Contribution Agreement among Williams Production RMT Company LLC, Williams Energy Services, LLC, Williams Partners GP LLC, Williams Partners L.P., Williams Partners Operating LLC, and Williams Field Services Group, LLC (October 26, 2010)
This agreement is between several Williams entities, including Williams Production RMT Company LLC and Williams Partners L.P. It outlines the terms under which certain membership interests and gas gathering and compression assets are contributed by the Contributing Parties to the Partnership Parties. In exchange, the Partnership issues consideration to the Contributing Parties. The agreement details representations, warranties, closing conditions, tax matters, and indemnification obligations, and is effective as of October 26, 2010.
ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS | 2 | |||
1.1 Definitions | 2 | |||
1.2 Construction | 9 | |||
ARTICLE 2 CONVEYANCE AND CLOSING | 9 | |||
2.1 Conveyance | 9 | |||
2.2 Consideration | 9 | |||
2.3 Closing and Closing Deliveries | 10 | |||
2.4 Post Closing Financial Responsibilities | 11 | |||
2.5 Distribution Adjustment | 12 | |||
ARTICLE 3 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE CONTRIBUTING PARTIES | 14 | |||
3.1 Organization | 14 | |||
3.2 Authority and Approval | 15 | |||
3.3 No Conflict; Consents | 16 | |||
3.4 Capitalization; Title to Membership Interests | 17 | |||
3.5 Financial Information; Undisclosed Liabilities | 17 | |||
3.6 Internal Controls | 18 | |||
3.7 Intentionally Omitted | 19 | |||
3.8 Real Property; Rights-of-Way | 19 | |||
3.9 Litigation; Laws and Regulations | 20 | |||
3.10 No Adverse Changes | 20 | |||
3.11 Taxes | 21 | |||
3.12 Environmental Matters | 21 | |||
3.13 Condition of Assets | 22 | |||
3.14 Licenses; Permits | 22 | |||
3.15 Contracts | 23 | |||
3.16 Employees and Employee Benefits | 25 | |||
3.17 Labor Matters | 27 | |||
3.18 Transactions with Affiliates | 27 | |||
3.19 Insurance | 27 | |||
3.20 Intellectual Property Rights | 27 | |||
3.21 Investment Company Act | 28 | |||
3.22 Brokerage Arrangements | 28 | |||
3.23 Liabilities Associated with Natural Gas Contracts | 28 | |||
3.24 Books and Records | 28 | |||
3.25 Investment Intent | 29 | |||
3.26 Waivers and Disclaimers | 29 | |||
ARTICLE 4 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE PARTNERSHIP PARTIES | 30 | |||
4.1 Organization and Existence | 30 | |||
4.2 Authority and Approval | 31 | |||
4.3 No Conflict; Consents | 31 | |||
4.4 Brokerage Arrangements | 32 | |||
4.5 Litigation | 32 |
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(Continued)
4.6 Valid Issuance; Listing | 33 | |||
ARTICLE 5 ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS, COVENANTS, RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS | 33 | |||
5.1 Operation of the Transferred Assets and Transferred Business | 33 | |||
5.2 Access | 36 | |||
5.3 Cooperation; Further Assurances | 36 | |||
ARTICLE 6 CONDITIONS TO CLOSING | 37 | |||
6.1 Conditions to the Obligation of the Partnership Parties | 37 | |||
6.2 Conditions to the Obligation of the Contributing Parties | 38 | |||
ARTICLE 7 TAX MATTERS | 40 | |||
7.1 Liability for Taxes | 40 | |||
7.2 Tax Returns | 41 | |||
7.3 Tax Treatment of Indemnity Payments | 42 | |||
7.4 Transfer Taxes | 42 | |||
7.5 Survival | 42 | |||
7.6 Conflict | 42 | |||
ARTICLE 8 TERMINATION | 43 | |||
8.1 Events of Termination | 43 | |||
8.2 Effect of Termination | 43 | |||
ARTICLE 9 INDEMNIFICATION UPON CLOSING | 44 | |||
9.1 Indemnification of the Partnership Parties | 44 | |||
9.2 Indemnification of the Contributing Parties | 44 | |||
9.3 Tax Indemnification | 45 | |||
9.4 Survival | 45 | |||
9.5 Demands | 45 | |||
9.6 Right to Contest and Defend | 46 | |||
9.7 Cooperation | 47 | |||
9.8 Right to Participate | 47 | |||
9.9 Payment of Damages | 47 | |||
9.10 Limitations on Indemnification | 47 | |||
9.11 Sole Remedy | 48 | |||
ARTICLE 10 MISCELLANEOUS | 48 | |||
10.1 Expenses | 48 | |||
10.2 Notices | 48 | |||
10.3 Governing Law | 49 | |||
10.4 Public Statements | 49 | |||
10.5 Entire Agreement; Amendments and Waivers | 50 | |||
10.6 Conflicting Provisions | 50 | |||
10.7 Binding Effect and Assignment | 50 | |||
10.8 [Reserved] | 50 | |||
10.9 Severability | 50 | |||
10.10 Interpretation | 51 | |||
10.11 Headings and Disclosure Schedules | 51 | |||
10.12 Multiple Counterparts | 51 | |||
10.13 Action by Partnership Parties | 51 |
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(Continued)
Exhibit A | | Form of Conveyance, Contribution and Assumption Agreement | ||
Exhibit B | | Form of Amended and Restated Secondment Agreement among Williams, the Partnership and the General Partner | ||
Exhibit C | | Form of Gas Gathering Agreement | ||
Exhibit D | | Form of Omnibus Agreement | ||
Exhibit E | | Form of Assignment and Bill of Sale |
Disclosure Schedule 2.3(b)
Disclosure Schedule 3.3
Disclosure Schedule 3.5(a)
Disclosure Schedule 3.5(c)
Disclosure Schedule 3.8(b)
Disclosure Schedule 3.8(c)
Disclosure Schedule 3.9
Disclosure Schedule 3.10
Disclosure Schedule 3.12
Disclosure Schedule 3.14
Disclosure Schedule 3.15
Disclosure Schedule 3.19
Disclosure Schedule 5.1(b)
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DEFINITIONS
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CONVEYANCE AND CLOSING
(a) | The aggregate consideration to be transferred by the Partnership to the Contributing Parties for the Contributed Interests on the Closing Date (the Aggregate Consideration) shall consist of: |
(i) | a distribution to the Contributing Parties of an amount equal to $702,000,000 (as adjusted pursuant to Sections 2.4 and 2.5, the Cash Consideration); | ||
(ii) | 1,849,138 Common Units issued in the Private Equity Placement; and |
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(iii) | (A) the increase in the capital account of the General Partner by an amount equal to the Additional GP Interest and (B) the issuance of 37,738 General Partner Units to the General Partner, which is equal to 2/98ths of the aggregate number of Common Units issued by the Partnership in the Private Equity Placement (the Additional General Partner Units) in consideration for a contribution to the Partnership on behalf of the General Partner of the applicable portion of the Contributed Interests. |
(b) | The Cash Consideration shall be distributed by the Partnership to the Contributing Parties at the Closing to the account(s) specified by separate wire or interbank transfer of immediately available funds to the account(s) specified at least two (2) business days prior to the Closing by the Contributing Parties. The Common Units issued in the Private Equity Placement shall be issued subject to the rights, preferences and privileges set forth in the Partnership Agreement, the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act and federal and state securities laws. |
2.3 | Closing and Closing Deliveries. |
(a) | The closing (the Closing) of the contribution of the Contributed Interests pursuant to this Agreement and the CCA Agreement will be held at the offices of The Williams Companies, Inc., One Williams Center, Tulsa, OK 74172 on or before the third business day following satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to closing set forth in Article 6, commencing at 10:00 a.m., Tulsa time, or such other place, date and time as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto. The Closing Date, as referred to herein, shall mean the date of the Closing. The Closing shall be deemed to be effective as of 12:01 am, Tulsa, Oklahoma time, on the first day of the calendar month in which the Closing Date occurs (the Effective Date). |
(b) | At the Closing, the Contributing Parties shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Partnership Parties the following: |
(i) | A counterpart of each Ancillary Agreement, duly executed by the Contributing Parties, as applicable; | ||
(ii) | A fully executed copy of the Assignment and Assumption Agreement; | ||
(iii) | One or more instruction letters in respect of the Membership Interests directing the Contributed Company to reflect the transfer of such Membership Interests to the Partnership on the books of such Contributed Company; | ||
(iv) | A long-form certificate of good standing of recent date of each of the Contributing Parties and the Contributed Company; |
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(v) | Foreign qualification certificates of recent date of the Contributed Company for each of the jurisdictions listed opposite its name in Disclosure Schedule 2.3(b); and | ||
(vi) | Such other certificates, instruments of conveyance and documents as may be reasonably requested by the Partnership Parties at least two (2) business days prior to the Closing Date to carry out the intent and purposes of this Agreement. |
(c) | At the Closing, the Partnership Parties shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Contributing Parties the following, or shall take the following actions: |
(i) | A counterpart of each Ancillary Agreement, duly executed by each Partnership Party, as applicable; | ||
(ii) | The Cash Consideration as provided in Section 2.2(a); | ||
(iii) | An aggregate of 1,849,138 non-certificated Common Units issued in the Private Equity Placement in book entry form for the account(s) specified in advance by the Contributing Parties; | ||
(iv) | The Additional General Partner Units issued in book entry form; | ||
(v) | The capital account of the General Partner shall be increased by the amount of the Additional GP Interest; and | ||
(vi) | Such other certificates, instruments of conveyance and documents as may be reasonably requested by the Contributing Parties at least two (2) business days prior to the Closing Date to carry out the intent and purposes of this Agreement. |
(a) | Cash Inflows: Cash inflows related to the Transferred Business attributable to any period prior to the Effective Time shall belong to RMT and any such amounts received by the Partnership Parties or, after the Closing Date, the Contributed Company will be reimbursed to RMT within one month after the end of the month in which such amounts were so received. Conversely, cash inflows related to the Transferred Business |
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attributable to any period after the Effective Time shall belong to the Partnership and any such amounts received by RMT or, before the Closing Date, the Contributed Company will be reimbursed to the Partnership Parties within one month after the end of the month in which such amounts were so received. |
(b) | Cash Outflows: Cash outflows related to the Transferred Business attributable to any period prior to the Effective Time shall remain the obligation of RMT and any such amounts paid by the Partnership Parties or, after the Closing Date, the Contributed Company will be reimbursed by RMT within one month after the end of the month in which such amounts were so paid. Conversely, cash outflows related to the Transferred Business attributable to any period after the Effective Time shall remain the obligation of the Partnership Parties and any such amounts paid by RMT or, before the Closing Date, the Contributed Company, will be reimbursed by the Partnership Parties within one month after the end of the month in which such amounts were so paid. |
(a) | Within ten (10) business days following the announcement of the applicable quarterly distribution, the Contributing Parties shall prepare and deliver, or cause to be prepared and delivered, to the Partnership Parties a statement of its calculation, in reasonable detail, of the amount of the downward adjustment, if any, to the Cash Consideration determined by this Section 2.5(a) (the Distribution Adjustment). |
(i) | If the Closing Date occurs prior to or on the record date for a distribution by the Partnership of Available Cash (as defined in the Partnership Agreement) pursuant to Section 6.3 of the Partnership Agreement with respect to a calendar quarter prior to the calendar quarter in which the Closing occurs, the Distribution Adjustment shall equal the sum of (a) the product of the amount of such distribution to each Common Unit multiplied by 1,849,138, (b) the product of the amount of such distribution to each General Partner Unit multiplied by 37,738, and (c) the excess of (1) the amount that will be distributed to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights (as defined in the Partnership Agreement) for such calendar quarter over (2) the amount that would have been distributed to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights for such calendar quarter if the contributions contemplated by the Agreement had not been made and the issuances of Common Units and General Partner Units contemplated by the Agreement had not occurred. | ||
(ii) | If the Closing Date occurs after or on December 1, 2010, the |
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Distribution Adjustment shall equal the sum of (a) the amount of the distribution to the Common Units issued in the Private Equity Placement with respect to the calendar quarter in which the Closing occurs multiplied by a fraction, (1) the numerator of which is the number of days commencing with the first day of such quarter and ending on the last day of the month preceding the month in which the Closing of the contributions contemplated by the Agreement occurs and (2) the denominator of which is the total number of days in such quarter, (b) the amount of the distribution to the General Partner Units issued pursuant to this Agreement with respect to the calendar quarter in which the Closing occurs multiplied by a fraction, (1) the numerator of which is the number of days commencing with the first day of such quarter and ending on the last day of the month preceding the month in which the Closing of the contributions contemplated by the Agreement occurs and ending with the last day of such quarter and (2) the denominator of which is the total number of days in such quarter, and (c) the product of (1) the excess of (A) the amount that will be distributed to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights for such calendar quarter over (B) the amount that would have been distributed to the holders of the Incentive Distribution Rights for such calendar quarter if the contributions contemplated by the Agreement had not been made and the issuances of Common Units and General Partner Units contemplated by the Agreement had not occurred, multiplied by (2) a fraction, (A) the numerator of which is the number of days commencing with the first day of such quarter and ending on the last day of the month preceding the month in which the Closing of the contributions contemplated by the Agreement occurs and (B) the denominator of which is the total number of days in such calendar quarter. | |||
(iii) | For the avoidance of doubt, if the Closing Date occurs after the record date for a distribution by the Partnership of Available Cash (as defined in the Partnership Agreement) pursuant to Section 6.3 of the Partnership Agreement with respect to a calendar quarter prior to the calendar quarter in which the Closing occurs but before December 1, 2010, the Distribution Adjustment shall be $0. |
(b) | Within ten (10) business days following receipt by the Partnership of the statement setting forth the Distribution Adjustment, if any, the Partnership, on behalf of itself, the Operating Company and WFSG and acting through the Conflicts Committee, shall deliver written notice to the Contributing Parties of any dispute it has with respect to the preparation or content of the statement setting forth the Distribution Adjustment. In the event the Partnership does not notify the Contributing Parties of a dispute with respect to the statement setting forth the Distribution Adjustment within such ten (10) business day period, such statement setting forth the |
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Distribution Adjustment will be final, conclusive and binding on the parties hereto. In the event of such notification of a dispute, the Partnership, on behalf of itself, the Operating Company and WFSG and acting through the Conflicts Committee, and the Contributing Parties shall negotiate in good faith to resolve such dispute. If the Contributing Parties and the Partnership, on behalf of itself, the Operating Company and WFSG and acting through the Conflicts Committee, notwithstanding such good faith effort, fail to resolve such dispute within thirty (30) days after the Partnership advises the Contributing Parties of its objections, then the Contributing Parties and the Partnership, on behalf of itself, the Operating Company and WFSG and acting through the Conflicts Committee, jointly shall engage the firm of KPMG LLC, or such other public accounting firm to which the parties hereto may agree (the Accounting Firm), to resolve such dispute. The Contributing Parties, on the one hand, and the Partnership (on behalf of itself, the Operating Company and WFSG and acting through the Conflicts Committee), on the other hand, shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Accounting Firm such work papers and other documents and information relating to the disputed issues as they may deem necessary or appropriate or as the Accounting Firm may request and that are available to that party or its agents. Following the Accounting Firms final determination of the Distribution Adjustment, the Accounting Firm shall, within two (2) business days from the date of such final determination, deliver a written notice to the Contributing Parties and the Partnership specifying the Distribution Adjustment. All determinations made by the Accounting Firm shall be final, conclusive and binding on the parties hereto. The Contributing Parties, on the one hand, and the Partnership, on the other hand, shall share equally the fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm. | |||
(c) | If the Distribution Adjustment is a positive amount (as finally determined pursuant to Section 2.5(b)), then the Cash Consideration shall be adjusted downward by such amount and the Contributing Parties shall pay to the Partnership, by wire or interbank transfer of immediately available funds to an account specified in writing by the Partnership, an amount in cash equal to the Distribution Adjustment, within five (5) business days from the date on which the Distribution Adjustment is finally determined pursuant to Section 2.5(b). |
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE CONTRIBUTING PARTIES
(a) | Each of the Contributing Parties is a limited liability company duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State |
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of Delaware and has all requisite limited liability company power and authority to own, operate and lease its properties and assets and to carry on its business as now conducted. | |||
(b) | The Contributed Company is a limited liability company duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has all requisite limited liability company power and authority to own, operate and lease its properties and assets and to carry on its business as now conducted. The Contributed Company is duly licensed or qualified to do business and is in good standing in the states in which the character of the properties and assets owned or held by it or the nature of the business conducted by it requires it to be so licensed or qualified, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect. The Contributing Parties have made available to the Partnership Parties true and complete copies of the charter documents, bylaws, certificates of formation, limited liability company agreements, limited partnership agreements or equivalent governing instruments of the Contributed Company in effect as of the date of this Agreement. |
(a) | Each of the Contributing Parties has full limited liability company power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to perform all of the terms and conditions hereof to be performed by it. The execution and delivery by the Contributing Parties of this Agreement, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and the performance of all of the terms and conditions hereof to be performed by the Contributing Parties have been duly authorized and approved by all requisite limited liability company action on the part of each of the Contributing Parties. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Contributing Parties and constitutes the valid and legally binding obligation of each of them, enforceable against each of the Contributing Parties in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors rights and remedies generally and by general principles of equity (whether applied in a proceeding at law or in equity). | ||
(b) | Each of the Contributing Parties has full limited liability company power and authority to execute and deliver each Ancillary Agreement to which it will be a party, to consummate the transactions contemplated thereby and to perform all of the terms and conditions thereof to be performed by it. The execution and delivery by each of the Contributing Parties of each of the Ancillary Agreements to which it will be a party, the consummation of |
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the transactions contemplated thereby and the performance of all of the terms and conditions thereof to be performed by it have been duly authorized and approved by all requisite limited liability company action on the part of each Contributing Party. When executed and delivered by each of the parties party thereto, each Ancillary Agreement will constitute a valid and legally binding obligation of each of the Contributing Parties party thereto enforceable against each such Contributing Party in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors rights and remedies generally and by general principles of equity (whether applied in a proceeding at law or in equity). |
(a) | the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by each of the Contributing Parties does not, and the execution, delivery and performance of each of the Ancillary Agreements by each of the Contributing Parties party thereto will not, and the fulfillment and compliance with the terms and conditions hereof and thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not, (i) violate, conflict with any of, result in any breach of, or require the consent of any Person under, the terms, conditions or provisions of the charter documents, bylaws, certificates of formation, limited liability company agreements, limited partnership agreements or equivalent governing instruments of any Contributing Party or the Contributed Company, (ii) conflict with or violate any provision of any law or administrative rule or regulation or any judicial, administrative or arbitration order, award, judgment, writ, injunction or decree applicable to any Contributing Party, the Contributed Company, the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business (Applicable Law); (iii) conflict with, result in a breach of, constitute a default under (whether with notice or the lapse of time or both), or accelerate or permit the acceleration of the performance required by, or require any consent, authorization or approval under, or result in the suspension, termination or cancellation of, or in a right of suspension, termination or cancellation of, any indenture, mortgage, agreement, contract, commitment, license, concession, permit, lease, joint venture or other instrument to which any of the Contributing Parties or the Contributed Company is a party or by which it or any of the Transferred Assets are bound; or (iv) result in the creation of any Lien (other than Permitted Liens) on any of the Transferred Assets under any such indenture, mortgage, agreement, contract, commitment, license, concession, permit, lease, joint venture or other instrument, except in the case of clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv) for those items which, individually or in |
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the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect; and | |||
(b) | no consent, approval, license, permit, order or authorization of any Governmental Authority or other Person is required to be obtained or made by any of the Contributing Parties or the Contributed Company with respect to the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business in connection with the execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, except (i) as have been waived or obtained or with respect to which the time for asserting such right has expired, (ii) for those which individually or in the aggregate would not reasonably be expected to have a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect (including such consents, approvals, licenses, permits, orders or authorizations that are not customarily obtained prior to the Closing and are reasonably expected to be obtained in the ordinary course of business following the Closing), or (iii) pursuant to the applicable requirements, if any, of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the HSR Act). |
(a) | RMT will on the Closing Date own, beneficially and of record, all of the Membership Interests free and clear of all Liens and will convey good and marketable title to the Contributed Interests to the Partnership. The Membership Interests are not subject to any agreements or understandings with respect to the voting or transfer of any of the Membership Interests (except the contribution of the Membership Interests contemplated by this Agreement and restrictions under applicable federal and state securities laws). The Membership Interests have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid (to the extent required under the limited liability company agreement of the Contributed Company) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-303, 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act). On the Closing Date, RMT will be the sole member of the Contributed Company. | ||
(b) | There are no outstanding subscriptions, options, warrants, preemptive rights, preferential purchase rights, rights of first refusal or any similar rights issued or granted by, or binding upon, any of the Contributing Parties or Contributed Company to purchase or otherwise acquire or to sell or otherwise dispose of the Membership Interests, except as contemplated by this Agreement or the CCA Agreement. |
(a) | The Contributing Parties have provided the Partnership with the Unaudited Summary Historical Financial Information set forth in |
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Disclosure Schedule 3.5(a). The Unaudited Summary Historical Financial Information presents fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Transferred Business as of the dates thereof and for the periods then ended and the results of operations of the Transferred Business for the period covered thereby, subject to normal and recurring adjustments. Except as set forth on Disclosure Schedule 3.5(a), there are no off-balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably likely to have a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect. The Unaudited Summary Historical Financial Information has been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP) (subject to the absence of a statement of cash flows and financial statement footnotes) consistently applied throughout the periods covered thereby. There were no changes in the method of application of the Contributed Companys accounting policies or changes in the method of applying the Contributed Companys use of estimates in the preparation of the Unaudited Summary Historical Financial Information as compared with past practice. |
(b) | The Partnerships acquisition of the Contributed Company, the RMT Assets and the Transferred Business will not require the filing by the Partnership with the Securities and Exchange Commission of acquisition financial statements pursuant to Rule 3-05 of Regulation S-X of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. |
(c) | There are no liabilities or obligations of the Contributed Company or the Transferred Business of any nature (whether known or unknown and whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise) and there are no facts or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to result in any such liabilities or obligations, whether arising in the context of federal, state or local judicial, regulatory, administrative or permitting agency proceedings, other than (i) liabilities or obligations reflected or reserved against it in the Unaudited Summary Historical Financial Information, (ii) current liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business since June 30, 2010, (iii) liabilities or obligations set forth on Disclosure Schedule 3.5(c) and (iv) liabilities or obligations (whether known or unknown and whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise) that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect. |
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(a) | The Contributed Company and, to the extent relating to the RMT Assets, RMT has (i) good and marketable title to all real property it owns in fee simple and the improvements located thereon (the Owned Real Property), and (ii) good title to all tangible personal property that comprise the Transferred Assets, all of which are sufficient for the operation of the Transferred Business as presently conducted, free and clear of all Liens except Permitted Liens, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect; provided that, with respect to any real property and buildings held under lease by the Contributed Company, such real property and buildings are held under valid and subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as do not materially interfere with the use of the properties of the Contributed Company taken as a whole as they have been used consistent with past practice of the Transferred Business. |
(b) | The Contributed Company and, to the extent relating to the RMT Assets, RMT has such consents, easements, rights-of-way, permits and licenses from each Person, including Governmental Authorities, (collectively, Rights-of-Way and together with the Owned Real Property, the Real Property) as are sufficient to conduct the Transferred Business substantially in accordance with past practice, except for such Rights-of-Way the absence of which have not had, and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth on Disclosure Schedule 3.8(b), the Contributed Company and, to the extent relating to the RMT Assets, RMT has fulfilled and performed all its material obligations with respect to such Rights-of-Way and no default or other event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or would result in any impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Rights-of-Way, except for such revocations, terminations and impairments that have not had, and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect; and none of such Rights-of-Way contains any restriction that is materially burdensome to the Contributed Company and, to the extent relating to the RMT Assets, RMT, taken as a whole. |
(c) | Except as set forth on Disclosure Schedule 3.8(c), (i) (A) there are no pending proceedings or actions to modify the zoning classification of, or to condemn or take by power of eminent domain or other similar proceeding, all or any of the Transferred Assets and (B) neither Contributing Party has any Knowledge of any such threatened proceeding or action, which (in either case), if pursued, would reasonably be expected |
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to have a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect, (ii) to the extent located in jurisdictions subject to zoning, the Real Property is properly zoned for the existence, occupancy and use of all of the improvements located thereon, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect, and (iii) none of such improvements are subject to any conditional use permits or permitted non-conforming use or permitted non-conforming structure classifications or similar permits or classifications, except as would not, either currently or in the case of a rebuilding of or additional construction of improvements, reasonably be expected to have a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect. |
(a) | There are no (i) civil, criminal or administrative actions, suits, claims, hearings, arbitrations, investigations or proceedings pending or, to the Contributing Parties Knowledge, threatened against or affecting the Contributed Company, the Transferred Assets, the Transferred Business or any of the operations of the Contributing Parties related thereto or (ii) judgments, orders, decrees or injunctions of any Governmental Authority, whether at law or in equity, against or affecting the Contributed Company, the Transferred Assets, the Transferred Business or any of the operations of the Contributing Parties related thereto, except in each case, for those items that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect. |
(b) | None of the Contributing Parties or the Contributed Company is in violation of or in default under any Applicable Law, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect. |
(a) | there has not been a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect; | ||
(b) | the Transferred Business and the Transferred Assets have been operated and maintained consistent with the standard set forth in Section 5.1(a); | ||
(c) | there has not been any material damage, destruction or loss to any material portion of the Transferred Assets, whether or not covered by insurance; | ||
(d) | there has been no delay in, or postponement of, the payment of any liabilities related to the Contributed Company, the Transferred Business or |
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the Transferred Assets, individually or in the aggregate, in excess of $5,000,000; | |||
(e) | none of the items described in Section 5.1(b), but excluding the items described in Section 5.1(b)(xiv), has occurred; and | ||
(f) | there is no contract, commitment or agreement to do any of the foregoing. |
(a) | Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect, (i) all Tax Returns required to be filed by or with respect to the Contributed Company, the Transferred Business or the Transferred Assets have been filed on a timely basis (taking into account all extensions of due dates); (ii) all Taxes owed by the Contributed Company or the Contributing Parties or any of their Affiliates with respect to the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business, which are or have become due, have been timely paid in full; (iii) there are no Liens on any of the Transferred Assets that arose in connection with any failure (or alleged failure) to pay any Tax on any of the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business, other than Liens for Taxes not yet due and payable or the amount or validity of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings for which an adequate reserve has been established therefor; and (iv) there is no pending action, proceeding or investigation for assessment or collection of Taxes and no Tax assessment, deficiency or adjustment has been asserted or proposed with respect to the Contributed Company, the Transferred Business or the Transferred Assets. |
(b) | For the taxable year ended December 31, 2011, more than 90% of the gross income of the Transferred Business and the Contributed Company will be income from the exploration, development, mining or production, processing, refining, transportation (including pipelines transporting gas, oil, or products thereof), storage or marketing of any mineral or natural resource, including oil, gas or products thereof which come from either a crude oil refinery or a natural gas processing facility, or other items of income as to which counsel has opined or will opine are qualifying income within the meaning of Section 7704(d) of the Code. |
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(a) | As of the date of this Agreement, except as set forth in Disclosure Schedule 3.14, the Contributed Company or RMT has all licenses, permits and authorizations issued or granted or waived by Governmental Authorities that are necessary for the conduct of the Transferred Business as now being conducted (collectively, Permits), except in each case for such items which the failure to obtain or have waived would not result in a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect. | ||
(b) | All Permits are validly held by the Contributed Company or RMT and are in full force and effect, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect. | ||
(c) | The Contributed Company or RMT has complied with all terms and conditions of the Permits, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect. | ||
(d) | The Permits (including such Permits that are not customarily obtained prior to the Closing and are reasonably expected to be obtained in the ordinary course of business following the Closing), will not be subject to suspension, modification, revocation or non-renewal as a result of the |
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execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, except, in each case, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect. | |||
(e) | No proceeding is pending or, to any Contributing Partys Knowledge, threatened with respect to any alleged failure by the Contributed Company or RMT to have any material Permit necessary for the operation of any Transferred Asset or the conduct of the Transferred Business or to be in compliance therewith. |
(a) | Disclosure Schedule 3.15 contains a true and complete listing of the following contracts and other agreements with respect to the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business, to which (i) any Contributing Party or (ii) the Contributed Company is, or immediately after the Closing will be, a party (each such contract or agreement being referred to herein as a Material Contract): |
(i) | any natural gas gathering, processing, treating, purchase or other agreement (or group of related agreements with the same Person) that involves annual revenues or payments in excess of $5,000,000; | ||
(ii) | any agreement (or group of related agreements with the same Person) for the lease of personal property to or from any Person providing for lease payments in excess of $5,000,000 per annum; | ||
(iii) | any agreement (or group of related agreements with the same Person) for the purchase or sale of raw materials, commodities, supplies, products, or other personal property, or for the furnishing or receipt of services, the performance of which is reasonably expected to involve annual consideration in excess of $5,000,000; | ||
(iv) | any agreement concerning a partnership, joint venture, investment or other arrangement (A) involving a sharing of profits or losses relating to all or any portion of the business of the Contributed Company or the Transferred Business, or (B) requiring the Contributed Company to invest funds in or make loans to, or purchase any securities of, another Person, venture or other business enterprise, in each case, that could reasonably be expected to be in excess of $5,000,000; | ||
(v) | any agreement (or group of related agreements with the same Person) with respect to the creation, incurrence, assumption, or |
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guaranteeing of any indebtedness for borrowed money, or any capitalized lease obligation; | |||
(vi) | any agreement that prohibits or otherwise materially limits the ability of such Contributing Party (to the extent applicable to the Transferred Business) or Contributed Company to compete in any material respect in any line of business or with any Person or in any material geographic area during any period of time after the Closing; | ||
(vii) | any agreement with any Contributing Party (to the extent applicable to the Transferred Business) or Contributed Company that individually involves annual revenues or payments in excess of $1,000,000; | ||
(viii) | any collective bargaining agreement; | ||
(ix) | any lease under which the Contributed Company is the lessor or lessee of real property that provides for an annual base rental to or from the Contributed Company or, to the extent relating to the RMT Assets, RMT of more than $1,000,000; | ||
(x) | any easement agreement, right-of-way agreement, license or permit involving an annual payment of more than $1,000,000; | ||
(xi) | any agreement that governs the use or development of Intellectual Property (other than off-the-shelf software license agreements); | ||
(xii) | any agreement under which the consequences of a default or termination would reasonably be expected to have a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect; or | ||
(xiii) | any other agreement (or group of related agreements with the same Person) not enumerated in this Section 3.15, the performance of which by any party thereto involves consideration in excess of $5,000,000. |
(b) | The Contributing Parties have made available to the Partnership Parties a correct and complete copy of each written agreement listed in Disclosure Schedule 3.15. |
(c) | With respect to the Transferred Assets: (A) each Material Contract is legal, valid and binding on and enforceable against the Contributed Company or RMT, as applicable, and in full force and effect; (B) each Material Contract will continue to be legal, valid and binding on and enforceable against the Contributed Company or RMT, and in full force and effect on identical terms following the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (C) the Contributed |
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Company or RMT is not in breach or default, and no event has occurred which with notice or lapse of time would constitute a breach or default by any such party, or permit termination, modification, or acceleration, under the Material Contract; and (D) to the Contributing Parties Knowledge, no other party to any Material Contract is in breach or default, and no event has occurred which with notice or lapse of time would constitute a breach or default by such other party, or permit termination, modification or acceleration under any Material Contract other than in accordance with its terms nor has any other party repudiated any provision of the Material Contract. |
(a) | None of the employees of the Contributing Parties or their Affiliates who provide exclusive or shared services to the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business (collectively, the Associated Employees) are covered by a collective bargaining agreement. Except as would not result in any liability to the Partnership Parties or the Contributed Company or as set forth on Disclosure Schedule 3.16(a), there are no facts or circumstances that have resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a claim on behalf of an individual or a class in excess of $250,000 for unlawful discrimination, unpaid overtime or any other violation of state or federal laws relating to employment of the Associated Employees. |
(b) | As of the Closing Date, except with respect to the Secondment Agreement and/or the Partnership Agreement, the Contributed Company does not sponsor, maintain or contribute to, or have any legal or equitable obligation to establish, any compensation or benefit plan, agreement, program or policy (whether written or oral, formal or informal) for the benefit of any present or former directors, officers, employees, agents, consultants or other similar representatives, including, but not limited to, any employee benefit plan as defined in section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA) (the foregoing are hereinafter collectively referred to as Plans). All Plans in which Associated Employees participate are sponsored or maintained by a Contributing Party or its Affiliate. |
(c) | Except as would not result in any liability to the Partnership Parties or the Contributed Company, (i) each Plan in which Associated Employees participate and that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is and has been so qualified in form, and (ii) each Plan in which Associated Employees participate is and has been operated and maintained in material compliance with its terms and the provisions of all Applicable Laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, ERISA and the Code. |
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(d) | With respect to any Plan that the Contributing Parties (or any entity treated as a single employer with a Contributing Party for purposes of Section 414 of the Code or Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA (the Contributing Party Aggregated Group)) has maintained within the last six years or has had any obligation to contribute to within the past six years, (i) except for an event described in Section 4043(c)(3) of ERISA and except for an event that would not impose any liability on the Partnership Parties or the Contributed Company, there has been no reportable event, as that term is defined in Section 4043 of ERISA, for which the thirty (30) day reporting requirement has not been waived, and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not result in such a reportable event for which a waiver does not apply, (ii) none of the Contributed Company, the Contributing Parties or any member of the Contributing Party Aggregated Group has incurred any direct or indirect liability under Title IV of ERISA other than liability for premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation that have been timely paid and other than any liabilities for which the Contributed Company has no direct or indirect responsibility or obligation and (iii) there does not exist any accumulated funding deficiency within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, whether or not waived that, in either case, would give rise to a Lien on any of the Transferred Assets or that would reasonably be expected to result in a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect. None of the Contributed Company, the Contributing Parties or any member of the Contributing Party Aggregated Group contributes to, or has an obligation to contribute to, and has not within six years prior to the Closing Date contributed to, or had an obligation to contribute to, a multiemployer plan within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA (x) that is, or is reasonably expected to be in critical or endangered status as defined in Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA, or (y) in respect of which the Contributed Company, a Contributing Party or any member of the Contributing Party Aggregated Group has or may reasonably be expected to incur any withdrawal liability (as defined in Section 4201 of ERISA). |
(e) | The present value of the aggregate benefit liabilities under each of the Plans subject to Title IV of ERISA (other than multiemployer plans) (the Title IV Plans), determined as of the end of such Title IV Plans most recently ended plan year on the basis of the actuarial assumptions specified for funding purposes in such Title IV Plans actuarial valuation report for such plan year, did not exceed the aggregate current value of the assets of such Title IV Plan allocable to such benefit liabilities. The term benefit liabilities has the meaning specified in section 4001 of ERISA and the terms current value and present value have the meaning specified in section 3 of ERISA. |
(f) | Except as would not result in any liability to the Contributed Company (other than with respect to liability of the Contributed Company arising |
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from it being a party to a Secondment Agreement or the Partnership Agreement), the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not (either alone or upon the occurrence of any subsequent employment-related event) result in any payment becoming due, result in the acceleration of the time of payment or vesting of any such benefits, result in the incurrence or acceleration of any other obligation related to the Plans or to any employee or former employee of any Contributing Party or any of its Affiliates. |
(g) | All costs and liabilities associated with Associated Employees and any former employees who have provided services with respect to the Transferred Business or the Transferred Assets have been allocated in good faith amongst the Contributing Parties and their Affiliates and the Contributed Company. |
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29
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE PARTNERSHIP PARTIES
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(a) | Each of the Partnership Parties has full limited partnership or limited liability company power and authority, as applicable, to execute and deliver this Agreement, to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to perform all of the terms and conditions hereof to be performed by it. The execution and delivery of this Agreement, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and the performance of all of the terms and conditions hereof to be performed by the Partnership Parties have been duly authorized and approved by all requisite limited partnership action or limited liability company action, as applicable, of each of the Partnership Parties. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each of the Partnership Parties and constitutes the valid and legally binding obligation of each of them, enforceable against each of them in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors rights and remedies generally and by general principles of equity (whether applied in a proceeding at law or in equity). | ||
(b) | Each of the Partnership Parties has full limited partnership or limited liability company power and authority, as applicable, to execute and deliver each Ancillary Agreement to which it is a party or signatory, to consummate the transactions contemplated thereby and to perform all of the terms and conditions thereof to be performed by it. The execution and delivery by each of the Partnership Parties of each of the Ancillary Agreements to which it will be a party, the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby and the performance of all of the terms and conditions thereof to be performed by it have been duly authorized and approved by all requisite limited partnership action or limited liability company action, as applicable, of each of the Partnership Parties. When executed and delivered by each of the parties party thereto, each Ancillary Agreement will constitute a valid and legally binding obligation of each of the Partnership Parties that is a party thereto, enforceable against each such Partnership Party in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors rights and remedies generally and by general principles of equity (whether applied in a proceeding at law or in equity). |
(a) | This execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Partnership Parties does not, and the execution, delivery and performance by each of the Partnership Parties of each of the Ancillary Agreements by |
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the Partnership Parties party thereto will not, and the fulfillment and compliance with the terms and conditions hereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not, (i) violate, conflict with any of, result in any breach of, or require the consent of any Person under, the terms, conditions or provisions of the certificates of formation, limited liability company agreements, limited partnership agreements or equivalent governing instruments of any Partnership Party; (ii) conflict with or violate any provision of any law or administrative rule or regulation or any judicial, administrative or arbitration order, award, judgment, writ, injunction or decree applicable to any of such Partnership Parties or any property or asset of such Partnership Parties; (iii) conflict with, result in a breach of, constitute a default under (whether with notice or the lapse of time or both), or accelerate or permit the acceleration of the performance required by, or require any consent, authorization or approval under, any indenture, mortgage, agreement, contract, commitment, license, concession, permit, lease, joint venture or other instrument to which any of such Partnership Parties is a party or by which either of them is bound or to which any of their property is subject, except in the case of clauses (ii) or (iii), for those items which individually or in the aggregate would not reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect; and | |||
(b) | no consent, approval, license, permit, order or authorization of any Governmental Authority or other Person is required to be obtained or made by or with respect to the Partnership Parties in connection with the execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, except (i) as have been waived or obtained or with respect to which the time for asserting such right has expired, (ii) for those which individually or in the aggregate would not reasonably be expected to have a Partnership Material Adverse Effect (including such consents, approvals, licenses, permits, orders or authorizations that are not customarily obtained prior to the Closing and are reasonably expected to be obtained in the ordinary course of business following the Closing), or (iii) pursuant to the applicable requirements, if any, of the HSR Act. |
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(a) | The offer and sale of the Common Units in the Private Equity Placement and the limited partner interests represented thereby have been duly authorized by the Partnership pursuant to the Partnership Agreement and, when issued and delivered to the Contributing Parties in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Partnership Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid (to the extent required by the Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware LP Act), will be free of any and all Liens and restrictions on transfer, other than restrictions on transfer under the Partnership Agreement and under applicable state and federal securities laws. | ||
(b) | The Partnerships currently outstanding Common Units are listed on the NYSE, and the Partnership has not received any notice of delisting. |
ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS,
COVENANTS, RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS
(a) | Except as provided by this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements (including, for purposes of clarification, any movement of ownership interests or reorganizations internal to the entities controlled directly or indirectly by Williams and its Affiliates other than the Contributing Parties that are necessary to position the Contributed Interests for contribution pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and the CCA Agreement) or as consented to by the Partnership Parties, during the period from the date of this Agreement through the Closing Date, the Contributing Parties shall and shall cause the Contributed Company to: |
(i) | conduct its business and operations relating to the Transferred Assets and the Transferred Business in the usual and ordinary course thereof; and | ||
(ii) | preserve, maintain and protect the Transferred Assets and Transferred Business and operations related thereto as are now being conducted; |
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(b) | Except (i) as provided by this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements (including, for purposes of clarification, any movement of ownership interests or reorganizations internal to the entities controlled directly or indirectly by Williams and its Affiliates other than the Contributing Parties that are necessary to position the Contributed Interests for contribution pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and the CCA Agreement), (ii) as set forth in Disclosure Schedule 5.1(b) or (iii) as consented to by the Partnership Parties, during the period from the date of this Agreement through the Closing Date, the Contributing Parties shall not (to the extent such action would affect the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business), and shall not permit the Contributed Company to: |
(i) | amend its organizational documents; | ||
(ii) | liquidate, dissolve, recapitalize or otherwise wind up its business; | ||
(iii) | make any material change in any method of accounting or accounting principles, practices or policies, other than those required by GAAP or Applicable Law; | ||
(iv) | make, amend or revoke any material election with respect to Taxes; | ||
(v) | enter into any Material Contract, or terminate any Material Contract or amend any Material Contract in any material respect, in each case, other than in the ordinary course of business; | ||
(vi) | purchase or otherwise acquire (including by lease) any asset or business of, or any equity interest in, any Person for consideration in excess of $20,000,000 to the extent such asset, business or equity interest would constitute a Transferred Asset or a Transferred Business; | ||
(vii) | sell, lease or otherwise dispose of any asset included in the Transferred Assets for consideration in excess of $20,000,000; | ||
(viii) | take any action, refrain from taking any action, or enter into any agreement or contract that would result in the imposition of any Lien (other than Permitted Liens) on any of the Transferred Assets; | ||
(ix) | file any material lawsuit with respect to the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business; | ||
(x) | cancel, compromise, waive, release or settle any right, claim or lawsuit with respect to the Transferred Assets or the Transferred |
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Business other than immaterial rights and claims in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; | |||
(xi) | undertake any capital project with respect to the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business in excess of $20,000,000, other than reasonable capital expenditures in connection with any emergency or force majeure events; | ||
(xii) | merge or consolidate with any Person; | ||
(xiii) | make any loan to any Person (other than extensions of credit to customers in the ordinary course of business and intercompany loans under Williams cash management system in accordance with past practice); | ||
(xiv) | enter into any transactions with any Contributing Party or its Affiliates, except as contemplated by this Agreement or, in the ordinary course of business, for the provision of natural gas gathering, processing or treating services or for the purchase or sale of natural gas for fuel or system requirements, in each case, on commercially reasonable terms; | ||
(xv) | with respect to the Contributed Company, issue or sell any equity interests, notes, bonds or other securities, or any option, warrant or right to acquire the same or incur, assume or guarantee any indebtedness for borrowed money; | ||
(xvi) | with respect to the Contributed Company, make any distribution with respect to its equity interests or redeem, purchase, or otherwise acquire any of its equity interests; | ||
(xvii) | fail to maintain in full force and effect insurance policies covering the Contributed Company, the Transferred Assets and the Transferred Business in a form and amount consistent with those disclosed in Disclosure Schedule 3.19 or customary industry practice; | ||
(xviii) | acquire, commence or conduct any activity or business that may generate income for federal income tax purposes that may not be qualifying income (as such term is defined pursuant to Section 7704 of the Code), except to the extent such activity or business is being conducted on the date of this Agreement; | ||
(xix) | take any action that would reasonably be expected to result in any representation and warranty of the Contributing Parties set forth in this Agreement becoming untrue in any material respect; |
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(xx) | fail to make any minimum required contributions to a Title IV Plan or fail to use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that no Title IV Plan is in at-risk status (as defined in Section 303(i)(4) of ERISA or Section 430(i)(4) of the Code); or | ||
(xxi) | agree, whether in writing or otherwise, to do any of the foregoing. |
(a) | The Contributing Parties shall cooperate with the Partnership Parties to assist in identifying all licenses, authorizations or permits necessary to conduct the Transferred Business and own and operate the Transferred Assets from and after the Closing Date and, where necessary and permissible, transfer existing licenses, authorizations and permits to the Partnership Parties and, where not permissible, assist the Partnership Parties in obtaining new licenses, authorizations or permits at no cost, fee or liability to the Partnership Parties. |
(b) | The Contributing Party and the Partnership Parties shall use their respective commercially reasonable efforts (i) to obtain all approvals and consents required by or necessary for the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, including any approvals and consents required by the HSR Act, and (ii) to ensure that all of the conditions to the respective obligations of such parties contained in Sections 6.1 and 6.2, respectively, are satisfied timely. Each of the parties acknowledges that certain actions may be necessary with respect to the matters and actions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements such as making notifications and obtaining consents or approvals or other clearances that are material to the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and each agrees to take all appropriate action and to do all things necessary, proper or advisable under Applicable Laws and regulations to make effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements; provided, however, that nothing in this Agreement will require any party hereto to hold separate or make any divestiture not expressly contemplated herein of any asset or otherwise agree to any restriction on its operations or other burdensome |
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condition which would in any such case be material to its assets, liabilities or business in order to obtain any consent or approval or other clearance required by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement. |
CONDITIONS TO CLOSING
(a) | The representations and warranties of the Contributing Parties set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct (without giving effect to any materiality standard or Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect qualification) as of the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date as if made on such date, or in the case of representations and warranties that are made as of a specified date, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct (without giving effect to any materiality standard or Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect qualification) as of such specified date, except, in each case, to the extent that failure of such representations and warranties to be true and correct would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect. The Contributing Parties shall have performed or complied in all material respects with all obligations and covenants required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by it by the time of the Closing. The Contributing Parties shall have delivered to the Partnership Parties a certificate, dated as of the Closing Date and signed by an authorized officer of such Contributing Party, confirming the foregoing matters set forth in this Section 6.1(a) (collectively, the Contributing Party Closing Certificates). | ||
(b) | All necessary filings with and consents, approvals, licenses, permits, orders and authorizations of any Governmental Authority required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement (including any required by the HSR Act) shall have been made and obtained, and all waiting periods with respect to filings made with Governmental Authorities in contemplation of the consummation of the transactions described herein shall have expired or been terminated. | ||
(c) | All necessary consents of any Person not a party hereto, other than any Governmental Authority, required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement shall have been made and obtained, including any consents set forth on Disclosure Schedule 3.3. |
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(d) | No statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, temporary restraining order, preliminary or permanent injunction, judgment or other order shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated, enforced or issued by any Governmental Authority, or other legal restraint or prohibition preventing the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby shall be in effect, and no investigation, action or proceeding before a Governmental Authority shall have been instituted or threatened challenging or seeking to restrain or prohibit the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or to recover damages in connection therewith. | ||
(e) | Since the date of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred a Transferred Business Material Adverse Effect. | ||
(f) | The Financing Transaction shall have been consummated and, together with other cash available to the Partnership, shall provide available financing to the Partnership in an amount no less than the amount of the Cash Consideration. | ||
(g) | The transactions contemplated in the CCA Agreement relating to the Contributed Interests, the Transferred Assets and the Transferred Business (including, for purposes of clarification, any movement of ownership interests or reorganizations internal to the entities controlled directly or indirectly by Williams and its Affiliates other than the Contributing Parties that are necessary to position the Contributed Interests for contribution pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and the CCA Agreement) shall have been consummated. | ||
(h) | The Fort Union Interests shall have been conveyed to RMT pursuant to the Assignment and Assumption Agreement. | ||
(i) | The Contributing Parties shall have delivered, or caused to be delivered, to the Partnership Parties all of the documents, certificates and other instruments required to be delivered under, and otherwise complied with the provisions of, Section 2.3(b). |
(a) | The representations and warranties of the Partnership Parties set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct (without giving effect to any materiality standard or Partnership Material Adverse Effect qualification) as of the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date as if made on such date, or in the case of representations and warranties that are made as of a specified date, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct (without giving effect to any materiality standard or Partnership |
38
Material Adverse Effect qualification) as of such specified date, except, in each case, to the extent that failure of such representations and warranties to be true and correct would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Partnership Material Adverse Effect. The Partnership Parties shall have performed or complied in all material respects with all obligations and covenants required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by them by the time of the Closing. Each of the Partnership Parties shall have delivered to the Contributing Party a certificate, dated as of the Closing Date and signed by an authorized officer of such Partnership Party or its general partner confirming the foregoing matters set forth in this Section 6.2(a) (together, the Partnership Parties Closing Certificates). |
(b) | All necessary filings with and consents, approvals, licenses, permits, orders and authorizations of any Governmental Authority required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement (including any required by the HSR Act) shall have been made and obtained, and all waiting periods with respect to filings made with Governmental Authorities in contemplation of the consummation of the transactions described herein shall have expired or been terminated. | ||
(c) | All necessary consents of any Person not a party hereto, other than any Governmental Authority, required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement shall have been made and obtained. | ||
(d) | No statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, temporary restraining order, preliminary or permanent injunction, judgment or other order shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated, enforced or issued by any Governmental Authority, or other legal restraint or prohibition preventing the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby shall be in effect, and no investigation, action or proceeding before a Governmental Authority shall have been instituted or threatened challenging or seeking to restrain or prohibit the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or to recover damages in connection therewith. | ||
(e) | Since the date of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred a Partnership Material Adverse Effect. | ||
(f) | The Partnership Parties shall have delivered, or caused to be delivered, to the Contributing Party all of the documents, certificates and other instruments required to be delivered under, and otherwise complied with the provisions of, Section 2.3(c). |
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TAX MATTERS
(a) | The Contributing Parties shall be liable for, and shall indemnify and hold the Partnership Parties and their respective subsidiaries harmless from any Taxes, together with any costs, expenses, losses or damages, including reasonable expenses of investigation and attorneys and accountants fees and expenses, arising out of or incident to the determination, assessment or collection of such Taxes (Tax Losses), (i) imposed on or incurred by the Contributed Company, the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business by reason of Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-6 or any analogous state, local or foreign law or regulation which is attributable to having been a member of any consolidated, combined or unitary group on or prior to and including the Closing Date, (ii) any Tax Losses (other than Tax Losses described in clause (i) above) imposed on or incurred by or with respect to the Contributed Company, the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business with respect to the period prior to and including the Closing Date, or (iii) attributable to a breach by the Contributing Party of any representation (other than those contained in Section 3.11, to which Article 9 shall be applicable), warranty or covenant with respect to Taxes in this Agreement. | ||
(b) | The Partnership Parties shall be liable for, and shall indemnify and hold the Contributing Party and its Affiliates (other than the Partnership Parties and their subsidiaries) harmless from, any Tax Losses (i) imposed on or incurred by the Contributed Company, the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business with respect to the period after the Closing Date or (ii) attributable to a breach by the Partnership Parties of any covenant with respect to Taxes in this Agreement. | ||
(c) | Whenever it is necessary for purposes of this Article 7 to determine the amount of any Taxes imposed on or incurred by the Contributed Company, the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business for a taxable period beginning before and ending after the Closing Date which is allocable to the period prior to and including the Closing Date, the determination shall be made, in the case of property or ad valorem taxes or franchise taxes (which are measured by, or based solely upon capital, debt or a combination of capital and debt), on a per diem basis and, in the case of other Taxes, by assuming that such pre-Closing Date period constitutes a separate taxable period applicable to the Contributed Company, the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business and by taking into account the actual taxable events occurring during such period (except that exemptions, allowances and deductions for a taxable period beginning before and ending after the Closing Date that are calculated on an annual or periodic basis, such as the deduction for depreciation, shall be |
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apportioned to the period prior to and including the Closing Date ratably on a per diem basis). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, any franchise tax paid or payable with respect to the Contributed Company, the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business shall be allocated to the taxable period during which the income, operations, assets or capital comprising the base of such tax is measured, regardless of whether the right to do business for another taxable period is obtained by the payment of such franchise tax. | |||
(d) | If any of the Partnership Parties or their Affiliates receives a refund of any Taxes that any of the Contributing Parties are responsible for hereunder, or if the Contributing Parties or their Affiliates receive a refund of any Taxes that any of the Partnership Parties is responsible for hereunder, the party receiving such refund shall, within ninety (90) days after receipt of such refund, remit it to the party who has responsibility for such Taxes hereunder. The parties shall cooperate in order to take all necessary steps to claim any such refund. |
(a) | The Contributing Parties shall cause to be included in the consolidated federal income Tax Returns (and the state income Tax Returns of any state that permits consolidated, combined or unitary income Tax Returns, if any) of the Williams Tax Group for all periods ending on or before the Closing Date, all the items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit (Tax Items) with respect to the Transferred Assets or Transferred Business which are required to be included therein, shall cause such Tax Returns to be timely filed with the appropriate Taxing Authorities, and shall be responsible for the timely payment (and entitled to any refund) of all Taxes due with respect to the periods covered by such Tax Returns. | ||
(b) | With respect to any Tax Return covering a taxable period ending on or before the Closing Date that is required to be filed after the Closing Date with respect to the Contributed Company, the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business that is not described in Section 7.2(a) above, the Contributing Parties shall cause such Tax Return to be prepared, cause to be included in such Tax Return all Tax Items required to be included therein, cause such Tax Return to be filed timely with the appropriate Taxing Authority, and be responsible for the timely payment (and entitled to any refund) of all Taxes due with respect to the period covered by such Tax Return. | ||
(c) | With respect to any Tax Return covering a taxable period beginning on or before the Closing Date and ending after the Closing Date that is required to be filed after the Closing Date with respect to the Contributed Company, the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business, the Contributing Parties shall cause such Tax Return to be prepared, cause to |
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be included in such Tax Return all Tax Items required to be included therein, furnish a copy of such Tax Return to the Partnership Parties, file timely such Tax Return with the appropriate Taxing Authority, and be responsible for the timely payment of all Taxes due with respect to the period covered by such Tax Return (but shall have a right to recover the amount of Tax Losses attributable to the portion of the taxable period occurring after the Closing Date pursuant to Section 7.1(b)). | |||
(d) | Any Tax Return not yet filed for any taxable period that begins before the Closing Date with respect to the assets or operations of the Contributed Company, the Transferred Assets or the Transferred Business shall be prepared in accordance with past Tax accounting practices used with respect to the Tax Returns in question (unless such past practices are no longer permissible under the Applicable Law), and to the extent any items are not covered by past practices, in accordance with reasonable tax accounting practices selected by the filing party with respect to such Tax Return under this Agreement with the consent (not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) of the non-filing party. |
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TERMINATION
(a) | by mutual written consent of the parties; | ||
(b) | by the Partnership Parties, on the one hand, or the Contributing Parties, on the other hand, in writing after December 31, 2010, if the Closing has not occurred by such date, provided that as of such date the terminating party is not in default under this Agreement; | ||
(c) | by the Partnership Parties, on the one hand, or the Contributing Party, on the other hand, in writing without prejudice to other rights and remedies that the terminating party or its Affiliates may have (provided the terminating party and its Affiliates are not otherwise in material default or breach of this Agreement, or have not failed or refused to close without justification hereunder), if the other party has breached or failed to perform in any respect any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained herein and such breach or failure to perform (i) would give rise to the failure of a condition specified in Article 6, (ii) cannot be cured or has not been cured within ten (10) days following delivery of written notice from the non-defaulting party of such breach of this Agreement and (iii) has not been waived by the non-defaulting party; | ||
(d) | by the Partnership Parties, on the one hand, or the Contributing Parties, on the other hand, in writing, without liability, if there shall be any order, writ, injunction or decree of any Governmental Authority binding on any of the parties, which prohibits or restrains them from consummating the transactions contemplated hereby, provided that the parties shall have used their commercially reasonable efforts to have any such order, writ, injunction or decree lifted and the same shall not have been lifted within thirty (30) days after entry by any such Governmental Authority; | ||
(e) | by the Contributing Parties if any of the conditions set forth in Section 6.2 have become incapable of fulfillment, and have not been waived in writing by the Contributing Parties; or | ||
(f) | by the Partnership Parties if any of the conditions set forth in Section 6.1 have become incapable of fulfillment, and have not been waived in writing by the Partnership Parties; |
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INDEMNIFICATION UPON CLOSING
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(a) | To the extent that the Partnership Indemnified Parties would otherwise be entitled to indemnification for Damages pursuant to Section 9.1, the Contributing Party shall be liable only if (i) the Damages with respect to a claim exceed $300,000 (the Minimum Claim Amount) and (ii) the Damages for all claims that exceed the Minimum Claim Amount exceed, in the aggregate, $3,000,000 (the Deductible Amount), and then the Contributing Party shall be liable only for Damages to the extent of any excess over the Deductible Amount. In no event shall the Contributing Partys aggregate liability to the Partnership Indemnified Parties under Section 9.1 exceed $100,000,000 (the Ceiling Amount). Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the Deductible Amount shall not apply to breaches or inaccuracies of representations and warranties contained in Section 3.1, Section 3.2, Section 3.4, Section 3.22 and Section 3.23 and (ii) the Ceiling Amount shall not apply to breaches or inaccuracies of representations and warranties contained in Section 3.4; provided, that the Contributing Parties aggregate liability for a breach or inaccuracy of such Section 3.4 shall not exceed an amount equal to Aggregate Consideration |
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minus the amount of all other Damages payable by the Contributing Parties hereunder. |
(b) | To the extent the Contributing Indemnified Parties would otherwise be entitled to indemnification for Damages pursuant to Section 9.2, the Partnership Parties shall be liable only if (i) the Damages with respect to a claim exceed the Minimum Claim Amount and (ii) the Damages for all claims that exceed the Minimum Claim Amount exceed, in the aggregate, the Deductible Amount, and then the Partnership Parties shall be liable only for Damages to the extent of any excess over the Deductible Amount. In no event shall the Partnership Parties aggregate liability to the Contributing Indemnified Parties under Section 9.2 exceed the Ceiling Amount. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Deductible Amount shall not apply to breaches or inaccuracies of representations and warranties contained in Section 4.1, Section 4.2 and Section 4.4. |
(c) | Additionally, neither the Partnership Parties, on the one hand, nor the Contributing Parties, on the other hand, will be liable as an indemnitor under this Agreement for any consequential, incidental, special, indirect or exemplary damages suffered or incurred by the indemnified party or parties except to the extent resulting pursuant to Indemnity Claims. |
MISCELLANEOUS
One Williams Center
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Attention: General Counsel
Telecopy: (918)  ###-###-####
One Williams Center
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74172-0172
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Telecopy: (918)  ###-###-####
One Williams Center, Suite 4900
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74172-0172
Attention: General Counsel and Conflicts Committee Chair
Telecopy: (918)  ###-###-####
910 Louisiana Street
Houston, Texas 77002
Attention: Joshua Davidson
Telecopy: (713)  ###-###-####
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(a) | This Agreement and the Closing Documents constitute the entire agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. Each party to this Agreement agrees that no other party to this Agreement (including its agents and representatives) has made any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement to or with such party relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, other than those expressly set forth herein and in the Closing Documents. | ||
(b) | No supplement, modification or waiver of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by each party to be bound thereby. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision hereof (regardless of whether similar), nor shall any such waiver constitute a continuing waiver unless otherwise expressly provided. |
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WILLIAMS PRODUCTION RMT COMPANY LLC | ||||||
By: | /s/ Ralph A. Hill | |||||
Name: | Ralph A. Hill | |||||
Title: | Senior Vice President | |||||
WILLIAMS ENERGY SERVICES, LLC | ||||||
By: | /s/ Alan S. Armstrong | |||||
Name: | Alan S. Armstrong | |||||
Title: | Senior Vice President | |||||
WILLIAMS PARTNERS GP LLC | ||||||
By: | /s/ Donald R. Chappel | |||||
Name: | Donald R. Chappel | |||||
Title: | Chief Financial Officer | |||||
WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P. | ||||||
By: | Williams Partners GP LLC, its general partner | |||||
By: | /s/ Donald R. Chappel | |||||
Name: | Donald R. Chappel | |||||
Title: | Chief Financial Officer |
WILLIAMS PARTNERS OPERATING LLC | ||||||
By: | Williams Partners L.P., its managing member | |||||
By: | Williams Partners GP LLC, its general partner | |||||
By: | /s/ Donald R. Chappel | |||||
Name: | Donald R. Chappel | |||||
Title: | Chief Financial Officer | |||||
WILLIAMS FIELD SERVICES GROUP, LLC | ||||||
By: | /s/ Rory L .Miller | |||||
Name: | Rory L. Miller | |||||
Title: | Vice President |