Exhibit 10.18
ALPHATEC SPINE, INC. SALES
AGENCY AGREEMENT
This Sales Agency Agreement (the
“Agreement”) is between Alphatec Spine, Inc., a
California corporation (the “Company”) and SS Fusion
Medical, Inc. (Employer Identification Number # [***]) (hereinafter
referred to as “Sales Agent”) is made as of
January 2, 2008 (the “Effective Date”).
WHEREAS Sales Agent has established
and maintained a business office staffed with professional sales
personnel in the Territory (as hereinafter defined); and
WHEREAS the Company wishes to retain
Sales Agent to sell its Products (as hereinafter defined) and Sales
Agent wishes to act as the Company’s exclusive Sales Agent
within the Territory.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of
the mutual covenants and provisions herein contained, and other
good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of
which is acknowledged by the parties hereto the parties agree as
follows:
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1.
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APPOINTMENT
OF SALES AGENT
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Subject to the provisions of the
Agreement, the Company hereby appoints Sales Agent and Sales Agent
hereby accepts appointment as the Sales Agent for the products
described in Exhibit A (hereinafter the
“Products”) with exclusive responsibility for the
geographical areas listed on Exhibit B (hereinafter the
“Territory”). Sales Agent shall have the right to
solicit orders for Products only from persons and entities having
their places of business within the Territory that agree to use the
Products so ordered within the Territory. Sales agent shall be the
exclusive agent for the Company for sale of Products in the
Territory for the term of this Agreement. Except as specifically
provided herein to the contrary, any sale of Products in the
Territory shall be credited as sales made by Sales Agent and Sales
Agent shall be entitled to the commission provided
herein.
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2.
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SALES
AGENT’S OBLIGATIONS
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In addition to any and all
covenants, duties and obligations of Sales Agent set forth
elsewhere in this Agreement, Sales Agent agrees:
2.1. To use its best efforts to
promote the sale of the Products throughout the
Territory;
2.2. To use its best efforts to meet
the sales quotas set forth on Exhibit D ;
2.3. To bear all costs and
liabilities relating to the conduct of its business, including but
not limited to the cost and expense of providing and maintaining
its place of business, the wages of its employees, the payment of
commissions or other compensation to its agents or independent
contractors, and its expenses incurred for or in connection with
its performance under or breach of this Agreement;
2.4. To refrain from making any
representations or warranties in respect of the Products, except:
(i) those representations and warranties authorized in writing
by the Company, in the form of brochures, memorandums, press
releases, advertisements, specification sheets, or correspondences,
and (ii) verbal technical assistance that Sales Agent received
from the Company which was subsequently confirmed in writing by
Sales Agent;
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2.5. To promote the Products in
strict adherence to (i) regulatory and professional
requirements, and all applicable laws, rules, guidelines and
regulations including, but not limited to, the Federal Food, Drug
and Cosmetic Act of 1938, as amended, and the regulations
promulgated thereunder (the “Act”); and (ii) those
portions of the Company’s Code of Conduct that address
interactions with healthcare professionals (available at
http://atec.client.
shareholder.com/documentdisplay.cfm?DocumentID=900) (the
“Code of Conduct”), and to make such certifications in
writing that may be reasonably requested by the Company as evidence
of such compliance;
2.6. That it has read and
understands the Code of Conduct; and that it acknowledges that any
violation of the Code of Conduct by it or any of its officers,
employees or agents shall constitute a material breach of this
Agreement;
2.7. To render reasonable assistance
to the Company, at the Company’s request, in the defense of
any and all Liabilities (as defined below);
2.8. To refrain from disparaging the
Company and its subsidiaries or its Products, or from otherwise
injuring the reputation and good standing of the Company and its
subsidiaries;
2.9. To not, directly or indirectly,
solicit any sale of the Products or establish any branch or
distribution depot for the sale of the Products outside the
Territory without the prior written approval of the
Company;
2.10. Take full responsibility for
the actions of any Sales Agent Indemnitee (as defined
below);
2.11. To assist the Company, on
request, in ascertaining the credit standing of and in collecting
receivables from any customer;
2.12. To attend, at its own expense,
all sales meetings, training sessions, seminars, trade shows and
the like for which the Company reasonably requests attendance by
Sales Agent;
2.13. To immediately notify the
Company prior to any physician, hospital or any other health care
supplier or provider who is in a position to refer or recommend
patients to the Company (a “Health Care Provider”)
acquiring an equity interest in the Sales Agent, and upon such
instance to provide in writing a listing, by percentage of equity
interest owned, of all Health Care Providers that have an equity
interest in the Sales Agent at the time of each disclosure. A
breach of this Section 2.13 shall constitute a material breach
of this Agreement;
2.14. To deliver all Products using
documented procedures for handling, storage, packing, preservation,
and delivery of such Products;
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2.15. To promptly notify the Company
in writing of the following: (i) any serious regulatory action
relating to the Products; (ii) any material complaints
regarding the Products or the related instrumentation; or
(iii) any adverse incidents that may be subject to FDA’s
(as hereinafter defined) Medical Device Reporting regulation;
and
2.16. To comply with recalls or
general corrective actions initiated by the Company.
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3.
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ALPHATEC’S DUTIES AND
OBLIGATIONS
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In order to assist Sales Agent in
fostering the promotion and sale of the Company’s Products,
the Company agrees:
3.1. To reasonably assist Sales
Agent with, and provide to Sales Agent reasonable quantities of,
advertising material, sales promotion aids, displays, catalogues,
literature and convention assistance;
3.2. To provide Sales Agent with new
Product information and reasonably assist Sales Agent in
promotional activities;
3.3. To provide Sales Agent with
reasonable technical assistance, through sales seminars, meetings
and training programs; and
3.4. To use commercially reasonable
efforts to make Products available to the Sales Agent to be used by
customers.
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4.
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QUOTATIONS,
ORDERS AND PAYMENT BY CUSTOMERS
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4.1. Sales Agent will make
quotations in respect to the sales of the Products only in
accordance with the Company’s then current policies and
procedures and on prices established by the Company and the
Company’s terms and conditions of sale, including the terms
of payment specified by the Company. The Sales Agent will assist
the Company in obtaining the appropriate documentation needed for
customers (credit reports, sales tax exemptions, etc.).
4.2. Sales orders generated by Sales
Agent will be submitted directly to the Company by the customer and
such sales orders shall be paid by Company if Sales Agent makes a
sale and even if the Company unilaterally decides to reject the
customer; provided that if the rejection of the customer occurs in
accordance with this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated
to pay the Sales Agent for such sale. If Sales Agent receives any
order for Products, it will promptly forward it to the Company. The
Company will establish and promulgate the criteria for sales orders
to be generated by Sales Agent and Sales Agent will use its best
efforts to secure sales orders that meet the Company’s
criteria. The Company will have the right at any time to reject any
order in whole or in part for good cause. Good cause shall include
the following: (i) the sales order fails to meet the
Company’s criteria, (ii) the customer fails to meet the
Company’s credit criteria, (iii) lack of Product
availability due to no fault of the Company, or (iv) poor
payment history by the customer. If the Company rejects a sales
order generated by Sales Agent without good cause, then Company
shall pay to Sales Agent full commission on such order. If the
Company reasonably rejects any sales order generated by Sales
Agent, then Sales Agent
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shall be notified and given the opportunity to
inform its customer or potential customer of said rejection in an
attempt to preserve Sales Agent’s business goodwill. On
request of the Company, Sales Agent will not supply Product to
customers placed on credit hold until released by the
Company.
4.3. The Company will bill the
customer for the purchased Products. Sales Agent will not bill
customers for the Product unless expressly requested to do so by
the Company in writing. Payments against purchase orders are to be
made directly to the Company, without intervention by Sales Agent
unless expressly requested in writing by the Company in each
instance. If Sales Agent receives any payment from a customer, then
Sales Agent will immediately forward the entire amount of such
payment to the Company.
4.4. The Company will have the
right, in its sole discretion, to issue credits, make discounts and
allowances, and/or accept returns of the Products. Sales Agent in
an effort to be competitive with the orthopedic market or to
develop new customers will have the right to request the Company to
issue credits, make discounts and allowances and/or accept returns
of the Products. The Company shall use its sole discretion in
determining whether to grant Sales Agent’s request. In the
event that the Company issue credits, make discounts and allowances
and/or accept returns of the Products, the Company shall be
entitled to unilaterally reduce the commission rate paid to the
Sales Agent with respect to all sales of Products that are subject
to a credit, discount, allowance or return. The Company shall
indicate such reduction in commission rate by sending written or
electronic notice of such reduction to the Sales Agent. All
reductions shall be effective as of the date that such notice of
commission reduction was delivered to the Sales Agent.
5.1. Except as set forth in this
Agreement, during the term of this Agreement the Company will pay
to Sales Agent a commission at the rate specified in Exhibit
C on the Company’s Net Sales (as defined below) of
Products in the Territory that were generated by the Sales Agent in
accordance with this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, the
terms “Net Sales” shall mean, for any period, the gross
amount properly set forth on a purchase order received by the
Company from the customer in connection with such customer’s
purchase of Product, less deductions for: (i) normal and
customary quantity and/or cash discounts, including, without
limitation, those granted on account of price adjustments, rebates
actually allowed and taken, administrative or other fees or
reimbursements or similar payments to buying groups, pharmacy
benefit management organizations, health care insurance carriers or
other institutions, fees paid to other distributors and
chargebacks; (ii) customs or excise duties or other duties
directly imposed and related to the sales making up the gross
purchase order amount; (iii) any rebates or similar payments
made with respect to sales paid for by any governmental or
regulatory authority such as, by way of illustration and not in
limitation of the parties’ rights hereunder, Federal or state
Medicaid, Medicare or similar state program or equivalent foreign
governmental program; (iv) sales and other taxes and duties
directly related to the sale of Products, to the extent that such
items are included in the gross purchase order price (but not
including taxes assessed against the income derived from such
sale); and (v) any such amounts included in the purchase order
that are not collected by the Company which are over 90 days past
due and are recorded on the books of the Company as bad debt in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; provided,
if the amount due from such purchase order is subsequently
paid,
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then Sales Agent shall be paid commission on the
amount ultimately received by the Company (less any expenses
incurred by the Company in collecting such amount). For purposes of
determining commissions, the Product shall be deemed to be sold
when a properly executed purchase order is received by the Company
from the customer in connection with such sale, and a
“sale” shall not include transfers or dispositions for
charitable, promotional, pre-clinical, clinical, regulatory, or
governmental purposes.
5.2. All commission amounts payable
to the Sales Agent shall be subject to the Company’s
then-current Distribution Shipping Policy, which policy shall set
forth that certain shipping charges that are not paid by customer
shall reduce the commissions paid to the Sales Agent.
5.3. If new product lines are added
to the Product list the commission rate related to such new Product
shall be set forth on Exhibit C attached hereto. The parties
agree and acknowledge that the Company shall have sole
decision-making authority in connection with establishing
commission rates for product lines added to the Product list after
the Effective Date.
5.4. The Sales Agent agrees to
promptly submit an invoice to the Company in connection with each
sale and that all such invoices for payment shall include a listing
of all lot numbers of the Products that were sold in connection
with such invoice.
5.5. Commissions
will be released to the Sales Agent on the twenty-fifth (25
th
) day after the
close of the month in which the applicable sales are made, or in
the event that such day is not a business day, on the next business
day. Any commissions paid on outstanding accounts receivable at the
close of the month that exceed the payment terms of net ninety
(90) days will be deducted from the Sales Agent’s
outstanding commission or invoiced to Sales Agent pursuant to
Section 5.7. Upon collection of past due accounts commissions
will be re-posted to the Sales Agent.
5.6. The Company will keep and
maintain accurate, complete and current books and records relating
to commissions earned by Sales Agent. Upon payment of commission to
Sales Agent by the Company, the Company shall provide Sales Agent
with a detailed breakdown of the customer sales used to calculate
the commission as well as any credit, discount, allowance or
set-off taken by the Company or applied against Sales Agent
commission. Any discrepancies must be reported to the Company
within thirty (30) days of the receipt of the detailed
statement. Once per calendar year, upon written request from Sales
Agent, the Company will permit an independent certified public
accountant designated by and at the expense of Sales Agent to audit
the Company’s books and records pertaining to commissions
earned by Sales Agent, such audit to be conducted on the
Company’s premises during normal business hours.
5.7. In the event that the Company
has previously paid Sales Agent commissions on sales to a customer
whose account is subsequently entitled to a credit, for returns or
otherwise, and sufficient commission is not available to deduct the
credit within the period, the Company will submit an invoice and a
written explanation containing the reasons why the Company is
entitled to reimbursement by Sales Agent of any portion or all of
the commission previously paid to Sales Agent. Sales Agent agrees
to pay all properly invoiced amounts within thirty (30) days
of receipt of said invoice.
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5.8. The Company will have no
liability whatsoever to Sales Agent for commission payments for the
Company’s rejection of all or part of any order.
6.1. The Company and Sales Agent
will mutually establish sales objectives for Products to be sold by
the Sales Agent within the Territory as measured in dollar volume.
Such sales quotas shall be set forth on Exhibit D attached
hereto.
6.2. The Company and Sales Agent may
add new product lines to the Product list. If new product lines are
added to the Product list the Company and Sales Agent shall
establish an additional quota for such new Product and such quota
shall be set forth on Exhibit D .
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7.
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CONSIGNED
INVENTORY AND SAMPLES; LOANER INVENTORY
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7.1. From time to time the Company
shall deliver to Sales Agent such items as samples, models,
literature, promotional materials (the “Samples”) for
use in promoting and selling the Products. Except for items
actually purchased by Sales Agent or delivered by Sales Agent as
unrestricted no-charge samples according to the Company’s
specific instructions, the Company will retain all right, title and
interest in and to the Samples and Sales Agent will hold them in a
fiduciary capacity and only use such Samples as permitted in this
Agreement. Upon the termination or expiration of this Agreement or
upon the request of the Company, the Sales Agent shall return all
Samples to the Company. If any Samples are lost, missing, stolen,
or cannot be repaired, then the Company shall invoice Sales Agent
for [***] with respect to such Sample, and the Sales Agent agrees
to pay such amount.
7.2. Sales Agent will prepare and
maintain accurate, complete and current books and records
pertaining to the Samples that are owned by the Company, including
but not limited to type and quantity of each item and disposition
thereof.
7.3. The Company shall establish for
Sales Agent a Products inventory account. Except for the Products
actually purchased by Sales Agent, the Company will retain all
right, title and interest in and to such Products and related
instrumentation (the “Consigned Inventory”). Sales
Agent will hold said Products and related instrumentation in a
fiduciary capacity under a separate account titled “Consigned
Inventory”.
7.4. The Company may request a
physical inventory of its property held as Consigned Inventory by
Sales Agent. The Company, at its expense, may review books and
records of Sales Agent as they relate to Consigned Inventory as
well as to physically audit the Consigned Inventory, and Sales
Agent agrees to cooperate with such review.
7.5. The level of Consigned
Inventory for Sales Agent shall be established upon mutual
agreement between the Company and Sales Agent.
7.6. The level of total Consigned
Inventory for Sales Agent will be reviewed each quarter. Except to
the extent that such Consigned Inventory has been consigned to a
hospital in accordance
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with Section 7.7, if any Consigned
Inventory is returned damaged, then the Company, to the extent
possible, will repair or refurbish the Consigned Inventory and
invoice Sales Agent for the cost of said repairs and handling.
Except to the extent that such Consigned Inventory has been
consigned to a hospital in accordance with Section 7.7, if any
Consigned Inventory is lost, missing, stolen, or cannot be
repaired, then the Company shall invoice Sales Agent for [***] of
such Consigned Inventory, less the amount of any commissions that
would be paid for the Net Sale of such product.
7.7. Sales Agent will prepare and
maintain complete and accurate books and records pertaining to all
Consigned Inventory, including but not limited to the type and
quantity of each Product as well as the disposition thereof. Sales
Agent will promptly supply the Company with a copy of each
agreement, the form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit E
, where Consignment Inventory is held by a hospital or other
mutually acceptable third party following the Company’s
request for such documentation.
7.8. Upon the termination or
expiration of this Agreement, or upon the request of the Company,
the Sales Agent shall immediately, and at its own expense, return
all Consignment Inventory in its possession or control to the
Company.
7.9. All Inventory not deemed by the
Company in its sole discretion to be Consigned Inventory shall be
deemed to be loaner inventory and shall be subject to the
Company’s then-current Loaner Inventory Policy.
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8.
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SALES
ACTIVITY BY ALPHATEC
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8.1. The Company reserves the right,
at any time and from time to time, throughout the term of this
Agreement, to use its employees to engage in selling, promoting
and/or other related activities concerning the Products in the
Territory in the event that the Company reasonably determines that
the Sales Agent is not actively pursuing sales activities in the
Territory (notwithstanding the fact that Sales Agent may be
achieving its sales quotas). Any such sales by the Company’s
employees will not be credited to Sales Agent’s account for
purposes of determining the achievement of sales quotas and
calculating commissions. Prior to the commencement of any sales
activity related to Products in the Territory by the
Company’s employees, the Company shall notify the Sales Agent
of its intention to begin such activities and allow [***] for the
Sales Agent to begin sales activities. If the Sales Agent begins
sales activities following receipt of such notice the Company shall
not be entitled to commence any sales activities related to the
Products in the region that was the subject of such
notice.
8.2. The Company reserves the right
to sell the Products within the Territory to any person or entity
offering to purchase and resell the Products as private label
products so long as such person or entity is not at such time a
company or person to whom Sales Agent is actually selling the
Products. In the event that private labeling occurs, if any, within
the Territory, the Company may, but is not obligated to, modify
Sales Agent’s sales quotas to reflect the competitive impact
of private labeling.
8.3. The Company also reserves the
right to sell the Products within the Territory to any
Company-designated national, regional, or government person or
entity, and Sales Agent shall service such account within the
Territory in return for the applicable commission set forth in
Exhibit C . If Sales Agent declines to service any such
account, the Company shall service such account itself and at its
own expense, and Sales Agent shall receive no commission with
respect to such account and such sales shall not be credited to the
Sales Agent for purposes of determining the achievement of sales
quotas.
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8.4. The parties agree and
acknowledge that under certain circumstances, the Company may find
it necessary to establish certain customers as house accounts.
Justification for designation of a customer as a house account
shall solely consist of a written notice from a customer or
Healthcare Provider that indicates an unwillingness to use the
services of the Sales Agent. The Company reserves the right to
service such house accounts as the Company sees fit in connection
with the sale of the Products, and in such instances no commission
shall be paid on sales to house accounts and such sales shall not
be credited to the Sales Agent for purposes of determining the
achievement of sales quotas. The Company shall pay Sales Agent such
commissions as are agreed upon between the Company and the Sales
Agent for the services, if any, rendered by Sales Agent at the
request of the Company in connection with sales of the Products to
such house accounts that are delivered within the
Territory.
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9.
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RELATIONSHIP
OF PARTIES
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Sales Agent is an independent
contractor having only such authority to act for the Company as is
expressly set forth in this Agreement. Sales Agent is not
authorized to enter into any commitment or contract of any
kin