Exhibit 10.1
CERTAIN PORTIONS OF THIS EXHIBIT
HAVE BEEN OMITTED AND FILED SEPARATELY PURSUANT TO A REQUEST FOR
CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT. THE SYMBOL “****” HAS BEEN
INSERTED IN PLACE OF THE PORTIONS SO OMITTED.
MASTER SUPPLY AND ADVERTISING
AGREEMENT
This Agreement
(“Agreement”) is made this 5th day of July, 2005, by
and among Ford Motor Company, a Delaware corporation
(“Ford”), and The Hertz Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (“Hertz”), and Hertz General Interest, LLC,
a Delaware limited liability company
(“Entity”).
WHEREAS, the purpose of this
Agreement is to set forth the terms and conditions under which Ford
will provide and Hertz will acquire Ford Vehicles for use in or in
support of businesses conducted by Hertz at various locations in
the United States, and for Hertz to advertise Ford Vehicles in the
United States and for Ford to provide a portion of the funds for
Advertising Programs.
Ford and Hertz agree as
follows:
1. Term of Agreement .
This Agreement shall be effective for the period beginning as of
the date first written above and ending on August 31, 2010.
Either party wishing to renew this Agreement must give written
notice to the other party by June 1, 2010. This Agreement may,
upon written agreement of the parties entered prior to
August 31, 2010, be renewed for an additional five year
term.
2. Definitions . The terms
set forth below shall have the following meanings:
Acquire
— to obtain, by purchase or
lease, Ford Vehicles for use in or in support of operations at
Hertz locations.
Acquisition
— the act of Acquiring
Vehicles.
Acquisition Year
— each period of
12 months from and including September 1 to and including the
next following August 31 during the term of this Agreement.
Each such Acquisition Year shall be referred to by the calendar
year next following the commencement of the Acquisition Year. For
example, the 2005 Acquisition Year shall commence on
September 1, 2004, and end on August 31, 2005. Acquisition
Year may also be referred to as “Model Year”.
“Advertising Year” shall refer to the same time
period.
Advertising
Programs — Programs
carried out by Hertz in the United States, subject to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, that feature Ford Vehicles and
promote the rental thereof.
Annual Acquisition
Plan — a written
plan for Acquisitions by Hertz of Ford Vehicles for an Acquisition
Year (see Section 4.1).
Base Annual Volume
— defined in
Section 5.2.
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Confidential
Material — defined
in Section 27.
Control
— “control”
(including “controlling,” “controlled by,”
and “under common control with”) shall mean the
possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause
the direction of the management and policies of a corporation or
other legal entity, whether through the ownership of voting
securities, by contract, or otherwise.
Eligible
Advertising —
defined in Section 13.
Ford Dealer
— an independent entity in the
United States authorized by Ford to sell new Ford Vehicles under
one or more dealer sales and service agreements.
Ford Fleet Programs
— price incentives, guaranteed
resale or repurchase incentives or similar programs offered by Ford
to purchasers of Ford Vehicles for daily rental service in the
United States.
Ford Vehicles
— any new and previously
unregistered Vehicles bearing the marks “Ford”,
“Mercury” or “Lincoln” as from time to time
are offered for sale by Ford in the United States to Ford Dealers
for resale.
Hertz Licensee
— an independent person or
entity that is authorized by Hertz to conduct a daily motor vehicle
rental business in the United States under the Hertz
trademark.
Minimum Annual
Volume — defined in
Section 5.2.
Program Letter
— the document reflecting the
specific arrangements agreed by Hertz and Ford for Ford Fleet
Programs to meet the specific needs of the parties for each
Acquisition Year. The Program Letter will be subject to the terms
and conditions of this Agreement.
Vehicle
— any new and unused
passenger car, van or truck.
[Supply Provisions]
3. Ford’s Fleet
Programs . Ford will offer to Hertz, as soon as practicable
prior to the commencement of the Acquisition Year, the Ford Fleet
Programs then being offered to other daily rental companies for the
upcoming Acquisition Year. Ford reserves the right in its sole
discretion to terminate, discontinue, amend, supplement, or modify
any such Ford Fleet Programs at any time and without cause,
provided that any such action will be discussed in advance with
Hertz, in meetings attended by persons with decision-making
authority, to attempt in good faith to resolve any disagreement.
After consultation between Ford and Hertz, the parties will
annually execute a Program Letter incorporating the detailed terms
of the Ford Fleet Program and modifications thereto for the coming
Acquisition Year; changes to Ford Fleet Programs will not affect
the terms of the Program Letter specifically negotiated with
Hertz.
4. Annual Acquisition Plan
.
4.1 On or before July 1 of each
Acquisition Year, Hertz shall prepare and submit to Ford a plan for
Acquisitions by Hertz of Ford Vehicles for the following
Acquisition Year (the “Annual
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Acquisition Plan”) which
must be agreed to by Ford. The Annual Acquisition Plan shall
specify the total volume, by model, for Acquisitions of Ford
Vehicles. In order for Hertz to prepare the Annual Acquisition
Plan, not later than June 1 of each Acquisition Year Ford will
provide Hertz with the volume and mix of Ford Vehicles likely to be
made available for Acquisition for the upcoming Acquisition
Year.
4.2 Each month Hertz shall
prepare and submit to Ford during the last week of the month a
revision of the Annual Acquisition Plan showing the detail of
Acquisitions of Ford Vehicles by Hertz by month and by vehicle
line. Each revision will show a firm plan for Acquisitions of Ford
Vehicles by month and by vehicle line for the next three months
and, effective with the September submission, an estimate of
Acquisitions for the remainder of the Acquisition Year. Hertz will
also provide Ford a schedule of repurchase program vehicle returns,
by month and geographic area, for Ford Vehicles anticipated to be
returned in the current month and the following two
months.
4.3 The mix of Ford Vehicles to
be Acquired will be recorded in the Program Letter for an
Acquisition Year. Ford will use reasonable efforts to achieve the
agreed mix, and Hertz recognizes that changes to mix shall be
changes determined necessary by Ford to accommodate changes to the
Ford Vehicle production plans or Ford Vehicle option content. Hertz
agrees that it will request Ford Dealers to submit orders on a
timely basis in order for Ford to schedule production of Ford
Vehicles prior to December 31 of an Acquisition Year
accounting for at least 30% of the total Ford Vehicles to be
Acquired in that Acquisition Year.
5. Annual Supply Program
.
5.1 Ford will develop fleet
offerings for use in the daily rental business that shall be
generally competitive with those similar offerings by other
automotive manufacturers, as to terms and conditions. Hertz, in its
discretion, may enter into vehicle supply agreements with other
automotive manufacturers or brands in the United States and in
other countries.
5.2 Ford agrees to provide for
Acquisition by Hertz a planned volume of at least **** Ford
Vehicles for the 2005 Acquisition Year, **** Ford Vehicles for the
2006 Acquisition Year, **** Ford Vehicles for the 2007 Acquisition
Year, **** Ford Vehicles for each of the 2008 and 2009 Acquisition
Years, and **** Ford Vehicles for the 2010 Acquisition Year
(“Base Annual Volume” for the applicable Acquisition
Year). Failure to achieve total Acquisitions of **** Ford Vehicles
for any Acquisition Year (“Minimum Annual Volume”) will
be a material breach by Hertz of this Agreement; provided, however,
that if such failure results from the failure of Ford to offer at
least **** Ford Vehicles for Acquisition pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement such failure will not be considered a material
breach and may be subject to the provisions of Section 29. A
minimum of 50% Ford Vehicles Acquired in each Acquisition Year
shall be non-risk Vehicles (repurchase).
5.3 Within 15 days after the
end of an Acquisition Year, Hertz shall cause its officer most
familiar with the fleet programs offered by Ford and other
manufacturers and its Chief Financial Officer to furnish to Ford a
certification that the Ford Fleet Programs provided to Hertz are
reasonably necessary for Ford to be competitive with programs
offered by other manufacturers to Hertz, or reasonably available to
Hertz.
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5.4 Anything in this Agreement to
the contrary notwithstanding, the parties acknowledge that the only
entities authorized to purchase Ford Vehicles pursuant to the terms
of this Agreement are Hertz and Entity, and the only entities that
will purchase Ford Vehicles pursuant to the terms of this Agreement
are Hertz and Entity. Hertz shall have the right to substitute or
designate another entity or entities controlled by Hertz as the
Entity.
6. Ford Vehicle Allocation
.
6.1 In consideration of the
obligations undertaken by Hertz, Ford shall cooperate with Ford
Dealers with which Hertz negotiates the Acquisition of Ford
Vehicles (consistent with the sales and service agreements between
Ford and Ford Dealers) to make reasonable allocations of Ford
Vehicles available for resale to Hertz, giving due consideration to
the provisions of the applicable Program Letter. Subject to any
reduced allocation described in Section 6.2 or disruption
described in Section 6.3, such reasonable allocation of Ford
Vehicles in any Acquisition Year shall not be fewer than the number
of Ford Vehicles Hertz has agreed to acquire in the applicable
Program Letter in a reasonable mix.
6.2 Ford may allocate fewer than
the applicable Base Annual Volume of Ford Vehicles in an
Acquisition Year, it being understood that Ford is subject to
concurrent commitments to provide Ford Vehicles to Ford Dealers for
other purposes, including demand for Ford Vehicles for retail
sales. In the event Ford determines such commitments cannot be
satisfied from existing Ford Vehicle production capacity, Ford
shall have the right to allocate available Ford Vehicle production
to balance those commitments in the manner it deems most
appropriate in its business judgment. In these circumstances, Ford
will use reasonable efforts to allocate to Hertz the maximum number
of Ford Vehicles in short supply.
6.3 If, because of
(a) shortage or curtailment of material, labor,
transportation, or utility service; (b) any labor, product or
production difficulty; (c) any governmental action; or
(d) any cause beyond the reasonable control of Ford, Ford
Vehicle production is disrupted and material numbers of Ford
Vehicles to be Acquired by Hertz are delayed as a result, then
Hertz and Ford shall negotiate in good faith to revise the affected
Annual Acquisition Plan or Plans and Program Letters so that the
applicable Minimum Annual Volume of Ford Vehicles can be
Acquired.
7. Hertz Certificates on
Acquisitions . As soon as practicable after each Acquisition
Year, but not later than November 30 after such Acquisition
Year, Hertz shall deliver to Ford a certificate signed by the
officer of Hertz most familiar with Acquisitions of Ford Vehicles
and its Chief Accounting Officer certifying for such Acquisition
Year total Ford Vehicle Acquisitions by Hertz and Hertz Licensees,
separately stated if available. Hertz will continue a Vehicle
reporting system with respect to Ford Vehicles providing at least
the same information on Ford Vehicles provided by the system in
operation upon the execution of this Agreement. Ford may
periodically examine such reporting data on reasonable request and
notice to Hertz as provided in Section 23.
8. Hertz Purchase Decision
.
8.1 In the event Hertz shall
Acquire fewer than the Minimum Annual Volume of Ford Vehicles in
any Acquisition Year, and the failure is not attributable to the
conditions described in
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Sections 6.2 or 6.3, Hertz
recognizes that Ford may be harmed by the consequent loss of
profit, production and exposure of Ford Vehicles to rental
customers of Hertz who are potential purchasers of Ford Vehicles,
and that the damages to Ford would be difficult to ascertain.
Accordingly, Hertz agrees to pay Ford liquidated damages of ****
per vehicle for any shortfall below the Minimum Annual Volume of
Ford Vehicles Acquired by Hertz in any Acquisition Year; provided,
however, no payment will be made if the shortfall is attributable
to the conditions described in Sections 6.2 or 6.3 or to an
agreement in the applicable Program Letter for Acquisitions below
the Minimum Annual Volume. Such payment shall be in lieu of all
other rights and remedies.
8.2 Such liquidated damages shall
be paid 15 days after the delivery of the officer’s
certificate required by Section 7 of this Agreement. Upon
prior written notice to Hertz, Ford may offset the amount of any
such damages against any payments then due or thereafter becoming
due from Ford to Hertz subject to the provisions of
Section 24, without limiting any right or remedy Ford may have
to collect such liquidated damages from Hertz.
9. Option Allocation
Agreements . Hertz agrees that so long as it purchases Ford
Vehicles that are subject to Ford’s Daily Rental Repurchase
Program (one of the Fleet Programs referenced in Paragraph 3
of this Agreement), Hertz will enter into an Option Allocation
Agreement in which the amount allocated to the repurchase option
shall equal the value, reasonably determined by Ford, of such
option. Each such agreement will provide that the parties will
reflect the allocations set forth therein in all federal, state and
local income tax returns.
[Advertising Provisions]
10. Advertising Program .
The Advertising Program will be conducted in the United States of
America and will be conducted in such media or manner as Hertz may
select, provided that not more than 10% of the expense of the
program per Advertising Year will be in purely local advertising
and not more than 15% of the expense of the program per Advertising
Year will be in collateral material, such as direct mail
literature, primarily associated with the Hertz # 1 Club Gold and
related programs. Hertz will have sole discretion and control over
all copy, art work, editorial matter, media and release dates for
Eligible Advertising. Hertz, in its discretion, may enter into
vehicle advertising agreements with other automotive manufacturers
or brands in the United States and in other countries.
10A. Hertz Licensee
Program .
10A.1 Hertz agrees that in each
Advertising Year it will develop a program to promote the
Acquisition of Ford Vehicles by Hertz Licensees (“Licensee
Acquisitions”) for rental use in the daily motor vehicle
rental business in the United States. Ford acknowledges that Hertz
does not control the selection of Vehicles Hertz Licensees Acquire
for their rental fleets.
10A.2 Hertz will include Licensee
Acquisitions in the applicable Annual Acquisition Plan. The
Licensee program will be reviewed with Ford prior to each
Acquisition Year and any concerns expressed by Ford will be
considered by Hertz prior to implementation. The Licensee program
will permit Hertz Licensees the opportunity to Acquire Ford
Vehicles on terms that will allow them to derive substantially the
same benefit as agreed to between Ford and Hertz in the
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applicable Program Letter
(allowing for any variations agreed to between Hertz and Hertz
Licensees). Hertz will be responsible for coordinating Licensee
Acquisitions with Ford, including forecasting Acquisitions,
communications and certain payments to Hertz Licensees.
11. Advertising Payment
.
11.1 Subject to
Section 11.2, Ford will pay one-half of the costs of the
Advertising Programs to the extent that it is considered Eligible
Advertising under Section 13.
(a) Ford’s
base advertising payment will be **** in the Advertising Year
ending on August 31, 2005 (the “2005 Advertising
Year”). However, the parties recognize that the quarterly
payments for the 2005 Advertising Year were calculated and paid by
Ford in an amount provided in the prior agreement between Ford and
Hertz System, Inc.; the total payments to Hertz for the 2005
Advertising Year will be adjusted so that the amount paid is that
specified in this Section 11 and Section 12 of this
Agreement.
(b) For each
of the Advertising Years indicated below, Ford’s base
advertising payment (“the Base Advertising Payment”)
shall be an amount calculated as follows:
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(1)
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for
the 2006 Advertising Year, an amount equal to **** multiplied by:
(i) a fraction, the numerator of which is the CPI for
April 2005 and the denominator of which shall be the CPI for
April 2004, or (ii) ****, whichever is smaller;
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(2)
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for
the 2007 Advertising Year, an amount equal to the 2006 Base
Advertising Payment multiplied by: (i) a fraction, the
numerator of which is the CPI for April 2006 and the
denominator of which shall be the CPI for April 2005, or (ii)
****, whichever is smaller;
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(3)
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for
the 2008 Advertising Year, an amount equal to the 2007 Base
Advertising Payment multiplied by: (i) a fraction, the
numerator of which is the CPI for April 2007 and the
denominator of which shall be the CPI for April 2006, or (ii)
****, whichever is smaller;
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(4)
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for
the 2009 Advertising Year, an amount equal to the 2008 Base
Advertising Payment multiplied by: (i) a fraction, the
numerator of which is the CPI for April 2008 and the
denominator of which shall be the CPI for April 2007, or (ii)
****, whichever is smaller;
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(5)
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for
the 2010 Advertising Year, an amount equal to the 2009 Base
Advertising Payment multiplied by: (i) a fraction, the
numerator of which is the CPI for April 2009 and the
denominator of which shall be the CPI for April 2008, or (ii)
****, whichever is smaller.
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As used herein, “CPI”
means the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor
Statistics Revised Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, or
the successor of such Index. The costs of the Advertising Programs
shall include Hertz’s direct costs, including costs of
materials, of preparing and distributing Hertz charge cards or
Hertz-sponsored credit cards and related materials (but not other
costs of Hertz’s charge card department), of preparing and
distributing
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direct mail advertising material
(advertising which is contemplated by this Agreement), and of
administering the Hertz advertising department.
11.2 In each Advertising Year
covered by this Agreement, the advertising payment to Hertz will be
the Base Advertising Payment for the applicable Advertising Year,
adjusted as provided in Section 12 of this Agreement, provided that
the advertising payments to Hertz do not exceed 50% of the cost of
Eligible Advertising.
12. Value of Advertising
Program to Ford . As it is the express purpose and intent of
the Advertising Program (and the payments provided thereunder) to
increase the demand for the rental of, and thereby increase the
demand for the purchase by retail buyers of, Ford Vehicles, it is
the understanding and agreement of the parties hereto that, during
the 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Advertising Years, and
subject to the provisions of this Section 12 and
Section 8.1, Ford will not be required to pay Hertz any
am