As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 17, 2015

Registration No. 333-187642

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

 

 

FORM N-2

 

 

 

x REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
x PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 10
¨ POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO.
¨ REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

 

 

GOLDMAN SACHS BDC, INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

200 West Street New York, New York 10282

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code: (212) 902-0300

Jonathan Lamm

Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc.

200 West Street

New York, New York 10282

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Copies of information to:

 

Stuart Gelfond, Esq.
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
One New York Plaza
New York, New York 10004
Telephone: (212) 859-8000
Facsimile: (212) 859-4000
 

Geoffrey R.T. Kenyon, Esq.

Richard Horowitz, Esq.

Dechert LLP
1095 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10036

Telephone: (212) 698-3500
Facsimile: (212) 698-3599

 

Monica J. Shilling, Esq.
Proskauer Rose LLP
2049 Century Park East, 32 nd  Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90067-3206
Telephone: (310) 557-2900
Facsimile: (310) 557-2193

 

Margery K. Neale, Esq.

James G. Silk, Esq.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

787 Seventh Avenue

New York, New York 10019

Telephone: (212) 728-8000

Facsimile: (212) 728-9294

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If any of the securities being registered on this form will be offered on a delayed or continuous basis in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than Securities offered in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan, check the following box.   ¨

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

 

  ¨ when declared effective pursuant to section 8(c).

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Title of Securities
Being Registered
 

Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price (1)(2)

 

Amount of
Registration Fee (3)

Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share

 

$144,900,000

 

$16,837.38

 

 

(1) Includes the underwriters’ over-allotment option.
(2) Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933 solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee.
(3) Previously paid.

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 


EXPLANATORY NOTE

The purpose of this Amendment No. 10 to the Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, on Form N-2, is to complete Item 27, revise the exhibit list and file additional exhibits. Accordingly, this Amendment No. 10 consists only of the facing page, this explanatory note and Part C of the Registration Statement. The prospectus and financial statements are unchanged and have been omitted.


GOLDMAN SACHS BDC, INC.

PART C

OTHER INFORMATION

Item 25. Financial Statements and Exhibits

(1) Financial Statements

The following financial statements are provided in Part A of this Registration Statement for Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc. (and its predecessor Goldman Sachs Liberty Harbor Capital, LLC) (the “Registrant”):

Audited Financial Statements

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

  F-2   

Statements of Assets and Liabilities as of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013

  F-3   

Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 and for the period from November 15, 2012 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2012

  F-4   

Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the years ended December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 and for the period from November 15, 2012 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2012

  F-5   

Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended ended December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 and for the period from November 15, 2012 (commencement of operations) through December 31, 2012

  F-6   

Schedules of Investments as of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013

  F-7   

Notes to Financial Statements

  F-12   

 

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(2) Exhibits

 

(a) Certificate of Incorporation. (1)
(b) Bylaws. (1)
(c) Not Applicable.
(d)

Not Applicable.

(e) Dividend Reinvestment Plan of Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc.
(f) Not Applicable.
(g) Amended and Restated Investment Management Agreement, dated as of January 1, 2015, between the Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc. and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (1)
(h) Form of Underwriting Agreement.
(i) Not Applicable.
(j) Custody Agreement, dated as of April 1, 2013, between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company. (2)
(k)(1) Transfer Agency Agreement, dated as of April 1, 2013, between Registrant and Goldman, Sachs & Co.
(k)(2) Form of Transfer Agency Agreement between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company.
(k)(3) Administration Agreement, dated as of April 1, 2013, between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company. (1)
(k)(4) License Agreement, dated as of April 1, 2013, between the Registrant and the Goldman, Sachs & Co. (1)
(k)(5) Senior Secured Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of September 19, 2013 among Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc., as Borrower, the Lenders party thereto, and SunTrust Bank, as Administrative Agent. (2)
(k)(5)(a) First Omnibus Amendment to Senior Secured Revolving Credit Agreement and Guarantee and Security Agreement, dated as of October 3, 2014 among Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc., as Borrower, the Lenders party thereto, and SunTrust Bank, as Administrative Agent and as Collateral Agent. (2)
(k)(6) Senior Credit Fund, LLC Limited Liability Company Agreement, dated as of July 18, 2014, between Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc. and Regents of the University of California. (1)
(k)(6)(a) First Amendment to Senior Credit Fund, LLC Limited Liability Company Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2014, between Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc. and Regents of the University of California.
(l) Opinion and Consent of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP. (1)
(m) Not Applicable.
(n)(1) Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, regarding “senior securities” table contained herein. (1)
(n)(2) Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. (3)
(o) Not Applicable.
(p) Not Applicable.
(q) Not Applicable.
(r)(1) Code of Ethics of Registrant. (1)
(r)(2) Code of Ethics of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (2)

 

(1) Previously filed on March 3, 2015 as an exhibit to Amendment No. 7 to this registration statement.
(2) Previously filed on March 10, 2015 as an exhibit to Amendment No. 8 to this registration statement.
(3) Previously filed on March 10, 2015 as an exhibit to Amendment No. 9 to this registration statement.

 

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Item 26. Marketing Arrangements

The information contained under the heading “Underwriting” on this Registration Statement is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 27. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

 

Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee

   $ 16,837   

New York Stock Exchange listing fees

     20,000   

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority fees

     22,235   

Printing expenses (1)

     219,411   

Accounting fees and expenses (1)

     365,000   

Legal fees and expenses (1)

     2,195,802   

Miscellaneous (1)

     160,715   
  

 

 

 

Total

  3,000,000   
  

 

 

 

(1)    These amounts are estimates.

       

All of the expenses set forth above shall be borne by the Registrant.

Item 28. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant

Not applicable.

Item 29. Number of Holders of Securities

The following table sets forth the approximate number of record holders of the Registrant’s common stock at January 31, 2015.

 

Title of Class

  

Number of Record
Holders

 

Common shares, par value $0.001 per share

     749   

Item 30. Indemnification

As permitted by Section 102 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”), the Registrant has adopted provisions in its certificate of incorporation, as amended, that limit or eliminate the personal liability of its directors for a breach of their fiduciary duty of care as a director. The duty of care generally requires that, when acting on behalf of the Registrant, directors exercise an informed business judgment based on all material information reasonably available to them. Consequently, a director will not be personally liable to the Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages or breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability for: any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Registrant or its stockholders; any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; any act related to unlawful stock repurchases, redemptions or other distributions or payment of dividends; or any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. These limitations of liability do not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as injunctive relief or rescission.

The Registrant’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws each provide that all directors, officers, employees and agents of the Registrant will be entitled to be indemnified by us to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, subject to the requirements of the Investment Company Act. Under Section 145 of the DGCL, the Registrant is permitted to offer indemnification to its directors, officers, employees and agents.

Section 145(a) of the DGCL empowers the Registrant to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Registrant) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant, or is or was serving at the

 

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request of the Registrant as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if (1) such person acted in good faith, (2) in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Registrant and (3) with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, such person had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful.

Section 145(b) of the DGCL empowers the Registrant to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Registrant to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant, or is or was serving at the request of the Registrant as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if such person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Registrant, and except that no indemnification may be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person has been adjudged to be liable to the Registrant unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought determines upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court deems proper.

Section 145(c) of the DGCL provides that to the extent that a present or former director or officer of the Registrant has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding.

Section 145(d) of the DGCL provides that in all cases in which indemnification is permitted under subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145 (unless ordered by a court), it will be made by the Registrant only if it is consistent with the Investment Company Act and as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the present or former director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because the person to be indemnified has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in those subsections. Such determination must be made, with respect to a person who is a director or officer at the time of such determination, (1) by a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or (2) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, or (3) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion or (4) by the stockholders.

Section 145(e) authorizes the Registrant to pay expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an officer or director of the Registrant in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the person to whom the advancement will be made to repay the advanced amounts if it is ultimately determined that he or she was not entitled to be indemnified by the Registrant as authorized by Section 145. Section 145(e) also provides that such expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by former directors and officers or other employees and agents of the Registrant, or persons serving at the request of the Registrant as directors, officers, employees or agents of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the Registrant deems appropriate.

Section 145(f) provides that indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, the other subsections of such Section are not to be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.

 

C-4


Section 145(g) authorizes the Registrant to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of its current and former directors, officers, employees and agents (and on behalf of any person who is or was serving at the request of the Registrant as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise) against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, regardless of whether the Registrant would have the power to indemnify such persons against such liability under Section 145.

Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL allows the Registrant to provide in its certificate of incorporation a provision that limits or eliminates the personal liability of a director of the Registrant to the Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that such provision may not limit or eliminate the liability of a director (1) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Registrant or its stockholders, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (3) under Section 174 of the DGCL, relating to unlawful payment of dividends or unlawful stock purchases or redemption of stock or (4) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. Our certificate of incorporation will provide that our directors will not be liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director to the fullest extent permitted by the current DGCL or as the DGCL may hereafter be amended.

The Administration Agreement provides that we shall indemnify and hold the Administrator harmless from all loss, cost, damage and expense, including reasonable fees and expenses for counsel, incurred by the Administrator resulting from any claim, demand, action or suit in connection with the Administrator’s acceptance of this Agreement, any action or omission by it in the performance of its duties hereunder, or as a result of acting upon any instructions reasonably believed by it to have been duly authorized by us or upon reasonable reliance on information or records given or made by us or our investment adviser, provided that this indemnification shall not apply to actions or omissions of the Administrator, its officers or employees in cases of its or their own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.

The Underwriting Agreement provides that we will indemnify the underwriters against specified liabilities for actions taken in their capacities as such, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof.

Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Our Investment Adviser

A description of any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which our investment adviser, and each managing director, director or executive officer of our investment adviser, is or has been during the past two fiscal years, engaged in for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee, is set forth in Part A of this Registration Statement in the section entitled “Management.” Additional information regarding our investment adviser and its officers and directors is set forth in its Form ADV, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC File No. 801-37591), and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

C-5


Item 32. Locations of Accounts and Records

All accounts, books and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, and the rules thereunder are maintained at the offices of:

 

  (1) the Registrant, Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc., c/o Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P., 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282;

 

  (2) the Transfer Agent, Goldman, Sachs & Co., 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282 (State Street Bank and Trust Company, One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, which will serve as the transfer agent upon completion of the initial public offering);

 

  (3) the Custodian, State Street Bank and Trust Company, One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111; and

 

  (4) the Investment Adviser, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P., 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282.

Item 33. Management Services

Not applicable.

Item 34. Undertakings

 

  1. The Registrant undertakes to suspend the offering of shares until the Prospectus is amended if (1) subsequent to the effective date of its registration statement, the net asset value declines more than ten percent from its net asset value as of the effective date of the registration statement; or (2) the net asset value increases to an amount greater than the net proceeds as stated in the Prospectus.

 

  2. Not applicable.

 

  3. Not applicable.

 

  4. Not applicable.

 

  5. The Registrant undertakes that:

 

  (a) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 497(h) under the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective; and

 

  (b) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

  6. Not applicable.

 

C-6


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in The City of New York, State of New York on the seventeenth day of March, 2015.

 

GOLDMAN SACHS BDC, INC.

 

By:  

    /s/ Brendan McGovern

Name:       Brendan McGovern
Title:       Chief Executive Officer and President

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Brendan McGovern

Brendan McGovern

  

Chief Executive Officer and President

(Principal Executive Officer)

  March 17, 2015

/s/ Jonathan Lamm

Jonathan Lamm

  

Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

(Principal Financial Officer and

Principal Accounting Officer)

  March 17, 2015

*

Ashok N. Bakhru

   Director   March 17, 2015

*

John P. Coblentz, Jr.

   Director   March 17, 2015

*

Katherine Uniacke

   Director   March 17, 2015

*

Richard P. Strubel

   Director   March 17, 2015

 

*By:  

  /s/ Caroline Kraus

 

Caroline Kraus

Attorney-in-Fact

EX-99.(e)

GOLDMAN SACHS BDC, INC.

FORM OF DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN

Introduction

Under the Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the “Plan”) for Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc. (the “Company”), Dividends (as defined below) declared by its Board of Directors on shares of its Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (each, a “Share” and, collectively “Shares”) will automatically be reinvested in additional Shares of the Company. Each registered shareholder may elect to have Dividends distributed in cash ( i.e. , “opt-out”) rather than participate in the Plan. For any registered shareholder that does not so elect (each, a “Participant” and collectively, “Participants”), Dividends on such shareholder’s Shares will be reinvested by State Street Bank and Trust Company (the “Plan Agent”), as agent for shareholders in administering the Plan, in additional Shares, as set forth below. Participation in the Plan is completely voluntary, and may be terminated or resumed at any time without penalty by, written notice if received and processed by the Plan Agent prior to the Dividend record date; otherwise such termination or resumption will be effective with respect to any subsequently declared Dividend. Participants who hold their Shares through a broker or other nominee and who wish to elect to receive any Dividend in cash must contact their broker or nominee. For the avoidance of doubt, this Plan shall not apply to investors who purchased Shares prior to the Company’s initial public offering (“IPO”) with respect to such pre-IPO Shares. Additionally investors holding any Shares through private wealth management accounts with Goldman, Sachs & Co. will not be able to participate in the Plan with respect to such Shares.

Plan Details

 

  1. The Plan Agent will open an account for each holder of Shares under the Plan in the same name in which such holder of Shares is registered. Whenever the Company declares a dividend or other distribution (together, a “Dividend”) payable in cash, non-participants in the Plan will receive cash and Participants will receive the equivalent in Shares. The Shares will be acquired by the Plan Agent for the Participants’ accounts, depending upon the circumstances described below, either through (i) receipt of additional unissued, but authorized Shares from the Company (“Newly Issued Shares”) or (ii) by purchase of outstanding Shares on the open market (“Open-Market Purchases”) on the New York Stock Exchange or elsewhere.

 

  2. If, on the payment date for any Dividend, the most recently computed net asset value (“NAV”) per Share is equal to or less than the closing market price plus estimated per share fees (which include any applicable brokerage commissions the Plan Agent is required to pay) (such condition often referred to as a “premium”), the Plan Agent will invest the Dividend amount in Newly Issued Shares on behalf of the Participants. The number of Newly Issued Shares to be credited to each Participant’s account will be determined by dividing the dollar amount of the Dividend by the most recently computed NAV per Share; provided that, if the most recently computed NAV per Share is less than or equal to 95% of the closing market price on the payment date, the dollar amount of the Dividend will be divided by 95% of the closing market price per Share on the payment date. If, on the payment date for any Dividend, the NAV per Share is greater than the closing market price per share plus per share fees (such condition referred to as a “market discount”), the Plan Agent will invest the Dividend amount in Shares acquired on behalf of the Participants in Open-Market Purchases.

In the event of a market discount on the payment date for any Dividend, the Plan Agent (or Plan Agent’s broker) will have until the last business day before the next date on which the Shares trade on an “ex-dividend” basis or 30 days after the payment date for such Dividend, whichever is sooner (the “Last Purchase Date”), to invest the Dividend amount in Shares acquired in Open-Market Purchases.

 


Open-Market Purchases may be made on any securities exchange where Shares are traded, in the over-the-counter market or in negotiated transactions, and may be on such terms as to price, delivery and otherwise as the Plan Agent shall determine. It is contemplated that the Company will pay quarterly Dividends. If, before the Plan Agent has completed its Open-Market Purchases, the market price per Share exceeds the NAV per Share, the average per Share purchase price paid by the Plan Agent may exceed the NAV of the Shares, resulting in the acquisition of fewer Shares than if the Dividend had been paid in Newly Issued Shares on the Dividend payment date. Because of the foregoing difficulty with respect to Open-Market Purchases, the Plan provides that if the Plan Agent is unable to invest the full Dividend amount in Open-Market Purchases during the purchase period or if the market discount shifts to a market premium during the purchase period, the Plan Agent may cease making Open-Market Purchases and may invest the uninvested portion of the Dividend amount in Newly Issued Shares at the most recently computed NAV per Share provided that, if the NAV per Share is less than or equal to 95% of the then current market price per Share; the dollar amount of the Dividend will be divided by 95% of the market price on the payment date.

 

  3. The Plan Agent maintains all Participants’ accounts in the Plan and furnishes written confirmation of all transactions in the accounts, including information needed by Participants for tax records. Shares in the account of each Participant will be held by the Plan Agent on behalf of the Participant in book entry form in the Plan Agent’s name or the Plan Agent’s nominee. Each shareholder proxy will include those Shares purchased or received pursuant to the Plan. The Plan Agent will forward all proxy solicitation materials to Participants and vote proxies for Shares held under the Plan in accordance with the instructions of the Participants.

 

  4. In the case of shareholders such as banks, brokers or nominees which hold shares for others who are the beneficial owners, the Plan Agent will administer the Plan on the basis of the number of Shares certified from time to time by the record shareholder and held for the account of beneficial owners who participate in the Plan.

 

  5. Any stock dividends or split of Shares distributed by the Company on Shares held by the Plan Agent for Participants will be credited to their accounts. In the event that the Company makes available to its shareholders rights to purchase additional Shares or other securities, the Shares held for each Participant under the Plan will be added to other Shares held by the Participant in calculating the number of rights to be issued to each Participant.

 

  6. The Plan Agent’s fees for the handling of the reinvestment of Dividends will be paid by the Company. However, each Participant will pay a per Share (currently $0.03) fee incurred in connection with Open Market Purchases. The automatic reinvestment of Dividends will not relieve Participants of any Federal, state or local income tax that may be payable (or required to be withheld) on such dividend. If a Participant elects by written notice to the Plan Agent to have the Plan Agent sell all or a part of his or her Shares ($30 minimum transaction amount required) and remit the proceeds to the Participant, the Plan Agent is authorized to deduct a per share brokerage commission of $0.03 from such proceeds. All per Share fees include any applicable brokerage commissions the Plan Agent is required to pay.

 

  7. If a Participant elects by written notice to the Plan Agent to have the Plan Agent sell all or a part of his or her Shares and remit the proceeds to the Participant, the Plan Agent will process all sale instructions received no later than five (5) business days after the date on which the order is received. Such sale will be made through the Plan Agent’s broker on the relevant market and the sale price will not be determined until such time as the broker completes the sale. In each case, the price to each Participant shall be the weighted average sale price obtained by the Plan Agent’s broker net of fees for each aggregate order placed by the Plan Agent and executed by the broker. To maximize cost savings, the Plan Agent will seek to sell Shares in round lot transactions. For this purpose the Plan Agent may combine a Participant’s Shares with those of other selling Participants.

 


  8. Each Participant may terminate his or her account under the Plan by so notifying the Plan Agent in writing prior to the Dividend record date. Such termination will be effective immediately if received by the Plan Agent prior to any Dividend record date; otherwise such termination or resumption will be effective with respect to any subsequently declared Dividend. Upon any withdrawal or termination, the Plan Agent will cause to be delivered to each terminating Participant a statement of holdings for the appropriate number of the Company’s whole book-entry Shares and a check for the cash adjustment of any fractional share at the market value per Share as of the close of business on the day the termination is effective less any applicable fee.

 

  9. The Company reserves the right to amend or terminate the Plan upon notice in writing to each Participant at least 30 days prior to any record date for the payment of any Dividend by the Company. There is no direct service charge to Participants with regard to purchases in the Plan; however, the Company reserves the right to amend the Plan to include a service charge payable by the Participants. Notice will be sent to Participants of any amendments as soon as practicable after such action by the Company.

 

  10. All correspondence, including overnight mail, from a registered owner of Shares concerning the Plan should be directed to the Plan Agent at State Street Bank and Trust Company, State Street Corporation, Attention: Transfer Agent, 100 Huntington Ave, Copley Place Tower 2, Floor 3. Mail Code: CPH0255, Boston, MA 02116 by calling (844)464-2049. Participants who hold their Shares through a broker or other nominee should direct correspondence or questions concerning the Plan to their broker or nominee.

 

EX-99.(h)

 

 

 

 

 

GOLDMAN SACHS BDC, INC.

(a Delaware corporation)

6,000,000 Shares of Common Stock

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

Dated: [ ], 2015

 

 

 

 

 

 


GOLDMAN SACHS BDC, INC.

(a Delaware corporation)

6,000,000 Shares of Common Stock

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

[ ], 2015

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

                     Incorporated

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

as Representatives of the several Underwriters

c/o     Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

                                 Incorporated

One Bryant Park

New York, New York 10036

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Merrill Lynch, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) are acting as Representatives (in such capacity, the “Representatives”), with respect to (i) the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”) set forth in Schedule A hereto and (ii) the grant by the Company to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 900,000 additional shares of Common Stock. The aforesaid 6,000,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Initial Securities”) to be purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the 900,000 shares of Common Stock subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the “Option Securities”) are herein called, collectively, the “Securities.”

The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representatives deem advisable after this Underwriting Agreement (this “Agreement”) has been executed and delivered.

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form N-2 (No. 333-187642), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses, covering the registration of the sale of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A (“Rule 430A”) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the “1933 Act Regulations”) and paragraph (h) of Rule 497 (“Rule 497(h)”) of the 1933 Act Regulations. The information included in such prospectus that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became effective but


that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the time it became effective pursuant to Rule 430A(b) is herein called the “Rule 430A Information.” Such registration statement, including the amendments thereto, the exhibits thereto and any schedules thereto, at the time it became effective, and including the Rule 430A Information, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein called the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” and, after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement in the form furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement is herein called a “preliminary prospectus.” The final prospectus, in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, is herein called the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system or any successor system (“EDGAR”).

A Form N-54A Notification of Election to be Subject to Sections 55 through 65 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 Filed Pursuant to Section 54(a) of the Investment Company Act (File No. 814-00998) (the “Notification of Election”) was filed with the Commission on March 29, 2013 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and the rules and regulations and any applicable guidance and/or interpretation of the Commission or its staff thereunder (the “1940 Act Regulations”).

The Company has entered into an Amended and Restated Investment Management Agreement, effective as of April 1, 2013 (the “Investment Management Agreement”), with Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (the “Adviser”), a Delaware limited partnership registered as an investment adviser, under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Advisers Act”).

As used in this Agreement:

“Applicable Time” means [ ]:00 [P./A.M.], New York City time, on [ ], 2015 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representatives.

“General Disclosure Package” means the preliminary prospectus, dated March 10, 2015, the information included on Schedule B[-1] hereto and the documents listed on Schedule B[-2] hereto, all considered together.

“Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the 1933 Act.

“Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the 1933 Act.

 

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SECTION 1.         Representations and Warranties .

(a)         Representations and Warranties by the Company . The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time (as defined below) and any Date of Delivery (as defined below), and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

(i)         Registration Statement and Prospectuses . The Company is eligible to use Form N-2. Each of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information in connection with the Registration Statement.

Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1940 Act and the 1940 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1940 Act and the 1940 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(ii)         Accurate Disclosure . Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, not misleading. As of the Applicable Time, none of the General Disclosure Package, nor any individual preliminary prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto, as of their respective date(s), at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 497(h), at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information

 

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furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the information in the fourth paragraph under the heading “Underwriting,” the information in the first paragraph under the heading “Underwriting–Commissions and Discounts,” the information in the third paragraph under the heading “Underwriting–Determination of the Initial Public Offering Price,” the information under the heading “Underwriting–Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids,” the information under the heading “Underwriting–Electronic Offer, Sale and Distribution of Shares” and the information under the heading “Underwriting–Principal Business Address,” in each case contained in the Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).

(iii)         Testing-the-Waters Materials . The Company (A) has not engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication and (B) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications.

(iv)         Company Not Ineligible Issuer . At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.

(v)         Emerging Growth Company Status. From the time of the initial filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any Person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the 1933 Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).

(vi)         Independent Accountants . The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”) and the Public Accounting Oversight Board.

(vii)         Financial Statements . The financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and the Subsidiaries (as defined below) at the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in the cash flows for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, included in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects in accordance with GAAP

 

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the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been derived from the accounting records and other books and records of the Company and the Subsidiaries and present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations.

(viii)         No Material Adverse Change in Business . Except as otherwise stated therein, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and the Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.

(ix)         Good Standing of the Company . The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Investment Management Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(x)         Subsidiaries of the Company; Portfolio Companies . The Company’s only subsidiaries that are consolidated with the Company for financial reporting purposes under GAAP are those listed on Schedule C hereto (each a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”). Each of the Subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each such Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and non-assessable; none of the outstanding shares

 

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of capital stock of any of the Subsidiaries was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. Except for any investments made in the ordinary course of business since the most recent quarter end, the Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any investments or shares of stock or any other equity or long-term debt securities of any corporation or other entity other than (A) the Subsidiaries and (B) those corporations or other entities described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Portfolio Companies” (each a “Portfolio Company” and collectively the “Portfolio Companies”). Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company does not control (as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(9) of the 1940 Act), any of the Portfolio Companies or any corporation or other entity in which it invested since the most recent quarter end.

(xi)         Capitalization . The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the column entitled “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization.” The outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company were issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

(xii)         Authorization of Agreements . This Agreement and the Investment Management Agreement have each been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. This Agreement and the Investment Management Agreement are each valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be subject to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or thereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.

(xiii)         Authorization and Description of Securities . The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the purchase price set forth herein, will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable; and the issuance of the Securities is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company. The Common Stock conforms to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same.

(xiv)         Registration Rights . There are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities of the Company registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered for sale or sold by the Company under the 1933 Act pursuant to this Agreement.

(xv)         Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts . Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is (A) in violation of its charter, bylaws or similar

 

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organizational document, each as amended or supplemented as of the date of this Agreement, the Closing Time and any Date of Delivery, as applicable, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such defaults that would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations (each, a “Governmental Entity”), except for such violations that would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Investment Management Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described therein under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder and thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of (a) the charter, bylaws or similar organizational document of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or (b) any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental Entity, except, in the case of (b) above, for any violation that would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

(xvi)         Employees . As of the date hereof, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has, and as of the Closing Time neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries will have, any employees.

(xvii)         Absence of Proceedings . Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding or, to the knowledge of the Company, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity now pending or, to the knowledge of the

 

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Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or the properties or assets of any of the Company’s “Significant Subsidiaries” (as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X) and their respective subsidiaries taken as a whole, or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder or thereunder; and the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xviii)         Accuracy of Exhibits . There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been so described and filed as required.

(xix)         Absence of Further Requirements . No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement, except (A) such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1940 Act, the 1940 Act Regulations, the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, state securities laws or the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and (B) where the failure to obtain any such filing, authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect

(xx)         Possession of Licenses and Permits . The Company and the Subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate Governmental Entities necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or

 

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modification of any Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxi)         Title to Property . The Company and the Subsidiaries do not own any real property; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries holds properties, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company not any such Subsidiary has received any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

(xxii)         Possession of Intellectual Property . Except as would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and the Subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxiii)         Accounting Controls . The Company, on a consolidated basis, maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rule 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act (the “1934 Act Regulations”)) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to the Company’s consolidated assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (1) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial

 

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reporting (it being understood that the Company is not as of the date hereof required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements under Section 404 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002).

(xxiv)         Payment of Taxes . All United States federal income tax returns of the Company and the Subsidiaries required by law to have been filed by them (taking into account any applicable extensions) have been filed and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, in each case, except assessments against which appeals have been or will be promptly taken and as to which adequate reserves have been provided or insofar as the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The United States federal income tax returns of the Company through the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013 have been filed and no assessment in connection therewith has been made against the Company. The Company and the Subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns that are required to have been filed by them (taking into account any applicable extensions) pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law and has paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company and the Subsidiaries, except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been established by the Company or, in each case, insofar as the failure to pay such taxes or file such returns would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any current assessments or re-assessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxv)         Insurance . The Company and the Subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company reasonably believes is prudent, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any of the Subsidiaries will not be able (A) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxvi)         Investment Company Act . The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus will not be required, to register as a “management investment company” under the 1940 Act.

(xxvii)         Stabilization and Manipulation . The Company has not taken, nor will take, directly or indirectly, without giving effect to any activities by the Underwriters, any action designed, or that would reasonably be expected, to cause or result in, or that constitutes, any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares, other than activity permitted pursuant to Rule 10b-18 under the 1934 Act.

 

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(xxviii)         Foreign Corrupt Practices Act . None of the Company, any of the Subsidiaries, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer or employee of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any agent, controlled affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is aware of, has taken or will take any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value 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 and to the knowledge of the Company, the Company and its Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

(xxix)         Money Laundering Laws . The operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries 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 applicable money laundering statutes of the jurisdictions in which the Company and the Subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any other relevant laws, rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of the Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(xxx)         OFAC . None of the Company, any of the Subsidiaries, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer or employee of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any agent, controlled affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is an individual or entity (“Person”), or is controlled by a Person that is, (i) currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is itself the subject of Sanctions; and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the sale of the Securities, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions (to the extent that such action would result in the violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, adviser, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions) or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. Since its inception, the

 

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Company and the Subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, and are not now knowingly engaged in, any unauthorized dealings or transactions with any Person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or target of Sanctions.

(xxxi)         Lending Relationship . Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any Underwriter and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter.

(xxxii)         Statistical and Market-Related Data . Any statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.

(xxxiii)         Ratings . The Company does not have any debt securities or preferred stock that are rated by any “nationally recognized statistical rating agency” (as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Section 3(a)(62) under the 1934 Act).

(xxxiv)         Related Party Transactions . There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company, any of the Subsidiaries or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus which have not been described as required.

(xxxv)         Notification of Election . When the Notification of Election was filed with the Commission, it (A) contained all statements required to be stated therein in accordance with, and complied in all material respects with the requirements of, the 1940 Act and (B) did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(xxxvi)         Investment Management Agreement . (A) The terms of the Investment Management Agreement, including compensation terms, comply in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the 1940 Act Regulations and the Advisers Act and (B) the approvals by the board of directors and the stockholders of the Company of the Investment Management Agreement have been made in accordance with the requirements of Section 15(a) and (c) of the 1940 Act and the 1940 Act Regulations applicable to companies that have elected to be regulated as business development companies under the 1940 Act.

(xxxvii)         Interested Persons . Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (A) no person is serving or acting as an officer, director or investment adviser of the Company, except in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act and the Advisers Act, and (B) to the knowledge of the Company, no director of the Company is an “interested person” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Company or an “affiliated person” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any of the Underwriters.

 

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(xxxviii)         Business Development Company . (A) The Company has duly elected to be treated by the Commission under the 1940 Act as a business development company, such election is effective and all required action has been taken by the Company under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act to make the public offering and consummate the sale of the Securities as provided in this Agreement; (B) the provisions of the charter and bylaws of the Company, and the investment objectives, policies and restrictions described in the Prospectus, assuming they are implemented as described, will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1940 Act; and (C) the operations of the Company are in compliance in all material respects with the provisions of the 1940 Act and the 1940 Act Regulations applicable to business development companies.

(xxxix)         No Extension of Credit . The Company has not, directly or indirectly, extended credit, agreed to extend credit, arranged to extend credit or renewed any extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan, to or for any director or executive officer of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, or to or for any family member or affiliate of any director or executive officer of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

(xl)         Regulated Investment Company . The Company has elected to be treated, and has operated, and intends to continue to operate, its business in such a manner as to enable the Company to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The Company intends to direct the investment of the proceeds of the offering of the Securities in a manner as to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Code.

(xli)         Shareholders Locked Up . All existing shareholders of the Company, with the exception of those subject to the lock-up agreement described in Section 5(i) hereto, for a period of 180 days after the date of the Prospectus may not, without the consent of the Company, directly or indirectly, transfer any shares of the Company’s Common Stock owned on the date of this Agreement. The Company will not grant its consent to any such transfer without the consent of the Representatives.

(b)         Representations and Warranties by the Adviser . The Adviser represents to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time (as defined below) and any Date of Delivery (as defined below), and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

(i)         No Material Adverse Change in Business . Except as otherwise stated therein, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs, business prospects or regulatory status of the Adviser, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or on the ability of the Adviser to carry out its obligations under this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement (collectively, an “Adviser Material Adverse Effect”).

(ii)         Good Standing . The Adviser has been duly organized and is validly existing as a limited partnership, in good standing under the laws of its state of

 

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organization and has limited partnership power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; the Adviser has limited partnership power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under the Investment Management Agreement; and the Adviser is duly qualified as a foreign entity to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not otherwise reasonably be expected to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect.

(iii)         Registration Under Advisers Act . The Adviser is duly registered with the Commission as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and is not prohibited by the Advisers Act or the 1940 Act from acting under the Investment Management Agreement for the Company as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. There does not exist any proceeding or, to the Adviser’s knowledge, any facts or circumstances the existence of which could lead to any proceeding which might adversely affect the registration of the Adviser with the Commission.

(iv)         Absence of Proceedings . Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding or, to the knowledge of the Adviser, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Adviser or any of its properties, assets or operations now pending or, to the knowledge of the Adviser, threatened, against or affecting the Adviser, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein) or which would reasonably be expected to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect, or which would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect its properties or assets or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement or the performance by the Adviser of its obligations hereunder or thereunder; and the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Adviser is a party or of which any of its properties or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to their business, would not reasonably be expected to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect.

(v)         Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts . The Adviser is not (A) in violation of its limited partnership agreement, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Adviser is a party or by which it may be bound or to which any of its properties or assets is subject (collectively, the “Adviser Agreements and Instruments”), except for such defaults that would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or

 

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decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Adviser or any of its properties, assets or operations, except for such violations that would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Investment Management Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described therein under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Adviser with its obligations hereunder and under the Investment Management Agreement do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Adviser or pursuant to, the Adviser Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults, events or conditions giving the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Adviser, or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of (a) the limited partnership agreement of the Adviser, or (b) any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Adviser or any of its properties, assets or operations except, in the case of (b) above, for any violation that would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect.

(vi)         Authorization of Agreements . This Agreement and the Investment Management Agreement have each been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Adviser. This Agreement and the Investment Management Agreement are valid and binding obligations of the Adviser, enforceable against it in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be subject to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or thereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.

(vii)         Absence of Further Requirements . No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Adviser of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement, except (A) such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1940 Act, the 1940 Act Regulations, the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, state securities laws or the rules of FINRA and (B) where the failure to

 

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obtain any such filing, authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect.

(viii)         Description of Adviser . The description of the Adviser contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus does not contain any 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, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(ix)         Possession of Licenses and Permits . The Adviser possesses such Governmental Licenses issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by it, except where the failure so to possess would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect. The Adviser is in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect. The Adviser has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect.

(x)         Stabilization and Manipulation . The Adviser has not taken, nor will take, directly or indirectly, without giving effect to any activities by the Underwriters, any action designed, or that would reasonably be expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares, other than activity permitted pursuant to Rule 10b-18 under the 1934 Act.

(xi)         Foreign Corrupt Practices Act . None of the Adviser or, to the knowledge of the Adviser, any director, officer or employee of the Adviser or any agent, controlled affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Adviser is aware of, has taken or will take any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the FCPA, in connection with the business of the Company, including making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value 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 and to the knowledge of the Adviser, the Adviser has conducted its business, in relation to the Company, in compliance with the FCPA and has instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

 

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(xii)         Money Laundering Laws . The operations of the Adviser are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Money Laundering Laws; and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Adviser or any of its properties, assets or operations involving the Adviser with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Adviser, threatened.

(xiii)         OFAC . None of the Adviser or, to the knowledge of the Adviser, any director, officer or employee of the Adviser or any agent, controlled affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Adviser is a Person, or is controlled by a Person that is, (i) currently the subject or target of Sanctions, or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is itself the subject of Sanctions. During the last five years, the Adviser has not knowingly engaged in, and is not now knowingly engaged in, any unauthorized dealings or transactions with any Person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or target of Sanctions.

(xiv)         Key Employees . The Adviser is not aware that (i) any of its executives, key employees or significant group of employees plans to terminate employment with the Adviser or (ii) any such executive or key employee is subject to any noncompete, nondisclosure, confidentiality, employment, consulting or similar agreement that would be violated by either the Adviser’s present or proposed business activities, except, in each case, as would not reasonably be expected, singly or in the aggregate, to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this paragraph (xiv), the “Adviser” shall mean the Private Credit Group of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P.

(xv)         No Labor Disputes . No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Adviser or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Adviser, is contemplated or threatened, and the Adviser is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees or any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except in each case as would not reasonably be expected to result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this paragraph (xv), the “Adviser” shall mean the Private Credit Group of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P.

(xvi)         Accounting Controls . The Adviser maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions effectuated by it under the Investment Management Agreement are executed in accordance with its management’s general or specific authorization; (B) access to the Company’s consolidated assets that are in its possession or control is permitted only in accordance with its management’s general or specific authorization; (C) transactions for which it has bookkeeping and record-keeping responsibility under the Investment Management Agreement are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of the Company’s financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for the

 

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Company’s assets and (D) the recorded accountability for such assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

(xvii)         Financial Resources . The Adviser has the financial resources available to it necessary for the performance of its services and obligations as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the Investment Management Agreement.

(c)         Officer’s Certificates . Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company, any of the Subsidiaries or the Adviser delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company or the Adviser, as applicable, to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

SECTION 2.         Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing .

(a)         Initial Securities . On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, that number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof, subject, in each case, to such adjustments among the Underwriters as Merrill Lynch in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.

(b)         Option Securities . In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 900,000 shares of Common Stock, as may be necessary to cover overallotments made in connection with the offering of the Initial Securities, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted may be exercised for 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part at any time from time to time upon notice by the Representatives to the Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by the Representatives, and may be the same date as the Closing Time, but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with Section 10 hereof). If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments as Merrill Lynch in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.

(c)         Payment . Payment of (i) the initial public offering price for the Initial Securities (less 30% of the underwriting discount for which the Company is responsible) by the Underwriters to the Company and (ii) 70% of the underwriting discount for the Initial Securities by the Adviser to the

 

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Underwriters (in each case in the amounts set forth in Schedule A), and delivery of the Initial Securities, shall be made at the offices of Proskauer Rose LLP, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 3200, Los Angeles, CA, 90067 or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (New York City time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).

In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of (i) the initial public offering price for the Option Securities (less 30% of the underwriting discount for which the Company is responsible) by the Underwriters to the Company and (ii) 70% of the underwriting discount for the Option Securities by the Adviser to the Underwriters (in each case in the amounts set forth in Schedule A), and delivery of the Option Securities, shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from Merrill Lynch to the Company.

Payment of the initial public offering price (less 30% of the underwriting discount for which the Company is responsible) shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company against (a) delivery to the Representatives through the facilities of the Depositary Trust Company for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of the Securities to be purchased by them and (b) payment of 70% of the underwriting discount by the Adviser to Merrill Lynch by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by Merrill Lynch. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Merrill Lynch, individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

SECTION 3.         Covenants of the Company . The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a)         Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests . The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430A and Rule 497, and will notify the Representatives immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement

 

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and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 497(h) within the time period required by Rule 497, and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 497(h) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

(b)         Continued Compliance with Securities Laws . The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will 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, (ii) amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representatives notice of such event, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representatives with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representatives notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Representatives notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

(c)         Delivery of Commission Filings . The Company has furnished or, upon written request of the Representatives, will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, conformed copies of (i) the Notification of Election and (ii) the Registration Statement, each as originally filed, and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith) and conformed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy of the Notification of Election and the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the

 

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Notification of Election and Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(d)         Delivery of Prospectuses . The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(e)         Blue Sky Qualifications . The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as reasonably required to complete the distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

(f)         Rule 158 . The Company will make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement; provided that the Company will be deemed to have complied with such request by filing such an earnings statement on EDGAR.

(g)         Use of Proceeds . The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”

(h)         Listing . The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Common Stock (including the Securities) on the New York Stock Exchange.

(i)         Restriction on Sale of Securities . During a period of 180 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold hereunder or (B) any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to any dividend reinvestment plan referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

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(j)         Reporting Requirements . The Company, during the period when a Prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and 1934 Act Regulations.

(k)         Business Development Company Status . The Company, during the period of at least two years from the effective date of the Company’s Registration Statement, will use its commercially reasonably efforts to maintain its status as a business development company; provided, however, the Company may cease to be, or withdraw its election as, a business development company, with the approval of the board of directors and a vote of stockholders as required by Section 58 of the 1940 Act or any successor provision.

(l)         Regulated Investment Company Status . The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code for each full fiscal year during which it is a business development company under the 1940 Act.

(m)         Annual Compliance Reviews . The Company will retain qualified accountants and qualified tax experts to (i) test procedures and conduct annual compliance reviews designed to determine compliance with the regulated investment company provisions of the Code and (ii) otherwise assist the Company in monitoring appropriate accounting systems and procedures designed to determine compliance with the regulated investment company provisions of the Code.

(n)         Accounting Controls . The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to establish and maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to the Company’s consolidated assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s authorization; (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; (E) material information relating to the Company and the assets managed by the Adviser is promptly made known to the officers responsible for establishing and maintaining the system of internal accounting controls; and (F) any significant deficiencies or weaknesses in the design or operation of internal accounting controls that could adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data, and any fraud whether or not material that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in internal controls, are adequately and promptly disclosed to the Company’s independent auditors and the audit committee of the Company’s board of directors.

(o)         Disclosure Controls . The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to establish and employ disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

 

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(p)         Emerging Growth Company Status . The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Securities within the meaning of the 1933 Act and (ii) completion of the 180-day restricted period referred to in Section 3(i).

SECTION 4.         Payment of Expenses .

(a)         Expenses . The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s and the Adviser’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(e) hereof, (vi) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including without limitation, reasonable and documented expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, documented travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and 50% of the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered in connection with the road show, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities, (ix) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange and (x) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Securities made by the Underwriters caused by a breach of the representation contained in the third sentence of Section 1(a)(ii).

(b)         Termination of Agreement . If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 or Section 9(a)(i) or (iii) hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.

SECTION 5.         Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations . The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Adviser contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company, any of the Subsidiaries or the Adviser delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and the Adviser of their respective covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

(a)         Effectiveness of Registration Statement ; Rule 430A Information . The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become effective and, at the Closing Time, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective

 

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amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated; and the Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information in connection with the Registration Statement. A prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 497(h) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A.

(b)         Opinions of Counsel for Company . At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinions, dated the Closing Time, of Fried Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, counsel for the Company, and of Dechert LLP, counsel for the Company and the Company’s independent directors, in each case, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letters for each of the other Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibit A-1 and Exhibit A-2 hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request. Such counsels may state that insofar as such opinions involve factual matters, they have relied upon certificates of officers of the Company and certificates of public officials.

(c)         Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters . At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Proskauer Rose LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters with respect to the matters set forth in opinion 1 (solely as to the Company’s valid existence and good standing), opinion 3, the first sentence of opinion 4, opinion 13 (solely as to the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws), opinion 14, opinion 15 and the seventh paragraph of Exhibit A hereto, and other related matters as the Representatives may require. In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the federal securities laws of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representatives. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Company and the Subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

(d)         Officers’ Certificates .

(i)        At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the chief executive officer or the president of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (A) there has been no such material adverse change, (B) the representations and warranties of the Company in Section 1(a) of this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (C) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or

 

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prior to the Closing Time, and (D) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the 1933 Act has been issued, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated by the Commission.

(ii)        At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, an Adviser Material Adverse Effect, and the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the chief executive officer or the president and the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Adviser, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (A) there has been no such Adviser Material Adverse Effect, (B) the representations and warranties of the Adviser in Section 1(b) of this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time and (C) the Adviser has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on their part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time.

(e)         Accountant’s Comfort Letter . At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(f)         Bring-down Comfort Letter . At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

(g)         Approval of Listing . At the Closing Time, the Securities shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.

(h)         No Objection . FINRA has confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements relating to the offering of the Securities.

(i)         Lock-up Agreements . At the date of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule D hereto.

(j)         Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities . In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company and the Adviser contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company, any of the Subsidiaries and the Adviser hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representatives shall have received:

 

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(i)             Officers’ Certificates .

(A)        A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the chief executive officer or the president or a vice president of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(d)(i) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

(B)        A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the chief executive officer or the president or a vice president and the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Adviser confirming that the certificates delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(d)(ii) hereof remain true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

(ii)         Opinions of Counsel for Company . If requested by the Representatives, the favorable opinion of Fried Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, counsel for the Company, together with the favorable opinion of Dechert LLP, counsel for the Company and the Company’s independent directors, each in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinions required by Section 5(b) hereof.

(iii)         Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters . If requested by the Representatives, the favorable opinion of Proskauer Rose LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.

(iv)         Bring-down Comfort Letter . If requested by the Representatives, a letter from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(f) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.

(k)         Additional Documents . At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery (if any) counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company and the Adviser in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.

(l)         Termination of Agreement . If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15 and 16 survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

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SECTION 6.     Indemnification .

(a)         Indemnification of Underwriters by the Company and the Adviser . The Company and the Adviser, severally and not jointly, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”)), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

(i)        against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any Rule 430A Information, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included (A) in any preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or (B) in any road show as defined in Rule 433(h) under the 1933 Act (a “road show”), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus, any road show or the General Disclosure Package of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

(ii)        against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;

(iii)        against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the reasonably incurred and documented fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any Rule 430A Information, any preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information, and provided, further, that the Adviser’s indemnity agreement shall only apply to statements described in (i) above regarding the Adviser.

(b)         Indemnification of Company, Directors, Officers and Adviser . Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Adviser, their directors, each of the Company’s officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Adviser within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934

 

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Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any Rule 430A Information, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

(c)         Actions against Parties; Notification . Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights and defenses) as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Representatives, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) 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.

(d)         Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse . If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

SECTION 7.         Contribution . If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Adviser, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by

 

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clause (i) 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 Company and the Adviser, on the one hand, and of the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. For the avoidance of doubt, the Adviser’s contribution agreement shall only apply to instances in which the Adviser has an indemnity obligation as described above in Section 6(a).

The relative benefits received by the Company and the Adviser, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.

The relative fault of the Company and the Adviser, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such 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 Company and the Adviser or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The Company, the Adviser and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public.

No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, any indemnification and contribution by the Company shall be subject to the requirements and limitations of Section 17(i) of the 1940 Act and any applicable guidance from the Commission or its staff thereunder.

For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of

 

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the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Adviser within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company or the Adviser, as the case may be. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

SECTION 8.         Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive . All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company, any of the Subsidiaries or the Adviser submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

SECTION 9.         Termination of Agreement .

(a) Termination .        The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representatives, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as one enterprise or the Adviser, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, or (iv) if trading generally on the NYSE Amex or the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq Global Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (v) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.

(b) Liabilities .        If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15 and 16 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 10.         Default by One or More of the Underwriters . If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the

 

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Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:

(i)        if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or

(ii)        if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and the Company to sell, the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.

No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either the (i) Representatives or (ii) the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.

SECTION 11.         Notices . All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to (i) Merrill Lynch at One Bryant Park, New York, New York 10036, attention of Syndicate Department (facsimile: (646) 855-3073), with a copy to ECM Legal (facsimile: (212) 230-8730); (ii) Goldman Sachs & Co. at 200 West Street, New York, New York 10292, attention of Registration Department; and (iii) Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC at 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, attention of Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to Legal Department; notices to the Company and the Adviser shall be directed to them at 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, Attention: Caroline Kraus.

SECTION 12.         No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship . The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the initial public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, any of the Subsidiaries or their respective stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities or the process

 

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leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of its subsidiaries on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Securities and the Company has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

SECTION 13.         Parties . This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters, the Company and the Adviser and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and the Adviser and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

SECTION 14.         Trial by Jury . The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, 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.

SECTION 15.         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 ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.

SECTION 16.         Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunity . Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be instituted in (i) the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan or (ii) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court, as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

 

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SECTION 17.         TIME . TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

SECTION 18.         Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

SECTION 19.         Effect of Headings . The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters, the Company and the Adviser in accordance with its terms.

 

Very truly yours,

GOLDMAN SACHS BDC, INC.

By:                                                                                   

    Name:

    Title:

GOLDMAN SACHS ASSET MANAGEMENT, L.P.

By:                                                                                   

    Name:

    Title:

 

34


CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,

            as of the date first above written:

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH

                              INCORPORATED

GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC

By: MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH

                                      INCORPORATED

 

By:

 

Name:

Title:

By:

 GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.

By:

 

Name:

Title:

By:

 MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC

By:

 

Name:

Title:

For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

 

35

EX-99.(k)(1)

GOLDMAN SACHS BDC, INC.

TRANSFER AGENCY AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT made as of the 1 st day of April, 2013 is by and between Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc. (the “Company”), a Delaware corporation, and Goldman, Sachs & Co. (“Goldman Sachs”), a New York limited partnership.

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Company has elected to be treated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”);

WHEREAS, the Company is empowered to issue shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Common Stock”), and preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Preferred Stock” and, together with the Common Stock, “Shares”);

WHEREAS, the Company desires to appoint Goldman Sachs as Transfer Agent and Dividend Disbursing Agent and to perform the services contemplated hereby with respect to the Company; and

WHEREAS, Goldman Sachs is a registered transfer agent and is authorized to enter into this agreement and desires to accept appointment as Transfer Agent and Dividend Disbursing Agent.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.

APPOINTMENT

 

  1.01.

Subject to the terms set forth in this Agreement, the Company hereby appoints Goldman Sachs as Transfer Agent and Dividend Disbursing Agent and to perform the services contemplated hereby with respect to the Company.

 

  1.02.

Goldman Sachs hereby accepts such appointment and agrees that it will act as Transfer Agent and Dividend Disbursing Agent and perform the services described herein with respect to the Company.

 

  1.03.

Goldman Sachs agrees to provide the necessary facilities, equipment and executive, administrative and clerical personnel to perform its duties and obligations hereunder in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

  1.04.

Goldman Sachs may engage third parties to act as agents for the purpose of providing some or all of the Transfer Agency services described below all as shall be set forth in a written contract between Goldman Sachs and the agent; provided, however, that the appointment of any agent shall not relieve Goldman Sachs of its responsibilities or liabilities hereunder.


2.

TRANSFER AGENT

 

  2.01.

Goldman Sachs shall, subject to any instructions (as contemplated by Section 5 hereof), record the issuance, transfer, and repurchases of Shares in accordance with the following provisions of this Section 2.

 

  2.02.

After being notified by the Company’s custodian (the “Custodian”) that the purchase price in respect of orders to purchase Common Stock has been received, Goldman Sachs shall compute in accordance with the Company’s Prospectus (the term “Prospectus,” as used herein, shall be deemed to mean the Company’s then current Confidential Offering Memorandum or prospectus, as applicable, all applicable supplements thereto, the statement of additional information, if applicable, and all applicable supplements thereto, unless the context otherwise requires) the number of shares of Common Stock to be purchased at the net asset value of such Common Stock applicable to such order and shall (i) credit the account of the purchaser with the number of shares of Common Stock so purchased as of the time contemplated by the Prospectus and (ii) upon the settlement date, mail to the purchaser a confirmation of such purchase and notice of such credit.

 

  2.03.

Upon receipt of requests for transfer in proper form and in accordance with all applicable instructions of the Company (as contemplated by Section 5 hereof), Goldman Sachs shall make appropriate entries to reflect the transfer of Shares on the records of the Company maintained by it.

 

  2.04.

Goldman Sachs shall make an adequate and accurate record of the date and time of receipt of all repurchase requests transmitted or delivered to it, and shall process such requests in accordance with the following provisions. If such repurchase requests comply with the standards for repurchase approved by the Company (as evidenced by the Prospectus, a repurchase offer and/or instructions), Goldman Sachs shall compute in accordance with the Prospectus, the repurchase offer and/or instructions the amount of repurchase payment due to each record holder of shares of Common Stock (“Common Shareholder”) tendering shares of Common Stock under such standards. If any such request for repurchase does not comply with the standards for repurchases approved by the Company, Goldman Sachs shall take such actions as it reasonably deems appropriate under the circumstances and as recommended by the Company’s instructions. At such times as may be agreed upon by Goldman Sachs and the Custodian so as to provide for the timely payment of repurchases in accordance with the Prospectus, repurchase offer and/or instructions, Goldman Sachs shall advise the Custodian of aggregate repurchase requests for which the Custodian is authorized to effect payment and shall advise the Custodian of the amount required to pay any portion of such repurchases which is payable by wire and the amount required to pay any portion of such repurchases which is payable by check. Goldman Sachs shall, as applicable, instruct the Custodian to wire transfer such repurchases to the

 

2


 

Company’s checking account established and maintained at the Custodian or at such other custodians as may be determined by the Company from time to time in accordance with Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act. At such times as may be agreed upon by Goldman Sachs and Custodian so as to provide for the timely payment of repurchases in accordance with the provisions of the Prospectus, applicable repurchase offer and/or instructions, Goldman Sachs shall give wiring instructions to the Custodian so as to effect payment for repurchases to Common Shareholders. In accordance with provisions of the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors and the Prospectus, repurchase offer or instructions, as applicable, and with the terms of this Agreement, Goldman Sachs shall prepare and mail checks for repurchases to Common Shareholders who requested that repurchase proceeds be remitted by check. Goldman Sachs shall (i) deduct from the account of the tendering Common Shareholder the number of shares of Common Stock repurchased by the Company as of the time contemplated by the Prospectus, repurchase offer or instructions and (ii) mail to the tendering Common Shareholder a confirmation of the repurchase.

 

  2.05.

In addition to mailing the confirmation and notice to purchasers as provided in paragraph 2.02 and the confirmation of tendering Common Shareholders as provided in paragraph 2.04, Goldman Sachs will also provide statements to Shareholders as described in the Prospectus.

 

3. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

 

  3.01.

With respect to those dividends and distributions to Common Shareholders which the Company has determined to satisfy in additional shares of Common Stock, Goldman Sachs shall credit the account of such Common Shareholders with the requisite number of additional shares of Common Stock relative to each such dividend or distribution. At such times as may be agreed upon by Goldman Sachs and the Custodian so as to provide for the timely payment of dividends or distributions to Common Shareholders in accordance with the provisions of the Prospectus, Goldman Sachs shall advise the Custodian orally of and confirm to it in writing, the aggregate amount of dividends or distributions which is payable to Common Shareholders and shall advise the Custodian orally of and confirm to it in writing, the amount required to pay any portion of any such dividend or distribution which is payable by wire and the amount required to pay any portion of any such dividend or distribution which is payable by check. Goldman Sachs shall as applicable instruct the Custodian to wire transfer dividends or distributions to the Company’s checking account established and maintained at the Custodian or at another custodian selected by the Company from time to time in accordance with Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act. At such times as may be agreed by Goldman Sachs and the Custodian so as to provide for the timely payment of dividends and distributions in accordance with the provisions of the Prospectus, Goldman Sachs shall give wiring instructions to the Custodian so as to effect payment for dividends and distributions to Common Shareholders who requested such payment by wire or

 

3


 

by check. In accordance with the provisions of the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors and the Prospectus and with the terms of this Agreement, Goldman Sachs shall prepare and mail checks for dividends or distributions to Common Shareholders who requested payment thereof by check.

 

  3.02.

With respect to those record holders of shares of Preferred Stock (“Preferred Shareholders”), at such times as may be agreed upon by Goldman Sachs and the Custodian so as to provide for the timely payment of dividends or distributions to Preferred Shareholders in accordance with the provisions of the Prospectus, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, including any Certificate of Designation of Preferred Stock, or any instructions, Goldman Sachs shall advise the Custodian orally of and confirm to it in writing, the aggregate amount of dividends or distributions which is payable to Preferred Shareholders and shall advise the Custodian orally of and confirm to it in writing, the amount required to pay any portion of any such dividend or distribution which is payable by wire and the amount required to pay any portion of any such dividend or distribution which is payable by check. Goldman Sachs shall as applicable instruct the Custodian to wire transfer dividends or distributions to the Company’s checking account established and maintained at the Custodian or at another custodian selected by the Company from time to time in accordance with Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act. At such times as may be agreed by Goldman Sachs and the Custodian so as to provide for the timely payment of dividends and distributions in accordance with the provisions of the Prospectus, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, including any Certificate of Designation of Preferred Stock, or any instructions, Goldman Sachs shall give wiring instructions to the Custodian so as to effect payment for dividends and distributions to Preferred Shareholders who requested such payment by wire or by check. In accordance with the provisions of the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors and the Prospectus, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, including any Certificate of Designation of Preferred Stock, or any instructions, and with the terms of this Agreement, Goldman Sachs shall prepare and mail checks for dividends or distributions to Preferred Shareholders who requested payment thereof by check.

 

4.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES

 

  4.01.

Goldman Sachs shall establish and maintain a separate account with respect to each holder of Shares (“Shareholder”). Goldman Sachs shall maintain records showing for each Shareholder’s account the following: (a) name, address, tax identification number and number of Shares held; (b) historical information regarding the account, including dividends and distribution paid and date and price for all transactions; (c) any stop or restraining order placed against the account; (d) information with respect to withholdings; (e) any dividend or distribution reinvestment order, dividend or distribution address and correspondence relating to the current maintenance of the account; and (f) any information required in order for Goldman Sachs to perform the calculations and make the determinations contemplated or required by this Agreement.

 

4


 

4.02.

Goldman Sachs shall report abandoned property to state authorities as authorized by the Company in accordance with the policies and procedures agreed upon by the Company and Goldman Sachs.

 

 

4.03.

Goldman Sachs will provide the Company with periodic reports on investor trading activity in the Company based on parameters provided to Goldman Sachs by the Company, as amended from time to time.

 

 

4.04.

The Company may elect to delegate to Goldman Sachs certain anti-money laundering (“AML”) duties pursuant to the AML Program of the Company with respect to the ownership of, and transaction in, Shares of the Company for which Goldman Sachs maintains the applicable Shareholder information.

 

 

4.05.

Goldman Sachs shall maintain all records relating to its activities and obligations under this Agreement in such manner as will enable the Company and Goldman Sachs to meet their respective obligations under: (i) the Prospectus; (ii) the required recordkeeping and reporting provisions of the 1934 Act, particularly Section 17A thereof, and of the 1940 Act, particularly Section 64 thereof, and state securities or Blue Sky laws, and the rules and regulations thereunder; and (iii) applicable federal and state tax laws and regulations thereunder.

 

 

4.06.

All records maintained by Goldman Sachs in connection with the performance of its duties under this Agreement will remain the property of the Company, shall be returned to the Company promptly upon request and, in the event of termination of this Agreement, will be promptly returned to or delivered as directed by the Company. Such records may be inspected by the Company at reasonable times. In the event such records are returned to or delivered as directed by the Company, Goldman Sachs may at its option retain copies of such records.

 

 

4.07.

Goldman Sachs shall furnish to the Company: (a) information as to the Shares distributed or to be distributed in each state for “Blue Sky” purposes at such times and in such degree of detail as is necessary for the Company to verify the satisfaction of, or to satisfy its obligations to register or complete a notice filing with respect to such Shares under, applicable “Blue Sky” laws, and (b) copies of Shareholder lists and such other information and statistical data as may reasonably be requested in instructions.

 

 

4.08.

Goldman Sachs shall file with the Internal Revenue Service and with the appropriate state agencies, and, if required, mail to Shareholders such returns for reporting:

 

 

(i)

return of capital, dividends and distributions paid, credited or withheld as are required by the Prospectus or applicable law or regulation to be so filed and mailed and

 

5


 

(ii)

expenses incurred by the Company as are required by applicable federal law.

 

 

4.09.

Goldman Sachs will provide each Shareholder with a printed confirmation for each transaction or an individual statement as may be described in the Prospectus. Upon request from a Shareholder, Goldman Sachs shall prepare and mail a statement showing all activity in such Shareholder’s account.

 

 

4.10.

Goldman Sachs shall mail such notices of meetings and other material supplied to it by the Company in connection with Shareholder meetings of the Company and shall receive, examine and tabulate returned proxies and certify the vote to the Company, all as and to the extent requested by the Company.

 

 

4.11.

Goldman Sachs shall mail prospectuses, notifications of repurchase offers, financial reports and, upon request, statements of additional information to current Shareholders.

 

 

4.12.

Goldman Sachs shall cooperate with the Company and the Company’s independent public accountants in connection with: (a) the preparation of reports to Shareholders, to the Securities and Exchange Commission (including all required periodic and other reports), to state securities commissioners, and to others, (b) annual and other audits of the books and records of the Company, and (c) other matters of a like nature.

 

 

4.13.

Goldman Sachs shall maintain adequate procedures and systems to safeguard from loss or damage attributable to fire, theft, misuse or any other cause the Company’s records and other data and Goldman Sachs’ records, data, equipment, facilities and other property used in the performance of its obligations hereunder.

 

 

4.14.

Goldman Sachs shall maintain expedited repurchase and dividend instructions from Shareholders in the form of such records as are necessary to honor telephone, telegraph or other repurchase requests from Shareholders without signature guarantee and to effect the payment of dividends and distributions in accordance with the provisions of the Prospectus. Goldman Sachs shall apply such instructions as necessary to effect dividends, distributions, repurchases and other transactions in accordance with the provisions of the Prospectus. Goldman Sachs shall establish and maintain procedures reasonably designed to ensure the accuracy, safekeeping and proper application of records of expedited repurchases and dividend instructions.

 

 

4.15.

Goldman Sachs, in the performance of its duties hereunder:

 

 

(a)

shall use the care, skill, prudence and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent person acting in the like capacity and familiar with such matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims; and

 

6


  (b)

shall act in conformity with the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation dated as of April 1, 2013 (such Certificate of Incorporation, as presently in effect and as amended from time to time, is herein called the “Certificate of Incorporation”), the Company’s Bylaws (such Bylaws, as presently in effect and as amended from time to time, are herein called the “Bylaws”), the Prospectus and any instruction, and will subject to the standard set forth in paragraph 4.15(a) above, comply with and conform to the requirements of the 1940 Act, the 1934 Act, particularly Section 17A thereof, and all other applicable federal and state laws, regulations and rulings; and

 

  (c)

shall not be liable for any damages, including those resulting from its failure to perform its obligations under the terms of this Agreement, provided such damages or failure are due to an act of God, equipment or transmission failure, strike or other cause reasonably beyond its control.

 

5.

INSTRUCTIONS

 

  5.01.

Goldman Sachs shall be deemed to have received instructions (as that term is used herein) upon receipt of written instructions (including receipt by email, facsimile, telecopier, telegram, cable or Telex), which may be continuing instructions, approved by a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company or by a person that the Directors shall have from time to time authorized to give the particular class of instructions in question. Different persons may be authorized to give instructions for different purposes, and instructions may be general or specific in terms. A certified copy of the Bylaws, resolution or action of the Board of Directors of the Company may be received and accepted by Goldman Sachs as conclusive evidence of the authority of any such persons to act and may be considered to be in full force and effect until receipt by Goldman Sachs of written notice to the contrary.

 

  5.02.

At any time Goldman Sachs may apply to any Director or officer of the Company or any person authorized to give instructions, and may consult with legal counsel to the Company with respect to any matter arising in connection with the services to be performed by Goldman Sachs under this Agreement, and Goldman Sachs and its agents and subcontractors shall not be liable and shall be indemnified by the Company for any action taken or omitted by it in reliance upon such instructions or upon the opinion of such counsel.

 

  5.03.

The Company shall provide instructions to Goldman Sachs from time to time as to, among other things, (i) the existence or termination of any restrictions on the transfer of any Shares, (ii) any authorized but unissued Shares reserved for specific purposes, (iii) instructions regarding dividends and (iv) the requirement

 

7


 

for a stop transfer order to attach to any Shares or for any other notation or transfer restriction to attach to any Shares.

 

6.

COMPENSATION

 

  6.01.

For the services provided and the expenses assumed by Goldman Sachs pursuant to this Agreement, the Company will pay to Goldman Sachs as full compensation therefor the compensation set forth in the schedule of even date herewith delivered by Goldman Sachs to the Company until a different compensation schedule shall be agreed upon in writing between the parties which schedule shall be preceded by approval of a majority of the Directors, including the Directors who are not interested persons of the Company or Goldman Sachs.

 

  6.02.

Unless otherwise provided in this Agreement, Goldman Sachs shall bear the costs of providing its services under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall bear the costs of its own operations.

 

  6.03.

The Company shall be directly responsible for the costs associated with the bank accounts maintained to support the settlement of Shareholder activity, including but not limited to purchases, repurchases, dividends and capital gains and will benefit directly from any net earnings credits associated with these bank accounts. The bank accounts will be held in the name of Goldman Sachs or the Company’s registered sub-transfer agent for the benefit of the Company. All charges or earning credits will be allocated to the Company by Goldman Sachs no less frequently than quarterly.

 

  6.04.

The Company and Goldman Sachs recognize that future regulatory obligations of Goldman Sachs in respect of the transfer agency services that it provides to the Company may cause the apportionment of responsibilities and resulting compensation described hereunder to be reevaluated by the parties in good faith.

 

7.

INDEMNIFICATION

 

  7.01.

The Company hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Goldman Sachs, its officers, partners and employees and each person, if any, who controls Goldman Sachs (collectively, the “Indemnified Parties”) against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which any such Indemnified Party may become subject under the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon Goldman Sachs’ actions hereunder. The Company will reimburse each Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action.

 

8


  7.02.

It is understood, however, that nothing in this Section 7 shall protect any indemnified Party, or entitle any Indemnified Party to indemnification against any liability to the Company or its Shareholders to which such party would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence, in the performance of his duties, or by reason of his reckless disregard of his obligations and duties under this Agreement.

 

8.

TERM OF AGREEMENT

 

  8.01.

This Agreement shall continue in full force and effect until terminated as hereinafter provided, may be amended at any time by mutual agreement of the parties hereto, which agreement shall be preceded by approval of the Directors, including the Directors who are not interested persons of the Company or Goldman Sachs, and may be terminated (except as to paragraphs 7.01 and 7.02) by either party by an instrument in writing delivered or mailed, postage prepaid, to the other party, such termination to take effect no sooner than 120 days after the date of such delivery or mailing.

 

  8.02.

Goldman Sachs and the Company may agree from time to time, by written instrument signed by both parties, on such provisions interpretative of or in addition to the provisions of this Agreement as may in their joint opinion be consistent with the general tenor of this Agreement. No interpretative or additional provisions made as provided in the preceding sentence shall be deemed to be an amendment of this Agreement.

 

9.

MISCELLANEOUS

 

  9.01.

Without limiting the other provisions hereof, notice and other writings delivered or mailed postage prepaid to the Company in care of Goldman, Sachs & Co., 71 South Wacker, Chicago, Illinois 60606, Attention: Shareholder Services, or to such other address as the Company of Goldman Sachs may hereafter specify by written notice to the most recent address specified by the party to whom such notice is addressed, shall be deemed to have been properly delivered or given hereunder to the respective addressee.

 

  9.02.

This Agreement shall be binding on and shall inure to the benefit of the Company and Goldman Sachs and their respective successors, shall be construed according to the laws of Illinois and may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original. This Agreement may not be assigned by Goldman Sachs nor may Goldman Sachs’ duties hereunder be performed by any other person without the prior written consent of the Company authorized and approved by a resolution of the Board of Directors. The term “assigned” shall be construed consistently with the term “assignment” as defined in Section 2(a)(4) of the 1940 Act and Rule 2a-6 thereunder as if such Rule applied to transfer and dividend disbursing agents. The headings in this Agreement have been inserted

 

9


 

for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby. Any provision in this Agreement requiring compliance with any statute or regulation, shall mean such statute or regulation as amended and in effect from time to time. The Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, is on file with the Secretary of State of Delaware.

GOLDMAN SACHS BDC, INC.

 

Attest: By:

LOGO

LOGO

Name: Brendan McGovern Name: Jonathan Lamm
Title: Authorized Signatory Title: Authorized Signatory

GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.

 

Attest: By:

LOGO

LOGO

Name: Brendan McGovern Name: Jonathan Lamm
Title: Authorized Signatory Title: Authorized Signatory

 

10


GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.

Transfer Agency Fee Schedule

and Amendment to Paragraph 6.02

of Transfer Agency Agreement

GOLDMAN SACHS BDC, INC.

For the services provided by Goldman, Sachs & Co. pursuant to the Transfer Agency Agreement with respect to the Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc. (the “Company”) dated April 1, 2013 (the “Agreement”), the Company shall pay to Goldman, Sachs & Co. as full compensation therefor a fee payable monthly at the annual rate of         % of the average daily net asset value of the Company’s Shares. Except as stated in the third paragraph hereof, this fee shall be reduced by the amount of the expenses borne by the Company pursuant to the next paragraph below.

The Agreement is hereby amended to provide that the Company shall bear all expenses properly incurred by the Company and by Goldman, Sachs & Co. in connection with the performance of its duties under the Agreement with respect to the Company, including the expenses referred to in paragraph 6.02 thereof, provided that, except as stated in the next paragraph below, the expenses so borne by the Company may not exceed the monthly fee payable at the annual rate of         % of the average daily net asset value of the Shares as described in the preceding paragraph. Except as stated in the next paragraph, all expenses that exceed such annual fee rate shall be borne by Goldman, Sachs & Co., including the expenses referred to in paragraph 6.02 thereof.

The following expenses borne by the Company shall not reduce the fee payable to Goldman, Sachs & Co. stated in the first paragraph above, and shall not be subject to the limitation on expenses borne by the Company stated in the second paragraph above: (a) all taxes and all interest, litigation, indemnification, shareholder meeting, proxy mailing and other extraordinary expenses incurred by the Company; and (b) all net earnings credits and debits associated with shareholder receipt and disbursement bank accounts established in connection with sub-transfer agency arrangements for the Company.

Except as amended hereby, the Agreement is reconfirmed and its provisions shall remain in full force and effect. This Transfer Agency Fee Schedule and Amendment to Paragraph 6.02 of Transfer Agency Agreement is effective as of April 1, 2013.

 

Goldman, Sachs & Co. Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc.

By:

LOGO

By:

LOGO

(Authorized Officer)

(Authorized Officer)

17988524.3. BUSINESS

EX-99.(k)(2)

Execution Version

TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT

This Transfer Agency and Service Agreement (“Agreement”) dated and effective as of March [    ], 2015, is by and between State Street Bank and Trust Company, a Massachusetts trust company with its principal place of business at One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts (the “Transfer Agent”), and Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc., a Delaware corporation with its principal place of business at 200 West Street, New York, New York (the “Company”).

WHEREAS, the Company desires to retain the Transfer Agent to furnish certain transfer agency services and dividend disbursing functions and to act in connection with certain other activities as agent to the Company, and the Transfer Agent is willing to furnish such services, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1. TERMS OF APPOINTMENT

 

  1.1 Appointment . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Company hereby employs and appoints the Transfer Agent to act as, and the Transfer Agent agrees to act as, transfer agent for the Company’s authorized and issued Shares, dividend disbursing agent, and agent in connection with certain other services provided to stockholders of the Company (“Shareholders”) and set out in the applicable offering memorandum, private placement memorandum or prospectus (collectively, the “Offering Materials”), including without limitation any periodic investment plan or periodic withdrawal program. As used herein, the term “Shares” means the authorized and issued shares of common stock, par value $0.001, or shares of preferred stock par value $0.001, as the case may be, for the Company.

 

  1.2 Shareholder and Record Keeping Services . In accordance with procedures established from time to time by agreement between the Company and the Transfer Agent, the Transfer Agent will perform the following services:

 

  (i) receive for acceptance, orders for the purchase of Shares, and promptly deliver payment and appropriate documentation thereof to the duly authorized custodian of the Company as identified by the Company (the “Custodian”);

 

  (ii) pursuant to such purchase orders, issue the appropriate number of Shares and hold such Shares in the appropriate Shareholder account;

 

  (iii) receive for acceptance repurchase requests under the Company’s share repurchase program, if any, and deliver the appropriate documentation thereof to the Custodian;

 

  (iv) with respect to the transactions in items (i), (ii) and (iii) above, the Transfer Agent shall process transactions received directly from broker-dealers or other intermediaries authorized per procedures established by mutual agreement of the Company and the Transfer Agent;

 

  (v) at the appropriate time as and when it receives monies paid to it by the Custodian with respect to any repurchases, pay over or cause to be paid over in the appropriate manner such monies net of required tax withholding as instructed by the repurchasing Shareholders;


  (vi) process Shareholder account maintenance instructions (excluding instructions to change an account’s registration or wire instructions) received directly from broker-dealers or other intermediaries authorized per procedures established by mutual agreement of the Transfer Agent and the Company;

 

  (vii) effect transfers of Shares owned by the registered owners thereof upon receipt of proper instruction;

 

  (viii) prepare and transmit payments on payment date for any dividends or distributions declared by the Company;

 

  (ix) record the issuance of Shares of the Company and maintain pursuant to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Rule 17Ad-10(e) a record of the total number of Shares of the Company which are authorized (based upon data provided to it by the Company), and issued and outstanding; and provide the Company on a regular basis with the total number of Shares of the Company which are issued and outstanding but State Street shall have no obligation, when recording the issuance of Shares, to monitor the issuance of such Shares to determine if there are authorized Shares available for issuance or to take cognizance of any laws relating to, or corporate actions required for, the issue or sale of such Shares, which functions shall be the sole responsibility of the Company.

 

  1.3 Other Services and Responsibilities . In addition to, and neither in lieu of nor in contravention of the services set forth in Section 1.2 above, the Transfer Agent shall perform the following services:

 

  (i) Other Customary Services . Perform certain other customary services of a transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent, including, but not limited to: maintaining Shareholder accounts, maintaining on behalf of the Company such bank accounts as the Transfer Agent shall deem necessary for the performance of its duties under this Agreement, withholding taxes on U.S. resident and non-resident alien accounts, preparing and filing appropriate tax forms required with respect to distributions by federal authorities for all Shareholders, preparing and delivering to Shareholders trade confirmation forms and statements of account for all purchases, transfers and repurchases and other confirmable transactions in Shareholder accounts and preparing and delivering activity statements for Shareholders. In the event that the Transfer Agent furnishes tax payee statements to the Company and the Company transmits such tax payee statements to Shareholders or other third parties, the Company, and not the Transfer Agent, shall be responsible for satisfying the payee consent and other electronic delivery requirements of U.S. Treasury Regulation Section 31.6051 and the applicable revenue procedures in Internal Revenue Service Publication 1179, each as amended or revised. Upon the Company’s reasonable request, confirms, statements and tax forms may be mailed by the Transfer Agent directly to Shareholders per procedures established by mutual agreement of Transfer Agent and the Company.

 

  (ii) State Transaction (“Blue Sky”) Reporting . The Company shall be solely responsible for the Company’s “blue sky” compliance and state registration requirements, if any.

 

  (iii)

Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (“DTCC”)/National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) . If applicable, the Transfer Agent shall: (a) accept and effectuate the registration and maintenance of accounts with DTCC/NSCC, and the purchase and repurchase of Shares in such accounts, in accordance with instructions transmitted to and

 

2


  received by the Transfer Agent by transmission from DTCC or NSCC (acting on behalf of its members); and (b) issue instructions to the Company’s banks for the settlement of transactions between the Company and DTCC or NSCC (acting on behalf of its members and bank participants).

 

  (iv) Performance of Certain Services by the Company or Affiliates or Agents . New procedures as to who shall provide certain of these services described in this Section 1 may be established in writing from time to time by agreement between the Company and the Transfer Agent. The Transfer Agent may at times perform only a portion of these services, and the Company or its agent may perform these services on the Company’s behalf.

 

  (v) Sarbanes-Oxley Act Sub-Certificates . The Transfer Agent shall provide sub-certificates to the Company in connection with the certification requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 with respect to the services provided by the Transfer Agent.

 

  (vi) Reports . The Transfer Agent shall provide periodic reports and reasonable documentation to the Chief Compliance Officer of the Company in connection with Rule 38a-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), with respect to the services provided by the Transfer Agent.

 

  (vii) Other Services . The Transfer Agent shall locate “lost shareholders” and assist the Company with its obligations to escheat the Company’s Shareholder accounts as required under applicable state law.

 

  1.4 Authorized Persons . The Company hereby agrees and acknowledges that the Transfer Agent may rely on the current list of authorized persons, as provided or agreed to by the Company and as may be amended from time to time, in receiving instructions to issue or redeem the Shares. The Company, agrees and covenants for itself and each such authorized person that any order, repurchase request or transfer of, or transaction in the Shares received by it after the close of the market shall be effectuated at the net asset value determined on the next business day or as otherwise required pursuant to the Company’s Offering Materials, and the Company or such authorized person shall so instruct the Transfer Agent of the proper effective date of the transaction.

 

  1.5 Anti-Money Laundering and Client Screening . With respect to the Company’s offering and sale of Shares at any time, and for all subsequent transfers of such Shares, the Company or its delegate shall, directly or indirectly and to the extent required by law: (i) conduct know your customer/client identity due diligence with respect to potential investors and transferees in the Shares and shall obtain and retain due diligence records for each investor and transferee as required by the Company’s customer identification program; (ii) use its best efforts to ensure that each investor’s and any transferee’s funds used to purchase Shares shall not be derived from, nor the product of, any criminal activity; (iii) if requested, provide periodic written verifications that such investors/transferees have been checked against the United States Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control database for any non-compliance or exceptions; and (iv) perform its obligations under this Section in accordance with all applicable anti-money laundering laws and regulations. In the event that the Transfer Agent has received advice from counsel that access to underlying due diligence records pertaining to the investors/transferees is necessary to ensure compliance by the Transfer Agent with relevant anti-money laundering (or other applicable) laws or regulations, the Company shall, upon receipt of written request from the Transfer Agent, provide the Transfer Agent copies of such due diligence records to the extent that providing the due diligence records is not prohibited by law.

 

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  1.6 Tax Law . Other than the services specifically listed in Section 1.3(i) above, the Transfer Agent shall have no responsibility or liability for any obligations now or hereafter imposed on the Company, the Shares, a Shareholder or the Transfer Agent in connection with the services provided by the Transfer Agent hereunder by the tax laws of any country or of any state or political subdivision thereof. It shall be the responsibility of the Company to notify the Transfer Agent of the obligations imposed on the Company, the Shares, a Shareholder or the Transfer Agent in connection with the services provided by the Transfer Agent hereunder by the tax law of countries, states and political subdivisions thereof, including responsibility for withholding and other taxes, assessments or other governmental charges, certifications and governmental reporting.

 

2. FEES AND EXPENSES

 

  2.1 Fee Schedule . For the performance by the Transfer Agent of services pursuant to this Agreement, the Company agrees to pay the Transfer Agent the fees and expenses set forth in a written fee schedule agreed upon by the Company and the Transfer Agent. Such fees and any out of pocket expenses and advances identified under Section 2.2 below may be changed from time to time, subject to mutual written agreement between the Company and the Transfer Agent.

 

  2.2 Out of Pocket Expenses . Unless otherwise provided in the fee schedule, in addition to the fees paid under Section 2.1 above, the Company agrees to reimburse the Transfer Agent for reasonable out of pocket expenses specifically incurred and directly related to the services provided hereunder, including but not limited to, confirmation production, postage, forms, telephone, microfilm, microfiche, records storage, or advances incurred by the Transfer Agent for the items set out in the fee schedule. In addition, any other expenses incurred by the Transfer Agent at the request or with the consent of the Company will be reimbursed by the Company,

 

  2.3 Invoices . The Company agrees to pay all fees and reimbursable out of pocket expenses due hereunder timely following the receipt of the respective invoice. If applicable, postage for mailing of dividends or distributions, and other mailings to all Shareholder accounts shall be paid by the Transfer Agent and be reimbursed by the Company timely following the receipt of the relevant invoice.

 

3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE TRANSFER AGENT

The Transfer Agent represents and warrants to the Company that:

 

  3.1 It is a trust company duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

  3.2 It is duly qualified to carry on its business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

  3.3 It is duly registered as a transfer agent pursuant to Section 17(A)(c)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Section 17(A)(c)(2)”), and it will remain so registered for the duration of this Agreement, and it will promptly notify the Company in the event of the termination of its status as a registered transfer agent.

 

  3.4 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its organizational documents to enter into and perform the services contemplated in this Agreement.

 

  3.5 All requisite organizational proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.

 

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  3.6 It has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities, equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement.

 

  3.7 It is in compliance with all material federal and state laws, rules and regulations applicable to its transfer agency business and the performance of its duties, obligations and services under this Agreement.

 

  3.8 No legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would materially impair its ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement.

 

4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

The Company represents and warrants to the Transfer Agent that:

 

  4.1 It is a corporation duly organized, existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

  4.2 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its organizational documents to enter into and perform this Agreement.

 

  4.3 All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize the Company to enter into, perform and receive services pursuant to this Agreement.

 

  4.4 No legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would impair the Company’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement.

 

  4.5 The Company is a closed-end management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the 1940 Act, it intends to elect to be treated for federal income tax purposes, and it intends to qualify annually thereafter, as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

  4.6 A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), for the Company has been, or at the time the Shares are first offered to the public will be, declared effective by the SEC and shall remain effective during the term of this Agreement. As of the effective date of this Agreement, all necessary filings under the securities laws of the states in which the Company offers or sells its Shares have been made, or the Company is otherwise relying on an exemption from such filings. As of the close of business on the date of this Agreement, the Company is authorized to issue [100,000,000] Shares.

 

5. DATA ACCESS AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

 

  5.1

The Company acknowledges that the databases, computer programs, screen formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, and documentation manuals furnished to the Company by the Transfer Agent as part of the the Company’s ability to access certain Company-related data maintained by the Transfer Agent or another third party on databases under the control and ownership of the Transfer Agent (“Data Access Services”) constitute copyrighted, trade secret, or other proprietary information (collectively, “Proprietary Information”) of substantial value to the Transfer Agent or another third party. In no event shall Proprietary Information be deemed Shareholder information or the Confidential Information (as defined below) of the Company. The Company agrees to treat all Proprietary Information as proprietary to the Transfer Agent and further agrees that it shall not divulge any Proprietary Information to any

 

5


  person or organization except as may be provided hereunder. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company agrees for itself and its officers and agents, to:

 

  (i) use such programs and databases solely from equipment at the location(s) agreed to between the Company and the Transfer Agent, and solely in accordance with the Transfer Agent’s applicable user documentation;

 

  (ii) refrain from copying or duplicating in any way the Proprietary Information;

 

  (iii) refrain from obtaining unauthorized access to any portion of the Proprietary Information, and if such access is inadvertently obtained, to inform the Transfer Agent in a timely manner of such fact and dispose of such information in accordance with the Transfer Agent’s instructions;

 

  (iv) refrain from causing or allowing Proprietary Information transmitted from the Transfer Agent’s computers to the Company’s, or such agents’ computer to be retransmitted to any other computer facility or other location, except with the prior written consent of the Transfer Agent;

 

  (v) access only to those authorized transactions agreed upon by the Company and the Transfer Agent;

 

  (vi) honor all reasonable written requests made by the Transfer Agent to protect at the Transfer Agent’s expense the rights of the Transfer Agent in Proprietary Information at common law, under federal copyright law and under other federal or state law.

 

  5.2 Proprietary Information shall not include all or any portion of any of the foregoing items that are or become publicly available without breach of this Agreement by the Transfer Agent, the Company or their respective agents; that are released for general disclosure by a written release by the Transfer Agent; or that are already in the possession of the receiving party at the time of receipt without obligation of confidentiality or breach of this Agreement.

 

  5.3 If the Company notifies the Transfer Agent that any of the Data Access Services do not operate in material compliance with the most recently issued user documentation for such services, the Transfer Agent shall endeavor in a timely manner to correct such failure. Organizations from which the Transfer Agent may obtain certain data included in the Data Access Services are solely responsible for the contents of such data, and the Company agrees to make no claim against the Transfer Agent arising out of the contents of such third-party data, including, but not limited to, the accuracy thereof. DATA ACCESS SERVICES AND ALL COMPUTER PROGRAMS AND SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS, AS AVAILABLE” BASIS. THE TRANSFER AGENT EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES EXCEPT THOSE EXPRESSLY STATED HEREIN INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

 

  5.4 If the transactions available to the Company include the ability to originate electronic instructions to the Transfer Agent in order to effect the transfer or movement of cash, Shares, Shareholder information or other information, then in such event the Transfer Agent shall be entitled to rely on the validity and authenticity of such instruction without undertaking any further inquiry as long as such instruction is undertaken in conformity with security procedures established by the Transfer Agent from time to time.

 

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  5.5 Each party shall take reasonable efforts to advise its employees of their obligations pursuant to this Section. The obligations of this Section shall survive any earlier termination of this Agreement.

 

6. STANDARD OF CARE / LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

 

  6.1 The Transfer Agent shall at all times act in good faith in its performance of all services performed under this Agreement, but assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable for loss or damage due to errors, including encoding and payment processing errors, unless said errors are caused by its negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct or that of its employees or agents. The parties agree that any encoding or payment processing errors shall be governed by this standard of care, and that Section 4-209 of the Uniform Commercial Code is superseded by this Section.

 

  6.2 In any event, except as otherwise agreed by the parties hereto in writing, the Transfer Agent’s cumulative liability for each calendar year (a “Liability Period”) with respect to the Company under this Agreement regardless of the form of action or legal theory shall be limited to its total annual compensation earned and fees payable under this Agreement during the preceding Compensation Period, as defined herein, for any liability or loss suffered by the Company including, but not limited to, any liability relating to qualification of the Company as a regulated investment company or any liability relating to the Company’s compliance with any federal or state tax or securities statute, regulation or ruling during such Liability Period. “Compensation Period” shall mean the calendar year ending immediately prior to each Liability Period in which the event(s) giving rise to the Transfer Agent’s liability for that period have occurred. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Compensation Period for purposes of calculating the annual cumulative liability of the Transfer Agent for the Liability Period commencing on the date of this Agreement and terminating on December 31, 2015 shall be the date of this Agreement through December 31, 2015, calculated on an annualized basis, and the Compensation Period for the Liability Period commencing January 1, 2016 and terminating on December 31, 2016 shall be the date of this Agreement through December 31, 2015, calculated on an annualized basis.

 

7. INDEMNIFICATION

 

  7.1 The Transfer Agent shall not be responsible for, and the Company shall indemnify and hold the Transfer Agent harmless from and against, any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, counsel fees (including the defense of any lawsuit in which the Transfer Agent or affiliate is a named party), payments, expenses and liability arising out of or attributable to:

 

  (i) all actions of the Transfer Agent or its agents or subcontractors required to be taken pursuant to this Agreement, provided that such actions are taken in good faith and without negligence or willful misconduct;

 

  (ii) the breach of any representation, warranty or covenant of the Company hereunder;

 

  (iii) the Company’s lack of good faith, negligence or willful misconduct;

 

  (iv) reasonable reliance upon or use by the Transfer Agent, or its agents or subcontractors of information, records, documents, data, or services which (a) are received or relied upon by the Transfer Agent or its agents or subcontractors and/or furnished to it or performed by or on behalf of the Company and (b) have been prepared, maintained and/or performed by the Company or any other person or firm on behalf of the Company;

 

7


  (v) The reliance on, or the carrying out by the Transfer Agent or its agents or subcontractors of any instructions or requests of the Company;

 

  (vi) the offer or sale of Shares in violation of any requirement under the federal or state securities laws or regulations requiring that such Shares be registered, or in violation of any stop order or other determination or ruling by any federal or state agency with respect to the offer or sale of such Shares;

 

  (vii) the negotiation and processing of any checks, wires and ACH transmissions, including without limitation, for deposit into, or credit to, the Company’s demand deposit accounts maintained by the Transfer Agent, provided that such actions are taken in good faith and without negligence or willful misconduct;

 

  (viii) all actions relating to the transmission of Company or Shareholder data through the NSCC clearing systems, if applicable, provided that such actions are taken in good faith and without negligence or willful misconduct; and

 

  (ix) any tax obligations of the Company, other than the services specifically listed in Section 1.3(i) above, under the tax laws of any country or of any state or political subdivision thereof, including taxes, withholding and reporting requirements, claims for exemption and refund, additions for late payment, interest, penalties and other expenses (including legal expenses) that may be assessed, imposed or charged against the Transfer Agent as transfer agent hereunder.

 

  7.2 At any time the Transfer Agent may seek instructions from any officer of the Company, and may consult with reasonably selected outside legal counsel for the Company at the Company’s expense after giving advance notice to the Company, or with its own counsel at its own expense, with respect to any matter arising in connection with the services to be performed by the Transfer Agent or its agents or subcontractors set forth in Section 13 under this Agreement, and the Transfer Agent shall not be liable and shall be indemnified by the Company for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith in reasonable reliance upon such instructions or upon the opinion of counsel. The Transfer Agent, its agents and subcontractors shall be protected and indemnified in acting upon any paper or document furnished by or on behalf of the Company, reasonably believed to be genuine and to have been signed by the proper person or persons, or upon any instruction, information, data, records or documents provided the Transfer Agent or its agents or subcontractors by machine readable input, telex, CRT data entry or other similar means authorized by the Company, and shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any person, until receipt of written notice thereof from the Company.

 

  7.3 In the event either party is unable to perform its obligations under the terms of this Agreement because of acts of God, strikes, equipment or transmission failure or damage reasonably beyond its control, or other causes reasonably beyond its control, such party shall not be liable for damages to the other for any damages resulting from such failure to perform or otherwise from such causes.

 

  7.4 In no event shall either party to this Agreement be liable to the other party for special, indirect or consequential damages, regardless of the form of action and even if the same were foreseeable.

 

  7.5

In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this Section shall apply, upon the assertion of a claim for which the Company may be required to indemnify the Transfer Agent, the Transfer Agent shall notify the Company of such assertion, and shall keep the Company

 

8


  advised with respect to all material developments concerning such claim. The Company shall have the option to participate with the Transfer Agent in the defense of such claim or to defend against said claim in its own name. The Transfer Agent shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in which the Company may be required to indemnify the Transfer Agent except with the Company’s prior written consent which shall not unreasonably be withheld.

 

8. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRANSFER AGENT

 

  8.1 The Company shall promptly furnish to the Transfer Agent the following:

 

  (i) A Secretary’s certificate of the resolution(s) of the Company authorizing the appointment of the Transfer Agent and the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

 

  (ii) A copy of the Company’s organizational documents and all amendments thereto.

 

  (iii) A copy of any private placement memorandum, registration statement and any other document related to the placement of the Company’s Shares.

 

  8.2 The Transfer Agent hereby agrees, subject to any relevant laws or regulations applicable to the Transfer Agent, to establish and maintain facilities and procedures reasonably acceptable to the Company for safekeeping of check forms and facsimile signature imprinting devices, if any; and for the preparation or use, and for keeping account of, such forms and devices.

 

  8.3 In compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the 1940 Act, the Transfer Agent agrees that all records which it maintains for the Company shall at all times remain the property of the Company, shall be readily accessible during normal business hours, and shall be promptly surrendered upon the termination of the Agreement or otherwise on written request except as otherwise provided in Section 10. The Transfer Agent further agrees that all records that it maintains for the Company pursuant to Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act will be preserved for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act unless any such records are earlier surrendered as provided above. Records may be surrendered in either written or machine-readable form, at the option of the Transfer Agent.

 

  8.4 The Company acknowledges that the Transfer Agent may provide the services hereunder from service locations within or outside of the United States.

 

9. CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY

 

  9.1 The Transfer Agent and the Company, agree that each shall treat confidentially all information provided by each party to the other party regarding its business and operations (the “Confidential Information”). All Confidential Information provided by a party hereto shall be used by the other party hereto solely for the purpose of rendering or receiving services pursuant to this Agreement and, except as may be required in carrying out this Agreement, shall not be disclosed to any third party, except as described herein. Neither party will use or disclose Confidential Information for purposes other than the activities contemplated by this Agreement or except as required by law, court process or pursuant to the lawful requirement of a governmental agency, or if the party is advised by counsel that it may incur liability for failure to make a disclosure, or except at the request or with the written consent of the other party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each party acknowledges that the other party may provide access to and use of Confidential Information relating to the other party to the disclosing party’s employees, contractors, sub-contractors, agents, professional advisors, auditors or persons performing similar functions.

 

9


The foregoing shall not be applicable to any information (i) that is publicly available when provided or thereafter becomes publicly available, other than through a breach of this Agreement, (ii) that is independently derived by a party hereto without the use of any information provided by the other party hereto in connection with this Agreement, (iii) that is required in any legal or regulatory proceeding, investigation, audit, examination, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process, or by operation of law or regulation, or (iv) where the party seeking to disclose has received the prior written consent of the party providing the information.

The undertakings and obligations contained in this Section 9.1 shall survive the termination or expiration of this Agreement for a period of three (3) years.

 

  9.2 The Transfer Agent affirms that it has, and will continue to have throughout the term of this Agreement, procedures in place that are reasonably designed to protect the privacy of non-public personal consumer/customer financial information to the extent required by applicable laws, rules and regulations, including the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.

 

10. EFFECTIVE PERIOD, TERMINATION AND AMENDMENT

This Agreement shall become effective as of its execution, shall continue in full force and effect until termination as hereinafter provided and may be terminated by either party by an instrument in writing delivered or mailed, postage prepaid to the other party, such termination to take effect not sooner than thirty (30) days after the date of such delivery or mailing. Upon termination of this Agreement pursuant to this paragraph the Company shall pay to the Transfer Agent such compensation as may be due as of the date of such termination and shall likewise reimburse the Transfer Agent for its costs, expenses and disbursements.

 

11. [RESERVED]

 

12. ASSIGNMENT

 

  12.1 Except as provided in Section 13 below, neither this Agreement nor any rights or obligations hereunder may be assigned by either party without the written consent of the other party.

 

  12.2 Except as explicitly stated elsewhere in this Agreement, nothing under this Agreement shall be construed to give any rights or benefits in this Agreement to anyone other than the Transfer Agent and the Company, and the duties and responsibilities undertaken pursuant to this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Transfer Agent and the Company. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.

 

  12.3 This Agreement does not constitute an agreement for a partnership or joint venture between the Transfer Agent and the Company. Other than as provided in Section 13, neither party shall make any commitments with third parties that are binding on the other party without the other party’s prior written consent.

 

13. SUBCONTRACTORS

The Transfer Agent may, without further consent on the part of the Company, subcontract for the performance hereof with (i) Boston Financial Data Services, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation (“BFDS”) which is duly registered as a transfer agent pursuant to Section 17A(c)(2), (ii) a BFDS subsidiary duly registered as a transfer agent pursuant to Section 17A(c)(2), (iii) a BFDS affiliate duly registered as a transfer agent or (iv) any

 

10


other affiliated or unaffiliated third party duly registered as a transfer agent pursuant to Section 17A(c)(2); provided, however, that the Transfer Agent shall remain liable to the Company for the acts and omissions of any subcontractor under this Section as it is for its own acts and omissions under this Agreement.

 

14. MISCELLANEOUS

 

  14.1 Amendment . This Agreement may be amended or modified by a written agreement executed by both parties.

 

  14.2 New York Law to Apply . This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regards to the conflicts of law provisions thereof.

 

  14.3 Business Continuity . The Transfer Agent will implement and maintain reasonable disaster recovery and business continuity procedures that are reasonably designed to recover data processing systems, data communications facilities, information, data and other business related functions of the Transfer Agent in a manner and timeframe consistent with legal, regulatory and business requirements applicable to the Transfer Agent in its provision of services hereunder.

 

  14.4 Data Protection . The Transfer Agent will implement and maintain a comprehensive written information security program that contains appropriate security measures to safeguard the personal information of the Company’s Shareholders, employees, directors and/or officers that the Transfer Agent receives, stores, maintains, processes or otherwise accesses in connection with the provision of services hereunder. For these purposes, “personal information” shall mean (i) an individual’s name (first initial and last name or first name and last name), address or telephone number plus (a) social security number, (b) drivers license number, (c) state identification card number, (d) debit or credit card number, (e) financial account number or (f) personal identification number or password that would permit access to a person’s account or (ii) any combination of the foregoing that would allow a person to log onto or access an individual’s account. Notwithstanding the foregoing “personal information” shall not include information that is lawfully obtained from publicly available information, or from federal, state or local government records lawfully made available to the general public.

 

  14.5 Survival . All provisions regarding indemnification, warranty, liability, and limits thereon, and confidentiality and/or protections of proprietary rights and trade secrets shall survive the termination of this Agreement in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

  14.6 Severability . If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable, the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired.

 

  14.7 Priorities Clause . In the event of any conflict, discrepancy or ambiguity between the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement and any schedules or attachments hereto, the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement shall take precedence.

 

  14.8 Waiver. No waiver by either party or any breach or default of any of the covenants or conditions herein contained and performed by the other party shall be construed as a waiver of any succeeding breach of the same or of any other covenant or condition.

 

  14.9 Merger of Agreement . This Agreement and any schedules, exhibits, attachments or amendments hereto constitute the entire agreement between the parties hereto and supersedes any prior agreement with respect to the subject matter hereof whether oral or written.

 

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  14.10 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto on any number of counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.

 

  14.11 Reproduction of Documents . This Agreement and all schedules, exhibits, attachments and amendments hereto may be reproduced by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, micro-card, miniature photographic or other similar process. The parties hereto all/each agree that any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding, whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by a party in the regular course of business, and that any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence.

 

  14.12 Notices . All notices and other communications as required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and deemed to have been given when delivered in person or by confirmed facsimile, by overnight delivery through a commercial courier service, or posted by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the following address (or such other address as a party may specify by written notice to the other).

 

  (a) If to Transfer Agent, to:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

200 Clarendon Street, 16th Floor

Boston, Massachusetts 02116

Attention: Sheila McClorey, Transfer Agent Vice President

Telephone: (617) 662-9681

Facsimile: (617) 956-5648

With a copy to:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

One Lincoln Street, 21st Floor

Boston, MA 02111

Attn: Senior Vice President and Senior Managing Counsel

Facsimile: (617) 662-2702

 

  (b) If to the Company, to:

Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc.

c/o Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P.

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

Attn: Legal Department

Facsimile: (212) 357-9429

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed in their names and on their behalf by and through their duly authorized officers, as of the day and year first above written.

 

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
By:

 

Name:

Gunjan Kedia

Title:

Executive Vice President

 

GOLDMAN SACHS BDC, INC.
By:

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

13

EX-99.(k)(6)(a)

FIRST AMENDMENT TO LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AGREEMENT

OF

SENIOR CREDIT FUND, LLC

This First Amendment to Limited Liability Company Agreement (this “ Amendment ”) is adopted as of October 1, 2014, by Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc. and Regents of the University of California (collectively, the “ Members ”) as the members of Senior Credit Fund, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “ Company ”).

I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, the Company is governed by that certain Limited Liability Company Agreement dated as of July 18, 2014 (as amended, the “ Agreement ”), adopted by the Members;

WHEREAS, the Members desire to amend certain sections and definitions of the Agreement in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Agreement; and

WHEREAS, this Amendment has received Prior Board Approval and the approval of each Member as required pursuant to the Agreement and;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements set forth below, and intending to be legally bound, the Members hereby agree as follows:

1. Definitions . All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the respective meanings given thereto in the Agreement.

2. Amendments .

(a) The definition of “ Investment ” and the definition of “ Portfolio Company ” in Article 1 of the Agreement is hereby amended by inserting the word “Financing” in front of the word “Subsidiary”.

(b) Section 2.4(a) of the Agreement is hereby amended by inserting the word “Financing” in front of the word “Subsidiaries”.

(c) A new Section 2.8 is hereby inserted into the Agreement immediately after Section 2.7 therein to read as follows:

Section 2.8 Separate Existence . The Company and the Members shall take all reasonable steps necessary to maintain and continue the identity of the Company as a separate legal entity and to make it apparent to third Persons that the Company is an entity with assets and liabilities distinct and separate from those of the Members, any Financing Subsidiary, any Alternative Investment Vehicles, any Affiliate of any thereof (each a “Related Person”) or of any other Person. In that regard, the Company shall not:

(a) engage in any business or activity other than the activities permitted pursuant to Section 2.4 hereof;

(b) acquire, own or sell Investments other than in accordance with this Agreement;

(c) fail to preserve its existence as an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation;

(d) commingle its assets with the assets of any of any Related Person or of any other Person;


(e) fail to pay its debts and liabilities from its assets (including, without limitation, the unfunded Capital Commitments of the Members) as the same shall become due;

(f) fail to maintain its records and books of account, and bank accounts, securities accounts and custodial accounts separate and apart from those of any Related Person or any other Person;

(g) except as permitted or required pursuant to this Agreement, the Administrative Services Agreement, the operative documents evidencing any Facility or any contract entered into by the Company with any Portfolio Company, Alternative Investment Vehicle or Financing Subsidiary, enter into any contract or agreement with any Affiliate, except upon terms and conditions that are commercially reasonable and intrinsically fair and substantially similar to those that would be available on an arm’s-length basis with unrelated third parties;

(h) fail to correct any known misunderstandings regarding the separate identity of the Company, any Related Person or any other Person;

(i) except as permitted by this Agreement, seek its dissolution or winding up;

(j) guarantee, become obligated for, or hold itself out to be responsible for the debt of another Person other than pursuant to any contract entered into by the Company with or for the benefit of any Portfolio Company, Alternative Investment Vehicle or Financing Subsidiary;

(k) fail either to hold itself out to the public as a legal entity separate and distinct from any Related Person or any other Person or to conduct its business solely in its own name in order not (i) to mislead others as to the identity with which such other Person is transacting business, or (ii) to suggest that it is responsible for the debts of any third party (including any of its Related Persons);

(l) fail to maintain adequate capital for the normal obligations reasonably foreseeable in a business of its size and character and in light of its contemplated business operations; provided that in no event shall any Member be required to make a Capital Contribution other than as expressly provided in this Agreement.

(m) except as may be required by the Code and regulations thereunder or other applicable state or local tax law, hold itself out as or be considered as a department or division of any of its Related Persons or permit any of its Related Persons to hold themselves out as or be considered as a department or division of the Company;

(n) fail to maintain separate financial statements, showing its assets and liabilities separate and apart from those of any Related Person or those of any other Person (except, for financial reporting purposes, to the extent consolidated reports including the Company are required by GAAP);

(o) fail to pay its own liabilities and expenses only out of its own funds;

(p) to the extent used in its business, fail to use separate stationery, invoices and checks bearing its own name;

(q) fail to observe applicable Delaware limited liability company formalities with respect to the Company;

(r) fail to file its own separate tax return, or file a consolidated federal income tax return with any other Person, except as may be required by the Code and the regulations thereunder, and/or fail to pay any taxes required to be paid by the Company under applicable law; or

 

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(s) take any action, or conduct its affairs in a manner, that is likely to result in its separate existence being ignored or in its assets and liabilities being substantively consolidated with any other Person in a bankruptcy, reorganization or other insolvency proceeding.

Failure of the Company to comply with any of the foregoing covenants or any other covenants contained in this Agreement shall not affect the status of the Company as a separate legal entity or the limited liability of a Member.

(d) Section 3.1(d) of the Agreement is hereby amended by inserting the phrase “and for purposes of repayments of debt and expenses incurred under any Subscription Facility prior to such suspension” immediately prior to the period at the end of such Section.

(e) Section 6.1(a) of the Agreement is hereby amended by inserting the following sentence at the end of such Section: “In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Agreement, with respect to any Investment sold or contributed by either Member to the Company or any Financing Subsidiary thereof, neither such Member nor any Board Member appointed by such Member shall have any right to veto or otherwise block any decision made by the other Members of the Company or Board Members appointed by other Members of the Company to make a claim against (or to defend a claim by) such Member that sold or contributed such Investment with respect to any covenants, representations or warranties in any written agreement or certificate it has entered into for the benefit of the JV in connection with the sale or contribution of any such Investment.”

(f) Section 6.15(a) of the Agreement is hereby amended by:

(i) deleting the phrase in the first through third lines thereof “each Board Member and each Member and its employees, directors, officers, owners, principals, shareholders, members, and partners” and replacing it with the phrase “each Board Member, each officer, representative or agent of the Company, each Member, each investment manager or investment adviser of each Member and their respective employees, directors, officers, owners, principals, shareholders, members, and partners”, and

(ii) deleting the phrase in the eighth through tenth lines thereof “by reason of the fact that such Person, is or was a Board Member, an officer or representative or agent of the Company, a Member or an employee, director officer, owner, principal, shareholder , member of partner of a Member” and replacing it with the phrase “by reason of the fact that such Person is or was a Board Member, an officer, representative or agent of the Company, a Member, an investment manager or investment adviser of a Member or an employee, director, officer, owner, principal, shareholder, member or partner of any thereof”.

3. Conditions Precedent . This Amendment shall become effective upon (i) the delivery to each of the Members of a written notice of the Board evidencing Prior Board Approval with respect to this Amendment and (ii) the execution of this Amendment by each of the Members.

4. Miscellaneous . The provisions of the Agreement set forth in Sections 10.5, 10.8, 10.11, 10.12, 10.13 and 10.20 are hereby incorporated into this Amendment by reference as if set forth herein. The Agreement shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with its terms, as amended by this Amendment.

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Members have caused this Amendment to be executed and delivered as of the date first set forth above.

 

Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc.
By:

LOGO

 

Name: Jonathan Lamm
Title: Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
Regents of the University of California
By:  
Name:
Title:

 

 

 

[ First Amendment to Limited Liability Company Agreement ]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Members have caused this Amendment to be executed and delivered as of the date first set forth above.

 

Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc.
By:  
Name:
Title:
Regents of the University of California
By:

LOGO

 

Name: Robert Yastishak
Title: Director Treasury Operations

 

 

 

[ First Amendment to Limited Liability Company Agreement ]