Unit (and the initial Capital Account balance attributable to each such Common Unit and Subordinated Unit shall equal its Initial Unit Price). The initial Capital Account balance attributable to the Common Units issued to the IPO Underwriters pursuant to Section 5.3(a) shall equal the product of the number of Common Units so issued to the IPO Underwriters and the Initial Unit Price for each Common Unit (and the initial Capital Account balance attributable to each such Common

 

38


Unit shall equal its Initial Unit Price). The initial Capital Account attributable to the Incentive Distribution Rights shall be zero. Thereafter, the Capital Account in respect of each such Partnership Interest shall be increased by (i) the amount of all Capital Contributions made to the Partnership with respect to such Partnership Interest and (ii) all items of Partnership income and gain (including income and gain exempt from tax) computed in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to Section 6.1, and decreased by (x) the amount of cash or Net Agreed Value of all actual and deemed distributions of cash or property made with respect to such Partnership Interest and (y) all items of Partnership deduction and loss computed in accordance with Section 5.5(b) and allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to Section 6.1.

(b) For purposes of computing the amount of any item of income, gain, loss or deduction that is to be allocated pursuant to Article VI and is to be reflected in the Partners’ Capital Accounts, the determination, recognition and classification of any such item shall be the same as its determination, recognition and classification for federal income tax purposes (including any method of depreciation, cost recovery or amortization used for that purpose), provided, that:

(i) Solely for purposes of this Section 5.5, the Partnership shall be treated as owning directly its proportionate share (as determined by the General Partner based upon the provisions of the applicable Group Member Agreement or governing, organizational or similar documents) of all property owned by (x) any other Group Member that is classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and (y) any other partnership, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes of which a Group Member is, directly or indirectly, a partner, member or other equity holder.

(ii) All fees and other expenses incurred by the Partnership to promote the sale of (or to sell) a Partnership Interest that can neither be deducted nor amortized under Section 709 of the Code, if any, shall, for purposes of Capital Account maintenance, be treated as an item of deduction at the time such fees and other expenses are incurred and shall be allocated among the Partners pursuant to Section 6.1.

(iii) Except as otherwise provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), the computation of all items of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be made without regard to any election under Section 754 of the Code that may be made by the Partnership. To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such adjustment in the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain or loss.

(iv) Any income, gain or loss attributable to the taxable disposition of any Partnership property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of such property as of such date of disposition were equal in amount to the Partnership’s Carrying Value with respect to such property as of such date.

 

39


(v) An item of income of the Partnership that is described in Section 705(a)(1)(B) of the Code (with respect to items of income that are exempt from tax) shall be treated as an item of income for the purpose of this Section 5.5(b), and an item of expense of the Partnership that is described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code (with respect to expenditures that are not deductible and not chargeable to capital accounts), shall be treated as an item of deduction for the purpose of this Section 5.5(b).

(vi) In accordance with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code, any deductions for depreciation, cost recovery or amortization attributable to any Contributed Property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of such property on the date it was acquired by the Partnership were equal to the Agreed Value of such property. Upon an adjustment pursuant to Section 5.5(d) to the Carrying Value of any Partnership property subject to depreciation, cost recovery or amortization, any further deductions for such depreciation, cost recovery or amortization attributable to such property shall be determined under the rules prescribed by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-3(d)(2) as if the adjusted basis of such property were equal to the Carrying Value of such property immediately following such adjustment.

(vii) The Gross Liability Value of each Liability of the Partnership described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-7(b)(3)(i) shall be adjusted at such times as provided in this Agreement for an adjustment to Carrying Values. The amount of any such adjustment shall be treated for purposes hereof as an item of loss (if the adjustment increases the Carrying Value of such Liability of the Partnership) or an item of gain (if the adjustment decreases the Carrying Value of such Liability of the Partnership).

(c) (i) The transferee of a Partnership Interest shall succeed to a Pro Rata portion of the Capital Account of the transferor relating to the Partnership Interest so transferred.

(ii) Subject to Section 6.7(c), immediately prior to the transfer of a Subordinated Unit or of a Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit pursuant to Section 5.7 by a holder thereof (other than a transfer to an Affiliate unless the General Partner elects to have this subparagraph 5.5(c)(ii) apply), the Capital Account maintained for such Person with respect to its Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units will (A) first, be allocated to the Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units to be transferred in an amount equal to the product of (x) the number of such Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units to be transferred and (y) the Per Unit Capital Amount for a Common Unit, and (B) second, any remaining balance in such Capital Account will be retained by the transferor, regardless of whether it has retained any converted Subordinated Units (“ Retained Converted Subordinated Units ”) or Subordinated Units. Following any such allocation, the transferor’s Capital Account, if any, maintained with respect to the retained Subordinated Units or Retained Converted Subordinated Units, if any, will have a balance equal to the amount allocated under clause (B) hereinabove, and the transferee’s Capital Account established with respect to the transferred Subordinated Units or converted Subordinated Units will have a balance equal to the amount allocated under clause (A) hereinabove.

(d) (i) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), on an issuance of additional Partnership Interests for cash or Contributed Property, the issuance of Partnership Interests as consideration for the provision of services, or the conversion of the

 

40


General Partner’s Combined Interest to Common Units pursuant to Section 11.3(b), the Capital Account of each Partner and the Carrying Value of each Partnership property immediately prior to such issuance shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property, and any such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss shall be treated, for purposes of maintaining Capital Accounts, as if it had been recognized on an actual sale of each such property for an amount equal to its fair market value immediately prior to such issuance and had been allocated among the Partners at such time pursuant to Section 6.1(c) and Section 6.1(d) in the same manner as any item of gain or loss actually recognized following an event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership would have been allocated; provided, however, that in the event of an issuance of Partnership Interests for a de minimis amount of cash or Contributed Property, or in the event of an issuance of a de minimis amount of Partnership Interests as consideration for the provision of services, the General Partner may determine that such adjustments are unnecessary for the proper administration of the Partnership. In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss, the aggregate fair market value of all Partnership property (including cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to the issuance of additional Partnership Interests shall be determined by the General Partner using such method of valuation as it may adopt. In making its determination of the fair market values of individual properties, the General Partner may determine that it is appropriate to first determine an aggregate value for the Partnership, derived from the current trading price of the Common Units, and taking fully into account the fair market value of the Partnership Interests of all Partners at such time, and then allocate such aggregate value among the individual properties of the Partnership (in such manner as it determines appropriate).

(ii) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), immediately prior to any actual or deemed distribution to a Partner of any Partnership property (other than a distribution of cash that is not in redemption or retirement of a Partnership Interest), the Capital Accounts of all Partners and the Carrying Value of all Partnership property shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such Partnership property, and any such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss shall be treated, for purposes of maintaining Capital Accounts, as if it had been recognized on an actual sale of each such property immediately prior to such distribution for an amount equal to its fair market value, and had been allocated among the Partners, at such time, pursuant to Section 6.1(c) and Section 6.1(d) in the same manner as any item of gain or loss actually recognized following an event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership would have been allocated. In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss the aggregate fair market value of all Partnership property (including cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to a distribution shall (A) in the case of an actual distribution that is not made pursuant to Section 12.4 or in the case of a deemed distribution, be determined in the same manner as that provided in Section 5.5(d)(i) or (B) in the case of a liquidating distribution pursuant to Section 12.4, be determined by the Liquidator using such method of valuation as it may adopt.

Section 5.6 Issuances of Additional Partnership Interests .

(a) The Partnership may issue additional Partnership Interests (other than General Partner Interests) and Derivative Partnership Interests for any Partnership purpose at any time and from time to time to such Persons for such consideration and on such terms and conditions as the General Partner shall determine, all without the approval of any Limited Partners.

 

41


(b) Each additional Partnership Interest authorized to be issued by the Partnership pursuant to Section 5.6(a) may be issued in one or more classes, or one or more series of any such classes, with such designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties (which may be senior to existing classes and series of Partnership Interests), as shall be fixed by the General Partner, including (i) the right to share in Partnership profits and losses or items thereof; (ii) the right to share in Partnership distributions; (iii) the rights upon dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership; (iv) whether, and the terms and conditions upon which, the Partnership may or shall be required to redeem the Partnership Interest; (v) whether such Partnership Interest is issued with the privilege of conversion or exchange and, if so, the terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange; (vi) the terms and conditions upon which each Partnership Interest will be issued, evidenced by Certificates and assigned or transferred; (vii) the method for determining the Percentage Interest as to such Partnership Interest; and (viii) the right, if any, of each such Partnership Interest to vote on Partnership matters, including matters relating to the relative rights, preferences and privileges of such Partnership Interest.

(c) The General Partner shall take all actions that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with (i) each issuance of Partnership Interests and Derivative Partnership Interests pursuant to this Section 5.6, (ii) the conversion of the Combined Interest into Units pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, (iii) the issuance of Common Units pursuant to Section 5.11, (iv) reflecting admission of such additional Limited Partners in the Register as the Record Holders of such Limited Partner Interests and (v) all additional issuances of Partnership Interests. The General Partner shall determine the relative rights, powers and duties of the holders of the Units or other Partnership Interests being so issued. The General Partner shall do all things necessary to comply with the Delaware Act and is authorized and directed to do all things that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with any future issuance of Partnership Interests or in connection with the conversion of the Combined Interest into Units pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, including compliance with any statute, rule, regulation or guideline of any Governmental Authority or any National Securities Exchange on which the Units or other Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading.

(d) No fractional Units shall be issued by the Partnership.

Section 5.7 Conversion of Subordinated Units .

(a) All of the then Outstanding Subordinated Units shall convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis on the first to occur of the following dates:

(i) the first Business Day following the distribution of Available Cash to Partners pursuant to Section 6.4(a) in respect of any Quarter beginning with the Quarter ending June 30, 2016 in respect of which (A) (1) distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus on each of the Outstanding Common Units, Subordinated Units and General Partner Units and any other Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units, in each case with respect to each of the three consecutive, non-overlapping four-Quarter periods immediately preceding such date equaled or exceeded the sum of the

 

42


Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all Outstanding Common Units, Subordinated Units and General Partner Units and any other Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units, in each case in respect of such periods and (2) the Adjusted Operating Surplus for each of the three consecutive, non-overlapping four-Quarter periods immediately preceding such date equaled or exceeded the sum of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all of the Common Units, Subordinated Units and General Partner Units and any other Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units, in each case that were Outstanding during such periods on a Fully Diluted Weighted Average Basis, and (B) there are no Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages.

(ii) the first Business Day following the distribution of Available Cash to Partners pursuant to Section 6.4(a) in respect of any Quarter beginning with the Quarter ending June 30, 2014 in respect of which (A) (1) distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus on each of the Outstanding Common Units, Subordinated Units and General Partner Units and any other Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units, in each case with respect to the four-Quarter period immediately preceding such date equaled or exceeded 150% of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all of the Outstanding Common Units, Subordinated Units and General Partner Units and any other Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units, in each case in respect of such period, and (2) the Adjusted Operating Surplus for the four-Quarter period immediately preceding such date equaled or exceeded the sum of (x) 150% of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all of the Common Units, Subordinated Units and General Partner Units and any other Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units, in each case that were Outstanding during such period on a Fully Diluted Weighted Average Basis, plus (y) the corresponding Incentive Distributions and (B) there are no Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages.

(iii) the first Business Day following the distribution of Available Cash to Partners pursuant to Section 6.4(a) in respect of any Quarter beginning with the Quarter ending December 31, 2014 in respect of which (A) (1) distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus on each of the Outstanding Common Units, Subordinated Units and General Partner Units and any other Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units, in each case in respect of such Quarter equaled or exceeded 125% of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all of the Outstanding Common Units, Subordinated Units and General Partner Units and any other Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units in each case in respect of such Quarter, and (2) the Adjusted Operating Surplus for such Quarter equaled or exceeded the sum of (x) 125% of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all of the Common Units, Subordinated Units and General Partner Units and any other Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units, in each case that were Outstanding during such Quarter on a Fully Diluted Weighted Average Basis, plus (y) the corresponding Incentive Distributions and (B) there are no Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 5.7(a), 50% of the then Outstanding Subordinated Units shall convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis on the first Business Day following the distribution of Available Cash to Partners pursuant to Section 6.4(a) in respect of any Quarter beginning with the Quarter ending December 31, 2014 in respect of which (A) (1)

 

43


distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus on each of the Outstanding Common Units, Subordinated Units and General Partner Units and any other Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units, in each case in respect of such Quarter equaled or exceeded 115% of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all of the Outstanding Common Units, Subordinated Units and General Partner Units and any other Outstanding Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units in each case in respect of such Quarter, and (2) the Adjusted Operating Surplus for such Quarter equaled or exceeded the sum of (x) 115% of the Minimum Quarterly Distribution on all of the Common Units, Subordinated Units and General Partner Units and any other Units that are senior or equal in right of distribution to the Subordinated Units, in each case that were Outstanding during such Quarter on a Fully Diluted Weighted Average Basis, plus (y) the corresponding Incentive Distributions and (B) there are no Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, all of the then Outstanding Subordinated Units may convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis as set forth in, and pursuant to the terms of, Section 11.4.

(d) In the event that Subordinated Units shall convert into Common Units pursuant to Section 5.7(b) at a time when there shall be more than one Record Holder of Subordinated Units, then, unless all of the Record Holders of the Subordinated Units shall agree to a different allocation, the Subordinated Units that are to be converted into Common Units shall be allocated among the Record Holders of the Subordinated Units pro rata based on the number of Subordinated Units held by each such Record Holder.

(e) Upon the conversion of Subordinated Units in accordance with this Section 5.7, each converting Record Holder of converted Subordined Units shall be deemed to be the Record Holder of the number of Common Units issuable upon conversion, notwithstanding that the Certificates representing such Common Units shall not then actually be delivered to such Person. Upon notice from the Partnership, each Record Holder of Subordinated Units so converted shall promptly surrender to the Partnership Certificates representing the Subordinated Units so converted, in proper transfer form. Each Subordinated Unit shall be canceled by the General Partner upon its conversion.

(f) The issuance or delivery of certificates for Common Units upon the conversion of Subordinated Units shall be made without charge to the converting Record Holder of Subordinated Units for such certificates or for any tax in respect of the issuance or delivery of such certificates or the securities represented thereby, and such certificates shall be issued or delivered in the respective names of, or in such names as may be directed by, the Record Holders of the Subordinated Units converted; provided , however , that the Partnership shall not be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any such certificate in a name other than that of the Record Holder of the Subordinated Units converted, and the Partnership shall not be required to issue or deliver such certificate unless or until the Person or Persons requesting the issuance or delivery thereof shall have paid to the Partnership the amount of such tax or shall have established to the reasonable satisfaction of the Partnership that such tax has been paid.

 

44


(g) A Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit shall be subject to the provisions of Section 6.7.

Section 5.8 Limited Preemptive Right . Except as provided in this Section 5.8 and in Section 5.2(b) and Section 5.11 or as otherwise provided in a separate agreement by the Partnership, no Person shall have any preemptive, preferential or other similar right with respect to the issuance of any Partnership Interest, whether unissued, held in the treasury or hereafter created. The General Partner and its Affiliates shall have the right, which they may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of their Affiliates, to purchase Limited Partnership Interests from the Partnership whenever, and on the same terms that, the Partnership issues Limited Partnership Interests to Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain the Percentage Interests of the General Partner and its Affiliates equal to that which existed immediately prior to the issuance of such Limited Partnership Interests.

Section 5.9 Splits and Combinations .

(a) Subject to Section 5.9(d), Section 6.6 and Section 6.9 (dealing with adjustments of distribution levels), the Partnership may make a Pro Rata distribution of Partnership Interests to all Record Holders or may effect a subdivision or combination of Partnership Interests so long as, after any such event, each Partner shall have the same Percentage Interest in the Partnership as before such event, and any amounts calculated on a per Unit basis (including any Common Unit Arrearage or Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage) or stated as a number of Units are proportionately adjusted.

(b) Whenever such a distribution, subdivision or combination of Partnership Interests is declared, the General Partner shall select a Record Date as of which the distribution, subdivision or combination shall be effective and shall send notice thereof at least 20 days prior to such Record Date to each Record Holder as of a date not less than 10 days prior to the date of such notice (or such shorter periods as required by applicable law). The General Partner also may cause a firm of independent public accountants selected by it to calculate the number of Partnership Interests to be held by each Record Holder after giving effect to such distribution, subdivision or combination. The General Partner shall be entitled to rely on any certificate provided by such firm as conclusive evidence of the accuracy of such calculation.

(c) Promptly following any such distribution, subdivision or combination, the Partnership may issue Certificates or uncertificated Partnership Interests to the Record Holders of Partnership Interests as of the applicable Record Date representing the new number of Partnership Interests held by such Record Holders, or the General Partner may adopt such other procedures that it determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect such changes. If any such combination results in a smaller total number of Partnership Interests Outstanding, the Partnership shall require, as a condition to the delivery to a Record Holder of Partnership Interests represented by Certificates, the surrender of any Certificate held by such Record Holder immediately prior to such Record Date.

(d) The Partnership shall not issue fractional Units or General Partner Units upon any distribution, subdivision or combination of Units. If a distribution, subdivision or

 

45


combination of Units would result in the issuance of fractional Units and General Partner Units but for the provisions of Section 5.6(d) and this Section 5.9(d), each fractional Unit and General Partner Units shall be rounded to the nearest whole Unit or General Partner Unit (with fractional Units or General Partner Units equal to or greater than a 0.5 Unit or General Partner Unit being rounded to the next higher Unit or General Partner Unit).

Section 5.10 Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests . All Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to, and in accordance with the requirements of, this Article V shall be fully paid and non-assessable Limited Partner Interests in the Partnership, except as such non-assessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 or 17-804 of the Delaware Act.

Section 5.11 Issuance of Common Units in Connection with Reset of Incentive Distribution Rights .

(a) Subject to the provisions of this Section 5.11, the holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights (or, if there is more than one holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights, the holders of a majority in interest of the Incentive Distribution Rights) shall have the right, at any time when there are no Subordinated Units Outstanding and the Partnership has made a distribution pursuant to Section 6.4(b)(v) for each of the four most recently completed Quarters and the amount of each such distribution did not exceed Adjusted Operating Surplus for such Quarter, to make an election (the “ IDR Reset Election ”) to cause the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and the Target Distributions to be reset in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.11(e) and, in connection therewith, the holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights will become entitled to receive their respective proportionate share of a number of Common Units (the “ IDR Reset Common Units ”) derived by dividing (i) the average amount of cash distributions made by the Partnership for the two full Quarters immediately preceding the giving of the Reset Notice (as defined in Section 5.11(b)) in respect of the Incentive Distribution Rights by (ii) the average of the cash distributions made by the Partnership in respect of each Common Unit for the two full Quarters immediately preceding the giving of the Reset Notice (the number of Common Units determined by such quotient is referred to herein as the “ Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units ”). If at the time of any IDR Reset Election the General Partner and its Affiliates are not the holders of a majority interest of the Incentive Distribution Rights, then the IDR Reset Election shall be subject to the prior written concurrence of the General Partner that the conditions described in the immediately preceding sentence have been satisfied. Upon the issuance of such IDR Reset Common Units, the Partnership will issue to the General Partner that number of additional General Partner Units equal to the product of (x) the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the Percentage Interest of the General Partner immediately prior to such issuance by (B) a percentage equal to 100% less such Percentage Interest by (y) the number of such IDR Reset Common Units, and the General Partner shall not be obligated to make any additional Capital Contribution to the Partnership in exchange for such issuance. The making of the IDR Reset Election in the manner specified in this Section 5.11 shall cause the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and the Target Distributions to be reset in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.11(e) and, in connection therewith, the holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights will become entitled to receive IDR Reset Common Units and the General Partner will become entitled to receive General Partner Units on the basis specified above, without any further approval required by the General Partner or the Unitholders other than as set forth in this Section 5.11(a), at the time specified in Section 5.11(c) unless the IDR Reset Election is rescinded pursuant to Section 5.11(d).

 

46


(b) To exercise the right specified in Section 5.11(a), the holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights (or, if there is more than one holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights, the holders of a majority in interest of the Incentive Distribution Rights) shall deliver a written notice (the “ Reset Notice ”) to the Partnership. Within 10 Business Days after the receipt by the Partnership of such Reset Notice, the Partnership shall deliver a written notice to the holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights of the Partnership’s determination of the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units that each holder of Incentive Distribution Rights will be entitled to receive.

(c) The holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights will be entitled to receive the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units and the General Partner will be entitled to receive the related additional General Partner Units on the fifteenth Business Day after receipt by the Partnership of the Reset Notice; provided, however, that the issuance of IDR Reset Common Units to the holder or holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights shall not occur prior to the approval of the listing or admission for trading of such IDR Reset Common Units by the principal National Securities Exchange upon which the Common Units are then listed or admitted for trading if any such approval is required pursuant to the rules and regulations of such National Securities Exchange.

(d) If the principal National Securities Exchange upon which the Common Units are then traded has not approved the listing or admission for trading of the Common Units to be issued pursuant to this Section 5.11 on or before the 30th calendar day following the Partnership’s receipt of the Reset Notice and such approval is required by the rules and regulations of such National Securities Exchange, then the holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights (or, if there is more than one holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights, the holders of a majority in interest of the Incentive Distribution Rights) shall have the right to either rescind the IDR Reset Election or elect to receive other Partnership Interests having such terms as the General Partner may approve, with the approval of the Conflicts Committee, that will provide (i) the same economic value, in the aggregate, as the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units would have had at the time of the Partnership’s receipt of the Reset Notice, as determined by the General Partner, and (ii) for the subsequent conversion of such Partnership Interests into Common Units within not more than 12 months following the Partnership’s receipt of the Reset Notice upon the satisfaction of one or more conditions that are reasonably acceptable to the holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights (or, if there is more than one holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights, the holders of a majority in interest of the Incentive Distribution Rights).

(e) The Minimum Quarterly Distribution and the Target Distributions, shall be adjusted at the time of the issuance of Common Units or other Partnership Interests pursuant to this Section 5.11 such that (i) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution shall be reset to equal the average cash distribution amount per Common Unit for the two Quarters immediately prior to the Partnership’s receipt of the Reset Notice (the “ Reset MQD ”), (ii) the First Target Distribution shall be reset to equal 106% of the Reset MQD, (iii) the Second Target Distribution shall be reset to equal 123% of the Reset MQD and (iv) the Third Target Distribution shall be reset to equal 150% of the Reset MQD.

 

47


(f) Upon the issuance of IDR Reset Common Units pursuant to Section 5.11(a), the Capital Account maintained with respect to the Incentive Distribution Rights will (i) first, be allocated to IDR Reset Common Units in an amount equal to the product of (A) the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units and (B) the Per Unit Capital Amount for a Common Unit, and (ii) second, as to any remaining balance in such Capital Account, will be retained by the holder of the Incentive Distribution Rights. If there is not sufficient capital associated with the Incentive Distribution Rights to allocate the full Per Unit Capital Amount for a Common Unit to the IDR Reset Common Units in accordance with clause (i) of this Section 5.11(f), the IDR Reset Common Units shall be subject to Sections 6.1(d)(x)(B) and (C).

ARTICLE VI

ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

Section 6.1 Allocations for Capital Account Purposes . For purposes of maintaining the Capital Accounts and in determining the rights of the Partners among themselves, the Partnership’s items of income, gain, loss and deduction (computed in accordance with Section 5.5(b)) for each taxable period shall be allocated among the Partners as provided herein below.

(a) Net Income . After giving effect to the special allocations set forth in Section 6.1(d), Net Income for each taxable period and all items of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing Net Income for such taxable period shall be allocated as follows:

(i) First, to the General Partner until the aggregate of the Net Income allocated to the General Partner pursuant to this Section 6.1(a)(i) and the Net Termination Gain allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i)(A) or Section 6.1(c)(iv)(A), for the current and all previous taxable periods is equal to the aggregate of the Net Loss allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(ii) for all previous taxable periods and the Net Termination Loss allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(ii)(D) or Section 6.1(c)(iii)(B) for the current and all previous taxable periods; and

(ii) The balance, if any, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, and (y) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the percentage applicable to subclause (x).

(b) Net Loss . After giving effect to the special allocations set forth in Section 6.1(d), Net Loss for each taxable period and all items of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing Net Loss for such taxable period shall be allocated as follows:

(i) First, to the General Partner and the Unitholders, Pro Rata; provided, that Net Losses shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(b)(i) to the extent that such allocation would cause any Unitholder to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such taxable period (or increase any existing deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account); and

(ii) The balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.

 

48


(c) Net Termination Gains and Losses . After giving effect to the special allocations set forth in Section 6.1(d), Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss (including a pro rata part of each item of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in computing Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss) for such taxable period shall be allocated in the manner set forth in this Section 6.1(c). All allocations under this Section 6.1(c) shall be made after Capital Account balances have been adjusted by all other allocations provided under this Section 6.1 and after all distributions of Available Cash provided under Section 6.4 and Section 6.5 have been made; provided, however, that solely for purposes of this Section 6.1(c), Capital Accounts shall not be adjusted for distributions made pursuant to Section 12.4.

(i) Except as provided in Section 6.1(c)(iv), Net Termination Gain (including a pro rata part of each item of income, gain, loss, and deduction taken into account in computing Net Termination Gain) shall be allocated:

(A) First, to the General Partner until the aggregate of the Net Termination Gain allocated to the General Partner pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(i)(A) or Section 6.1(c)(iv)(A) and the Net Income allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(a)(i) for the current and all previous taxable periods is equal to the aggregate of the Net Loss allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(ii) for all previous taxable periods and the Net Termination Loss allocated to the General Partner pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(ii)(D) or Section 6.1(c)(iii)(B) for all previous taxable periods;

(B) Second, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to all Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial Unit Price, (2) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for the Quarter during which the Liquidation Date occurs, reduced by any distribution pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(i), or Section 6.4(b)(i) with respect to such Common Unit for such Quarter (the amount determined pursuant to this clause (2) is hereinafter referred to as the “ Unpaid MQD ”) and (3) any then existing Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage;

(C) Third, if such Net Termination Gain is recognized (or is deemed to be recognized) prior to the conversion of the last Outstanding Subordinated Unit into a Common Unit, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to all Unitholders holding Subordinated Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until the Capital Account in respect of each Subordinated Unit then Outstanding equals the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial Unit Price, determined for the taxable period (or portion thereof) to which this allocation of gain relates, and (2) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for the Quarter during which the Liquidation Date occurs, reduced by any distribution pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(iii) with respect to such Subordinated Unit for such Quarter;

(D) Fourth, 100% to the General Partner and all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial Unit Price, (2) the Unpaid MQD, (3) any then existing Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage, and (4) the excess for each Quarter of

 

49


the Partnership’s existence after the Closing Date, or most recent issuance of IDR Reset Common Units, if any, of (aa) the First Target Distribution less the Minimum Quarterly Distribution over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of any distributions of Available Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(iv) and Section 6.4(b)(ii) (the sum of (1), (2), (3) and (4) is hereinafter referred to as the “ First Liquidation Target Amount ”);

(E) Fifth, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (y) 13% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (z) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (x) and (y) of this clause (E), until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) the First Liquidation Target Amount, and (2) the excess for each Quarter of the Partnership’s existence after the Closing Date, or most recent issuance of IDR Reset Common Units, if any, of (aa) the Second Target Distribution less the First Target Distribution over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of any distributions of Available Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(v) and Section 6.4(b)(iii) (the sum of (1) and (2) is hereinafter referred to as the “ Second Liquidation Target Amount ”);

(F) Sixth, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (y) 23% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (z) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (x) and (y) of this clause (F), until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (1) the Second Liquidation Target Amount, and (2) the excess for each Quarter of the Partnership’s existence after the Closing Date, or most recent issuance of IDR Reset Common Units, if any, of (aa) the Third Target Distribution less the Second Target Distribution over (bb) the cumulative per Unit amount of any distributions of Available Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus made pursuant to Section 6.4(a)(vi) and Section 6.4(b)(iv); and

(G) Finally, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (y) 48% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (z) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (x) and (y) of this clause (G).

(ii) Except as otherwise provided by Section 6.1(c)(iii), Net Termination Loss (including a pro rata part of each item of income, gain, loss, and deduction taken into account in computing Net Termination Loss) shall be allocated:

(A) First, if Subordinated Units remain Outstanding, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to all Unitholders holding Subordinated Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until the Capital Account in respect of each Subordinated Unit then Outstanding has been reduced to zero;

 

50


(B) Second, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to all Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding has been reduced to zero;

(C) Third, to the General Partner and the Unitholders, Pro Rata; provided that Net Termination Loss shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(ii)(C) to the extent such allocation would cause any Unitholder to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account (or increase any existing deficit in its Adjusted Capital Account); and

(D) Fourth, the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.

(iii) Any Net Termination Loss deemed recognized pursuant to Section 5.5(d) prior to the Liquidation Date shall be allocated:

(A) First, to the General Partner and the Unitholders, Pro Rata until the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding is not more than the Common Unit Trading Price; provided that Net Termination Loss shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(iii)(A) to the extent such allocation would cause any Unitholder to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such taxable period (or increase any existing deficit in its Adjusted Capital Account);

(B) Second, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to all the Unitholders holding Subordinated Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until the Capital Account in respect of each Subordinated Unit is not more than the Subordinated Unit Value; provided that Net Termination Loss shall not be allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(iii)(B) to the extent such allocation would cause any Unitholder to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account at the end of such taxable period (or increase any existing deficit in its Adjusted Capital Account); and

(C) The balance, if any, to the General Partner.

(iv) If a Net Termination Loss has been allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(iii), subsequent Net Termination Gain deemed recognized pursuant to Section 5.5(d) prior to the Liquidation Date shall be allocated:

(A) First, to the General Partner until the aggregate Net Termination Gain allocated to the General Partner pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(iv)(A) is equal to the aggregate Net Termination Loss previously allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(iii)(C);

(B) Second, to the General Partner and the Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the aggregate Net Termination Gain allocated pursuant to this Section 6.1(c)(iv)(B) is equal to the aggregate Net Termination Loss previously allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(iii)(A); and

 

51


(C) The balance, if any, pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1(c)(i).

(d) Special Allocations . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, the following special allocations shall be made for such taxable period:

(i) Partnership Minimum Gain Chargeback . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, if there is a net decrease in Partnership Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period, each Partner shall be allocated items of Partnership income and gain for such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and amounts provided in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(f)(6), 1.704-2(g)(2) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(i), or any successor provision. For purposes of this Section 6.1(d), each Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account balance shall be determined, and the allocation of income or gain required hereunder shall be effected, prior to the application of any other allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d) with respect to such taxable period (other than an allocation pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(vi) and Section 6.1(d)(vii)). This Section 6.1(d)(i) is intended to comply with the Partnership Minimum Gain chargeback requirement in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(f) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

(ii) Chargeback of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain . Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section 6.1 (other than Section 6.1(d)(i)), except as provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4), if there is a net decrease in Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period, any Partner with a share of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain at the beginning of such taxable period shall be allocated items of Partnership income and gain for such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and amounts provided in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(i)(4) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(ii), or any successor provisions. For purposes of this Section 6.1(d), each Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account balance shall be determined, and the allocation of income or gain required hereunder shall be effected, prior to the application of any other allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d) and other than an allocation pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(i), Section 6.1(d)(vi) and Section 6.1(d)(vii) with respect to such taxable period. This Section 6.1(d)(ii) is intended to comply with the chargeback of items of income and gain requirement in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

(iii) Priority Allocations .

(A) If the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of any property distributed (except cash or property distributed pursuant to Section 12.4) with respect to a Unit exceeds the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of property distributed with respect to another Unit (the amount of the excess, an “ Excess Distribution ” and the Unit with respect to which the greater distribution is paid, an “ Excess Distribution Unit ”), then (1) there shall be allocated gross income and gain to each Unitholder receiving an Excess Distribution with respect to the Excess Distribution Unit until the aggregate amount of such items allocated with respect to such Excess Distribution Unit pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A) for the current taxable period and all previous taxable periods is equal to the amount of the Excess Distribution; and (2) the General Partner shall be allocated gross income and gain with respect to each such

 

52


Excess Distribution in an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying (aa) the quotient determined by dividing (x) the General Partner’s Percentage Interest at the time when the Excess Distribution occurs by (y) a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest at the time when the Excess Distribution occurs, times (bb) the total amount allocated in clause (1) above with respect to such Excess Distribution.

(B) After the application of Section 6.1(d)(iii)(A), all or any portion of the remaining items of Partnership gross income or gain for the taxable period, if any, shall be allocated (1) to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, until the aggregate amount of such items allocated to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(iii)(B) for the current taxable period and all previous taxable periods is equal to the cumulative amount of all Incentive Distributions made to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights from the Closing Date to a date 45 days after the end of the current taxable period; and (2) to the General Partner an amount equal to the product of (aa) an amount equal to the quotient determined by dividing (x) the General Partner’s Percentage Interest by (y) the sum of 100 less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest times (bb) the sum of the amounts allocated in clause (1) above.

(iv) Qualified Income Offset . In the event any Partner unexpectedly receives any adjustments, allocations or distributions described in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5), or 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6), items of Partnership gross income and gain shall be specially allocated to such Partner in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate, to the extent required by the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the deficit balance, if any, in its Adjusted Capital Account created by such adjustments, allocations or distributions as quickly as possible; provided, that an allocation pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(iv) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Partner would have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account as adjusted after all other allocations provided for in this Section 6.1 have been tentatively made as if this Section 6.1(d)(iv) were not in this Agreement.

(v) Gross Income Allocation . In the event any Partner has a deficit balance in its Capital Account at the end of any taxable period in excess of the sum of (A) the amount such Partner is required to restore pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and (B) the amount such Partner is deemed obligated to restore pursuant to Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5), such Partner shall be specially allocated items of Partnership gross income and gain in the amount of such excess as quickly as possible; provided, that an allocation pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(v) shall be made only if and to the extent that such Partner would have a deficit balance in its Capital Account as adjusted after all other allocations provided for in this Section 6.1 have been tentatively made as if Section 6.1(d)(iv) and this Section 6.1(d)(v) were not in this Agreement.

(vi) Nonrecourse Deductions . Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall be allocated to the Partners Pro Rata. If the General Partner determines that the Partnership’s Nonrecourse Deductions should be allocated in a different ratio to satisfy the safe harbor requirements of the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the General Partner is authorized, upon notice to the other Partners, to revise the prescribed ratio to the numerically closest ratio that does satisfy such requirements.

 

53


(vii) Partner Nonrecourse Deductions . Partner Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall be allocated 100% to the Partner that bears the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to the Partner Nonrecourse Debt to which such Partner Nonrecourse Deductions are attributable in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i). If more than one Partner bears the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt, the Partner Nonrecourse Deductions attributable thereto shall be allocated between or among such Partners in accordance with the ratios in which they share such Economic Risk of Loss.

(viii) Nonrecourse Liabilities . For purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-3(a)(3), the Partners agree that Nonrecourse Liabilities of the Partnership in excess of the sum of (A) the amount of Partnership Minimum Gain and (B) the total amount of Nonrecourse Built-in Gain shall be allocated among the Partners Pro Rata.

(ix) Code Section 754 Adjustments . To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such adjustment to the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases the basis of the asset) or loss (if the adjustment decreases such basis), and such item of gain or loss shall be specially allocated to the Partners in a manner consistent with the manner in which their Capital Accounts are required to be adjusted pursuant to such Section of the Treasury Regulations.

(x) Economic Uniformity; Changes in Law .

(A) At the election of the General Partner with respect to any taxable period ending upon, or after, the termination of the Subordination Period, all or a portion of the remaining items of Partnership gross income or gain for such taxable period, after taking into account allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(iii), shall be allocated 100% to each Partner holding Subordinated Units that are Outstanding as of the termination of the Subordination Period (“ Final Subordinated Units ”) in the proportion of the number of Final Subordinated Units held by such Partner to the total number of Final Subordinated Units then Outstanding, until each such Partner has been allocated an amount of gross income or gain that increases the Capital Account maintained with respect to such Final Subordinated Units to an amount that after taking into account the other allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction to be made with respect to such taxable period will equal the product of (A) the number of Final Subordinated Units held by such Partner and (B) the Per Unit Capital Amount for a Common Unit. The purpose of this allocation is to establish uniformity between the Capital Accounts underlying Final Subordinated Units and the Capital Accounts underlying Common Units held by Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates immediately prior to the conversion of such Final Subordinated Units into Common Units. This allocation method for establishing such economic uniformity will be available to the General Partner only if the method for allocating the Capital Account maintained with respect to the Subordinated Units between the transferred and retained Subordinated Units pursuant to Section 5.5(c)(ii) does not otherwise provide such economic uniformity to the Final Subordinated Units.

 

54


(B) With respect to an event triggering an adjustment to the Carrying Value of Partnership property pursuant to Section 5.5(d) during any taxable period of the Partnership ending upon, or after, the issuance of IDR Reset Common Units pursuant to Section 5.11, after the application of Section 6.1(d)(x)(A), any Unrealized Gains and Unrealized Losses shall be allocated among the Partners in a manner that to the nearest extent possible results in the Capital Accounts maintained with respect to such IDR Reset Common Units issued pursuant to Section 5.11 equaling the product of (A) the Aggregate Quantity of IDR Reset Common Units and (B) the Per Unit Capital Amount for an Initial Common Unit.

(C) With respect to any taxable period during which an IDR Reset Common Unit is transferred to any Person who is not an Affiliate of the transferor, all or a portion of the remaining items of Partnership gross income or gain for such taxable period shall be allocated 100% to the transferor Partner of such transferred IDR Reset Common Unit until such transferor Partner has been allocated an amount of gross income or gain that increases the Capital Account maintained with respect to such transferred IDR Reset Common Unit to an amount equal to the Per Unit Capital Amount for a Common Unit.

(D) For the proper administration of the Partnership and for the preservation of uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof), the General Partner shall (i) adopt such conventions as it deems appropriate in determining the amount of depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions; (ii) make special allocations of income, gain, loss, deduction, Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss; and (iii) amend the provisions of this Agreement as appropriate (x) to reflect the proposal or promulgation of Treasury Regulations under Section 704(b) or Section 704(c) of the Code or (y) otherwise to preserve or achieve uniformity of the Limited Partner Interests (or any class or classes thereof). The General Partner may adopt such conventions, make such allocations and make such amendments to this Agreement as provided in this Section 6.1(d)(x)(D) only if such conventions, allocations or amendments would not have a material adverse effect on the Partners, the holders of any class or classes of Limited Partner Interests issued and Outstanding or the Partnership, and if such allocations are consistent with the principles of Section 704 of the Code.

(xi) Curative Allocation .

(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1, other than the Required Allocations, the Required Allocations shall be taken into account in making the Agreed Allocations so that, to the extent possible, the net amount of items of gross income, gain, loss and deduction allocated to each Partner pursuant to the Required Allocations and the Agreed Allocations, together, shall be equal to the net amount of such items that would have been allocated to each such Partner under the Agreed Allocations had the Required Allocations and the related Curative Allocation not otherwise been provided in this Section 6.1. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, Required Allocations relating to (1) Nonrecourse Deductions shall not be taken into account except to the extent that there has been a decrease in Partnership Minimum Gain and (2) Partner Nonrecourse Deductions shall not be taken into account except to the

 

55


extent that there has been a decrease in Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain. In exercising its discretion under this Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A), the General Partner may take into account future Required Allocations that, although not yet made, are likely to offset other Required Allocations previously made. Allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) shall only be made with respect to Required Allocations to the extent the General Partner determines that such allocations will otherwise be inconsistent with the economic agreement among the Partners. Further, allocations pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) shall be deferred with respect to allocations pursuant to clauses (1) and (2) hereof to the extent the General Partner determines that such allocations are likely to be offset by subsequent Required Allocations.

(B) The General Partner shall, with respect to each taxable period, (1) apply the provisions of Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) in whatever order is most likely to minimize the economic distortions that might otherwise result from the Required Allocations, and (2) divide all allocations pursuant to Section 6.1(d)(xi)(A) among the Partners in a manner that is likely to minimize such economic distortions.

(xii) Corrective and Other Allocations . In the event of any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items or any Book-Down Event or any recognition of a Net Termination Loss, the following rules shall apply:

(A) Except as provided in Section 6.1(d)(xii)(B), in the case of any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items (other than an allocation of Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss under Section 5.5(d) hereof), the General Partner shall allocate such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items to (1) the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights and the General Partner to the same extent that the Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss giving rise to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items was allocated to them pursuant to Section 5.5(d) and (2) all Unitholders, Pro Rata, to the extent that the Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss giving rise to such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items was allocated to any Unitholders pursuant to Section 5.5(d).

(B) In the case of any allocation of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items (other than an allocation of Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss under Section 5.5(d) hereof or an allocation of Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss pursuant to Section 6.1(c) hereof) as a result of a sale or other taxable disposition of any Partnership asset that is an Adjusted Property (“ Disposed of Adjusted Property ”), the General Partner shall allocate (1) additional items of gross income and gain (aa) away from the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights and (bb) to the Unitholders, or (2) additional items of deduction and loss (aa) away from the Unitholders and (bb) to the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights, to the extent that the Additional Book Basis Derivative Items allocated to the Unitholders exceed their Share of Additional Book Basis Derivative Items with respect to such Disposed of Adjusted Property. Any allocation made pursuant to this Section 6.1(d)(xii)(B) shall be made after all of the other Agreed Allocations have been made as if this Section 6.1(d)(xii) were not in this Agreement and, to the extent necessary, shall require the reallocation of items that have been allocated pursuant to such other Agreed Allocations.

 

56


(C) In the case of any negative adjustments to the Capital Accounts of the Partners resulting from a Book-Down Event or from the recognition of a Net Termination Loss, such negative adjustment (1) shall first be allocated, to the extent of the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments, in such a manner, as determined by the General Partner, that to the extent possible the aggregate Capital Accounts of the Partners will equal the amount that would have been the Capital Account balances of the Partners if no prior Book-Up Events had occurred, and (2) any negative adjustment in excess of the Aggregate Remaining Net Positive Adjustments shall be allocated pursuant to Section 6.1(c) hereof.

(D) For purposes of this Section 6.1(d)(xii), the Unitholders shall be treated as being allocated Additional Book Basis Derivative Items to the extent that such Additional Book Basis Derivative Items have reduced the amount of income that would otherwise have been allocated to the Unitholders under this Agreement. In making the allocations required under this Section 6.1(d)(xii), the General Partner may apply whatever conventions or other methodology it determines will satisfy the purpose of this Section 6.1(d)(xii). Without limiting the foregoing, if an Adjusted Property is contributed by the Partnership to another entity classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes (the “lower tier partnership”), the General Partner may make allocations similar to those described in Sections 6.1(d)(xii)(A)—(C) to the extent the General Partner determines such allocations are necessary to account for the Partnership’s allocable share of income, gain, loss and deduction of the lower tier partnership that relate to the contributed Adjusted Property in a manner that is consistent with the purpose of this Section 6.1(d)(xii).

(xiii) Special Curative Allocation in Event of Liquidation Prior to End of Subordination Period . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 6.1 (other than the Required Allocations), if the Liquidation Date occurs prior to the conversion of the last Outstanding Subordinated Unit, then items of income, gain, loss and deduction for the taxable period that includes the Liquidation Date (and, if necessary, items arising in previous taxable periods to the extent the General Partner determines such items may be so allocated), shall be specially allocated among the Partners in the manner determined appropriate by the General Partner so as to cause, to the maximum extent possible, the Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit to equal the amount such Capital Account would have been if all prior allocations of Net Termination Gain and Net Termination Loss had been made pursuant to Section 6.1(c)(i) or Section 6.1(c)(ii), as applicable.

Section 6.2 Allocations for Tax Purposes .

(a) Except as otherwise provided herein, for federal income tax purposes, each item of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be allocated among the Partners in the same manner as its correlative item of “book” income, gain, loss or deduction is allocated pursuant to Section 6.1.

(b) In an attempt to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities attributable to a Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, items of income, gain, loss, depreciation, amortization and cost recovery deductions shall be allocated for federal income tax purposes

 

57


among the Partners in the manner provided under Section 704(c) of the Code, and the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) and 704(c) of the Code, as determined to be appropriate by the General Partner (taking into account the General Partner’s discretion under Section 6.1(d)(x)(D)); provided, that the General Partner shall apply the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-3(d) in all events.

(c) The General Partner may determine to depreciate or amortize the portion of an adjustment under Section 743(b) of the Code attributable to unrealized appreciation in any Adjusted Property (to the extent of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity) using a predetermined rate derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity of such property, despite any inconsistency of such approach with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-l(a)(6) or any successor regulations thereto. If the General Partner determines that such reporting position cannot reasonably be taken, the General Partner may adopt depreciation and amortization conventions under which all purchasers acquiring Limited Partner Interests in the same month would receive depreciation and amortization deductions, based upon the same applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct interest in the Partnership’s property. If the General Partner chooses not to utilize such aggregate method, the General Partner may use any other depreciation and amortization conventions to preserve the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any Limited Partner Interests, so long as such conventions would not have a material adverse effect on the Limited Partners or the Record Holders of any class or classes of Limited Partner Interests.

(d) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Sections 1.1245-1(e) and 1.1250-1(f), any gain allocated to the Partners upon the sale or other taxable disposition of any Partnership asset shall, to the extent possible, after taking into account other required allocations of gain pursuant to this Section 6.2, be characterized as Recapture Income in the same proportions and to the same extent as such Partners (or their predecessors in interest) have been allocated any deductions directly or indirectly giving rise to the treatment of such gains as Recapture Income.

(e) All items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit recognized by the Partnership for federal income tax purposes and allocated to the Partners in accordance with the provisions hereof shall be determined without regard to any election under Section 754 of the Code that may be made by the Partnership; provided, however, that such allocations, once made, shall be adjusted (in the manner determined by the General Partner) to take into account those adjustments permitted or required by Sections 734 and 743 of the Code.

(f)

(i) Each item of Partnership income, gain, loss and deduction, for federal income tax purposes, shall be determined for each taxable period and prorated on a monthly basis and shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the National Securities Exchange on which the Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading on the first Business Day of each month; provided , however , such items for the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the last day of the month in which the last Option Closing Date or the expiration of the Over-Allotment Option occurs shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the National Securities Exchange on which the Partnership Interests are listed or

 

58


admitted to trading on the first Business Day of the next succeeding month; and provided , further , that gain or loss on a sale or other disposition of any assets of the Partnership or any other extraordinary item of income or loss realized and recognized other than in the ordinary course of business, as determined by the General Partner, shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the National Securities Exchange on which the Partnership Interests are listed or admitted to trading on the first Business Day of the month in which such gain or loss is recognized for federal income tax purposes.

(ii) The General Partner may revise, alter or otherwise modify such methods of allocation to the extent permitted or required by Section 706 of the Code and the regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder.

(g) Allocations that would otherwise be made to a Limited Partner under the provisions of this Article VI shall instead be made to the beneficial owner of Limited Partner Interests held by a nominee, agent or representative in any case in which such nominee, agent or representative has furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method determined by the General Partner.

Section 6.3 Requirement and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record Holders .

(a) Within 45 days following the end of each Quarter commencing with the Quarter ending on June 30, 2013, an amount equal to 100% of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter shall be distributed in accordance with this Article VI by the Partnership to the Partners as of the Record Date selected by the General Partner. All amounts of Available Cash distributed by the Partnership from any source shall be deemed to be Operating Surplus until the sum of all amounts of Available Cash theretofore distributed by the Partnership to the Partners pursuant to Section 6.4 equals the Operating Surplus from the Closing Date through the close of the immediately preceding Quarter. Any remaining amounts of Available Cash distributed by the Partnership on such date shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 6.5, be deemed to be “ Capital Surplus .” All distributions required to be made under this Agreement shall be made subject to Sections 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware Act.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 6.3(a), in the event of the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership, all cash received during or after the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs shall be applied and distributed solely in accordance with, and subject to the terms and conditions of, Section 12.4.

(c) The General Partner may treat taxes paid by the Partnership on behalf of, or amounts withheld with respect to, all or less than all of the Partners, as a distribution of Available Cash to such Partners, as determined appropriate under the circumstances by the General Partner.

(d) Each distribution in respect of a Partnership Interest shall be paid by the Partnership, directly or through the Transfer Agent or through any other Person or agent, only to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interest as of the Record Date set for such distribution. Such payment shall constitute full payment and satisfaction of the Partnership’s liability in respect of such payment, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such payment by reason of an assignment or otherwise.

 

59


Section 6.4 Distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus .

(a) During the Subordination Period . Available Cash with respect to any Quarter within the Subordination Period that is deemed to be Operating Surplus pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.3 or Section 6.5 shall be distributed as follows, except as otherwise required in respect of additional Partnership Interests issued pursuant to Section 5.6(b):

(i) First, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to the Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;

(ii) Second, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to the Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage existing with respect to such Quarter;

(iii) Third, (x) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (y) to the Unitholders holding Subordinated Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until there has been distributed in respect of each Subordinated Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;

(iv) Fourth, to the General Partner and all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the First Target Distribution over the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;

(v) Fifth, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (B) 13% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (C) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and (B) of this clause (v), until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Second Target Distribution over the First Target Distribution for such Quarter;

(vi) Sixth, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (B) 23% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (C) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and (B) of this clause (vi), until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Third Target Distribution over the Second Target Distribution for such Quarter; and

(vii) Thereafter, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (B) 48% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (C) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and (B) of this clause (vii);

 

60


provided , however , if the Minimum Quarterly Distribution, the First Target Distribution, the Second Target Distribution and the Third Target Distribution have been reduced to zero pursuant to the second sentence of Section 6.6(a) the distribution of Available Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus with respect to any Quarter will be made solely in accordance with Section 6.4(a)(vii).

(b) After the Subordination Period . With respect to any Quarter after the Subordination Period (which Quarter may include the date on which the Subordination Period ends), Available Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.3 or Section 6.5 shall be distributed as follows, except as otherwise required in respect of additional Partnership Interests issued pursuant to Section 5.6(b):

(i) First, to the General Partner and all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;

(ii) Second, to the General Partner and all Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the First Target Distribution over the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for such Quarter;

(iii) Third, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (B) 13% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (C) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and (B) of this clause (iii), until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Second Target Distribution over the First Target Distribution for such Quarter;

(iv) Fourth, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (B) 23% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (C) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and (B) of this clause (iv), until there has been distributed in respect of each Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Third Target Distribution over the Second Target Distribution for such Quarter; and

(v) Thereafter, (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest, (B) 48% to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, Pro Rata, and (C) to all Unitholders, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the sum of the percentages applicable to subclauses (A) and (B) of this clause (v);

provided , however , if the Minimum Quarterly Distribution, the First Target Distribution, the Second Target Distribution and the Third Target Distribution have been reduced to zero pursuant to the second sentence of Section 6.6(a), the distribution of Available Cash that is deemed to be Operating Surplus with respect to any Quarter will be made solely in accordance with Section 6.4(b)(v).

 

61


Section 6.5 Distributions of Available Cash from Capital Surplus . Available Cash that is deemed to be Capital Surplus pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.3(a) shall be distributed, unless the provisions of Section 6.3 require otherwise, to the General Partner and the Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Unrecovered Initial Unit Price has been reduced to zero. Available Cash that is deemed to be Capital Surplus shall then be distributed (A) to the General Partner in accordance with its Percentage Interest and (B) to all Unitholders holding Common Units, Pro Rata, a percentage equal to 100% less the General Partner’s Percentage Interest, until there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Cumulative Common Unit Arrearage. Thereafter, all Available Cash shall be distributed as if it were Operating Surplus and shall be distributed in accordance with Section 6.4.

Section 6.6 Adjustment of Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels .

(a) The Minimum Quarterly Distribution, Target Distributions, Common Unit Arrearages and Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages shall be proportionately adjusted in the event of any distribution, combination or subdivision (whether effected by a distribution payable in Units or otherwise) of Units or other Partnership Interests in accordance with Section 5.9. In the event of a distribution of Available Cash that is deemed to be from Capital Surplus, the then applicable Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distributions shall be adjusted proportionately downward to equal the product obtained by multiplying the otherwise applicable Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution, Second Target Distribution and Third Target Distribution, as the case may be, by a fraction of which the numerator is the Unrecovered Initial Unit Price of the Common Units immediately after giving effect to such distribution and of which the denominator is the Unrecovered Initial Unit Price of the Common Units immediately prior to giving effect to such distribution.

(b) The Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution, Second Target Distribution and Third Target Distribution, shall also be subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 5.11 and Section 6.9.

Section 6.7 Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Subordinated Units and IDR Reset Common Units.

(a) Except with respect to the right to vote on or approve matters requiring the vote or approval of a percentage of the holders of Outstanding Common Units and the right to participate in allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction and distributions made with respect to Common Units, the holder of a Subordinated Unit shall have all of the rights and obligations of a Unitholder holding Common Units hereunder; provided, however, that immediately upon the conversion of Subordinated Units into Common Units pursuant to Section 5.7, the Unitholder holding a Subordinated Unit shall possess all of the rights and obligations of a Unitholder holding Common Units hereunder with respect to such converted Subordinated Units, including the right to vote as a Common Unitholder and the right to participate in allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction and distributions made with respect to Common Units; provided , however , that such converted Subordinated Units shall remain subject to the provisions of Section 5.5(c)(ii), Section 6.1(d)(x)(A), Section 6.7(b) and Section 6.7(c).

 

62


(b) A Unitholder shall not be permitted to transfer an IDR Reset Common Unit, a Subordinated Unit or a Subordinated Unit that has converted into a Common Unit pursuant to Section 5.7 (other than a transfer to an Affiliate) if the remaining balance in the transferring Unitholder’s Capital Account with respect to the retained IDR Reset Common Units, retained Subordinated Units or Retained Converted Subordinated Units would be negative after giving effect to the allocation under Section 5.5(c)(ii)(B).

(c) The holder of a Common Unit that has resulted from the conversion of a Subordinated Unit pursuant to Section 5.7, and the holder of any IDR Reset Common Unit, shall not be issued a Common Unit Certificate pursuant to Section 4.1 (if the Common Units are represented by Certificates) and shall not be permitted to transfer such Common Unit or IDR Reset Common Unit to a Person that is not an Affiliate of the holder until such time as the General Partner determines, based on advice of counsel, that each such Common Unit or IDR Reset Common Unit, as the case may be, should have, as a substantive matter, like intrinsic economic and federal income tax characteristics to the transferee, in all material respects, to the intrinsic economic and federal income tax characteristics of all other Common Units (other than those held by the General Partner or its Affiliates). In connection with the condition imposed by this Section 6.7(c), the General Partner may take whatever steps are required to provide economic uniformity to such Common Units or IDR Reset Common Units in preparation for a transfer of such Common Units or IDR Reset Common Units, including the application of Section 5.5(c)(ii) and Section 6.1(d)(x); provided, however, that no such steps may be taken that would have a material adverse effect on the Unitholders holding Common Units.

Section 6.8 Special Provisions Relating to the Holders of Incentive Distribution Rights . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights (a) shall (i) possess the rights and obligations provided in this Agreement with respect to a Limited Partner pursuant to Article III and Article VII and (ii) have a Capital Account as a Partner pursuant to Section 5.5 and all other provisions related thereto and (b) shall not (i) be entitled to vote on any matters requiring the approval or vote of the holders of Outstanding Units, except as provided by law, (ii) be entitled to any distributions other than as provided in Sections 6.4(a)(v), 6.4(a)(vi) and 6.4(a)(vii), Sections 6.4(b)(iii), 6.4(b)(iv) and 6.4(b)(v), and Section 12.4 or (iii) be allocated items of income, gain, loss or deduction other than as specified in this Article VI.

Section 6.9 Entity-Level Taxation . If legislation is enacted or the official interpretation of existing legislation is modified by a Governmental Authority, which after giving effect to such enactment or modification, results in a Group Member becoming subject to federal, state or local or non-U.S. income or withholding taxes in excess of the amount of such taxes due from the Group Member prior to such enactment or modification (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any increase in the rate of such taxation applicable to the Group Member), then the General Partner may, at its option, reduce the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and the Target Distributions by the amount of income or withholding taxes that are payable by reason of any such new legislation or interpretation (the “ Incremental Income Taxes ”), or any portion thereof selected by the General Partner, in the manner provided in this Section 6.9. If the General Partner elects to reduce the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and the Target Distributions for any Quarter with respect to all or a portion of any Incremental Income Taxes, the General Partner shall estimate for such Quarter the Partnership Group’s aggregate liability (the “ Estimated

 

63


Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount ”) for all (or the relevant portion of) such Incremental Income Taxes; provided that any difference between such estimate and the actual liability for Incremental Income Taxes (or the relevant portion thereof) for such Quarter may, to the extent determined by the General Partner, be taken into account in determining the Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount with respect to each Quarter in which any such difference can be determined. For each such Quarter, the Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution, Second Target Distribution and Third Target Distribution, shall be the product obtained by multiplying (a) the amounts therefor that are set out herein prior to the application of this Section 6.9 times (b) the quotient obtained by dividing (i) Available Cash with respect to such Quarter by (ii) the sum of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter and the Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount for such Quarter, as determined by the General Partner. For purposes of the foregoing, Available Cash with respect to a Quarter will be deemed reduced by the Estimated Incremental Quarterly Tax Amount for that Quarter.

ARTICLE VII

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS

Section 7.1 Management.

(a) The General Partner shall conduct, direct and manage all activities of the Partnership. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, but without limitation on the ability of the General Partner to delegate its rights and power to other Persons, all management powers over the business and affairs of the Partnership shall be exclusively vested in the General Partner, and no Limited Partner in its capacity as such shall have any management power over the business and affairs of the Partnership. In addition to the powers now or hereafter granted a general partner of a limited partnership under applicable law or that are granted to the General Partner under any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner, subject to Section 7.3, shall have full power and authority to do all things and on such terms as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to conduct the business of the Partnership, to exercise all powers set forth in Section 2.5 and to effectuate the purposes set forth in Section 2.4, including the following:

(i) the making of any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money, the assumption or guarantee of, or other contracting for, indebtedness and other liabilities, the issuance of evidences of indebtedness, including indebtedness that is convertible into or exchangeable for Partnership Interests, and the incurring of any other obligations;

(ii) the making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or rendering of periodic or other reports to Governmental Authorities or other agencies having jurisdiction over the business or assets of the Partnership;

(iii) the acquisition, disposition, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or exchange of any or all of the assets of the Partnership or the merger or other combination of the Partnership with or into another Person (the matters described in this clause (iii) being subject, however, to any prior approval that may be required by Section 7.3 and Article XIV);

 

64


(iv) the use of the assets of the Partnership (including cash on hand) for any purpose consistent with the terms of this Agreement, including the financing of the conduct of the operations of the Partnership Group; subject to Section 7.6(a), the lending of funds to other Persons (including other Group Members); the repayment or guarantee of obligations of any Group Member; and the making of capital contributions to any Group Member;

(v) the negotiation, execution and performance of any contracts, conveyances or other instruments (including instruments that limit the liability of the Partnership under contractual arrangements to all or particular assets of the Partnership, with the other party to the contract to have no recourse against the General Partner or its assets other than its interest in the Partnership, even if the same results in the terms of the transaction being less favorable to the Partnership than would otherwise be the case);

(vi) the distribution of cash held by the Partnership;

(vii) the selection and dismissal of employees (including employees having titles such as “president,” “vice president,” “secretary” and “treasurer”) and agents, internal and outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and contractors and the determination of their compensation and other terms of employment or hiring;

(viii) the maintenance of insurance for the benefit of the Partnership Group, the Partners and Indemnitees;

(ix) the formation of, or acquisition of an interest in, and the contribution of property and the making of loans to, any further limited or general partnerships, joint ventures, corporations, limited liability companies or other Persons (including the acquisition of interests in, and the contributions of property to, any Group Member from time to time) subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 2.4;

(x) the control of any matters affecting the rights and obligations of the Partnership, including the bringing and defending of actions at law or in equity and otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation, arbitration or mediation and the incurring of legal expense and the settlement of claims and litigation;

(xi) the indemnification of any Person against liabilities and contingencies to the extent permitted by law;

(xii) the entering into of listing agreements with any National Securities Exchange and the delisting of some or all of the Limited Partner Interests from, or requesting that trading be suspended on, any such exchange (subject to any prior approval that may be required under Section 4.8(c));

(xiii) the purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of Partnership Interests, or the issuance of Derivative Partnership Interests;

(xiv) the undertaking of any action in connection with the Partnership’s participation in the management of any Group Member; and

 

65


(xv) the entering into of agreements with any of its Affiliates to render services to a Group Member or to itself in the discharge of its duties as General Partner of the Partnership.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, the Delaware Act or any applicable law, rule or regulation, each of the Partners and each other Person who may acquire an interest in Partnership Interests hereby (i) approves, ratifies and confirms the execution, delivery and performance by the parties thereto of this Agreement and the Group Member Agreement of each other Group Member, the Underwriting Agreement, the Omnibus Agreement and the Contribution Agreement, and the other agreements described in or filed as exhibits to the IPO Registration Statement that are related to the transactions contemplated by the IPO Registration Statement (collectively, the “ Transaction Documents ”) (in each case other than this Agreement, without giving effect to any amendments, supplements or restatements thereof entered into after the date such Person becomes bound by the provisions of this Agreement); (ii) agrees that the General Partner (on its own or on behalf of the Partnership) and each of its Affiliates are authorized to execute, deliver and perform the agreements referred to in clause (i) of this sentence and the other agreements, acts, transactions and matters described in or contemplated by the IPO Registration Statement on behalf of the Partnership without any further act, approval or vote of the Partners or the other Persons who may acquire an interest in Partnership Interests or otherwise bound by this Agreement; and (iii) agrees that the execution, delivery or performance by the General Partner, any Group Member or any Affiliate of any of them of this Agreement or any agreement authorized or permitted under this Agreement (including the exercise by the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner of the rights accorded pursuant to Article XV) shall not constitute a breach by the General Partner of any duty or any other obligation of any type whatsoever that the General Partner may owe the Partnership or the Limited Partners or any other Persons under this Agreement (or any other agreements) or of any duty existing at law, in equity or otherwise.

Section 7.2 Certificate of Limited Partnership . The General Partner has caused the Certificate of Limited Partnership to be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as required by the Delaware Act. The General Partner shall use all reasonable efforts to cause to be filed such other certificates or documents that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation, continuation, qualification and operation of a limited partnership (or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability) in the State of Delaware or any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. To the extent the General Partner determines such action to be necessary or appropriate, the General Partner shall file amendments to and restatements of the Certificate of Limited Partnership and do all things to maintain the Partnership as a limited partnership (or a partnership or other entity in which the limited partners have limited liability) under the laws of the State of Delaware or of any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. Subject to the terms of Section 3.4(a), the General Partner shall not be required, before or after filing, to deliver or mail a copy of the Certificate of Limited Partnership, any qualification document or any amendment thereto to any Limited Partner.

Section 7.3 Restrictions on the General Partner’s Authority to Sell Assets of the Partnership Group . Except as provided in Article XII and Article XIV, the General Partner may

 

66


not sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group, taken as a whole, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions without the approval of holders of a Unit Majority; provided, however, that this provision shall not preclude or limit the General Partner’s ability to mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership Group and shall not apply to any forced sale of any or all of the assets of the Partnership Group pursuant to the foreclosure of, or other realization upon, any such encumbrance.

Section 7.4 Reimbursement of the General Partner.

(a) Except as provided in this Section 7.4 and elsewhere in this Agreement, the General Partner shall not be compensated for its services as a general partner or managing member of any Group Member.

(b) The General Partner shall be reimbursed on a monthly basis, or such other basis as the General Partner may determine, for (i) all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on behalf of the Partnership Group (including salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to any Person, including Affiliates of the General Partner, to perform services for the Partnership Group or for the General Partner in the discharge of its duties to the Partnership Group), and (ii) all other expenses allocable to the Partnership Group or otherwise incurred by the General Partner or its Affiliates in connection with managing and operating the Partnership Group’s business and affairs (including expenses allocated to the General Partner by its Affiliates). The General Partner shall determine the expenses that are allocable to the Partnership Group. Reimbursements pursuant to this Section 7.4 shall be in addition to any reimbursement to the General Partner as a result of indemnification pursuant to Section 7.7. This provision does not affect the ability of the General Partner and its Affiliates to enter into an agreement to provide services to any Group Member for a fee or otherwise than for cost.

(c) The General Partner, without the approval of the Limited Partners (who shall have no right to vote in respect thereof), may propose and adopt on behalf of the Partnership employee benefit plans, employee programs and employee practices (including plans, programs and practices involving the issuance of Partnership Interests or options to purchase or rights, warrants or appreciation rights or phantom or tracking interests relating to Partnership Interests), or cause the Partnership to issue Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests in connection with, or pursuant to, any employee benefit plan, employee program or employee practice maintained or sponsored by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates in each case for the benefit of employees and directors of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates. The Partnership agrees to issue and sell to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates any Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests that the General Partner or such Affiliates are obligated to provide to any employees, consultants and directors pursuant to any such employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee practices. Expenses incurred by the General Partner in connection with any such plans, programs and practices (including the net cost to the General Partner or such Affiliates of Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests purchased by the General Partner or such Affiliates from the Partnership to fulfill options or awards under such plans, programs and practices) shall be reimbursed in accordance with Section 7.4(b). Any and all obligations of the General Partner under any

 

67


employee benefit plans, employee programs or employee practices adopted by the General Partner or its Affiliates as permitted by this Section 7.4(c) shall constitute obligations of the General Partner hereunder and shall be assumed by any successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner’s General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6.

(d) The General Partner and its Affiliates may charge any member of the Partnership Group a management fee to the extent necessary to allow the Partnership Group to reduce the amount of any state franchise or income tax or any tax based upon the revenues or gross margin of any member of the Partnership Group if the tax benefit produced by the payment of such management fee or fees exceeds the amount of such fee or fees.

Section 7.5 Outside Activities.

(a) The General Partner, for so long as it is the General Partner of the Partnership, (i) agrees that its sole business will be to act as a general partner or managing member, as the case may be, of the Partnership and any other partnership or limited liability company of which the Partnership is, directly or indirectly, a partner or member and to undertake activities that are ancillary or related thereto (including being a Limited Partner in the Partnership) and (ii) shall not engage in any business or activity or incur any debts or liabilities except in connection with or incidental to (A) its performance as general partner or managing member, if any, of one or more Group Members or as described in or contemplated by the IPO Registration Statement, (B) the acquiring, owning or disposing of debt securities or equity interests in any Group Member, or (C) subject to the limitations contained in the Omnibus Agreement, the performance of its obligations under the Omnibus Agreement.

(b) Except as provided in the Omnibus Agreement and subject to the terms of Section 7.5(c), each Unrestricted Person (other than the General Partner) shall have the right to engage in businesses of every type and description and other activities for profit and to engage in and possess an interest in other business ventures of any and every type or description, whether in businesses engaged in or anticipated to be engaged in by any Group Member, independently or with others, including business interests and activities in direct competition with the business and activities of any Group Member, and none of the same shall constitute a breach of this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law, in equity or otherwise, to any Group Member or any Partner; provided such Unrestricted Person does not engage in such business or activity using confidential or proprietary information provided by or on behalf of the Partnership to such Unrestricted Person. None of any Group Member, any Limited Partner or any other Person shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, or the partnership relationship established hereby in any business ventures of any Unrestricted Person.

(c) Subject to the terms of Sections 7.5(a) and (b), but otherwise notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, (i) the engaging in competitive activities by any Unrestricted Person (other than the General Partner) in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.5 is hereby approved by the Partnership and all Partners, (ii) it shall be deemed not to be a breach of any duty otherwise existing at law, in equity or otherwise, of the General Partner or any other Unrestricted Person for the Unrestricted Persons (other than the General Partner) to engage in such business interests and activities in preference to or to the

 

68


exclusion of the Partnership and (iii) the Unrestricted Persons shall have no obligation hereunder or as a result of any duty otherwise existing at law, in equity or otherwise, to present business opportunities to the Partnership. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any analogous doctrine, shall not apply to any Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner). Except as provided in the Omnibus Agreement, no Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner) who acquires knowledge of a potential transaction, agreement, arrangement or other matter that may be an opportunity for the Partnership, shall have any duty to communicate or offer such opportunity to the Partnership, and such Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner) shall not be liable to the Partnership, to any Limited Partner or any other Person bound by this Agreement for breach of any duty otherwise existing at law, in equity or otherwise, by reason of the fact that such Unrestricted Person (including the General Partner) pursues or acquires for itself, directs such opportunity to another Person or does not communicate such opportunity or information to the Partnership, provided such Unrestricted Person does not engage in such business or activity using confidential or proprietary information provided by or on behalf of the Partnership to such Unrestricted Person.

(d) The General Partner and each of its Affiliates may acquire Units or other Partnership Interests in addition to those acquired on the Closing Date and, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, shall be entitled to exercise, at their option, all rights relating to all Units and/or other Partnership Interests acquired by them. The term “ Affiliates ” when used in this Section 7.5(d) with respect to the General Partner shall not include any Group Member.

Section 7.6 Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or Group Members .

(a) The General Partner or any of its Affiliates may lend to any Group Member, and any Group Member may borrow from the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, funds needed or desired by the Group Member for such periods of time and in such amounts as the General Partner may determine; provided, however, that in any such case the lending party may not charge the borrowing party interest at a rate greater than the rate that would be charged the borrowing party or impose terms less favorable to the borrowing party than would be charged or imposed on the borrowing party by unrelated lenders on comparable loans made on an arm’s-length basis (without reference to the lending party’s financial abilities or guarantees), all as determined by the General Partner. The borrowing party shall reimburse the lending party for any costs (other than any additional interest costs) incurred by the lending party in connection with the borrowing of such funds. For purposes of this Section 7.6(a) and Section 7.6(b), the term “ Group Member ” shall include any Affiliate of a Group Member that is controlled by the Group Member.

(b) The Partnership may lend or contribute to any Group Member, and any Group Member may borrow from the Partnership, funds on terms and conditions determined by the General Partner. No Group Member may lend funds to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates (other than another Group Member).

(c) No borrowing by any Group Member or the approval thereof by the General Partner shall be deemed to constitute a breach of any duty or any other obligation of any

 

69


type whatsoever, expressed or implied, of the General Partner or its Affiliates to the Partnership or the Limited Partners existing hereunder, or existing at law, in equity or otherwise by reason of the fact that the purpose or effect of such borrowing is directly or indirectly to (i) enable distributions to the General Partner or its Affiliates (including in their capacities as Limited Partners) to exceed the General Partner’s Percentage Interest of the total amount distributed to all partners or (ii) hasten the expiration of the Subordination Period or the conversion of any Subordinated Units into Common Units.

Section 7.7 Indemnification.

(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law but subject to the limitations expressly provided in this Agreement, all Indemnitees shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Partnership from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all threatened, pending or completed claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, and whether formal or informal and including appeals, in which any Indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of its status as an Indemnitee and acting (or omitting or refraining to act) in such capacity on behalf of or for the benefit of the Partnership; provided, that the Indemnitee shall not be indemnified and held harmless pursuant to this Agreement if there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Agreement, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud, willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful; provided, further, no indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7 shall be available to any Indemnitee (other than a Group Member) with respect to any such Affiliate’s obligations pursuant to the Transaction Documents. Any indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7 shall be made only out of the assets of the Partnership, it being agreed that the General Partner shall not be personally liable for such indemnification and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate such indemnification.

(b) To the fullest extent permitted by law, expenses (including legal fees and expenses) incurred by an Indemnitee who is indemnified pursuant to Section 7.7(a) in defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be advanced by the Partnership prior to a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7, the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified upon receipt by the Partnership of any undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay such amount if it shall be ultimately determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized by this Section 7.7.

(c) The indemnification provided by this Section 7.7 shall be in addition to any other rights to which an Indemnitee may be entitled under this Agreement, any other agreement, pursuant to any vote of the holders of Outstanding Limited Partner Interests, as a matter of law, in equity or otherwise, both as to actions in the Indemnitee’s capacity as an Indemnitee and as to actions in any other capacity (including any capacity under the

 

70


Underwriting Agreement), and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns and administrators of the Indemnitee.

(d) The Partnership may purchase and maintain (or reimburse the General Partner or its Affiliates for the cost of) insurance, on behalf of the General Partner, its Affiliates and such other Persons as the General Partner shall determine, against any liability that may be asserted against, or expense that may be incurred by, such Person in connection with the Partnership’s activities or such Person’s activities on behalf of the Partnership, regardless of whether the Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement.

(e) For purposes of this Section 7.7, the Partnership shall be deemed to have requested an Indemnitee to serve as fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance by it of its duties to the Partnership also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves services by, it to the plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes assessed on an Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan pursuant to applicable law shall constitute “fines” within the meaning of Section 7.7(a); and action taken or omitted by it with respect to any employee benefit plan in the performance of its duties for a purpose reasonably believed by it to be in the best interest of the participants and beneficiaries of the plan shall be deemed to be for a purpose that is in the best interests of the Partnership.

(f) In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Limited Partners to personal liability by reason of the indemnification provisions set forth in this Agreement.

(g) An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this Section 7.7 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.

(h) The provisions of this Section 7.7 are for the benefit of the Indemnitees and their heirs, successors, assigns, executors and administrators and shall not be deemed to create any rights for the benefit of any other Persons.

(i) No amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.7 or any provision hereof shall in any manner terminate, reduce or impair the right of any past, present or future Indemnitee to be indemnified by the Partnership, nor the obligations of the Partnership to indemnify any such Indemnitee under and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.7 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

Section 7.8 Liability of Indemnitees .

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, no Indemnitee shall be liable for monetary damages to the Partnership, the Limited Partners, or any other Persons who have acquired interests in the Partnership Interests, for losses sustained or liabilities incurred as a result of any act or omission of an Indemnitee unless there has been a

 

71


final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter in question, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud, willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was criminal.

(b) The General Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to it by this Agreement and perform any of the duties imposed upon it hereunder either directly or by or through its agents, and the General Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent appointed by the General Partner in good faith.

(c) To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Indemnitee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Partnership or to the Partners, the General Partner and any other Indemnitee acting in connection with the Partnership’s business or affairs shall not be liable to the Partnership or to any Partner for its good faith reliance on the provisions of this Agreement.

(d) Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.8 or any provision hereof shall be prospective only and shall not in any way affect the limitations on the liability of the Indemnitees under this Section 7.8 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

Section 7.9 Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standards of Conduct and Modification of Duties .

(a) Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or any Group Member Agreement, whenever a potential conflict of interest exists or arises between the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Partnership, any Group Member or any Partner, on the other, any resolution or course of action by the General Partner or its Affiliates in respect of such conflict of interest shall be permitted and deemed approved by all Partners, and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement, of any Group Member Agreement, of any agreement contemplated herein or therein, or of any duty stated or implied by law or equity, if the resolution or course of action in respect of such conflict of interest is (i) approved by Special Approval, (ii) approved by the vote of a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates), (iii) determined by the Board of Directors of the General Partner to be on terms no less favorable to the Partnership than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties or (iv) determined by the Board of Directors of the General Partner to be fair and reasonable to the Partnership, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to the Partnership). The General Partner shall be authorized but not required in connection with its resolution of such conflict of interest to seek Special Approval or Unitholder approval of such resolution, and the General Partner may also adopt a resolution or

 

72


course of action that has not received Special Approval or Unitholder approval. Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or any Group Member Agreement, whenever the General Partner makes a determination to seek Special Approval, seek Unitholder Approval or adopt a resolution or course of action that has not received Special Approval or Unitholder Approval, then the General Partner shall be entitled, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to make such determination or to take or decline to take such other action free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner, and the General Partner shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity, and the General Partner in making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action shall be permitted to do so in its sole and absolute discretion. If Special Approval is sought, then it shall be presumed that, in making its decision, the Conflicts Committee acted in good faith, and if the Board of Directors of the General Partner determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to a conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in clauses (iii) or (iv) above, then it shall be presumed that, in making its decision, the Board of Directors of the General Partner acted in good faith. In any proceeding brought by any Limited Partner or by or on behalf of such Limited Partner or any other Limited Partner or the Partnership challenging any action by the Conflicts Committee, with respect to any matter referred to the Conflicts Committee, for Special Approval by the General Partner, any action by the Board of Directors of the General Partner in determining whether the resolution or course of action taken with respect to a conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in clauses (iii) or (iv) above or whether a director satisfies the eligibility requirements to be a member of the Conflicts Committee the Person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding shall have the burden of overcoming the presumption that the Conflicts Committee or the Board of Directors of the General Partner, as applicable, acted in good faith; in all cases subject to the provisions for conclusive determination in Section 7.9(b), and in no event shall any Person bringing or prosecuting any such proceeding be entitled to any injunctive or equitable relief or remedy, including rescission or reformation, in any case where the Conflicts Committee or the Board of Directors of the General Partner acted, or is conclusively deemed or presumed to have acted, in good faith. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any duty otherwise existing at law or equity, the existence of the conflicts of interest described in the IPO Registration Statement are hereby approved by all Partners and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement.

(b) Whenever the General Partner or the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof (including the Conflicts Committee), makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other action, or any Affiliate of the General Partner causes the General Partner to do so, in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership as opposed to in its individual capacity, whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement, then, unless another express standard is provided for in this Agreement, the General Partner, the Board of Directors or such committee or such Affiliates causing the General Partner to do so, shall make such determination or take or decline to take such other action in good faith and shall not be subject to any other or different standards (including fiduciary standards) imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity. A determination or other action or inaction will conclusively be deemed to be in “good faith” for all purposes of this Agreement, if the Person or Persons making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action subjectively believe that the determination or other action or inaction is in the best interests of the Partnership Group; provided, that if the Board of Directors of the General

 

73


Partner is making a determination or taking or declining to take an action pursuant to clause (iii) or clause (iv) of the first sentence of Section 7.9(a), then in lieu thereof, such determination or other action or inaction will conclusively be deemed to be in “good faith” for all purposes of this Agreement if the members of the Board of Directors of the General Partner making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action subjectively believe that the determination or other action or inaction meets the standard set forth in clause (iii) or clause (iv) of the first sentence of Section 7.9(a), as applicable; provided further, that if the Board of Directors of the General Partner is making a determination that a director satisfies the eligibility requirements to be a member of a Conflicts Committee then in lieu thereof, such determination will conclusively be deemed to be in “good faith” for all purposes of this Agreement if the members of the Board of Directors of the General Partner making such determination subjectively believe that the director satisfies the eligibility requirements to be a member of the Conflicts Committee.

(c) Whenever the General Partner makes a determination or takes or declines to take any other action, or any of its Affiliates causes it to do so, in its individual capacity as opposed to in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership, whether under this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then the General Partner, or such Affiliates causing it to do so, are entitled, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to make such determination or to take or decline to take such other action free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner, and the General Partner, or such Affiliates causing it to do so, shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity, and the Person or Persons making such determination or taking or declining to take such other action shall be permitted to do so in their sole and absolute discretion. By way of illustration and not of limitation, whenever the phrase, “the General Partner at its option,” or some variation of that phrase, is used in this Agreement, it indicates that the General Partner is acting in its individual capacity. For the avoidance of doubt, whenever the General Partner votes or transfers its Partnership Interests, or refrains from voting or transferring its Partnership Interests, it shall be acting in its individual capacity.

(d) The General Partner’s organizational documents may provide that determinations to take or decline to take any action in its individual, rather than representative, capacity may or shall be determined by its members, if the General Partner is a limited liability company, stockholders, if the General Partner is a corporation, or the members or stockholders of the General Partner’s general partner, if the General Partner is a partnership.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the General Partner and its Affiliates shall have no duty or obligation, express or implied, to (i) sell or otherwise dispose of any asset of the Partnership Group other than in the ordinary course of business or (ii) permit any Group Member to use any facilities or assets of the General Partner and its Affiliates, except as may be provided in contracts entered into from time to time specifically dealing with such use. Any determination by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates to enter into such contracts shall be at its option.

 

74


(f) Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement or required by the Delaware Act, neither the General Partner nor any other Indemnitee shall have any duties or liabilities, including fiduciary duties, to the Partnership or any Limited Partner and the provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they restrict, eliminate or otherwise modify the duties and liabilities, including fiduciary duties, of the General Partner or any other Indemnitee otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Partners to replace such other duties and liabilities of the General Partner or such other Indemnitee.

(g) The Unitholders hereby authorize the General Partner, on behalf of the Partnership as a general partner or managing member of a Group Member, to approve actions by the general partner or managing member of such Group Member similar to those actions permitted to be taken by the General Partner pursuant to this Section 7.9.

Section 7.10 Other Matters Concerning the General Partner .

(a) The General Partner and any other Indemnitee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.

(b) The General Partner and any other Indemnitee may consult with legal counsel, accountants, appraisers, management consultants, investment bankers and other consultants and advisers selected by it, and any act taken or omitted to be taken in reliance upon the advice or opinion (including an Opinion of Counsel) of such Persons as to matters that the General Partner or such Indemnitee, respectively, reasonably believes to be within such Person’s professional or expert competence shall be conclusively presumed to have been done or omitted in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion.

(c) The General Partner shall have the right, in respect of any of its powers or obligations hereunder, to act through any of its duly authorized officers, a duly appointed attorney or attorneys-in-fact or the duly authorized officers of the Partnership or any Group Member.

Section 7.11 Purchase or Sale of Partnership Interests . The General Partner may cause the Partnership to purchase or otherwise acquire Partnership Interests or Derivative Partnership Interests; provided that, except as permitted pursuant to Section 4.10, the General Partner may not cause any Group Member to purchase Subordinated Units during the Subordination Period. As long as Partnership Interests are held by any Group Member, such Partnership Interests shall not be considered Outstanding for any purpose, except as otherwise provided herein. The General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner may also purchase or otherwise acquire and sell or otherwise dispose of Partnership Interests for its own account, subject to the provisions of Articles IV and X.

Section 7.12 Registration Rights of the General Partner and its Affiliates .

(a) Demand Registration . Upon receipt of a Notice from any Holder at any time after the 180th day after the Closing Date, the Partnership shall file with the Commission as

 

75


promptly as reasonably practicable a registration statement under the Securities Act (each, a “ Registration Statement ”) providing for the resale of the Registrable Securities identified in such Notice, which may, at the option of the Holder giving such Notice, be a Registration Statement that provides for the resale of the Registrable Securities from time to time pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act. The Partnership shall not be required pursuant to this Section 7.12(a) to file more than one Registration Statement in any twelve-month period nor to file more than three Registration Statements in the aggregate. The Partnership shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective as soon as reasonably practicable after the initial filing of the Registration Statement and to remain effective and available for the resale of the Registrable Securities by the Selling Holders named therein until the earlier of (i) six months following such Registration Statement’s effective date and (ii) the date on which all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been sold. In the event one or more Holders request in a Notice to dispose of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement in an Underwritten Offering and such Holder or Holders reasonably anticipate gross proceeds from such Underwritten Offering of at least $20,000,000 in the aggregate, the Partnership shall retain underwriters that are reasonably acceptable to such Selling Holders in order to permit such Selling Holders to effect such disposition through an Underwritten Offering; provided the Partnership shall have the exclusive right to select the bookrunning managers. The Partnership and such Selling Holders shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form that is reasonably acceptable to the Partnership and take all reasonable actions as are requested by the managing underwriters to facilitate the Underwritten Offering and sale of Partnership Interests therein. No Holder may participate in the Underwritten Offering unless it agrees to sell its Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement on the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement and completes and delivers all necessary documents and information reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting agreement. In the event that the managing underwriter of such Underwritten Offering advises the Partnership and the Holder in writing that in its opinion the inclusion of all or some Registrable Securities would adversely and materially affect the timing or success of the Underwritten Offering, the amount of Registrable Securities that each Selling Holder requested be included in such Underwritten Offering shall be reduced on a Pro Rata basis to the aggregate amount that the managing underwriter deems will not have such material and adverse effect. Any Holder may withdraw from such Underwritten Offering by notice to the Partnership and the managing underwriter; provided such notice is delivered prior to the launch of such Underwritten Offering.

(b) Piggyback Registration . At any time after the 180th day after the Closing Date, if the Partnership shall propose to file a Registration Statement (other than pursuant to a demand made pursuant to Section 7.12(a)) for an offering of Partnership Interests for cash (other than an offering relating solely to an employee benefit plan, an offering relating to a transaction on Form S-4 or an offering on any registration statement that does not permit secondary sales), the Partnership shall notify all Holders of such proposal at least five Business Days before the proposed filing date. The Partnership shall use commercially reasonable efforts to include such number of Registrable Securities held by any Holder in such Registration Statement as each Holder shall request in a Notice received by the Partnership within two Business Days of such Holder’s receipt of the notice from the Partnership. If the Registration Statement about which the Partnership gives notice under this Section 7.12(b) is for an Underwritten Offering, then any Holder’s ability to include its desired amount of Registrable Securities in such Registration

 

76


Statement shall be conditioned on such Holder’s inclusion of all such Registrable Securities in the Underwritten Offering; provided that, in the event that the managing underwriter of such Underwritten Offering advises the Partnership and the Holder in writing that in its opinion the inclusion of all or some Registrable Securities would adversely and materially affect the timing or success of the Underwritten Offering, the amount of Registrable Securities that each Selling Holder requested be included in such Underwritten Offering shall be reduced on a Pro Rata basis to the aggregate amount that the managing underwriter deems will not have such material and adverse effect. In connection with any such Underwritten Offering, the Partnership and the Selling Holders involved shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form that is reasonably acceptable to the Partnership and take all reasonable actions as are requested by the managing underwriters to facilitate the Underwritten Offering and sale of Partnership Interests therein. No Holder may participate in the Underwritten Offering unless it agrees to sells its Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement on the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement and completes and delivers all necessary documents and information reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting agreement. Any Holder may withdraw from such Underwritten Offering by notice to the Partnership and the managing underwriter; provided such notice is delivered prior to the launch of such Underwritten Offering. The Partnership shall have the right to terminate or withdraw any Registration Statement or Underwritten Offering initiated by it under this Section 7.12(b) prior to the pricing date of the Underwritten Offering.

(c) Sale Procedures . In connection with its obligations under this Section 7.12, the Partnership shall:

(i) furnish to each Selling Holder (A) as far in advance as reasonably practicable before filing a Registration Statement or any supplement or amendment thereto, upon request, copies of reasonably complete drafts of all such documents proposed to be filed (including exhibits and each document incorporated by reference therein to the extent then required by the rules and regulations of the Commission), and provide each such Selling Holder the opportunity to object to any information pertaining to such Selling Holder and its plan of distribution that is contained therein and make the corrections reasonably requested by such Selling Holder with respect to such information prior to filing a Registration Statement or supplement or amendment thereto, and (B) such number of copies of such Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein and any supplements and amendments thereto as such Persons may reasonably request in order to facilitate the public sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement; provided that the Partnership will not have any obligation to provide any document pursuant to clause (B) hereof that is available on the Commission’s website;

(ii) if applicable, use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Selling Holders or, in the case of an Underwritten Offering, the managing underwriter, shall reasonably request; provided, however, that the Partnership will not be required to qualify generally to transact business in any jurisdiction where it is not then required to so qualify or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;

 

77


(iii) promptly notify each Selling Holder and each underwriter, at any time when a prospectus is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of (A) the filing of a Registration Statement or any prospectus or prospectus supplement to be used in connection therewith, or any amendment or supplement thereto, and, with respect to such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, when the same has become effective; and (B) any written comments from the Commission with respect to any Registration Statement or any document incorporated by reference therein and any written request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or any prospectus or prospectus supplement thereto;

(iv) immediately notify each Selling Holder and each underwriter, at any time when a prospectus is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of (A) the occurrence of any event or existence of any fact (but not a description of such event or fact) as a result of which the prospectus or prospectus supplement contained in a Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (in the case of the prospectus contained therein, in the light of the circumstances under which a statement is made), (B) the issuance or threat of issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, or (C) the receipt by the Partnership of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of any Registrable Securities for sale under the applicable securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction. Following the provision of such notice, subject to Section 7.12(f), the Partnership agrees to, as promptly as practicable, amend or supplement the prospectus or prospectus supplement or take other appropriate action so that the prospectus or prospectus supplement does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances then existing and to take such other reasonable action as is necessary to remove a stop order, suspension, threat thereof or proceedings related thereto; and

(v) enter into customary agreements and take such other actions as are reasonably requested by the Selling Holders or the underwriters, if any, in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities, including the provision of comfort letters and legal opinions as are customary in such securities offerings.

(d) Suspension . Each Selling Holder, upon receipt of notice from the Partnership of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 7.12(c)(iv), shall forthwith discontinue disposition of the Registrable Securities by means of a prospectus or prospectus supplement until such Selling Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by such subsection or until it is advised in writing by the Partnership that the use of the prospectus may be resumed, and has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings incorporated by reference in the prospectus.

(e) Expenses . Except as set forth in an underwriting agreement for the applicable Underwritten Offering or as otherwise agreed between a Selling Holder and the Partnership, all costs and expenses of a Registration Statement filed or an Underwritten Offering that includes Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 7.12 (other than underwriting discounts and commissions on Registrable Securities and fees and expenses of counsel and advisors to Selling Holders) shall be paid by the Partnership.

 

78


(f) Delay Right . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, if the Conflicts Committee determines that the Partnership’s compliance with its obligations in this Section 7.12 would be detrimental to the Partnership because such registration would (x) materially interfere with a significant acquisition, reorganization or other similar transaction involving the Partnership, (y) require premature disclosure of material information that the Partnership has a bona fide business purpose for preserving as confidential or (z) render the Partnership unable to comply with requirements under applicable securities laws, then the Partnership shall have the right to postpone compliance with such obligations for a period of not more than six months; provided that such right may not be exercised more than twice in any 24-month period.

(g) Indemnification .

(i) In addition to and not in limitation of the Partnership’s obligation under Section 7.7, the Partnership shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law but subject to the limitations expressly provided in this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless each Selling Holder, its officers, directors and each Person who controls the Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act) and any agent thereof (collectively, “ Indemnified Persons ”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which any Indemnified Person may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, under the Securities Act or otherwise (hereinafter referred to in this Section 7.12(g) as a “ claim ” and in the plural as “ claims ”) based upon, arising out of or resulting from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any Registration Statement, preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or issuer free writing prospectus under which any Registrable Securities were registered or sold by such Selling Holder under the Securities Act, or arising out of, based upon or resulting from the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Partnership shall not be liable to any Indemnified Person to the extent that any such claim arises out of, is based upon or results from an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such Registration Statement, preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or issuer free writing prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership by or on behalf of such Selling Holder specifically for use in the preparation thereof.

(ii) Each Selling Holder shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify and hold harmless the Partnership, the General Partner’s officers and directors and each Person who controls the Partnership (within the meaning of the Securities Act) and any agent thereof to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Partnership to the Selling Holders, but only with respect to information regarding such Selling Holder furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Selling Holder expressly for inclusion in such Registration Statement, preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or issuer free writing prospectus.

 

79


(iii) The provisions of this Section 7.12(g) shall be in addition to any other rights to which an Indemnified Person may be entitled under law, equity, contract or otherwise.

(h) Specific Performance . Damages in the event of breach of Section 7.12 by a party hereto may be difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain, and it is therefore agreed that each party, in addition to and without limiting any other remedy or right it may have, will have the right to an injunction or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction, enjoining any such breach, and enforcing specifically the terms and provisions hereof, and each of the parties hereto hereby waives any and all defenses it may have on the ground of lack of jurisdiction or competence of the court to grant such an injunction or other equitable relief. The existence of this right will not preclude any such party from pursuing any other rights and remedies at law or in equity that such party may have.

Section 7.13 Reliance by Third Parties . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Person (other than the General Partner and its Affiliates) dealing with the Partnership shall be entitled to assume that the General Partner and any officer of the General Partner authorized by the General Partner to act on behalf of and in the name of the Partnership has full power and authority to encumber, sell or otherwise use in any manner any and all assets of the Partnership and to enter into any authorized contracts on behalf of the Partnership, and such Person shall be entitled to deal with the General Partner or any such officer as if it were the Partnership’s sole party in interest, both legally and beneficially. Each Limited Partner hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any and all defenses or other remedies that may be available against such Person to contest, negate or disaffirm any action of the General Partner or any such officer in connection with any such dealing. In no event shall any Person (other than the General Partner and its Affiliates) dealing with the General Partner or any such officer or its representatives be obligated to ascertain that the terms of this Agreement have been complied with or to inquire into the necessity or expedience of any act or action of the General Partner or any such officer or its representatives. Each and every certificate, document or other instrument executed on behalf of the Partnership by the General Partner or its representatives shall be conclusive evidence in favor of any and every Person relying thereon or claiming thereunder that (a) at the time of the execution and delivery of such certificate, document or instrument, this Agreement was in full force and effect, (b) the Person executing and delivering such certificate, document or instrument was duly authorized and empowered to do so for and on behalf of the Partnership and (c) such certificate, document or instrument was duly executed and delivered in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Agreement and is binding upon the Partnership.

ARTICLE VIII

BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS

Section 8.1 Records and Accounting . The General Partner or the Transfer Agent shall keep or cause to be kept appropriate books and records with respect to the Partnership’s business, including the Register and all other books and records necessary to provide to the Limited Partners any information required to be provided pursuant to Section 3.4(a). Any books and records maintained by or on behalf of the Partnership in the regular course of its business, including the Register, books of account and records of Partnership proceedings, may be kept on, or be in the form of, computer disks, hard drives, punch cards, magnetic tape, photographs,

 

80


micrographics or any other information storage device; provided, that the books and records so maintained are convertible into clearly legible written form within a reasonable period of time. The books of the Partnership shall be maintained, for financial reporting purposes, on an accrual basis in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The Partnership shall not be required to keep books maintained on a cash basis and the General Partner shall be permitted to calculate cash-based measures, including Operating Surplus and Adjusted Operating Surplus, by making such adjustments to its accrual basis books to account for non-cash items and other adjustments as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

Section 8.2 Fiscal Year . The fiscal year of the Partnership shall be a fiscal year ending December 31.

Section 8.3 Reports .

(a) Whether or not the Partnership is subject to the requirement to file reports with the Commission, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 105 days after the close of each fiscal year of the Partnership (or such shorter or longer period as required by the Commission, in which case the Partnership shall have such shorter or longer period), the General Partner shall cause to be mailed or made available, by any reasonable means (including posting on or accessible through the Partnership’s or the Commission’s website) to each Record Holder of a Unit as of a date selected by the General Partner, an annual report containing financial statements of the Partnership for such fiscal year of the Partnership, presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, including a balance sheet and statements of operations, Partnership equity and cash flows, such statements to be audited by a firm of independent public accountants selected by the General Partner, and such other information as may be required by applicable law, regulation or rule of the Commission or any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, or as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

(b) Whether or not the Partnership is subject to the requirement to file reports with the Commission, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 50 days after the close of each Quarter (or such shorter or longer period as required by the Commission, in which case the Partnership shall have such shorter or longer period) except the last Quarter of each fiscal year, the General Partner shall cause to be mailed or made available, by any reasonable means (including posting on or accessible through the Partnership’s or the Commission’s website) to each Record Holder of a Unit, as of a date selected by the General Partner, a report containing unaudited financial statements of the Partnership and such other information as may be required by applicable law, regulation or rule of the Commission or any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, or as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

ARTICLE IX

TAX MATTERS

Section 9.1 Tax Returns and Information . The Partnership shall timely file all returns of the Partnership that are required for federal, state and local income tax purposes on the basis of the accrual method and the taxable period or year that it is required by law to adopt, from time to time, as determined by the General Partner. In the event the Partnership is required to use a

 

81


taxable period other than a year ending on December 31, the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to change the taxable period of the Partnership to a year ending on December 31. The tax information reasonably required by Record Holders for federal and state income tax reporting purposes with respect to a taxable period shall be furnished to them within 90 days of the close of the calendar year in which the Partnership’s taxable period ends. The classification, realization and recognition of income, gain, losses and deductions and other items shall be on the accrual method of accounting for federal income tax purposes.

Section 9.2 Tax Elections .

(a) The Partnership shall make the election under Section 754 of the Code in accordance with applicable regulations thereunder, subject to the reservation of the right to seek to revoke any such election upon the General Partner’s determination that such revocation is in the best interests of the Limited Partners. Notwithstanding any other provision herein contained, for the purposes of computing the adjustments under Section 743(b) of the Code, the General Partner shall be authorized (but not required) to adopt a convention whereby the price paid by a transferee of a Limited Partner Interest will be deemed to be the lowest quoted Closing Price of the Limited Partner Interests on any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed or admitted to trading during the calendar month in which such transfer is deemed to occur pursuant to Section 6.2(f)(ii) without regard to the actual price paid by such transferee.

(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, the General Partner shall determine whether the Partnership should make any other elections permitted by the Code.

Section 9.3 Tax Controversies . Subject to the provisions hereof, the General Partner is designated as the “tax matters partner” (as defined in Section 6231(a)(7) of the Code) and is authorized and required to represent the Partnership (at the Partnership’s expense) in connection with all examinations of the Partnership’s affairs by tax authorities, including resulting administrative and judicial proceedings, and to expend Partnership funds for professional services and costs associated therewith. Each Partner agrees to cooperate with the General Partner and to do or refrain from doing any or all things reasonably required by the General Partner to conduct such proceedings.

Section 9.4 Withholding . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner is authorized to take any action that may be required to cause the Partnership and other Group Members to comply with any withholding requirements established under the Code or any other federal, state or local law including pursuant to Sections 1441, 1442, 1445 and 1446 of the Code, or established under any foreign law. To the extent that the Partnership is required or elects to withhold and pay over to any taxing authority any amount resulting from the allocation or distribution of income to any Partner (including by reason of Section 1446 of the Code), the General Partner may treat the amount withheld as a distribution of cash pursuant to Section 6.4, Section 6.5, or Section 12.4(c) in the amount of such withholding from such Partner.

 

82


ARTICLE X

ADMISSION OF PARTNERS

Section 10.1 Admission of Limited Partners .

(a) Upon the issuance by the Partnership of Common Units, Subordinated Units and Incentive Distribution Rights to the General Partner, Tallgrass Operations and the IPO Underwriters in connection with the Initial Public Offering as described in Article V, such Persons shall, by acceptance of such Partnership Interests, and upon becoming the Record Holders of such Partnership Interests, be admitted to the Partnership as Initial Limited Partners in respect of the Common Units, Subordinated Units or Incentive Distribution Rights issued to them and be bound by this Agreement, all with or without execution of this Agreement by such Persons.

(b) By acceptance of any Limited Partner Interests transferred in accordance with Article IV or acceptance of any Limited Partner Interests issued pursuant to Article V or pursuant to a merger, consolidation or conversion pursuant to Article XIV, and except as provided in Section 4.9, each transferee of, or other such Person acquiring, a Limited Partner Interest (including any nominee, agent or representative acquiring such Limited Partner Interests for the account of another Person or Group, which nominee, agent or representative shall be subject to Section 10.1(c) below) (i) shall be admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interests so transferred or issued to such Person when such Person becomes the Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interests so transferred or acquired, (ii) shall become bound, and shall be deemed to have agreed to be bound, by the terms of this Agreement, (iii) shall be deemed to represent that the transferee or acquirer has the capacity, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and (iv) shall be deemed to make any consents, acknowledgements or waivers contained in this Agreement. The transfer of any Limited Partner Interests and the admission of any new Limited Partner shall not constitute an amendment to this Agreement. A Person may become a Limited Partner without the consent or approval of any of the Partners. A Person may not become a Limited Partner without acquiring a Limited Partner Interest and becoming the Record Holder of such Limited Partner Interest. The rights and obligations of a Person who is an Ineligible Holder shall be determined in accordance with Section 4.9.

(c) With respect to Units that are held for a Person’s account by another Person that is the Record Holder (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation, or an agent of any of the foregoing), such Record Holder shall, in exercising the rights of a Limited Partner in respect of such Units, including the right to vote, on any matter, and unless the arrangement between such Persons provides otherwise, take all action as a Limited Partner by virtue of being the Record Holder of such Units in accordance with the direction of the Person who is the beneficial owner of such Units, and the Partnership shall be entitled to assume such Record Holder is so acting without further inquiry. The provisions of this Section 10.1(c) are subject to the provisions of Section 4.3.

(d) The name and mailing address of each Record Holder shall be listed in the Register. The General Partner shall update the Register from time to time as necessary to reflect accurately the information therein (or shall cause the Transfer Agent to do so, as applicable).

 

83


(e) Any transfer of a Limited Partner Interest shall not entitle the transferee to share in the profits and losses, to receive distributions, to receive allocations of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit or any similar item or to any other rights to which the transferor was entitled until the transferee becomes a Limited Partner pursuant to Section 10.1(b).

Section 10.2 Admission of Successor General Partner . A successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6 who is proposed to be admitted as a successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner, effective immediately prior to the withdrawal or removal of the predecessor or transferring General Partner, pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 or the transfer of the General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6, provided, however, that no such successor shall be admitted to the Partnership until compliance with the terms of Section 4.6 has occurred and such successor has executed and delivered such other documents or instruments as may be required to effect such admission. Any such successor is hereby authorized to and shall, subject to the terms hereof, carry on the business of the members of the Partnership Group without dissolution.

Section 10.3 Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership . To effect the admission to the Partnership of any Partner, the General Partner shall take all steps necessary or appropriate under the Delaware Act to amend the Register and any other records of the Partnership to reflect such admission and, if necessary, to prepare as soon as practicable an amendment to this Agreement and, if required by law, the General Partner shall prepare and file an amendment to the Certificate of Limited Partnership.

ARTICLE XI

WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS

Section 11.1 Withdrawal of the General Partner .

(a) The General Partner shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Partnership upon the occurrence of any one of the following events (each such event herein referred to as an “ Event of Withdrawal ”);

(i) The General Partner voluntarily withdraws from the Partnership by giving written notice to the other Partners;

(ii) The General Partner transfers all of its General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 4.6;

(iii) The General Partner is removed pursuant to Section 11.2;

(iv) The General Partner (A) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (B) files a voluntary bankruptcy petition for relief under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code; (C) files a petition or answer seeking for itself a liquidation, dissolution or similar relief (but not a reorganization) under any law; (D) files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against the General Partner in a proceeding of the type described in clauses (A)-(C) of this Section 11.1(a)(iv); or (E) seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee (but not a debtor-in-possession), receiver or liquidator of the General Partner or of all or any substantial part of its properties;

 

84


(v) A final and non-appealable order of relief under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code is entered by a court with appropriate jurisdiction pursuant to a voluntary or involuntary petition by or against the General Partner; or

(vi) (A) if the General Partner is a corporation, a certificate of dissolution or its equivalent is filed for the General Partner, or 90 days expire after the date of notice to the General Partner of revocation of its charter without a reinstatement of its charter, under the laws of its state of incorporation; (B) if the General Partner is a partnership or a limited liability company, the dissolution and commencement of winding up of the General Partner; (C) if the General Partner is acting in such capacity by virtue of being a trustee of a trust, the termination of the trust; (D) if the General Partner is a natural person, his death or adjudication of incompetency; and (E) otherwise upon the termination of the General Partner.

If an Event of Withdrawal specified in Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi)(A), (B), (C) or (E) occurs, the withdrawing General Partner shall give notice to the Limited Partners within 30 days after such occurrence. The Partners hereby agree that only the Events of Withdrawal described in this Section 11.1 shall result in the withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership.

(b) Withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement under the following circumstances: (i) at any time during the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending at 12:00 midnight, Central Time, on June 30, 2023, the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the Limited Partners; provided, that prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, the withdrawal is approved by Unitholders holding at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding Common Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates) and the General Partner delivers to the Partnership an Opinion of Counsel (“ Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel ”) that such withdrawal (following the selection of the successor General Partner) would not result in the loss of the limited liability under the Delaware Act of any Limited Partner or cause any Group Member to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed); (ii) at any time after 12:00 midnight, Central Time, on June 30, 2023, the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice to the Unitholders, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in such notice; (iii) at any time that the General Partner ceases to be the General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(ii) or is removed pursuant to Section 11.2; or (iv) notwithstanding clause (i) of this sentence, at any time that the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the Limited Partners, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in the notice, if at the time such notice is given one Person and its Affiliates (other than the General Partner and its Affiliates) own beneficially or of record or control at least 50% of the Outstanding Units. The withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of Withdrawal shall also constitute the withdrawal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, if any, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members. If the General Partner gives a notice of withdrawal pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(i), the holders of a Unit Majority, may, prior to the

 

85


effective date of such withdrawal, elect a successor General Partner. The Person so elected as successor General Partner shall automatically become the successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.1 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.2.

Section 11.2 Removal of the General Partner . The General Partner may be removed if such removal is approved by the Unitholders holding at least 66 2/3% of the Outstanding Units (including Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates) voting as a single class. Any such action by such holders for removal of the General Partner must also provide for the election of a successor General Partner by the Unitholders holding a majority of the Outstanding Common Units voting as a class and Unitholders holding a majority of the Outstanding Subordinated Units (if any Subordinated Units are then Outstanding) voting as a class (including, in each case, Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates). Such removal shall be effective immediately following the admission of a successor General Partner pursuant to Section 10.2. The removal of the General Partner shall also automatically constitute the removal of the General Partner as general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. If a Person is elected as a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2, such Person shall, upon admission pursuant to Section 10.2, automatically become a successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other Group Members of which the General Partner is a general partner or a managing member. The right of the holders of Outstanding Units to remove the General Partner shall not exist or be exercised unless the Partnership has received an opinion opining as to the matters covered by a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel. Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.2.

Section 11.3 Interest of Departing General Partner and Successor General Partner .

(a) In the event of (i) withdrawal of the General Partner under circumstances where such withdrawal does not violate this Agreement or (ii) removal of the General Partner by the holders of Outstanding Units under circumstances where Cause does not exist, if the successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or Section 11.2, the Departing General Partner shall have the option, exercisable prior to the effective date of the withdrawal or removal of such Departing General Partner, to require its successor to purchase its General Partner Interest and its or its Affiliates’ general partner interest (or equivalent interest), if any, in the other Group Members and all of its or its Affiliates’ Incentive Distribution Rights (collectively, the “ Combined Interest ”) in exchange for an amount in cash equal to the fair market value of such Combined Interest, such amount to be determined and payable as of the effective date of its withdrawal or removal. If the General Partner is removed by the Unitholders under circumstances where Cause exists or if the General Partner withdraws under circumstances where such withdrawal violates this Agreement, and if a successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 (or if the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2 and the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner), such successor shall have the option, exercisable prior to the effective date of the withdrawal or removal of such Departing General Partner (or, in the event the business of the Partnership is continued, prior to the date the business of the Partnership is

 

86


continued), to purchase the Combined Interest for such fair market value of such Combined Interest. In either event, the Departing General Partner shall be entitled to receive all reimbursements due such Departing General Partner pursuant to Section 7.4, including any employee-related liabilities (including severance liabilities), incurred in connection with the termination of any employees employed by the Departing General Partner or its Affiliates (other than any Group Member) for the benefit of the Partnership or the other Group Members.

For purposes of this Section 11.3(a), the fair market value of the Combined Interest shall be determined by agreement between the Departing General Partner and its successor or, failing agreement within 30 days after the effective date of such Departing General Partner’s withdrawal or removal, by an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert selected by the Departing General Partner and its successor, which, in turn, may rely on other experts, and the determination of which shall be conclusive as to such matter. If such parties cannot agree upon one independent investment banking firm or other independent expert within 45 days after the effective date of such withdrawal or removal, then the Departing General Partner shall designate an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert, the Departing General Partner’s successor shall designate an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert, and such firms or experts shall mutually select a third independent investment banking firm or independent expert, which third independent investment banking firm or other independent expert shall determine the fair market value of the Combined Interest. In making its determination, such third independent investment banking firm or other independent expert may consider the then current trading price of Units on any National Securities Exchange on which Units are then listed or admitted to trading, the value of the Partnership’s assets, the rights and obligations of the Departing General Partner, the value of the Incentive Distribution Rights and the General Partner Interest and other factors it may deem relevant.

(b) If the Combined Interest is not purchased in the manner set forth in Section 11.3(a), the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) shall become a Limited Partner and its Combined Interest shall be converted into Common Units pursuant to a valuation made by an investment banking firm or other independent expert selected pursuant to Section 11.3(a), without reduction in such Partnership Interest (but subject to proportionate dilution by reason of the admission of its successor). Any successor General Partner shall indemnify the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) as to all debts and liabilities of the Partnership arising on or after the date on which the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) becomes a Limited Partner. For purposes of this Agreement, conversion of the Combined Interest of the Departing General Partner to Common Units will be characterized as if the Departing General Partner (or its transferee) contributed its Combined Interest to the Partnership in exchange for the newly issued Common Units.

(c) If a successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 (or if the business of the Partnership is continued pursuant to Section 12.2 and the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner) and the option described in Section 11.3(a) is not exercised by the party entitled to do so, the successor General Partner shall, at the effective date of its admission to the Partnership, contribute to the Partnership cash in the amount equal to the product of (x) the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest of the Departing General Partner by (B) a

 

87


percentage equal to 100% less the Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest of the Departing General Partner and (y) the Net Agreed Value of the Partnership’s assets on such date. In such event, such successor General Partner shall, subject to the following sentence, be entitled to its Percentage Interest of all Partnership allocations and distributions to which the Departing General Partner was entitled. In addition, the successor General Partner shall cause this Agreement to be amended to reflect that, from and after the date of such successor General Partner’s admission, the successor General Partner’s interest in all Partnership distributions and allocations shall be its Percentage Interest.

Section 11.4 Termination of Subordination Period, Conversion of Subordinated Units and Extinguishment of Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages . Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement, if the General Partner is removed as general partner of the Partnership under circumstances where Cause does not exist:

(a) the Subordinated Units held by any Person will immediately and automatically convert into Common Units on a one-for-one basis, provided (i) neither such Person nor any of its Affiliates voted any of its Units in favor of the removal and (ii) such Person is not an Affiliate of the successor General Partner; and

(b) if all of the Subordinated Units convert into Common Units pursuant to Section 11.4(a), all Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages on the Common Units will be extinguished and the Subordination Period will end;

provided, however , that such converted Subordinated Units shall remain subject to the provisions of Section 5.5(c)(ii), Section 6.1(d)(x), Section 6.7(b) and Section 6.7(c).

Section 11.5 Withdrawal of Limited Partners . No Limited Partner shall have any right to withdraw from the Partnership; provided, however, that when a transferee of a Limited Partner’s Limited Partner Interest becomes a Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interest so transferred, such transferring Limited Partner shall cease to be a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interest so transferred.

ARTICLE XII

DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION

Section 12.1 Dissolution . The Partnership shall not be dissolved by the admission of additional Limited Partners or by the admission of a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon the removal or withdrawal of the General Partner, if a successor General Partner is elected pursuant to Section 11.1, Section 11.2 or Section 12.2, the Partnership shall not be dissolved and such successor General Partner shall continue the business of the Partnership. The Partnership shall dissolve, and (subject to Section 12.2) its affairs shall be wound up, upon:

(a) an Event of Withdrawal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a) (other than Section 11.1(a)(ii)), unless a successor is elected and a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel is received as provided in Section 11.1(b) or 11.2 and such successor is admitted to the Partnership pursuant to Section 10.2;

 

88


(b) an election to dissolve the Partnership by the General Partner that is approved by the holders of a Unit Majority;

(c) the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act; or

(d) at any time there are no Limited Partners, unless the Partnership is continued without dissolution in accordance with the Delaware Act.

Section 12.2 Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution . Upon (a) dissolution of the Partnership following an Event of Withdrawal caused by the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a)(i) or (iii) and the failure of the Partners to select a successor to such Departing General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2, then, to the maximum extent permitted by law, within 90 days thereafter, or (b) dissolution of the Partnership upon an event constituting an Event of Withdrawal as defined in Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi), then, to the maximum extent permitted by law, within 180 days thereafter, the holders of a Unit Majority may elect to continue the business of the Partnership on the same terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement by appointing as a successor General Partner a Person approved by the holders of a Unit Majority. Unless such an election is made within the applicable time period as set forth above, the Partnership shall conduct only activities necessary to wind up its affairs. If such an election is so made, then:

(i) the Partnership shall continue without dissolution unless earlier dissolved in accordance with this Article XII;

(ii) if the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner, then the interest of the former General Partner shall be treated in the manner provided in Section 11.3; and

(iii) the successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as General Partner, effective as of the Event of Withdrawal, by agreeing in writing to be bound by this Agreement;

provided, that the right of the holders of a Unit Majority to approve a successor General Partner and to continue the business of the Partnership shall not exist and may not be exercised unless the Partnership has received an Opinion of Counsel that (x) the exercise of the right would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner under the Delaware Act and (y) neither the Partnership nor any Group Member would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes upon the exercise of such right to continue (to the extent not already so treated or taxed).

Section 12.3 Liquidator . Upon dissolution of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of Article XII, the General Partner shall select one or more Persons to act as Liquidator. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall be entitled to receive such compensation for its services as may be approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units voting as a single class. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall agree not to resign at any time without 15 days’ prior notice and may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by notice of removal approved by holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units voting as a single class. Upon dissolution, removal or resignation of the Liquidator, a successor and substitute Liquidator (who shall have and succeed to all rights, powers and duties of the original Liquidator) shall within 30 days thereafter be approved by

 

89


holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units and Subordinated Units voting as a single class. The right to approve a successor or substitute Liquidator in the manner provided herein shall be deemed to refer also to any such successor or substitute Liquidator approved in the manner herein provided. Except as expressly provided in this Article XII, the Liquidator approved in the manner provided herein shall have and may exercise, without further authorization or consent of any of the parties hereto, all of the powers conferred upon the General Partner under the terms of this Agreement (but subject to all of the applicable limitations, contractual and otherwise, upon the exercise of such powers, other than the limitation on sale set forth in Section 7.3) necessary or appropriate to carry out the duties and functions of the Liquidator hereunder for and during the period of time required to complete the winding up and liquidation of the Partnership as provided for herein.

Section 12.4 Liquidation . The Liquidator shall proceed to dispose of the assets of the Partnership, discharge its liabilities, and otherwise wind up its affairs in such manner and over such period as determined by the Liquidator, subject to Section 17-804 of the Delaware Act and the following:

(a) The assets may be disposed of by public or private sale or by distribution in kind to one or more Partners on such terms as the Liquidator and such Partner or Partners may agree. If any property is distributed in kind, the Partner receiving the property shall be deemed for purposes of Section 12.4(c) to have received cash equal to its fair market value; and contemporaneously therewith, appropriate cash distributions must be made to the other Partners. The Liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of the Partnership’s assets for a reasonable time if it determines that an immediate sale or distribution of all or some of the Partnership’s assets would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners. The Liquidator may distribute the Partnership’s assets, in whole or in part, in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners.

(b) Liabilities of the Partnership include amounts owed to the Liquidator as compensation for serving in such capacity (subject to the terms of Section 12.3) and amounts to Partners otherwise than in respect of their distribution rights under Article VI. With respect to any liability that is contingent, conditional or unmatured or is otherwise not yet due and payable, the Liquidator shall either settle such claim for such amount as it thinks appropriate or establish a reserve of cash or other assets to provide for its payment. When paid, any unused portion of the reserve shall be distributed as additional liquidation proceeds.

(c) All property and all cash in excess of that required to discharge liabilities as provided in Section 12.4(b) shall be distributed to the Partners in accordance with, and to the extent of, the positive balances in their respective Capital Accounts, as determined after taking into account all Capital Account adjustments (other than those made by reason of distributions pursuant to this Section 12.4(c)) for the taxable period of the Partnership during which the liquidation of the Partnership occurs (with such date of occurrence being determined pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g)), and such distribution shall be made by the end of such taxable period (or, if later, within 90 days after said date of such occurrence).

 

90


Section 12.5 Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership . Upon the completion of the distribution of Partnership cash and property as provided in Section 12.4 in connection with the liquidation of the Partnership, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all qualifications of the Partnership as a foreign limited partnership in jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware shall be canceled and such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the Partnership shall be taken.

Section 12.6 Return of Contributions . The General Partner shall not be personally liable for, and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate, the return of the Capital Contributions of the Limited Partners or Unitholders, or any portion thereof, it being expressly understood that any such return shall be made solely from assets of the Partnership.

Section 12.7 Waiver of Partition . To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Partner hereby waives any right to partition of the Partnership property.

Section 12.8 Capital Account Restoration . No Limited Partner shall have any obligation to restore any negative balance in its Capital Account upon liquidation of the Partnership. The General Partner shall be obligated to restore any negative balance in its Capital Account upon liquidation of its interest in the Partnership by the end of the taxable year of the Partnership during which such liquidation occurs, or, if later, within 90 days after the date of such liquidation.

ARTICLE XIII

AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE

Section 13.1 Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner . Each Partner agrees that the General Partner, without the approval of any Partner, may amend any provision of this Agreement and execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record whatever documents may be required in connection therewith, to reflect:

(a) a change in the name of the Partnership, the location of the principal office of the Partnership, the registered agent of the Partnership or the registered office of the Partnership;

(b) admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of Partners in accordance with this Agreement;

(c) a change that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to qualify or continue the qualification of the Partnership as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the Limited Partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure that the Group Members will not be treated as associations taxable as corporations or otherwise taxed as entities for federal income tax purposes;

(d) a change that the General Partner determines (i) does not adversely affect the Limited Partners considered as a whole or any particular class of Partnership Interests as compared to other classes of Partnership Interests in any material respect, (ii) to be necessary or appropriate to (A) satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion,

 

91


directive, order, ruling or regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal or state statute (including the Delaware Act) or (B) facilitate the trading of the Units (including the division of any class or classes of Outstanding Units into different classes to facilitate uniformity of tax consequences within such classes of Units) or comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are or will be listed or admitted to trading, (iii) to be necessary or appropriate in connection with action taken by the General Partner pursuant to Section 5.9 or (iv) is required to effect the intent expressed in the IPO Registration Statement or the intent of the provisions of this Agreement or is otherwise contemplated by this Agreement;

(e) a change in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership and any other changes that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate as a result of a change in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership including a change in the definition of “ Quarter ” and the dates on which distributions are to be made by the Partnership;

(f) an amendment that is necessary, in the Opinion of Counsel, to prevent the Partnership, or the General Partner or its directors, officers, trustees or agents from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or “plan asset” regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, regardless of whether such are substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed by the United States Department of Labor;

(g) an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with the authorization or issuance of any class or series of Partnership Interests pursuant to Section 5.6;

(h) any amendment expressly permitted in this Agreement to be made by the General Partner acting alone;

(i) an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a Merger Agreement or a Plan of Conversion approved in accordance with Section 14.3;

(j) an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect and account for the formation by the Partnership of, or investment by the Partnership in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity, in connection with the conduct by the Partnership of activities permitted by the terms of Section 2.4;

(k) a merger, conveyance or conversion pursuant to Section 14.3(d); or

(l) any other amendments substantially similar to the foregoing.

Section 13.2 Amendment Procedures . Amendments to this Agreement may be proposed only by the General Partner. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to propose or approve any amendment to this Agreement and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership, any Limited Partner or any other Person bound by this Agreement, and, in declining to propose or approve an

 

92


amendment to this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any Group Member Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity, and the General Partner in determining whether to propose or approve any amendment to this Agreement shall be permitted to do so in its sole and absolute discretion. An amendment to this Agreement shall be effective upon its approval by the General Partner and, except as otherwise provided by Section 13.1 or Section 13.3, the holders of a Unit Majority, unless a greater or different percentage of Outstanding Units is required under this Agreement. Each proposed amendment that requires the approval of the holders of a specified percentage of Outstanding Units shall be set forth in a writing that contains the text of the proposed amendment. If such an amendment is proposed, the General Partner shall seek the written approval of the requisite percentage of Outstanding Units or call a meeting of the Unitholders to consider and vote on such proposed amendment. The General Partner shall notify all Record Holders upon final adoption of any amendments. The General Partner shall be deemed to have notified all Record Holders as required by this Section 13.2 if it has posted or made accessible such amendment through the Partnership’s or the Commission’s website.

Section 13.3 Amendment Requirements .

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13.1 and Section 13.2, no provision of this Agreement that establishes a percentage of Outstanding Units (including Units deemed owned by the General Partner) required to take any action shall be amended, altered, changed, repealed or rescinded in any respect that would have the effect of (i) in the case of any provision of this Agreement other than Section 11.2 or Section 13.4, reducing such percentage or (ii) in the case of Section 11.2 or Section 13.4, increasing such percentages, unless such amendment is approved by the written consent or the affirmative vote of holders of Outstanding Units whose aggregate Outstanding Units constitute (x) in the case of a reduction as described in subclause (a)(i) hereof, not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced, (y) in the case of an increase in the percentage in Section 11.2, not less than 90% of the Outstanding Units, or (z) in the case of an increase in the percentage in Section 13.4, not less than a majority of the Outstanding Units.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13.1 and Section 13.2, no amendment to this Agreement may (i) enlarge the obligations of any Limited Partner without its consent, unless such shall be deemed to have occurred as a result of an amendment approved pursuant to Section 13.3(c) or (ii) enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable to, the General Partner or any of its Affiliates without its consent, which consent may be given or withheld at its option.

(c) Except as provided in Section 14.3, and without limitation of the General Partner’s authority to adopt amendments to this Agreement without the approval of any Partners as contemplated in Section 13.1, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any class of Partnership Interests in relation to other classes of Partnership Interests must be approved by the holders of not less than a majority of the Outstanding Partnership Interests of the class affected.

 

93


(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, except for amendments pursuant to Section 13.1 and except as otherwise provided by Section 14.3(c), no amendments shall become effective without the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Units voting as a single class unless the Partnership obtains an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such amendment will not affect the limited liability of any Limited Partner under applicable partnership law of the state under whose laws the Partnership is organized.

(e) Except as provided in Section 13.1, this Section 13.3 shall only be amended with the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Outstanding Units.

Section 13.4 Special Meeting s . All acts of Limited Partners to be taken pursuant to this Agreement shall be taken in the manner provided in this Article XIII. Special meetings of the Limited Partners may be called by the General Partner or by Limited Partners owning 20% or more of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting is proposed. Limited Partners shall call a special meeting by delivering to the General Partner one or more requests in writing stating that the signing Limited Partners wish to call a special meeting and indicating the specific purposes for which the special meeting is to be called and the class or classes of Units for which the meeting is proposed. No business may be brought by any Limited Partner before such special meeting except the business listed in the related request. Within 60 days after receipt of such a call from Limited Partners or within such greater time as may be reasonably necessary for the Partnership to comply with any statutes, rules, regulations, listing agreements or similar requirements governing the holding of a meeting or the solicitation of proxies for use at such a meeting, the General Partner shall send a notice of the meeting to the Limited Partners either directly or indirectly. A meeting shall be held at a time and place determined by the General Partner on a date not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days after the time notice of the meeting is given as provided in Section 16.1. Limited Partners shall not be permitted to vote on matters that would cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability under the Delaware Act or the law of any other state in which the Partnership is qualified to do business. If any such vote were to take place, it shall be deemed null and void to the extent necessary so as not to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability under the Delaware Act or the law of any other state in which the Partnership is qualified to do business.

Section 13.5 Notice of a Meeting . Notice of a meeting called pursuant to Section 13.4 shall be given to the Record Holders of the class or classes of Units for which a meeting is proposed in writing by mail or other means of written communication in accordance with Section 16.1.

Section 13.6 Record Date . For purposes of determining the Limited Partners who are Record Holders of the class or classes of Limited Partner Interests entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Limited Partners or to give approvals without a meeting as provided in Section 13.11, the General Partner shall set a Record Date, which shall not be less than 10 nor more than 60 days before (a) the date of the meeting (unless such requirement conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading or U.S. federal securities laws, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of such National Securities Exchange or U.S. federal securities laws shall govern) or (b) in the event that approvals are sought without a meeting, the date by which such Limited Partners are requested in writing by the General Partner to give such approvals.

 

94


Section 13.7 Postponement and Adjournment . Prior to the date upon which any meeting of Limited Partners is to be held, the General Partner may postpone such meeting one or more times for any reason by giving notice to each Limited Partner entitled to vote at the meeting so postponed of the place, date and hour at which such meeting would be held. Such notice shall be given not fewer than two days before the date of such meeting and otherwise in accordance with this Article XIII. When a meeting is postponed, a new Record Date need not be fixed unless the aggregate amount of such postponement shall be for more than 45 days after the original meeting date. Any meeting of Limited Partners may be adjourned by the General Partner one or more times for any reason, including the failure of a quorum to be present at the meeting with respect to any proposal or the failure of any proposal to receive sufficient votes for approval. No vote of the Limited Partners shall be required for any adjournment. A meeting of Limited Partners may be adjourned by the General Partner as to one or more proposals regardless of whether action has been taken on other matters. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting and a new Record Date need not be fixed, if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, unless such adjournment shall be for more than 45 days. At the adjourned meeting, the Partnership may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 45 days or if a new Record Date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given in accordance with this Article XIII.

Section 13.8 Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting . The transactions of any meeting of Limited Partners, however called and noticed, and whenever held, shall be as valid as if it had occurred at a meeting duly held after call and notice in accordance with Section 13.4 and Section 13.5, if a quorum is present either in person or by proxy. Attendance of a Limited Partner at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting, except when the Limited Partner attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened; and except that attendance at a meeting is not a waiver of any right to disapprove of any matters submitted for consideration or to object to the failure to submit for consideration any matters required to be included in the notice of the meeting, but not so included, if such objection is expressly made at the beginning of the meeting.

Section 13.9 Quorum and Voting . The presence, in person or by proxy, of holders of a majority of the Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called (including Outstanding Units deemed owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of Limited Partners of such class or classes unless any such action by the Limited Partners requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of such Units, in which case the quorum shall be such greater percentage. At any meeting of the Limited Partners duly called and held in accordance with this Agreement at which a quorum is present, the act of Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units that in the aggregate represent a majority of the Outstanding Units entitled to vote and present at such meeting shall be deemed to constitute the act of all Limited Partners, unless a different percentage is required with respect to such action under the provisions of this Agreement, in which case the act of the Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units that in the aggregate represent at least such different percentage shall

 

95


be required. The Limited Partners present at a duly called or held meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the exit of enough Limited Partners to leave less than a quorum, if any action taken (other than adjournment) is approved by the required percentage of Outstanding Units specified in this Agreement.

Section 13.10 Conduct of a Meeting . The General Partner shall have full power and authority concerning the manner of conducting any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including the determination of Persons entitled to vote, the existence of a quorum, the satisfaction of the requirements of Section 13.4, the conduct of voting, the validity and effect of any proxies and the determination of any controversies, votes or challenges arising in connection with or during the meeting or voting. The General Partner shall designate a Person to serve as chairman of any meeting and shall further designate a Person to take the minutes of any meeting. All minutes shall be kept with the records of the Partnership maintained by the General Partner. The General Partner may make such other regulations consistent with applicable law and this Agreement as it may deem advisable concerning the conduct of any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including regulations in regard to the appointment of proxies, the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes and approvals, the submission and examination of proxies and other evidence of the right to vote, and the submission and revocation of approvals in writing.

Section 13.11 Action Without a Meeting . If authorized by the General Partner, any action that may be taken at a meeting of the Limited Partners may be taken without a meeting if an approval in writing setting forth the action so taken is signed by Limited Partners owning not less than the minimum percentage of the Outstanding Units (including Units deemed owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all the Limited Partners were present and voted (unless such provision conflicts with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of such National Securities Exchange shall govern). Prompt notice of the taking of action without a meeting shall be given to the Limited Partners who have not approved in writing. The General Partner may specify that any written ballot submitted to Limited Partners for the purpose of taking any action without a meeting shall be returned to the Partnership within the time period, which shall be not less than 20 days, specified by the General Partner. If a ballot returned to the Partnership does not vote all of the Outstanding Units held by such Limited Partners, the Partnership shall be deemed to have failed to receive a ballot for the Outstanding Units that were not voted. If approval of the taking of any permitted action by the Limited Partners is solicited by any Person other than by or on behalf of the General Partner, the written approvals shall have no force and effect unless and until (a) approvals sufficient to take the action proposed are deposited with the Partnership in care of the General Partner, (b) approvals sufficient to take the action proposed are dated as of a date not more than 90 days prior to the date sufficient approvals are first deposited with the Partnership and (c) an Opinion of Counsel is delivered to the General Partner to the effect that the exercise of such right and the action proposed to be taken with respect to any particular matter (i) will not cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability, and (ii) is otherwise permissible under the state statutes then governing the rights, duties and liabilities of the Partnership and the Partners.

 

96


Section 13.12 Right to Vote and Related Matters .

(a) Only those Record Holders of the Outstanding Units on the Record Date set pursuant to Section 13.6 (and also subject to the limitations contained in the definition of “ Outstanding ”) shall be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, a meeting of Limited Partners or to act with respect to matters as to which the holders of the Outstanding Units have the right to vote or to act. All references in this Agreement to votes of, or other acts that may be taken by, the Outstanding Units shall be deemed to be references to the votes or acts of the Record Holders of such Outstanding Units.

(b) With respect to Units that are held for a Person’s account by another Person that is the Record Holder (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation, or an agent of any of the foregoing), such Record Holder shall, in exercising the voting rights in respect of such Units on any matter, and unless the arrangement between such Persons provides otherwise, vote such Units in favor of, and in accordance with the direction of, the Person who is the beneficial owner of such Units, and the Partnership shall be entitled to assume such Record Holder is so acting without further inquiry. The provisions of this Section 13.12(b) (as well as all other provisions of this Agreement) are subject to the provisions of Section 4.3.

Section 13.13 Voting of Incentive Distribution Rights .

(a) For so long as a majority of the Incentive Distribution Rights are held by the General Partner and its Affiliates, the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights shall not be entitled to vote such Incentive Distribution Rights on any Partnership matter except as may otherwise be required by law, and the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, in their capacity as such, shall be deemed to have approved any matter approved by the General Partner.

(b) For so long as less than a majority of the Incentive Distribution Rights are held by the General Partner and its Affiliates, the Incentive Distribution Rights will be entitled to vote on all matters submitted to a vote of Unitholders, other than amendments to this Agreement and other matters that the General Partner determines do not adversely affect the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights as a whole in any material respect. On any matter in which the holders of Incentive Distribution Rights are entitled to vote, such holders will vote together with the Subordinated Units, prior to the end of the Subordination Period, or together with the Common Units, thereafter, in either case as a single class except as otherwise required by Section 13.3(c), and such Incentive Distribution Rights shall be treated in all respects as Subordinated Units or Common Units, as applicable, when sending notices of a meeting of Limited Partners to vote on any matter (unless otherwise required by law), calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes under this Agreement. The relative voting power of the Incentive Distribution Rights and the Subordinated Units or Common Units, as applicable, will be set in the same proportion as cumulative cash distributions, if any, in respect of the Incentive Distribution Rights for the four consecutive Quarters prior to the record date for the vote bears to the cumulative cash distributions in respect of such class of Units for such four Quarters.

 

97


(c) Notwithstanding Section 13.13(b), in connection with any equity financing, or anticipated equity financing, by the Partnership of an Expansion Capital Expenditure, the General Partner may, without the approval of the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights, temporarily or permanently reduce the amount of Incentive Distributions that would otherwise be distributed to such holders, provided that in the judgment of the General Partner, such reduction will be in the long-term best interest of the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights.

ARTICLE XIV

MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR CONVERSION

Section 14.1 Authority . The Partnership may merge or consolidate with or into one or more corporations, limited liability companies, statutory trusts or associations, real estate investment trusts, common law trusts or unincorporated businesses, including a partnership (whether general or limited (including a limited liability partnership)) or convert into any such entity, whether such entity is formed under the laws of the State of Delaware or any other state of the United States of America, pursuant to a written plan of merger or consolidation (“ Merger Agreement ”) or a written plan of conversion (“ Plan of Conversion ”), as the case may be, in accordance with this Article XIV.

Section 14.2 Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion .

(a) Merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership pursuant to this Article XIV requires the prior consent of the General Partner, provided, however, that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner and, in declining to consent to a merger, consolidation or conversion, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity, and the General Partner in determining whether to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership shall be permitted to do so in its sole and absolute discretion.

(b) If the General Partner shall determine to consent to the merger or consolidation, the General Partner shall approve the Merger Agreement, which shall set forth:

(i) name and state of domicile of each of the business entities proposing to merge or consolidate;

(ii) the name and state of domicile of the business entity that is to survive the proposed merger or consolidation (the “ Surviving Business Entity ”);

(iii) the terms and conditions of the proposed merger or consolidation;

(iv) the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity securities of each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity; and (A) if any general or limited partner interests, securities or rights of any constituent business entity are not to be exchanged or

 

98


converted solely for, or into, cash, property or general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity, the cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity) which the holders of such general or limited partner interests, securities or rights are to receive in exchange for, or upon conversion of their interests, securities or rights, and (B) in the case of securities represented by certificates, upon the surrender of such certificates, which cash, property or general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity or any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity), or evidences thereof, are to be delivered;

(v) a statement of any changes in the constituent documents or the adoption of new constituent documents (the articles or certificate of incorporation or formation, articles of trust, declaration of trust, certificate or agreement of limited partnership, operating agreement or other similar charter or governing document) of the Surviving Business Entity to be effected by such merger or consolidation;

(vi) the effective time of the merger, which may be the date of the filing of the certificate of merger pursuant to Section 14.4 or a later date specified in or determinable in accordance with the Merger Agreement (provided, that if the effective time of the merger is to be later than the date of the filing of such certificate of merger, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time certain at or prior to the time of the filing of such certificate of merger and stated therein); and

(vii) such other provisions with respect to the proposed merger or consolidation that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

(c) If the General Partner shall determine to consent to the conversion, the General Partner shall approve the Plan of Conversion, which shall set forth:

(i) the name of the converting entity and the converted entity;

(ii) a statement that the Partnership is continuing its existence in the organizational form of the converted entity;

(iii) a statement as to the type of entity that the converted entity is to be and the state or country under the laws of which the converted entity is to be incorporated, formed or organized;

(iv) the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity securities of each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights, securities or obligations of the converted entity;

(v) in an attachment or exhibit, the certificate of limited partnership of the Partnership;

 

99


(vi) in an attachment or exhibit, the certificate of limited partnership, articles of incorporation, or other organizational documents of the converted entity;

(vii) the effective time of the conversion, which may be the date of the filing of the articles of conversion or a later date specified in or determinable in accordance with the Plan of Conversion (provided, that if the effective time of the conversion is to be later than the date of the filing of such articles of conversion, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time certain at or prior to the time of the filing of such articles of conversion and stated therein); and

(viii) such other provisions with respect to the proposed conversion that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.

Section 14.3 Approval by Limited Partners .

(a) Except as provided in Section 14.3(d) or Section 14.3(e), the General Partner, upon its approval of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall direct that the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as applicable, be submitted to a vote of Limited Partners, whether at a special meeting or by written consent, in either case in accordance with the requirements of Article XIII. A copy or a summary of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall be included in or enclosed with the notice of a special meeting or the written consent and, subject to any applicable requirements of Regulation 14A pursuant to the Exchange Act or successor provision, no other disclosure regarding the proposed merger, consolidation or conversion shall be required.

(b) Except as provided in Section 14.3(d) or Section 14.3(e), the Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, shall be approved upon receiving the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of a Unit Majority unless the Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, effects an amendment to any provision of this Agreement that, if contained in an amendment to this Agreement adopted pursuant to Article XIII, would require for its approval the vote or consent of a greater percentage of the Outstanding Units or of any class of Limited Partners, in which case such greater percentage vote or consent shall be required for approval of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be.

(c) Except as provided in Section 14.3(d) or Section 14.3(e), after such approval by vote or consent of the Limited Partners, and at any time prior to the filing of the certificate of merger or articles of conversion pursuant to Section 14.4, the merger, consolidation or conversion may be abandoned pursuant to provisions therefor, if any, set forth in the Merger Agreement or Plan of Conversion, as the case may be.

(d) Notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement, the General Partner is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to convert the Partnership or any Group Member into a new limited liability entity, to merge the Partnership or any Group Member into, or convey all of the Partnership’s assets to, another limited liability entity that shall be newly formed and shall have no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of such conversion, merger or conveyance other than those it receives from the Partnership or other

 

100


Group Member if (i) the General Partner has received an Opinion of Counsel that the conversion, merger or conveyance, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of limited liability under the laws of the jurisdiction governing the other limited liability entity (if that jurisdiction is not Delaware) of any Limited Partner as compared to its limited liability under the Delaware Act or cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously treated as such), (ii) the sole purpose of such conversion, merger, or conveyance is to effect a mere change in the legal form of the Partnership into another limited liability entity and (iii) the General Partner determines that the governing instruments of the new entity provide the Limited Partners and the General Partner with substantially the same rights and obligations as are herein contained.

(e) Additionally, notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement, the General Partner is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to merge or consolidate the Partnership with or into another limited liability entity if (i) the General Partner has received an Opinion of Counsel that the merger or consolidation, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner under the laws of the jurisdiction governing the other limited liability entity (if that jurisdiction is not Delaware) as compared to its limited liability under the Delaware Act or cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously treated as such), (ii) the merger or consolidation would not result in an amendment to this Agreement, other than any amendments that could be adopted pursuant to Section 13.1, (iii) the Partnership is the Surviving Business Entity in such merger or consolidation, (iv) each Unit Outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of the merger or consolidation is to be an identical Unit of the Partnership after the effective date of the merger or consolidation, and (v) the number of Partnership Interests to be issued by the Partnership in such merger or consolidation does not exceed 20% of the Partnership Interests (other than Incentive Distribution Rights) Outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of such merger or consolidation.

(f) Pursuant to Section 17-211(g) of the Delaware Act, an agreement of merger or consolidation approved in accordance with this Article XIV may (i) effect any amendment to this Agreement or (ii) effect the adoption of a new partnership agreement for the Partnership if it is the Surviving Business Entity. Any such amendment or adoption made pursuant to this Section 14.3 shall be effective at the effective time or date of the merger or consolidation.

Section 14.4 Certificate of Merger or Certificate of Conversion . Upon the required approval by the General Partner and the Unitholders of a Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, a certificate of merger or certificate of conversion or other filing, as applicable, shall be executed and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or the appropriate filing office of any other jurisdiction, as applicable, in conformity with the requirements of the Delaware Act or other applicable law.

Section 14.5 Effect of Merger, Consolidation or Conversion .

(a) At the effective time of the merger or consolidation:

(i) all of the rights, privileges and powers of each of the business entities that has merged or consolidated, and all property, real, personal and mixed, and all debts due to any of those business entities and all other things and causes of action belonging to each of those business entities, shall be vested in the Surviving Business Entity and after the merger or consolidation shall be the property of the Surviving Business Entity to the extent they were of each constituent business entity;

 

101


(ii) the title to any real property vested by deed or otherwise in any of those constituent business entities shall not revert and is not in any way impaired because of the merger or consolidation;

(iii) all rights of creditors and all liens on or security interests in property of any of those constituent business entities shall be preserved unimpaired; and

(iv) all debts, liabilities and duties of those constituent business entities shall attach to the Surviving Business Entity and may be enforced against it to the same extent as if the debts, liabilities and duties had been incurred or contracted by it.

(b) At the effective time of the conversion:

(i) the Partnership shall continue to exist, without interruption, but in the organizational form of the converted entity rather than in its prior organizational form;

(ii) all rights, title, and interests to all real estate and other property owned by the Partnership shall continue to be owned by the converted entity in its new organizational form without reversion or impairment, without further act or deed, and without any transfer or assignment having occurred, but subject to any existing liens or other encumbrances thereon;

(iii) all liabilities and obligations of the Partnership shall continue to be liabilities and obligations of the converted entity in its new organizational form without impairment or diminution by reason of the conversion;

(iv) all rights of creditors or other parties with respect to or against the prior interest holders or other owners of the Partnership in their capacities as such in existence as of the effective time of the conversion will continue in existence as to those liabilities and obligations and may be pursued by such creditors and obligees as if the conversion did not occur;

(v) a proceeding pending by or against the Partnership or by or against any of Partners in their capacities as such may be continued by or against the converted entity in its new organizational form and by or against the prior partners without any need for substitution of parties; and

(vi) the Partnership Interests that are to be converted into partnership interests, shares, evidences of ownership, or other securities in the converted entity as provided in the plan of conversion shall be so converted, and Partners shall be entitled only to the rights provided in the Plan of Conversion.

 

102


ARTICLE XV

RIGHT TO ACQUIRE LIMITED PARTNER INTERESTS

Section 15.1 Right to Acquire Limited Partner Interests .

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if at any time the General Partner and its Affiliates hold more than 80% of the total Limited Partner Interests of any class then Outstanding, the General Partner shall then have the right, which right it may assign and transfer in whole or in part to the Partnership or any Affiliate of the General Partner, exercisable at its option, to purchase all, but not less than all, of such Limited Partner Interests of such class then Outstanding held by Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, at the greater of (x) the Current Market Price as of the date three Business Days prior to the date that the notice described in Section 15.1(b) is mailed and (y) the highest price paid by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates for any such Limited Partner Interest of such class purchased during the 90-day period preceding the date that the notice described in Section 15.1(b) is mailed.

(b) If the General Partner, any Affiliate of the General Partner or the Partnership elects to exercise the right to purchase Limited Partner Interests granted pursuant to Section 15.1(a), the General Partner shall deliver to the applicable Transfer Agent notice of such election to purchase (the “ Notice of Election to Purchase ”) and shall cause the Transfer Agent to mail a copy of such Notice of Election to Purchase to the Record Holders of Limited Partner Interests of such class (as of a Record Date selected by the General Partner), together with such information as may be required by law, rule or regulation, at least 10, but not more than 60, days prior to the Purchase Date. Such Notice of Election to Purchase shall also be filed and distributed as may be required by the Commission or any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed. The Notice of Election to Purchase shall specify the Purchase Date and the price (determined in accordance with Section 15.1(a)) at which Limited Partner Interests will be purchased and state that the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, elects to purchase such Limited Partner Interests, upon surrender of Certificates representing such Limited Partner Interests, in the case of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by Certificates, or instructions agreeing to such redemption in exchange for payment, at such office or offices of the Transfer Agent as the Transfer Agent may specify, or as may be required by any National Securities Exchange on which such Limited Partner Interests are listed. Any such Notice of Election to Purchase mailed to a Record Holder of Limited Partner Interests at his address as reflected in the Register shall be conclusively presumed to have been given regardless of whether the owner receives such notice. On or prior to the Purchase Date, the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall deposit with the Transfer Agent or exchange agent cash in an amount sufficient to pay the aggregate purchase price of all of such Limited Partner Interests to be purchased in accordance with this Section 15.1. If the Notice of Election to Purchase shall have been duly given as aforesaid at least 10 days prior to the Purchase Date, and if on or prior to the Purchase Date the deposit described in the preceding sentence has been made for the benefit of the holders of Limited Partner Interests subject to purchase as provided herein, then from and after the Purchase Date, notwithstanding that any Certificate or redemption instructions shall not have been surrendered for purchase or provided, respectively, all rights of the holders of such Limited Partner Interests (including any rights pursuant to Article IV, Article V, Article VI, and Article XII)

 

103


shall thereupon cease, except the right to receive the purchase price (determined in accordance with Section 15.1(a)) for Limited Partner Interests therefor, without interest, upon surrender to the Transfer Agent of the Certificates representing such Limited Partner Interests, in the case of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by Certificates, or instructions agreeing to such redemption, and such Limited Partner Interests shall thereupon be deemed to be transferred to the General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, in the Register, and the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner, or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall be deemed to be the Record Holder of all such Limited Partner Interests from and after the Purchase Date and shall have all rights as the Record Holder of such Limited Partner Interests (including all rights as owner of such Limited Partner Interests pursuant to Article IV, Article V, Article VI and Article XII).

(c) In the case of Limited Partner Interests evidenced by Certificates, at any time from and after the Purchase Date, a holder of an Outstanding Limited Partner Interest subject to purchase as provided in this Section 15.1 may surrender his Certificate evidencing such Limited Partner Interest to the Transfer Agent in exchange for payment of the amount described in Section 15.1(a), therefor, without interest thereon, in accordance with procedures set forth by the General Partner.

ARTICLE XVI

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 16.1 Addresses and Notices; Written Communications .

(a) Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials required or permitted to be given or made to a Partner under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given or made when delivered in person or when sent by first class United States mail or by other means of written communication to the Partner at the address described below. Except as otherwise provided herein, any notice, payment or report to be given or made to a Partner hereunder shall be deemed conclusively to have been given or made, and the obligation to give such notice or report or to make such payment shall be deemed conclusively to have been fully satisfied, upon sending of such notice, payment or report to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interests at his address as shown in the Register, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such Partnership Interests by reason of any assignment or otherwise. An affidavit or certificate of making of any notice, payment or report in accordance with the provisions of this Section 16.1 executed by the General Partner, the Transfer Agent or the mailing organization shall be prima facie evidence of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report. If any notice, payment or report addressed to a Record Holder at the address of such Record Holder appearing in the Register is returned by the United States Postal Service marked to indicate that the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver it, such notice, payment or report and any subsequent notices, payments and reports shall be deemed to have been duly given or made without further mailing (until such time as such Record Holder or another Person notifies the Transfer Agent or the Partnership of a change in his address) if they are available for the Partner at the principal office of the Partnership for a period of one year from the date of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report to the other Partners. Any notice to the Partnership shall be deemed given if received by the General Partner at the principal office of the Partnership designated pursuant to Section 2.3. The General Partner may rely and shall be protected in relying on any notice or other document from a Partner or other Person if believed by it to be genuine.

 

104


(b) The terms “in writing,” “written communications,” “written notice” and words of similar import shall be deemed satisfied under this Agreement by use of e-mail and other forms of electronic communication.

Section 16.2 Further Action . The parties shall execute and deliver all documents, provide all information and take or refrain from taking action as may be necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes of this Agreement.

Section 16.3 Binding Effect . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.

Section 16.4 Integration . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto relating to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior writings, agreements or understandings with respect to the subject matter hereof.

Section 16.5 Creditors . None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of, or shall be enforceable by, any creditor of the Partnership.

Section 16.6 Waiver . No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, duty, agreement or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a breach thereof shall constitute waiver of any such breach of any other covenant, duty, agreement or condition.

Section 16.7 Third-Party Beneficiaries . Each Partner agrees that (a) any Indemnitee shall be entitled to assert rights and remedies hereunder as a third-party beneficiary hereto with respect to those provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to such Indemnitee and (b) any Unrestricted Person shall be entitled to assert rights and remedies hereunder as a third-party beneficiary hereto with respect to those provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to such Unrestricted Person.

Section 16.8 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, all of which together shall constitute an agreement binding on all the parties hereto, notwithstanding that all such parties are not signatories to the original or the same counterpart. Each party shall become bound by this Agreement immediately upon affixing its signature hereto or, in the case of a Person acquiring a Limited Partner Interest, pursuant to Section 10.1(a) or (b) without execution hereof.

Section 16.9 Applicable Law; Forum; Venue and Jurisdiction; Waiver of Trial by Jury .

(a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law.

 

105


(b) Each of the Partners and each Person or Group holding any beneficial interest in the Partnership (whether through a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing or otherwise):

(i) irrevocably agrees that any claims, suits, actions or proceedings (A) arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement (including any claims, suits or actions to interpret, apply or enforce the provisions of this Agreement or the duties, obligations or liabilities among Partners or of Partners to the Partnership, or the rights or powers of, or restrictions on, the Partners or the Partnership), (B) brought in a derivative manner on behalf of the Partnership, (C) asserting a claim of breach of a duty (including a fiduciary duty) owed by any director, officer, or other employee of the Partnership, the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner, or owed by the General Partner, to the Partnership or the Partners, (D) asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware Act or (E) asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, in each case regardless of whether such claims, suits, actions or proceedings sound in contract, tort, fraud or otherwise, are based on common law, statutory, equitable, legal or other grounds, or are derivative or direct claims;

(ii) irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware in connection with any such claim, suit, action or proceeding;

(iii) agrees not to, and waives any right to, assert in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding that (A) it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or of any other court to which proceedings in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware may be appealed, (B) such claim, suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum, or (C) the venue of such claim, suit, action or proceeding is improper;

(iv) expressly waives any requirement for the posting of a bond by a party bringing such claim, suit, action or proceeding; and

(v) consents to process being served in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding by mailing, certified mail, return receipt requested, a copy thereof to such party at the address in effect for notices hereunder, and agrees that such services shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof; provided, nothing in clause (v) hereof shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

Section 16.10 Invalidity of Provisions . If any provision or part of a provision of this Agreement is or becomes for any reason, invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions and/or parts thereof contained herein shall not be affected thereby and this Agreement shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be reformed and construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision, or part of a provision, had never been contained herein, and such provisions and/or part shall be reformed so that it would be valid, legal and enforceable to the maximum extent possible.

Section 16.11 Consent of Partners . Each Partner hereby expressly consents and agrees that, whenever in this Agreement it is specified that an action may be taken upon the affirmative vote or consent of less than all of the Partners, such action may be so taken upon the concurrence of less than all of the Partners and each Partner shall be bound by the results of such action.

 

106


Section 16.12 Facsimile and Email Signatures . The use of facsimile signatures and signatures delivered by email in portable document (.pdf) or similar format affixed in the name and on behalf of the Transfer Agent of the Partnership on certificates representing Common Units is expressly permitted by this Agreement.

[REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

107


IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

GENERAL PARTNER:
TALLGRASS MLP GP, LLC
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer
ORGANIZATIONAL LIMITED PARTNER:
TALLGRASS OPERATIONS, LLC
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer

Signature Page to Amended & Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership

of

Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP


EXHIBIT A

to the Amended & Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of

Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP

Certificate Evidencing Common Units

Representing Limited Partner Interests in

Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP

No.                           Common Units

In accordance with Section 4.1 of the Amended & Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time (the “ Partnership Agreement ”), Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), hereby certifies that                              (the “ Holder ”) is the registered owner of Common Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “ Common Units ”) transferable on the books of the Partnership, in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed. The rights, preferences and limitations of the Common Units are set forth in, and this Certificate and the Common Units represented hereby are issued and shall in all respects be subject to the terms and provisions of, the Partnership Agreement. Copies of the Partnership Agreement are on file at, and will be furnished without charge on delivery of written request to the Partnership at, the principal office of the Partnership located at                              . Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have the meanings given them in the Partnership Agreement.

THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY ACKNOWLEDGES FOR THE BENEFIT OF TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP THAT THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED IF SUCH TRANSFER (AS DEFINED IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT) WOULD (A) VIOLATE THE THEN APPLICABLE FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY WITH JURISDICTION OVER SUCH TRANSFER, (B) TERMINATE THE EXISTENCE OR QUALIFICATION OF TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, OR (C) CAUSE TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP TO BE TREATED AS AN ASSOCIATION TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE TO BE TAXED AS AN ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES (TO THE EXTENT NOT ALREADY SO TREATED OR TAXED). THE GENERAL PARTNER OF TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP MAY IMPOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IF IT RECEIVES AN OPINION OF COUNSEL THAT SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE NECESSARY TO AVOID A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP BECOMING TAXABLE AS A CORPORATION OR OTHERWISE BECOMING TAXABLE AS AN ENTITY FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES. THIS SECURITY MAY BE SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON ITS TRANSFER PROVIDED IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT. COPIES OF SUCH AGREEMENT MAY BE OBTAINED AT NO COST BY WRITTEN REQUEST MADE BY THE RECORD HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY TO THE SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL PARTNER AT THE


PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF THE PARTNERSHIP. THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH ABOVE SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE SETTLEMENT OF ANY TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY ENTERED INTO THROUGH THE FACILITIES OF ANY NATIONAL SECURITIES EXCHANGE ON WHICH THIS SECURITY IS LISTED OR ADMITTED TO TRADING.

The Holder, by accepting this Certificate, is deemed to have (i) requested admission as, and agreed to become, a Limited Partner and to have agreed to comply with and be bound by and to have executed the Partnership Agreement, (ii) represented and warranted that the Holder has all right, power and authority and, if an individual, the capacity necessary to enter into the Partnership Agreement, and (iii) made the waivers and given the consents and approvals contained in the Partnership Agreement.

This Certificate shall not be valid for any purpose unless it has been countersigned and registered by the Transfer Agent. This Certificate shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

Dated:  

 

     Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP
       By:    Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC,
          its general partner
          By:   

 

          By:   

 

 

Countersigned and Registered by:

 

as Transfer Agent and Registrar
By:  

 

  Authorized Signature

 

A-2


[Reverse of Certificate]

ABBREVIATIONS

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this Certificate, shall be construed as follows according to applicable laws or regulations:

 

TEN COM — as tenants in common   UNIF GIFT TRANSFERS MIN ACT
TEN ENT — as tenants by the entireties                        Custodian                      
  (Cust)                                   (Minor)

JT TEN — as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common under Uniform Gifts/Transfers to CD Minors Act (State)

Additional abbreviations, though not in the above list, may also be used.


ASSIGNMENT OF COMMON UNITS OF

TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP

FOR VALUE RECEIVED,                      hereby assigns, conveys, sells and transfers unto

                                                         

                                                         

 

 

    

 

(Please print or typewrite name and address of assignee)      (Please insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee)

                     Common Units representing limited partner interests evidenced by this Certificate, subject to the Partnership Agreement, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint                      as its attorney-in-fact with full power of substitution to transfer the same on the books of Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP.

 

Date:                                                                                    

NOTE: The signature to any endorsement hereon must correspond with the name as written upon the face of this Certificate in every particular, without alteration, enlargement or change.

 

     

 

     

(Signature)

 

     

 

      (Signature)

 

THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE
GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE
GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS,
STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN
ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS
WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED
SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION
PROGRAM), PURSUANT

TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15

 

 

No transfer of the Common Units evidenced hereby will be registered on the books of the Partnership, unless the Certificate evidencing the Common Units to be transferred is surrendered for registration or transfer.

Exhibit 3.4

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

OF

TALLGRASS MLP GP, LLC

A Delaware Limited Liability Company

Dated as of

May 17, 2013


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

            Page  

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS

     1   

Section 1.1

   Definitions      1   

Section 1.2

   Construction      5   

ARTICLE II ORGANIZATION

     5   

Section 2.1

   Formation      5   

Section 2.2

   Name      5   

Section 2.3

   Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices      5   

Section 2.4

   Purposes and Powers      6   

Section 2.5

   Term      6   

Section 2.6

   No State Law Partnership      6   

ARTICLE III RIGHTS OF SOLE MEMBER

     6   

Section 3.1

  

Voting

     6   

Section 3.2

  

Distributions

     6   

Section 3.3

  

No Liability of the Sole Member

     6   

ARTICLE IV CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS

     7   

Section 4.1

  

Initial Capital Contributions

     7   

Section 4.2

  

Additional Capital Contributions

     7   

Section 4.3

  

Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Membership Interests

     7   

ARTICLE V MANAGEMENT

     7   

Section 5.1

  

Management by Board of Directors

     7   

Section 5.2

  

Number; Qualification; Tenure

     7   

Section 5.3

  

Regular Meetings

     7   

Section 5.4

  

Special Meetings

     8   

Section 5.5

  

Notice

     8   

Section 5.6

  

Action by Consent of Board

     8   

Section 5.7

  

Conference Telephone Meetings

     8   

Section 5.8

  

Quorum and Action

     8   

Section 5.9

  

Vacancies; Increases in the Number of Directors

     8   

Section 5.10

  

Committees

     8   

Section 5.11

  

Removal

     9   

Section 5.12

  

Compensation of Directors

     9   

Section 5.13

  

Responsibility and Authority of the Board

     10   

Section 5.14

  

Matters Requiring Sole Member Consent

     10   

Section 5.15

  

Other Business of Sole Member, Directors and Affiliates

     12   

Section 5.16

  

Reliance by Third Parties

     13   

ARTICLE VI OFFICERS

     13   

Section 6.1

  

Officers

     13   

Section 6.2

  

Election and Term of Office

     14   

Section 6.3

  

Chairman of the Board

     14   


TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued)

 

            Page  

Section 6.4

  

Chief Executive Officer

     14   

Section 6.5

  

President

     14   

Section 6.6

  

Vice Presidents

     14   

Section 6.7

  

Treasurer

     14   

Section 6.8

  

Secretary

     14   

Section 6.9

  

Removal

     15   

Section 6.10

  

Vacancies

     15   

ARTICLE VII INDEMNITY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

     15   

Section 7.1

  

Indemnification

     15   

Section 7.2

  

Liability of Indemnitees

     17   

ARTICLE VIII TAXES

     18   

Section 8.1

  

Taxes

     18   

ARTICLE IX BOOKS, RECORDS, REPORTS, AND BANK ACCOUNTS

     18   

Section 9.1

  

Maintenance of Books

     18   

Section 9.2

  

Reports

     18   

Section 9.3

  

Bank Accounts

     18   

ARTICLE X DISSOLUTION, WINDING-UP, TERMINATION AND CONVERSION

     18   

Section 10.1

  

Dissolution

     18   

Section 10.2

  

Effect of Dissolution

     19   

Section 10.3

  

Application of Proceeds

     19   

Section 10.4

  

Certificate of Cancellation

     19   

ARTICLE XI GENERAL PROVISIONS

     19   

Section 11.1

  

Offset

     19   

Section 11.2

  

Notices

     19   

Section 11.3

  

Entire Agreement; Superseding Effect

     20   

Section 11.4

  

Effect of Waiver or Consent

     20   

Section 11.5

  

Amendment or Restatement

     20   

Section 11.6

  

Binding Effect

     20   

Section 11.7

  

Governing Law; Severability

     20   

Section 11.8

  

Venue

     20   

Section 11.9

  

Further Assurances

     20   

 

ii


SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

OF

TALLGRASS MLP GP, LLC

This SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) of Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC (the “ Company ”), dated as of May 17, 2013, is adopted, executed and agreed to by Tallgrass GP Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as the sole member of the Company (in such capacity, the “ Sole Member ”).

RECITALS:

WHEREAS, the Company was formed as a Delaware limited liability company on February 6, 2013;

WHEREAS, Tallgrass Operations, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, executed the Limited Liability Company Agreement of Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC, dated as of February 6, 2013 (the “ Original Limited Liability Company Agreement ”);

WHEREAS, Tallgrass Operations, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, executed the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC, dated as of March 27, 2013 (the “ Amended Limited Liability Company Agreement ”);

WHEREAS, as of or prior to the date hereof in connection with the closing of the initial public offering of the Partnership (the “ IPO ”), (i) Tallgrass Operations, LLC distributed to Tallgrass Development, LP all of the Membership Interests (as defined below) of the Company, (ii) Tallgrass Development, LP distributed to Tallgrass Development GP, LLC all of the Membership Interests of the Company and (iii) Tallgrass Development GP, LLC distributed to the Sole Member all of the Membership Interests of the Company; and

WHEREAS, the Sole Member deems it advisable to amend and restate the Amended Limited Liability Company Agreement in its entirety as set forth herein.

NOW THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises, the covenants and agreements set forth herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Sole Member hereby amends and restates the Amended Limited Liability Company Agreement in its entirety as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1 Definitions

(a) As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below or set forth in the Sections referred to below:

Act ” means the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, 6 Del. C. § 18-101, et seq., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.


Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question. As used herein, the term “control” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

Agreement ” is defined in the introductory paragraph, as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Annual Budget ” means any proposed budget that is approved by the Board, as the same is modified from time to time by the Board.

Amended Limited Liability Company Agreement ” is defined in the Recitals.

Audit Committee ” is defined in Section 5.10(b).

Audit Committee Independent Director ” is defined in Section 5.10(b).

Board ” is defined in Section 5.1(b).

Business Day ” means Monday through Friday of each week, except that a legal holiday recognized as such by the government of the United States of America or the State of New York shall not be regarded as a Business Day.

Capital Contribution ” means any cash, cash equivalents or the net agreed value of any property (other than cash) that the Sole Member contributes to the Company or that is contributed or deemed contributed to the Company on behalf of the Sole Member.

Commission ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Common Units ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

Company ” is defined in the introductory paragraph.

Conflicts Committee ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

Conflicts Committee Independent Director ” means a Director who meets the standards set forth in the definition of “Conflicts Committee” in the Partnership Agreement.

Debt ” shall mean, as to any Person, without duplication, (a) all borrowed money of such Person (including principal, interest, fees and charges), whether or not evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments; (b) all obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services; (c) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, with respect to the maximum face amount of all letters of credit (whether or not drawn), bankers’ acceptances and similar obligations issued for the account of such Person, and all unpaid drawings in respect of such

 

2


letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances and similar obligations; (d) all indebtedness secured by any Lien on any property owned by such Person, whether or not such indebtedness has been assumed by such Person (provided, however, if such Person has not assumed or otherwise become liable in respect of such indebtedness, such indebtedness shall be deemed to be in an amount equal to the fair market value of the property subject to such Lien at the time of determination); (e) the aggregate amount of all capitalized lease obligations of such Person; (f) all Debt of any partnership of which such Person is a general partner; and (g) all monetary obligations of such Person under (i) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (ii) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment). Notwithstanding the foregoing, Debt shall not include trade payables and accrued expenses incurred by such Person in accordance with customary practices and in the ordinary course of business of such Person.

Delaware Certificate ” is defined in Section 2.1.

Director ” or “ Directors ” means a member or members of the Board.

General Partner Interest ” means the Company’s ownership interest in the Partnership (in its capacity as a general partner without reference to any limited partner interest in the Partnership held by it), which is evidenced by units referred to in the Partnership Agreement as “General Partner Units,” and includes any and all benefits to which the Company is entitled as provided in the Partnership Agreement, together with all obligations of the Company to comply with the terms and provisions of the Partnership Agreement.

Group Member ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

Incentive Distribution Rights ” means a limited partner interest in the Partnership having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Incentive Distribution Rights in the Partnership Agreement.

Indemnitee ” means any of (a) the Sole Member, (b) any Person who is or was an Affiliate of the Company (other than any Group Member), (c) any Person who is or was a manager, member, partner, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company (other than any Group Member), (d) any Person who is or was serving at the request of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company as an officer, director, member, manager, partner, fiduciary or trustee of another Person; provided, however, that a Person shall not be an Indemnitee by reason of providing, on a fee-for-services basis, trustee, fiduciary or custodial services, and (e) any Person the Board designates as an “Indemnitee” for purposes of this Agreement.

IPO ” is defined in the Recitals.

Lien ” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any interest granted by such Person in any real or personal property, asset or other right owned or being purchased or acquired by such Person (including, without limitation, an interest in respect of a capital lease) which secures payment or performance of any obligation and shall include any mortgage, lien, encumbrance, title retention lien, charge or other security interest of any kind, whether arising by contract, as a matter of law, by judicial process or otherwise.

 

3


Limited Partner ” and “ Limited Partners ” are defined in the Partnership Agreement.

Liquidation Proceeds ” means all Property at the time of liquidation of the Company and all proceeds thereof.

Membership Interest ” means the Sole Member’s limited liability company interests in the Company, including its share of the income, gain, loss, deduction and credits of, and the right to receive distributions from, the Company.

Notices ” is defined in Section 11.2.

Omnibus Agreement ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

Operating Costs ” shall mean all direct, out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred either by the Company or its Affiliates on behalf of the Company relating to the management, conduct and operation of the Company’s business, including the fees and expenses associated with the preparation of the Company’s financial statements and the reports and other information provided to the Sole Member (including audit fees and expenses), tax returns and Schedule K-1, printing expenses, mailing and courier expenses, fees and expenses of establishing bank or custodial accounts and fees and expenses of registered agents and governmental agencies of jurisdictions in which the Company is formed or qualified to transact business which are not reimbursable by the Partnership.

Original Limited Liability Company Agreement ” is defined in the Recitals.

Partnership ” means Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership.

Partnership Agreement ” means the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, dated as of May 17, 2013, as it may be further amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.

Partnership Group ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

Person ” means an individual or a corporation, firm, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association, government agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.

Property ” means all properties and assets that the Company may own or otherwise have an interest in from time to time.

Registration Statement ” is defined in Section 5.10(b).

Reserves ” means such amounts as the Sole Member determines to be reasonably necessary to meet current or reasonably foreseeable Company obligations or expenditures (including Operating Costs and other permitted costs and expenses).

 

4


Sole Member ” is defined in the introductory paragraph.

Special Approval ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

Subsidiary ” is defined in the Partnership Agreement.

Treasury Regulations ” means the regulations (including temporary regulations) promulgated by the United States Department of the Treasury pursuant to and in respect of provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. All references herein to sections of the Treasury Regulations shall include any corresponding provision or provisions of succeeding, similar or substitute, temporary or final Treasury Regulations.

(b) Other terms defined herein have the meanings so given them.

Section 1.2 Construction . Unless the context requires otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa; (b) references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement; (c) the terms “include,” “includes,” “including” or words of like import shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; and (d) the terms “hereof,” “herein” or “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only, and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

ARTICLE II

ORGANIZATION

Section 2.1 Formation . The Company was formed as a Delaware limited liability company by the filing of a Certificate of Formation (the “ Delaware Certificate ”) on February 6, 2013 with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware under and pursuant to the Act and by the entering into of the Original Limited Liability Company Agreement. The Original Limited Liability Company Agreement was amended and restated by the Amended Limited Liability Company Agreement on March 27, 2013. The Sole Member hereby amends and restates the Amended Limited Liability Company Agreement in its entirety and this amendment and restatement shall become effective on the date of this Agreement.

Section 2.2 Name . The name of the Company is “ Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC ” and all Company business must be conducted in that name or such other names that comply with applicable law as the Board or the Sole Member may select.

Section 2.3 Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices . The registered office of the Company required by the Act to be maintained in the State of Delaware shall be the office of the initial registered agent for service of process named in the Delaware Certificate or such other office (which need not be a place of business of the Company) as such registered agent may designate in the manner provided by applicable law. The registered agent for service of process of the Company in the State of Delaware shall be the initial registered agent for service of process named in the Delaware Certificate or such other Person or Persons as the Board or any executive officer of the Company may designate in the manner provided by

 

5


applicable law. The principal office of the Company in the United States shall be at such a place as the Board may from time to time designate, which need not be in the State of Delaware, and the Company shall maintain records there. The Company may have such other offices as the Board of Directors may designate.

Section 2.4 Purposes and Powers . The purpose of the Company is to own, acquire, hold, sell, transfer, assign, dispose of or otherwise deal with partnership interests in, and act as the general partner of, the Partnership as described in the Partnership Agreement and to engage in any lawful business or activity ancillary or related thereto. The Company shall possess and may exercise all the powers and privileges granted by the Act, by any other law or by this Agreement, together with any powers incidental thereto, including such powers and privileges as are necessary or appropriate to the conduct, promotion or attainment of the business, purposes or activities of the Company.

Section 2.5 Term . The term of the Company commenced upon the filing of the Delaware Certificate on February 6, 2013 in accordance with the Act and shall continue in existence until the dissolution of the Company in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.4. The existence of the Company as a separate legal entity shall continue until the cancellation of the Delaware Certificate as provided in the Act.

Section 2.6 No State Law Partnership . The Sole Member intends that the Company not be a partnership or joint venture for state-law purposes. Additionally, no Member or Director will be considered a state-law partner or joint venturer of any other Member or Director. It is intended that the Company will be considered a disregarded entity for federal income-tax purposes. This Agreement may not be construed to suggest otherwise.

ARTICLE III

RIGHTS OF SOLE MEMBER

Section 3.1 Voting . Unless otherwise granted to the Board by this Agreement, the Sole Member shall possess the entire voting interest and exclusive authority in all matters relating to the Company, including matters relating to the amendment of this Agreement, any merger, consolidation or conversion of the Company, sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and the termination, dissolution and liquidation of the Company.

Section 3.2 Distributions . Following the receipt of any distribution from the Partnership, or any other proceeds received by the Company, whether or not in the form of cash and whether as a distribution, in a disposition, or otherwise, the Company shall distribute all such proceeds (less any Reserves established by the Sole Member) to the Sole Member.

Section 3.3 No Liability of the Sole Member . Except as otherwise required by applicable law, the Sole Member shall not have any personal liability whatsoever hereunder in its capacity as the Sole Member, whether to the Company, to the creditors of the Company or to any other third party, for the debts, liabilities, commitments or any other obligations of the Company or for any losses of the Company.

 

6


ARTICLE IV

CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Section 4.1 Initial Capital Contributions . At the time of the formation of the Company, Tallgrass Operations, LLC, as the organizational member of the Company, made a Capital Contribution of $1,000 in exchange for all of the Membership Interests in the Company. The Sole Member is the current owner of all the Membership Interests in the Company.

Section 4.2 Additional Capital Contributions . The Sole Member shall not be obligated to make additional Capital Contributions to the Company.

Section 4.3 Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Membership Interests . All Membership Interests issued pursuant to, and in accordance with, the requirements of this Article IV shall be fully paid and non-assessable Membership Interests, except as such non-assessability may be affected by Sections 18-303, 18-607 and 18-804 of the Act.

ARTICLE V

MANAGEMENT

Section 5.1 Management by Board of Directors .

(a) The Sole Member shall have the power and authority to delegate to one or more other persons the rights and power to manage and control the business and affairs, or any portion thereof, of the Company, including to delegate to agents, officers and employees of the Sole Member or the Company, and to delegate by a management agreement with or otherwise to other Persons.

(b) Except to the extent specifically reserved to the Sole Member hereunder, the Sole Member hereby delegates to the Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Board ”) all power and authority related to the Company’s management of the business and affairs of the Partnership. The Board, acting as a body pursuant to this Agreement, shall constitute a “manager” for purposes of the Act.

Section 5.2 Number; Qualification; Tenure .

(a) The number of Directors constituting the Board shall be at least three and no more than nine, and may be fixed from time to time pursuant to a resolution adopted by the Sole Member. Each Director shall be elected or approved by the Sole Member and shall continue in office until the removal of such Director in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement or until the earlier death or resignation of such Director.

(b) The initial Directors of the Company in office at the date of this Agreement are set forth on Exhibit A hereto.

Section 5.3 Regular Meetings . Regular meetings of the Board shall be held at such time and place as shall be designated from time to time by resolution of the Board.

 

7


Section 5.4 Special Meetings . A special meeting of the Board may be called at any time at the request of (a) the Chairman of the Board or (b) a majority of the Directors then in office.

Section 5.5 Notice . Written notice of all meetings of the Board must be given to all Directors at least 24 hours prior to any meeting of the Board. All notices and other communications to be given to Directors shall be sufficiently given for all purposes hereunder if in writing and delivered by hand, courier or overnight delivery service or three days after being mailed by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, with appropriate postage prepaid, or when received in the form of an e-mail or facsimile, and shall be directed to the address, e-mail address or facsimile number as such Director shall designate by notice to the Company. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the Board need be specified in the notice of such meeting as provided herein. A meeting may be held at any time without notice if all the Directors are present or if those not present waive notice of the meeting either before or after such meeting.

Section 5.6 Action by Consent of Board . To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Board, or any committee of the Board, may act without a meeting so long as all of the members of the Board or committee shall have executed a written consent with respect to any action taken in lieu of a meeting.

Section 5.7 Conference Telephone Meetings . Directors or members of any committee of the Board may participate in a meeting of the Board or such committee by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment or by such other means by which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

Section 5.8 Quorum and Action . A majority of all Directors then in office, present in person or participating in accordance with Section 5.7, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but if at any meeting of the Board there shall be less than a quorum present, a majority of the Directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, all decisions of the Board shall require the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the Directors at any meeting at which a quorum is present.

Section 5.9 Vacancies; Increases in the Number of Directors . Vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of Directors shall be filled by the Sole Member. Any Director so appointed shall hold office until his removal in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement or until his earlier death or resignation.

Section 5.10 Committees .

(a) The Board may establish committees of the Board and may delegate any of its responsibilities to such committees, except as prohibited by applicable law.

(b) The Board shall have an audit committee (the “ Audit Committee ”) which shall be comprised of at least one independent director by the effective date of the Partnership’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, Registration No. 333-187595 (the

 

8


Registration Statement ”), at least two independent directors within 90 days of the effective date of Partnership’s Registration Statement, and at least three independent directors within one year of the effective date of the Registration Statement who meet the independence standards required of directors who serve on an audit committee of a board of directors established by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and by the New York Stock Exchange or any national securities exchange on which the Common Units are listed (each, an “ Audit Committee Independent Director ”). The Audit Committee shall establish a written audit committee charter in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission and the New York Stock Exchange or any national securities exchange on which the Common Units are listed from time to time, in each case as amended from time to time. Each member of the Audit Committee shall satisfy the rules and regulations of the Commission and the New York Stock Exchange or any national securities exchange on which the Common Units are listed from time to time, in each case as amended from time to time, pertaining to qualification for service on an audit committee.

(c) The Board may, from time to time, establish a Conflicts Committee. The Conflicts Committee shall be composed of at least two Conflicts Committee Independent Directors. The Conflicts Committee shall function in the manner described in the Partnership Agreement. Notwithstanding any duty otherwise existing at law or in equity, any matter approved by the Conflicts Committee in accordance with the provisions, and subject to the limitations, of the Partnership Agreement, shall not be deemed to be a breach of any duties owed by the Board or any Director to the Company or the Sole Member.

(d) A majority of any committee, present in person or participating in accordance with Section 5.7, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business of such committee. Except as otherwise required by law or the Partnership Agreement, all decisions of a committee shall require the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the committee members at any meeting at which a quorum is present.

(e) A majority of any committee may determine its action and fix the time and place of its meetings unless the Board shall otherwise provide. Notice of such meetings shall be given to each member of the committee in the manner provided for in Section 5.5. The Board shall have power at any time to fill vacancies in, to change the membership of, or to dissolve any such committee.

Section 5.11 Removal . Any Director or the entire Board may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Sole Member.

Section 5.12 Compensation of Directors . Except as expressly provided in any written agreement between the Company and a Director or by resolution of the Board, no Director shall receive any compensation from the Company for services provided to the Company in its capacity as a Director, except that each Director shall be compensated for attendance at Board meetings at rates of compensation as from time to time established by the Board or a committee thereof; provided, however, that Directors who are also employees of the Company or any Affiliate thereof shall receive no compensation for their services as Directors or committee

 

9


members. In addition, the Directors who are not employees of the Company or any Affiliate thereof shall be entitled to be reimbursed for out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with attending meetings of the Board or committees thereof.

Section 5.13 Responsibility and Authority of the Board . Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the relative authority, duties and functions of the Board, on the one hand, and the officers of the Company, on the other hand, shall be identical to the relative authority, duties and functions of the board of directors and officers, respectively, of a corporation organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. The officers shall be vested with such powers and duties as are set forth in Section 6.1 hereof and as are specified by the Board from time to time. Accordingly, except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, the day-to-day activities of the Company shall be conducted on the Company’s behalf by the officers who shall be agents of the Company. In addition to the powers and authorities expressly conferred on the Board by this Agreement, the Board may exercise all such powers of the Company and do all such acts and things as are not restricted by this Agreement, the Partnership Agreement, the Act or applicable law.

Section 5.14 Matters Also Requiring Sole Member Consent.

(a) Extraordinary Partnership Group Matters . In addition to the necessary Board approval, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, after the closing of the IPO the following actions also require approval of the Sole Member:

 

  (i) approving the Annual Budget for the Partnership Group and approving any material deviations (i.e. in excess of 10% of the budgeted amount) therefrom;

 

  (ii) causing any Group Member to make or enter into any transaction or series of related transactions for the acquisition or disposition of assets or property or the expansion of existing assets or properties that involves a total purchase price or cost of over $25 million;

 

  (iii) making any material change in the primary purpose or operating strategy of any Group Member, regardless of project size;

 

  (iv) obligating or causing any Group Member to create, assume, incur or modify, either directly or indirectly, any Debt in an aggregate amount outstanding at any time in excess of $25 million, or obligating or causing any such entity to guarantee the payment of money or performance of any obligation by any other Person which would have the same effect; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit the borrowing of funds under committed lines of credit approved by the Board to fund the working capital needs of the Partnership Group or to fund expenditures authorized in the Annual Budget;

 

  (v) obligating or causing any Group Member to grant any Liens;

 

10


  (vi) obligating or causing any Group Member to issue or repurchase any equity interests or any options or rights to acquire any such equity interests, except as provided in this Agreement or the Partnership Agreement, or to recapitalize or reorganize any such entity;

 

  (vii) obligating or causing any Group Member to be a party to any merger, interest exchange or consolidation;

 

  (viii) obligating or causing any Group Member to sell all or substantially all of its assets;

 

  (ix) obligating or causing any Group Member to approve, enter into or modify in any material respect any contract or transaction with the Chief Executive Officer or his Affiliates or any member of senior management who are direct reports to the Chief Executive Officer;

 

  (x) approving or changing the auditors of the Partnership Group;

 

  (xi) obligating or causing any Group Member to wind up or liquidate;

 

  (xii) obligating or causing any Group Member to settle any litigation or arbitration proceeding which requires the payment by any Group Member of an amount greater than $2.5 million;

 

  (xiii) setting and modifying compensation or benefits of any member of senior management who are direct reports to the Chief Executive Officer;

 

  (xiv) obtaining director and officer insurance;

 

  (xv) causing any Group Member to commit an act of bankruptcy, make an assignment for the benefit of creditors and related or similar actions;

 

  (xvi) obligating or causing any Group Member to register any equity or debt securities under applicable federal securities laws or conduct any public offering of equity or debt securities;

 

  (xvii) amending this Agreement or the Partnership Agreement or other governing documents of the Company or the Partnership;

 

  (xviii) determining the amount of any Reserves;

 

  (xix) engaging investment bankers for any equity offering where Tallgrass Development, LP or any of its Subsidiaries is a selling securityholder in a sale of Common Units; and

 

11


  (xx) changing any of the authority that has been delegated to the Chief Executive Officer.

An extraordinary matter will be deemed approved by the Sole Member if the Board receives a written, facsimile or electronic instruction evidencing such approval from the Sole Member. To the fullest extent permitted by law, a Director, acting as such, shall have no duty, responsibility or liability to the Sole Member with respect to any action by the Board approved by the Sole Member.

(b) Company Specific Matters . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Sole Member shall have exclusive authority over the internal business and affairs of the Company that do not relate to management of the Partnership and its Subsidiaries. For illustrative purposes, the internal business and affairs of the Company where the Sole Member shall have exclusive authority include (i) the prosecution, settlement or management of any claim made directly against the Company and not involving or relating to the Partnership Group, (ii) the decision to sell, convey, transfer or pledge the General Partner Units and the Incentive Distribution Rights of the Partnership owned at such time by the Company, (iii) the decision to amend, modify or waive any rights relating to the General Partner Interest and the Incentive Distribution Rights of the Partnership owned at such time by the Company and (iv) the decision to enter into any agreement to incur an obligation of the Company other than an agreement entered into for and on behalf of the Partnership for which the Company is liable exclusively by virtue of the Company’s capacity as general partner of the Partnership or of any of its Affiliates.

Section 5.15 Other Business of Sole Member, Directors and Affiliates .

(a) Existing Business Ventures . The Sole Member, each Director and their respective Affiliates may engage in or possess an interest in other business ventures of any nature or description, independently or with others, similar or dissimilar to the business of the Company or the Partnership, and the Company, the Partnership, the Directors and the Sole Member shall have no rights by virtue of this Agreement in and to such independent ventures or the income or profits derived therefrom, and the pursuit of any such venture, even if competitive with the business of the Company or the Partnership, shall not be deemed wrongful or improper.

(b) Business Opportunities . None of the Sole Member, any Director or any of their respective Affiliates who acquires knowledge of a potential transaction, agreement, arrangement or other matter that may be an opportunity for the Company, shall have any duty to communicate or offer such opportunity to the Company or the Partnership, and such Persons shall not be liable to the Company or the Sole Member for breach of any duty by reason of the fact that such Person pursues or acquires for itself, directs such opportunity to another Person or does not communicate such opportunity or information to the Company; provided such Sole Member, Director or any of their Affiliates do not engage in such business or activity using confidential or proprietary information provided by or on behalf of the Company to such Persons.

 

12


Section 5.16 Reliance by Third Parties . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Person dealing with the Company shall be entitled to assume that any officer of the Company authorized by the Board to act on behalf of and in the name of the Company has full power and authority to encumber, sell or otherwise use in any manner any and all assets of the Company and to enter into any authorized contracts on behalf of the Company, and such Person shall be entitled to deal with any such officer as if it were the Company’s sole party in interest, both legally and beneficially. The Sole Member hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any and all defenses or other remedies that may be available against such Person to contest, negate or disaffirm any action of any such officer in connection with any such dealing. In no event shall any Person dealing with any such officer or its representatives be obligated to ascertain that the terms of this Agreement have been complied with or to inquire into the necessity or expedience of any act or action of any such officer or its representatives. Each and every certificate, document or other instrument executed on behalf of the Company by the officers shall be conclusive evidence in favor of any and every Person relying thereon or claiming thereunder that (a) at the time of the execution and delivery of such certificate, document or instrument, this Agreement was in full force and effect, (b) the Person executing and delivering such certificate, document or instrument was duly authorized and empowered to do so for and on behalf of the Partnership and (c) such certificate, document or instrument was duly executed and delivered in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Agreement and is binding upon the Company.

ARTICLE VI

OFFICERS

Section 6.1 Officers .

(a) The Board shall elect one or more persons to be officers of the Company to assist in carrying out the Board’s decisions and the day-to-day activities of the Company in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership. Officers are not “managers” as that term is used in the Act. Any individuals who are elected as officers of the Company shall serve at the pleasure of the Board and shall have such titles and the authority and duties specified in this Agreement or otherwise delegated to each of them, respectively, by the Board from time to time.

(b) The officers of the Company may consist of a Chief Executive Officer, a President, one or more Vice Presidents, a Treasurer, a Secretary and such other officers as the Board from time to time may deem proper. The Chairman of the Board, if any, shall be chosen from among the Directors. All officers elected by the Board shall each have such powers and duties as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to Section 5.14(a) and the specific provisions of this Article VI. The Board may from time to time elect such other officers or appoint such agents as may be necessary or desirable for the conduct of the business of the Company as the general partner of the Partnership. Such other officers and agents shall have such duties and shall hold their offices for such terms as shall be provided in this Agreement or as may be prescribed by the Board, as the case may be from time to time.

 

13


Section 6.2 Election and Term of Office . The officers of the Company shall be elected from time to time by the Board. Each officer shall hold office until such person’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified or until such person’s death or until he or she shall resign or be removed pursuant to Section 6.9.

Section 6.3 Chairman of the Board . The Chairman of the Board shall preside, if present, at all meetings of the Board and shall perform such additional functions and duties as the Board may prescribe from time to time. The Directors also may elect a Vice Chairman of the Board to act in the place of the Chairman of the Board upon his or her absence or inability to act.

Section 6.4 Chief Executive Officer . The Chief Executive Officer, who may be the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board and/or the President, shall have general and active management authority over the business of the Company and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board are carried into effect. The Chief Executive Officer shall also perform all duties and have all powers incident to the office of Chief Executive Officer and perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may be assigned by this Agreement or prescribed by the Board from time to time.

Section 6.5 President . The President shall, subject to the control of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer, in general, supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the Company. The President shall perform all duties and have all powers incident to the office of President and perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may be delegated by the Chief Executive Officer or as may be prescribed by the Board from time to time.

Section 6.6 Vice Presidents . Any Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President and Vice President, in the order of seniority, unless otherwise determined by the Board, shall, in the absence or disability of the President, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President. They shall also perform the usual and customary duties and have the powers that pertain to such office and generally assist the President by executing contracts and agreements and exercising such other powers and performing such other duties as are delegated to them by the Chief Executive Officer or President or as may be prescribed by the Board from time to time.

Section 6.7 Treasurer . The Treasurer shall keep or cause to be kept the books of account of the Company and shall render statements of the financial affairs of the Company in such form and as often as required by this Agreement, the Board or a President. The Treasurer, subject to the order of the Board, shall have the custody of all funds and securities of the Company. The Treasurer shall perform the usual and customary duties and have the powers that pertain to such office and exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as are delegated to him by the Chief Executive Officer or a President or as may be prescribed by the Board from time to time.

Section 6.8 Secretary . The Secretary shall keep or cause to be kept, in one or more books provided for that purpose, the minutes of all meetings of the Board, the committees of the Board and the Limited Partners. The Secretary shall see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and as required by applicable law; shall be custodian of the records and the seal of the Company (if any) and affix and attest the seal (if any) to all documents to be executed on behalf of the Company under its seal; and shall see that the

 

14


books, reports, statements, certificates and other documents and records required by applicable law to be kept and filed are properly kept and filed; and in general, shall perform all duties and have all powers incident to the office of Secretary and perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may be delegated by the Chief Executive Officer or President or as may be prescribed by the Board from time to time.

Section 6.9 Removal . Any officer elected, or agent appointed, by the Board may be removed, with or without cause, by the Sole Member or the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board whenever, in the Sole Member’s or such majority’s judgment, as applicable, the best interests of the Company would be served thereby. No officer shall have any contractual rights against the Company for compensation by virtue of such election beyond the date of the election of such person’s successor, such person’s death, such person’s resignation or such person’s removal, whichever event shall first occur, except as otherwise provided in a written agreement.

Section 6.10 Vacancies . A newly created elected office and a vacancy in any elected office because of death, resignation or removal may be filled by the Board for the unexpired portion of the term at any meeting of the Board.

ARTICLE VII

INDEMNITY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Section 7.1 Indemnification .

(a) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law but subject to the limitations expressly provided in this Agreement, all Indemnitees shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all threatened, pending or completed claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, and whether formal or informal and including appeals, in which any Indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of its status as an Indemnitee and acting (or refraining to act) in such capacity on behalf of or for the benefit of the Company; provided, however, that the Indemnitee shall not be indemnified and held harmless pursuant to this Agreement if there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Agreement, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud, willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. Any indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.1 shall be made only out of the assets of the Company, it being agreed that the Sole Member shall not be personally liable for such indemnification and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Company to enable it to effectuate such indemnification.

(b) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, expenses (including legal fees and expenses) incurred by an Indemnitee who is indemnified pursuant to Section 7.1(a) in defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time

 

15


to time, be advanced by the Company prior to a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.1, the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified upon receipt by the Company of any undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay such amount if it shall be ultimately determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized by this Section 7.1.

(c) The indemnification provided by this Section 7.1 shall be in addition to any other rights to which an Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement, as a matter of law, in equity or otherwise, both as to actions in the Indemnitee’s capacity as an Indemnitee and as to actions in any other capacity, and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns and administrators of the Indemnitee.

(d) The Company may purchase and maintain (or reimburse its Affiliates for the cost of) insurance on behalf of the Indemnitees, the Company and its Affiliates and such other Persons as the Company shall determine, against any liability that may be asserted against or expense that may be incurred by such Person in connection with the Company’s activities or such Person’s activities on behalf of the Company, regardless of whether the Company would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement.

(e) For purposes of this Section 7.1, the Company shall be deemed to have requested an Indemnitee to serve as fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance by it of its duties to the Company also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves services by, it to the plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes assessed on an Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan pursuant to applicable law shall constitute “fines” within the meaning of Section 7.1; and action taken or omitted by it with respect to any employee benefit plan in the performance of its duties for a purpose reasonably believed by it to be in the best interest of the participants and beneficiaries of the plan shall be deemed to be for a purpose that is in the best interests of the Company.

(f) In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Sole Member to personal liability by reason of the indemnification provisions set forth in this Agreement.

(g) An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this Section 7.1 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.

(h) The provisions of this Section 7.1 are for the benefit of the Indemnitees and their heirs, successors, assigns, executors and administrators and shall not be deemed to create any rights for the benefit of any other Persons.

 

16


(i) Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.1 or any provision hereof shall be prospective only and shall not in any way terminate, reduce or impair the right of any past, present or future Indemnitee to be indemnified by the Company, nor the obligations of the Company to indemnify any such Indemnitee under and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.1 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

(j) TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, AND SUBJECT TO SECTION 7.1(A), THE PROVISIONS OF THE INDEMNIFICATION PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION 7.1 ARE INTENDED BY THE PARTIES TO APPLY EVEN IF SUCH PROVISIONS HAVE THE EFFECT OF EXCULPATING THE INDEMNITEE FROM LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH PERSON’S NEGLIGENCE, FAULT OR OTHER CONDUCT.

Section 7.2 Liability of Indemnitees

(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement or the Partnership Agreement, no Indemnitee shall be liable for monetary damages to the Company, the Partnership, the Sole Member or any other Person bound by this Agreement, for losses sustained or liabilities incurred as a result of any act or omission of an Indemnitee unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter in question, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud, willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was criminal.

(b) The Board and any committee thereof may exercise any of the powers granted to it by this Agreement and perform any of the duties imposed upon it hereunder either directly or by or through the Company’s officers or agents, and neither the Board nor any committee thereof shall be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such officer or agent appointed by the Board or any committee thereof in good faith.

(c) To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Indemnitee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Company or to the Sole Member, the Sole Member and any other Indemnitee acting in connection with the Company’s business or affairs shall not be liable to the Company or to the Sole Member for its good faith reliance on the provisions of this Agreement, and the provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that they restrict, eliminate or otherwise modify the duties and liabilities, including fiduciary duties, of the Sole Member or any other Indemnitee otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Sole Member to replace such other duties and liabilities of the Sole Member and such other Indemnitee.

(d) Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.2 or any provision hereof shall be prospective only and shall not in any way affect the limitations

 

17


on the liability of the Indemnitees under this Section 7.2 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted.

ARTICLE VIII

TAXES

Section 8.1 Taxes . The Company and the Sole Member acknowledge that for federal income tax purposes, the Company will be disregarded as an entity separate from the Sole Member pursuant to Treasury Regulation § 301.7701-3 as long as all of the Membership Interests in the Company are owned by the Sole Member.

ARTICLE IX

BOOKS, RECORDS, REPORTS, AND BANK ACCOUNTS

Section 9.1 Maintenance of Books

(a) The Board shall keep or cause to be kept at the principal office of the Company or at such other location approved by the Board complete and accurate books and records of the Company, supporting documentation of the transactions with respect to the conduct of the Company’s business and minutes of the proceedings of the Board and any other books and records that are required to be maintained by applicable law.

(b) The books of account of the Company shall be maintained on the basis of a fiscal year that is the calendar year and on an accrual basis in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied.

Section 9.2 Reports . The Board shall cause to be prepared and delivered to the Sole Member such reports, forecasts, studies, budgets and other information as the Sole Member may reasonably request from time to time.

Section 9.3 Bank Accounts . Funds of the Company shall be deposited in such banks or other depositories as shall be designated from time to time by the Board. All withdrawals from any such depository shall be made only as authorized by the Board and shall be made only by check, wire transfer, debit memorandum or other written instruction.

ARTICLE X

DISSOLUTION, WINDING-UP, TERMINATION AND CONVERSION

Section 10.1 Dissolution . The Company shall be of perpetual duration; however, the Company will be dissolved only upon the first to occur of the following events:

(a) The written determination of the Sole Member to dissolve.

(b) Upon the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution under the Act.

 

18


Section 10.2 Effect of Dissolution . Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, upon the dissolution of the Company, the Sole Member will take such actions as may be required pursuant to the Act and will proceed to wind up, liquidate and terminate the business and affairs of the Company. In connection with such winding up, the Sole Member may liquidate and reduce to cash (to the extent necessary or appropriate) the assets of the Company as promptly as is consistent with obtaining the fair market value therefor, to apply and distribute the proceeds of such liquidation and any remaining assets in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.3, and to do any and all acts and things authorized by, and in accordance with, the Act and other applicable laws for the purpose of winding up and liquidation.

Section 10.3 Application of Proceeds . Upon dissolution and liquidation of the Company, the assets of the Company shall be applied and distributed in the following order of priority to the extent permitted by law:

(a) First, to the payment of debts and liabilities of the Company (including to the Sole Member to the extent permitted by applicable law) and the expenses of liquidation;

(b) Second, to the setting up of such reserves as the Person required or authorized by law to wind up the Company’s affairs may reasonably deem necessary or appropriate for any disputed, contingent or unforeseen liabilities or obligations of the Company, provided that any such reserves must be paid over by such Person to an independent escrow agent, to be held by such agent or its successor for such period as such Person deems advisable for the purpose of applying such reserves to the payment of such liabilities or obligations and, at the expiration of such period, the balance of such reserves, if any, will be distributed as hereinafter provided; and

(c) Thereafter, the remainder to the Sole Member.

Section 10.4 Certificate of Cancellation . On completion of the winding up of the Company as provided herein and under the Act, the Sole Member (or such other Person or Persons as the Act may require or permit) shall file a certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and take such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the existence of the Company. Upon the filing of such certificate of cancellation, the existence of the Company shall terminate, except as may be otherwise provided by the Act or by applicable law.

ARTICLE XI

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 11.1 Offset . Whenever the Company is to pay any sum to the Sole Member, any amounts the Sole Member owes the Company may be deducted from that sum before payment.

Section 11.2 Notices . All notices, demands, requests, consents, approvals or other communications (collectively, “ Notices ”) required or permitted to be given hereunder or which are given with respect to this Agreement will be sufficient if given or made in writing.

 

19


Section 11.3 Entire Agreement; Superseding Effect . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the Sole Member relating to the Company and the transactions contemplated hereby, and supersedes all provisions and concepts contained in all prior contracts or agreements between the Sole Member with respect to the Company, whether oral or written.

Section 11.4 Effect of Waiver or Consent . Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, a waiver or consent, express or implied, to or of any breach or default by the Sole Member in the performance by the Sole Member of its obligations with respect to the Company is not a consent or waiver to or of any other breach or default in the performance by the Sole Member of the same or any other obligations of the Sole Member with respect to the Company.

Section 11.5 Amendment or Restatement . This Agreement may not be modified or amended in any manner other than by the Member.

Section 11.6 Binding Effect . The provisions of this Agreement are binding upon, and will inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective heirs, personal representatives, successors and permitted assigns.

Section 11.7 Governing Law; Severability . THIS AGREEMENT IS GOVERNED BY AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, EXCLUDING ANY CONFLICT-OF-LAWS RULE OR PRINCIPLE THAT MIGHT REFER THE GOVERNANCE OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS AGREEMENT TO THE LAW OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION. In the event of a direct conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and any mandatory, non-waivable provision of the Act, such provision of the Act shall control. If any provision of the Act may be varied or superseded in a limited liability company agreement (or otherwise by agreement of the members or managers of a limited liability company), such provision shall be deemed superseded and waived in its entirety if this Agreement contains a provision addressing the same issue or subject matter. If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any circumstance is held invalid or unenforceable to any extent, the remainder of this Agreement and the application of that provision to other circumstances is not affected thereby.

Section 11.8 Venue . Any and all claims, suits, actions or proceedings arising out of, in connection with or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware. Each party hereto unconditionally and irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware with respect to any such claim, suit, action or proceeding and waives any objection that such party may have to the laying of venue of any claim, suit, action or proceeding in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.

Section 11.9 Further Assurances . In connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, the Sole Member shall execute and deliver any additional documents and instruments and perform any additional acts that may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate and perform the provisions of this Agreement and those transactions.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

20


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Sole Member has executed this Agreement as of the date first set forth above.

 

SOLE MEMBER:
TALLGRASS GP HOLDINGS, LLC
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer

Signature Page to Second Amended and Restated

Limited Liability Company Agreement


EXHIBIT A

DIRECTORS

David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

William R. Moler

Stanley de J. Osborne

Frank J. Loverro

John T. Raymond

Jeffrey A. Ball

 

A-1

Exhibit 10.1

CONTRIBUTION, CONVEYANCE AND ASSUMPTION

AGREEMENT

By and Among

TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP,

TALLGRASS MLP GP, LLC,

TALLGRASS DEVELOPMENT, LP,

TALLGRASS DEVELOPMENT GP, LLC,

TALLGRASS GP HOLDINGS, LLC,

TALLGRASS OPERATIONS, LLC,

TALLGRASS INTERSTATE GAS TRANSMISSION, LLC,

TALLGRASS MIDSTREAM, LLC,

And

TALLGRASS MLP OPERATIONS, LLC

Dated as of May 17, 2013


CONTRIBUTION, CONVEYANCE AND ASSUMPTION

AGREEMENT

This Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement, dated as of May 17, 2013 (this “ Agreement ”), is by and among Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ General Partner ”), Tallgrass Development, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“ Tallgrass Development ”), Tallgrass Development GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Development GP ”), Tallgrass GP Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ GP Holdings ”), Tallgrass Operations, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ TO ”), Tallgrass Interstate Gas Transmission, LLC, a Colorado limited liability company, (“ TIGT ”), Tallgrass Midstream, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ TMID ”), and Tallgrass MLP Operations, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ OLLC ”). The above-named entities are sometimes referred to in this Agreement each as a “ Party ” and collectively as the “ Parties .” Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in Article I.

RECITALS

WHEREAS , the General Partner and TO have formed the Partnership, pursuant to the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the “ Delaware LP Act ”), for the purpose of engaging in any business activity that is approved by the General Partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant to the Delaware LP Act.

WHEREAS , in order to accomplish the objectives and purposes in the preceding recital, each of the following actions has been taken prior to the date hereof:

 

  1. The members of Development GP formed GP Holdings under the terms of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the “ Delaware LLC Act ”) and contributed their interest in Development GP to GP Holdings in exchange for identical membership interests in GP Holdings.

 

  2. TO formed the General Partner under the terms of the Delaware LLC Act and contributed $1,000 for all of the membership interests in the General Partner.

 

  3. The General Partner and TO formed the Partnership under the terms of the Delaware LP Act and contributed $20 and $980, respectively, in exchange for a 2.0% general partner interest (the “ Initial General Partner Interest ”) and a 98.0% limited partner interest (the “ Initial Limited Partner Interest ”), respectively, in the Partnership.

 

  4. TO formed OLLC under the terms of the Delaware LLC Act.

WHEREAS , concurrently with the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, each of the following transactions will occur at the times specified hereunder:

 

  1. TO will contribute its 100% membership interest in each of TIGT and TMID to OLLC in exchange for the continuation of its 100% membership interest in OLLC and OLLC’s assumption of $400 million of debt (the “ Assumed Debt ”) of TO under the Credit Agreement, dated as of November 13, 2012, among TO, Tallgrass Development, the Lenders Party thereto and Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent and collateral agent (the “ Credit Agreement ”).

 

1


  2. TO will contribute a 2.0% interest in OLLC to the General Partner as a capital contribution (the “ OLLC 2.0% Interest ”).

 

  3A. The General Partner will contribute the OLLC 2.0% Interest to the Partnership as a capital contribution in exchange for (i) 826,531 general partner units in the Partnership representing a continuation of its 2.0% general partner interest in the Partnership and (ii) the Incentive Distribution Rights in the Partnership.

 

  3B. TO will contribute the remaining 98% membership interest in OLLC to the Partnership as a capital contribution in exchange for (i) 9,292,500 Common Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership, (ii) 16,200,000 Subordinated Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership and (iii) the right to receive the Deferred Issuance and Distribution.

 

  4. The Partnership will redeem the Initial General Partner Interest and the Initial Limited Partner Interest and will refund the General Partner’s initial contribution of $20, TO’s initial contribution of $980, as well as any interest or other profit that may have resulted from the investment or other use of such initial capital contributions to the General Partner and TO, respectively, in proportion to such initial contribution.

 

  5. TO will convey 100% of the membership interest in the General Partner to Tallgrass Development.

 

  6. Tallgrass Development will convey 100% of the membership interest in the General Partner to Development GP.

 

  7. Development GP will convey 100% of the membership interest in the General Partner to GP Holdings.

 

  8. The agreements of limited partnership and the limited liability company agreements of the aforementioned entities will be amended and restated to the extent necessary to reflect the applicable matters set forth above and contained in this Agreement.

WHEREAS , the members or partners of the Parties have taken all partnership and limited liability company action, as the case may be, required to approve the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

WHEREAS, at the Effective Time, the public, through the Underwriters, will purchase from the Partnership for $295,850,020 in cash (after taking into account the Underwriters’ discount of approximately $18,049,980), 14,600,000 Common Units (of which 13,050,000 will be Firm Units and 1,550,000 will be Option Units) owned by the Partnership on such date.

WHEREAS , at the Effective Time, the Partnership will (i) pay the Structuring Fee to Barclays Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., (ii) pay the transaction expenses, estimated to be approximately $3,509,000 and (iii) contribute approximately $295.9 million to OLLC.

 

2


WHEREAS , at the Effective Time, OLLC will use the approximately $295.9 million received from the Partnership to repay approximately $295.9 million of Assumed Debt.

WHEREAS , at the Effective Time, the Partnership will (i) enter into a new $500 million credit facility with Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent (the “ New Credit Agreement ”), and (ii) borrow approximately $231.0 million pursuant to the New Credit Agreement and use the proceeds of the New Credit Agreement to (a) repay the remaining $104.2 million balance owing under the Assumed Debt, (b) pay approximately $6.4 million in origination fees under the New Credit Agreement, (c) make an approximately $85.5 million cash payment to TO in order to reimburse Tallgrass Development for a portion of the capital expenditures made by Tallgrass Development to purchase TIGT and TMID, (d) pay Tallgrass Development a cash distribution of approximately $31.2 million in connection with the Underwriter’s partial exercise of the Over-Allotment Option and (e) approximately $3.7 million for general corporate purposes.

NOW, THEREFORE , in consideration of the mutual covenants, representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

The terms set forth below in this Article I shall have the meanings ascribed to them below or in the part of this Agreement referred to below:

Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

Assumed Debt ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

Closing Date ” means May 17, 2013.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time. Any reference herein to a specific section or sections of the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any corresponding provision of any successor law.

Common Units ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Partnership Agreement.

Commission ” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Credit Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

Deferred Issuance and Distribution ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Partnership Agreement.

Delaware LP Act ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

Delaware LLC Act ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

 

3


Development GP ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

Effective Time ” means immediately prior to the closing of the initial public offering pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.

Firm Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Underwriting Agreement.

General Partner ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

GP Holdings ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

Incentive Distribution Rights ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Partnership Agreement.

Initial General Partner Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

Initial Limited Partner Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

New Credit Agreement ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

OLLC ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

OLLC 2.0% Interest ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals.

Option Period ” shall mean the period from the date hereof through June 12, 2013.

Option Units ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Underwriting Agreement.

Over-Allotment Option ” means the option granted to the Underwriters by the Partnership pursuant to Section 2 of the Underwriting Agreement to purchase up to 1,957,500 additional Common Units during the Option Period to cover over-allotments.

Party ” and “ Parties ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

Partnership ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

Partnership Agreement ” means the First Amended & Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP dated as of May 17, 2013.

Registration Statement ” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Commission (Registration No. 333-187595), as amended and effective at the Effective Time.

Structuring Fee ” means a fee equal to 0.50% of the gross proceeds of the sale of Common Units pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, including pursuant to any exercise of the Over-Allotment Option.

 

4


Subordinated Units ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Partnership Agreement.

Tallgrass Development ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

TO ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

TIGT ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

TMID ” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

Underwriters ” means those underwriters listed in the Underwriting Agreement.

Underwriting Agreement ” means that certain Underwriting Agreement between Barclays Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., as representatives of the Underwriters, the General Partner, the Partnership and Tallgrass Development dated as of May 13, 2013.

ARTICLE II

CONTRIBUTION, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The following shall be completed immediately following the Effective Time in the order set forth herein:

Section 2.1 Contribution by TO of its 100% membership interest in each of TIGT and TMID to OLLC . TO hereby grants, contributes, bargains, conveys, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to OLLC, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to its 100% membership interest in each of TIGT and TMID as a capital contribution, in exchange for the continuation of its 100% membership interest in OLLC and OLLC’s assumption of the Assumed Debt, and OLLC hereby accepts the 100% membership interest in each of TIGT and TMID and agrees to assume the Assumed Debt.

Section 2.2 Contribution by TO of the OLLC 2.0% Interest to the General Partner . TO hereby grants, contributes, bargains, conveys, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to the General Partner, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to the OLLC 2.0% Interest as a capital contribution, in exchange for the continuation of its 100% ownership interest in the General Partner, and the General Partner hereby accepts the OLLC 2.0% Interest.

Section 2.3 Contribution by the General Partner of the OLLC 2.0% Interest to the Partnership . The General Partner hereby grants, contributes, bargains, conveys, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to the Partnership, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to the OLLC 2.0% Interest as a capital contribution, in exchange for (i) 826,531 general partner units in the Partnership representing a continuation of its 2.0% general partner interest in the Partnership and (ii) the Incentive Distribution Rights in the Partnership, and the Partnership hereby accepts the OLLC 2.0% Interest.

 

5


Section 2.4 Contribution by TO of its 98% membership interest in OLLC to the Partnership . TO hereby grants, contributes, bargains, conveys, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to the Partnership, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to its 98% membership interest in OLLC as a capital contribution, in exchange for (i) 9,292,500 Common Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership, (ii) 16,200,000 Subordinated Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership and (iii) the right to receive the Deferred Issuance and Distribution, and the Partnership hereby accepts the 98% membership interest in OLLC.

Section 2.5 Redemption of the Initial General Partner Interest and the Initial Limited Partner Interest . For and in consideration of the payment by the Partnership of $20 to the General Partner and $980 to TO as a refund of their respective initial contribution to the Partnership, along with 2.0% and 98.0%, respectively, of any interest or profit that resulted from the investment or other use of such capital contributions, the Partnership hereby redeems the Initial General Partner Interest and the Initial Limited Partner Interest.

Section 2.6 Conveyance by TO of its 100% membership interest in the General Partner to Tallgrass Development . TO hereby grants, distributes, bargains, conveys, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to Tallgrass Development, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to 100% of the membership interests in the General Partner, and Tallgrass Development hereby accepts the 100% membership interest in the General Partner.

Section 2.7 Conveyance by Tallgrass Development of its 100% membership interest in the General Partner to Development GP . Tallgrass Development hereby grants, distributes, bargains, conveys, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to Development GP, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to 100% of the membership interests in the General Partner, and Development GP hereby accepts the 100% membership interest in the General Partner.

Section 2.8 Conveyance by Development GP of its 100% membership interest in the General Partner to GP Holdings . Development GP hereby grants, distributes, bargains, conveys, assigns, transfers, sets over and delivers to GP Holdings, its successors and its assigns, for its and their own use forever, all right, title and interest in and to 100% of the membership interests in the General Partner, and GP Holdings hereby accepts the 100% membership interest in the General Partner.

Section 2.9 Underwriters’ Cash Contribution . The Parties acknowledge that the Underwriters have, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, made a capital contribution to the Partnership of $295,850,020 in cash (after taking into account the Underwriter’s discount of approximately $18,049,980) in exchange for the issuance by the Partnership to the Underwriters of 14,600,000 Common Units (of which 13,050,000 are Firm Units and 1,550,000 are Option Units).

Section 2.10 Payment of the Structuring Fee . The Partnership agrees to pay Barclays Capital Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. the applicable Structuring Fee.

 

6


Section 2.11 Payment of Transaction Expenses . The Parties acknowledge the payment by the Partnership of transaction expenses in the amount of approximately $3,509,000.

Section 2.12 Contribution by the Partnership of Approximately $295.9 Million to OLLC . The Partnership agrees to pay OLLC approximately $295.9 million, and OLLC hereby agrees to use the approximately $295.9 million received from the Partnership to repay approximately $295.9 million of the Assumed Debt.

Section 2.13 Partnership’s New Credit Agreement . The Partnership agrees to (i) enter into the New Credit Agreement and (ii) borrow approximately $231.0 million pursuant to the New Credit Agreement and use the proceeds of the New Credit Agreement to (a) pay approximately $104.2 million to OLLC, which OLLC hereby agrees to use to repay the remaining balance of the Assumed Debt, (b) pay approximately $6.4 million in origination fees under the New Credit Agreement, (c) pay approximately $85.5 million to TO, in order to reimburse Tallgrass Development for a portion of the capital expenditures made by Tallgrass Development to purchase TIGT and TMID, (d) pay Tallgrass Development a cash distribution of approximately $31.2 million in connection with the Underwriter’s partial exercise of the Over-Allotment Option and (e) approximately $3.7 million for general corporate purposes.

ARTICLE III

ADDITIONAL TRANSACTIONS

Section 3.1 Purchase of Additional Common Units . If the remaining portion of the Over-Allotment Option is exercised in whole or in part, (i) the Underwriters will contribute additional cash to the Partnership in exchange for up to an additional 407,500 Option Units on the basis of the initial public offering price per Common Unit set forth in the Registration Statement less the amount of underwriting discounts and applicable Structuring Fee and (ii) the Partnership will pay TO the additional cash received from the Underwriters pursuant to the exercise of the remaining portion of the Over-Allotment Option in order to reimburse Tallgrass Development for a portion of the capital expenditures made by Tallgrass Development to purchase TIGT and TMID.

Section 3.2 Issuance of Additional Common Units . Upon the expiration of the Option Period, the Partnership will issue to TO a number of additional Common Units that is equal to the excess, if any, of (x) 407,500 over (y) the aggregate number of additional Option Units, if any, actually purchased by and issued to the Underwriters pursuant to each additional exercise of the Over-Allotment Option after the Closing Date.

ARTICLE IV

FURTHER ASSURANCES

From time to time after the Effective Time, and without any further consideration, the Parties agree to execute, acknowledge and deliver all such additional deeds, assignments, bills of sale, conveyances, instruments, notices, releases, acquittances and other documents, and to do all such other acts and things, all in accordance with applicable law, as may be necessary or appropriate (i) more fully to assure that the applicable Parties own all of the properties, rights, titles, interests, estates, remedies, powers and privileges granted by this Agreement, or which are

 

7


intended to be so granted, (ii) more fully and effectively to vest in the applicable Parties and their respective successors and assigns beneficial and record title to the interests contributed and assigned by this Agreement or intended to be so and (iii) more fully and effectively to carry out the purposes and intent of this Agreement.

ARTICLE V

EFFECTIVE TIME

Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, none of the provisions of Article II of this Agreement shall be operative or have any effect until the Effective Time, at which time all the provisions of Article II of this Agreement shall be effective and operative in accordance with Article VI, without further action by any Party hereto.

ARTICLE VI

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 6.1 Order of Completion of Transactions . The transactions provided for in Article II and Article III of this Agreement shall be completed immediately following the Effective Time in the following order: first, the transactions provided for in Article II shall be completed in the order set forth therein; and second, following the completion of the transactions provided for in Article II, the transactions provided for in Article III, if they occur, shall be completed.

Section 6.2 Headings; References; Interpretation . All Article and Section headings in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not be deemed to control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof. The words “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import, when used in this Agreement, shall refer to this Agreement as a whole, and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. All references herein to Articles and Sections shall, unless the context requires a different construction, be deemed to be references to the Articles and Sections of this Agreement. All personal pronouns used in this Agreement, whether used in the masculine, feminine or neuter gender, shall include all other genders, and the singular shall include the plural and vice versa. The use herein of the word “including” following any general statement, term or matter shall not be construed to limit such statement, term or matter to the specific items or matters set forth immediately following such word or to similar items or matters, whether or not non-limiting language (such as “without limitation”, “but not limited to”, or words of similar import) is used with reference thereto, but rather shall be deemed to refer to all other items or matters that could reasonably fall within the broadest possible scope of such general statement, term or matter.

Section 6.3 Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and assigns.

Section 6.4 No Third Party Rights . The provisions of this Agreement are intended to bind the Parties as to each other and are not intended to and do not create rights in any other person or confer upon any other person any benefits, rights or remedies, and no person is or is intended to be a third party beneficiary of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

8


Section 6.5 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts with the same effect as if all signatory Parties had signed the same document. All counterparts shall be construed together and shall constitute one and the same instrument.

Section 6.6 Choice of Law . This Agreement shall be subject to and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware. Each Party hereby submits to the jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the State of Kansas and to venue in the state courts in Johnson County, Kansas and in the federal courts of Wyandotte County, Kansas.

Section 6.7 Severability . If any of the provisions of this Agreement are held by any court of competent jurisdiction to contravene, or to be invalid under, the laws of any political body having jurisdiction over the subject matter hereof, such contravention or invalidity shall not invalidate the entire Agreement. Instead, this Agreement shall be construed as if it did not contain the particular provisions or provisions held to be invalid and an equitable adjustment shall be made and necessary provision added so as to give effect to the intention of the Parties as expressed in this Agreement at the time of execution of this Agreement.

Section 6.8 Amendment or Modification . This Agreement may be amended or modified from time to time only by the written agreement of all the Parties. Each such instrument shall be reduced to writing and shall be designated on its face as an amendment to this Agreement.

Section 6.9 Integration . This Agreement and the instruments referenced herein supersede all previous understandings or agreements among the Parties, whether oral or written, with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and such instruments. This Agreement and such instruments contain the entire understanding of the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. No understanding, representation, promise or agreement, whether oral or written, is intended to be or shall be included in or form part of this Agreement unless it is contained in a written amendment hereto executed by the parties hereto after the date of this Agreement.

Section 6.10 Deed; Bill of Sale; Assignment . To the extent required and permitted by applicable law, this Agreement shall also constitute a “deed,” “bill of sale” or “assignment” of the assets and interests referenced herein.

[ Signature Pages Follow ]

 

9


IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties to this Agreement have caused it to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP
By:   Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC,
  its general partner
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer
TALLGRASS MLP GP, LLC
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer
TALLGRASS DEVELOPMENT, LP
By:   Tallgrass Development GP, LLC,
  its general partner
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer
TALLGRASS DEVELOPMENT GP, LLC
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer

 

Signature Page to Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement


TALLGRASS GP HOLDINGS, LLC
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer
TALLGRASS OPERATIONS, LLC
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer
TALLGRASS INTERSTATE GAS TRANSMISSION, LLC
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  Chief Executive Officer
TALLGRASS MIDSTREAM, LLC
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  Chief Executive Officer
TALLGRASS MLP OPERATIONS, LLC
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer

 

Signature Page to Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement

Exhibit 10.2

OMNIBUS AGREEMENT

among

TALLGRASS DEVELOPMENT, LP,

TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP,

TALLGRASS MLP GP, LLC, and

TALLGRASS DEVELOPMENT GP, LLC


OMNIBUS AGREEMENT

This OMNIBUS AGREEMENT (“ Agreement ”) is entered into on, and effective as of, the Closing Date (as defined herein), among Tallgrass Development, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“ Tallgrass Development ”), Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ General Partner ”), and Tallgrass Development GP, LLC (“ Development GP ”). The above-named entities are sometimes referred to in this Agreement each as a “ Party ” and collectively as the “ Parties .”

R E C I T A L S:

1. The Parties desire by their execution of this Agreement to evidence their agreement, as more fully set forth in Article II , with respect to certain indemnification obligations of the Parties.

2. The Parties desire by their execution of this Agreement to evidence their agreement, as more fully set forth in Article III , with respect to the amount to be paid by the Partnership for certain general and administrative services to be performed or provided by Development GP and its Affiliates as well as direct expenses, including operating expenses, incurred by Development GP and its Affiliates for and on behalf of the Partnership Entities (as defined herein) and the Partnership’s reimbursement obligations related thereto.

3. The Parties desire by their execution of this Agreement to evidence their agreement, as more fully set forth in Article IV , with respect to the granting of a license from Tallgrass Development to the Partnership Entities.

4. The Parties desire by their execution of this Agreement to evidence their agreement, as more fully set forth in Article V , with respect to the granting of a right of first offer from Tallgrass Development to the Partnership.

In consideration of the premises and the covenants, conditions and agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions

1.1 Definitions .

As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the respective meanings set forth below:

Affiliate ” has the meaning given such term in the Partnership Agreement.

Agreement ” means this Omnibus Agreement, as it may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

2


Cause ” has the meaning given such term in the Partnership Agreement.

Change of Control ” means, with respect to any Person (the “ Applicable Person ”), any of the following events: (i) any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) of all or substantially all of the Applicable Person’s assets to any other Person, unless immediately following such sale, lease, exchange or other transfer such assets are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Applicable Person or its Affiliates or such Applicable Person or its Affiliates owns or controls such other Person; (ii) the dissolution or liquidation of the Applicable Person; (iii) the consolidation or merger of the Applicable Person with or into another Person, other than any such transaction where (a) the outstanding Voting Securities of the Applicable Person are changed into or exchanged for Voting Securities of the surviving Person or its parent and (b) the holders of the Voting Securities of the Applicable Person immediately prior to such transaction own, directly or indirectly, not less than a majority of the outstanding Voting Securities of the surviving Person or its parent immediately after such transaction; and (iv) a “person” or “group” (within the meaning of Sections 13(d) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act), other than Tallgrass Development or its Affiliates, being or becoming the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act) of more than 50% of all of the then outstanding Voting Securities of the Applicable Person, except in a merger or consolidation that would not constitute a Change of Control under clause (iii) above.

Closing Date ” means the date of the closing of the Partnership’s initial public offering of Common Units.

Common Units ” has the meaning given such term in the Partnership Agreement.

Conflicts Committee ” has the meaning given such term in the Partnership Agreement.

Contribution Agreement ” means that certain Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, by and among the General Partner, the Partnership, Tallgrass Development and certain other Development Entities, together with the additional conveyance documents and instruments contemplated or referenced thereunder.

control ” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.

Development Entities ” means Tallgrass Development and any Person controlled, directly or indirectly, by Tallgrass Development other than the General Partner or a member of the Partnership Group; and “ Development Entity ” means any of the Development Entities.

Development GP ” has the meaning given such term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

General Partner ” has the meaning given such term in the introduction to this Agreement.

 

3


Indemnified Party ” means each Partnership Group Member or each Development Entity, as the case may be, in their capacities as parties entitled to indemnification (or reimbursement under Section 2.1(b)) in accordance with Article II .

Indemnifying Party ” means each of the Partnership or Tallgrass Development, as the case may be, in their capacity as the parties from whom indemnification (or reimbursement under Section 2.1(b)) may be required in accordance with Article II .

Kinder Morgan ” means Kinder Morgan Operating L.P. “A”, a Delaware limited partnership.

KMIGT Purchase Agreement ” means that certain Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated August 17, 2012, between Kinder Morgan and Tallgrass Development, as amended, pursuant to which Tallgrass Development acquired 100% of the outstanding membership interests in each of Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transmission LLC, Trailblazer Pipeline Company LLC, KM Upstream LLC and Kinder Morgan Pony Express Pipeline LLC.

License ” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.1 of this Agreement.

Losses ” means all losses, damages, liabilities, claims, demands, causes of action, judgments, settlements, fines, penalties, costs and expenses (including court costs and reasonable attorney’s and experts’ fees) of any and every kind or character, fixed or contingent.

Marks ” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.1 of this Agreement.

Name ” has the meaning given such term in Section 4.1 of this Agreement.

Partnership ” has the meaning given such term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Partnership Agreement ” means the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, dated as of the Closing Date, as such agreement is in effect on the Closing Date immediately following the completion of the initial public offering of the Common Units.

Partnership Assets ” means the assets conveyed, contributed or otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly (including through the transfer of equity interests), or intended to be conveyed, contributed or otherwise transferred, to the Partnership Group pursuant to the Contribution Agreement, including, without limitation, transportation pipelines, natural gas storage assets, natural gas processing facilities, offices and related equipment and real estate.

Partnership Entities ” means the General Partner and each Partnership Group Member.

Partnership Group ” means the Partnership and its Subsidiaries.

Partnership Group Member ” means any member of the Partnership Group.

Party ” and “ Parties ” are defined in the introduction to this Agreement.

 

4


Person ” means an individual or a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, business trust, employee benefit plan, unincorporated organization, association, government body or agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.

Registration Statement ” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-187595), as amended, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to the proposed initial public offering of Common Units by the Partnership.

REX Purchase Agreement ” means that certain Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated August 17, 2012, between Kinder Morgan and Tallgrass Development, as amended, pursuant to which Tallgrass Development acquired 100% of the outstanding membership interests in Kinder Morgan NatGas Operator LLC and 50% of the outstanding membership interests in Rockies Express Pipeline LLC.

ROFO Assets ” means (i) the assets (including equity interests) held by Tallgrass Development or its Affiliates that were acquired from Kinder Morgan under the KMIGT Purchase Agreement and the REX Purchase Agreement, other than the Partnership Assets; provided, however, that the ROFO Assets shall include the Pony Express Project (as defined in the Registration Statement) upon completion of the Pony Express Project and (ii) assets that are hereafter developed, constructed or acquired by Tallgrass Development or its Subsidiaries (excluding the Partnership and its Subsidiaries) for the purpose of processing natural gas in Natrona, Converse or Campbell counties in Wyoming, including equity interests owned by Tallgrass Development or such Subsidiaries in an entity engaged in such activities in such counties.

Services ” has the meaning given such term in Section 3.1 of this Agreement.

Subsidiary ” has the meaning given such term in the Partnership Agreement.

Tallgrass Development ” has the meaning given such term in the introduction to this Agreement.

Underwriting Agreement ” means that certain Underwriting Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, by and among the Partnership, Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC, Tallgrass Development, Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc and the underwriters named on Schedule I attached thereto.

Voting Securities ” of a Person means securities of any class of such Person entitling the holders thereof to vote in the election of, or to appoint, members of the board of directors or other similar governing body of the Person.

ARTICLE II

Indemnification

2.1 Indemnification .

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.2 and Section 2.1(e) , Tallgrass Development shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Partnership Group from and against

 

5


any Losses suffered or incurred by the Partnership Group resulting from or arising out of all federal, state or local income tax liabilities attributable to the ownership or operation of the Partnership Assets prior to the Closing Date, including (i) any such income tax liabilities of the Partnership Group that may result from the consummation of the formation transactions for the Partnership Group occurring on or prior to the Closing Date and (ii) any income tax liabilities arising under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 and any similar provisions of applicable state or local law, by contract, as successor, transferee or otherwise and which income tax is attributable to having been a member of any consolidated combined or unitary group prior to the Closing Date; provided, however , that such indemnification obligations shall survive until sixty (60) days after termination of any applicable statute of limitations; provided , further , however , that any such indemnification obligations provided for in this Section 2.1(a) shall survive the time at which they would otherwise expire pursuant to this Section 2.1(a) if notice of any such Losses is properly given to Tallgrass Development prior to such time.

(b) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.1(e) and Section 2.2(a)(iv) , Tallgrass Development shall reimburse the Partnership Group for any amounts paid by any member of the Partnership Group pursuant to any settlement agreement or judgment related to or resulting from the proceeding pending in state court in Douglas County, Nebraska (the “ Cornhusker Claim ”), entitled Cornhusker Energy Lexington, LLC and National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania vs. Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transmission, now known as Tallgrass Interstate Gas Transmission, that exceeds $3.9 million, in the amount by which such settlement or damage award actually exceeds $3.9 million. Notwithstanding this Section 2.1(b) , no member of the Partnership Group may (i) enter into a settlement agreement regarding the Cornhusker Claim or (ii) make any decisions regarding whether to appeal a judgment regarding the Cornhusker Claim, in each instance, without first securing approval of Tallgrass Development.

(c) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.2 , Tallgrass Development agrees, (i) to use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain indemnification from Kinder Morgan for Losses suffered or incurred with respect to the Partnership Assets to the extent (and for such period of time with respect to each such claim) that the Partnership Group reasonably believes that Kinder Morgan is obligated to provide such indemnification to Tallgrass Development pursuant to the KMIGT Purchase Agreement and (ii) promptly following the receipt by Tallgrass Development of proceeds from an indemnification obligation pursuant to the KMIGT Purchase Agreement, to remit to the Partnership, through wire transfer of immediately available funds, the amount of any such indemnification claim that is attributable to Losses incurred with respect to the Partnership Assets.

(d) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.2 , in addition to and not in limitation of the indemnification provided under this Article II , the Partnership shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Development Entities from and against any Losses suffered or incurred by the Development Entities by reason of or arising out of events and conditions associated with the operation of the Partnership Assets that occur on or after the Closing Date. Any such indemnification obligation arising under this Section 2.1(d) shall survive indefinitely.

(e) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event will the Indemnifying Party be obligated to indemnify or reimburse the Indemnified Party for any claims,

 

6


losses or expenses or income taxes referred to in this Article II , if, and to the extent that such claims, losses or expenses or income taxes were reserved for in the Indemnified Party’s financial statements as of the Closing Date.

2.2 Indemnification Procedures .

(a) Procedures Applicable to Sections 2.1(a) and 2.1(d) . If the Indemnified Party seeks indemnification under Section 2.1(a) or 2.1(d), the procedures of this Section 2.2(a) shall control.

(i) The Indemnified Party agrees that within a reasonable period of time after it becomes aware of facts giving rise to a claim for indemnification pursuant to Sections 2.1(a) or 2.1(d), it will provide notice thereof in writing to the Indemnifying Party specifying the nature of and specific basis for such claim; provided , however , that the Indemnified Party shall not submit claims more frequently than once a calendar quarter (or twice in the case of the last calendar quarter prior to the expiration of the applicable indemnity coverage under this Agreement). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Indemnified Party’s failure to provide notice under this Section 2.2(a) will not relieve the Indemnifying Party from liability hereunder with respect to such matter except in the event and only to the extent that the Indemnifying Party is materially prejudiced by such failure or delay or the Indemnifying Party does not receive notice of the claim prior to the expiration of the applicable indemnity survival period in Sections 2.1(a) or 2.1(d) .

(ii) The Indemnifying Party shall have the right to control all aspects of the defense of (and any counterclaims with respect to) any claims brought against the Indemnified Party that are covered by the indemnification set forth in Sections 2.1(a) or 2.1(d) , including the selection of counsel, determination of whether to appeal any decision of any court or similar authority, and the settling of any matter or any issues; provided , however , that no such settlement shall be entered into without the consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) of the Indemnified Party (with the concurrence of the Conflicts Committee in the case of the Partnership Group) unless it includes a full release of the Indemnified Party from such matter or issues, as the case may be, and does not include the admission of fault, culpability of failure to act, by or on behalf of such Indemnified Party.

(iii) The Indemnified Party agrees to cooperate fully with the Indemnifying Party with respect to all aspects of the defense of any claims covered by the indemnification set forth in Sections 2.1(a) or 2.1(d) , including the prompt furnishing to the Indemnifying Party of any correspondence or other notice relating thereto that the Indemnified Party may receive, permitting the names of the Indemnified Party to be utilized in connection with such defense, the making available to the Indemnifying Party copies of any files, records or other information of the Indemnified Party that the Indemnifying Party considers relevant to such defense and the making available to the Indemnifying Party, at no cost to the Indemnifying Party, of any employees of the Indemnified Party; provided , however , that in connection therewith the Indemnifying Party agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to minimize the impact thereof on the operations of the Indemnified Party and further agrees to protect the confidentiality of all files, records and other information furnished by the Indemnified Party pursuant to this Section 2.2(a) . In no event shall the obligation of the Indemnified Party to cooperate with the Indemnifying Party as set forth in the immediately preceding sentence be construed as imposing

 

7


upon the Indemnified Party an obligation to hire and pay for counsel in connection with the defense of any claims covered by the indemnification set forth in Sections 2.1(a) or 2.1(d) ; provided , however , that the Indemnified Party may, at its own option, cost and expense, hire and pay for counsel in connection with any such defense. The Indemnifying Party agrees to keep any such counsel hired by the Indemnified Party reasonably informed as to the status of any such defense, but the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to retain sole control over such defense.

(iv) In determining the amount of any loss, cost, damage or expense for which the Indemnified Party is entitled to indemnification (or reimbursement under Section 2.1(b) ) under this Agreement, the gross amount of the indemnification (or reimbursement under Section 2.1(b) ) will be reduced by (i) any insurance proceeds realized by the Indemnified Party, and such correlative insurance benefit shall be net of any incremental insurance premium that becomes due and payable by the Indemnified Party as a result of such claim, (ii) all amounts recovered by the Indemnified Party under contractual indemnities from third parties and (iii) any correlative tax benefit.

(v) NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING HEREIN TO THE CONTRARY, IN NO EVENT SHALL ANY PARTY’S INDEMNIFICATION OBLIGATION HEREUNDER COVER OR INCLUDE CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, SPECIAL OR SIMILAR DAMAGES OR LOST PROFITS SUFFERED BY ANY OTHER PARTY ENTITLED TO INDEMNIFICATION UNDER THIS AGREEMENT.

(b) Procedures Applicable to Section 2.1(c) . If a member of the Partnership Group seeks indemnification under Section 2.1(c) , the procedures of this Section 2.2(b) shall control.

(i) The Partnership Group Member agrees that within a reasonable period of time after it becomes aware of facts giving rise to a claim for indemnification pursuant to Section 2.1(c) , it will provide notice thereof in writing to Tallgrass Development specifying the nature of and specific basis for such claim. Upon receipt of such notice, Tallgrass Development will promptly follow the indemnification procedures set out in the KMIGT Purchase Agreement and use commercially reasonable efforts to collect proceeds from Kinder Morgan for such Partnership Group claims pursuant to the indemnification obligations under the KMIGT Purchase Agreement.

(ii) Tallgrass Development shall have the right to control all aspects of the interactions with Kinder Morgan regarding the indemnification obligations under the KMIGT Purchase Agreement, including the hiring of counsel to pursue such claim if applicable. The Partnership Group will be responsible for the reasonable cost and expense of counsel in connection with the pursuit of any such claim to the extent such claim relates to the Partnership Assets and shall promptly reimburse, through wire transfer of immediately available funds, Tallgrass Development for the cost and expense of such counsel. Tallgrass Development agrees to make all decisions regarding such indemnification by Kinder Morgan in good faith.

(iii) The Partnership Group Member agrees to cooperate fully with both Tallgrass Development with respect to all aspects of the pursuit of any claims covered by the indemnification set forth in Section 2.1(c) , including the prompt furnishing to Tallgrass Development of any correspondence or other notice relating thereto that the Partnership Group

 

8


Member may receive, permitting the name of the Partnership Group Member to be utilized in connection with the pursuit of such claim, the making available to Tallgrass Development copies of any files, records or other information of the Partnership Group Member that Tallgrass Development considers relevant to such claim and the making available to the Tallgrass Development, at no cost to Tallgrass Development, of any employees of the Partnership Group Member; provided , however , that in connection therewith Tallgrass Development agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to minimize the impact thereof on the operations of the Partnership Group Member and further agrees to protect the confidentiality of all files, records and other information furnished by the Partnership Group Member pursuant to this Section 2.2(b) .

2.3 Indemnification Claims under the Underwriting Agreement . Subject to the provisions of Section 2.2 , the Partnership agrees to reimburse Tallgrass Development for any payments made by Tallgrass Development pursuant to Section 8(a) of the Underwriting Agreement to the extent Tallgrass Development is required to make such payments in satisfaction of the Partnership’s indemnification obligations under the Underwriting Agreement.

ARTICLE III

Provision of Services; Reimbursement

3.1 Agreement to Provide Services . Until such time as this Agreement is terminated as provided in Section 6.4 , Development GP hereby agrees to provide or to cause its Affiliates or third parties to provide, the Partnership Entities with such general and administrative services and management and operating services as may be necessary to manage and operate the business and affairs of the Partnership Entities, including accounting, audit, business development, corporate record keeping, treasury services (including cash management), real property/land, legal, operations/engineering, investor relations, risk management, commercial/marketing, information technology, insurance, government relations/compliance, tax, payroll, human resources and environmental, health and safety (collectively, “ Services ”). The Services shall be consistent in nature and quality to the services of such type previously provided by Development GP and its Affiliates (or, if applicable, provided to Development GP and its Affiliates by third parties) in connection with the management and operation of the Partnership Assets prior to the Closing Date.

3.2 Reimbursement by Partnership . Subject to and in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Article III and such reasonable allocation and other procedures as may be agreed upon by Development GP and the General Partner from time to time, the Partnership hereby agrees to reimburse Development GP and its Affiliates for all reasonable direct and indirect costs and expenses incurred by Development GP or its Affiliates (other than the Partnership Entities) in connection with the provision of the Services to the Partnership Entities, including the following:

(a) any payments or expenses incurred for insurance coverage and negotiated instruments (including surety bonds and performance bonds) provided by underwriters with respect to the Partnership Assets or the business of the Partnership Group;

 

9


(b) any costs incurred in connection with the provision of information technology services;

(c) salaries and related benefits and expenses of personnel employed by Development GP or its Affiliates (other than the Partnership Entities) who render Services to the Partnership Entities, plus general and administrative expenses associated with such personnel;

(d) any expenses incurred by Development GP or its Affiliates with respect to third parties providing Services to the Partnership Entities on behalf of Development GP or its Affiliates;

(e) any taxes or other direct expenses paid by Development GP or its Affiliates for the benefit of the Partnership Entities other than those taxes covered by the indemnification in Section 2.1(a); and

(f) all expenses and expenditures incurred by Development GP or its Affiliates as a result of the Partnership becoming and continuing as a publicly traded entity, including costs associated with annual and quarterly reports, tax return and Schedule K-1 preparation and distribution, independent auditor fees, partnership governance and compliance, registrar and transfer agent fees, legal fees and independent director compensation;

it being agreed, however, that to the extent any reimbursable costs or expenses incurred by Development GP or its Affiliates consist of an allocated portion of costs and expenses incurred by Development GP or its Affiliates for the benefit of both the Partnership Entities and the other Affiliates of Tallgrass Development, such allocation shall be made on a reasonable cost reimbursement basis as determined by Development GP.

3.3 Billing Procedures . The Partnership will reimburse Development GP for billed costs no later than the later of (a) the last day of the month following the performance month, or (b) thirty (30) business days following the date of Development GP’s billing to the Partnership. Billings and payments may be accomplished by inter-company accounting procedures and transfers. The Partnership shall have the right to review all source documentation concerning the liabilities, costs, and expenses upon reasonable notice and during regular business hours.

ARTICLE IV

License of Name and Mark

4.1 Grant of License . Upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Article IV , Tallgrass Development hereby grants and conveys to each of the entities currently or hereafter comprising a part of the Partnership Group and to the General Partner a shared, nontransferable, nonexclusive, royalty free right and license (“ License ”) to Tallgrass Development’s right to use the name “Tallgrass” (the “ Name ”) and any associated or related marks (the “ Marks ”).

4.2 Ownership and Quality . The Partnership agrees that ownership of the Name and the Marks and the goodwill relating thereto shall remain vested in Tallgrass Development both during the term of this License and thereafter, and the Partnership further agrees, and agrees to cause the other Partnership Entities, never to challenge, contest or question the validity of Tallgrass Development’s ownership of the Name and the Marks or any registration thereto by

 

10


Tallgrass Development. In connection with the use of the Name and the Marks, the Partnership and any other Partnership Entity shall not in any manner represent that they have any ownership in the Name and the Marks or registration thereof except as set forth herein, and the Partnership, on behalf of itself and the other Partnership Entities, acknowledges that the use of the Name and the Marks shall not create any right, title or interest in or to the Name and the Marks, and all use of the Name and the Marks by the Partnership, any other Partnership Entity, shall inure to the benefit of Tallgrass Development. The Partnership agrees, and agrees to cause the other Partnership Entities, to use the Name and Marks in accordance with such quality standards established by Tallgrass Development and communicated to the Partnership from time to time, it being understood that the products and services offered by the Partnership Entities immediately before the Closing Date are of a quality that is acceptable to Tallgrass Development and justifies the License. In the event any Partnership Entity is determined by Tallgrass Development to be using the Name and the Marks in a manner not in accordance with quality standards established by Tallgrass Development, Tallgrass Development shall provide written notice of such unacceptable use including the reason why applicable quality standards are not being met. If acceptable proof that quality standards are met is not provided to Tallgrass Development within thirty (30) days of such notice, the entity’s license to use the Name and the Marks shall terminate and shall not be renewed absent written authorization from Tallgrass Development.

4.3 Termination . In the event of termination of this Agreement, pursuant to Section 6.4 or otherwise, or the termination of the License, the Partnership Entities’ right to utilize or possess the Name and the Marks licensed under this Agreement shall automatically cease, and no later than ninety (90) days following such termination, (a) the Partnership Entities shall cease all use of the Name and the Marks and shall adopt trademarks, service marks, and trade names that are not confusingly similar to the Name and the Marks, provided, however , that any use of the Name or the Marks during such 90-day period shall continue to be subject to Section 4.2 , (b) at Tallgrass Development’s request, the Partnership Entities shall destroy all materials and content upon which the Name or the Marks continue to appear (or otherwise modify such materials and content such that the use or appearance of the Name or the Marks ceases) that are under the Partnership Entities’ control, and certify in writing to Tallgrass Development that the Partnership Entities have done so, and (c) each Partnership Entity shall change its legal name so that there is no reference therein to the name “Tallgrass” or d/b/a then used by any Development Entity or any variation, derivation or abbreviation thereof, and in connection therewith, shall make all necessary filings of certificates with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and to otherwise amend its organizational documents by such date.

ARTICLE V

Right of First Offer

Tallgrass Development hereby agrees and will cause its Affiliates to agree, for so long as Tallgrass Development or its Affiliates, individually or as part of a group, control the General Partner, that if Tallgrass Development or any of its Affiliates decide to attempt to sell (other than to another Affiliate of Tallgrass Development) any of the ROFO Assets, Tallgrass Development or its Affiliate will notify the Partnership of its desire to sell such ROFO Asset and, prior to selling such ROFO Asset to a third party, will negotiate with the Partnership exclusively and in good faith for a period of 45 days in order to give the Partnership an opportunity to enter into definitive documentation for the purchase and sale of such ROFO Asset on terms that are

 

11


mutually acceptable to Tallgrass Development or its Affiliate and the Partnership. If the Partnership and Tallgrass Development or its Affiliate have not entered into a letter of intent or a definitive agreement with respect to such ROFO Asset within such 45 days, Tallgrass Development or its Affiliate will have the right to sell such ROFO Asset to a third party following the expiration of such 45 days on any terms that are acceptable to Tallgrass Development or its Affiliate and such third party. The Partnership’s decision to acquire or not to acquire a ROFO Asset pursuant to this right will require the approval of the Conflicts Committee.

ARTICLE VI

Miscellaneous

6.1 Choice of Law; Submission to Jurisdiction . This Agreement shall be subject to and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, excluding any conflicts-of-law rule or principle that might refer the construction or interpretation of this Agreement to the laws of another state. Each Party hereby submits to the jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the State of Kansas and to venue in Kansas.

6.2 Notice . All notices or requests or consents provided for by, or permitted to be given pursuant to, this Agreement, excluding billing notices under Section 3.3 which shall be handled under the Company’s standard billing procedures, must be in writing and must be given by depositing same in the United States mail, addressed to the Person to be notified, postage paid, and registered or certified with return receipt requested or by delivering such notice in person or by overnight delivery or by electronic mail or by facsimile to such Party. Notice given by personal delivery or mail shall be effective upon actual receipt. Notice given by electronic mail or by facsimile shall be effective upon actual receipt if received during the recipient’s normal business hours or at the beginning of the recipient’s next business day after receipt if not received during the recipient’s normal business hours. All notices to be sent to a Party pursuant to this Agreement shall be sent to or made at the address set forth below or at such other address as such Party may stipulate to the other Parties in the manner provided in this Section 6.2 .

For notice to Tallgrass Development or the Development Entities:

c/o Tallgrass Development, LP

6640 W. 143rd Street, Suite 200

Overland Park, KS 66223

Attn: General Counsel

Facsimile: 913.928.6011

Electronic Mail: george.rider@tallgrassenergylp.com

with a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to:

c/o Tallgrass Development, LP

6640 W. 143rd Street, Suite 200

Overland Park, KS 66223

Attn: President and Chief Executive Officer

Facsimile: 913.928.6006

Electronic Mail: david.dehaemers@tallgrassenergylp.com

 

12


For notice to the Partnership Entities:

Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP

6640 W. 143rd Street, Suite 200

Overland Park, KS 66223

Attn: General Counsel

Facsimile: 913.928.6011

Electronic Mail: george.rider@tallgrassenergylp.com

with a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to:

Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP

6640 W. 143rd Street, Suite 200

Overland Park, KS 66223

Attn: President and Chief Executive Officer

Facsimile: 913.928.6006

Electronic Mail: david.dehaemers@tallgrassenergylp.com

6.3 Entire Agreement . This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the Parties relating to the matters contained herein, superseding all prior contracts or agreements, whether oral or written, relating to the matters contained herein. In the event of a conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of the Partnership Agreement, the provisions of the Partnership Agreement shall control.

6.4 Termination . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, (i) if the General Partner is removed as general partner of the Partnership under circumstances where Cause does not exist and the Common Units held by the General Partner and its Affiliates are not voted in favor of such removal, then this Agreement, other than the provisions set forth in Article II and Section 4.3 , may at any time thereafter be terminated by Tallgrass Development by written notice to the other Parties, or (ii) if a Change of Control of the Partnership occurs, then this Agreement, other than the provisions set forth in Article II and Section 4.3 , may at any time thereafter be terminated by Tallgrass Development by written notice to the other Parties.

6.5 Effect of Waiver or Consent . No waiver or consent, express or implied, by any Party to or of any breach or default by any Person in the performance by such Person of its obligations hereunder shall be deemed or construed to be a consent or waiver to or of any other breach or default in the performance by such Person of the same or any other obligations of such Person hereunder. Failure on the part of a Party to complain of any act of any Person or to declare any Person in default, irrespective of how long such failure continues, shall not constitute a waiver by such Party of its rights hereunder until the applicable statute of limitations period has run.

6.6 Amendment or Modification . This Agreement may be amended or modified from time to time only by the written agreement of all the Parties; provided , however , that the Partnership may not, without the prior approval of the Conflicts Committee, agree to any amendment or modification of this Agreement that, in the reasonable discretion of the General Partner, would be adverse in any material respect to the holders of Common Units. Each such instrument shall be reduced to writing and shall be designated on its face an “Amendment” or an “Addendum” to this Agreement.

 

13


6.7 Assignment; Third-Party Beneficiaries . No Party shall have the right to assign any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the consent of the other Parties hereto. Each of the Parties hereto specifically agrees that each Partnership Group Member, whether or not a Party to this Agreement, shall be entitled to assert rights and remedies hereunder as third-party beneficiaries hereto with respect to those provisions of this Agreement affording a right, benefit or privilege to any such entity. Except as contemplated by the preceding sentence, this Agreement does not create any rights or benefits for any entity or individual other than the Parties.

6.8 Successors . This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of the Parties and to their respective successors and assigns.

6.9 Continuation of Work During Dispute . Notwithstanding any dispute, it shall be the responsibility of each Party to continue to perform its obligations under this Agreement pending resolution of the dispute.

6.10 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, including facsimile or portable document format (.pdf) counterparts, with the same effect as if all signatory Parties had signed the same document. All counterparts shall be construed together and shall constitute one and the same instrument.

6.11 Severability . If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any Person or circumstance shall be held invalid or unenforceable by a court or regulatory body of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this Agreement and the application of such provision to other Persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby and shall be enforced to the greatest extent permitted by law.

6.12 Rules of Construction . Whenever the context requires, the gender of all words used in this Agreement shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter, and the number of all words shall include the singular and plural. All references to Article numbers and Section numbers refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement. Unless otherwise specifically indicated or the context otherwise requires, the terms “include,” “includes” and “including” as used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation.”

6.13 Further Assurances . In connection with this Agreement and all transactions contemplated by this Agreement, each Party agrees to execute and deliver such additional documents and instruments and to perform such additional acts as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate, carry out and perform all of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Agreement and all such transactions.

6.14 Withholding or Granting of Consent . Unless otherwise provided herein, each Party may, with respect to any consent or approval that it is entitled to grant pursuant to this Agreement, grant or withhold such consent or approval in its sole and uncontrolled discretion, with or without cause, and subject to such conditions as it shall deem appropriate.

 

14


6.15 Laws and Regulations . Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, no Party shall take any act, or fail to take any act, under this Agreement which would violate any applicable law, statute, rule or regulation.

6.16 Negation of Rights of Limited Partners, Assignees and Third Parties . Except as set forth in Section 6.7 , the provisions of this Agreement are enforceable solely by the Parties, and no stockholder, limited partner, member or assignee of Tallgrass Development, the Partnership or other Person shall have the right, separate and apart from Tallgrass Development, the Partnership or other Party, to enforce any provision of this Agreement or to compel any Party to comply with the terms of this Agreement.

6.17 No Recourse Against Officers or Directors . For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this Agreement shall not give rise to any right of recourse against any officer or director of Tallgrass Development, Development GP, the General Partner, the Partnership or any Partnership Group Member.

6.18 Legal Compliance . The Parties acknowledge and agree that this Agreement, and all services provided under this Agreement, are intended to comply with any and all laws and legal obligations and that this Agreement should be construed and interpreted with this purpose in mind.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

15


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement on, and effective as of, the Closing Date.

 

TALLGRASS DEVELOPMENT, LP
By:   Tallgrass Development GP, LLC,
  its general partner
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer
TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP
By:   Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC,
  its general partner
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer

Signature Page to Omnibus Agreement


TALLGRASS MLP GP, LLC
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer
TALLGRASS DEVELOPMENT GP, LLC
By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  President and Chief Executive Officer

Signature Page to Omnibus Agreement

Exhibit 10.3

 

 

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

dated as of

May 17, 2013

among

TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP,

as Borrower,

THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO

and

BARCLAYS BANK PLC,

as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent

 

 

BARCLAYS BANK PLC,

and

WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC

as Joint Bookrunners and Joint Lead Arrangers,

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Syndication Agent,

and

BARCLAYS BANK PLC

as Documentation Agent.

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  
ARTICLE I Definitions      1   

SECTION 1.01

  Defined Terms      1   

SECTION 1.02

  Terms Generally      36   

SECTION 1.03

  Pro Forma Calculations      37   

SECTION 1.04

  Classification of Loans and Borrowings      37   
ARTICLE II The Credits      37   

SECTION 2.01

  Commitments      37   

SECTION 2.02

  Loans      37   

SECTION 2.03

  Borrowing Procedure      39   

SECTION 2.04

  Evidence of Debt; Repayment of Loans      39   

SECTION 2.05

  Fees      40   

SECTION 2.06

  Interest on Loans      42   

SECTION 2.07

  Default Interest      42   

SECTION 2.08

  Alternate Rate of Interest      42   

SECTION 2.09

  Termination and Reduction of Commitments      42   

SECTION 2.10

  Conversion and Continuation of Borrowings      43   

SECTION 2.11

  Voluntary Prepayment      44   

SECTION 2.12

  Mandatory Prepayments      45   

SECTION 2.13

  Reserve Requirements; Change in Circumstances      46   

SECTION 2.14

  Change in Legality      47   

SECTION 2.15

  Breakage      47   

SECTION 2.16

  Pro Rata Treatment      48   

SECTION 2.17

  Sharing      48   

SECTION 2.18

  Payments      49   

SECTION 2.19

  Taxes      49   

SECTION 2.20

  Assignment of Commitments Under Certain Circumstances; Duty to Mitigate      51   

SECTION 2.21

  Defaulting Lender      53   

SECTION 2.22

  Swing Line Loans      56   

SECTION 2.23

  Letters of Credit      57   

SECTION 2.24

  Incremental Facilities      61   

SECTION 2.25

  Extension Amendments      63   
ARTICLE III Representations and Warranties      65   

SECTION 3.01

  Organization; Powers      65   

SECTION 3.02

  Authorization      66   

SECTION 3.03

  Enforceability      66   

SECTION 3.04

  Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts      66   

SECTION 3.05

  Financial Statements      66   

SECTION 3.06

  No Material Adverse Effect      67   

 

i


         Page  

SECTION 3.07

  Title to Properties; Possession Under Leases      67   

SECTION 3.08

  Subsidiaries      67   

SECTION 3.09

  Litigation; Compliance with Laws      67   

SECTION 3.10

  No Default      68   

SECTION 3.11

  Federal Reserve Regulations      68   

SECTION 3.12

  Investment Company Act      68   

SECTION 3.13

  Use of Proceeds      68   

SECTION 3.14

  Taxes      68   

SECTION 3.15

  No Material Misstatements      68   

SECTION 3.16

  Employee Benefit Plans      69   

SECTION 3.17

  Environmental Matters      69   

SECTION 3.18

  Insurance      70   

SECTION 3.19

  Security Documents      70   

SECTION 3.20

  Real Property      71   

SECTION 3.21

  Solvency      71   

SECTION 3.22

  Related Documents      71   

SECTION 3.23

  Sanctioned Persons      71   

SECTION 3.24

  Regulatory Status      71   

SECTION 3.25

  Labor Matters      72   

SECTION 3.26

  Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.      72   

SECTION 3.27

  Anti-Corruption Laws      72   
ARTICLE IV Conditions of Lending      73   

SECTION 4.01

  All Credit Events      73   

SECTION 4.02

  First Credit Event      73   
ARTICLE V Affirmative Covenants      75   

SECTION 5.01

  Existence; Compliance with Laws; Businesses and Properties      76   

SECTION 5.02

  Insurance      76   

SECTION 5.03

  Obligations and Taxes      77   

SECTION 5.04

  Financial Statements, Reports, etc.      77   

SECTION 5.05

  Litigation and Other Notices      79   

SECTION 5.06

  Information Regarding Collateral      79   

SECTION 5.07

  Maintaining Records; Access to Properties and Inspections;      80   

SECTION 5.08

  Use of Proceeds      80   

SECTION 5.09

  Employee Benefits      80   

SECTION 5.10

  Compliance with Environmental Laws      80   

SECTION 5.11

  Preparation of Environmental Reports      80   

SECTION 5.12

  Further Assurances; Additional Guarantees and Collateral      81   

SECTION 5.13

  Equity Interests in Certain Subsidiaries      82   

SECTION 5.14

  Unrestricted Subsidiaries      82   

SECTION 5.15

  Certain Post-Closing Obligations      83   

 

ii


         Page  
ARTICLE VI Negative Covenants      84   

SECTION 6.01

  Indebtedness      84   

SECTION 6.02

  Liens      86   

SECTION 6.03

  Sale and Lease-Back Transactions      88   

SECTION 6.04

  Investments, Loans and Advances      88   

SECTION 6.05

  Mergers, Consolidations and Sales of Assets      90   

SECTION 6.06

  Restricted Payments; Restrictive Agreements      92   

SECTION 6.07

  Transactions with Affiliates      93   

SECTION 6.08

  Business of the Borrower and Restricted Subsidiaries      94   

SECTION 6.09

  Other Indebtedness and Agreements      94   

SECTION 6.10

  Interest Coverage Ratio      94   

SECTION 6.11

  Maximum Leverage Ratio      94   

SECTION 6.12

  Fiscal Year      95   

SECTION 6.13

  Hedging      95   

SECTION 6.14

  Negative Pledge      95   
ARTICLE VII Events of Default      95   
ARTICLE VIII The Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent; Etc.      98   
ARTICLE IX Miscellaneous      102   

SECTION 9.01

  Notices; Electronic Communications      102   

SECTION 9.02

  Survival of Agreement      104   

SECTION 9.03

  Binding Effect      104   

SECTION 9.04

  Successors and Assigns      105   

SECTION 9.05

  Expenses; Indemnity      109   

SECTION 9.06

  Right of Setoff      111   

SECTION 9.07

  Applicable Law      111   

SECTION 9.08

  Waivers; Amendment      112   

SECTION 9.09

  Interest Rate Limitation      113   

SECTION 9.10

  Entire Agreement      113   

SECTION 9.11

  WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL      113   

SECTION 9.12

  Severability      114   

SECTION 9.13

  Counterparts      114   

SECTION 9.14

  Headings      114   

SECTION 9.15

  Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process      114   

SECTION 9.16

  Confidentiality      115   

SECTION 9.17

  Lender Action      115   

SECTION 9.18

  USA PATRIOT Act Notice      116   

SECTION 9.19

  No Fiduciary Duty      116   

SECTION 9.20

  Affiliate Activities      116   

 

iii


SCHEDULES      
Schedule 1.01(a)    -    Mortgaged Properties
Schedule 1.01(b)    -    Mortgage Modification Requirements
Schedule 1.01(c)    -    Pony Express Designation Assets
Schedule 2.01    -    Lenders and Commitments
Schedule 2.02    -    Issuing Banks
Schedule 3.01    -    Jurisdictions of Loan Parties
Schedule 3.08    -    Subsidiaries
Schedule 3.09    -    Litigation
Schedule 3.17    -    Environmental Matters
Schedule 3.18    -    Insurance
Schedule 3.19(a)    -    UCC Filing Offices
Schedule 3.19(c)    -    Mortgage Filing Offices
Schedule 3.20(a)    -    Material Real Property
Schedule 3.20(b)    -    Material Leased Real Property
Schedule 3.24    -    Regulatory Matters
Schedule 5.15    -    Post-Closing Obligations
Schedule 6.01    -    Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 6.02    -    Existing Liens

Schedule 6.04

Schedule 6.07

  

-

-

  

Existing Investments

Certain Transactions with Affiliates

EXHIBITS      
Exhibit A    -    Form of Assignment and Acceptance
Exhibit B-1    -    Form of Borrowing Request
Exhibit B-2    -    Form of Swing Line Borrowing Request
Exhibit C    -    Form of Revolving Loan Note
Exhibit D    -    Form of Interest Election Notice
Exhibit E    -    Form of L/C Extension Notice
Exhibit F    -    Form of Prepayment Notice
Exhibit G    -    Form of Guarantee and Collateral Agreement
Exhibit H    -    Form of Affiliate Subordination Agreement
Exhibit I    -    Form of Compliance Certificate
Exhibit J    -    Form of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate
Exhibit K    -    Form of Perfection Certificate
Exhibit L    -    Form of Solvency Certificate
Exhibit M    -    Form of Mortgage

 

iv


CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of May 17, 2013, among TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP, a Master Limited Partnership formed under the laws of Delaware (the “ Borrower ”), the Lenders (such term and each other capitalized term used but not defined in this introductory statement having the meaning given it in Article I ), BARCLAYS BANK PLC (“ Barclays ”), as administrative agent (in such capacity, including any successor thereto in such capacity, the “ Administrative Agent ”) and Barclays, as collateral agent (in such capacity, including any successor thereto in such capacity, the “ Collateral Agent ”) for the Lenders.

The Borrower has requested the Lenders to extend credit in the form of Revolving Loans at any time and from time to time prior to the Maturity Date in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding (when taken together with the face amount of Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans then outstanding) not in excess of $500,000,000. The Borrower has requested the Issuing Banks to issue Letters of Credit, in an aggregate face amount at any time outstanding not in excess of $50,000,000 (and, when taken together with the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans then outstanding, not in excess of $500,000,000), to support payment obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries. The proceeds of the Revolving Loans may be used on or after the Closing Date (i) to pay Transaction costs and any fees and expenses incurred in connection with the Revolving Loans, (ii) to repay a portion of the indebtedness under the Development Credit Agreement assumed by the Borrower, (iii) to pay amounts owed to Development in connection with the Transactions, (iv) for Permitted Acquisitions and capital expenditures, (v) to provide for ongoing working capital requirements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries following the Transactions and (vi) for general corporate purposes, including distributions, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

The Borrower and each other Loan Party desires to secure all of the Obligations under the Loan Documents by granting to the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a security interest in and Lien upon substantially all of the property of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties, subject to the limitations described herein and in the Security Documents.

The Lenders are willing to extend such credit to the Borrower, and the Issuing Banks are willing to issue Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower, in each case on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions

SECTION 1.01 Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings specified below:

ABR ”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate. All Swing Line Loans shall be ABR Loans and shall bear interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

Acquired Businesses ” shall mean TIGT and TMLLC, together with their respective subsidiaries.

Acquired Entity ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.04(g) .

Acquisition ” shall mean the acquisition by the Borrower from Development of (i) all of the Equity Interests of Operations, (ii) all of the Equity Interests of TIGT and (iii) all of the Equity Interests of TMLLC.

 

1


Acquisition Consideration ” shall mean, with respect to any Permitted Acquisition, the aggregate fair market value of cash and non-cash consideration for such Permitted Acquisition. The “Acquisition Consideration” for any Permitted Acquisition expressly includes Indebtedness assumed by the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries in such Permitted Acquisition (including any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 6.01(g) ) and the good faith estimate by the Borrower of the maximum amount of any deferred purchase price obligations (including contingent consideration payments) incurred in connection with such Permitted Acquisition.

Acquisition Period ” shall mean a period from and after a Qualifying Acquisition to and including the last day of the second full fiscal quarter following the fiscal quarter in which such Qualifying Acquisition occurred.

Additional Lender ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.24(b) .

Administrative Agent ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory statement to this Agreement.

Administrative Agent Fees ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(b) .

Affiliate ” shall mean, when used with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

Affiliate Subordination Agreement ” shall mean an Affiliate Subordination Agreement in the form of Exhibit H pursuant to which intercompany obligations and advances owed by any Loan Party are subordinated to the Obligations.

Agents ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Article VIII .

Aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure shall mean the aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Revolving Credit Exposures.

Agreement ” shall mean this Credit Agreement, dated as of May 17, 2013, as the same may be amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.

Agreement Value ” shall mean, for each Hedging Agreement, on any date of determination, the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof would be required to pay if such Hedging Agreement were terminated on such date.

Alternate Base Rate ” shall mean, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus 1/2 of 1.00% and (c) the Reserve Adjusted Eurodollar Rate as of such date for a one-month Interest Period plus 1.00%; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the Reserve Adjusted Eurodollar Rate for any day shall be based on the rate determined on such day at approximately 11 a.m. (London time) by reference to the British Bankers’ Association Interest Settlement Rates for deposits in Dollars (as set forth by any service selected by the Administrative Agent that has been nominated by the British Bankers’ Association (or the successor thereto if the British Bankers Association is no longer making the British Bankers Association Interest Settlement Rates available) as an authorized vendor for the purpose of displaying such rates). If the Administrative Agent shall have determined (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that it is unable to ascertain the Federal Funds Effective Rate for any reason, including the inability

 

2


or failure of the Administrative Agent to obtain sufficient quotations in accordance with the terms of the definition thereof, the Alternate Base Rate shall be determined without regard to clause  (b) of the preceding sentence until the circumstances giving rise to such inability no longer exist. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Reserve Adjusted Eurodollar Rate shall be effective on the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Reserve Adjusted Eurodollar Rate, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the foregoing, on any date of determination the Alternate Base Rate shall be no less than 0.00%.

Applicable Margin ” shall mean, for any day (a) with respect to ABR Loans hereunder, the applicable rate per annum set forth under the heading “Applicable Margin for ABR Loans” on the Pricing Grid which corresponds to the Total Leverage Ratio as of the relevant date of determination and (b) with respect to Eurodollar Loans hereunder, the applicable rate per annum set forth under the heading “Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Loans” on the Pricing Grid which corresponds to the Total Leverage Ratio as of the relevant date of determination. Each change in the Applicable Margin resulting from a change in the Total Leverage Ratio shall be effective with respect to all Revolving Loans and Swing Line Loans outstanding on and after the date of delivery to the Administrative Agent of the financial statements and certificates required by clauses (i) , (ii)  and (iii)  of Section 5.04(a) , respectively, indicating such change until the date immediately preceding the next date of delivery of such financial statements and certificates indicating another such change. Notwithstanding the foregoing, until the Borrower shall have delivered the financial statements and certificates required by clauses (i) , (ii)  and (iii)  of Section 5.04(a) , respectively, for the period ended June 30, 2013, the Total Leverage Ratio shall be deemed to be in Category 1 for purposes of determining the Applicable Margin. In addition, (a) at any time during which the Borrower has failed to deliver the financial statements and certificates required by clauses (i) , (ii)  and (iii)  of Section 5.04(a) , respectively, or (b) at any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Total Leverage Ratio shall be deemed to be in Category 5 for purposes of determining the Applicable Margin. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained above in this definition or elsewhere in this Agreement, if it is subsequently determined that the computation of the Total Leverage Ratio delivered to the Administrative Agent is inaccurate for any reason and the result thereof is that the Lenders received interest for any period based on an Applicable Margin that is less than that which would have been applicable had the Total Leverage Ratio been accurately determined, then, for all purposes of this Agreement, the “Applicable Margin” for any day occurring within the period covered by inaccurate computation shall retroactively be deemed to be the relevant percentage as based upon the accurately determined Total Leverage Ratio for such period, and any shortfall in the interest paid by the Borrower for the relevant period pursuant to Section 2.06 as a result of the miscalculation of the Total Leverage Ratio shall be deemed to be (and shall be) due and payable under the relevant provisions of Section 2.06 , as applicable, at the time the interest for such period was required to be paid pursuant to Section 2.06 (and shall remain due and payable until paid in full), in accordance with the terms of this Agreement; provided, that notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) other than while an Event of Default described in Section 7.01(g) or (h)  has occurred, such shortfall shall be due and payable five (5) Business Days following the determination described above and (y) if an Event of Default described in Section 7.01(g) or (h)  has occurred, such shortfall shall be due and payable immediately upon the determination described above.

Applicable Period ” shall mean, in respect of any date (including any Date of Determination), the four fiscal quarters ending on or (if such date is not a Date of Determination) prior to such date.

Approved Fund ” shall mean any Person (other than a natural Person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

 

3


Arrangers ” shall mean, collectively, Barclays and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (“ WF ”) in their respective capacities as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners for the Credit Facilities.

Asset Sale ” shall mean (a) the sale, transfer or other disposition (by way of merger or otherwise) by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, including the issuance by any Restricted Subsidiary, to any Person other than the Borrower or any Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of any Equity Interests of a Restricted Subsidiary (other than directors’ qualifying shares) and (b) the sale, transfer or other disposition (by way of merger or otherwise) by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to any Person other than the Borrower or any Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of any other assets of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (in each case other than (i) any Disposition permitted under clauses (i)  through (ix)  of Section 6.05(b) and (ii) any sale, transfer or other disposition or series of related sales, transfers or other dispositions having a fair market value not in excess of $2,500,000).

Assignment and Acceptance ” shall mean an assignment and acceptance entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (but not an assignment and acceptance entered into by the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or such other form as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent.

Available Amount ” shall mean, as of any date, (i) the sum, without duplication, of (x) the net cash proceeds received after the Closing Date and on or prior to such date of any sale of Equity Interests by, or capital contribution to, the Borrower (which, in the case of any such sale of Equity Interests, are not Disqualified Stock) and (y) any return of capital or repayment of principal received in cash by the Borrower in respect of investments made pursuant to Sections 6.04(b)(ii)(B) , 6.04(d)(x)(iii) and 6.04(m) less (ii) the sum of any Available Amount used to make investments pursuant to Sections 6.04(b)(ii)(B) , 6.04(d)(x)(iii) and 6.04(m) ( provided that, for purposes of determining the Available Amount that is available for a contemplated transaction, this clause (ii)  shall be determined prior to giving effect to any intended usage of the Available Amount for such transaction).

Available Cash ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the LP Agreement as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with Section 6.09(c) hereof.

Barclays ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory statement to this Agreement.

Beneficial Owner ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act. The terms “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” shall have corresponding meanings.

Board ” shall mean the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.

Borrower ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory statement to this Agreement.

Borrower Materials ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01 .

Borrowing ” shall mean Loans of the same Class and Type made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.

 

4


Borrowing Request ” shall mean a request by the Borrower in accordance with the terms of Section 2.03 and substantially in the form of Exhibit B-1 or such other form as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent.

Breakage Event ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.15 .

Business Day ” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or day on which banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to close; provided , however , that when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in Dollar deposits in the London interbank market.

Capital Lease Obligations ” of any Person shall mean the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the “principal” amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

Casualty Event Receipts ” shall mean any cash received by or paid to or for the account of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries constituting proceeds of insurance (excluding proceeds of business interruption insurance to the extent such proceeds constitute compensation for lost earnings) or condemnation awards (and payments in lieu thereof), net of (i) any taxes paid or payable as a result of the receipt of such cash (or reasonably and in good faith reserved for the payment of any such taxes after taking into account all available credits and deductions), (ii) reasonable out-of-pocket transaction costs incurred in connection with obtaining such cash and (iii) any amount thereof prohibited by FERC to be applied to the prepayment of Indebtedness; provided , however , that “Casualty Event Receipts” shall not include cash received to the extent (x) received by such Person in respect of a related claim made by an unrelated third-party against, or loss by, such Person which is promptly applied to pay (or to reimburse such Person for its prior payment of) such claim or loss (and the costs and expenses of such Person with respect thereto) or (y) if (A) the Borrower delivers to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Responsible Officer within three (3) Business Days after receipt of such cash setting forth the Borrower’s intent to (or to cause its Restricted Subsidiaries to) repair, restore or replace such property or otherwise to reinvest such proceeds in productive assets of a kind then used or usable in the business of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries within 360 days of receipt of such proceeds and in each case such proceeds are used for such reinvestment within such 360 day period (or, if committed to be so used within such period, are so reinvested within a further 180 days thereafter) and (B) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and shall be continuing at the time of such certificate or at the proposed time of the application of such proceeds ( provided that to the extent not so used at the end of such period, such proceeds shall at such time be deemed to be a Casualty Event Receipt).

CERCLA ” shall mean the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980.

CERCLIS ” shall mean the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Information System maintained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

A “ Change in Control ” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following:

(a) a majority of the seats on the board of directors or managers of the General Partner (or if the General Partner does not have a board of directors or managers, of the entity controlling the General Partner that has a board of directors or managers) shall at any time be occupied by Persons who were neither (i) appointed or nominated by a Permitted Holder nor (ii) appointed or nominated by a majority of

 

5


the directors or managers of the General Partner (or if the General Partner does not have a board of directors or managers, of the entity controlling the General Partner that has a board of directors or managers) so appointed or nominated;

(b) (x) the Permitted Holders shall fail to Beneficially Own (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5 of the Exchange Act as in effect on the Closing Date), directly or indirectly, equity interests representing at least 35% of the aggregate voting power represented by the issued and outstanding equity interests of the General Partner or (y) any Person or group, within the meaning of Rule 13d-5 of the Exchange Act as in effect on the Closing Date, other than any combination of the Permitted Holders (or a single Permitted Holder), shall Beneficially Own (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5 of the Exchange Act as in effect on the Closing Date), directly or indirectly, more than 35% of the aggregate voting power represented by the issued and outstanding equity interests of the General Partner;

(c) the General Partner shall, at any time cease to be the sole general partner in the Borrower (unless such General Partner and any other partner over which the Permitted Holders have the requisite equity ownership specified in clause (b)  above collectively hold 100% of the general partnership interests in the Borrower); or

(d) a “Change in Control” or similar event shall occur under any Material Indebtedness of any Loan Party.

Change in Law ” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender or any Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 2.13 , by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, regulations, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (ii) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or United States or foreign regulatory agencies, in each case, pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

Charges ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.09 .

Class ”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans or Swing Line Loans and, when used in reference to any Commitment, refers to whether such Commitment is a Revolving Credit Commitment, Swing Line Commitment or Incremental Loan Commitment.

Closing Date ” shall mean May 17, 2013.

Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time (unless as herein specifically provided otherwise).

Collateral ” shall mean all the “Collateral” as defined in any Security Document and shall also include the Mortgaged Properties.

 

6


Collateral Agent ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the introductory statement to this Agreement.

Commencement Date ” shall mean, in respect of any Material Project, the earlier of (x) the date the construction or expansion of such Material Project commences or (y) the date of the first material cash expenditures in connection with the acquisition of any Real Property to facilitate the construction or expansion of such Material Project.

Commercial Operation Date ” shall mean, with respect to any Material Project, the date on which such Material Project has achieved full and complete Commercial Operation.

Commercial Operation ” shall be deemed achieved for any Material Project at such time, at or after the completion of construction or expansion thereof and the initial placement thereof into service, as such Material Project first realizes the long-term revenue levels reasonably expected by the Borrower for such Material Project.

Commitment ” shall mean, with respect to any Lender, such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment, Swing Line Commitment or Incremental Loan Commitment.

Communications ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01 .

Compliance Certificate ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.04(a)(iii) .

Confidential Information Memorandum ” shall mean the Confidential Information Memorandum of the Borrower dated April, 2013.

Conflicts Committee ” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the LP Agreement.

Consolidated EBITDA ” shall mean, at any Date of Determination for the Applicable Period related thereto, an amount equal to Consolidated Net Income in respect of such Applicable Period plus

(x) the sum of the following, without duplication, and in the cases of clauses (a)  and (b) , to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income:

(a) (i) provision for all Taxes (whether or not paid, estimated or accrued) based on income, profits or capital (including penalties and interest, if any), net of any applicable credits, (ii) Consolidated Interest Expense and (iii) depreciation, amortization and all other non-cash charges or non-cash losses, plus

(b) any costs or expenses pursuant to any equity-related benefit plan, or any stock subscription or shareholder agreement, to the extent funded with cash proceeds contributed to the capital of the Borrower as common equity, plus

(c) for any Material Projects commenced (or acquired) by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary with a Commencement Date occurring on or prior to the Date of Determination, Consolidated EBITDA Material Project Adjustments for such Material Project for such period; provided that the aggregate amount of adjustments included in this clause (c)  for any period (1) in respect of all Material Projects taken together (other than the Pony Express Material Project) shall not exceed 15% of pro forma Consolidated EBITDA (calculated without giving effect to this clause (c) ) and (2) in respect of the Pony Express Material Project shall not exceed the Pony Express Adjustment Limit, minus

 

7


(y) the following to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net Income, without duplication:

(a) without duplication of the netting provided in clause (x)(a)(i)  above, Federal, state, local and foreign income tax credits of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period;

(b) all cash payments made during such period on account of reserves, restructuring charges, and other non-cash charges added to Consolidated Net Income pursuant to clause (x)(a)(iii) above; and

(c) other income of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries increasing Consolidated Net Income which does not represent a cash item in such period.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) for purposes of calculating the Total Leverage Ratio for purposes of Section 4.02(n) , Consolidated EBITDA for the Applicable Period shall be deemed to be $76,300,000, (b) for purposes of calculating the Total Leverage Ratio and Interest Coverage Ratio for any period (A) the Consolidated EBITDA of any Acquired Entity that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary acquired by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition for Acquisition Consideration greater than $10,000,000 during such period shall be included on a pro forma basis for such period (assuming the consummation of such acquisition and the incurrence or assumption of any Indebtedness in connection therewith occurred as of the first day of such period) and (B) the Consolidated EBITDA of any Person or line of business sold or otherwise disposed of for consideration greater than $10,000,000 by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary during such period shall be excluded for such period (assuming the consummation of such sale or other disposition and the repayment of any Indebtedness in connection therewith occurred as of the first day of such period) and (c) for purposes of determining the Interest Coverage Ratio and the Total Leverage Ratio as of or for the periods ended on September 30, 2013, December 31, 2013 and March 31, 2014 Consolidated EBITDA will be deemed to be equal to (i) for the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2012, $19,100,000, (ii) for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2013, $19,100,000 and (iii) for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2013, $19,100,000.

Consolidated EBITDA Material Project Adjustments ” shall mean, with respect to any Material Project commenced (or acquired) by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, (a) solely in connection with a Material Project other than the Pony Express Material Project, for each Applicable Period ending prior to the Commercial Operation Date thereof (but including the Applicable Period ending with the fiscal quarter in which such Commercial Operation Date occurs) a percentage (based on the then current completion percentage of such Material Project as of the Date of Determination, reasonably determined by the Borrower in good faith, and to the extent engineering, procurement and construction contracts are entered into, by reference to scheduled completion specified in the engineering, procurement and construction contracts in connection with such Material Project) of the Projected Consolidated EBITDA attributable to such Material Project, net of actual Consolidated EBITDA attributable to or generated by such Material Project, which may, at the Borrower’s option, be added to actual Consolidated EBITDA for the Applicable Period commencing with the fiscal quarter in which the Commencement Date in respect of such Material Project occurs and for each Applicable Period thereafter until the Commercial Operation Date of such Material Project (including the Applicable Period ending with the fiscal quarter in which such Commercial Operation Date occurs); provided that if the actual Commercial Operation Date does not occur by the Scheduled Commercial Operation Date, then the foregoing amount shall be reduced, for Applicable Periods ending after the Scheduled Commercial Operation Date to (but excluding) the Applicable Period ending with the fiscal quarter in which such Commercial Operation Date occurs, by the

 

8


following percentage amounts depending on the period of delay (based on the period of actual delay or then estimated delay (estimated on the Date of Determination), whichever is longer): (i) 90 days or less, 0%; (ii) longer than 90 days, but not more than 180 days, 25%; (iii) longer than 180 days but not more than 270 days, 50%, (iv) longer than 270 days but not more than 365 days, 75% and (v) longer than 365 days, 100%, (b) in connection with any Material Project, beginning with the Applicable Period ending with the first full fiscal quarter following the Commercial Operation Date of such Material Project and for the Applicable Periods ending with the two immediately succeeding fiscal quarters, an amount equal to 75% (if the first full fiscal quarter), 50% (if the second full fiscal quarter) or 25% (if the third full fiscal quarter) of the Projected Consolidated EBITDA attributable to such Material Project for the first full Applicable Period following such Commercial Operation Date, which may be added to actual Consolidated EBITDA for such Applicable Periods and (c) in connection with the Pony Express Material Project, to the extent the Initial Operation Date of the Pony Express Material Project shall have occurred and the Commercial Operation Date of the Pony Express Material Project has not yet occurred, at the option of the Borrower, an amount equal to (i) the Projected Consolidated EBITDA for the Pony Express Material Project multiplied by the Pony Ramp Up Percentage, minus (ii) actual Consolidated EBITDA attributable to or generated by the Pony Express Material Project, may be added to actual Consolidated EBITDA for such Applicable Period until the Commercial Operation Date of the Pony Express Material Project (including the Applicable Period ending with the fiscal quarter in which such Commercial Operation Date occurs).

Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) no such Consolidated EBITDA Material Project Adjustment shall be allowed with respect to any Material Project unless (A) at least 30 days (or such lesser period as is reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) prior to the last day of the applicable fiscal quarter for which the Borrower desires to commence inclusion of such Consolidated EBITDA Material Project Adjustment with respect to a Material Project, the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent notice of such Material Project and the Scheduled Commercial Operation Date with respect thereto, together with written pro forma projections of Consolidated EBITDA attributable to such Material Project for the first full Applicable Period following the Scheduled Commercial Operation Date with respect to such Material Project and (B) prior to the last day of the initial fiscal quarter for which the Borrower desires to commence inclusion of such Consolidated EBITDA Material Project Adjustment with respect to a Material Project, the Borrower shall have provided a certificate showing the calculation of such Projected Consolidated EBITDA and, if applicable, the Pony Ramp Up Percentage prepared in good faith, together with all assumptions used in such calculations, and the Administrative Agent shall have approved (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld) such projections and the Administrative Agent shall have received (1) in the case of the Pony Express Material Project, copies of all Qualifying Shipping Contracts relating to the Pony Express Material Project certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower and (2) such other information and documentation as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request with respect to such Material Project, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (b) in connection with the Pony Express Material Project, at least 65% of the aggregate amount of such projected revenues shall be derived from Qualifying Shipper Contracts with Qualifying Shipper Counterparties.

Consolidated Interest Expense ” shall mean, for any period, the sum of (a) the interest expense (including imputed interest expense in respect of Capital Lease Obligations and Synthetic Lease Obligations) of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, plus (b) any interest accrued during such period in respect of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that is required to be capitalized rather than included in consolidated interest expense for such period in accordance with GAAP. For purposes of the foregoing, interest expense shall be determined after giving effect to any net payments made or received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary with respect to interest rate Hedging Agreements. For purposes of determining the Interest Coverage Ratio for the period of four consecutive quarters ended

 

9


September 30, 2013, December 31, 2013 and March 31, 2014, Consolidated Interest Expense shall be deemed to be equal to (i) for the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2012, $2,100,000, (ii) for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2013, $2,100,000 and (iii) for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2013, $2,100,000.

Consolidated Net Income ” shall mean, as of any Date of Determination for the Applicable Period related thereto, the net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided , however , that Consolidated Net Income shall exclude (a) extraordinary gains, losses, charges or expenses for such Applicable Period, (b) the net income of any Restricted Subsidiary during such Applicable Period to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Restricted Subsidiary of such income is not permitted on such Date of Determination by operation of the terms of its Organizational Documents or any agreement, instrument or law applicable to such Restricted Subsidiary, except that the Borrower’s equity in any net loss of any such Restricted Subsidiary for such Applicable Period shall be included in determining Consolidated Net Income, (c) any income (or loss) for such Applicable Period of any Person if such Person is not a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower, except that the aggregate amount of cash actually distributed by such Person during such Applicable Period to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower as a dividend or other distribution (as long as, in the case of a dividend or other distribution to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower, such Restricted Subsidiary is not precluded from further distributing such amount to the Borrower as described in clause  (b) of this proviso) shall be included in Consolidated Net Income, (d) non-cash gains and losses attributable to movement in the mark-to-market valuation of Hedging Agreements pursuant to Financial Standards Accounting Board (“ FASB ”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ ASC 815 ”), (e) the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles, (f) any charges or expenses relating to severance, relocation and one-time compensation charges, (g) gain or loss realized upon the sale or other disposition of assets, (h) deferred financing costs written off and premiums paid in connection with any early extinguishment of Indebtedness or any Hedging Agreement, (i) non-cash charges, expenses or other impacts of purchase or recapitalization accounting, including, to the extent applicable, any accruals and reserves established under purchase or recapitalization accounting as a result of the Transactions in accordance with GAAP, (j) non-cash impairment charges or asset write-offs, and any amortization of intangibles, (k) cash charges or costs in connection with any investment, sale or other disposition of assets, issuance of Equity Interests or Indebtedness, or amendment relating to any Indebtedness (in each case, whether or not completed), and (l) to the extent covered by insurance and actually reimbursed, any expenses with respect to liability or casualty events or business interruption.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that (i) Pony Express is not a Restricted Subsidiary but the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries have acquired some but not all of the Equity Interests of Pony Express in accordance with Section 6.04 hereof, (ii) the Borrower and its Affiliates collectively own Equity Interests representing at least 50.0% of the voting and economic rights of all issued and outstanding Equity Interests of Pony Express, Pony Express owns the Pony Express Material Project and the consent of the Borrower and/or its Affiliates (or their representatives) is required to determine the amount and frequency of distributions made from Pony Express and (iii) Pony Express and its subsidiaries have not incurred or become liable for any Indebtedness (excluding Indebtedness of the type described in clause (h) , clause (i) , clause (j)  and clause (k)  of the definition of Indebtedness) other than pursuant to Section 6.01(c) , (f) , (k)  or (l) , then: (1) if the Commercial Operation Date of the Pony Express Material Project has occurred, beginning with the Applicable Period ending with the first full fiscal quarter following the Commercial Operation Date of the Pony Express Material Project and for the Applicable Periods ending with the two immediately succeeding fiscal quarters, Consolidated Net Income shall be increased by an amount equal to 75% (if the first full fiscal quarter), 50% (if the second full fiscal quarter) or 25% (if the third full fiscal quarter) of the Projected Pony Express Distributable Amount for the first full Applicable Period following such Commercial Operation Date; and (2) if the Initial

 

10


Operation Date of the Pony Express Material Project has been achieved and the Commercial Operation Date of the Pony Express Material Project has not yet been achieved, at the option of the Borrower, an amount equal to (i) the Projected Pony Express Distributable Amount multiplied by the Pony Ramp Up Percentage, minus (ii) actual amounts received by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries attributable to or generated by the Pony Express Material Project and included in Consolidated Net Income pursuant to the definition above, may be added to actual Consolidated Net Income for such Applicable Period until the Commercial Operation Date of the Pony Express Material Project (including the Applicable Period ending with the fiscal quarter in which such Commercial Operation Date occurs).

The adjustments to Consolidated Net Income pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall not be allowed unless (A) at least 30 days (or such lesser period as is reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) prior to the last day of the applicable fiscal quarter for which the Borrower desires to commence inclusion of such adjustments to Consolidated Net Income, the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a notice of the Scheduled Commercial Operation Date of the Pony Express Material Project, together with written pro forma projections of distributions attributable to the Pony Express Material Project for the first full Applicable Period following the Scheduled Commercial Operation Date with respect thereto and (B) prior to the last day of the initial fiscal quarter for which the Borrower desires to commence inclusion of such adjustments, the Borrower shall have provided a certificate showing the calculation of such Projected Pony Express Distributable Amount and, if applicable, the Pony Ramp Up Percentage prepared in good faith, together with all assumptions used in such calculations, and the Administrative Agent shall have approved (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld) such projections and the Administrative Agent shall have received (1) copies of all Qualifying Shipping Contracts relating to the Pony Express Material Project certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower and (2) such other information and documentation as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request with respect to the Pony Express Material Project, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

Consolidated Total Assets ” shall mean, as of any date of determination, the total assets of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, determined in accordance with GAAP, as set forth on the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries.

Contribution Agreement ” shall mean the Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement dated as of the Closing Date, as the same may be amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Contribution Documents ” shall mean the collective reference to the Contribution Agreement, and all exhibits and schedules thereto, together with any related bills of sale, conveyance and similar transfer documents necessary to effect the intent of the Contribution Agreement, including such documents as executed.

Control ” shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise, and the terms “ Controlling ” and “ Controlled ” shall have meanings correlative thereto.

Controlled Group Liability ” shall mean, to the extent reasonably expected to result in liability of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in an aggregate amount exceeding $1,000,000, any and all liabilities, contingent or otherwise (i) under Title IV of ERISA, (ii) under Section 302 of ERISA, (iii) under Sections 412 and 4971 of the Code, (iv) resulting from a violation of the continuation coverage requirements of Section 601 et seq. of ERISA and Section 4980B of the Code or the group health plan requirements of Section 601 et seq. of ERISA, or (v) under corresponding or similar provisions of foreign laws or regulations.

 

11


Credit Event ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.01 .

Credit Facilities ” shall mean the Revolving Facility and swing line loan facility provided for by this Agreement.

Cure Amount ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the last paragraph of Article VII .

Date of Determination ” shall mean the last day of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower, starting with the last day of the first full fiscal quarter of the Borrower following the Closing Date.

Debtor Relief Laws ” shall mean the Bankruptcy Code of the United States of America, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect.

Default ” shall mean any event or condition which upon notice, lapse of time or both would constitute an Event of Default.

Default Rate ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.07 .

Defaulting Lender ” shall mean, subject to Section 2.21(b) , any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans within two (2) Business Days of the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder (including in respect of its participation in Swing Line Loans and Letters of Credit) within two (2) Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any Issuing Bank in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three (3) Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder ( provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c)  upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any Equity Interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender. Any determination

 

12


by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under clauses (a)  through (d)  above shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.21(b) ) upon delivery of written notice of such determination to the Borrower, each Issuing Bank and each Lender.

Development ” shall mean Tallgrass Development, LP, a Delaware limited partnership.

Development Credit Agreement ” shall mean that certain Credit Agreement dated as of November 13, 2012, by and among Tallgrass Operations, LLC, Development (formerly known as Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP), Barclays Bank PLC, as Administrative Agent, and the lenders and agents party thereto, as amended by the First Amendment to the Credit Agreement dated as of the Closing Date, as the same may be further amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Dispositions ” shall mean the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction) of any property by any Person (or the granting of any option or other right to do any of the foregoing), including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith in an amount (determined by reference to the fair market value of such property), for any transaction or series of related transactions, in excess of $1,000,000 (provided that the aggregate amount for all transactions or series of related transactions not in excess of $1,000,000 and so excluded from Dispositions shall not exceed $5,000,000 in the aggregate after the Closing Date). “ Dispose ” shall have a correlative meaning.

Disqualified Stock ” shall mean any Equity Interest that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event, (a) matures (excluding any maturity as the result of an optional redemption by the issuer thereof) or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part, or requires the payment of any cash dividend or any other scheduled payment constituting a return of capital, in each case at any time on or prior to the first anniversary of the Latest Maturity Date, or (b) is convertible into or exchangeable (unless at the sole option of the issuer thereof) for (i) debt securities or (ii) any Equity Interest referred to in clause (a)  above, in each case at any time prior to the first anniversary of the Latest Maturity Date.

Documentation Agent ” shall mean Barclays Bank, PLC in its capacity as documentation agent.

Dollars ” or “ $ ” shall mean lawful money of the United States of America.

Domestic Subsidiaries ” shall mean all Subsidiaries incorporated or organized under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia.

Drop-Down Acquisition ” shall mean any acquisition by the Borrower or one or more of its Subsidiaries of property or assets (including Equity Interests of any Person but excluding capital expenditures or acquisitions of inventory or supplies in the ordinary course of business) from Development or any its subsidiaries or Affiliates (other than the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries).

Eligible Assignee ” shall mean any Person other than a natural Person or the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is (i) a Lender, an Affiliate of any Lender or an Approved Fund (any two or more related Approved Funds being treated as a single Eligible Assignee for all purposes hereof), or (ii) a commercial bank, insurance company, investment or mutual fund or other entity that is an “accredited investor” (as defined in Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) and which extends credit or buys loans in the ordinary course.

 

13


Engagement Letter ” shall mean the Engagement Letter dated March 22, 2013 between the Borrower and the Arrangers, as the same may be amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Environmental Laws ” shall mean any and all Laws relating to pollution, the preservation and protection of natural resources (including, without limitation, threatened or endangered species and wetlands) or the environment, or the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment, or Release of or exposure to Hazardous Materials.

Environmental Liability ” shall mean any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

Environmental Permit ” shall mean any permit required under any Environmental Law.

“Equity Interest s ” shall mean shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity interests in any Person, and any option, warrant or other right entitling the holder thereof to purchase or otherwise acquire any such equity interest.

ERISA ” shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as the same may be amended from time to time, the regulations promulgated thereunder and any successor statute.

ERISA Affiliate ” shall mean any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code, or solely for purposes of Section 302 or 303 of ERISA and Section 412 or 430 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.

ERISA Event ” shall mean (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder, with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived by regulation), (b) the failure of any Plan to meet the minimum funding standard of Section 412 or 430 of the Code or Section 302 or 303 of ERISA, whether or not waived, (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan, (d) a determination that any Plan is, or is expected to be, in “at risk” status (as defined in Section 430 of the Code or Section 303 of ERISA), (e) a determination that any Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, in “critical” or “endangered” status under Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA, (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan or the complete or partial withdrawal of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiaries or their required ERISA Affiliates from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan, (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to the intention to terminate any Plan or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan, (h) the adoption of any amendment to a Plan that would require the provision of security pursuant to Section 436(f) of the Code, (i) the receipt by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any of their required ERISA Affiliates of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any of their required ERISA Affiliates of any notice, concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the

 

14


meaning of Title IV of ERISA, (j) the occurrence of a “prohibited transaction” (within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code) with respect to which the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiaries is a “disqualified person” (within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code) or with respect to which the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary could otherwise be liable, (k) the imposition of a Lien under Section 412 or 430(k) of the Code or Section 303(k) or 4068 of ERISA on any property (or rights to property, whether real or personal) of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any of their required ERISA Affiliates or (l) any other event or condition with respect to a Plan or Multiemployer Plan that would materially affect the business of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary taken as a whole.

Eurodollar ”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Reserve Adjusted Eurodollar Rate.

Eurodollar Rate ” shall mean, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on the date that is two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period by reference to (x) the page of the Reuters Screen which displays an average British Bankers Association Interest Settlement Rate (or the successor thereto if the British Banker’s Association is no longer making Interest Settlement Rates available) for deposits in Dollars or (y) if the rate in clause (x)  above does not appear on such page or service or if such page or service is not available, the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the offered rate on such other page or other service which displays an average British Bankers Association Interest Settlement Rate that has been nominated by the British Bankers’ Association as an authorized information vendor for the purpose of displaying such rates, in each case, for a period equal to such Interest Period; provided that, to the extent that an interest rate is not ascertainable pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this definition, the “Eurodollar Rate” shall be the interest rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the average of the rates per annum at which deposits in Dollars are offered for such relevant Interest Period to first class banks in the London interbank market in London, England by the Administrative Agent at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on the date that is two (2) Business Days prior to the beginning of such Interest Period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, on any date of determination the Eurodollar Rate shall be no less than 0.00%.

Events of Default ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Article VII .

Exchange Act ” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect from time to time.

Excluded Taxes ” shall mean, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Loan Parties, (a) income or franchise Taxes imposed on (or measured by) its overall net income (i) by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) any branch profits Taxes or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction described in clause  (a) above, (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 2.20(a) ), any U.S. federal withholding Tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender under laws in effect at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office) or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure to comply with  Section 2.19(e)(i) or Section 2.19(e)(ii) , except, in each case, to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 2.19(a) , and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

 

15


Existing Commitment ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.25(a) .

Existing Loans ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.25(a) .

Extended Commitment ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.25(a) .

Extended Revolving Loan ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.25(a) .

Extending Lender ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.25(b) .

Extension Amendment ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.25(c) .

Extension Date ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.25(d) .

Extension Election ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.25(b) .

Extension Request ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.25(a) .

FATCA ” shall mean Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code.

FCPA ” shall mean the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Federal Funds Effective Rate ” shall mean, for any day, the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average of the quotations for the day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.

Fees ” shall mean the Revolving Credit Commitment Fees, the Administrative Agent Fees, the L/C Participation Fees and the Issuing Bank Fees.

FERC ” shall mean the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or its successor.

Financial Covenants ” shall mean the covenants set forth in Sections 6.10 and 6.11 .

Financial Covenant Compliance ” shall mean, as of any date of determination, that the Borrower is in compliance with the covenant levels set forth in the Financial Covenants as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements are required to be delivered pursuant to Sections 5.04(a)(i) or 5.04(a)(ii) , in each case recalculated to give effect to (i) Total Debt as of such date of determination and any concurrent incurrence of any Indebtedness (including any commitments that are being incurred on such date of determination, assuming the borrowing of the entire amount thereof on such date), (ii) Unrestricted Cash as of such date of determination after giving effect to any event for which Financial Covenant Compliance is being determined (but not any increase in Unrestricted Cash attributable to any Indebtedness being so incurred), (iii) in the case of any calculation under Section 6.04(g), any such Permitted Acquisition permitted thereunder occurring after the end of such Applicable Period, in each case, as if such events had occurred on the first day of the Applicable

 

16


Period in respect of such calculations and remained in effect on the last day of the Applicable Period, (iv) in the case of any calculation under Section 6.04(l) , the acquisition of any Equity Interests in Pony Express and any adjustments to Consolidated Net Income and/or Consolidated EBITDA relating to such acquisition occurring after the end of such Applicable Period, in each case, as if such events had occurred on the first day of the Applicable Period in respect of such calculations and remained in effect on the last day of the Applicable Period and (v) any other Permitted Acquisition permitted hereunder occurring after the end of such Applicable Period, in each case, as if such events had occurred on the first day of the Applicable Period in respect of such calculations and remained in effect on the last day of the Applicable Period.

Financial Officer ” of any Person shall mean the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of such Person.

Flood Insurance Laws ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.02(c) .

Foreign Lender ” shall mean any Lender that is not a “United States person” as such term is defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

Foreign Pension Plan ” shall mean any employee benefit plan (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, whether or not subject to ERISA) that under applicable law is required to be funded through a trust or other funding vehicle other than a trust or funding vehicle maintained exclusively by a Governmental Authority, and which is subject to the laws of any jurisdiction outside the United States.

Foreign Subsidiary ” shall mean any Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

Fronting Exposure ” shall mean, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, with respect to each Issuing Bank, such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Percentage of the L/C Exposure with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, and, with respect to the Swing Line Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Percentage of the Swing Line Exposure with respect to Swing Line Loans made by the Swing Line Lender, other than L/C Exposure or Swing Line Exposure as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or cash collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof.

GAAP ” shall mean United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a basis consistent with the financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 4.02(h) .

General Partner ” shall mean Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, the sole general partner of the Borrower, and the holder of 100% of the general partnership units of the Borrower on the Closing Date.

Governmental Authority ” shall mean any Federal, state, local or foreign court or governmental department, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body or other agency.

Granting Lender ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(i) .

Guarantee ” of or by any Person shall mean any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any other Person (the “ primary obligor ”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment of such Indebtedness, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for

 

17


the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness of the payment of such Indebtedness or (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness; provided , however , that the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.

Guarantee and Collateral Agreement ” shall mean the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit G , among the Borrower, the Guarantors party thereto and the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

Guarantor ” shall mean the Borrower and each existing and subsequently acquired or organized direct or indirect Wholly Owned Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower; provided that if at any time any Subsidiary is designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to and in accordance with Section 5.14 , thereafter, such Person shall not be deemed a Guarantor.

Hazardous Materials ” shall mean all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes, pollutants or other substances defined, listed or regulated as hazardous or toxic or similar designation under any Environmental Law, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

Hedging Agreement ” shall mean any interest rate protection agreement, foreign currency exchange agreement, commodity price protection agreement or other interest or currency exchange rate or commodity price hedging arrangement.

Hydrocarbons ” shall mean crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids, casinghead gas, drip gasoline, natural gasoline, condensate, distillate, liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons and all constituents, elements or compounds thereof and products refined or processed therefrom.

Immaterial Restricted Subsidiary ” shall mean any Restricted Subsidiary designated by the Borrower as an Immaterial Restricted Subsidiary if and for so long as such Immaterial Restricted Subsidiary, together with all other Immaterial Restricted Subsidiaries so designated as Immaterial Restricted Subsidiaries, does not have (a) total assets at such time exceeding 5% of the Consolidated Total Assets and (b) total revenues and operating income for the most recent 12-month period for which financial statements are available exceeding 5% of the total revenues and operating income for the most recent 12-month period of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis; provided that any Restricted Subsidiary would not be an Immaterial Restricted Subsidiary to the extent the above required terms are not satisfied; provided, further , that the Borrower may designate any Immaterial Restricted Subsidiary as a Material Restricted Subsidiary in order to cause the above required terms to be satisfied.

Improvements ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Mortgages.

Increased Amount Date ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.24(a) .

Incremental Borrowing ” shall mean a Borrowing comprised of Incremental Loans.

Incremental Lender ” shall mean a Lender with an Incremental Loan Commitment or an outstanding Incremental Loan.

Incremental Loan Amount ” shall mean $100,000,000.

 

18


Incremental Loan Assumption Agreement ” shall mean an Incremental Loan Assumption Agreement among, and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and one or more Incremental Lenders.

Incremental Loan Commitment ” shall mean the commitment of any Lender, established pursuant to Section 2.24 , to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower.

Incremental Loans ” shall mean Borrowings comprised of Revolving Loans made by one or more Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to such Lender’s Incremental Loan Commitment in Section 2.24 .

Indebtedness ” of any Person shall mean, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds (other than surety, appeal or performance bonds to the extent that such surety, appeal or performance bonds do not constitute or result in the incurrence of reimbursement obligations payable by such Person), debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property or assets purchased by such Person, (d) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding trade accounts payable and accrued obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business), (e) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the obligations secured thereby have been assumed, (f) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (g) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (h) all Synthetic Lease Obligations of such Person, (i) net obligations of such Person under any Hedging Agreements, valued at the Agreement Value thereof, (j) all obligations of such Person with respect to the redemption, repayment or other repurchase of any Disqualified Stock (valued at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus any accrued and unpaid dividends), (k) all obligations of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and (l) all obligations of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership in which such Person is a general partner to the extent such Person is liable for such Indebtedness pursuant to applicable law or the relevant partnership agreement.

Indemnified Taxes ” shall mean Taxes (other than Excluded Taxes) imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower or any other Loan Party under any Loan Document.

Indemnitee ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.05(b) .

Information ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.16 .

Initial Operation Date ” shall mean the date on which the Pony Express Material Project is first placed into commercial operation and has commenced generating revenue for Pony Express.

Intellectual Property ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement.

Interest Coverage Ratio ” shall mean, for any period, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for such period to (b) Consolidated Interest Expense for such period.

Interest Election Notice ” shall mean an Interest Election Notice, delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.10 , substantially in the form of Exhibit D .

 

19


Interest Payment Date ” shall mean (a) with respect to any ABR Loan, the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day that would have been an Interest Payment Date had successive Interest Periods of three months’ duration been applicable to such Borrowing and (c) with respect to any Swing Line Loan, the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December.

Interest Period ” shall mean, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day (or, if there is no numerically corresponding day, on the last day) in the calendar month that is 1, 2, 3 or 6 months thereafter (and if available to all Lenders holding such Borrowings, nine or twelve months thereafter), as the Borrower may elect; provided , however , that (a) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day, (b) any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period and (c) no Interest Period for any Loan shall extend beyond the maturity date of such Loan. Interest shall accrue from and including the first day of an Interest Period to but excluding the last day of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

IRS ” shall mean the United States Internal Revenue Service.

Issuing Bank ” shall mean, as the context may require, (a) each bank or financial institution listed on Schedule 2.02 , acting through any of its respective Affiliates or branches, in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder and (b) any other Lender that may become an Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.23(i) or 2.23(k) , with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Lender. Each Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates or branches of such Issuing Bank, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate or branch with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate or branch.

Issuing Bank Fees ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(c) .

JV HoldCo ” shall mean a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Operations and that holds an investment in a Person that is made pursuant to Section 6.04(k) .

L/C Commitment ” shall mean the commitment of each Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit pursuant to Section 2.23 .

L/C Disbursement ” shall mean a payment or disbursement made by any Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank.

L/C Exposure ” shall mean at any time the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time and (b) the aggregate amount of all L/C Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrower at such time. The L/C Exposure of any Revolving Credit Lender at any time shall equal its Pro Rata Percentage of the aggregate L/C Exposure at such time.

 

20


L/C Extension Notice ” shall mean a L/C Extension Notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.23 and substantially in the form of Exhibit E .

L/C Participation Fee ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(c) .

Latest Maturity Date ” shall mean, at any Date of Determination, the latest maturity date or expiration date applicable to any Loan or Commitment hereunder at such time, including the latest maturity or expiration date of any Loans as extended in accordance with this Agreement from time to time.

Law ” means any federal, state, regional or local constitution, statute, code, law, rule, or regulation, or any judgment, permit, order, ordinance, writ, injunction, or decree of, any Governmental Authority.

Lenders ” shall mean (a) the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 (other than any such Person that has ceased to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Acceptance), (b) any Person that has become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Acceptance and (c) the Swing Line Lender.

Letter of Credit ” shall mean any standby letter of credit issued pursuant to Section 2.23 .

Lien ” shall mean, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, encumbrance, charge or security interest in or on such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.

Loan Documents ” shall mean this Agreement, the Letters of Credit, the Security Documents, each Incremental Loan Assumption Agreement, the promissory notes, if any, executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2.04(e) , the Engagement Letter, any certificates delivered in connection with the foregoing and any other document from time to time executed in connection with the foregoing that is designated as a “Loan Document”.

Loan Parties ” shall mean the Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor.

Loans ” shall mean the Revolving Loans and the Swing Line Loans.

LP Agreement ” shall mean the Limited Partnership Agreement of the Borrower, dated as of the Closing Date, as the same may be amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time to the extent an Event of Default under paragraph (n)  of Article VII has not occurred as a result of such amendment, restatement, amendment and restatement, supplement or other modification.

Margin Stock ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Regulation U.

Master Limited Partnership ” shall mean any Person that is a publicly traded limited partnership or limited liability company that is properly treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes by virtue of meeting the requirements of Section 7704(c)(1) of the Code.

Material Adverse Effect ” shall mean (a) a materially adverse effect on the business, assets, liabilities, operations, financial condition or operating results of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) a material impairment of the ability of the Borrower or the Restricted

 

21


Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to perform any of their material obligations under the Loan Documents to which they are parties or (c) a material impairment of the rights and remedies of or benefits available to the Lenders or the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent under any Loan Document.

Material Indebtedness ” shall mean Indebtedness (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Hedging Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $25,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of any Hedging Agreement at any time shall be the Agreement Value of such Hedging Agreement at such time.

Material Leased Real Property ” shall mean each of the leased Real Properties of the Loan Parties specified on Schedule 3.20(b) and on any date of determination, any leased Processing Plants and any other Real Property leased by any Loan Party, or group of related tracts of Real Property, leased (whether leased in a single transaction or in a series of transactions) by any Loan Party, in each case where the fair market value of such lease (including the fair market value of improvements owned by such Person and located thereon) on such date of determination exceeds $15,000,000.

Material Non-Public Information” shall mean material non-public information with respect to the Borrower, its Subsidiaries or any of their securities.

Material Projects ” shall mean, collectively, the Pony Express Material Project and any other capital project of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries the aggregate cost of which (inclusive of capital costs expended prior to the acquisition, construction or expansion thereof) is reasonably expected by the Borrower to exceed, or exceeds, $5,000,000.

Material Real Property ” shall mean each of the owned Real Properties of the Loan Parties specified on Schedule 1.01(a) and on any date of determination, any owned Processing Plants and any other Real Property owned in fee by any Loan Party, or group of related tracts of Real Property, acquired (whether acquired in a single transaction or in a series of transactions) or owned by any Loan Party, in each case having a fair market value (including the fair market value of improvements owned or leased by such Person and located thereon) on such date of determination exceeding $15,000,000.

Material Restricted Subsidiary ” shall mean any Restricted Subsidiary other than any Immaterial Restricted Subsidiary.

Maturity Date ” shall mean the fifth anniversary of the Closing Date.

Maximum Rate ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.09 .

Midstream Services ” shall mean the treatment, processing, gathering, dehydration, compression, fractionating, blending, transportation, storage, transmission, marketing, buying or selling or other disposition, whether for such Person’s own account or for the account of others, of oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids or other liquid or gaseous Hydrocarbons, including that used for fuel or consumed in the foregoing activities.

Minimum Collateral Amount ” shall mean, at any time, cash collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances in an amount equal to 105% of the Fronting Exposure of any Issuing Bank with respect to Letters of Credit issued and outstanding at such time.

 

22


MLP IPO ” shall mean an initial underwritten public offering of common units representing limited partnership interests of the Borrower, whereby the Borrower qualifies as a Master Limited Partnership, pursuant to an effective registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Moody’s ” shall mean Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., or any successor thereto.

Mortgage Modification Requirements ” shall mean each of the conditions precedent to the incurrence of additional Indebtedness pursuant to Section 2.24 set forth on Schedule 1.01(b) .

Mortgage Policies ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.15(b)(ii) .

Mortgaged Properties ” shall mean, as of the Closing Date, the owned Real Properties of the Loan Parties specified on Schedule 1.01(a) , and shall include each other parcel of Real Property and improvements thereto with respect to which a Mortgage is or is required to be granted pursuant to Section 5.12 .

Mortgages ” shall mean the mortgages, deeds of trust, leasehold mortgages, assignments of leases and rents, modifications and other security documents delivered pursuant to Section 4.02(d) , Section 5.12 or Section 5.15 each substantially in the form of Exhibit M .

Multiemployer Plan ” shall mean a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

Net Cash Proceeds ” shall mean (a) with respect to any Asset Sale, the cash proceeds (including cash proceeds subsequently received (as and when received) in respect of noncash consideration initially received), net of (i) selling expenses (including reasonable broker’s fees or commissions, legal fees, transfer and similar Taxes and the Borrower’s good faith estimate of income Taxes paid or payable by the Borrower in connection with such sale), (ii) amounts provided as a reserve, in accordance with GAAP, against any liabilities under any indemnification obligations or purchase price adjustment associated with such Asset Sale ( provided that, to the extent and at the time any such amounts are released from such reserve, such amounts shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds), (iii) any amount thereof prohibited by FERC to be applied to the prepayment of Indebtedness and (iv) the principal amount, premium or penalty, if any, interest and other amounts on any Indebtedness for borrowed money which is secured by the asset sold in such Asset Sale and which is required to be repaid with such proceeds (other than any such Indebtedness assumed by the purchaser of such asset and other than any Loans hereunder); provided , however , that, if (x) other than with respect to the Net Cash Proceeds from the abandonment and sale of the Pony Express Designation Assets to Development, the Borrower shall deliver a certificate of a Responsible Officer to the Administrative Agent not later than the third Business Day following the receipt by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of such cash proceeds setting forth the Borrower’s intent to reinvest (or to cause its Restricted Subsidiaries to reinvest) such proceeds in productive assets of a kind then used or usable in the business of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (or 100% of the Equity Interests of any entity that shall become a Restricted Subsidiary hereunder that owns such productive assets) within 360 days of receipt of such proceeds and in each case such proceeds are used for such reinvestment within such 360 day period (or, if committed to be so used within such period, are so reinvested within a further 180 days thereafter) and (y) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and shall be continuing at the time of such certificate or at the proposed time of the application of such proceeds, such proceeds shall not constitute Net Cash Proceeds except to the extent not so used at the end of such period, at which time such proceeds shall be deemed to be Net Cash Proceeds; (b) with respect to any issuance or incurrence of Indebtedness, the cash proceeds thereof, net of all Taxes and customary fees, commissions, costs and other expenses incurred in connection therewith; and (c) with respect to any Casualty Event Receipt, the

 

23


net cash proceeds thereof (determined in accordance with the definition of “Casualty Event Receipt”) received by or paid to or for the account of (but after taking into account clause (x)  of the definition of “Casualty Event Receipt”) the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided further, however , for the avoidance of doubt any actual reimbursement payments received in connection with the abandonment and sale of the Pony Express Designation Assets, including the reimbursement of actual costs incurred and paid by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries to abandon the existing natural gas facilities on the TIGT Pipeline System, to construct facilities necessary to maintain existing natural gas service on the TIGT Pipeline System and to obtain gas pipeline transportation services from other interstate pipelines, are not Net Cash Proceeds.

Non-Defaulting Lender ” shall mean any Lender other than a Defaulting Lender.

Non-Extending Lender ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.25(e) .

NPL ” shall mean the National Priorities List under CERCLA.

Obligations ” shall mean all “Secured Obligations” as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and the other Security Documents.

OFAC ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.23 .

Omnibus Agreement ” shall mean the Omnibus Agreement dated as of the Closing Date, as the same may be amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Operations ” shall mean Tallgrass MLP Operations, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

Organizational Documents ” shall mean (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

Other Connection Taxes ” shall mean, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Loan Document).

Other Taxes ” shall mean any and all present or future stamp, court, intangible, recording, filing, documentary or similar Taxes or any other excise or property Taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made under any Loan Document or from the execution, delivery, performance, registration or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document.

Participant ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(f) .

 

24


Participant Register ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(f) .

PBGC ” shall mean the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA.

Perfection Certificate ” shall mean the Perfection Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit K .

Permitted Acquisition ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.04(g) .

Permitted Business ” shall mean the business conducted (or proposed to be conducted) by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries as of the date of this Agreement, and all business that is reasonably similar or ancillary thereto and reasonable extensions thereof, including, without limitation, gathering, transporting (by barge, pipeline, ship, truck, rail or other modes of Hydrocarbon transportation), treating, storing, processing, dehydrating, fractionating, marketing, distributing, storing or otherwise handling Hydrocarbons, and constructing pipeline, treating, terminalling, storage, processing, fractionation, dehydration and other facilities related to the foregoing.

Permitted Drop-Down Acquisition ” shall mean any Drop-Down Acquisition approved by the Conflicts Committee after the Closing Date; provided that all such Drop-Down Acquisitions, taken in the aggregate and not individually, are on terms and conditions reasonably fair in all material respects to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the good faith judgment of the Conflicts Committee.

Permitted Encumbrances ” shall mean with respect to each Real Property, Pipeline System and Processing Plant, those Liens permitted by paragraphs  (a) , (b) , (c) , (d) , (e) , (g) , (h) , (i) , (j) , or (m)  of Section 6.02 .

Permitted Holders ” shall mean (i) Tallgrass GP Holdings, LLC, (ii) Tallgrass Holdings, LLC, (iii) Tallgrass KC, LLC, (iv) Kelso & Company, (v) MTP Energy KMAA LLC, (vi) any Affiliated fund, holding company or investment vehicle of any Person in clauses (i)  through (v) , and (vii) David G. Dehaemers, Jr., and any entity (including, without limitation, any trust, limited liability company, and partnership) established by him, or on his behalf, for estate planning purposes.

Permitted Investments ” shall mean:

(a) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America), in each case maturing within twelve months from the date of acquisition thereof;

(b) investments in commercial paper maturing within twelve months from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, the highest credit rating obtainable from S&P or from Moody’s;

(c) investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and time deposits maturing within twelve months from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and demand, savings and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, the Administrative Agent or any Affiliate of the Administrative Agent, any Arranger or any Affiliate of any Arranger or any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof that has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000 and that issues (or the parent of which issues) commercial paper rated at least “Prime-2” (or the then equivalent grade) by Moody’s or “A-2” (or the then equivalent grade) by S&P;

 

25


(d) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than 30 days for securities described in clause  (a) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria of clause  (c) above; and

(e) investments in “money market funds” within the meaning of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, at least 95% of whose assets are invested in investments of the type described in clauses (a)  through (d)  above.

Permitted Junior Debt ” shall mean unsecured Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or the Guarantors; provided , that (i) the Borrower shall be in Financial Covenant Compliance before and after giving effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, (ii) such unsecured Indebtedness shall not be guaranteed by any Person that is not a Guarantor or obligor hereunder, (iii) such Indebtedness shall not mature and no installments of principal in excess of 1.00% per annum shall be due and payable on such Indebtedness prior to the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred, (iv) such Indebtedness shall have no financial maintenance covenants that are more restrictive than the Financial Covenants, (v) the definitive documentation for such Indebtedness shall not include other covenants materially more onerous to the Borrower and the Guarantors than the covenants for the Revolving Facility provided for in this Agreement, taken as a whole, and (vi) such Indebtedness shall have no mandatory prepayment or redemption provisions other than prepayments required as a result of a change in control or non-ordinary course asset sale.

Permitted Liens ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.07(a) .

Permitted Refinancing Debt ” shall mean any modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension of any Indebtedness; provided , that (i) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) thereof does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended except by an amount equal to unpaid accrued interest and premium thereon plus other reasonable amounts paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder; (ii) such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension (A) has a final maturity date the same as or later than the final maturity date of the Indebtedness so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended and (B) has a weighted average life to maturity the same as or greater than the weighted average life to maturity of the Indebtedness so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended; (iii) at the time thereof, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; (iv) to the extent such Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended is unsecured and/or subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations, such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension is unsecured and/or subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations on terms, taken as a whole, at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended, (v) to the extent such Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended is secured, such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension is secured by no more collateral than the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended and (vi) the obligors in respect of such Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended are not changed.

Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt ” shall mean unsecured Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower in the form of one or more series of senior or subordinated unsecured notes; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is issued, incurred or otherwise obtained solely to refinance in whole or part Revolving

 

26


Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments which commitments are then terminated pursuant to the terms hereof (such refinanced Indebtedness, “ Refinanced Debt ”), and the proceeds thereof shall be applied in accordance with Section 2.12(c) to the extent required thereby; provided , that such Indebtedness is in an original aggregate principal amount not greater than the aggregate principal amount of the Refinanced Debt (and, in the case of Refinanced Debt consisting, in whole or in part, of unused Revolving Credit Commitments, the applicable amount thereof), plus accrued and unpaid interest, any premium, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred in connection therewith, (ii) such Indebtedness does not mature or have scheduled amortization or payments of principal prior to the date that is the Latest Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred, (iii) such Indebtedness is not secured by any Lien on any property or assets of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and (iv) such Indebtedness is not guaranteed by any Person other than the Borrower and the Guarantors.

Person ” shall mean any natural person, corporation, business trust, joint venture, association, company, limited liability company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

Pipeline Real Property ” shall mean all easements, rights of way, and other Real Property or interests therein comprising any part of the Hydrocarbon transmission and gathering pipelines of the Borrower, Operations, the Acquired Businesses, the Subsidiaries of the Borrower and the subsidiaries of Operations and the Acquired Businesses or upon which any part of such transmission and gathering pipelines has been built, passes over or through or which is used in or reasonably necessary for the operation thereof.

Pipeline System ” shall mean the Hydrocarbon transmission and gathering pipeline systems and related facilities (including any Processing Plants, fractionating, storage, compression and metering facilities) of the Borrower, Operations, the Acquired Businesses, the Subsidiaries of the Borrower and the subsidiaries of Operations and the Acquired Businesses.

Plan ” shall mean any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Sections 412 and 430 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Sections 4062 or 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.

Platform ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01 .

Pony Express ” shall mean Tallgrass Pony Express Pipeline LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

Pony Express Adjustment Limit ” shall mean $190,000,000.

Pony Express Designation Assets ” shall mean the Pipeline System, related Pipeline Real Property and other related contracts, properties and assets, in each case relating to the Pony Express Material Project and described on Schedule 1.01(c) .

Pony Express HoldCo ” shall mean a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Operations and that holds an investment in Pony Express that is made pursuant to Section 6.04(l).

Pony Express Material Project ” shall mean the conversion of approximately 430-miles of the existing Pipeline System from natural gas to crude oil service, and constructing a pipeline extension from the converted existing Pipeline System that is currently planned to terminate in Ponca City, Oklahoma, and Cushing, Oklahoma.

 

27


Pony Ramp Up Percentage ” shall mean, as of any Date of Determination, the percentage represented by (x) average daily revenue actually being earned by Pony Express pursuant to all binding shipping contracts as of the applicable Date of Determination, based upon the 30-day period ending on such date, divided by (y) the average daily revenue reasonably projected by the Borrower after the achievement of Commercial Operation of the Pony Express Material Project under all binding shipping contracts, in the case of each of clauses (x) and (y), as reasonably determined by the Borrower in good faith and as approved by the Administrative Agent (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld) and calculated in a manner consistent with the revenue levels used in determining Projected Consolidated EBITDA for the Pony Express Material Project or the Projected Pony Express Distributable Amount, as applicable.

Prepayment Notice ” shall mean a Prepayment Notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.11 and substantially in the form of Exhibit F.

Pricing Grid ” shall mean the following pricing grid:

 

Category

  

Total Leverage Ratio

   Applicable Margin for
ABR Loans
    Applicable Margin for
Eurodollar Loans
 

1

  

Less than or equal to 3.00:1.00

     1.00     2.00

2

  

Greater than 3.00:1.00 but less than or equal to 3.50:1.00

     1.25     2.25

3

  

Greater than 3.50:1.00 but less than or equal to 4.00:1.00

     1.50     2.50

4

  

Greater than 4.00:100 but less than or equal to 4.50:1.00

     1.75     2.75

5

  

Greater than 4.50:1.00

     2.00     3.00

Prime Rate ” shall mean the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by the Person acting as the Administrative Agent as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in New York City. The Prime Rate is a reference rate and does not necessarily represent the lowest or best rate actually charged to any customer. The Administrative Agent or any Lender may make commercial loans or other loans at rates of interest at, above or below the Prime Rate. Any change in the Prime Rate shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

Pro Rata Percentage ” of any Revolving Credit Lender at any time shall mean the percentage of the Total Revolving Credit Commitment represented by such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment. In the event the Revolving Credit Commitments shall have expired or been terminated, the Pro Rata Percentages shall be determined on the basis of the Revolving Credit Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments.

Processing Plants ” shall mean, collectively, (a) the Hydrocarbon treating and processing plants located in Natrona County, Wyoming, Converse County, Wyoming and Fremont County, Wyoming and (b) any other material plants, processing and compressor stations and terminals now or hereafter owned or leased, as applicable, by the Loan Parties.

 

28


Projections ” shall mean the projections of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries included in the Confidential Information Memorandum and any other projections and any forward-looking statements (including statements with respect to booked business) of such entities furnished to the Lenders or the Administrative Agent by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries prior to the Closing Date.

Projected Consolidated EBITDA ” shall mean, in respect of any Material Project, the projected Consolidated EBITDA attributable to such Material Project for the first full 12-month period following the Scheduled Commercial Operation Date of such Material Project, such amount to be determined by the Borrower in good faith and approved by the Administrative Agent (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld) based upon projected revenues that are reasonably likely on the basis of sound financial planning practice and Prudent Industry Practices, the creditworthiness and applicable projected volumes of the prospective customers, capital and other costs, operating and administrative expenses, the Scheduled Commercial Operation Date, commodity price assumptions, the class and amount of Equity Interests of such Material Project owned, directly or indirectly, by the Borrower and other factors reasonably deemed appropriate by the Borrower in good faith and as approved by the Administrative Agent (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld); provided that, in the case of the Pony Express Material Project, at least 65% of the aggregate amount of such projected revenues shall be derived from Qualifying Shipper Contracts with Qualifying Shipper Counterparties.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with the calculation of any Consolidated EBITDA Material Project Adjustment on any Date of Determination in respect of any Material Project, Projected Consolidated EBITDA for such Material Project shall be deemed to be zero unless the Borrower certifies to the Administrative Agent in good faith in the Compliance Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 5.04(a)(iii) in connection with such Date of Determination that no event or condition has occurred or exists that could reasonably be expected to result in any materially adverse change to the Projected Consolidated EBITDA relating to such Material Project (including, without limitation, any materially adverse changes to the creditworthiness and applicable projected volumes of the prospective customers), or, if the Borrower is unable to make such certification or determines that the Projected Consolidated EBITDA has increased, the Borrower provides the Administrative Agent with written and revised pro forma projections of the Projected Consolidated EBITDA attributable to such Material Project recalculated by the Borrower in good faith and taking into account any such event or condition, which revised projections shall then be used to determine the Projected Consolidated EBITDA as set forth in the first paragraph of this definition in respect of such Material Project if approved by the Administrative Agent (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld).

Projected Pony Express Distributable Amount shall mean the cash that is projected to be distributed by Pony Express to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower as a dividend or other distribution for the first full 12-month period following the Scheduled Commercial Operation Date of the Pony Express Material Project, such amount to be determined by the Borrower in good faith and approved by the Administrative Agent (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld) based upon projected revenues from Qualifying Shipper Contracts with Qualifying Shipping Counterparties or to otherwise be reasonably likely on the basis of sound financial planning practice and Prudent Industry Practices, the creditworthiness and applicable projected volumes of the prospective customers, capital and other costs, operating and administrative expenses, the Scheduled Commercial Operation Date, commodity price assumptions, the class and amount of Equity Interests of Pony Express owned, directly or indirectly, by the Borrower and other factors reasonably deemed appropriate by the Borrower in good faith and as approved by the Administrative Agent (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld), and in each case after deducting or accounting for (a) all projected operating and maintenance costs, changes in working capital and taxes payable in connection with the Pony Express Material Project and (b) all scheduled maintenance or sustaining capital expenditures for Pony Express and its subsidiaries, in each

 

29


case, during such first full 12-month period following the Scheduled Commercial Operation Date; provided that, at least 65% of the aggregate amount of such projected distributable amounts shall be derived from revenues generated by Qualifying Shipper Contracts with Qualifying Shipper Counterparties.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with the calculation of Consolidated Net Income on any Date of Determination, the Projected Pony Express Distributable Amount shall be deemed to be zero unless the Borrower certifies to the Administrative Agent in good faith in the Compliance Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 5.04(a)(iii) in connection with such Date of Determination that no event or condition has occurred or exists that could reasonably be expected to result in any materially adverse change to the Projected Pony Express Distributable Amount (including, without limitation, any materially adverse changes to the creditworthiness and applicable projected volumes of the prospective customers), or, if the Borrower is unable to make such certification or determines that the Projected Pony Express Distributable Amount has increased, the Borrower provides the Administrative Agent with written and revised pro forma projections of the Projected Pony Express Distributable Amount recalculated by the Borrower in good faith and taking into account any such event or condition, which revised projections shall then be used to determine the Projected Pony Express Distributable Amount as set forth in the first paragraph of this definition if approved by the Administrative Agent (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld).

Prudent Industry Practices ” shall mean any of the practices, methods and acts engaged in or approved by a significant portion of the Midstream Services industry in the United States during the relevant time period, or any of the practices, methods and acts which, in the exercise of reasonable judgment in light of the facts known at the time the decision was made, could have been expected to accomplish the desired result at a reasonable cost consistent with good business practices, sound engineering practices, reliability, safety and expedition. “Prudent Industry Practices” is not intended to be limited to the optimum practice, method or act to the exclusion of all others, but rather to be acceptable principles, methods and acts generally accepted in the United States, having due regard for, among other things, the requirements or guidance of Governmental Authorities, applicable laws, equipment manufacturers, industry organizations and the requirements of insurers.

Public Lender ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01 .

Qualified Capital Stock ” of any Person shall mean any Equity Interest of such Person that is not Disqualified Stock.

Qualified Counterparty ” shall mean, with respect to any Hedging Agreement, any counterparty thereto that at the time such Hedging Agreement was entered into was a Lender, an Agent or an Arranger, or an Affiliate of any of the foregoing.

Qualifying Acquisition ” shall mean any Permitted Acquisition with Acquisition Consideration of at least $50,000,000.

Qualifying Shipper Contracts ” shall mean, in connection with the Pony Express Material Project, a binding and enforceable contract for Midstream Services governed by the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia and entered into between any Loan Party and a Qualifying Shipper Counterparty that is consistent with Prudent Industry Practices and provides for Midstream Services on a firm commitment basis for an initial term of not less than five (5) years to be provided by the Borrower or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary to the Qualifying Shipper Counterparty in connection with additional capacity or Pipeline Systems that are the subject of the Pony Express Material Project.

 

30


Qualifying Shipper Counterparties ” shall mean (a) Specified Shippers or (b) any Person (or any Controlled Affiliate of such Person) incorporated or organized under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia that in the ordinary course of its business contracts for Midstream Services and such Person either has a public corporate credit rating and corporate family rating no lower than BBB- from S&P and Baa3 from Moody’s or has provided credit support consistent with Prudent Industry Practices and acceptable to the Borrower in good faith in favor of the Borrower or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary in connection with any shipping contract entered into with such Person, which credit support shall be comprised of either (x) a guarantee from an Affiliate of such Person that has a public corporate credit rating and corporate family rating of no lower than BBB- from S&P and Baa3 from Moody’s or (y) one or more surety or performance bonds or a letter or letters of credit from any domestic office of any financial institution or commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia that has a public corporate credit rating and corporate family rating of no lower than BBB+ from S&P and Baa1 from Moody’s.

Rate ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Type.”

Real Property ” shall mean collectively, all right, title and interest of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in and to any and all parcels of real property owned or leased by the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary together with all Improvements and appurtenant fixtures, easements and other property and rights incidental to the ownership, lease or operation thereof.

Refinanced Debt ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt.”

Register ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(d) .

Regulation T ” shall mean Regulation T of the Board as from time to time in effect and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

Regulation U ” shall mean Regulation U of the Board as from time to time in effect and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

Regulation X ” shall mean Regulation X of the Board as from time to time in effect and all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or thereof.

Related Documents ” shall mean the Contribution Agreement, Omnibus Agreement and the LP Agreement.

Related Parties ” shall mean, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, trustees, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.

Release ” shall mean any placing, spilling, leaking, seepage, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, disposing or depositing in, into or onto the environment.

Required Lenders ” shall mean, at any time, Lenders having Loans (other than Swing Line Loans) outstanding, L/C Exposure, Swing Line Exposure and unused Revolving Credit Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of all Loans (other than Swing Line Loans) outstanding, L/C Exposure, Swing Line Exposure and unused Revolving Credit Commitments at such time; provided that the Loans, L/C Exposure, Swing Line Exposure or unused Revolving Credit Commitments of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in the determination of the Required Lenders at any time.

 

31


Reserve Adjusted Eurodollar Rate ” shall mean, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the product of (i) the Eurodollar Rate in effect for such Interest Period and (ii) Statutory Reserves.

Responsible Officer ” of any Person shall mean any executive officer or Financial Officer of such Person and any other officer or similar official thereof responsible for the administration of the obligations of such Person in respect of this Agreement.

Restricted Payment ” shall mean any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, and any purchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value (including, without limitation, in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary) of any Equity Interests of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any direct or indirect parent of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary. Without limiting the foregoing, any designation of a Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary solely to facilitate the making of a dividend or other distribution that would have been a Restricted Payment shall be deemed to be a Restricted Payment for purposes of this Agreement.

Restricted Subsidiary ” shall mean any Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

Revolving Credit Borrowing ” shall mean a Borrowing comprised of Revolving Loans.

Revolving Credit Commitment ” shall mean, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Revolving Loans hereunder (and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit as provided for herein) as set forth on Schedule 2.01 , or in the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which such Lender assumed its Revolving Credit Commitment or in any Incremental Loan Assumption Agreement, as applicable, as the same may be (a) increased by the Incremental Loan Commitment of such Lender, if any, (b) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.09 and (c) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04 .

Revolving Credit Commitment Fee ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(a) .

Revolving Credit Exposure ” shall mean, with respect to any Lender at any time, the aggregate principal amount at such time of all outstanding Revolving Loans of such Lender, plus the aggregate amount at such time of such Lender’s L/C Exposure, plus the aggregate amount at such time of such Lender’s Swing Line Exposure.

Revolving Credit Lender ” shall mean a Lender with a Revolving Credit Commitment or an outstanding Revolving Loan.

Revolving Facility ” shall mean the revolving credit facility provided for in this Agreement.

Revolving Loan Note ” shall mean a Revolving Loan Note delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.04(e) and substantially in the form of Exhibit C .

 

32


Revolving Loans ” shall mean the revolving loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01 .

S&P ” shall mean Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service, or any successor thereto.

Scheduled Commercial Operation Date ” shall mean, with respect to any Material Project, the date originally scheduled as the day on which such Material Project shall achieve Commercial Operation as specified in the notice to be delivered to the Administrative Agent with respect to such Material Project as specified in the second paragraph of the definition of Consolidated EBITDA Material Project Adjustment.

Secured Hedging Agreement ” shall mean any interest rate or commodity Hedging Agreement entered into by any Loan Party and any Qualified Counterparty; provided that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, (i) at any time that any Hedging Agreement is entered into that is intended to be secured by the Collateral, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of the Qualified Counterparty party thereto and (ii) if reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, in each case, in order to preserve and protect the priority of the Lien of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties securing the Obligations under the Security Documents, the Borrower shall take such further actions as may be contemplated by Section 5.12 .

Secured Parties ” shall mean, collectively, the Agents, the Arrangers, the Issuing Banks, the Lenders, each Qualified Counterparty, each Indemnitee and any other “Secured Party” as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement.

Security Documents ” shall mean the Mortgages, the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and each of the security agreements and other instruments and documents executed and delivered pursuant to any of the foregoing or pursuant to Section 5.12 .

Solvency Certificate ” shall mean the Solvency Certificate substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit L .

Solvent ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Solvency Certificate.

SPV ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(i) .

Specified Equity Contribution ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the last paragraph of Article VII .

Specified Existing Commitment ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.25(a) .

Specified Shippers ” shall mean the counterparties that have entered into Throughput and Deficiency Agreements with Pony Express as of the Closing Date and those customers that have been previously disclosed to the Administrative Agent prior to the Closing Date as the five (5) largest customers by revenue for each of the Acquired Businesses prior to the Closing Date.

Statutory Reserves ” shall mean a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board and any other banking authority, domestic or foreign, to which the Administrative Agent or any Lender (including any branch, Affiliate or other fronting office making or

 

33


holding a Loan) is subject for Eurocurrency Liabilities (as defined in Regulation D of the Board). Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute Eurocurrency Liabilities (as defined in Regulation D of the Board) and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under such Regulation D. Statutory Reserves shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

Subordinated Indebtedness ” shall mean the collective reference to any Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations and containing such other terms and conditions, in each case, as are satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

subsidiary ” shall mean, with respect to any Person (herein referred to as the “ parent ”), any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association or other business entity of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, at the time any determination is being made, owned, Controlled or held, directly or indirectly by the parent and/or one or more subsidiaries of the parent.

Subsidiary ” shall mean any subsidiary of the Borrower.

Swing Line Borrowing ” shall mean a Borrowing comprised of Swing Line Loans.

Swing Line Borrowing Request ” shall mean a request by the Borrower substantially in the form of Exhibit B-2 .

Swing Line Commitment ” shall mean, with respect to each Swing Line Lender, the commitment of such Swing Line Lender to make Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.22(a) . The aggregate amount of the Swing Line Commitments on the Closing Date is $40,000,000.

Swing Line Exposure ” shall mean at any time the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Swing Line Borrowings at such time.

Swing Line Lender ” shall mean Barclays, in its capacity as a lender of Swing Line Loans and its successors and permitted assigns hereunder.

Swing Line Loans ” shall mean the Swing Line loans made to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.22(a) .

Syndication Agent ” shall mean WF, in its capacity as syndication agent.

Synthetic Lease ” shall mean, as to any Person, any lease (including leases that may be terminated by the lessee at any time) of any property (whether real, personal or mixed) (a) that is accounted for as an operating lease under GAAP and (b) in respect of which the lessee retains or obtains ownership of the property so leased for U.S. federal income tax purposes, other than any such lease under which such Person is the lessor.

Synthetic Lease Obligations ” shall mean, as to any Person, an amount equal to the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under any Synthetic Lease that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP if such obligations were accounted for as Capital Lease Obligations.

 

34


Taxes ” shall mean any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

TIGT ” shall mean Tallgrass Interstate Gas Transmission, LLC, a Colorado limited liability company.

TMLLC ” shall mean Tallgrass Midstream, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

Total Debt ” shall mean, at any time, (a) the total Indebtedness (excluding Indebtedness of the type described in clause (h) , clause (i) , clause (j)  and clause (k)  of the definition of Indebtedness, except, in the case of clause (k) , to the extent of any unreimbursed drawings thereunder) of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries at such time; and minus (b) Unrestricted Cash of up to $5,000,000.

Total Leverage Ratio ” shall mean, as of any date (including any Date of Determination) for the Applicable Period related thereto, the ratio of (a) Total Debt as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for such Applicable Period.

Total Revolving Credit Commitment ” shall mean, at any time, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments, as in effect at such time. The initial Total Revolving Credit Commitment as of the Closing Date is $500,000,000.

Transaction Costs ” shall mean all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the Transactions.

Transaction Documents ” shall mean the Related Documents and the Loan Documents.

Transactions ” shall mean (a) the Acquisition in exchange for the following consideration: (x) the issuance to Development of common and subordinated units in the Borrower (plus the net cash proceeds from the exercise of the underwriters’ overallotment option or additional common units in the Borrower to the extent the underwriters’ overallotment option is not exercised), (y) the assumption by the Borrower of $400,000,000 of Indebtedness under the Development Credit Agreement and (z) payment by the Borrower of approximately $61,000,000 to Tallgrass Operations, LLC as reimbursement for a portion of the capital expenditures made by Tallgrass Operations, LLC to purchase the Acquired Businesses, (b) the consummation of the MLP IPO, (c) the issuance of certain general partnership interests and incentive distribution rights in the Borrower to Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC, (d) the repayment of the $400,000,000 of Indebtedness under the Development Credit Agreement assumed in connection with the Acquisition and (e) the payment of Transaction Costs.

Type ”, when used in respect of any Loan or Borrowing, shall refer to the Rate by reference to which interest on such Loan or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing is determined. For purposes hereof, the term “ Rate ” shall mean the Reserve Adjusted Eurodollar Rate and the Alternate Base Rate.

U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate ” shall mean a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit J .

USA PATRIOT Act ” shall mean The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (Title III of Pub. L. No. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001 and as modified, amended, supplemented or restated from time to time)).

 

35


Unrestricted Cash ” shall mean on any date (including any Date of Determination), the sum of the amount of cash and Permitted Investments of the Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary, as set forth on the balance sheet of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (it being understood that such amount shall exclude in any event (i) any cash or Permitted Investments identified on such balance sheet as “restricted” (other than cash or Permitted Investments restricted in favor of the Secured Parties), (ii) any amount to the extent any use thereof for application to the payment of Indebtedness under the Loan Documents is restricted or prohibited by Law or contract and (iii) any cash or Permitted Investments that are not subject to a perfected security interest in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties (which cash will be deemed to be subject to such a security interest if it is deposited in a deposit account or securities account in which the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties has a perfected security interest)).

Unrestricted Subsidiary ” shall mean any Subsidiary of the Borrower designated by the board of directors of the Borrower as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 5.14 subsequent to the Closing Date; provided , that none of the Acquired Businesses may be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

Voting Stock ” of any specified Person as of any date shall mean the Equity Interests of such Person that is at the time entitled to vote in the election of the board of directors of such Person.

WF ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Arrangers.”

Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary ” shall mean a Wholly Owned Subsidiary that is also a Restricted Subsidiary.

Wholly Owned Domestic Subsidiary ” shall mean a Wholly Owned Subsidiary that is also a Domestic Subsidiary.

Wholly Owned Subsidiary ” of any Person shall mean a subsidiary of such Person of which securities (except for directors’ qualifying shares) or other ownership interests representing 100% of the Equity Interests are, at the time any determination is being made, owned, Controlled or held by such Person or one or more wholly owned Subsidiaries of such Person or by such Person and one or more wholly owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

Withdrawal Liability ” shall mean liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

SECTION 1.02 Terms Generally . The definitions in Section 1.01 shall apply equally to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”; and the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed as having the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights. All references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be deemed references to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement unless the context shall otherwise require. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) any reference in this Agreement to any Loan Document shall mean such document as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, in each case, in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement, and (b) all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided ,

 

36


however , that if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower wishes to amend any covenant in Article VI or any related definition to eliminate the effect of any change in GAAP occurring after the date of this Agreement on the operation of such covenant (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders wish to amend Article VI or any related definition for such purpose), then the Borrower’s compliance with such covenant shall be determined on the basis of GAAP in effect immediately before the relevant change in GAAP became effective, until either such notice is withdrawn or such covenant is amended in a manner satisfactory to the Borrower and the Required Lenders; provided , further , that obligations relating to a lease that were accounted for by a Person as an operating lease as of the Closing Date and any similar lease entered into after the Closing Date by such Person shall be accounted for as obligations relating to an operating lease and not as a Capital Lease Obligation. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to in Article VI shall be made, without giving effect to any election under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 159 (or any other Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries at “fair value”.

SECTION 1.03 Pro Forma Calculations . All pro forma calculations permitted or required to be made by the Borrower or any Subsidiary pursuant to this Agreement shall include only those adjustments that (i) have been certified by a Financial Officer of the Borrower as having been prepared in good faith based upon reasonable assumptions, (ii) are reasonably foreseeable and factually supportable and (iii) are based on reasonably detailed written assumptions reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 1.04 Classification of Loans and Borrowings . For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class ( e.g. , a “Revolving Loan”) or by Type ( e.g. , a “Eurodollar Loan”) or by Class and Type ( e.g ., a “Eurodollar Revolving Loan”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class ( e.g ., a “Revolving Credit Borrowing”) or by Type ( e.g ., a “Eurodollar Borrowing”) or by Class and Type ( e.g. , a “Eurodollar Revolving Credit Borrowing”).

ARTICLE II

The Credits

SECTION 2.01 Commitments . Subject to the terms and conditions and relying upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, each Lender agrees, severally and not jointly, to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower, at any time and from time to time on or after the Closing Date, and until the earlier of the Maturity Date and the termination of the Revolving Credit Commitment of such Lender in accordance with the terms hereof, in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment. Within the limits set forth in the preceding sentence and subject to the terms, conditions and limitations set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, pay or prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.

SECTION 2.02 Loans . (a) Each Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their applicable Commitments (or, in the case of Swing Line Loans, ratably in accordance with their respective Swing Line Commitments); provided , however , that the failure of any Lender to make any Loan shall not in itself relieve any other Lender of its obligation to lend hereunder (it being understood, however, that no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make any Loan required to be made by such other Lender). Except for Loans deemed made pursuant to Section 2.02(f) , the Loans comprising any Borrowing shall be in an aggregate principal amount that is (i) an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000 or (ii) equal to the remaining available balance of the applicable Commitments.

 

37


(b) Subject to Sections 2.02(f) , 2.08 and 2.14 , each Borrowing (other than a Borrowing of Swing Line Loans which shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans) shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request pursuant to Section 2.03 . Each Lender may at its option make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Borrowings of more than one Type may be outstanding at the same time; provided , however , that the Borrower shall not be entitled to request any Borrowing that, if made, would result in more than ten (10) Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding hereunder at any time. For purposes of the foregoing, Borrowings having different Interest Periods, regardless of whether they commence on the same date, shall be considered separate Borrowings.

(c) Except with respect to Loans made pursuant to Section 2.02(f) and Swing Line Loans, each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds to such account in New York City as the Administrative Agent may designate not later than 1:00 p.m., New York City time, and the Administrative Agent shall promptly credit the amounts so received to an account designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request or, if a Borrowing shall not occur on such date because any condition precedent herein specified shall not have been met, return the amounts so received to the respective Lenders.

(d) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s portion of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such portion available to the Administrative Agent on the date of such Borrowing in accordance with paragraph  (c) above and the Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, but is not required to, make available to the Borrower on such date a corresponding amount. If the Administrative Agent shall have so made funds available then, to the extent that such Lender shall not have made such portion available to the Administrative Agent, such Lender and the Borrower severally agree to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at (i) in the case of the Borrower, a rate per annum equal to the interest rate applicable at the time to the Loans comprising such Borrowing and (ii) in the case of such Lender, a rate determined by the Administrative Agent to represent its cost of overnight or short-term funds (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error). If such Lender shall repay to the Administrative Agent such corresponding amount, such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan as part of such Borrowing for purposes of this Agreement.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled to request any Revolving Credit Borrowing or Swing Line Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Maturity Date.

(f) If the applicable Issuing Bank shall not have received from the Borrower the payment required to be made by Section 2.23(e) within the time specified in such Section, such Issuing Bank will promptly notify the Administrative Agent of the L/C Disbursement and the Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Revolving Credit Lender of such L/C Disbursement and its Pro Rata Percentage thereof. Each Revolving Credit Lender shall pay by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the Administrative Agent not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on such date (or, if such Revolving Credit Lender shall have received such notice later than 12:00 (noon), New York City time, on any day, not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the immediately following Business Day), an amount equal to such Lender’s Pro Rata Percentage of such L/C Disbursement (it being understood that (i) if the conditions precedent to Borrowing set forth in Sections 4.01(b) and 4.01(c) have been satisfied, such amount shall be deemed to constitute an ABR Revolving Loan of such Lender and, to the extent of such

 

38


payment, the obligations of the Borrower in respect of such L/C Disbursement shall be discharged and replaced with the resulting ABR Revolving Credit Borrowing, and (ii) if such conditions precedent to Borrowing have not been satisfied, then any such amount paid by any Revolving Credit Lender shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower from its obligation to reimburse such L/C Disbursement), and the Administrative Agent will promptly pay to such Issuing Bank amounts so received by it from the Revolving Credit Lenders. The Administrative Agent will promptly pay to such Issuing Bank any amounts received by it from the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.23(e) prior to the time that any Revolving Credit Lender makes any payment pursuant to this paragraph (f) ; any such amounts received by the Administrative Agent thereafter will be promptly remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Revolving Credit Lenders that shall have made such payments and to such Issuing Bank, as their interests may appear. If any Revolving Credit Lender shall not have made its Pro Rata Percentage of such L/C Disbursement available to the Administrative Agent as provided above, such Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay interest on such amount, for each day from and including the date such amount is required to be paid in accordance with this paragraph to but excluding the date such amount is paid, to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Issuing Bank at (i) in the case of the Borrower, a rate per annum equal to the interest rate applicable to Revolving Loans pursuant to Section 2.06(a) , and (ii) in the case of such Lender, for the first such day, the Federal Funds Effective Rate, and for each day thereafter, the Alternate Base Rate.

SECTION 2.03 Borrowing Procedure . In order to request a Borrowing (other than a deemed Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.02(f) or a Borrowing of Swing Line Loans under Section 2.22 as to which this Section 2.03 shall not apply), the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 12:00 (noon), New York City time, three (3) Business Days before a proposed Borrowing, and (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 12:00 (noon), New York City time, on the Business Day prior to the requested date of a proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable, and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or fax to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request and shall specify the following information: (i) whether the Borrowing then being requested is to be a Revolving Credit Borrowing or Incremental Borrowing, and whether such Borrowing is to be a Eurodollar Borrowing or an ABR Borrowing ( provided that, until the Administrative Agent shall have notified the Borrower that the primary syndication of the Commitments has been completed (which notice shall be given as promptly as practicable and, in any event, within 30 days after the Closing Date), the Borrower shall not be permitted to request a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period in excess of one month); (ii) the date of such Borrowing (which shall be a Business Day); (iii) the number and location of the account to which funds are to be disbursed; (iv) the amount of such Borrowing; and (v) if such Borrowing is to be a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period with respect thereto; provided , however , that, notwithstanding any contrary specification in any Borrowing Request, each requested Borrowing shall comply with the requirements set forth in Section 2.02 . If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified in any such notice, then the requested Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing is specified in any such notice, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. The Administrative Agent shall promptly advise the applicable Lenders of any notice given pursuant to this Section 2.03 (and the contents thereof), and of each Lender’s portion of the requested Borrowing.

SECTION 2.04 Evidence of Debt; Repayment of Loans . (a) The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender (i) the principal amount of each Swing Line Loan of such Swing Line Lender then outstanding on the earlier of the Maturity Date and the first date after such Swing Line Loan is made that is the 15 th or the last day of a calendar month and is at least five (5) Business Days after such Swing Line Loan is made; provided that on each date that a Revolving Loan Borrowing is made, the Borrower shall repay all Swing Line Loans then outstanding and (ii) the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan of such Lender on the Maturity Date.

 

39


(b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender from time to time, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time under this Agreement.

(c) Subject to Section 9.04(d) , which shall control in all cases, the Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it will record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and Type thereof and, if applicable, the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder from the Borrower and each Lender’s share thereof.

(d) The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraphs  (b) and  (c) above shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations therein recorded; provided , however, that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligations of the Borrower to repay the Loans in accordance with their terms.

(e) Any Lender may request that Loans made by it hereunder be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to such Lender and its registered assigns and in a form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in the event any Lender shall request and receive such a promissory note, the interests represented by such note shall at all times (including after any assignment of all or part of such interests pursuant to Section 9.04 ) be represented by one or more promissory notes payable to the payee named therein or its registered assigns.

SECTION 2.05 Fees . (a) The Borrower agrees to pay to each Lender, through the Administrative Agent, on the last Business Day of March, June, September and December in each year and on each date on which any Commitment of such Lender shall expire or be terminated as provided herein, (i) a commitment fee (a “ Revolving Credit Commitment Fee ”), initially equal to 0.375% per annum on the daily unused amount of the Revolving Credit Commitment (reduced by the face amount of Letters of Credit issued and outstanding) of such Lender during the preceding quarter (or other period commencing with the Closing Date or ending with the Maturity Date or the date on which the Revolving Credit Commitments of such Lender shall expire or be terminated); provided , that after the first full fiscal quarter after the Closing Date, the commitment fees shall be determined in accordance the pricing grid below.

 

Total Leverage Ratio

   Revolving Credit Commitment Fee  

Less than or equal to 3.50:1.00

     0.375

Greater than 3.50:1.00

     0.500

Each change in the Revolving Credit Commitment Fee resulting from a change in the Total Leverage Ratio shall be effective on and after the date of delivery to the Administrative Agent of the financial statements and certificates required by clauses (i) , (ii)  and (iii)  of Section 5.04(a) , respectively, indicating such change until the date immediately preceding the next date of delivery of such financial statements indicating another such change. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) at any time during which the Borrower has failed to deliver the financial statements and certificates required by clauses (i) , (ii)  and (iii)

 

40


of Section 5.04(a) , respectively, or (b) at any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Total Leverage Ratio shall be deemed to be greater than 3.50:1.00 for purposes of determining the Revolving Credit Commitment Fee. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained above in this Section 2.05 or elsewhere in this Agreement, if it is subsequently determined that the computation of the Total Leverage Ratio delivered to the Administrative Agent is inaccurate for any reason and the result thereof is that the Lenders received fees for any period based on an Applicable Margin that is less than that which would have been applicable had the Total Leverage Ratio been accurately determined, then, for all purposes of this Agreement, the Revolving Credit Commitment Fee for any day occurring within the period covered by inaccurate computation shall retroactively be deemed to be the relevant percentage as based upon the accurately determined Total Leverage Ratio for such period, and any shortfall in the fees paid by the Borrower for the relevant period pursuant to this Section 2.05 as a result of the miscalculation of the Total Leverage Ratio shall be deemed to be (and shall be) due and payable under the relevant provisions of this Section 2.05 as applicable, at the time the fees for such period were required to be paid pursuant to this Section 2.05 (and shall remain due and payable until paid in full), in accordance with the terms of this Agreement; provided, that notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) other than while an Event of Default described in Section 7.01(g) or (h)  has occurred, such shortfall shall be due and payable five (5) Business Days following the determination described above and (y) if an Event of Default described in Section 7.01(g) or (h)  has occurred, such shortfall shall be due and payable immediately upon the determination described above. The Revolving Credit Commitment Fees shall be computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed in a year of 360 days. For the purpose of calculating any Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Fee, the outstanding Swing Line Loans during the period for which such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment Fee is calculated shall be deemed to be zero.

(b) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, a non-refundable agency fee, as set forth in the Engagement Letter (the “ Administrative Agent Fees ”).

(c) The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to each Revolving Credit Lender, through the Administrative Agent, on the last Business Day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Revolving Credit Commitment of such Lender shall be terminated as provided herein, a fee (an “ L/C Participation Fee ”) calculated on such Lender’s Pro Rata Percentage of the daily aggregate L/C Exposure (excluding the portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed L/C Disbursements) during the preceding quarter (or shorter period commencing with the Closing Date or ending with the Maturity Date or the date on which all Letters of Credit have been canceled or have expired and the Revolving Credit Commitments of all Lenders shall have been terminated) at a rate per annum equal to the Applicable Margin from time to time used to determine the interest rate on Revolving Credit Borrowings comprised of Eurodollar Loans pursuant to Section 2.06 , and (ii) to each Issuing Bank with respect to each Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank (A) a fronting fee as negotiated with such Issuing Bank, (1) on a quarterly basis in arrears on the last Business Day of each of March, June, September and December, commencing on the last Business Day of June 30, 2013 and (2) on the Maturity Date and (B) the standard fronting, issuance and drawing fees specified from time to time by such Issuing Bank (the “ Issuing Bank Fees ”). All L/C Participation Fees and Issuing Bank Fees shall be computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed in a year of 360 days.

(d) The Borrower agrees to pay on the Closing Date such closing fees as may be agreed in respect of the Credit Facilities between the Borrower and the Arrangers pursuant to a letter agreement dated as of the Closing Date, which closing fees will be in all respects fully earned, due and payable on the Closing Date and non-refundable and non-creditable thereafter.

(e) All Fees shall be paid on the dates due, in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent for distribution, if and as appropriate, among the Lenders, except that the Issuing Bank Fees shall be paid directly to the applicable Issuing Bank. Once paid, none of the Fees shall be refundable under any circumstances.

 

41


SECTION 2.06 Interest on Loans . (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.07 , the Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing (including any Swing Line Loans) shall bear interest (in the case of ABR Loans bearing interest based upon the Prime Rate, computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed over a year of 365 or 366 days, as applicable, and in all other cases, computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed over a year of 360 days at all times and calculated from and including the date of such Borrowing to but excluding the date of repayment or conversion thereof), at a rate per annum equal to the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin.

(b) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.07 , the Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest (computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed over a year of 360 days) at a rate per annum equal to the Reserve Adjusted Eurodollar Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Margin.

(c) Interest on each Loan shall be payable on the Interest Payment Dates applicable to such Loan except as otherwise provided in this Agreement. The applicable Alternate Base Rate or Reserve Adjusted Eurodollar Rate for each Interest Period or day within an Interest Period, as the case may be, shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

SECTION 2.07 Default Interest . If any Event of Default under Article VII has occurred and is continuing, then, from the date of such Event of Default and for so long as such Event of Default is continuing, to the extent permitted by law, all amounts not paid when due under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall bear interest (after as well as before judgment), payable on demand, (a) in the case of principal, at the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan pursuant to Section 2.06 plus 2.00% per annum and (b) in all other cases, at a rate per annum (computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed over a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, when determined by reference to the Prime Rate and over a year of 360 days at all other times) equal to the rate that would be applicable to an ABR Loan plus 2.00% per annum (such 2.00% rate referred to in clauses (a)  and (b) , the “ Default Rate ”).

SECTION 2.08 Alternate Rate of Interest . In the event, and on each occasion, that on the day two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing the Administrative Agent shall have determined that Dollar deposits in the principal amounts of the Loans comprising such Borrowing are not generally available in the London interbank market, or that the rates at which such Dollar deposits are being offered will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to the majority of Lenders of making or maintaining Eurodollar Loans during such Interest Period, or that reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Reserve Adjusted Eurodollar Rate, the Administrative Agent shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, give written or fax notice of such determination to the Borrower and the Lenders. In the event of any such determination, until the Administrative Agent shall have advised the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, any request by the Borrower for a Eurodollar Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.03 or 2.10 shall be deemed to be a request for an ABR Borrowing. Each determination by the Administrative Agent under this Section 2.08 shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

SECTION 2.09 Termination and Reduction of Commitments . (a) The Revolving Credit Commitments and the Swing Line Commitment shall automatically terminate on the Maturity Date. The L/C Commitment shall automatically terminate on the earlier to occur of (i) the termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments and (ii) the date five (5) Business Days prior to the Maturity Date.

 

42


Notwithstanding the foregoing, all the Commitments shall automatically terminate at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on [            ] if the initial Credit Event shall not have occurred by such time.

(b) Upon at least three (3) Business Days’ prior irrevocable written or fax notice to the Administrative Agent, the Borrower may at any time in whole permanently terminate, or from time to time in part permanently reduce, the Revolving Credit Commitments or the Swing Line Commitment; provided , however , that (i) each partial reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitments shall be in an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and in a minimum amount of $1,000,000, (ii) each partial reduction of the Swing Line Commitment shall be in an integral multiple of $250,000 and in a minimum amount of $1,000,000 and (iii) the Total Revolving Credit Commitment shall not be reduced to an amount that is less than the Aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure at the time.

(c) Each reduction in the Revolving Credit Commitments hereunder shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective applicable Commitments. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable Lenders, on the date of each termination or reduction, the Commitment Fees on the amount of the Commitments so terminated or reduced accrued to but excluding the date of such termination or reduction.

SECTION 2.10 Conversion and Continuation of Borrowings . The Borrower shall have the right at any time upon prior irrevocable written notice to the Administrative Agent (a) not later than 12:00 (noon), New York City time, three (3) Business Days prior to conversion, to convert any Eurodollar Borrowing into an ABR Borrowing, (b) not later than 12:00 (noon), New York City time, three (3) Business Days prior to conversion or continuation, to convert any ABR Borrowing into a Eurodollar Borrowing or to continue any Eurodollar Borrowing as a Eurodollar Borrowing for an additional Interest Period, and (c) not later than 12:00 (noon), New York City time, three (3) Business Days prior to conversion, to convert the Interest Period with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing to another permissible Interest Period, subject in each case to the following:

(i) until the Administrative Agent shall have notified the Borrower that the primary syndication of the Commitments has been completed (which notice shall be given as promptly as practicable and, in any event, within 30 days after the Closing Date), no ABR Borrowing may be converted into a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period in excess of one month;

(ii) each conversion or continuation shall be made pro rata among the Lenders in accordance with the respective principal amounts of the Loans comprising the converted or continued Borrowing;

(iii) if less than all the outstanding principal amount of any Borrowing shall be converted or continued, then each resulting Borrowing shall satisfy the limitations specified in Sections 2.02(a) and 2.02(b) regarding the principal amount and maximum number of Borrowings of the relevant Type;

(iv) each conversion shall be effected by each Lender and the Administrative Agent by recording for the account of such Lender the new Loan of such Lender resulting from such conversion and reducing the Loan (or portion thereof) of such Lender being converted by an equivalent principal amount; accrued interest on any Eurodollar Loan (or portion thereof) being converted shall be paid by the Borrower at the time of conversion;

(v) if any Eurodollar Borrowing is converted at a time other than the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, the Borrower shall pay, upon demand, any amounts due to the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.15 ;

 

43


(vi) any portion of a Borrowing maturing or required to be repaid in less than one month may not be converted into or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing;

(vii) any portion of a Eurodollar Borrowing that cannot be converted into or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing by reason of the immediately preceding clause shall be automatically converted at the end of the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing into an ABR Borrowing;

(viii) upon notice to the Borrower from the Administrative Agent given at the request of the Required Lenders, after the occurrence and during the continuance of a Default or Event of Default, no outstanding Loan may be converted into, or continued as, a Eurodollar Loan; and

(ix) this Section shall not apply to Swing Line Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.

Each notice pursuant to this Section 2.10 shall be irrevocable and shall refer to this Agreement and specify (i) the identity and amount of the Borrowing that the Borrower requests be converted or continued, (ii) whether such Borrowing is to be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing or an ABR Borrowing, (iii) if such notice requests a conversion, the date of such conversion (which shall be a Business Day) and (iv) if such Borrowing is to be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period with respect thereto. If no Interest Period is specified in any such notice with respect to any conversion to or continuation as a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. The Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of any notice given pursuant to this Section 2.10 and of each Lender’s portion of any converted or continued Borrowing. If the Borrower shall not have given notice in accordance with this Section 2.10 to continue any Borrowing into a subsequent Interest Period (and shall not otherwise have given notice in accordance with this Section 2.10 to convert such Borrowing), such Borrowing shall, at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto (unless repaid pursuant to the terms hereof), automatically be converted to an ABR Borrowing.

SECTION 2.11 Voluntary Prepayment . (a) The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing, in whole or in part, upon at least three (3) Business Days’ prior written or fax notice (or telephone notice promptly confirmed by written or fax notice) in the case of Eurodollar Loans, or written or fax notice (or telephone notice promptly confirmed by written or fax notice) at least one (1) Business Day prior to the date of prepayment in the case of ABR Loans, to the Administrative Agent before 12:00 (noon), New York City time; provided , however , that (i) each partial prepayment shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $1,000,000 and (ii) at the Borrower’s election in connection with any prepayment of Revolving Loans pursuant to this Section 2.11(a) , such prepayment shall not, so long as no Event of Default then exists, be applied to any Revolving Loan of a Defaulting Lender.

(b) Each notice of prepayment shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing (or portion thereof) to be prepaid, shall be irrevocable and shall commit the Borrower to prepay such Borrowing by the amount stated therein on the date stated therein; provided , however , that if such prepayment is contingent upon the successful issuance or incurrence of Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01 to be issued or incurred or is for all of the then outstanding Loans, then the Borrower may revoke such notice and/or extend the prepayment date by not more than five (5) Business Days; provided further , however , that the provisions of Section 2.15 shall apply with respect to any such revocation or extension. All prepayments under this Section 2.11 shall be subject to Section 2.15 . All prepayments under this Section 2.11 (other than prepayments of ABR Revolving Loans that are not made in connection with the termination or permanent reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitments) shall be accompanied by accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount to be prepaid to but excluding the date of payment.

 

44


SECTION 2.12 Mandatory Prepayments . (a) In the event of any termination of all the Revolving Credit Commitments, the Borrower shall, on the date of such termination, repay or prepay all its outstanding Revolving Loans and all outstanding Swing Line Loans and replace or cause to be canceled (or make other arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each Issuing Bank with respect to) all outstanding Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank. If, after giving effect to any partial reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitments or at any other time, the Aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure would exceed the Total Revolving Credit Commitment, then the Borrower shall, on the date of such reduction or at such other time, repay or prepay Revolving Loans and, after the Revolving Loans shall have been repaid or prepaid in full, replace or cause to be canceled (or make other arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each Issuing Bank with respect to) Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank in an amount sufficient to eliminate such excess.

(b) Not later than the third Business Day following the receipt by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of Net Cash Proceeds in respect of any Asset Sale, the Borrower shall apply 100% of the Net Cash Proceeds received with respect thereto to prepay outstanding Loans and/or cash collateralize outstanding Letters of Credit in accordance with Section 2.12(f) .

(c) In the event that the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary shall receive Net Cash Proceeds from the issuance or incurrence of Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Borrower or any such Restricted Subsidiary (other than any cash proceeds from the issuance of Indebtedness for money borrowed permitted pursuant to Section 6.01 (other than the incurrence of Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt)), the Borrower shall on the next Business Day following the receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, apply an amount equal to 100% of such Net Cash Proceeds to prepay outstanding Loans and/or cash collateralize outstanding Letters of Credit in accordance with Section 2.12(f) .

(d) In the event that the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary shall receive Net Cash Proceeds from any Casualty Event Receipt, the Borrower shall not later than the third Business Day following the receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, apply an amount equal to 100% of such Net Cash Proceeds to prepay outstanding Loans and/or cash collateralize outstanding Letters of Credit in accordance with Section 2.12(f) .

(e) In the event that the Borrower shall receive Net Cash Proceeds (without giving effect to the reinvestment rights referred to in the proviso to such definition) from the abandonment and sale of the Pony Express Designation Assets to Development, the Borrower shall on the next Business Day following the receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds by the Borrower, apply an amount equal to 100% of such Net Cash Proceeds (without giving effect to the reinvestment rights referred to in the proviso to such definition) to prepay outstanding Loans and/or cash collateralize outstanding Letters of Credit in accordance with Section 2.12(f) .

(f) Mandatory prepayments under Section 2.12(b), (c), (d)  and (e)  shall be applied without penalty or premium first, to Revolving Loans and, second, to cash collateralize outstanding Letters of Credit (in an amount equal to the Minimum Collateral Amount) on a pro rata basis, in each case, with no corresponding permanent reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitments (except in the case of any mandatory prepayment made under Section 2.12(c) in connection with Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt incurred under Section 6.01(m) , in which case the Revolving Credit Commitments shall be permanently reduced by the amount of such debt incurred).

 

45


(g) The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, at the time of each prepayment required under this Section 2.12 , (i) a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth in reasonable detail the calculation of the amount of such prepayment and (ii) to the extent practicable, at least three (3) Business Days prior written notice of such prepayment (other than prepayments of ABR Revolving Loans that are not made in connection with the termination or permanent reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitments). Each notice of prepayment shall specify the prepayment date, the Type of each Loan being prepaid and the principal amount of each Loan (or portion thereof) to be prepaid. All prepayments of Borrowings under this Section 2.12 shall be subject to Section 2.15 , and shall be accompanied by accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount to be prepaid to but excluding the date of payment.

SECTION 2.13 Reserve Requirements; Change in Circumstances . (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any Change in Law shall (i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of or credit extended by any Lender or any Issuing Bank (except any such reserve requirement which is reflected in the Reserve Adjusted Eurodollar Rate), (ii) subject the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank to any Taxes in connection with this Agreement or any Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment made hereunder or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto, or change the basis of taxation payments in respect thereof (except for Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes indemnified pursuant to Section 2.19 and the imposition of, or any change in the rate of, any Excluded Tax payable by such Lender or Issuing Bank) or (iii) impose on such Lender or such Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein, and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender or such Issuing Bank of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan or increase the cost to any Lender or any Issuing Bank of issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or purchasing or maintaining a participation therein or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or such Issuing Bank hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, upon demand such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(b) If any Lender or any Issuing Bank shall have determined that any Change in Law regarding any capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made or participations in Letters of Credit purchased by such Lender pursuant hereto or the Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank pursuant hereto to a level below that which such Lender or such Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower shall pay to such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

(c) A certificate of a Lender or an Issuing Bank setting forth in reasonable detail the calculation of the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or such Issuing Bank or its holding company, as applicable, as specified in paragraph (a)  or (b)  above shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or such Issuing Bank the amount shown as due on any such certificate delivered by it within 10 days after its receipt of the same.

 

46


(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or any Issuing Bank to demand compensation for any increased costs or reduction in amounts received or receivable or reduction in return on capital shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be under any obligation to compensate any Lender or any Issuing Bank under paragraph (a)  or (b)  above with respect to increased costs or reductions with respect to any period prior to the date that is 180 days prior to such request if such Lender or such Issuing Bank knew or could reasonably have been expected to know of the circumstances giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of the fact that such circumstances would result in a claim for increased compensation by reason of such increased costs or reductions; provided further that the foregoing limitation shall not apply to any increased costs or reductions arising out of the retroactive application of any Change in Law within such 180-day period. The protection of this Section 2.13  shall be available to each Lender and each Issuing Bank regardless of any possible contention of the invalidity or inapplicability of the Change in Law that shall have occurred or been imposed.

SECTION 2.14 Change in Legality . (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any Change in Law shall make it unlawful for any Lender to make or maintain any Eurodollar Loan or to give effect to its obligations as contemplated hereby with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, then, by written notice to the Borrower and to the Administrative Agent:

(i) such Lender may declare that Eurodollar Loans will not thereafter (for the duration of such unlawfulness) be made by such Lender hereunder (or be continued for additional Interest Periods) and ABR Loans will not thereafter (for such duration) be converted into Eurodollar Loans, whereupon any request for a Eurodollar Borrowing (or to convert an ABR Borrowing to a Eurodollar Borrowing or to continue a Eurodollar Borrowing for an additional Interest Period) shall, as to such Lender only, be deemed a request for an ABR Loan (or a request to continue an ABR Loan as such or to convert a Eurodollar Loan into an ABR Loan, as the case may be), unless such declaration shall be subsequently withdrawn; and

(ii) such Lender may require that all outstanding Eurodollar Loans made by it be converted to ABR Loans, in which event all such Eurodollar Loans shall be automatically converted to ABR Loans as of the effective date of such notice as provided in paragraph  (b) below.

In the event any Lender shall exercise its rights under clause (i)  or (ii)  above, all payments and prepayments of principal that would otherwise have been applied to repay the Eurodollar Loans that would have been made by such Lender or the converted Eurodollar Loans of such Lender shall instead be applied to repay the ABR Loans made by such Lender in lieu of, or resulting from the conversion of, such Eurodollar Loans.

(b) For purposes of this Section 2.14 , a notice to the Borrower by any Lender shall be effective as to each Eurodollar Loan made by such Lender, if lawful, on the last day of the Interest Period then applicable to such Eurodollar Loan; in all other cases such notice shall be effective on the date of receipt by the Borrower.

SECTION 2.15 Breakage . The Borrower shall indemnify each Lender against any loss (other than a loss of applicable margin or profits) or expense that such Lender may sustain or incur as a consequence of (a) any event, other than a default by such Lender in the performance of its obligations hereunder, which results in (i) such Lender receiving or being deemed to receive any amount on account of the principal of any Eurodollar Loan prior to the end of the Interest Period in effect therefor, (ii) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan to an ABR Loan, or the conversion of the Interest Period with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, in each case other than on the last day of the Interest Period in effect therefor, or

 

47


(iii) any Eurodollar Loan to be made by such Lender (including any Eurodollar Loan to be made pursuant to a conversion or continuation under Section 2.10 ) not being made after notice of such Loan shall have been given by the Borrower hereunder (any of the events referred to in this clause  (a) being called a “ Breakage Event ”) or (b) any default in the making of any payment or prepayment required to be made hereunder. In the case of any Breakage Event, such loss shall include an amount equal to the excess, as reasonably determined by such Lender, of (i) its cost of obtaining funds for the Eurodollar Loan that is the subject of such Breakage Event for the period from the date of such Breakage Event to the last day of the Interest Period in effect (or that would have been in effect) for such Loan over (ii) the amount of interest likely to be realized by such Lender in redeploying the funds released or not utilized by reason of such Breakage Event for such period. A certificate of any Lender setting forth in reasonable detail the calculation of any amount or amounts which such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 2.15 shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

SECTION 2.16 Pro Rata Treatment . Except as provided with respect to Swing Line Loans, subject to the express provisions of this Agreement which require, or permit, differing payments to be made to Non-Defaulting Lenders as opposed to Defaulting Lenders, and as required under Section 2.14 , each Borrowing, each payment or prepayment of principal of any Borrowing, each payment of interest on the Loans, each payment of the Commitment Fees, each reduction of the Revolving Credit Commitments and each conversion of any Borrowing to or continuation of any Borrowing as a Borrowing of any Type shall be allocated pro rata among the Lenders in accordance with their respective applicable Commitments (or, if such Commitments shall have expired or been terminated, in accordance with the respective principal amounts of their outstanding Loans). For purposes of determining the available Revolving Credit Commitments of the Lenders at any time, each outstanding Swing Line Loan shall be deemed to have utilized the Revolving Credit Commitments of the Lenders (including those Lenders which shall have not have made any Swing Line Loans) pro rata in accordance with such respective Revolving Credit Commitments. Each Lender agrees that in computing such Lender’s portion of any Borrowing to be made hereunder, the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion, round each Lender’s percentage of such Borrowing to the next higher or lower whole Dollar amount.

SECTION 2.17 Sharing . Each Lender agrees that if it shall, through the exercise of a right of banker’s lien, setoff or counterclaim against the Borrower or any other Loan Party, or pursuant to a secured claim under Section 506 of Title 11 of the United States Code or other security or interest arising from, or in lieu of, such secured claim, received by such Lender under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law or otherwise, or by any other means, obtain payment (voluntary or involuntary) in respect of any Loan or L/C Disbursement as a result of which the unpaid principal portion of its Loans and participations in L/C Disbursements shall be proportionately less than the unpaid principal portion of the Loans and participations in L/C Disbursements of any other Lender, it shall be deemed simultaneously to have purchased from such other Lender at face value, and shall promptly pay to such other Lender the purchase price for, a participation in the Loans and L/C Exposure of such other Lender, so that the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Loans and L/C Exposure and participations in Loans and L/C Exposure held by each Lender shall be in the same proportion to the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all Loans and L/C Exposure then outstanding as the principal amount of its Loans and L/C Exposure prior to such exercise of banker’s lien, setoff or counterclaim or other event was to the principal amount of all Loans and L/C Exposure outstanding prior to such exercise of banker’s lien, setoff or counterclaim or other event; provided , however , that (i) if any such purchase or purchases or adjustments shall be made pursuant to this Section 2.17 and the payment giving rise thereto shall thereafter be recovered, such purchase or purchases or adjustments shall be rescinded to the extent of such recovery and the purchase price or prices or adjustment restored without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this Section 2.17 shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or

 

48


participant, other than to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates (as to which the provisions of this Section 2.17 shall apply). The Borrower expressly consents to the foregoing arrangements and agrees that any Lender holding a participation in a Loan or L/C Disbursement deemed to have been so purchased may exercise any and all rights of banker’s lien, setoff or counterclaim with respect to any and all moneys owing by the Borrower to such Lender by reason thereof as fully as if such Lender had made a Loan directly to the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

SECTION 2.18 Payments . (a) The Borrower shall make each payment (including principal of or interest on any Borrowing or any L/C Disbursement or any Fees or other amounts) hereunder and under any other Loan Document not later than 12:00 (noon), New York City time, on the date when due in immediately available Dollars, without setoff, defense or counterclaim. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating the amounts due hereunder. Each such payment (other than Issuing Bank Fees, which shall be paid directly to the applicable Issuing Bank) shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019. The Administrative Agent shall promptly distribute to each Lender any payments received by the Administrative Agent on behalf of such Lender.

(b) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, whenever any payment (including principal of or interest on any Borrowing or any Fees or other amounts) hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall become due, or otherwise would occur, on a day that is not a Business Day, such payment may be made on the next succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall in such case be included in the computation of interest or Fees, if applicable.

(c) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the applicable Issuing Bank hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or applicable Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or applicable Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or such Issuing Bank, with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent to represent its cost of overnight or short term funds (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error).

SECTION 2.19 Taxes . (a) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction or withholding for any Taxes; provided that, if any Taxes are required by law to be withheld or deducted from such payments, then (i) such Loan Party shall make such deductions or withholdings, (ii) such Loan Party shall pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, and (iii) if any Taxes required to be withheld or deducted are Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes, then the sum payable by such Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after making such required deductions or withholdings (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.19 ) the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Issuing Bank (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions or withholdings been made.

 

49


(b) Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a)  above, the Borrower shall pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any other Taxes.

(c) Without duplication of Sections 2.19(a) or (b)  above, the Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Issuing Bank, within ten (10) days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder or under any other Loan Document (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 2.19 ) and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or an Issuing Bank (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on behalf of itself, a Lender or an Issuing Bank, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(d) As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(e) (i) Any Lender (which, for purposes of this Section 2.19(e) shall include an Issuing Bank), if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by law as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to any withholding (including backup withholding) or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding sentence, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 2.19(e)(ii) ) shall not be required if in the Lender’s judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender or if such Lender is not legally eligible to deliver such documentation. Upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, any Lender shall update, if it is legally entitled to, any form or certification previously delivered pursuant to this Section 2.19(e) . If any form or certification previously delivered pursuant to this Section 2.19(e) expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect with respect to a Lender, such Lender shall promptly (and in any event within 10 days after such expiration, obsolescence or inaccuracy) notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of such expiration, obsolescence or inaccuracy and update the form or certification if it is legally eligible to do so.

(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any Foreign Lender shall, if it is legally eligible to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a party hereto, two accurate and complete executed copies of whichever of the following is applicable: (A) IRS Form W-8BEN (or its successor form) claiming eligibility for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party; (B) IRS Form W-8ECI (or its successor form); (C) IRS Form W-8IMY (or its successor form), together with any required attachments; (D) IRS Form W-8EXP (or its successor form); or (E) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under the Code, both IRS Form W-8BEN and a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate. Any Lender that is not a Foreign Lender shall deliver to Borrower and the Administrative Agent (at the times and in the manner provided with respect to Foreign Lenders under the preceding sentence) IRS Form W-9 (or its successor form).

 

50


(iii) If a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. Federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements under FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA, to determine whether such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this Section 2.19(e)(iii) , the definition of “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

(f) If the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank determines, in its discretion, exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.19 , it shall pay over such refund to the Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 2.19 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Issuing Bank, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any interest, penalties or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Issuing Bank in the event the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Issuing Bank is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.19(f) , in no event will the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank be required to pay any amount to the Borrower pursuant to this paragraph to the extent the payment of such amount would place the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Issuing Bank in a less favorable net after-Tax position than it would have been in if the indemnification payments or additional amounts giving rise to such refund had never been paid. Nothing in this Section 2.19(f) shall be construed to require the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.

SECTION 2.20 Assignment of Commitments Under Certain Circumstances; Duty to Mitigate . (a) In the event (i) any Lender or any Issuing Bank delivers a certificate requesting compensation pursuant to Section 2.13 , (ii) any Lender or any Issuing Bank delivers a notice described in Section 2.14 , (iii) the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Issuing Bank or any Governmental Authority on account of any Lender or any Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.19 , (iv) any Lender refuses to consent to any amendment, waiver or other modification of any Loan Document requested by the Borrower that requires the consent of all Lenders or all Lenders directly and adversely affected thereby and such amendment, waiver or other modification is consented to by the Required Lenders, or (v) any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, in each case, the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort (including with respect to the processing and recordation fee referred to in Section 9.04(b) ), upon notice to such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender or such Issuing Bank to transfer and assign, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.04 ), all of its interests, rights

 

51


(other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 2.13 , 2.15 and 2.19 , its rights pursuant to Section 9.05 in respect of the period in which it was a Lender (and its rights in respect of any outstanding Letter of Credit issued by such Lender)) and obligations under this Agreement (or, in the case of clause (iv)  above, all of its interests, rights and obligation with respect to the Class of Loans or Commitments that is the subject of the related consent, amendment, waiver or other modification) to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such assigned obligations and, with respect to clause (iv)  above, shall consent to such requested amendment, waiver or other modification of any Loan Documents (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (x) such assignment shall not conflict with any law, rule or regulation or order of any court or other Governmental Authority having jurisdiction, (y) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (and, if a Revolving Credit Commitment is being assigned, of each Issuing Bank and the Swing Line Lender), which consents shall not unreasonably be withheld, conditioned or delayed, and (z) the Borrower or such assignee shall have paid to the affected Lender or the affected Issuing Bank in immediately available funds an amount equal to the sum of the principal of and interest accrued to the date of such payment on the outstanding Loans or L/C Disbursements of such Lender or such Issuing Bank, respectively, plus all Fees and other amounts accrued for the account of such Lender or such Issuing Bank hereunder with respect thereto (including any amounts under Sections 2.13 , 2.15 and 2.19 ); provided further that, if prior to any such transfer and assignment the circumstances or event that resulted in such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s claim for compensation under Section 2.13 , notice under Section 2.14 , entitlement to receive amounts pursuant to Section 2.19 or being a Defaulting Lender, as the case may be, cease to cause such Lender or such Issuing Bank to suffer increased costs or reductions in amounts received or receivable or reduction in return on capital, or cease to have the consequences specified in Section 2.14 , or cease to result in amounts being payable under Section 2.19 , or cease to cause such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, as the case may be (including as a result of any action taken by such Lender or such Issuing Bank pursuant to paragraph  (b) below), or if such Lender or such Issuing Bank shall waive its right to claim further compensation under Section 2.13 in respect of such circumstances or event or shall withdraw its notice under Section 2.14 or shall waive its right to further payments under Section 2.19 in respect of such circumstances or event or shall consent to the proposed amendment, waiver, consent or other modification, as the case may be, or shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender, then such Lender or such Issuing Bank shall not thereafter be required to make any such transfer and assignment hereunder. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, in the event that a Lender does not comply with the requirements of this Section 2.20(a) within one (1) Business Day after receipt of such notice, such assignment shall be deemed to have occurred on such Business Day without such Lender’s execution of any documentation required pursuant to Section 9.04 but after satisfaction of the other conditions set forth herein.

(b) If (i) any Lender or any Issuing Bank shall request compensation under Section 2.13 , (ii) any Lender or any Issuing Bank delivers a notice described in Section 2.14 or (iii) the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Issuing Bank or any Governmental Authority on account of any Lender or any Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.19 , then such Lender or such Issuing Bank shall use reasonable efforts (which shall not require such Lender or such Issuing Bank to incur an unreimbursed loss or unreimbursed cost or expense or otherwise take any action inconsistent with its internal policies or legal or regulatory restrictions or suffer any disadvantage or burden deemed by it to be significant) (x) to file any certificate or document reasonably requested in writing by the Borrower or (y) to assign its rights and delegate and transfer its obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if such filing or assignment would materially reduce its claims for compensation under Section 2.13 or enable it to withdraw its notice pursuant to Section 2.14 or would reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.19 , as the case may be, in the future. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender or any Issuing Bank in connection with any such filing or assignment, delegation and transfer.

 

52


SECTION 2.21 Defaulting Lender . (a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:

(i) Waivers and Amendments. Such Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of Required Lenders and in Section 9.08 .

(ii) Defaulting Lender Waterfall. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VII or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 9.06 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first , to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second , to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Issuing Banks and Swing Line Lender hereunder; third , on a pro rata basis to cash collateralize each Issuing Bank’s Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with Section 2.21(d) and to pay to the Swing Line Lender its Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender; fourth , as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth , if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement and (y) cash collateralize the Issuing Banks’ and Swing Line Lenders’ future Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans, if any and as applicable, issued under this Agreement, in accordance with Section 2.21(d) (in the case of Letters of Credit); sixth , to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders or the Issuing Banks as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender or the Issuing Bank against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh , so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth , to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or L/C Disbursements in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.01 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and L/C Disbursements owed to, all Non-Defaulting Lenders of the applicable Class on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or L/C Disbursements owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and L/C Exposure are held by the Lenders of the applicable Class pro rata in accordance with the Commitments under the applicable Class without giving effect to Section 2.21(a)(iv) . Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post cash collateral pursuant to this Section 2.21(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

(iii) Certain Fees . (A) No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any Commitment Fee for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).

 

53


(B) Each Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive L/C Participation Fees for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to the extent allocable to its Pro Rata Percentage of the stated amount of Letters of Credit for which it has provided cash collateral pursuant to Section 2.21(d) .

(C) With respect to any L/C Participation Fee not required to be paid to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (B)  above, the Borrower shall (x) pay to each Non-Defaulting Lender that portion of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s obligation to fund participations in respect of Letters of Credit that have been reallocated to such Non-Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (iv)  below, (y) pay to each Issuing Bank the amount of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender to the extent allocable to such Issuing Bank’s Fronting Exposure to such Defaulting Lender, and (z) not be required to pay the remaining amount of any such fee.

(iv) Reallocation of Participations to Reduce Fronting Exposure. All or any part of such Defaulting Lender’s obligation to fund participations in respect of Swing Line Loans and Letters of Credit shall be reallocated among the Revolving Credit Lenders that are Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Percentages (calculated without regard to such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) but only to the extent that (x) the conditions set forth in Section 4.01 are satisfied at the time of such reallocation (and, unless the Borrower shall have otherwise notified the Administrative Agent at such time, the Borrower shall be deemed to have represented and warranted that such conditions are satisfied at such time), and (y) such reallocation does not cause the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of any such Non-Defaulting Lender to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment. No reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.

(v) Cash Collateral and Repayment of Swing Line Loans. If the reallocation described in clause (iv)  above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall, without prejudice to any right or remedy available to it hereunder or under law, cash collateralize any Issuing Bank’s Fronting Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.21(d) and repay any Swing Line Lender’s Fronting Exposure by repaying the Swing Line Loans such that such Fronting Exposure is reduced to zero.

(b) Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, each Swing Line Lender and each Issuing Bank agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any cash collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit to be held pro rata by the Revolving Credit Lenders in accordance with the Revolving Credit Commitments (without giving effect to Section 2.21(a)(iv) ), whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and

 

54


provided , further , that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Non-Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.

(c) New Swing Line Loans and Letters of Credit. So long as any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, (i) no Swing Line Lender shall be required to fund any Swing Line Loan and (ii) no Issuing Bank shall be required to issue, extend, renew or increase any Letter of Credit except in accordance with Section 2.23(a) , in each case unless it is satisfied that the related exposure will be 100% covered by the Revolving Loan Commitments of the Non-Defaulting Lenders or cash collateral will be provided by the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.23(j) , and participating interests in any such newly issued or increased Letter of Credit or newly made Swing Line Loan shall be allocated among Non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.21(a)(iv) (and Defaulting Lenders shall not participate therein).

(d) Cash Collateral. (i) At any time that there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, within one (1) Business Day following the written request of the Administrative Agent or any Issuing Bank (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) the Borrower shall cash collateralize such Issuing Bank’s Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender (determined after giving effect to Section 2.21(a)(iv) and any cash collateral provided by such Defaulting Lender) in an amount not less than the Minimum Collateral Amount.

(ii) The Borrower, and to the extent provided by any Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender, hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of each Issuing Bank, and agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all such cash collateral as security for the Defaulting Lender’s obligation to fund participations in respect of Letters of Credit, to be applied pursuant to Section 2.23(j) . If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that cash collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent and such Issuing Bank as herein provided, or that the total amount of such cash collateral is less than the Minimum Collateral Amount, the Borrower will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional cash collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency (after giving effect to any cash collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).

(iii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, cash collateral provided under this Section 2.21 in respect of Letters of Credit shall be applied to the satisfaction of the Defaulting Lender’s obligation to fund participations in respect of Letters of Credit (including, as to cash collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) for which the cash collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may otherwise be provided for herein.

(iv) Cash collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce any Issuing Bank’s Fronting Exposure shall no longer be required to be held as cash collateral pursuant to this Section 2.21 following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender), or (ii) the determination by the Administrative Agent and such Issuing Bank that there exists excess cash collateral; provided that, subject to this Section 2.21 the Person providing cash collateral and such Issuing Bank may agree that cash collateral shall be held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations; and provided , further that to the extent that such cash collateral was provided by the Borrower, such cash collateral shall remain subject to the security interest granted pursuant to the Loan Documents.

 

55


SECTION 2.22 Swing Line Loans . (a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swing Line Lender agrees to make Swing Line Loans to the Borrower from time to time prior to the Maturity Date in Dollars, in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in (x) the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Swing Line Loans exceeding the total Swing Line Commitment, (y) the outstanding Swing Line Loans of the Swing Line Lender exceeding the Swing Line Lender’s Swing Line Commitment or (z) the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding the Total Revolving Credit Commitments; provided that the Swing Line Lender shall not be required to make a Swing Line Loan to refinance an outstanding Swing Line Borrowing. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Swing Line Loans. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2.22 or elsewhere in this Agreement, in the event that a Revolving Credit Lender is a Defaulting Lender, no Swing Line Lender shall be required to issue or extend any Swing Line Loan, unless any Fronting Exposure in respect thereof, after giving effect to the extension of such Swing Line Loan, may be reallocated among Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with Section 2.21(a)(iv) or, if such reallocation is not available in accordance with such Section, the Swing Line Lender has entered into arrangements satisfactory to it, in its sole discretion, and the Borrower to eliminate the Swing Line Lender’s risk with respect to the participation in Swing Line Loans by all such Defaulting Lenders, which may include prepaying such Swing Line Loans while any Fronting Exposure exists in relation thereto.

(b) To request a Swing Line Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Swing Line Lender of such request by not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time on the day of the proposed Swing Line Borrowing by delivering a Swing Line Borrowing Request. Each such notice and Swing Line Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall specify (i) the requested date (which shall be a Business Day), (ii) the amount of the requested Swing Line Borrowing, (iii) the term of such Swing Line Loan and (iv) the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed. The Swing Line Lender shall make each Swing Line Loan in accordance with Section 2.02 on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 3:00 p.m., New York City time, to the account of the Borrower.

(c) Immediately upon the making of a Swing Line Loan, each Revolving Credit Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the Swing Line Lender a risk participation in such Swing Line Loan in an amount equal to such Revolving Credit Lender’s Pro Rata Percentage of such Swing Line Loan. The Swing Line Lender shall deliver the Swing Line Borrowing Request to the Administrative Agent which shall promptly deliver such Swing Line Borrowing Request to each Revolving Credit Lender. Each Revolving Credit Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees, upon receipt of notice of the Swing Line Borrowing Request, to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender, such Revolving Credit Lender’s Pro Rata Percentage of such Swing Line Loan or Loans. Each Revolving Credit Lender acknowledges and agrees that its respective obligation to acquire participations in Swing Line Loans pursuant to this paragraph is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Each Revolving Credit Lender shall comply with its obligation under this paragraph by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.02 with respect to Loans made by such Revolving Credit Lender (and Section 2.02 shall apply, mutatis mutandis , to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Swing Line Lender the amounts so received by it from the Revolving Credit Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower of any participations in any Swing Line Loan acquired pursuant to this paragraph  (c) , and thereafter payments by the Borrower in respect of such Swing Line Loan shall be made to the Administrative Agent and not to the Swing Line Lender. Any amounts received by a Swing Line Lender from the Borrower (or any other party on behalf of the Borrower) in respect of a Swing Line Loan after

 

56


receipt by the Swing Line Lender of the proceeds of a sale of participations therein shall be remitted promptly to the Administrative Agent; any such amounts received by the Administrative Agent shall be remitted promptly by the Administrative Agent to the Revolving Credit Lenders that shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and to the Swing Line Lender, as their interests may appear; provided that any such payment so remitted shall be repaid to the Swing Line Lender or to the Administrative Agent, as applicable, if and to the extent such payment is required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. The purchase of participations in a Swing Line Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not relieve the Borrower of any default in the payment thereof otherwise expressly provided herein.

(d) At any time after any Revolving Credit Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swing Line Loan, if the Swing Line Lender receives any payment on account of such Swing Line Loan, the Swing Line Lender will distribute to such Revolving Credit Lender its Pro Rata Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Swing Line Lender. If any payment received by the Swing Line Lender in respect of principal or interest on any Swing Line Loan is required to be returned to the Borrower by the Swing Line Lender under any circumstances (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swing Line Lender in its discretion), each Revolving Credit Lender shall pay to the Swing Line Lender its Pro Rata Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Effective Rate. The Administrative Agent will make such demand upon the request of the Swing Line Lender. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

SECTION 2.23 Letters of Credit. (a)  General. The Borrower may request the issuance of a Letter of Credit for its own account or for the account of any other Loan Party (in which case the Borrower and such Loan Party shall be co-applicants with respect to such Letter of Credit), in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the applicable Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time on or prior to the date immediately preceding the termination of the L/C Commitment in accordance with Section 2.09(a) . This Section shall not be construed to impose an obligation upon any Issuing Bank to issue any Letter of Credit that is inconsistent with the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2.23 or elsewhere in this Agreement, in the event that a Revolving Credit Lender is a Defaulting Lender, no Issuing Bank shall be required to issue or extend any Letter of Credit, as applicable, unless any Fronting Exposure in respect thereof, after giving effect to the issuance of such Letter of Credit, may be reallocated among Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with Section 2.21(a)(iv) or, if such reallocation is not available in accordance with such Section, each Issuing Bank has entered into arrangements satisfactory to it, in its sole discretion, and the Borrower to eliminate such Issuing Bank’s, as applicable, risk with respect to the participation in Letters of Credit by all such Defaulting Lenders, which may include by cash collateralizing (in an amount not less than the Minimum Collateral Amount) each such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Percentage of each Letter of Credit issued or outstanding while such Defaulting Lender remains a Defaulting Lender.

(b) Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions (i) In order to request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or to amend, renew or extend an existing Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall hand deliver or fax to the applicable Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (not later than 1:00 p.m. (New York City time) at least five (5) Business Days (or such shorter period as such Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended, the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph  (c) below), the amount of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof, the documents to be presented by such

 

57


beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder, the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder, the nature of the proposed amendment (in the case of an amendment), any Letter of Credit application form required by the applicable Issuing Bank and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare such Letter of Credit. A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only if, and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrower shall be deemed to represent and warrant that, after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (x) the Aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure shall not exceed the Total Revolving Credit Commitment and (y) the aggregate face amount of Letters of Credit issued by any Issuing Bank shall not exceed its L/C Commitment.

(ii) As of the Closing Date, the L/C Commitment of each Issuing Bank referred to in the clause (a)  of the definition thereof is $25,000,000 and the aggregate amount of the L/C Commitments is $50,000,000.

(iii) No Issuing Bank shall be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:

(A) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain such Issuing Bank from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any law applicable to such Issuing Bank or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over such Issuing Bank shall prohibit, or request that such Issuing Bank refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon such Issuing Bank with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which such Issuing Bank is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon such Issuing Bank any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which such Issuing Bank in good faith deems material to it;

(B) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of such Issuing Bank applicable to letters of credit generally;

(C) except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and such Issuing Bank, such Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $10,000;

(D) such Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars; or

(E) such Letter of Credit contains any provisions for automatic reinstatement of the stated amount after any drawing thereunder.

(iv) No Issuing Bank shall be under any obligation to amend or extend any Letter of Credit if (A) such Issuing Bank would have no obligation at such time to issue the Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof or (B) the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment thereto.

(c) Expiration Date . Each Letter of Credit shall expire at the close of business on the earlier of the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit and the date that is five (5) Business Days prior to the Maturity Date, unless such Letter of Credit expires by its terms on an earlier date; provided , however , that a Letter of Credit may, upon the request of the Borrower, include a provision whereby such Letter of Credit shall be renewed automatically for additional consecutive periods of 12 months or less (but not beyond the date that is five (5) Business Days prior to the Maturity Date)

 

58


unless the applicable Issuing Bank notifies the beneficiary thereof at least 30 days (or such longer period as may be specified in such Letter of Credit and as agreed by the Issuing Bank) prior to the then-applicable expiration date that such Letter of Credit will not be renewed.

(d) Participations . By the issuance of a Letter of Credit and without any further action on the part of the applicable Issuing Bank or the Lenders, such Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Revolving Credit Lender, and each such Lender hereby acquires from such Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Pro Rata Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit, effective upon the issuance of such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Revolving Credit Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the applicable Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Pro Rata Percentage of each L/C Disbursement made by such Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower (or, if applicable, another party pursuant to its obligations under any other Loan Document) forthwith on the date due as provided in Section 2.02(f) . Each Revolving Credit Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including the occurrence and continuance of a Default or an Event of Default, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.

(e) Reimbursement . If any Issuing Bank shall make any L/C Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such L/C Disbursement not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the immediately following Business Day after the Borrower shall have received notice from such Issuing Bank that payment of such draft will be made.

(f) Obligations Absolute . The Borrower’s obligations to reimburse L/C Disbursements as provided in paragraph  (e) above shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, under any and all circumstances whatsoever, and irrespective of:

(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or any Loan Document, or any term or provision therein;

(ii) any amendment or waiver of or any consent to departure from all or any of the provisions of any Letter of Credit or any Loan Document;

(iii) the existence of any claim, setoff, defense or other right that the Borrower, any other party guaranteeing, or otherwise obligated with, the Borrower, any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof or any other Person may at any time have against the beneficiary under any Letter of Credit, the applicable Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other related or unrelated agreement or transaction;

(iv) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect;

(v) payment by the applicable Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; and

 

59


(vi) any other act or omission to act or delay of any kind of the applicable Issuing Bank, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent or any other Person or any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of the Borrower’s obligations hereunder.

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is expressly understood and agreed that the absolute and unconditional obligation of the Borrower hereunder to reimburse L/C Disbursements will not be excused by the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the applicable Issuing Bank. However, the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse such Issuing Bank from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to consequential damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are determined in a final, non-appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Issuing Bank’s gross negligence or willful misconduct in determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. It is further understood and agreed that the applicable Issuing Bank may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary and, in making any payment under any Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank (i) such Issuing Bank’s exclusive reliance on the documents presented to it under such Letter of Credit as to any and all matters set forth therein, including reliance on the amount of any draft presented under such Letter of Credit, whether or not the amount due to the beneficiary thereunder equals the amount of such draft and whether or not any document presented pursuant to such Letter of Credit proves to be insufficient in any respect, if such document on its face appears to be in order, and whether or not any other statement or any other document presented pursuant to such Letter of Credit proves to be forged or invalid or any statement therein proves to be inaccurate or untrue in any respect whatsoever and (ii) any noncompliance in any immaterial respect of the documents presented under such Letter of Credit with the terms thereof shall, in each case, be deemed not to constitute gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Issuing Bank.

(g) Disbursement Procedures . The applicable Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit. Such Issuing Bank shall as promptly as possible give telephonic notification, confirmed by fax, to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower of such demand for payment and whether such Issuing Bank has made or will make an L/C Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such Issuing Bank and the Revolving Credit Lenders with respect to any such L/C Disbursement.

(h) Interim Interest . If any Issuing Bank shall make any L/C Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, then, unless the Borrower shall reimburse such L/C Disbursement in full on such date, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest for the account of such Issuing Bank, for each day from and including the date of such L/C Disbursement, to but excluding the earlier of the date of payment by the Borrower or the date on which interest shall commence to accrue thereon as provided in Section 2.02(f) , at the rate per annum that would apply to such amount if such amount were an ABR Revolving Loan.

(i) Resignation or Removal of an Issuing Bank . Any Issuing Bank may resign at any time by giving 30 days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Revolving Credit Lenders and the Borrower, and may be removed at any time by the Borrower by notice to such Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent and the Revolving Credit Lenders. Upon the acceptance of any appointment as an Issuing Bank hereunder by a Lender that shall agree to serve as a successor Issuing Bank, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the interests, rights and obligations of such retiring Issuing

 

60


Bank (other than with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such retiring Issuing Bank). At the time such removal or resignation shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all accrued and unpaid fees due to such Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.05(c)(ii) . The acceptance of any appointment as an Issuing Bank hereunder by a successor Lender shall be evidenced by an agreement entered into by such successor, in a form satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and, from and after the effective date of such agreement, (i) such successor Lender shall have all the rights and obligations of such previous Issuing Bank under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents other than with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such retiring Issuing Bank and (ii) references herein and in the other Loan Documents to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require. After the resignation or removal of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the retiring Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such resignation or removal, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.

(j) Cash Collateralization . If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, the Borrower shall, on the Business Day it receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders thereof and of the amount to be deposited, deposit in an account with the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Revolving Credit Lenders, an amount in cash equal to 105% of L/C Exposure as of such date; provided that the obligation to deposit such cash will become effective immediately, and such deposit will become immediately payable in immediately available funds, without demand or notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default described in paragraphs (g)  or (h)  of Article VII . Such deposit shall be held by the Collateral Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the Obligations. The Collateral Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account. Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits in Permitted Investments, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Collateral Agent, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Moneys in such account shall (i) automatically be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the applicable Issuing Bank for L/C Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed, (ii) be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the L/C Exposure at such time and (iii) if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, be applied to satisfy the Obligations. If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three (3) Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived.

(k) Additional Issuing Banks . The Borrower may, at any time and from time to time with the consent of the Administrative Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and such Lender, designate one or more additional Lenders to act as an issuing bank under the terms of this Agreement, subject to reporting requirements reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent with respect to issuances, amendments, extensions and terminations of Letters of Credit by such additional issuing bank. Any Lender designated as an issuing bank pursuant to this paragraph (k)  shall be deemed to be an “Issuing Bank” (in addition to being a Lender) in respect of Letters of Credit issued or to be issued by such Lender, and, with respect to such Letters of Credit, such term shall thereafter apply to such Issuing Bank and such Lender. Upon the appointment of an additional Issuing Bank, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Banks may amend this Agreement without the consent of any other party hereto to change the L/C Commitments of the Issuing Banks.

SECTION 2.24 Incremental Facilities . (a) The Borrower may, by written notice to the Administrative Agent from time to time, request Incremental Loan Commitments in an amount not to exceed, together with all Incremental Loan Commitments provided to the Borrower pursuant to this

 

61


Section 2.24 (whether or not utilized), the Incremental Loan Amount from one or more Incremental Lenders, all of which must be Eligible Assignees. Such notice shall set forth (i) the amount of the Incremental Loan Commitments being requested (which shall be in minimum increments of $2,500,000 and a minimum amount of $10,000,000 or such lesser amount equal to the remaining Incremental Loan Amount, as applicable, or such other amounts as the Administrative Agent may agree to) and (ii) the date (an “ Increased Amount Date ”) on which such Incremental Loan Commitments are requested to become effective (which shall not be less than 10 Business Days nor more than 60 days after the date of such notice (or such other number of days as the Administrative Agent may agree to)).

(b) The Borrower may seek Incremental Loan Commitments from existing Lenders (each of which shall be entitled to agree or decline to participate in its sole discretion) and additional banks, financial institutions and other institutional lenders (all of which must be Eligible Assignees consented to by the Swing Line Lender and the Issuing Banks (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) (any such additional bank, financial institution or other institutional lender an “ Additional Lender ”) who will become Incremental Lenders in connection therewith. The Borrower and each Incremental Lender shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Incremental Loan Assumption Agreement, and such other documentation as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably specify to evidence the Incremental Loan Commitment of each Incremental Lender or Additional Lender. The terms and provisions of the Incremental Loans shall be identical to those of the Revolving Loans. All Incremental Loan Commitments shall be documented solely as an increase to the Revolving Credit Commitments and all Incremental Loans shall be identical to all Revolving Loans, other than in respect of any arrangement, commitment or upfront fees payable to any Incremental Lenders or any arranger appointed in connection therewith in connection with such increase to the Revolving Credit Commitments on or prior to the Increased Amount Date in respect thereof. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender as to the effectiveness of each Incremental Loan Assumption Agreement. Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that, upon the effectiveness of any Incremental Loan Assumption Agreement, this Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent (but only to the extent) necessary to reflect the existence and terms of the Incremental Loan Commitment and the Incremental Loans evidenced thereby, and the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may revise this Agreement to evidence such amendments.

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Incremental Loan Commitment shall become effective under this Section 2.24 unless on the date of such effectiveness, (i) the conditions set forth in Sections 4.01(b) and 4.01(c) shall be satisfied and the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate to that effect dated such date and executed by a Financial Officer of the Borrower, (ii) the Borrower would be in Financial Covenant Compliance, (iii) except as otherwise specified in the applicable Incremental Loan Assumption Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall have received (with sufficient copies for each of the Incremental Lenders) legal opinions, board resolutions and other closing certificates reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent and consistent with those delivered on the Closing Date under Section 4.02 , (iv) the Administrative Agent and each applicable Lender shall have received all fees and expenses owed in respect of such Incremental Loan Commitments, (v) the terms and documentation in respect of such Incremental Loan Commitments, to the extent not consistent with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (vi) the Borrower shall have satisfied all Mortgage Modification Requirements.

(d) Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that the Administrative Agent may, in consultation with the Borrower, take any and all action as may be reasonably necessary to ensure that all Incremental Loans, when originally made, are included in each Borrowing of outstanding Revolving Loans, as applicable, on a pro rata basis. This may be accomplished by requiring each outstanding Eurodollar Borrowing to be converted into an ABR Borrowing on the date of each Incremental Loan, or by allocating a portion of each Incremental Loan to each outstanding Eurodollar Borrowing on a pro rata

 

62


basis. Any conversion of Eurodollar Loans to ABR Loans required by the preceding sentence shall be subject to Section 2.15 . If any Incremental Loan is to be allocated to an existing Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing, then the interest rate thereon for such Interest Period and the other economic consequences thereof shall be as set forth in the applicable Incremental Loan Assumption Agreement.

(e) On any Increased Amount Date on which Incremental Loan Commitments are effected, subject to the satisfaction of the foregoing terms and conditions, (i) each of the existing Revolving Credit Lenders shall assign to each of the Incremental Lenders, and each of the Incremental Lenders shall purchase from each of the existing Revolving Credit Lenders, at the principal amount thereof, such interests in the outstanding Revolving Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans outstanding on such Increased Amount Date that will result in, after giving effect to all such assignments and purchases, such Revolving Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans being held by existing Revolving Credit Lenders and Incremental Lenders ratably in accordance with their Revolving Credit Commitments after giving effect to the addition of such Incremental Loan Commitments to the Revolving Credit Commitments, (ii) each Incremental Loan Commitment shall be deemed for all purposes a Revolving Credit Commitment and each Loan made thereunder shall be deemed, for all purposes, a Revolving Loan and have the same terms as any existing Revolving Loan and (iii) each Incremental Lender shall become a Lender with respect to the Revolving Credit Commitments and all matters relating thereto.

(f) The proceeds of any Incremental Loans shall be used for the purposes specified in the introductory statement to this Agreement.

SECTION 2.25 Extension Amendments . (a) The Borrower may at any time and from time to time request that all or a portion of any of the Commitments or the Loans (including any Extended Revolving Loans), existing at the time of such request (any such Commitment, an “ Existing Commitment ” and any such existing outstanding Loans, the “ Existing Loans ”) be converted to extend, in the case of Commitments, the termination date thereof and, in the case of Loans, the scheduled maturity date(s) of any payment of principal with respect to all or a portion thereof (any such Existing Commitment which has been so extended, an “ Extended Commitment ” and any such Existing Loan whose scheduled maturity date(s) has or have been so extended, an “ Extended Revolving Loan ”) and to provide for other terms consistent with this Section 2.25 . In order to establish any Extended Commitment, the Borrower shall provide a notice to the Administrative Agent (who shall provide a copy of such notice to each of the Lenders of the applicable Existing Commitment) (an “ Extension Request ”) setting forth the proposed terms of the Extended Commitment to be established, which terms (other than as provided in clause (c)  below) shall be identical to those applicable to the Existing Commitment from which they are to be extended (the “ Specified Existing Commitment ”) except (x) all or any of the final maturity/termination dates of such Extended Commitment may be delayed to later dates than the final maturity/termination dates of the Specified Existing Commitment, (y) (A) the interest margins with respect to the Extended Commitment may be higher or lower than the interest margins for the Specified Existing Commitment and/or (B) additional fees may be payable to the Lenders providing such Extended Commitment in addition to or in lieu of any increased margins contemplated by the preceding clause (A)  and (z) the commitment fee, if any, with respect to the Extended Commitment may be higher or lower than the commitment fee, if any, for the Specified Existing Commitment, in each case to the extent provided in the applicable Extension Amendment; provided , that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.25 or otherwise, (1) no Extended Commitment shall be secured by or receive the benefit of any collateral, credit support or security that does not secure or support the Existing Commitments, (2) the final maturity of any Extended Revolving Loan shall not be earlier than any Loan made under the applicable Specified Existing Commitment in respect thereof, (3) each Lender in the Specified Existing Commitment shall be permitted to participate in the Extended Commitment in accordance with its pro rata share of the Specified Existing Commitment, (4) assignments and

 

63


participations of Extended Commitments shall be governed by the same assignment and participation provisions applicable to Loans and Commitments hereunder as set forth in Section 9.04 and (5) the repayment (other than in connection with a permanent voluntary prepayment) and the mandatory prepayment of any Extended Revolving Loans shall be made on a pro rata basis with all other outstanding Revolving Loans (other than at the maturity of any Revolving Loan Commitments that have not been extended, at which point the maturing Revolving Loans associated therewith may be repaid without making a pro rata payment of any non-maturing Revolving Loans). No Lender shall have any obligation to agree to have any of its Existing Loans or, if applicable, commitments of any Existing Commitment converted into an Extended Commitment pursuant to any Extension Request. Any Extended Commitment shall constitute a separate commitment of Loans from the Specified Existing Commitments and from any other Existing Commitments (together with any other Extended Commitments so established on such date).

(b) The Borrower shall provide the applicable Extension Request at least five (5) Business Days prior to the date on which Lenders under the applicable Existing Commitments or Existing Commitments are requested to respond. Any Lender (an “ Extending Lender ”) wishing to have all or a portion of its Specified Existing Commitment converted into an Extended Commitment shall notify the Administrative Agent (an “ Extension Election ”) on or prior to the date specified in such Extension Request of the amount of its Specified Existing Commitment that it has elected to convert into an Extended Commitment. In the event that the aggregate amount of the Specified Existing Commitment subject to Extension Elections exceeds the amount of Extended Commitments requested pursuant to the Extension Request, the Specified Existing Commitment subject to Extension Elections shall be converted to Extended Commitments on a pro rata basis based on the amount of Specified Existing Commitments included in each such Extension Election.

(c) Extended Commitments and Extended Revolving Loans shall be established pursuant to an amendment (an “ Extension Amendment ”) to this Agreement (which may include amendments to provisions related to maturity, interest margins, fees or prepayments referenced in Section 2.25(a) and which, notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in Section 9.08 , shall not require the consent of any Lender other than the Extending Lenders with respect to the Extended Commitments established thereby) executed by the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent, and the Extending Lenders. No Extension Amendment shall provide for any tranche of Extended Commitments or tranche of Extended Revolving Loans in an aggregate principal amount that is less than $50,000,000 and integral multiples of $5,000,000 in excess thereof; provided , further , that no Extension Amendment may provide for any Extended Commitment or Extended Revolving Loans to be secured by any Collateral or other assets of any Loan Party that does not also secure the Existing Commitments or Existing Loans. It is understood and agreed that each Lender has consented for all purposes requiring its consent, and shall at the effective time thereof be deemed to consent to each amendment to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents authorized by this Section 2.25 and the arrangements described above in connection therewith. In connection with any Extension Amendment, the Borrower shall deliver an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent as to the enforceability of such Extension Amendment, this Agreement as amended thereby, the security interests in respect of the Extended Revolving Loans and Extended Commitments and such of the other Loan Documents (if any) as may be amended thereby and that the existing security interest of the Collateral Agent shall not be adversely affected thereby.

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, (A) on any date on which any Existing Commitment is converted to extend the related scheduled maturity date(s) in accordance with clause (a)  above (an “ Extension Date ”), in the case of the Specified Existing Commitment of each Extending Lender, the aggregate principal amount of such Specified Existing Commitment shall be deemed reduced by an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Extended

 

64


Commitment so converted by such Lender on such date, and such Extended Commitments shall be established as a separate Commitment from the Specified Existing Commitment and from any other Existing Commitments (together with any other Extended Commitment so established on such date) and (B) if, on any Extension Date, any Revolving Loans of any Extending Lender are outstanding under the applicable Specified Existing Commitments, such loans (and any related participations) shall be deemed to be allocated as Existing Loans (and related participations) and Extended Revolving Loans (and related participations) in the same proportion as such Extending Lender’s applicable Specified Existing Commitments bear to the applicable Extended Commitments so converted by such Lender on such date.

(e) If, in connection with any proposed Extension Amendment, any Lender declines to consent to the applicable extension on the terms and by the deadline set forth in the applicable Extension Request (each such Lender, a “ Non-Extending Lender ”) then the Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative and the Non-Extending Lender, (i) replace such Non-Extending Lender by causing such Lender to (and such Lender shall be obligated to) assign pursuant to Section 9.04 (with the assignment fee and any other costs and expenses to be paid by the Borrower in such instance) all of its rights and obligations under this Agreement to one or more assignees; provided , that neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall have any obligation to the Borrower to obtain a replacement Lender; provided , further , that the applicable assignee shall have agreed to provide Loans and/or a commitment on the terms set forth in such Extension Amendment; and provided , further , that all obligations of the Borrower owing to the Non-Extending Lender relating to the Loans and participations so assigned shall be paid in full at par by the assignee Lender to such Non-Extending Lender concurrently with such Assignment and Acceptance or (ii) prepay the Loans and, at the Borrower’s option, if applicable, terminate the Commitments of such Non-Extending Lender, in whole or in part, subject to Section 2.20 , without premium or penalty. In connection with any such replacement under this Section 2.25 , if the Non-Extending Lender does not execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a duly completed Assignment and Acceptance and/or any other documentation necessary to reflect such replacement by the later of (x) the date on which the replacement Lender executes and delivers such Assignment and Acceptance and/or such other documentation and (y) the date as of which all obligations of the Borrower owing to the Non-Extending Lender relating to the Loans and participations so assigned shall be paid in full in cash by the assignee Lender to such Non-Extending Lender, then such Non-Extending Lender shall be deemed to have executed and delivered such Assignment and Acceptance and/or such other documentation as of such date and the Borrower shall be entitled (but not obligated) to execute and deliver such Assignment and Acceptance and/or such other documentation on behalf of such Non-Extending Lender.

(f) This Section 2.25 shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.16 or Section 2.17 to the contrary.

ARTICLE III

Representations and Warranties

The Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, each Swing Line Lender, each Issuing Bank and each of the Lenders that, on and as of the Closing Date and on and as of each other date thereafter as required by Section 4.01 :

SECTION 3.01 Organization; Powers. The Borrower and each of the Restricted Subsidiaries (a) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization (which, as of the Closing Date, is as identified in Schedule 3.01 ), (b) has all requisite power and authority to own its property and assets and to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted, except, in each case where the failure to have such power and authority could

 

65


not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (c) is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required, except in each case where the failure so to qualify could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and (d) has the power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under each of the Loan Documents, the Related Documents and each other agreement or instrument contemplated thereby to which it is or will be a party and, in the case of the Borrower, to borrow hereunder. The Borrower qualifies as a Master Limited Partnership after giving effect to the MLP IPO.

SECTION 3.02 Authorization . Except with respect to the Acquisition as provided in the Contribution Documents, the Transactions (a) have been duly authorized by all requisite company or partnership and, if required, equityholder action and (b) will not (i) violate (A) any provision of law, statute, rule or regulation, or of the certificate or articles of incorporation or other constitutive documents or by-laws of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or (B) any order of any Governmental Authority, (ii) violate or result in a default under any indenture or any other agreement, instrument or other evidence of any Material Indebtedness or (iii) result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon or with respect to any property or assets now owned or hereafter acquired by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Lien created hereunder or under the Security Documents or any Lien permitted by Section 6.02 ).

SECTION 3.03 Enforceability . This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and constitutes, and each other Loan Document when executed and delivered by the applicable Loan Party will constitute, legal, valid and binding obligations of such Loan Party enforceable against such Loan Party in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance or transfer, moratorium or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

SECTION 3.04 Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. (a) No action, consent or approval of, registration or filing with or any other action by any Governmental Authority is or will be required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or in connection with the Transactions, except for (i) the filing of Uniform Commercial Code financing statements and Mortgages, (ii) such as have been made or obtained and are in full force and effect and (iii) filings in connection with the Acquisition and the MLP IPO.

(b) The Loan Documents (i) will not violate any Organizational Documents and (ii) after giving effect to the First Amendment to the Development Credit Agreement, will not violate or result in a default under any indenture or any other agreement, instrument or other evidence of Material Indebtedness.

SECTION 3.05 Financial Statements. (a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders the unqualified audited combined financial statements of the predecessor of the Acquired Businesses for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 and for the period commencing January 1, 2012 and ending on November 12, 2012 and the unqualified audited combined financial statements of the Acquired Businesses for the period from November 13, 2012 to December 31, 2012. Such financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations and cash flows of the Acquired Businesses as of such dates and for such periods. Such balance sheets and the notes thereto disclose all material liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Acquired Businesses as of the dates thereof required to be disclosed under GAAP. Such financial statements were prepared in all material respects in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis.

 

66


(b) The Borrower has heretofore delivered to the Lenders a pro forma consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2012, prepared after giving effect to the Transactions as if the Transactions had occurred as of such date, in accordance with GAAP. Such pro forma balance sheet has been prepared in good faith by the Borrower, is based on the best information available to the Borrower as of the date of delivery thereof, accurately reflects all adjustments believed by the Borrower necessary to give effect to the Transactions and presents fairly in all material respects on a pro forma basis the estimated consolidated financial position of the Borrower as of such date, assuming that the Transactions had actually occurred at such date.

SECTION 3.06 No Material Adverse Effect. No event, change or condition has occurred that has had, or could reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect since December 31, 2012.

SECTION 3.07 Title to Properties; Possession Under Leases. (a) Each of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries has good and marketable title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its properties and assets, except as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. All such material properties and assets are free and clear of Liens, other than (i) in the case of Equity Interests, Liens permitted under clause (b) , (c) , (d)  and (j)  of Section 6.02 (such Liens, the “ Permitted Liens ”) and (ii) in the case of all other material properties and assets, Liens expressly permitted by Section 6.02 . Other than Liens permitted pursuant to clause (c)  of Section 6.02 , no Liens exist, directly or indirectly, on the Collateral consisting of Equity Interests that are prior and superior in right to Liens in favor of the Collateral Agent other than Liens that have priority by operation of law.

(b) As of the Closing Date, the Borrower has not received any notice of, nor has any knowledge of, any pending or contemplated condemnation proceeding affecting any Real Property material to the business of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries.

(c) As of the Closing Date, neither the Borrower nor or any of its respective Subsidiaries is obligated under any right of first refusal, option or other contractual right to sell, assign or otherwise dispose of any Material Real Property.

SECTION 3.08 Subsidiaries . Schedule 3.08 sets forth as of the Closing Date a list of all Subsidiaries and the percentage ownership interest of the Borrower therein. The shares of capital stock or other ownership interests so indicated on Schedule 3.08 are fully paid and non-assessable (except as such non-assessability may be affected by Section 18-607 or 18-804 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act) and are owned by the Borrower, directly or indirectly, free and clear of all Liens (other than Liens created under the Security Documents and Permitted Liens).

SECTION 3.09 Litigation; Compliance with Laws.

(a) Except as set forth on Schedule 3.09 , there are no actions, suits or proceedings at law or in equity or by or before any Governmental Authority now pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or any business, property or rights of any such Person (i) that involve any Loan Document or the Transactions or (ii) in each case as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Neither the Borrower nor any of the Restricted Subsidiaries or any of their respective material properties or assets is (i) in violation of, nor will the continued operation of their material properties and assets as currently conducted violate, any law, rule or regulation (other than those covered

 

67


by Sections 3.11 , 3.12 , 3.14 , 3.16 , 3.17 , 3.23 , 3.25 or 3.27 , which laws, rules and regulations are addressed in those Sections) or (ii) is in default with respect to any judgment, writ, injunction, decree or order of any Governmental Authority (including without limitation the USA PATRIOT Act), where such violation or default could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.10 No Default. Neither the Borrower nor any of the Restricted Subsidiaries is in default in any manner under any provision of any indenture or other agreement, instrument or other evidence of Material Indebtedness, or any other material agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties or assets are or may be bound, in each case where such default could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.11 Federal Reserve Regulations. (a) Neither the Borrower nor any of the Restricted Subsidiaries is engaged principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose of buying or carrying Margin Stock.

(b) No part of the proceeds of any Loan or any Letter of Credit will be used, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, for any purpose that entails a violation of, or that is inconsistent with, the provisions of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulation T, U or X.

SECTION 3.12 Investment Company Act. Neither the Borrower nor any of the Restricted Subsidiaries is an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940.

SECTION 3.13 Use of Proceeds. The Borrower will use the proceeds of the Loans and will request the issuance of Letters of Credit only for the purposes specified in the introductory statement to this Agreement.

SECTION 3.14 Taxes. Each of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries has filed or caused to be filed all Federal, state, local and foreign tax returns or materials required to have been filed by it and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes due and payable by it (whether or not shown on any tax return) and all assessments received by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently conducted that operate to suspend the collection of such contested Tax and for which the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, shall have set aside on its books adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP or (b) in each case, to the extent the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or the imposition of a material Lien on any Collateral. There is no proposed written Tax assessment against the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.15 No Material Misstatements. None of (a) the Projections and the Confidential Information Memorandum or (b) any other information, report, financial statement, exhibit or schedule furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower or any other Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of any Loan Document or included therein or delivered pursuant thereto, when furnished and taken as a whole, contained, contains or will contain any material misstatement of fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were, are or will be made, not materially misleading; provided that to the extent any such information, report, financial statement, exhibit or schedule was based upon or constitutes a forecast or projection, the Borrower represents only that it acted in good faith and utilized reasonable assumptions (based upon accounting principles consistent with the historical audited financial statements of the Borrower) and due care in the preparation of such information, report, financial statement, exhibit or schedule (it being understood that projections are not a guaranty of future performance and that actual results during the period or periods covered by projections may materially differ from the projected results therein).

 

68


SECTION 3.16 Employee Benefit Plans . Neither the Borrower nor any of the Restricted Subsidiaries has any employees or sponsors, maintains, contributes to or has established any Plan or Foreign Pension Plan. There does not now exist, and there are no existing circumstances that could reasonably be expected to result in, any Controlled Group Liability that would be a liability of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries following the Closing Date. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $1,000,000.

SECTION 3.17 Environmental Matters. (a) Except as set forth in Schedule 3.17 or, in each case, as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) none of the properties currently owned or operated by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is listed or proposed for listing on the NPL or on the CERCLIS or any analogous state or local list nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower, is any property formerly owned or operated by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries listed or proposed for listing on any such list; (ii) there are no and have never been any surface impoundments, pits, sumps or lagoons, or landfills or dumps, in which Hazardous Materials are being or have been treated, stored or disposed on any property currently owned or operated by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, on any property formerly owned or operated by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries except for such impoundments, pits, sumps or lagoons, or landfills or dumps, that have been removed from service or remediated in material compliance with Environmental Law; and (iii) to the knowledge of the Borrower, there has been no Release on, at or under any property currently or formerly owned or operated by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries, except as would not reasonably be expected to result in material Environmental Liability to the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries.

(b) Except as set forth in Schedule 3.17 or as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) neither the Borrower nor any of the Restricted Subsidiaries is undertaking, and has not completed, either individually or together with other potentially responsible parties, any investigation or assessment or remedial or response action relating to any actual or threatened Release of Hazardous Materials or natural gas at, on or under any site, location or operation, either voluntarily or pursuant to the order of any Governmental Authority or the requirements of any Environmental Law; and (ii) all Hazardous Materials generated, used, treated, handled or stored at, or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, transported to or from, any property currently or formerly owned or operated by the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries are either currently managed or have been disposed of in compliance with Environmental Laws.

(c) As of the Closing Date, and at any time after the Closing Date unless such assumption or undertaking could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Borrower nor any of the Restricted Subsidiaries has assumed or undertaken, whether by contract, operation of law or otherwise, any Environmental Liabilities of any other Person.

(d) Except as otherwise would be subject to applicable privilege, the Borrower has made available to the Administrative Agent true and correct copies of any material environmental reports, studies or similar documents in the custody or control of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries relating to the Borrower, the Restricted Subsidiaries, their properties or the operation of their businesses and prepared prior to the Closing Date.

 

69


SECTION 3.18 Insurance . Schedule 3.18 sets forth an accurate description of all insurance maintained by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or by the Borrower for any Restricted Subsidiary as of the Closing Date. As of the Closing Date, such insurance is in full force and effect and all premiums have been duly paid. The Borrower and any Restricted Subsidiary have insurance in such amounts and covering such risks and liabilities as are in accordance with normal industry practice.

SECTION 3.19 Security Documents .

(a) The Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, upon execution and delivery thereof by the parties thereto, will create in favor of the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a legal, valid and enforceable security interest in the Collateral (as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement) and the proceeds thereof and (i) when the Pledged Collateral (as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement) is delivered to the Collateral Agent, the Lien created under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement shall constitute a fully perfected first priority Lien on, and security interest in, all right, title and interest of the Loan Parties in such Pledged Collateral, in each case prior and superior in right to any other Person, and (ii) when financing statements in appropriate form are filed in the offices specified on Schedule 3.19(a) , the Lien created under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement will constitute a fully perfected Lien on, and security interest in, all right, title and interest of the Loan Parties in such Collateral (other than Intellectual Property, as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement) to the extent such Liens can be perfected by filing a financing statement, under the Uniform Commercial Code, in each case prior and superior in right to any other Person other than with respect to Liens expressly permitted by Section 6.02 (limited in the case of Equity Interests, only to Liens permitted under Section 6.02(c) )

(b) Upon the recordation of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement (or a short-form security agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower and the Collateral Agent) with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United States Copyright Office, together with the financing statements in appropriate form filed in the offices specified on Schedule 3.19(a) , the Lien created under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement shall constitute a fully perfected Lien on, and security interest in, all right, title and interest of the Loan Parties in the Intellectual Property (as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement) in which a security interest may be perfected by filing in the United States and its territories and possessions, in each case prior and superior in right to any other Person, other than with respect to Liens expressly permitted by Section 6.02 (it being understood that subsequent recordings in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United States Copyright Office may be necessary to perfect a Lien on registered trademarks and patents, trademark and patent applications and registered copyrights acquired by the Loan Parties after the Closing Date).

(c) The Mortgages are effective to create in favor of the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a legal, valid and enforceable Lien on all of the Loan Parties’ right, title and interest in and to the Mortgaged Property thereunder and the proceeds thereof, and when the Mortgages are filed in the offices specified on Schedule 3.19(c) , the Mortgages shall constitute a fully perfected Lien on, and security interest in, all right, title and interest of the Loan Parties in such Mortgaged Property and the proceeds thereof, in each case prior and superior in right to any other Person, other than with respect to Permitted Encumbrances in the case of Mortgaged Property and any other Liens expressly permitted under Section 6.02 in respect of any other Collateral described in this clause (c) .

 

70


SECTION 3.20 Real Property.

(a) Schedule 3.20(a) lists completely and correctly as of the Closing Date all Material Real Property owned by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries and the addresses thereof. The Borrower and the Subsidiaries own in fee all the Material Real Property set forth on Schedule 3.20(a) .

(b) Schedule 3.20(b) lists completely and correctly as of the Closing Date all Material Leased Real Property leased by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and the addresses thereof. The Borrower and the Subsidiaries have valid leases in all the Material Leased Real Property set forth on Schedule 3.20(b) .

SECTION 3.21 Solvency . Immediately after the consummation of the Transactions to occur on the Closing Date and immediately following the making of each Loan and after giving effect to the application of the proceeds of each Loan, the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries are, on a consolidated basis, Solvent.

SECTION 3.22 Related Documents . The Borrower has delivered to the Administrative Agent a complete and correct copy of each Related Document (including all schedules, exhibits, amendments, supplements and modifications thereto). Neither the Borrower nor any of the Restricted Subsidiaries is in default in the performance of or compliance with any material provisions of any Related Document and, except to the extent the same could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, to the knowledge of the Borrower, no other Person party thereto is in default under any Related Document. The Related Documents comply in all material respects with applicable laws.

SECTION 3.23 Sanctioned Persons . Neither the Borrower nor any of the Restricted Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower, any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“ OFAC ”). The Borrower will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the Loans or the Letters of Credit or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Person, for the purpose of financing the activities of any Person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

SECTION 3.24 Regulatory Status . (a) TMLLC is not a transportation or service provider regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under the Natural Gas Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. Section 717, et seq . and the Natural Gas Policy Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. Section 3301, et seq . TMLLC currently engages in sales for resale of natural gas in interstate commerce for which it uses transportation capacity on the TIGT pipeline system. Such sales for resales are, to a limited extent, governed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under the Natural Gas Act Section 717, et seq . and the Natural Gas Policy Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. Section 3301, et seq and TMLLC is in compliance with any such regulations applicable to such sales for resale. TGIT is a natural gas company subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under the Natural Gas Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. Section 717, et seq . and the Natural Gas Policy Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. Section 3301, et seq . and is in compliance with the Natural Gas Act, the Natural Gas Policy Act and all applicable rules, regulations, orders, certificates and tariffs of the FERC. TMLLC is not required to file any forms or reports by or with respect to it (and its business, operations and assets) with the FERC and TGIT has duly filed all forms and reports required to be filed by or with respect to it (and its business, operations and assets) with the FERC and such forms and reports have been prepared in accordance with applicable laws, except, in each case, to the extent that any noncompliance, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) As of the Closing Date, neither the Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary, nor any assets of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary are regulated as a “holding company,” public utility or an intrastate pipeline by any state Governmental Authority, or are subject to any state regulatory jurisdiction by a state public utility commission or similar entity.

 

71


(c) Except as set forth in Schedule 3.24 or, in each case, as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, there are no proceedings pending, or to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened, that challenge (a) any of the rates, charges, or fees currently received for providing services in connection with the Pipeline System, or (b) the Acquired Businesses’ construction, ownership, operation, financing, maintenance or right to discontinue use of any facilities making up the Pipeline System.

(d) None of the Lenders will, solely as a result of entering into any Loan Document or the consummation and/or performance of any of the Transactions, be subject to regulation by FERC or any state public utility commission.

SECTION 3.25 Labor Matters . As of the Closing Date, and at any time after the Closing Date unless such event could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, there are no strikes, lockouts, labor disputes or slowdowns pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries. The hours worked and payments made to employees of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries have not been in violation in any material respect of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, or any other applicable federal, state, local or foreign law dealing with such matters. All material payments due from the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries, or for which any claim may be made against the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries on account of wages or employee health and welfare insurance or other benefits have been paid or accrued as a liability on the books of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary. The consummation of the Transactions will not give rise to any right of termination or right of renegotiation on the part of any union under any collective bargaining agreement to which the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries is bound.

SECTION 3.26 Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc. . Each of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries own, license or possess the valid right to use all Intellectual Property used in or reasonably necessary for the operation of their businesses as currently conducted, without conflict with the Intellectual Property rights of any Person, in each case, except, individually or in the aggregate, as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; provided , however, to the extent the foregoing representation and warranty relates to infringement, misappropriation or a violation of Intellectual Property rights held by a Person, it shall be considered qualified by the knowledge of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary. To the knowledge of the Borrower, no Intellectual Property, advertising, product, process, method, substance, part or other material used by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, or the operation of its business as currently conducted, infringes upon, misappropriates or violates any Intellectual Property rights held by any Person except for such infringements, misappropriations or violations, individually or in the aggregate, which could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No claim or litigation regarding any of the Intellectual Property of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary is pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, which claim or litigation, individually or in the aggregate, if subject to an adverse ruling against the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.27 Anti-Corruption Laws . Neither the Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary nor any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of such Person is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the FCPA or any other applicable anti-corruption laws, including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or

 

72


authorization or approval of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give or authorization of the giving of anything of value, directly or indirectly, to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office in contravention of the FCPA or any other applicable anti-corruption laws. The Borrower, the Restricted Subsidiaries and their respective Affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and the FCPA and will maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representation and warranty contained herein.

ARTICLE IV

Conditions of Lending

The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Banks to issue, amend, renew and extend Letters of Credit hereunder are subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

SECTION 4.01 All Credit Events . On the date of each Borrowing (other than a conversion or a continuation of a Borrowing) and on the date of each issuance, amendment, extension or renewal of a Letter of Credit (each such event being called a “ Credit Event ”):

(a) The Administrative Agent shall have received a notice of such Borrowing as required by Section 2.03 (or such notice shall have been deemed given in accordance with Section 2.02 ) or, in the case of the issuance, amendment, extension or renewal of a Letter of Credit, the applicable Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent shall have received a notice requesting the issuance, amendment, extension or renewal of such Letter of Credit as required by Section 2.23(b) ;

(b) The representations and warranties set forth in Article III and in each other Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects (other than representations and warranties that are qualified by materiality, which shall be true and correct in all respects) on and as of the date of such Credit Event with the same effect as though made on and as of such date, except to the extent such representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date, in which case such representations shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date; and

(c) At the time of and immediately after such Credit Event, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

Each Credit Event shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date of such Credit Event as to the matters specified in paragraphs (b)  and (c)  of this Section 4.01 .

SECTION 4.02 First Credit Event . The initial Credit Event hereunder (and the obligations of the Lenders and/or the Issuing Bank, as applicable, in respect thereof) shall be subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

(a) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from each party either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents signed on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include telecopy or other electronic transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement and each of the Loan Documents;

 

73


(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received, on behalf of itself, the Collateral Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders, the favorable written opinion of Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP, counsel for the Loan Parties in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (A) dated the Closing Date, (B) addressed to the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders, and (C) covering such matters relating to the Loan Documents and the Transactions as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request, and the Borrower hereby requests such counsel to deliver such opinions;

(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received with respect to the Borrower and each other Loan Party (i) Organizational Documents certified to be true and complete as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority of the state or jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, where applicable, and certified by a Secretary or Assistant Secretary of such Loan Party to be true and complete as of the Closing Date; (ii) a certificate of the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of each Loan Party dated the Closing Date and certifying (A) that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of the limited liability company agreement or, in the case of the Borrower, the LP Agreement, as in effect on the Closing Date, (B) that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of resolutions duly adopted by the board of directors or other governing body of such Loan Party (and, if applicable, any parent company of such Loan Party) authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents and the borrowings hereunder, and that such resolutions have not been modified, rescinded or amended and are in full force and effect, (C) that the certificate or articles of organization of such Loan Party have not been amended since the date of the last amendment thereto shown on the certificate of good standing furnished pursuant to clause  (i) above, and (D) as to the incumbency and specimen signature of each officer executing any Loan Document or any other document delivered in connection herewith on behalf of such Loan Party; and (iii) a certificate of another officer as to the incumbency and specimen signature of the Secretary or Assistant Secretary executing the certificate pursuant to clause  (ii) above;

(d) The Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent shall have received, on or before the Closing Date all documents and instruments, including Uniform Commercial Code financing statements required by Law or reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent (to the extent required by the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement) to be filed, registered, published or recorded to create or perfect the Liens intended to be created under the Loan Documents and all such documents and instruments shall have been so filed, registered, published or recorded or other arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent for such filing, registration, publication or recordation shall have been made; provided that to the extent any Lien on Collateral (other than the pledge and perfection of security interests in Equity Interests of Domestic Subsidiaries of Borrower (to the extent required hereunder and under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement) including by delivery of any stock or unit certificates, if any, and other assets with respect to which a Lien may be perfected by the filing of a Uniform Commercial Code financing statement) is not provided on the Closing Date after the Borrower’s use of commercially reasonable efforts to do so, the delivery of such Security Document and other documents and instruments shall not constitute a condition precedent to the availability of the Revolving Loans on the Closing Date and such documents and instruments shall be delivered pursuant to the terms of Section 5.15 hereunder;

(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received certified copies of the Related Documents, duly executed by the parties thereto;

(f) The First Amendment to the Development Credit Agreement shall be in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent shall have received evidence that, prior to or substantially simultaneously with the making of the initial Revolving Loans, the Development Credit Agreement has been amended by the First Amendment to the Development Credit Agreement to permit the Transactions;

(g) Prior to or substantially simultaneously with the making of the initial Revolving Loans, the MLP IPO and the other Transactions shall have been consummated;

 

74


(h) The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) the unqualified audited combined financial statements of the predecessor of the Acquired Businesses for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 and for the period commencing January 1, 2012 and ending on November 12, 2012 and the unqualified audited combined financial statements of the Acquired Businesses for the period from November 13, 2012 to December 31, 2012 and (ii) a customary pro forma balance sheet of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis as of December 31, 2012, prepared after giving effect to the Transactions as if the Transactions had occurred as of such date; provided that, the financial statements shall have been prepared in all material respects in accordance with GAAP;

(i) The Administrative Agent shall have received financial projections of the Borrower and the Acquired Businesses and their respective Subsidiaries through the fifth year following the Closing Date which will be prepared on a basis consistent with the financial projections of the Borrower and the Acquired Businesses and their respective subsidiaries delivered to the Arrangers prior to the Closing Date;

(j) The Administrative Agent shall have received a Solvency Certificate from a Responsible Officer of the Borrower (after giving effect to the Transactions) substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit L ;

(k) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as to the matters set forth in clause (b)  and (c)  of Section 4.01 and clauses (g)  and (n)  of this Section 4.02 ;

(l) The Administrative Agent shall have received all documentation and other information required by bank regulatory authorities under applicable “know-your-customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act, at least five (5) Business Days prior to the Closing Date that has been reasonably requested by any Lender at least ten (10) days in advance of the Closing Date;

(m) The Arrangers and the Administrative Agent shall have received all Fees and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Closing Date (which, in the case of Fees for the account of the Lenders, the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Lenders), including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Loan Parties hereunder or under any other Loan Document; and

(n) The Total Leverage Ratio of the Borrower calculated for the Applicable Period ended December 31, 2012 and after giving pro forma effect to the Transactions and any Borrowings under this Agreement made on the Closing Date as if made on the last day of such period and still outstanding on the last day of such period shall not exceed 3.50:1.00.

ARTICLE V

Affirmative Covenants

The Borrower covenants and agrees with each Lender that so long as this Agreement shall remain in effect (other than pursuant to the last sentence of Section 9.02 ) and until the Commitments have been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan, all Fees and all other expenses or amounts payable under any Loan Document (other than contingent reimbursement and indemnification obligations to the extent no unsatisfied claim with respect thereto has been asserted) shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have been canceled or have expired and all amounts drawn thereunder have been reimbursed in full (unless such Letter of Credit has been cash collateralized or otherwise backstopped in a

 

75


manner satisfactory to the applicable Issuing Bank or other arrangements satisfactory to such Issuing Bank shall have been made), unless the Required Lenders shall otherwise consent in writing, the Borrower will, and will cause each of the Restricted Subsidiaries to:

SECTION 5.01 Existence; Compliance with Laws; Businesses and Properties . (a) Do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence, except as otherwise expressly permitted under Section 6.05 .

(b) Except, in each case, where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) do or cause to be done all things necessary to obtain, preserve, renew, extend and keep in full force and effect the rights, licenses, permits, franchises, authorizations, patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade names material to the conduct of its business; (ii) maintain and operate such business in substantially the manner in which it is presently conducted and operated and (iii) at all times maintain and preserve all property material to the conduct of such business and keep such property in good repair, working order and condition and from time to time make, or cause to be made, all needful and proper repairs, renewals, additions, improvements and replacements thereto in accordance, in all material respects, with Prudent Industry Practices.

(c) Except, in each case, where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, comply, and cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to comply, with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders, including, without limitation, applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders regarding any loans, advances, mortgage or promissory note arrangements with employees or agents, ERISA, FERC regulations and tariffs, Environmental Laws and the USA PATRIOT Act and other applicable anti-money laundering laws.

SECTION 5.02 Insurance . (a) Keep its insurable properties adequately insured at all times by financially sound and reputable insurers; maintain such other insurance, to such extent and against such risks, including fire and other risks insured against by extended coverage, as is customary with companies in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations, including comprehensive general liability insurance against claims for bodily injury or death or property damage occurring upon, in, about or in connection with the use of any properties owned, occupied or controlled by it; and maintain such other insurance as may be required by law.

(b) Cause all such policies covering any Collateral to be endorsed or otherwise amended to include a customary lender’s loss payable endorsement, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent, which endorsement shall provide that, from and after the Closing Date, if the insurance carrier shall have received written notice from the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent of the occurrence of an Event of Default, the insurance carrier shall pay all proceeds otherwise payable to the Borrower under such policies directly to the Collateral Agent; cause all such policies to provide that neither the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent nor any other party shall be a coinsurer thereunder and to contain a “Replacement Cost Endorsement”, without any deduction for depreciation, and such other provisions as the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent may reasonably require from time to time to protect their interests; deliver original or certified copies of all such policies to the Collateral Agent; cause each such policy to provide that it shall not be canceled, modified or not renewed (i) by reason of nonpayment of premium upon not less than ten (10) days’ prior written notice thereof by the insurer to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent (giving the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent the right to cure defaults in the payment of premiums) or (ii) for any other reason upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice thereof by the insurer to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent; deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent, prior to the cancellation, modification or nonrenewal of any such policy of insurance, a copy of a renewal or replacement policy (or other evidence of renewal of a policy previously delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent) together with evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent of payment of the premium therefor.

 

76


(c) To the extent any Mortgaged Property is subject to the provisions of the Flood Insurance Laws, (i) (x) concurrently with the delivery of the mortgage in favor of the Collateral Agent in connection therewith, and (y) at any other time if necessary for compliance with applicable Flood Insurance Laws, provide the Collateral Agent with a standard flood hazard determination form for such Mortgaged Property and (ii) if any such Mortgaged Property is located in an area designated a “flood hazard area” in any Flood Insurance Rate Map published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or any successor agency), obtain flood insurance in such amount as the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent may from time to time reasonably require, and otherwise to ensure compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program as set forth in the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as it may be amended from time to time (the “ Flood Insurance Laws ”). In addition, to the extent the Borrower and the other Loan Parties fail to obtain or maintain satisfactory flood insurance required pursuant to the preceding sentence with respect to any Mortgaged Property, the Collateral Agent shall be permitted, in its sole discretion, to obtain forced placed insurance at the Borrower’s expense to ensure compliance with any applicable Flood Insurance Laws.

(d) With respect to each Mortgaged Property and any personal property located in the United States, carry and maintain comprehensive general liability insurance including the “broad form CGL endorsement” (or equivalent coverage) and coverage on a claims made basis for bodily injury, death and property damage and umbrella liability insurance against any and all claims, in each case in amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar industry operating in the same or similar locations naming the Collateral Agent as an additional insured, on forms reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent.

(e) Notify the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent promptly whenever any separate insurance concurrent in form or contributing in the event of loss with that required to be maintained under this Section 5.02 is taken out by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; and promptly deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent a copy of such policy or policies.

SECTION 5.03 Obligations and Taxes . Pay any obligation in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $25,000,000 promptly and discharge or cause to be paid and discharged promptly when due all Taxes before the same shall become delinquent or in default; provided , however , that such payment and discharge shall not be required with respect to any such obligation or Tax so long as (a) the validity or amount thereof shall be contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently conducted and the Borrower or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary shall have set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and such contest operates to suspend collection of the contested obligation or Tax and enforcement of a Lien or (b), in each case, to the extent the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or the imposition of a Lien on Collateral not permitted hereunder.

SECTION 5.04 Financial Statements, Reports, etc. . (a) Furnish to the Administrative Agent, which shall furnish to each Lender:

(i) within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Borrower’s consolidated balance sheet and related statements of income, partners’ equity and cash flows showing the financial condition of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the close of such fiscal year and the results of its operations and the operations of such Subsidiaries during such year, together with comparative figures for the immediately preceding fiscal year, all audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national

 

77


standing and accompanied by an opinion of such accountants (which opinion shall be without a “going concern” or like qualification (other than an exception or explanatory paragraph with respect to the maturity of the Credit Facilities for an opinion delivered in the fiscal year in which such Indebtedness matures) and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements fairly present the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in all material respects in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, together with a customary “management discussion and analysis” provision;

(ii) within 45 days after the end of each fiscal quarter (other than the final fiscal quarter of any fiscal year), the Borrower’s consolidated balance sheet and related statements of income, partners’ equity and cash flows showing the financial condition of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the close of such fiscal quarter and the results of its operations and the operations of such Subsidiaries during such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, and comparative figures for the same periods in the immediately preceding fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as fairly presenting the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in all material respects in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments, together with a customary “management discussion and analysis” provision;

(iii) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under paragraph (i)  or (ii)  above, a certificate of a Financial Officer (the “ Compliance Certificate ”) in the form of Exhibit I (x) certifying that no Event of Default or Default has occurred or, if such an Event of Default or Default has occurred, specifying the nature and extent thereof and any corrective action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto and (y) commencing, in the case of paragraph (ii) above, with the first full fiscal quarter after the Closing Date, setting forth computations in reasonable detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent demonstrating compliance with the covenants contained in Sections 6.10 and 6.11 .

(iv) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (i)  above, an annual business plan and budget of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, including any forecasts prepared by management of the Borrower;

(v) promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any material statement or report furnished to any holder of debt of the Borrower or of any of the Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of any indenture, loan or credit or similar agreement in a principal amount of at least $15,000,000 and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to this Section 5.04 ;

(vi) promptly after the request by any Lender, all documentation and other information that such Lender reasonably requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act; and

(vii) promptly, from time to time, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of any Loan Document, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.

 

78


Information required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.04(a)(i) and Section 5.04(a)(ii) above shall be deemed to have been delivered if such information, or one or more annual or quarterly reports containing such information, shall be available on the website of the Securities Exchange Commission at http://www.sec.gov and the Compliance Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 5.04(a)(iii) provides a statement regarding the availability of such information on such website.

(b) The financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.04(a)(i) and Section 5.04(a)(ii) above shall be accompanied by reasonably detailed segment reporting as required under GAAP, certified by a Financial Officer of the Borrower as fairly presenting the financial condition and results of operations of such segments in all material respects in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments.

SECTION 5.05 Litigation and Other Notices . Promptly after obtaining actual knowledge thereof by any Responsible Officer of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, furnish to the Administrative Agent (which shall furnish to each Issuing Bank and each Lender), written notice of the following:

(a) any Event of Default or Default, specifying the nature and extent thereof and the corrective action (if any) taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto;

(b) the filing or commencement of, or any threat or notice of intention of any Governmental Authority or other Person to file or commence, any action, investigation, enforcement action, suit or proceeding, whether at law or in equity or by or before any Governmental Authority, against the Borrower or any Affiliate, including any Restricted Subsidiary, thereof that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

(c) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $25,000,000; and

(d) any development that has resulted in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.06 Information Regarding Collateral . (a) Furnish to the Administrative Agent prompt written notice of any change (i) in the Borrower’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s legal name, (ii) in the jurisdiction of organization or formation of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, (iii) in the Borrower’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s identity or corporate structure or (iv) in the Borrower’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s Federal Taxpayer Identification Number. The Borrower agrees not to effect or permit, or to cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to effect or permit, any change referred to in the preceding sentence unless all filings have been made under the Uniform Commercial Code or otherwise that are required in order for the Collateral Agent to continue at all times following such change to have a valid, legal and perfected security interest in all the Collateral to the same extent as before such change. The Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries also agree promptly to notify the Administrative Agent if any material portion of the Collateral is damaged or destroyed.

(b) In the case of the Borrower, each year, at the time of delivery of the annual financial statements with respect to the preceding fiscal year pursuant to Section 5.04(a) , deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Responsible Officer setting forth the information required pursuant to Section 2 of the Perfection Certificate or confirming that there has been no change in such information since the date of the Perfection Certificate delivered on the Closing Date or the date of the most recent certificate delivered pursuant to this Section 5.06 .

 

79


SECTION 5.07 Maintaining Records; Access to Properties and Inspections; ; Maintenance of Status as a Master Limited Partnership . (a) Keep proper books of record and account, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflecting in all material respects in conformity with GAAP and all requirements of law are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities. The Borrower will, and will cause of the Restricted Subsidiaries to permit any representatives and independent contractors designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender to visit and inspect the financial records and the properties of such Person at reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested and to make extracts from and copies of such financial records, and permit any representatives and independent contractors designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender to discuss the affairs, finances and condition of such Person with the officers thereof and independent accountants therefor, in the case of an inspection by the Administrative Agent, at the expense of the Borrower; provided that (i) the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may only exercise such right of inspection once per calendar year and (ii) notwithstanding clause (i)  above, when an Event of Default exists, the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at any time during normal business hours upon reasonable notice to the Borrower.

(b) Will, in the case of the Borrower, maintain its status as a Master Limited Partnership at all times.

SECTION 5.08 Use of Proceeds . Use the proceeds of the Loans and request the issuance of Letters of Credit only for the purposes specified in the introductory statement to this Agreement.

SECTION 5.09 Employee Benefits . (a) Comply with the applicable provisions of ERISA and the Code except, in each case, where a failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and (b) furnish to the Administrative Agent as soon as possible after, and in any event within ten days after any Responsible Officer of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate knows or has reason to know that, any ERISA Event has occurred that, alone or together with any other ERISA Event, resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate in an aggregate amount exceeding $25,000,000, a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower or such ERISA Affiliate setting forth details as to such ERISA Event and the action, if any, that the Borrower or such ERISA Affiliate proposes to take with respect thereto.

SECTION 5.10 Compliance with Environmental Laws . Comply in all material respects and take all commercially reasonable measures to cause all lessees, invitees and any other Persons operating or occupying its properties to comply in all material respects with all applicable Environmental Laws and Environmental Permits; obtain and renew all material Environmental Permits necessary for its operations and properties; and to the extent required by Environmental Laws, conduct any investigation, study, sampling and testing, and undertake any cleanup, removal, remedial or other action necessary to remove and clean up all Hazardous Materials from any of its properties, in compliance in all material respects with the applicable requirements of all Environmental Laws, in each case, unless such non-compliance would not result in, or could not reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect; provided , however , that neither the Borrower nor any of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall be required to undertake any such cleanup, removal, remedial or other action to the extent that its obligation to do so is being contested in good faith and by proper administrative or judicial proceedings, appropriate reserves are being maintained with respect to such circumstances in accordance with GAAP, or the delay in performance of such action could not reasonably be expected to result in a material Environmental Liability.

SECTION 5.11 Preparation of Environmental Reports . If a Default caused by reason of a breach of Section 3.17 or Section 5.10 shall have occurred and be continuing for more than 20 days without the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary commencing activities reasonably likely to cure such

 

80


Default, at the written request of the Required Lenders through the Administrative Agent, provide to the Administrative Agent within 45 days after such request (if such Default is then continuing), at the expense of the Borrower, a report regarding the matters which are the subject of such Default prepared by an environmental consulting firm reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and indicating the presence or absence of Hazardous Materials and the estimated cost of any compliance or remedial action in connection with such Default.

SECTION 5.12 Further Assurances; Additional Guarantees and Collateral . (a) Execute any and all further documents, financing statements, agreements and instruments, and take all further action (including filing Uniform Commercial Code and other financing statements, Mortgages and deeds of trust) that may be required under applicable law, or that the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent may reasonably request, in order to effectuate the Transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents and in order to grant, preserve, protect and perfect the validity and first priority of the security interests created or intended to be created by the Security Documents.

(b) In the event that (x) any Person becomes a Wholly Owned Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a Restricted Subsidiary or (y) any Unrestricted Subsidiary is converted into a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Wholly Owned Domestic Subsidiary, in each case, after the Closing Date, the Borrower shall (a) within 30 days of such event (or such longer period of time acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent), cause such Wholly Owned Domestic Subsidiary to become a Guarantor and a Grantor (as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement) under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement by executing and delivering to Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent a counterpart agreement or supplement to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement in accordance with its terms, and (b) take all such actions and execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, all such documents, instruments, agreements, and certificates reasonably requested by Collateral Agent, including those which are similar to those described in Sections 4.02(b) , (c) , (d) , (l) , Schedule 5.15 and Section 2.9(b) or Section 9.14 of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement. In the event that any Person becomes a Foreign Subsidiary of the Borrower or any Unrestricted Subsidiary is converted into a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Foreign Subsidiary after the Closing Date, and 100% of the voting and non-voting Equity Interests of such Foreign Subsidiary are directly owned by the Borrower and its Wholly Owned Domestic Subsidiaries (other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries), the Borrower shall, and shall cause each such Wholly Owned Domestic Subsidiary to, within 60 days of such event (or such longer period of time acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent), deliver all such documents, instruments, agreements, and certificates as are similar to those described in Section 4.02(b) , (c) , (d) , (l) , and the Borrower shall take, and shall cause each such Wholly-Owned Domestic Subsidiary to take, all of the actions referred to in Section 4.02(d) and Section 5.4 of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement necessary to grant and to perfect a Lien in favor of Collateral Agent, for the benefit of Secured Parties, under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, or, at the option of the Collateral Agent, under a security or pledge agreement under the law of the jurisdiction of organization of the pledged Person, in such Equity Interests, or, if a material adverse tax consequence would result therefrom, in not more than 65% of the voting, and 100% of such non-voting, Equity Interests. With respect to each such Subsidiary, the Borrower shall, within 15 days of such event (or such longer period of time acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent), send to Administrative Agent written notice setting forth with respect to such Person (i) the date on which such Person became a Wholly Owned Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a Restricted Subsidiary or was converted into a Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) all of the data required to be set forth in Schedules 3.01 and 3.08 with respect to all Subsidiaries of the Borrower, and such written notice shall be deemed to supplement Schedules 3.01 and 3.08 for all purposes hereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, (A) neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to grant a Lien in the Equity Interests of any Unrestricted Subsidiary and (B) neither Pony Express HoldCo or any JV HoldCo shall be required to grant a Lien in the Equity Interests of any Person that is not a Wholly Owned Domestic Subsidiary if the Borrower, its Restricted Subsidiaries and its Affiliates own or control less than 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests issued by such Person.

 

81


(c) In the event that any Loan Party acquires Material Real Property or any Unrestricted Subsidiary that owns Material Real Property is converted into a Restricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date or any Real Property of a Loan Party becomes Material Real Property after the Closing Date, and such interest in such Material Real Property has not otherwise been made subject to the Lien of the Security Documents in favor of Collateral Agent, for the benefit of Secured Parties, then the Borrower shall, or shall cause such Subsidiary to, within 90 days of such event (or such longer period of time acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent), take all such actions and execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, all such Mortgages, documents, instruments, agreements, opinions and certificates, including those which are similar to those described in Section 5.15(b) with respect to each such Material Real Property, that the Collateral Agent shall reasonably request to create in favor of the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of Secured Parties, a valid and, subject to any filing and/or recording referred to herein, perfected first priority security interest in such Material Real Property. In addition to the foregoing, Borrower shall, at the request of the Collateral Agent, deliver, from time to time, to the Collateral Agent such appraisals as are required by law or regulation of Material Real Property with respect to which the Collateral Agent has been granted a Lien.

(d) In the event that any Loan Party acquires Material Leased Real Property or any Unrestricted Subsidiary that leases Material Leased Real Property is converted into a Restricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date or any Real Property of a Loan Party becomes Material Leased Real Property after the Closing Date, then the Borrower shall, or shall cause such Subsidiary to, use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain customary landlord or landowners lien waivers, in each case reasonably acceptable to the Collateral Agent.

SECTION 5.13 Equity Interests in Certain Subsidiaries . In the case of the Borrower, unless 100% of the Equity Interest in such Person are disposed of, own directly or indirectly no less than 100% of the Equity Interests in each of the Acquired Businesses.

SECTION 5.14 Unrestricted Subsidiaries . (a) The Borrower may at any time designate, by a certificate executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided that (x) immediately before and after such designation, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (y) the Borrower is in Financial Covenant Compliance immediately after giving effect to such designation as of the most recent Date of Determination and (z) the total assets of all Unrestricted Subsidiaries shall be less than 10% of Consolidated Total Assets after giving effect to such designation. The designation of any Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall constitute an investment by the Borrower or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary (as applicable) therein at the date of designation in an amount equal to the aggregate fair market value of all such Person’s outstanding investment therein.

(b) Any designation of a Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary will be evidenced to the Administrative Agent by delivering to the Administrative Agent a certified copy of a resolution of the Board of Directors giving effect to such designation and an Officers’ Certificate certifying that such designation complied with the preceding conditions and was permitted by Section 6.04 . If, at any time, any Unrestricted Subsidiary should fail to meet the preceding requirements as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, it will thereafter cease to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary for the purposes of this Agreement and any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary will be deemed to be incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary as of such date and, if such Indebtedness is not permitted to be incurred as of such date under Section 6.01 , the Borrower will be in default of such covenant.

 

82


(c) The Board of Directors of the Borrower may at any time designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such designation will be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness by a Restricted Subsidiary of any outstanding Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary, and such designation will only be permitted if (i) such Indebtedness is permitted under Section 6.01 and (ii) no Default or Event of Default would be in existence immediately following such designation and the Borrower is in Financial Covenant Compliance immediately after giving effect to such designation as of the most recent Date of Determination.

SECTION 5.15 Certain Post-Closing Obligations . (a) Execute and deliver the documents and complete the tasks set forth on Schedule 5.15 , in each case within the time limits specified therein (or such longer period of time acceptable to the Administrative Agent).

(b) The Collateral Agent shall receive from the applicable Loan Parties within 90 days following the Closing Date (or such longer period of time acceptable to the Administrative Agent), with respect to each Mortgaged Property specified on Schedule 1.01(b) , and in the case of (x) Material Real Property acquired after the Closing Date or (y) Real Property that becomes Material Real Property after the Closing Date or is otherwise required to be subject to a Mortgage pursuant to Section 5.12 , in each case prior to the date required pursuant to Section 5.12 , the following documents and instruments:

(i) a Mortgage duly authorized and executed, in proper form for recording in the recording office of each jurisdiction where such Mortgaged Property to be encumbered thereby is situated, in favor of the Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, together with such other instruments as shall be necessary or appropriate (in the reasonable judgment of the Collateral Agent) to create a Lien under applicable law, all of which shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Collateral Agent, which Mortgage and other instruments shall be effective to create and/or maintain a first priority Lien on such Mortgaged Property, as the case may be, subject to no Liens other than Permitted Liens and Permitted Encumbrances applicable to such Mortgaged Property;

(ii) fully paid American Land Title Association Lender’s Extended Coverage title insurance policies (the “ Mortgage Policies ”), with endorsements and in amounts reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, issued, coinsured and reinsured by title insurers reasonably acceptable to and reasonably required by the Administrative Agent, insuring the Mortgages to be valid first and subsisting Liens on the property described therein, free and clear of all defects (including, but not limited to, mechanics’ and materialmen’s Liens) and encumbrances, other than Permitted Liens, and providing for such other affirmative insurance (including endorsements for future advances under the Loan Documents, for mechanics’ and materialmen’s Liens and for zoning of the applicable property) and such coinsurance and direct access reinsurance as the Administrative Agent may deem reasonably necessary or desirable and are available in the relevant jurisdiction;

(iii) American Land Title Association/American Congress on Surveying and Mapping form surveys or such other forms of surveys as are reasonably acceptable to Administrative Agent, including ExpressMaps prepared by First American Commercial Due Diligence Services, for which all necessary fees (where applicable) have been paid, and dated no more than 90 days before (x) the Closing Date or (y) the date on which a Mortgage in respect thereof is required to be delivered hereby (or such other dates as shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent), either (i) certified to the Administrative Agent and the issuer of the Mortgage Policies in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent by a land surveyor duly registered and licensed in the States in which the property described in such surveys is located and reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, showing all buildings and other

 

83


improvements, any off-site improvements, the location of any easements, parking spaces, rights of way, building set-back lines and other dimensional regulations and the absence of encroachments, either by such improvements or on to such property, and other defects, other than (a) Permitted Encumbrances and (b) encroachments and other defects reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent or (ii) as to ExpressMaps, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the issuer of the Mortgage Policies to delete the standard survey exceptions and to issue endorsements to the same extent as such exceptions could have been deleted and such endorsements issued had an ALTA/ACSM Survey been provided rather than an ExpressMap;

(iv) policies or certificates of insurance of the type required by Section 5.02 ;

(v) evidence of flood insurance required by Section 5.02(c) , in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Administrative Agent, it being understood that in any event the items required pursuant to this clause (v)  shall be required to be delivered prior to or on the day on which Mortgages are delivered pursuant to clause (i)  above with respect to each Mortgaged Property;

(vi) all such other items as shall be reasonably necessary in the opinion of counsel to the Lenders to create a valid and perfected first priority mortgage Lien on such Mortgaged Property, subject only to Permitted Encumbrances and Permitted Liens; and

(vii) opinions of local counsel for the Loan Parties in states in which the Mortgaged Properties are located, with respect to the enforceability and validity of the Mortgages and any related fixture filings in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

ARTICLE VI

Negative Covenants

The Borrower covenants and agrees with each Lender that, so long as this Agreement shall remain in effect (other than pursuant to the last sentence of Section 9.02 ) and until the Commitments have been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan, all Fees and all other expenses or amounts payable under any Loan Document (other than contingent reimbursement and indemnification obligations to the extent no unsatisfied claim with respect thereto has been asserted) have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have been cancelled or have expired and all amounts drawn thereunder have been reimbursed in full (unless such Letter of Credit has been cash collateralized or otherwise backstopped in a manner satisfactory to the applicable Issuing Bank or other arrangements satisfactory to such Issuing Bank shall have been made), unless the Required Lenders shall otherwise consent in writing, the Borrower will not, nor will it cause or permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to:

SECTION 6.01 Indebtedness . Incur, create, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:

(a) Indebtedness existing on the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 6.01 and any Permitted Refinancing Debt in respect thereof;

(b) Indebtedness created hereunder and under the other Loan Documents;

(c) intercompany Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries referred to in and to the extent permitted by Section 6.04(d) ;

 

84


(d) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary incurred to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of any fixed or capital assets, and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this Section 6.01(d) , when combined with the aggregate principal amount of all Capital Lease Obligations and Synthetic Lease Obligations incurred pursuant to Section 6.01(e) shall not exceed the greater of $50,000,000 and an amount equal to 5.00% of Consolidated Total Assets at any time outstanding;

(e) Capital Lease Obligations and Synthetic Lease Obligations in an aggregate principal amount, when combined with the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 6.01(d) , not in excess of the greater of $50,000,000 and an amount equal to 5.00% of Consolidated Total Assets at any time outstanding;

(f) Indebtedness under performance bonds or with respect to workers’ compensation claims, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(g) Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition or the designation of such Person as a Restricted Subsidiary and any Permitted Refinancing Debt in respect of any of the foregoing; provided that (i) such Indebtedness exists at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary and is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) immediately before and after such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and (iii) immediately before and after such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary the Borrower is in Financial Covenant Compliance;

(h) Indebtedness in respect of those Hedging Agreements that (i) are not for speculative purposes, and (ii) do not increase the Indebtedness of the obligor outstanding at any time other than as a result of fluctuations in interest rates or commodity prices or by reason of fees, indemnities and compensation payable thereunder;

(i) the Guarantee by any Loan Party of Indebtedness of any other Loan Party that was permitted to be incurred by another provision of this Section 6.01 ; provided that if the Indebtedness being guaranteed is subordinated to the Obligations, then the guarantee shall be subordinated to the same extent as the Indebtedness guaranteed;

(j) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary as an account party in respect of letters of credit (other than Letters of Credit issued hereunder) not in excess of $5,000,000 at any time;

(k) Indebtedness (i) arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft, payment order or other debit drawn, presented or issued against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business, provided such Indebtedness is extinguished within five Business Days of its incurrence or (ii) arising under any treasury or cash management or similar services provided by a bank or other financial institution to the Loan Parties in the ordinary course of business;

(l) Indebtedness consisting of guarantees, indemnities or obligations in respect of purchase price adjustments or earn-outs in connection with Permitted Acquisitions or Dispositions and other transactions, in each case that are permitted hereunder;

 

85


(m) Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt and any Permitted Refinancing Debt in respect thereof;

(n) so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred or is continuing or would otherwise result therefrom, Permitted Junior Debt and any Permitted Refinancing Debt thereof; and

(o) other Indebtedness of the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding the greater of $40,000,000 and an amount equal to 4.00% of Consolidated Total Assets at any time outstanding.

For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 6.01 , (i) in the event that an item of Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Indebtedness permitted in this Section 6.01 , the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, in its sole discretion, may classify, at the time of incurrence, such item of Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) in any such category and will only be required to include such Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) in one of the categories of Indebtedness permitted in this Section 6.01 ; and (ii) at the time of incurrence, the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, in its sole discretion, may divide and classify an item of Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) in more than one of the categories of Indebtedness permitted in this Section 6.01 .

The accrual of interest and the payment in kind of interest in the form of capitalized obligations or the payment of dividends on any Disqualified Stock in the form of additional Disqualified Stock will not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness for purposes of this Section 6.01 .

SECTION 6.02 Liens . Create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or assets (including Equity Interests or other securities of any Person, including the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary) now owned or hereafter acquired by it or on any income or revenues or rights in respect of any thereof, except:

(a) Liens on property or assets of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries existing on the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 6.02 ; provided that such Liens shall secure only those obligations which they secure on the Closing Date and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof permitted hereunder;

(b) any Lien created under the Loan Documents;

(c) any Lien existing on any property or asset prior to the acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or existing on any property or assets of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date prior to the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be; provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) such Lien does not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and (iii) such Lien secures only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be and any Permitted Refinancing Debt in respect of the foregoing;

(d) Liens for Taxes not yet due or which are being contested in compliance with Section 5.03 ;

 

86


(e) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s, landlord’s or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not due and payable or which are being contested in compliance with Section 5.03 ;

(f) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workmen’s compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations;

(g) (i) Liens or deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts (other than for Indebtedness), leases (other than Capital Lease Obligations), statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business and (ii) Liens resulting from earnest money deposits or indemnification holdbacks made in connection with Permitted Acquisitions or Dispositions, and other transactions permitted hereunder;

(h) (i) zoning restrictions, easements, rights-of-way, restrictions on use of real property and other similar encumbrances incurred in the ordinary course of business which, in the aggregate, are not substantial in amount and (ii) licenses, sublicenses, leases or subleases entered into in the ordinary course of business, which, in the case of each of clauses (i)  and (ii) , do not materially detract from the value of the property subject thereto or interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries;

(i) purchase money security interests in real property, improvements thereto or equipment hereafter acquired (or, in the case of improvements, constructed) by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) such security interests secure Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(d) or (e)  or Permitted Refinancing Debt in respect of the foregoing, (ii) such security interests are incurred, and the Indebtedness secured thereby is created, within 90 days after such acquisition (or construction), (iii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the lesser of the cost or the fair market value of such real property, improvements or equipment at the time of such acquisition (or construction) and (iv) such security interests do not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;

(j) judgment Liens securing judgments not constituting an Event of Default under Article VII or securing appeal or other bonds relating to such judgments;

(k) cash collateral securing Indebtedness in respect of letters of credit permitted by Section 6.01(j) ; provided that the cash collateral provided shall not exceed 105% of the face amount of such letters of credit;

(l) Liens and customary rights of set-off, revocation, refund or chargeback and similar rights under deposit, disbursement, concentration, cash or treasury management or similar agreements or under the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law in favor of any bank or other financial institution at which the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary maintains a deposit account in the ordinary course of business; provided that such Lien, customary rights of set-off, revocation, refund, chargeback or similar rights is limited to such deposit account and the funds, checks and other items deposited therein; and

(m) other Liens securing liabilities hereunder in an aggregate amount not to exceed the greater of $25,000,000 and an amount equal to 2.50% of Consolidated Total Assets at any time outstanding; provided , that, no such Liens shall encumber all or any portion of the Pipeline Real Property to secure Indebtedness.

 

87


For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 6.02 : (i) in the event that a Lien (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Liens permitted in this Section 6.02 , the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, in its sole discretion, may classify, at the time such Lien arises, such Lien (or any portion thereof) in any such category and will only be required to include such Lien in one of the categories of Liens permitted in this Section 6.02 ; and (ii) at the time such Lien arises, the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, in its sole discretion, may divide and classify such Lien in more than one of the categories of Liens permitted in this Section 6.02 .

SECTION 6.03 Sale and Lease-Back Transactions . Enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, with any Person whereby it shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property which it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property being sold or transferred unless (a) the sale or transfer of such property is permitted by Section 6.05 and (b) any Capital Lease Obligations and Liens arising in connection therewith are permitted by Sections 6.01 and 6.02 , as the case may be.

SECTION 6.04 Investments, Loans and Advances . Purchase, hold or acquire any Equity Interests, evidences of Indebtedness or other securities of, make or permit to exist any loans or advances to, or make or permit to exist any investment in, any other Person, except:

(a) investments by the Borrower and any Restricted Subsidiary existing on the Closing Date and described on Schedule 6.04 and extensions, renewals and (in the case of investments in the form of loans or advances) refinancings thereof so long as no such extension, renewal or refinancing results in an increase in the principal or other invested amount thereof except for, in the case of loans or advances, amounts of the type referred to in clause (i)  of the proviso to the definition of Permitted Refinancing Debt;

(b) (i) investments by the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries existing on the Closing Date in Equity Interests of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (ii) additional investments by the Borrower and any Restricted Subsidiary in the Equity Interests of the Subsidiaries; provided that (A) any such Equity Interests held by the Borrower and any Restricted Subsidiary shall be pledged, to the extent required, pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement (subject to the limitations applicable to Voting Stock of a Foreign Subsidiary referred to therein), (B) the amount of any investment made after the Closing Date pursuant to this Section 6.04(b) by the Borrower and any Restricted Subsidiary in, and loans and advances made after the Closing Date by the Borrower and any other Loan Party to, Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties or do not become Loan Parties after giving effect to such investments shall not exceed an amount equal to the Available Amount at the time any such investment, loan or advance is made and (C) immediately before and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

(c) Permitted Investments;

(d) (x) loans or advances made by the Borrower to any Restricted Subsidiary and made by any Restricted Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) any such loans and advances made by a Loan Party shall be evidenced by a promissory note (which may be revolving in nature) pledged to the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, (ii) such loans and advances shall be unsecured and subordinated to the Obligations pursuant to an Affiliate Subordination Agreement, (iii) the amount of such loans and advances made after the Closing Date pursuant to this Section 6.04(d) by Loan Parties to Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties shall not exceed an amount equal to the Available Amount at the time any such investment, loan or advance is made and (iv) immediately before and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (y) any guarantees by

 

88


the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries of the operating or commercial obligations (to the extent not constituting Indebtedness) of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(e) investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the granting of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors to the extent reasonably necessary in order to prevent or limit loss;

(f) investments by the Borrower and any Restricted Subsidiary in Hedging Agreements permitted under clause (h)  of Section 6.01 ;

(g) the Borrower or any other Loan Party may acquire all or substantially all the assets of a Person or line of business of such Person, or not less than 100% of the Equity Interests (other than directors’ qualifying shares) of a Person (referred to herein as the “ Acquired Entity ”); provided that (i) the Acquired Entity shall be in a Permitted Business and (ii) at the time of such transaction (A) both immediately before and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; (B) immediately before and after consummating such investment, the Borrower must be in Financial Covenant Compliance; (C) the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary shall have delivered a certificate of a Responsible Officer, certifying as to the foregoing and containing reasonably detailed calculations in support thereof, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (D) such Acquired Entity shall become a Loan Party hereunder within the periods provided for in Section 5.12 , (E) the Borrower and any Restricted Subsidiary shall comply, and shall cause the Acquired Entity to comply, with the applicable provisions of Section 5.12 and the Security Documents within the periods provided for in Section 5.12 (any acquisition of an Acquired Entity meeting all the criteria of this Section 6.04(g) being referred to herein as a “ Permitted Acquisition ”) and (F) if the assets being acquired include the Pony Express Material Project (or the Acquired Entity owns the Pony Express Material Project), the Pony Express Material Project shall have achieved the Initial Operation Date for such project;

(h) investments received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of, or settlement of delinquent accounts and disputes with, customers and suppliers, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

(i) to the extent not prohibited by applicable law, loans and advances to officers, directors, managers, consultants and employees of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount not to exceed $1,000,000 at any time outstanding for travel, entertainment, relocation and other business purposes in the ordinary course of business;

(j) investments in the form of seller “take-back” notes in connection with a Disposition permitted by Section 6.05 ;

(k) investments by a JV HoldCo in a Person that do not result in such Person becoming a Wholly Owned Domestic Subsidiary in an aggregate amount not to exceed $150,000,000 at any time outstanding; provided , that (i) such JV HoldCo shall, after giving effect to such investment, own Equity Interests representing at least 50.0% of the voting and economic rights of all issued and outstanding Equity Interests of such Person, (ii) the consent of the JV Holdco (or its representatives) is required to determine the amount and frequency of distributions made from such Person to its equity holders, (iii) such Person and its subsidiaries shall not incur or be liable for any Indebtedness (excluding Indebtedness of the type described in clause (h) , clause (i) , clause (j)  and clause (k)  of the definition of Indebtedness) other than pursuant to Section 6.01(c) , (f) , (k)  or (l)  at any time and (iv) immediately before and after consummating such investment the Borrower must be in Financial Covenant Compliance;

 

89


(l) investments by Pony Express HoldCo in connection with Permitted Drop Down Acquisitions with respect to Equity Interests in Pony Express that do not result in Pony Express becoming a Wholly Owned Subsidiary; provided that (i) Pony Express HoldCo, taken together with the Borrower and all Affiliates of the Borrower shall after giving effect to such investment, own Equity Interests representing at least 50.0% of the voting and economic rights of all issued and outstanding Equity Interests of Pony Express, which shall own the Pony Express Designation Assets and the Pony Express Expansion Project, (ii) the consent of the Borrower or its Affiliates (or their representatives) is required to determine the amount and frequency of distributions made from Pony Express to its equity holders, (iii) Pony Express and its subsidiaries shall not incur or be liable for any Indebtedness (excluding Indebtedness of the type described in clause (h) , clause (i) , clause (j)  and clause (k)  of the definition of Indebtedness) other than pursuant to Section 6.01(c) , (f) , (k)  or (l)  at any time and (iv) immediately before and after consummating such investment the Borrower must be in Financial Covenant Compliance;

(m) in addition to investments permitted by paragraphs (a)  through (l)  above, additional investments, loans and advances by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary so long as (i) the amount invested, loaned or advanced pursuant to this paragraph (m)  does not exceed an amount equal to the Available Amount at the time such amount is invested loaned or advanced and (ii) both immediately before and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(n) in addition to investments permitted by paragraphs (a)  through (m)  above, other investments, loans and advances by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary not to exceed the greater of $15,000,000 and an amount equal to 1.50% of Consolidated Total Assets at any time outstanding.

For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 6.04 : (i) in the event that an investment (or any portion thereof) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of investments permitted in this Section 6.04 , the Borrower and a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, in its sole discretion, may classify at the time of investment such investment (or any portion thereof) and will only be required to include such investment in one of the categories of investments permitted in this Section 6.04 ; (ii) at the time of incurrence the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, in its sole discretion, may divide and classify an investment in more than one of the categories of investments permitted in this Section 6.04 , and (iii) the amount of any investments made in the form of Equity Interests, property or other assets (other than cash) shall be deemed to be the greatest of (a) the fair market value of such asset, (b) the book value of such asset and (c) the aggregate amount of capital expenditures, improvements and other investments made in such Equity Interests, property or asset.

Accrual of interest or dividends, the accretion of accreted value and the payment of interest or dividends in the form of additional investments will not be deemed to be the making of an investment for purposes of this Section 6.04 .

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall this provision permit any investment which results in or would facilitate in any manner any Restricted Payment not otherwise permitted hereunder.

SECTION 6.05 Mergers, Consolidations and Sales of Assets . (a) Merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of the assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or less than all the Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than directors’ qualifying shares), or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) all or any substantial part of the assets of any other Person, except that if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Event of Default or Default shall have occurred and be continuing (i) any Wholly Owned

 

90


Restricted Subsidiary may merge into the Borrower in a transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation, (ii) any Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary may merge into or consolidate with any other Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Restricted Subsidiary and no Person other than the Borrower or a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary receives any consideration, (iii) any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary may merge into or consolidate with any other Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary and (iv) the Borrower and any Loan Party may make investments permitted by Section 6.04 .

(b) Make any Disposition (other than a Disposition permitted by Section 6.05(a) or a Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.06(a) ), except:

(i) Dispositions of damaged, obsolete or worn out property, or property no longer used or usable in the business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in the ordinary course of business;

(ii) Dispositions of inventory, cash and Permitted Investments in the ordinary course of business;

(iii) licensing, sublicensing, abandonment or other Dispositions of intellectual property rights in the ordinary course of business;

(iv) Dispositions of equipment or real property to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of such Disposition are reasonably promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property;

(v) the sale or other transfer of products (including but not limited to Hydrocarbons), services or accounts receivable in the ordinary course of business;

(vi) Dispositions of property (other than (x) cash or Permitted Investments (unless such Disposition also constitutes an investment permitted by Section 6.04 or a Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.06 ) or (y) Equity Interests of the Borrower) among the Borrower and any other Loan Party;

(vii) leases and subleases of property and real property, and licenses and sublicenses thereof in each case, in the ordinary course of business;

(viii) to the extent constituting a Disposition, the termination or unwinding of Hedging Agreements;

(ix) Dispositions by Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties to (a) other Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties or (b) Loan Parties;

(x) Dispositions by the Borrower and any Restricted Subsidiary not otherwise permitted under this Section 6.05 ; provided that (1) at the time of such Disposition, no Default or Event of Default shall exist or would result from such Disposition, (2) the Net Cash Proceeds of such Disposition are applied in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.12 , (3) no less than 75% of the consideration received for such Disposition shall be paid in cash, (4) in the case of any Disposition to any Person that is an Affiliate of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary,

 

91


any Lien created under the Loan Documents in such property or asset shall not be released, (5) the aggregate proceeds from any Disposition, when aggregated with the proceeds of all other Dispositions made pursuant to this paragraph (x) , shall not exceed the greater of $20,000,000 and an amount equal to 2.00% of Consolidated Total Assets and (6) any Disposition pursuant to this paragraph (x)  shall be for fair market value; and

(xi) so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom, the abandonment and sale of the Pony Express Designation Assets to Development; provided that (1) the Net Cash Proceeds of such Disposition (without giving effect to any reinvestment rights) are applied in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.12 , (2) no less than 100% of the consideration for such Disposition shall be paid in cash, and (3) any Disposition under this paragraph (xi)  shall be for fair market value.

SECTION 6.06 Restricted Payments; Restrictive Agreements. (a) Declare or make, or agree to declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so; provided , however , that:

(i) each Restricted Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to the Borrower, any other Restricted Subsidiary, or any other Person that owns a direct Equity Interest in such Restricted Subsidiary, ratably according to their respective holdings of the type of Equity Interest in respect of which such Restricted Payment is being made;

(ii) the Borrower may make quarterly Restricted Payments in an amount not to exceed the Available Cash in accordance with the LP Agreement at such time to the extent that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom;

(iii) the Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions payable solely in common or subordinated Equity Interests of such Person(s) and the Borrower may issue common Equity Interests upon conversion of subordinated Equity Interests; provided that (1) the Borrower may not issue any general partnership interests to any Person other than the General Partner (unless (x) the Permitted Holders have the requisite equity ownership specified in clause (b)  of the definition of Change in Control in respect of such Person and (y) such General Partner and such Person(s) collectively hold 100% of the general partnership interests in the Borrower) and (2) any such Equity Interests issued pursuant to this clause (iii)  are not Disqualified Stock;

(iv) Restricted Payments may be made in the form of the issuance of Equity Interests of the Borrower in connection with the cashless exercise of options, warrants, conversion and other rights or tax withholding with respect to the exercise of equity based awards under employee equity incentive compensation programs of the Borrower, the Restricted Subsidiaries, the General Partner and any management Affiliate of the General Partner;

(v) the Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary may purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire its Equity Interests with the proceeds received from the substantially concurrent issue of new common or subordinated Equity Interests of such Person; provided that such Equity Interests issued pursuant to this clause (v)  are not Disqualified Stock; and

(vi) (x) the Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary may repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire to finance any such repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value any Equity Interests of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary held by

 

92


any current or former officer, director, consultant, or employee of the Borrower, the Restricted Subsidiaries, the General Partner and any management Affiliate of the General Partner pursuant to any equity subscription agreement, stock option agreement, shareholders’, members’ or partnership agreement or similar agreement, plan or arrangement or any Plan and the Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary may declare and pay dividends to the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower the proceeds of which are used for such purposes and (y) to the extent such payments are deemed to be Restricted Payments, the Borrower may make payments under stock appreciation rights, phantom stock or other similar cash settled interests issued under the Borrower’s long term incentive program; provided that , before and after making any Restricted Payment pursuant to this clause (vi) , the Borrower shall be in Financial Covenant Compliance and no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

(b) Enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (i) the ability of the Borrower or any Loan Party to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets to secure the Obligations, or (ii) the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any of its Equity Interests, to make or repay loans or advances to the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary or to transfer property to the Borrower; provided that (A) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by any Loan Document, (B) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Restricted Subsidiary pending such sale, provided such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Restricted Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (C) clause  (i) of the foregoing shall not apply to the restriction or conditions imposed by any documentation relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(a) , (d) , (e) , (g) , (i)  (solely in respect of guarantees of other Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01(a) , (d) , (e) , (g)  and (j) ) and (j)  in each case, to the extent limited to the assets subject to such Indebtedness and (D) clause  (i) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in leases, licenses and other contracts restricting the assignment thereof.

SECTION 6.07 Transactions with Affiliates. Sell or transfer any property or assets to, or purchase or acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than (i) on fair and reasonable terms and conditions not less favorable to the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties, (ii) the payment of fees, expenses, indemnities or other payments to the General Partner or its management subsidiaries in connection with reimbursable general corporate and overhead expenses of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and the operation, management and other services rendered to Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, in each case pursuant to the LP Agreement as in effect on the Closing Date, (iii) transactions between and among Loan Parties, (iv) compensation arrangements, consulting contracts, collective bargaining agreements, benefit plans, programs or indemnification obligations, or any other similar arrangement, for or with general partners, current or former employees, officers, directors or consultants in the ordinary course of business, (v) payments, compensation, performance of indemnification or contribution obligations, and the making or cancellation of loans in the ordinary course of business to any such general partner, employees, officers, directors or consultants, (vi) any issuance, grant or award of stock, options, other equity related interests or other equity securities to any such employees, officers, directors or consultants, (vii) the payment of reasonable directors’ fees or expenses to directors of the Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary or any Permitted Holder (as determined in good faith by the Borrower, such Restricted Subsidiary or such Permitted Holder in the ordinary course of business), (viii) a Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.06 , (ix) the execution, delivery and performance (as applicable) of the Transactions and the Transaction Documents, all transactions in connection therewith (including but not limited to the financing thereof), and all fees and expenses paid or payable in connection therewith, (x) any issuance or sale of Qualified Capital Stock of the Borrower otherwise permitted hereunder or any

 

93


capital contributions to the Borrower, (xi) making any Permitted Drop-Down Acquisition, (xii) engaging in any transaction with an Affiliate if such transaction has been approved by the Conflicts Committee, (xiii) any non-material transactions with an Affiliate for the purchase of goods, products, parts and services entered into in the ordinary course of business, (xiv) interconnection agreements, firm and interruptible transportation agreements, operational balancing agreements and similar agreements between or among Borrower and its Subsidiaries that are in effect on the Closing Date and that were entered into in the ordinary course of business and (xv) transactions listed in Schedule 6.07 .

SECTION 6.08 Business of the Borrower and Restricted Subsidiaries. Engage at any time in any business or business activity other than a Permitted Business or engage in any business or business activity that would not permit the Borrower to qualify as a Master Limited Partnership.

SECTION 6.09 Other Indebtedness and Agreements. (a) (i) Permit any waiver, supplement, modification or amendment of any indenture, instrument or agreement pursuant to which any Subordinated Indebtedness or Permitted Junior Debt or any Permitted Refinancing Debt thereof of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary is outstanding if the effect of such waiver, supplement, modification or amendment, taken as a whole, would be materially adverse to the Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary or the Lenders, (ii) consent to any amendment, supplement, waiver or other modification or change of its Organizational Documents in any manner if the effect thereof, taken as a whole, would be materially adverse to the Lenders (it being understood and agreed that the amendments and restatements of the Organizational Documents in existence prior to the Closing Date to be made on the Closing Date to effectuate changes disclosed to and previously agreed to by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower prior to the Closing Date to reflect any name changes on the Closing Date, the Acquisition and the related Transactions shall not be deemed to be materially adverse to the Lenders) or (iii) waive, supplement, amend, modify or change, or cancel or terminate, in any manner any term or condition of any Related Document or give any consent, waiver or approval thereunder, except to the extent that such waiver, supplement, amendment, modification, change, cancellation, termination, consent or approval could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Other than distributions and payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed the sum of $10,000,000 from and after the Closing Date or made with the amounts received by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries from the issuance and sale of Equity Interests that do not constitute Disqualified Stock, (i) make any distribution, whether in cash, property, securities or a combination thereof, other than regularly scheduled payments of principal and interest as and when due (to the extent not prohibited by applicable subordination provisions), in respect of, or pay, or commit to pay, or directly or indirectly redeem, repurchase, retire or otherwise acquire for consideration, or set apart any sum for the aforesaid purposes, any Subordinated Indebtedness or any Permitted Junior Debt or any Permitted Refinancing Debt thereof except refinancings thereof permitted by Section 6.01 and any mandatory prepayments required under Indebtedness incurred under Sections 6.01(d) and 6.01(e) , or (ii) pay in cash any amount in respect of any Subordinated Indebtedness, Permitted Junior Debt or any Permitted Refinancing Debt thereof or preferred Equity Interests or Disqualified Stock that may at the obligor’s option be paid in kind or in other securities.

SECTION 6.10 Interest Coverage Ratio. Permit the Interest Coverage Ratio on any Date of Determination for the Applicable Period ending on such Date of Determination to be less than 2.50:1.00.

SECTION 6.11 Maximum Leverage Ratio . Permit the Total Leverage Ratio for any Date of Determination for the Applicable Period ending on such Date of Determination to be greater than 4.75:1.00, except that on any Date of Determination during an Acquisition Period following a Qualifying Acquisition the Borrower and the Loan Parties shall not permit the Total Leverage Ratio for the Applicable Period ending on such date to be greater than 5.25:1.00.

 

94


SECTION 6.12 Fiscal Year. (a) Make any material change in its accounting policies or reporting practices, except as required by GAAP or (b) change its fiscal year-end from December 31.

SECTION 6.13 Hedging. Enter into any Hedging Agreement that does not meet the requirements set forth in clause (h)  of Section 6.01 .

SECTION 6.14 Negative Pledge on Pipeline Real Property. With respect to the Pipeline Real Property owned by the Borrower and any Restricted Subsidiary, (i) create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on all or any part of such Pipeline Real Property, or (ii) file or permit the filing of any financing statement or other similar notice of, any Lien with respect thereto under the UCC of any state or under any similar recording or notice statute, in each case on all or any part of such Pipeline Real Property, in each case other than (x) Permitted Encumbrances (other than those Liens permitted by paragraphs (a) , (c) , (i) , or (m)  of Section 6.02 ) and (y) solely in the case of any Pipeline Real Property acquired after the Closing Date, those Liens permitted by paragraphs  (c) or (i)  of Section 6.02 .

ARTICLE VII

Events of Default

In case of the happening of any of the following events (“ Events of Default ”):

(a) any representation or warranty made or deemed made in or in connection with any Loan Document or the borrowings or issuances of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any representation, warranty, statement or information contained in any certificate or financial statements furnished by or on behalf of the Loan Parties pursuant to the requirements of any Loan Documents shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when so made, deemed made or furnished;

(b) default shall be made in the payment of any principal of any Loan or the reimbursement with respect to any L/C Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or by acceleration thereof or otherwise;

(c) default shall be made in the payment of any interest on any Loan or L/C Disbursement or any Fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (b)  above) due under any Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such default shall continue unremedied for a period of three (3) Business Days;

(d) default shall be made in the due observance or performance by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.01(a) , 5.05(a) , 5.08 , 5.13 or 5.15 or in Article VI ;

(e) default shall be made in the due observance or performance by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of any covenant, condition or agreement contained in any Loan Document (other than those specified in clauses (b) , (c)  or (d)  above) and such default shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after the earlier of (i) notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which notice shall also be given at the request of any Lender) or (ii) knowledge thereof by the Borrower or any other Loan Party;

(f) (i) the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary shall fail to pay any principal or interest, regardless of amount, due in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable, or (ii) any other event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of

 

95


notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity; provided that this clause  (ii) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness or a casualty event or condemnation in relation thereto;

(g) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed in a court of competent jurisdiction seeking (i) relief in respect of the Borrower or any Material Restricted Subsidiary, or of a substantial part of the property or assets of the Borrower or a Material Restricted Subsidiary, under Title 11 of the United States Code, as now constituted or hereafter amended, or any other Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law, (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Material Restricted Subsidiary or for a substantial part of the property or assets of the Borrower or a Material Restricted Subsidiary or (iii) the winding-up or liquidation of the Borrower or any Material Restricted Subsidiary; and such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for 60 days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;

(h) the Borrower or any Material Restricted Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking relief under Title 11 of the United States Code, as now constituted or hereafter amended, or any other Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or the filing of any petition described in clause (g)  above, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Material Restricted Subsidiary or for a substantial part of the property or assets of the Borrower or any Material Restricted Subsidiary, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, (vi) become unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due or (vii) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;

(i) one or more judgments shall be rendered against the Borrower or any Material Restricted Subsidiary and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of 30 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to levy upon assets or properties of the Borrower or any Material Restricted Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment and such judgment either (i) is for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $25,000,000 not covered by insurance (it being understood that if an amount in excess of $25,000,000 is to be considered to be covered by insurance, a claim shall have been submitted to the applicable insurance provider and it shall not have denied or contested coverage) or (ii) is for injunctive relief and could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

(j) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that when taken together with all other such ERISA Events, resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of any Loan Party or their respective ERISA Affiliates in an aggregate amount exceeding $25,000,000;

(k) any Guarantee under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement for any reason shall cease to be in full force and effect (other than in accordance with its terms), or any Guarantor shall deny in writing that it has any further liability under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement (other than as a result of the discharge of such Guarantor in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents);

 

96


(l) any security interest purported to be created by any Security Document shall cease to be, or shall be asserted by any Loan Party not to be, a valid, perfected, first priority (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or such Security Document) security interest on any portion of the Collateral having a fair market value exceeding $10,000,000, except (i) as a result of the sale or other disposition of the applicable Collateral in a transaction permitted under the Loan Documents or (ii) as a result of the Collateral Agent’s failure to maintain possession of any stock certificates or other instruments delivered to it under the Security Documents;

(m) there shall have occurred a Change in Control; or

(n) there shall have occurred any amendment, supplement, waiver or other modification or change of or to the LP Agreement or the definition of “Available Cash” contained therein in any manner if the effect thereof, taken as a whole, is materially adverse to the Lenders.

then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary described in paragraphs (g)  or (h)  above), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, take any or all of the following actions, at the same or different times: terminate forthwith the Commitments and declare the Loans then outstanding to be forthwith due and payable in whole or in part, whereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and any unpaid accrued Fees and all other liabilities of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties accrued hereunder and under any other Loan Document, shall become forthwith due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or any other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower and by the Borrower on behalf of its Restricted Subsidiaries, anything contained herein or in any other Loan Document to the contrary notwithstanding, and the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent shall have the right to take all or any actions and exercise any remedies available under the Loan Documents or applicable law or in equity; and in any event with respect to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary described in paragraphs  (g) or (h)  above, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and any unpaid accrued Fees and all other liabilities of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties accrued hereunder and under any other Loan Document, shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or any other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower and by the Borrower on behalf of its Restricted Subsidiaries, anything contained herein or in any other Loan Document to the contrary notwithstanding, and the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent shall have the right to take all or any actions and exercise any remedies available under the Loan Documents or applicable law or in equity.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Article VII , for purposes of determining whether an Event of Default has occurred under a Financial Covenant, any equity contribution (in the form of common or subordinated equity other than Disqualified Stock) contributed to the Borrower after the last day of any fiscal quarter and on or prior to the day that is 10 days after the day on which financial statements are required to be delivered for that fiscal quarter will, at the request of the Borrower, be included in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA solely for the purposes of determining compliance with the Financial Covenants at the end of such fiscal quarter and any subsequent period that includes such fiscal quarter (any such equity contribution, a “ Specified Equity Contribution ”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (a) there shall be no pro forma reduction in Indebtedness with the proceeds of any Specified Equity Contribution for purposes of determining compliance with the Financial Covenants for the fiscal quarter in respect of which such Specified Equity Contribution is made, (b) the amounts of any Specified Equity Contribution shall not exceed the Cure Amount, (c) Specified Equity Contributions shall be disregarded for all other purposes under the Loan Documents (including calculating Consolidated EBITDA for purposes of determining basket levels, the Available Amount and other items governed by reference to Consolidated EBITDA) and (d) in any four consecutive fiscal quarters, there shall be at least two fiscal quarters in respect of which no Specified Equity Contribution is

 

97


made, and no more than five (5) Specified Equity Contributions (in the aggregate) may be made during the term of this Agreement. “ Cure Amount ” shall mean an amount which, if added to Consolidated EBITDA for the Applicable Period in respect of which a Financial Covenant default occurred, would cause the Financial Covenants for such Applicable Period to be satisfied and shall not be any more than the amount so required (it being understood and agreed that for the purposes of calculating such amount, no effect shall be given to any prepayment of Loans with such proceeds or to any other reduction of Total Debt or Consolidated Interest Expense on account of the receipt of such proceeds).

ARTICLE VIII

The Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent; Etc.

Each Lender and each Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent (for purposes of this Article VIII , the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent are referred to collectively as the “ Agents ”) its agent hereunder and under the Loan Documents and authorizes the Agents to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to such Agent by the terms of the Loan Documents, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article VIII are solely for the benefit of the Agents, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, and the Borrower shall have no rights as a third-party beneficiary of any of such provisions. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, as applicable, is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Agents are hereby expressly authorized to (i) execute any and all documents (including releases and the Security Documents (which Security Documents shall contain indemnity and expense reimbursement provisions for the benefit of the Collateral Agent that are no more onerous to the Lenders than the provisions contained in the Security Documents as of the Closing Date and shall be binding on the Lenders)) with respect to the Collateral and the rights of the Secured Parties with respect thereto, as contemplated by and in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and the Security Documents and (ii) negotiate, enforce or settle any claim, action or proceeding affecting the Lenders in their capacity as such, at the direction of the Required Lenders, which negotiation, enforcement or settlement will be binding upon each Lender.

The Person serving as the Administrative Agent and/or the Collateral Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not an Agent, and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as an Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for, and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof (subject to securities law and other requirements of law) as if it were not an Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.

Neither Agent shall have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth in the Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder and under the other Loan Documents shall be administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) neither Agent shall be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) neither Agent shall have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or under any Loan Document that such Agent is instructed in writing to exercise by the Required Lenders (or such other number or

 

98


percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents); provided that neither Agent shall be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, (i) may expose such Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law or (ii) may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law, and (c) except as expressly set forth in the Loan Documents, neither Agent shall have any duty to disclose, nor shall it be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as Administrative Agent and/or Collateral Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. Neither Agent shall be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as such Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final non-appealable judgment. Neither Agent shall be deemed to have knowledge of any Default or Event of Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to such Agent by the Borrower or a Lender, and neither Agent shall be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered thereunder or in connection therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth in any Loan Document or the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere in any Loan Document, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to such Agent.

Each Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. Each Agent may also rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and reasonably believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or any Issuing Bank, each Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or such Issuing Bank unless such Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or such Issuing Bank prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of such Letter of Credit. Each Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Loan Parties), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

Each Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by it. Each Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of each Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the Credit Facilities as well as activities as Agent. Neither Agent shall be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and non-appealable judgment that such Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.

 

99


Either Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Borrower. Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor which shall be any financial institution with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such financial institution, that has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000. If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, appoint a successor Agent which shall be a financial institution with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such financial institution. If no successor Agent has been appointed pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence by the 30th day after the date such notice of resignation was given by such Agent, such Agent’s resignation shall become effective (and such Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder) and the Required Lenders shall thereafter perform all the duties of such Agent hereunder and/or under any other Loan Document until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent and/or Collateral Agent, as the case may be. Any such resignation by such Agent hereunder shall also constitute, to the extent applicable, its resignation as a Swing Line Lender and as an Issuing Bank, in which case such resigning Agent (x) shall not be required to extend any further Swing Line Loans or issue any further Letters of Credit hereunder and (y) shall maintain all of its rights as Issuing Bank or Swing Line Lender with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it or Swing Line Loans extended by it, as applicable, prior to the date of such resignation. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Agent, and the retiring Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After an Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article VIII and Section 9.05 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while acting as Agent.

Each Lender and each Issuing Bank acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Agents or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender and each Issuing Bank also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Agents or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement or any other Loan Document, any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any provision of any other Loan Document, each of the Arrangers, the Syndication Agent and the Documentation Agent are named as such for recognition purposes only, and in their respective capacities as such shall have no duties, responsibilities or liabilities with respect to this Agreement or any other Loan Document; it being understood and agreed that each of the Arrangers, the Syndication Agent and the Documentation Agent shall be entitled to all indemnification and reimbursement rights in favor of the Agents provided herein and in the other Loan Documents, including under Section 9.05 hereunder. Without limitation of the foregoing, none of the Arrangers, the Syndication Agent and the Documentation Agent in their respective capacities as such shall, by reason of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, have any fiduciary relationship in respect of any Lender, the Borrower, any other Loan Party, or any other Person.

In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, each Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise

 

100


and irrespective of whether such Agent shall have made any demand on the Loan Parties) shall be entitled and empowered (but not obligated) by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise (a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Agents (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Agents and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and Agents under Section 9.05 ) allowed in such judicial proceeding and (b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same and, in either case, any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender, each Issuing Bank and each other Secured Party to make such payments to such Agent and, in the event that such Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, to pay to such Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of such Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due such Agent under Section 9.05 .

The Secured Parties irrevocably authorize the Collateral Agent, at its option and in its discretion, (i) to release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Collateral Agent under any Loan Document (x) upon termination of all Commitments and payment in full of all Obligations (other than contingent reimbursement and indemnification obligations to the extent no unsatisfied claim with respect thereto has been asserted), the expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit (other than Letters of Credit that have been cash collateralized in a manner satisfactory to the applicable Issuing Bank or as to which other arrangements satisfactory to the applicable Issuing Bank have been made) and the termination of (and making of all payments due by the Loan Parties in connection with) all Secured Hedging Agreements (or the making of other arrangements reasonably acceptable to the applicable Qualified Counterparty), (y) that is (i) owned by, or is an Equity Interest in, a Restricted Subsidiary that is converted into an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with the terms hereof or (ii) sold or otherwise disposed of as part of or in connection with any sale or other disposition permitted under the Loan Documents, in each case (other than sales or dispositions permitted by Section 6.05(b)(xi) ) to a Person that is not an Affiliate of the Borrower, or (z) subject to Section 9.08 , if approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders or all Lenders (as applicable); (ii) to subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Collateral Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Section 6.02(i) and (iii) release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement or any other Security Documents if such Person ceases to be a Guarantor as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder (including the sale or other disposition of the Equity Interests of any Person, the conversion of a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor into an Unrestricted Subsidiary or if such Guarantor ceases to be a Wholly Owned Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower pursuant to a transaction permitted hereunder in accordance with the terms hereof). Upon request by the Collateral Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Collateral Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property pursuant to this paragraph or to release any Guarantor from the obligations under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement or any other Security Document. The Collateral Agent shall not be responsible for or have a duty to ascertain or inquire into any representation or warranty regarding the existence, value or collectability of the Collateral, the existence, priority or perfection of the Collateral Agent’s Lien thereon, or any certificate prepared by the Borrower in connection therewith, nor shall the Collateral Agent be responsible or liable to the Lenders for any failure to monitor or maintain any portion of the Collateral.

To the extent required by any applicable law, the Administrative Agent may withhold from any payment to any Lender an amount equivalent to any applicable withholding Tax. If any payment has been made to any Lender by the Administrative Agent without the applicable withholding Tax being withheld from such payment and the Administrative Agent has paid over the applicable withholding Tax

 

101


to the IRS or any other Governmental Authority, or the IRS or any other Governmental Authority asserts a claim that the Administrative Agent did not properly withhold Tax from amounts paid to or for the account of any Lender because the appropriate form was not delivered or was not properly executed or because such Lender failed to notify the Administrative Agent of a change in circumstance which rendered the exemption from, or reduction of, withholding Tax ineffective or for any other reason, such Lender shall indemnify the Administrative Agent fully for all amounts paid, directly or indirectly, by the Administrative Agent as Tax, or otherwise, including any penalties or interest and together with all expenses (including legal expenses, allocated internal costs and out-of-pocket expenses) incurred, whether or not such Tax was correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the IRS or such other Governmental Authority.

ARTICLE IX

Miscellaneous

SECTION 9.01 Notices; Electronic Communications . Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except for electronic communications provided below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by fax, as follows:

(a) if to the Borrower, to it at 6640 West 143rd Street, Suite 200, Overland Park, KS 66223, Attention: Gary Brauchle, Fax No. 913-928-6046, Email: gary.brauchle@tallgrassenergylp.com, and George Rider, Fax No. 913-928-6011, Email: george.rider@tallgrassenergylp.com, with a copy to Mark Hargrave, Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP, 1201 Walnut, Kansas City, MO 64106, Fax No. 816-412-1175, Email: mhargrave@stinson.com;

(b) if to the Administrative Agent, to Barclays Bank PLC, 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019, Attention: Sreedhar Kona, Fax No. 212-526-5115, Tel. No. 212-526-7808, Email: sreedhar.kona@barclays.com, with a copy to Latham & Watkins LLP, 885 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022, Fax No. 212-751-4864, Email: michele.penzer@lw.com, Attention of Michele O. Penzer; and

(c) if to a Lender, to it at its address (or fax number) set forth on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which such Lender shall have become a party hereto.

Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient). Notices delivered through electronic communications, to the extent provided in the immediately following paragraph, shall be effective as provided in said paragraph.

Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender pursuant to Article II if such Lender has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article II by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications. Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed

 

102


received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient, at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i), of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i)  and (ii)  above, if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient. Each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent in writing (including by electronic communication) from time to time of such Lender’s e-mail address to which the foregoing notices may be sent by electronic transmission and that the foregoing notice may be sent to such e-mail address.

Any party hereto may change its address or facsimile number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower.

The Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make the Communications available to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks by posting the Communications on Debt Domain, Intralinks, Syndtrak or a substantially similar electronic transmission system (the “ Platform ”). The Platform is provided “as is” and “as available.” The Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent and their respective Related Parties do not warrant the adequacy of the Platform and expressly disclaim liability for errors or omissions in the Communications. No warranty of any kind, express, implied or statutory, including, without limitation, any warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement of third-party rights or freedom from viruses or other code defects, is made by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent or any of their respective Related Parties in connection with the Communications or the Platform. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent or any of their respective Related Parties have any liability to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, any Lender or any other Person or entity for damages of any kind, including, without limitation, direct or indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s, any Subsidiary’s or the Administrative Agent’s or the Collateral Agent’s transmission of communications through the Platform. “ Communications ” means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material that the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries provides to the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed to the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent or to any Lender or Issuing Bank by means of electronic communications pursuant to this Section 9.01 , including through the Platform.

The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent will make available to the Lenders and the Issuing Bank materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, the “ Borrower Materials ”) by posting the Borrower Materials on the Platform and (b) certain of the Lenders may be “public-side” Lenders ( i.e. , Lenders that do not wish to receive Material Non-Public Information with respect to the Borrower, its Subsidiaries or any of their securities) (each, a “ Public Lender ”). The Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Lenders, and the Issuing Banks to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any Material Non-Public Information with respect to the Borrower, its Subsidiaries or any of their securities for purposes of United States federal and state securities laws ( provided , however , that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 9.16 ); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated as “Public Investor;” and (z) the Administrative Agent and the

 

103


Collateral Agent shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not marked as “Public Investor.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following Borrower Materials shall be marked “PUBLIC”, unless the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent promptly that any such document contains Material Non-Public Information: (1) the Loan Documents and (2) notification of changes in the terms of the Loan Documents.

Each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable law, including United States Federal and state securities laws, to make reference to Communications that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain Material Non-Public Information with respect to the Borrower, its Subsidiaries or any of their securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities laws.

The Administrative Agent agrees that the receipt of the Communications by the Administrative Agent at its e-mail address set forth above shall constitute effective delivery of the Communications to the Administrative Agent for purposes of the Loan Documents. Each Lender agrees that receipt of notice to it (as provided in the next sentence) specifying that the Communications have been posted to the Platform shall constitute effective delivery of the Communications to such Lender for purposes of the Loan Documents. Each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent in writing (including by electronic communication) from time to time of such Lender’s e-mail address to which the foregoing notice may be sent by electronic transmission and that the foregoing notice may be sent to such e-mail address.

Nothing herein shall prejudice the right of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender to give any notice or other communication pursuant to any Loan Document in any other manner specified in such Loan Document.

SECTION 9.02 Survival of Agreement . All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other instruments prepared or delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the Agents, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks and shall survive the making by the Lenders of the Loans and the issuance of Letters of Credit by the Issuing Banks, regardless of any investigation made by the Lenders or the Issuing Banks or on their behalf, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any Fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement or any other Loan Document is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding (unless arrangements satisfactory to the applicable Issuing Bank shall have been made with respect to such Letter of Credit) and so long as the Commitments have not been terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.13 , 2.15 , 2.19 , 9.05 and Article VIII shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the expiration of the term of this Agreement, the consummation of the Transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of any of the Loans, the expiration of the Commitments, the expiration of any Letter of Credit, the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank.

SECTION 9.03 Binding Effect . This Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto.

 

104


SECTION 9.04 Successors and Assigns . (a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that (x) the Borrower may not delegate, assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights, duties or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Agent, each Issuing Bank and each Lender and any such attempted transfer or assignment without such consent shall be null and void and (y) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of paragraph  (b) of this Section 9.04 , (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of paragraph  (f) of this Section 9.04 , or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the provisions of paragraph  (h) of this Section 9.04 . Nothing in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, the Indemnitees, Participants to the extent provided in paragraph  (f) of this Section 9.04 and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy, obligation, liability or claim under or by reason of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents.

(b) Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more Eligible Assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

(i) (A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and/or the Loans at the time owing to it (in each case with respect to any Class) or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds that equal at least the amount specified in paragraph (b)(i)(B) of this Section 9.04 in the aggregate or in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to a Lender, no minimum amount need be assigned and (B) in any case not described in paragraph (b)(i)(A) of this Section 9.04 , the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the applicable Commitment is not then in effect, the outstanding principal balance of the Loan of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Acceptance with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent, shall not be less than $4,000,000 (or lesser amounts if agreed between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent);

(ii) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, each of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and, so long as no Event of Default in respect of paragraphs (b) , (c) , (g)  or (h)  of Article VII has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower shall have consented to such assignment (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, and provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless the Borrower shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within five (5) Business Days after having received notice thereof);

(iii) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Commitment and/or Loans assigned;

(iv) the prior consent of each Swing Line Lender and Issuing Bank (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for all assignments;

 

105


(v) the parties to each assignment shall either (A) execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Acceptance via an electronic settlement system acceptable to the Administrative Agent or (B) if previously agreed with the Administrative Agent, manually execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Acceptance, in the case of clauses (A)  and (B) , together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive or reduce such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an administrative questionnaire (in which the assignee shall designate one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain Material Non-Public Information about the Borrower, its Subsidiaries or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws) and all applicable tax forms;

(vi) no such assignment shall be made (A) to the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries or (B) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or to any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B) ;

(vii) no such assignment shall be made to a natural Person; and

(viii) in connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities (and accrued interest thereon) then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank, each other Lender hereunder and the Borrower and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Letters of Credit in accordance with its Pro Rata Percentage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to paragraph  (e) of this Section 9.04 , from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Acceptance, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Acceptance have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Acceptance be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Acceptance covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.13 , 2.15 , 2.19 , and 9.05 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this paragraph (b)  of this Section 9.04 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph  (f) of this Section 9.04 .

 

106


(c) By executing and delivering an Assignment and Acceptance the assigning Lender thereunder and the assignee thereunder shall be deemed to confirm to and agree with each other and the other parties hereto as follows: (i) such assigning Lender warrants that it is the legal and beneficial owner of the interest being assigned thereby free and clear of any adverse claim and that its Revolving Credit Commitment, and the outstanding balances of its Revolving Loans, in each case without giving effect to assignments thereof which have not become effective, are as set forth in such Assignment and Acceptance, (ii) except as set forth in clause (i)  above, such assigning Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with this Agreement, or the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto, or the financial condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary or the performance or observance by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of any of its obligations under this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto; (iii) such assignee represents and warrants that it is an Eligible Assignee legally authorized to enter into such Assignment and Acceptance; (iv) such assignee confirms that it has received a copy of this Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements referred to in Section 3.05(a) or delivered pursuant to Section 5.04 and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into such Assignment and Acceptance; (v) such assignee will independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, such assigning Lender 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 this Agreement; (vi) such assignee appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under this Agreement as are delegated to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent, respectively, by the terms hereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto; and (vii) such assignee agrees that it will perform in accordance with their terms all the obligations which by the terms of this Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

(d) The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower (such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at one of its offices in The City of New York a copy of each Assignment and Acceptance, delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amount of the Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “ Register ”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks, the Collateral Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, any Issuing Bank, the Collateral Agent and any Lender (solely with respect to any entry related to such Lender’s Loans and Commitments, and only at the office of the Administrative Agent), at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(e) Upon its receipt of, and consent to, a duly completed Assignment and Acceptance executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, an administrative questionnaire completed in respect of the assignee (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph  (b) above, if applicable, and the written consent of the Administrative Agent and, if required, the Borrower and each Issuing Bank and the Swing Line Lender to such assignment, the Administrative Agent shall (i) accept such Assignment and Acceptance and (ii) record the information contained therein in the Register. No assignment shall be effective unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph  (e) .

 

107


(f) Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower, any Issuing Bank, any other Lender, the Collateral Agent or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural Person or the Borrower or an Affiliate or Subsidiary of the Borrower) (each, a “ Participant ”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 9.05(c) regardless of the sale by it of any participations. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce the obligations of the Borrower relating to the Loans or L/C Disbursements and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver decreasing any fees payable to such Participant or the amount of principal of or the rate at which interest is payable on the Loans in which such Participant has an interest, extending any scheduled principal payment date or date fixed for the payment of interest on the Loans in which such Participant has an interest, increasing or extending the Commitments in which such Participant has an interest or releasing all or substantially all of the Collateral or any Guarantor (other than in connection with the disposition of such Guarantor in a transaction permitted by Section 6.05 ). The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.13 , 2.15 and 2.19 (subject to the requirements and limitations set forth therein, including the requirements under Section 2.19(e) (it being understood that the documentation under Section 2.19(e) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph  (b) of this Section 9.04 ; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Section 2.20 as if it were an assignee under paragraph  (b) of this Section 9.04 and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 2.13 , 2.15 or 2.19 , with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation or unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.06 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.17 as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower (such agency being solely for tax purposes), maintain at one or more of its offices a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other rights or obligations under the Loan Documents (each such register, a “ Participant Register ”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of any Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Loans or other rights or obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Loan or other right or obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the U.S. Treasury Regulations. The entries in a Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.

 

108


(g) Any Lender or participant may, in connection with any assignment or participation or proposed assignment or participation pursuant to this Section 9.04 , disclose to the assignee or participant or proposed assignee or participant any information relating to the Borrower or the Subsidiaries furnished to such Lender by or on behalf of the Borrower or the Subsidiaries; provided that, prior to any such disclosure of Information or other information designated by the Borrower as confidential, each such assignee or participant or proposed assignee or participant shall execute an agreement whereby such assignee or participant shall agree (subject to customary exceptions) to preserve the confidentiality of such confidential information on terms no less restrictive than those applicable to the Lenders pursuant to Section 9.16 .

(h) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign or grant a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or any other central bank having jurisdiction over such Lender; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “ Granting Lender ”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle (an “ SPV ”), identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, the option to provide to the Borrower all or any part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPV to make any Loan and (ii) if an SPV elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to provide all or any part of such Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Loan pursuant to the terms hereof. The making of a Loan by an SPV hereunder shall utilize the Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Loan were made by such Granting Lender. Each party hereto hereby agrees that no SPV shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement (all liability for which shall remain with the Granting Lender). The Borrower agrees that each SPV shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.13 , 2.15 , and 2.19 (subject to the requirements and limitations set forth therein, including the requirements under Section 2.19(e) ) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to Section 9.04(b) ; provided that such SPV (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Section 2.20 as if it were an assignee under Section 9.04(b) and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 2.13 , 2.15 , and 2.19 than its Granting Lender would have been entitled to receive, unless the grant of such option to the SPV is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other senior indebtedness of any SPV, it will not institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against, such SPV any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency or liquidation proceedings under any Debtor Relief Law. In addition, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 9.04 , any SPV may (i) with notice to, but without the prior written consent of, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent and without paying any processing fee therefor, assign all or a portion of its interests in any Loans to the Granting Lender or to any financial institutions (consented to by the Borrower and Administrative Agent) providing liquidity and/or credit support to or for the account of such SPV to support the funding or maintenance of Loans and (ii) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety, guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPV.

SECTION 9.05 Expenses; Indemnity . (a) The Borrower agrees to pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Arrangers, the Syndication Agent, the Documentation Agent, the Swing Line Lender and each Issuing Bank in connection with the syndication of the Credit Facilities and the preparation, negotiation, execution,

 

109


delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or in connection with any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the Transactions hereby or thereby contemplated shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by each Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, any Issuing Bank, the Swing Line Lender or any Lender in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including the fees, charges and disbursements of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent, an additional local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction, one specialist counsel for each applicable specialty and additional conflict counsel for each such affected Lenders or Agents or groups of affected Lenders or Agents, as applicable, in the event of any actual or perceived conflict of interest, and, in connection with any such enforcement or protection, the fees, charges and disbursements of any other counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, any Issuing Bank, the Swing Line Lender or any Lender.

(b) The Borrower agrees to indemnify the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Arrangers, the Syndication Agent and the Documentation Agent, each Issuing Bank, the Swing Line Lender, each Lender and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person, an “ Indemnitee ”) against, and to hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, Taxes and related expenses, including reasonable counsel fees, charges and disbursements, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in any way connected with, or as a result of (i) the Acquisition, (ii) the Credit Facilities, the execution or delivery of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated thereby, the performance by the parties thereto of their respective obligations thereunder and, in their capacities hereunder or in connection with or related to this Agreement, the consummation of the Transactions and the other transactions contemplated thereby (including the syndication of the Credit Facilities), (iii) the use of the proceeds or the proposed use of proceeds of the Loans or issuance of Letters of Credit, (iv) any claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether or not any Indemnitee is a party thereto (and regardless of whether such matter is initiated by a third party or by the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates), or (v) any actual or alleged presence or Release of Hazardous Materials on any property currently or formerly owned or operated by the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries; provided that the indemnity under this Section 9.05(b) shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted primarily from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee.

(c) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, any Issuing Bank or the Swing Line Lender under paragraph (a)  or (b)  of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, such Issuing Bank or the Swing Line Lender, as the case may be, such Lender’s pro rata share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount; provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, such Issuing Bank or the Swing Line Lender in its capacity as such. For purposes hereof, a Lender’s “pro rata share” shall be determined based upon its share of the sum of the Aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure and unused Commitments at the time (in each case, determined as if no Lender were a Defaulting Lender).

 

110


(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.

(e) The provisions of this Section 9.05 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the expiration of the term of this Agreement, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of any of the Loans, the expiration of the Commitments, the expiration of any Letter of Credit, the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank. All amounts due under this Section 9.05 shall be payable on written demand therefor.

SECTION 9.06 Right of Setoff . If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, each Issuing Bank and each of their respective Affiliates who is owed Obligations is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, except to the extent prohibited by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other indebtedness at any time owing by such Person to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any other Loan Party against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower or any other Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement and other Loan Documents held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower or such other Loan Party may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch, office or Affiliate of such Lender or such Issuing Bank different from the branch, office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.21 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Agents, the Issuing Banks, and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. The rights of each Lender, each Issuing Bank and their respective Affiliates under this Section 9.06 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, such Issuing Bank or their respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender and each Issuing Bank agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application; provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

SECTION 9.07 Applicable Law . THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY (OTHER THAN LETTERS OF CREDIT AND AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS) SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. EACH LETTER OF CREDIT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OR RULES DESIGNATED IN SUCH LETTER OF CREDIT, OR IF NO SUCH LAWS OR RULES ARE DESIGNATED, THE RULES OF THE “INTERNATIONAL STANDBY PRACTICES 1998” PUBLISHED BY THE INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL BANKING LAW & PRACTICE (OR SUCH LATER VERSION THEREOF AS MAY BE IN EFFECT AT THE TIME OF ISSUANCE) SHALL APPLY TO SUCH LETTER OF CREDIT.

 

111


SECTION 9.08 Waivers; Amendment . (a) No failure or delay of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank in exercising any power or right hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph  (b) below, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. No notice or demand on any Loan Party in any case shall entitle any Loan Party to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances.

(b) Neither this Agreement, any other Loan Document (other than the Engagement Letter) nor any provision hereof or thereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the applicable Loan Party or Loan Parties party thereto and the Required Lenders (or, as applicable, the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent upon the direction of the Required Lenders); provided , however , that no such agreement shall (i) decrease the principal amount of, or extend the maturity of or any scheduled principal payment date or date for the payment of any interest or fees on any Loan or any date for reimbursement of an L/C Disbursement, or forgive, waive or excuse any such payment or any part thereof, or decrease the rate of interest (other than the Default Rate) or fees on any Loan or L/C Disbursement, without the prior written consent of each Lender directly adversely affected thereby (for the avoidance of doubt, it is understood that only the consent of the Borrower and the Required Lenders shall be necessary to waive, amend or modify (A) any mandatory prepayment requirement prior to a prepayment becoming due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof or (B) any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such waiver, amendment or modification would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan, Letter of Credit or L/C Disbursement or to reduce any fee payable hereunder, in each case, to the extent such interest or fees is not yet accrued, due and payable), (ii) increase or extend the Commitment or decrease the amount of or extend the date for payment of any Fees or fees of any Lender without the prior written consent of such Lender, (iii) amend or modify the pro rata requirements of Section 2.16 , the provisions of clause (x)  of the first sentence of Section 9.04(a) or the provisions of this Section 9.08 , release any Guarantor (other than in connection with the disposition of such Guarantor in a transaction permitted by Section 6.05 ), or release all or substantially all of the Collateral, without the prior written consent of each Lender, (iv) change the provisions of any Loan Document in a manner that by its terms adversely affects the rights in respect of payments due to Lenders holding Loans of one Class differently from the rights of Lenders holding Loans of any other Class without the prior written consent of Lenders holding a majority in interest of the outstanding Loans and unused Commitments of each adversely affected Class, (v) modify the protections afforded to an SPV pursuant to the provisions of Section 9.04(i) without the written consent of such SPV, (vi) reduce the percentage contained in the definition of the term “Required Lenders” without the prior written consent of each Lender (it being understood that with the consent of the Required Lenders, additional extensions of credit pursuant to this Agreement may be included in the determination of the Required Lenders on substantially the same basis as the Commitments on the Closing Date), or (vii) impose any additional restrictions on any Lender’s ability to assign any of its rights or obligations hereunder (including any amendment to Section 9.04 ) without the prior written consent of the Lenders adversely affected thereby; provided , however , that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to consent to any such

 

112


amendment, modification or waiver, other than any such amendment, modification or waiver which affects the rights or obligations of a Defaulting Lender differently than the rights or obligations of the other Lenders or increases or extends the Commitment of, or forgives or decreases the principal amount of, or extends the maturity of any scheduled principal payment date or date for the payment of any interest on any Loan of, such Defaulting Lender; provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Swing Line Lender, or any Issuing Bank hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Swing Line Lender or such Issuing Bank, as applicable.

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend any Loan Document to correct administrative errors or omissions, or to effect administrative changes that are not adverse to any Lender and (ii) the Administrative Agent, the Borrower, the Swing Line Lender and the Issuing Banks may amend this Agreement in accordance with Sections 2.23(k) and 2.24 and 2.25 and (iii) the Engagement Letter may be amended by the parties thereto in accordance with its terms. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any such amendments shall become effective without any further consent of any other party to such Loan Document.

SECTION 9.09 Interest Rate Limitation . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan or participation in any L/C Disbursement, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan or participation in such L/C Disbursement under applicable law (collectively the “ Charges ”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “ Maximum Rate ”) which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan or participation in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan or participation hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan or participation but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section 9.09 shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or participations or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.

SECTION 9.10 Entire Agreement . This Agreement, the Engagement Letter and the other Loan Documents constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof. Any other previous agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof is superseded by this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Nothing in this Agreement or in the other Loan Documents, expressed or implied, is intended to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto and thereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereunder (including any Affiliate of any Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Indemnitees and the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders) any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents.

SECTION 9.11 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL . EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY

 

113


OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 9.11 .

SECTION 9.12 Severability . In the event any one or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document should be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein and therein shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby (it being understood that the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not in and of itself affect the validity of such provision in any other jurisdiction). The parties shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

SECTION 9.13 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract, and shall become effective as provided in Section 9.03 . Delivery of an executed signature page to this Agreement by facsimile transmission or in other electronic ( e.g. , “pdf” or “tif”) format shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Agreement. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Loan Documents, Assignment and Acceptance shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

SECTION 9.14 Headings . Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and are not to affect the construction of, or to be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

SECTION 9.15 Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process . (a) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself, its Restricted Subsidiaries and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of any New York State court or the Federal court of the Southern District of New York, in each case located in the Borough of Manhattan, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment (except to the extent the Collateral Agent requires submission to any other jurisdiction in connection with the exercise of any rights under any Security Document or the enforcement of any judgment), and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding shall be heard and determined in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents against the Loan Parties or their properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

 

114


(b) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, on behalf of itself and the other Loan Parties, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any New York State or Federal court referred to in paragraph (a)  of this Section 9.15 . Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

(c) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01 . Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

SECTION 9.16 Confidentiality . Each of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information, except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ officers, directors, employees, controlling persons, and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors, including any numbering, administration or settlement service providers (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority or quasi-regulatory authority (such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), including audits or examinations conducted by bank accountants or any governmental bank authority exercising examination or regulatory authority, (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under the other Loan Documents or any suit, action or proceeding relating to the enforcement of its rights hereunder or thereunder, (e) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section 9.16 or in accordance with standard syndication processes or customary market standards for dissemination of such Information, which shall in any event require “click through” or other affirmative actions on the part of the recipient to access such information, to (i) any actual or prospective assignee of or participant in any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their respective obligations or (iii) any other Lender, Agent or Affiliate of a Lender or Agent, (f) to rating agencies, (g) with the consent of the Borrower, (h) to the extent such Information is independently developed by such Person or (i) to the extent such Information becomes publicly available or is received by such Person from a third party other than as a result of a breach of this Section 9.16 . “ Information ” shall mean all information received from the Borrower and related to the Loan Parties or their respective businesses, other than any such information that was available to the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to its disclosure by the Borrower; provided that, in the case of Information received from the Borrower after the Closing Date, such information shall be deemed confidential unless marked “PUBLIC” in accordance with Section 9.01 . Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section 9.16 shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord its own confidential information.

SECTION 9.17 Lender Action . Each Lender agrees that it shall not take or institute any action or proceeding, judicial or otherwise, for any right or remedy against any Loan Parties under any Loan Document (including the exercise of any right of setoff, rights on account of any banker’s lien or similar claim or other rights of self-help), or institute any actions or proceedings, or otherwise commence any remedial procedures, with respect to any Collateral or any other property of any of the Loan Parties, unless expressly provided for herein or in any other Loan Document, without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent. The provisions of this Section 9.17 are for the sole benefit of the Agents and the Lenders and shall not afford any right to, or constitute a defense available to, any of the Loan Parties.

 

115


SECTION 9.18 USA PATRIOT Act Notice . Each Lender and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower and the other Loan Parties, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and the other Loan Parties other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrower and the other Loan Parties in accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act.

SECTION 9.19 No Fiduciary Duty . The Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, each Issuing Bank, each Lender and their Affiliates (collectively, solely for purposes of this paragraph, the “ Lenders ”), may have economic interests that conflict with those of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, equityholders and/or Affiliates. The Borrower hereby agrees, on behalf of itself and each of the other Loan Parties, that nothing in the Loan Documents or otherwise will be deemed to create an advisory, fiduciary or agency relationship or fiduciary or other implied duty between any Lender, on the one hand, and the Borrower, the other Loan Parties, and their respective Subsidiaries, equityholders or Affiliates, on the other. The Borrower acknowledges and agrees, on behalf of itself and each of the other Loan Parties, that (i) the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents (including the exercise of rights and remedies hereunder and thereunder) are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Lenders, on the one hand, and the Loan Parties, on the other, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading thereto, (x) no Lender has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Borrower, the other Loan Parties, their respective equityholders and/or Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby (or the exercise of rights or remedies with respect thereto) or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether any Lender has advised, is currently advising or will advise the Borrower, the other Loan Parties, and their respective Subsidiaries, equityholders or Affiliates on other matters) or any other obligation to the Loan Parties except the obligations expressly set forth in the Loan Documents and (y) each Lender is acting solely as principal and not as the agent or fiduciary of the Borrower, the other Loan Parties, or their respective management, equityholders, creditors or any other Person, (iii) it has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate and it is responsible for making its own independent judgment with respect to the Transactions and the process leading thereto, and (iv) it will not claim that any Arranger, Syndication Agent, Documentation Agent, Agent, Issuing Bank or Lender has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to it in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto, and agrees that each Arranger, Syndication Agent, Documentation Agent, Agent, Issuing Bank or Lender shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) in respect to such a claim or to any other Person asserting such a claim on their behalf.

SECTION 9.20 Affiliate Activities . The Borrower acknowledges that each Agent and each Arranger (and their respective Affiliates) is a full service securities firm engaged, either directly or through Affiliates, in various activities, including securities trading, investment banking and financial advisory, investment management, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities and financial planning and benefits counseling for both companies and individuals. In the ordinary course of these activities, it may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and/or financial instruments (including bank loans) for its own account and for the accounts of its customers and may at any time hold long and short positions in such securities and/or instruments. Such investment and other activities may involve securities and instruments of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates, as well as of other entities and Persons and their Affiliates which may (i) be involved in transactions arising from or relating to the Transaction contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents, (ii) be customers or competitors of the Borrower and its Affiliates, or (iii) have other relationships with the Borrower and its Affiliates. In addition, such Arranger, Syndication Agent, Documentation Agent, Agent, Issuing Bank or Lender and their respective Subsidiaries and Affiliates may provide investment banking, underwriting and financial advisory services

 

116


to such other entities and Persons. Such Arranger, Syndication Agent, Documentation Agent, Agent, Issuing Bank or Lender and their respective Subsidiaries and Affiliates may also co-invest with, make direct investments in, and invest or co-invest client monies in or with funds or other investment vehicles managed by other parties, and such funds or other investment vehicles may trade or make investments in securities of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates or such other entities. The transactions contemplated by this Agreement and by the other Loan Documents may have a direct or indirect impact on the investments, securities or instruments referred to in this Section.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

117


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

TALLGRASS ENERGY PARTNERS, LP, as Borrower
By: Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC, its general partner
  By:  

/s/ David G. Dehaemers, Jr.

  Name:   David G. Dehaemers, Jr.
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer
BARCLAYS BANK PLC, as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swing Line Lender, an Issuing Bank and a Lender
  By  

/s/ Ann E. Sutton

  Name:   Ann E. Sutton
  Title:   Director
WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as an Issuing Bank
By:  

/s/ Brandon Kast

Name:   Brandon Kast
Title:   Assistant Vice President


Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.,
as Lender
  By:  

/s/ Andrew Ostrov

  Name:   Andrew Ostrov
  Title:   Director
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Lender
  By:  

/s/ Ronald E. McKaig

  Name:   Ronald E. McKaig
  Title:   Managing Director
Citibank, N.A.,
as Lender
  By:  

/s/ Todd Mogil

  Name:   Todd Mogil
  Title:   Vice President
Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch,
as Lender
  By:  

/s/ Marcus M. Tarkington

  Name:   Marcus M. Tarkington
  Title:   Director
For any Lender requiring a second signature line:
  By:  

/s/ Michael Getz

  Name:   Michael Getz
  Title:   Vice President
Goldman Sachs Bank USA,
as Lender
  By:  

/s/ Mark Walton

    Mark Walton
    Authorized Signatory


Royal Bank of Canada,
as Lender
  By:  

/s/ Jay T. Sartain

  Name:   Jay T. Sartain
  Title:   Authorized Signatory
Compass Bank,
as Lender
  By:  

/s/ Kathleen J. Bowen

  Name:   Kathleen J. Bowen
  Title:   Senior Vice President
CAPITAL ONE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Lender
  By:  

/s/ Matthew L. Molero

  Name:   Matthew L. Molero
  Title:   Vice President
CREDIT SUISSE AG, Cayman Islands Branch,
as Lender
  By:  

/s/ Vipul Dhadda

  Name:   Vipul Dhadda
  Title:   Authorized Signatory
For any Lender requiring a second signature line:
  By:  

/s/ Michael Spaight

  Name:   Michael Spaight
  Title:   Authorized Signatory
Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A.,
as Lender
  By:  

/s/ Kelly Chin

  Name:   Kelly Chin
  Title:   Authorized Signatory


Cadence Bank, N.A.,
as Lender
  By:  

/s/ William W. Brown

  Name:   William W. Brown
  Title:   Senior Vice President
REGIONS BANK,
as Lender
  By:  

/s/ David Valentine

  Name:   David Valentine
  Title:   Vice President

Exhibit 10.4

TALLGRASS MLP GP, LLC

LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

 

1. Purpose of the Plan.

The Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”) has been adopted by Tallgrass MLP GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Company ”), the general partner of Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), and is intended to promote the interests of the Partnership and the Company and their Affiliates (as defined below) by providing to employees, consultants, and directors of the Company and its Affiliates who perform services for or on behalf of the Partnership or its Affiliates incentive compensation awards for superior performance that are based on Units (as defined below). The Plan is also contemplated to enhance the ability of the Company and its Affiliates to attract and retain the services of individuals who are essential for the growth and profitability of the Partnership and its subsidiaries and to encourage them to devote their best efforts to advancing the business of the Partnership and its subsidiaries.

 

2. Definitions.

As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question. As used herein, the term “control” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

Award ” means a Unit, Restricted Unit, Equity Participation Unit, Option, Unit Appreciation Right or DER granted under the Plan.

Award Agreement ” means the written agreement or other instrument by which an Award shall be evidenced.

Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

Change of Control ” means, and shall be deemed to have occurred upon the occurrence of one or more of the following events: (i) any Person or group, other than Tallgrass GP Holdings, LLC (“ Parent ”) or its Affiliates, becomes the owner, by way of merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization or otherwise, of 50% or more of (A) the combined voting power of the equity interests in the Company or (B) the general partner interests in the Partnership (excluding incentive distribution rights), (ii) the limited partners of the Partnership approve, in one or a series of transactions, a plan of complete liquidation of the Partnership or (iii) the sale or other disposition by the Partnership of all or substantially all of its assets in one or more transactions to any person other than the Company or an Affiliate of the Company.


Anything in this definition to the contrary notwithstanding, with respect to any Award intended to be compliant with Section 409A of the Code, no Change of Control shall be deemed to have occurred unless such event constitutes an event specified in Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(v) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Committee ” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or, if none, the Board or such committee of the Board, if any, as may be appointed by the Board to administer the Plan.

Consultant ” means an individual, other than an Employee or a Director, providing bona fide services to the Partnership or any of its Affiliates as a consultant or advisor, as applicable, provided that such individual is a natural person.

DER ” or “ Distribution Equivalent Right ” means a right to receive an amount in cash or additional Awards equal to the cash distributions made by the Partnership with respect to a Unit during a specified period.

Director ” means a member of the Board who is not an Employee.

Employee ” means any employee of the Company or an Affiliate who performs services for the Partnership or its Affiliates, including, without limitation, employees of Tallgrass Management, LLC or any successor.

Equity Participation Unit ” means a phantom (notional) unit granted under the Plan which entitles the Participant to receive, in the discretion of the Committee, a Unit or an amount of cash equal to the Fair Market Value of a Unit.

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Fair Market Value ” of a Unit means the closing sales price of a Unit on the principal national securities exchange or other market in which trading in Units occurs on the applicable date (or if there is no trading in the Units on such date, on the next preceding date on which there was trading) as reported in The Wall Street Journal (or other reporting service approved by the Committee). In the event Units are not traded on a national securities exchange or other market at the time a determination of fair market value is required to be made hereunder, the determination of fair market value shall be made in good faith by the Committee and in compliance with Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to an Award granted on the effective date of the initial public offering of Units, Fair Market Value on such date shall mean the initial offering price per Unit as stated on the cover page of the prospectus which is part of the registration statement on Form S-1 for such offering.

Option ” means an option to purchase Units granted under the Plan.

 

-2-


Participant ” means any Employee, Consultant or Director granted an Award under the Plan.

Person ” means an individual or a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association, government agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity.

Restricted Period ” means the period established by the Committee with respect to an Award during which the Award remains nontransferable and subject to forfeiture or is either not exercisable by or payable to the Participant, as the case may be.

Restricted Unit ” means a Unit granted under the Plan that is subject to a Restricted Period.

SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any successor thereto.

UAR ” or “ Unit Appreciation Right ” means an Award that, upon exercise, entitles the holder to receive, in cash or Units in the discretion of the Committee, the excess of the Fair Market Value of a Unit on the exercise date over the exercise price established for such Unit Appreciation Right.

Unit ” means a common unit of the Partnership.

 

3. Administration.

(a) General . The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. Subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable law, and in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Committee by the Plan, the Committee shall have full power and authority to: (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to a Participant; (iii) determine the number of Units or Equity Participation Units to be covered by Awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award (including but not limited to performance requirements for such Award); (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, or forfeited; (vi) interpret and administer the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to an Award made under the Plan; (vii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; and (viii) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan. The Committee may, in its discretion, provide for the extension of the exercisability of an Award, accelerate the vesting or exercisability of an Award, eliminate or make less restrictive any restrictions applicable to an Award, waive any restriction or other provision of this Plan or an Award or otherwise amend or modify an Award or Award Agreement in any manner that is either (i) not adverse to the Participant to whom such Award was granted or (ii) consented to by such Participant. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations, and other decisions under or with respect to the Plan or any Award shall be within the sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive, and binding upon all Persons, including the Company, the Partnership, any Affiliate, any Participant, and any beneficiary of any Award. No member of the Committee or officer of the Company to whom the Committee has delegated authority in

 

-3-


accordance with the provisions of Section 3(b) of this Plan shall be liable for anything done or omitted to be done by him or her, by any member of the Committee or by any officer of the Company in connection with the performance of any duties under this Plan, except for his or her own willful misconduct.

(b) Delegation . Following the authorization of a pool of Units to be available for Awards, the Board or the Committee may authorize a committee of one or more members of the Board to grant individual Awards from such pool pursuant to such conditions or limitations as the Board or the Committee may establish. The Committee may delegate to the Chief Executive Officer and to other employees of the Company its administrative duties under this Plan (excluding its granting authority) pursuant to such conditions or limitations as the Committee may establish. The Committee may engage or authorize the engagement of a third party administrator to carry out administrative functions under the Plan.

 

4. Units.

(a) Limits on Units Deliverable . Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4(c), the maximum number of Units that may be delivered or reserved for delivery or underlying Awards in the aggregate issued under the Plan is 10,000,000. If any Award expires, is canceled, exercised, paid or otherwise terminates without the delivery of Units, then the Units covered by such Award, to the extent of such expiration, cancellation, exercise, payment or termination, shall again be Units with respect to which Awards may be granted. Units that are delivered by a Participant in satisfaction of the exercise or other purchase price of an Award or the tax withholding obligations associated with an Award or are withheld to satisfy the Company’s tax withholding obligations are available for delivery pursuant to other Awards. The Committee may from time to time adopt and observe such rules and procedures concerning the counting of Units against the Plan maximum or any sublimit as it may deem appropriate, including rules more restrictive than those set forth above to the extent necessary to satisfy the requirements of any national stock exchange on which the Units are listed or any applicable regulatory requirement. The Board, the Committee and the appropriate officers of the Company are authorized to take from time to time whatever actions are necessary, and to file any required documents with governmental authorities, stock exchanges and transaction reporting systems to ensure that Units are available for issuance pursuant to Awards.

(b) Sources of Units Deliverable Under Awards . Any Units delivered pursuant to an Award shall consist, in whole or in part, of Units acquired in the open market, common units already owned by the Company, common units acquired by the Company directly from the Partnership or any other person or any combination of the foregoing.

(c) Adjustments . In the event that any distribution (whether in the form of cash, Units, other securities, or other property), recapitalization, split, reverse split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or exchange of Units or other securities of the Partnership, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase Units or other securities of the Partnership, or other similar transaction or event affects the Units, then the Committee shall, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust any or all of (i) the number and type of Units (or other securities or property) with respect to which Awards may be granted, (ii) the number and type of Units (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards,

 

-4-


and (iii) the grant or exercise price with respect to any Award, or make provision for a cash payment to the holder of an outstanding Award; provided, that the number of Units subject to any Award shall always be a whole number. No adjustment pursuant to this Section 4(c) shall be made in a manner that results in noncompliance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, to the extent applicable.

 

5. Eligibility.

Any Employee, Consultant or Director shall be eligible to be designated a Participant and receive an Award under the Plan.

 

6. Awards.

Awards may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with or in substitution for any other Award granted under the Plan or any award granted under any other plan of the Company or any Affiliate. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards or awards granted under any other plan of the Company or any Affiliate may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards or awards.

(a) Unrestricted Units . The Committee shall have the discretion to determine the Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom unrestricted Units shall be granted and the number of Units to be granted. All unrestricted Units granted shall be fully vested upon grant and shall not be subject to forfeiture.

(b) Restricted Units . The Committee shall have the authority to determine the Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom Restricted Units shall be granted, the number of Restricted Units to be granted to each such Participant, the Restricted Period, the conditions under which the Restricted Units may become vested or forfeited, and such other terms and conditions as the Committee may establish with respect to such Awards. To the extent provided by the Committee, in its discretion, a grant of Restricted Units may provide that distributions made by the Partnership with respect to the Restricted Units shall be subject to the same forfeiture and other restrictions as the Restricted Unit and, if restricted, such distributions shall be held, without interest, until the Restricted Unit vests or is forfeited with the accumulated distributions being paid or forfeited at the same time, as the case may be. Absent such a restriction on the distributions in the Award Agreement, distributions during the Restricted Period shall be paid to the holder of the Restricted Unit without restriction.

(c) Equity Participation Units . The Committee shall have the authority to determine the Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom Equity Participation Units shall be granted, the number of Equity Participation Units to be granted to each such Participant, the Restricted Period, the time or conditions under which the Equity Participation Units may become vested or forfeited, which may include, without limitation, the accelerated vesting upon the achievement of specified performance goals, and such other terms and conditions as the Committee may establish with respect to such Awards, including whether DERs are granted with respect to such Equity Participation Units.

 

-5-


(d) Options . The Committee shall have the authority to determine the Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom Options shall be granted, the number of Units to be covered by each Option, whether DERs are granted with respect to such Option, the purchase price therefor and the conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise of the Option as the Committee shall determine, that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan. The term of an Option may not exceed 10 years. The purchase price per Unit purchasable under an Option shall be determined by the Committee at the time the Option is granted, provided such purchase price may not be less than 100% of its Fair Market Value as of the date of grant. The Committee shall determine the time or times at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part, which may include, without limitation, accelerated vesting upon the achievement of specified performance goals, and the method or methods by which payment of the exercise price with respect thereto may be made or deemed to have been made, which may include, without limitation, cash, check acceptable to the Company, a broker-assisted cashless exercise through procedures approved by the Committee, delivery of previously owned Units having a Fair Market Value on the exercise date equal to the relevant exercise price, or any combination thereof.

(e) Unit Appreciation Rights . The Committee shall have the authority to determine the Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom Unit Appreciation Rights shall be granted, the number of Units to be covered by each grant and the conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise of the Unit Appreciation Right as the Committee shall determine, that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan. The exercise price per Unit Appreciation Right shall be not less than 100% of its Fair Market Value as of the date of grant. The term of a Unit Appreciation Right may not exceed 10 years.

(f) Distribution Equivalent Rights . The Committee shall have the authority to determine the Employees, Consultants and Directors to whom DERs are granted, whether such DERs are tandem or separate Awards, whether the DERs shall be paid directly to the Participant, be credited to a bookkeeping account (with or without interest in the discretion of the Committee) the vesting restrictions and payment provisions applicable to the Award, and such other provisions or restrictions as determined by the Committee in its discretion all of which shall be specified in the Award Agreements.

 

7. Limits on Transfer of Awards.

Each Award shall be exercisable or payable only to the Participant during the Participant’s lifetime, or to the person to whom the Participant’s rights shall pass by will or the laws of descent and distribution. No Award and no right under any such Award may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Participant and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or any Affiliate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent specifically provided by the Committee with respect to an Award, an Award may be transferred by a Participant without consideration to immediate family members or related family trusts, limited partnerships or similar entities or on such terms and conditions as the Committee may from time to time establish.

 

-6-


8. Securities Restrictions.

(a) All certificates for Units or other securities of the Partnership delivered under the Plan pursuant to any Award or the exercise thereof shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan or the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the SEC, any stock exchange upon which such Units or other securities are then listed, and any applicable federal or state laws, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.

(b) Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary, delivery of Units pursuant to the exercise or vesting of an Award may be deferred for any period during which, in the good faith determination of the Committee, the Company is not reasonably able to obtain Units to deliver pursuant to such Award without violating the rules or regulations of any applicable law or securities exchange. No Units or other securities shall be delivered pursuant to any Award until payment in full of any amount required to be paid pursuant to the Plan or the applicable Award Agreement (including, without limitation, any exercise price or tax withholding) is received by the Company.

 

9. Change of Control.

Unless specifically provided otherwise in the Award Agreement, upon a Change of Control or such time prior thereto as established by the Committee, all outstanding Awards shall automatically vest or become exercisable in full, as the case may be. In this regard, all Restricted Periods shall terminate.

Except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, the difference between the Fair Market Value of Units on the payment date and the exercise price of an Option or UAR that is or becomes fully vested and exercisable as of the date of a Change of Control (or any earlier date related to the Change of Control and established by the Committee) shall be paid in a single payment in Units, or cash and/or other property, or any combination of Units and cash and/or other property, as determined by the Committee. Except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, any Award of Equity Participation Units or Restricted Units that pursuant to this Section 9 are deemed to have the applicable Restriction Period lapse (and to have all applicable performance criteria achieved at the maximum level, if any) as of the date of a Change of Control (or any earlier date related to the Change of Control and established by the Committee), shall be settled by (i) issuance of unrestricted Units based on the number of Units that were subject to the Award on the date of grant of the Award or (ii) payment of cash and/or other property equal to the Fair Market Value of a Unit on the payout date for each Equity Participation Unit or Restricted Unit or (iii) any combination of payouts under clauses (i) and (ii) of this sentence, as determined by the Committee. Any accelerated payout pursuant to this Section 9 shall be made in a single payment within 30 days after the date of the Change of Control.

To the extent an Option or UAR is not vested or exercisable, or an Equity Participation Unit or Restricted Unit does not vest, pursuant to the preceding provisions of this Section 9 or the Award Agreement upon the Change of Control, the Committee may, in its discretion, cancel

 

-7-


such Award or provide for an assumption of such Award or a replacement grant on substantially the same terms; provided, however, upon any cancellation of an Option or UAR that has an exercise price less than the Fair Market Value of a Unit as of the date of cancellation or an Equity Participation Unit or Restricted Unit, the holder shall be paid an amount in Units or cash and/or other property or any combination of cash and/or other property, as determined by the Committee, equal to the difference between the Fair Market Value of a Unit and the exercise price if an Option or UAR or equal to the Fair Market Value of a Unit, if an Equity Participation Unit or Restricted Unit.

 

10. Amendment and Termination.

Except as required by applicable law or the rules of the principal securities exchange on which the Units are traded, the Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan in any manner, including increasing the number of Units available for Awards under the Plan, without the consent of any Participant, any other holder or beneficiary of an Award or any other Person.

 

11. General Provisions.

(a) No Rights to Award . No Person shall have any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants. The terms and conditions of Awards need not be the same with respect to each recipient.

(b) Tax Withholding . The Company or any Affiliate is authorized to withhold from any Award, from any payment due or transfer made under any Award or from any compensation or other amount owing to a Participant the amount (in cash, Units, other securities, or other property) of any applicable taxes payable at the minimum statutory rate in respect of the grant of an Award, its exercise, the lapse of restrictions thereon, or any payment or transfer under an Award or under the Plan and to take such other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Company or such Affiliate to satisfy its withholding obligations for the payment of such taxes.

(c) No Right to Employment or Services . The grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained as an Employee, Consultant or Director, as applicable. Further, the Company or an Affiliate may at any time dismiss a Participant from employment or service at any time.

(d) Governing Law . The validity, construction, and effect of the Plan and any rules and regulations relating to the Plan shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to its conflict of laws principles.

(e) Severability . If any provision of the Plan or any Award is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any Person or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, person or Award and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.

 

-8-


(f) Other Laws . The Committee may refuse to issue or transfer any Units or other consideration under an Award if, in its sole discretion, it determines that the issuance or transfer of such Units or such other consideration might violate any applicable law or regulation, the rules of the principal securities exchange on which the Units are then traded, or entitle the Partnership or an Affiliate to recover the same under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, and any payment tendered to the Company by a Participant, other holder or beneficiary in connection with the exercise of such Award shall be promptly refunded to the relevant Participant, holder or beneficiary.

(g) No Trust or Fund Created . Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Partnership, Company or any participating Affiliate and a Participant or any other Person. To the extent that any Person acquires a right to receive payments from the Partnership, Company or any Affiliate pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any general unsecured creditor of the Partnership, Company or any participating Affiliate.

(h) No Fractional Units. No fractional Units shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and the Committee shall determine whether cash, other securities, or other property shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional Units or whether such fractional Units or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated, or otherwise eliminated.

(i) Facility of Payment . Any amounts payable hereunder to any person under legal disability or who, in the judgment of the Committee, is unable to properly manage his financial affairs, may be paid to the legal representative of such person, or may be applied for the benefit of such person in any manner which the Committee may select, and the Partnership, Company and its Affiliates shall be relieved of any further liability for payment of such amounts.

(j) Gender and Number . Words in the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender, the plural shall include the singular and the singular shall include the plural.

(k) No Guarantee of Tax Consequences . None of the Board, the Partnership, the Company, any Affiliate nor the Committee makes any commitment or guarantee that any federal, state or local tax treatment will apply or be available to any person participating or eligible to participate hereunder.

 

12. Section 409A of the Code.

(a) Awards made under this Plan are intended to comply with or be exempt from Section 409A of the Code, and ambiguous provisions hereof, if any, shall be construed and interpreted in a manner consistent with such intent. No payment, benefit or consideration shall be substituted for an Award if such action would result in the imposition of taxes under Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, if any Plan provision or Award under this Plan would result in the imposition of an additional tax under Section 409A of the Code, that Plan provision or Award shall be reformed, to the extent permissible under Section 409A of the Code, to avoid imposition of the additional tax, and no such action shall be deemed to adversely affect the Participant’s rights to an Award.

 

-9-


(b) Unless the Committee provides otherwise in an Award Agreement, each DER, Restricted Unit or Equity Participation Unit (or portion thereof if the Award is subject to a vesting schedule) shall be settled no later than the 15th day of the third month after the end of the first calendar year in which the Award (or such portion thereof) is no longer subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. If the Committee determines that a DER, Restricted Unit or Equity Participation Unit is intended to be subject to Section 409A of the Code, the applicable Award Agreement shall include terms that are designed to satisfy the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

(c) If the Participant is identified by the Company as a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code on the date on which the Participant has a “separation from service” (other than due to death) within the meaning of Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(h), any Award payable or settled on account of a separation from service that is deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be paid or settled on the earliest of (1) the first business day following the expiration of six months from the Participant’s separation from service, (2) the date of the Participant’s death, or (3) such earlier date as complies with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

 

13. Term of the Plan.

The Plan has been approved by the Board and the limited partners of the Partnership effective as of May 13, 2013. The Plan shall terminate on, and no Awards may be granted after, the earliest of the date established by the Board or the Committee, May 13, 2023 (or such earlier date, if any, required by the rules of the exchange on which Units are traded) or the date Units are no longer available for delivery pursuant to Awards under the Plan. However, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in an applicable Award Agreement, any Award granted prior to such termination, and the authority of the Committee to amend, alter, adjust, suspend, discontinue, or terminate any such Award or to waive any conditions or rights under such Award, shall extend beyond such termination date.

 

-10-

Exhibit 99.1

T ALLGRASS E NERGY P ARTNERS , LP P RICES I NITIAL P UBLIC O FFERING

OVERLAND PARK, Kansas (May 13, 2013) – Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP (“Tallgrass”) today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 13,050,000 common units representing limited partner interests at the public offering price of $21.50 per common unit. The common units are scheduled to begin trading tomorrow on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “TEP.” Tallgrass has granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 1,957,500 common units from Tallgrass at the initial public offering price. The offering is expected to close on May 17, 2013, subject to customary closing conditions.

After the offering, Tallgrass Development, LP and its affiliates will indirectly own common units and subordinated units representing approximately 66% of Tallgrass’ outstanding units (approximately 62% if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units in full) and general partner units representing a 2% general partner interest in Tallgrass.

Barclays, Citigroup, BofA Merrill Lynch and Deutsche Bank Securities are acting as joint book-running managers, and Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, RBC Capital Markets, Wells Fargo Securities, Baird and Stifel are acting as co-managers for the initial public offering. The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. When available, a final prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from:

 

   

Barclays, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, telephone: 1-888-603-5847 or email at barclaysprospectus@broadridge.com;

 

   

Citigroup, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, telephone: 1-800-831-9146 or email at batprospectusdept@citi.com;

 

   

BofA Merrill Lynch, Attn: Prospectus Department, 222 Broadway, New York, NY 10038, email: dg.prospectus_requests@baml.com ; or

 

   

Deutsche Bank Securities, Attn: Prospectus Group, 60 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005-2836, telephone: 1-800-503-4611 or email at prospectus.CPDG@db.com.

When available, you may also get a copy of the final prospectus for free by visiting the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) website at http://www.sec.gov.

A registration statement relating to the common units has been filed with, and declared effective by the SEC. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the common units in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP

Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, with a base of operations in Lakewood, Colorado, Tallgrass is a growth-oriented limited partnership that provides natural gas transportation and storage services for customers in the Rocky Mountain and Midwest regions of the United States through its Tallgrass Interstate Gas transportation system and provides processing services for customers in Wyoming through its Casper and Douglas natural gas processing and West Frenchie Draw natural gas treating facilities.


Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements” that reflect the views and assumptions of Tallgrass’ management regarding future events. Statements that do not relate strictly to historical or current facts are forward-looking. These forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, among others that our business plans may change as circumstances warrant and securities of Tallgrass may not ultimately be offered to the public because of general market conditions or other factors. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results.

Contacts

Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP

Investor Relations, 913-928-6012