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EXHIBIT 10.1
UNDERWRITING, CONTINUING INDEMNITY, AND SECURITY AGREEMENT
THIS UNDERWRITING, CONTINUING INDEMNITY, AND SECURITY AGREEMENT
("this
Agreement") entered into as of the 14th day of January, 2005,
INTEGRATED
ELECTRICAL SERVICES, INC., a Delaware corporation, and certain
of its Affiliates
and Subsidiaries identified on Exhibit A, in their capacity as
named Principal
under any Bond (individually and collectively "Principal"); and
INTEGRATED
ELECTRICAL SERVICES, INC., a Delaware corporation, and certain
of its Affiliates
and Subsidiaries identified on Exhibit B (along with Principal,
individually and
collectively "Indemnitors") in favor of FEDERAL INSURANCE
COMPANY, an Indiana
corporation, its Affiliates and Subsidiaries and their
respective co-sureties
and reinsurers, and their respective successors and permitted
assigns
(individually and collectively "Surety"). All capitalized terms
will have the
meaning set out in Section 1.
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, Principal, operating through certain of its Affiliates
and
Subsidiaries, is engaged in the business, among other things, of
providing
electrical and communication services to the commercial,
industrial,
residential, and service markets;
WHEREAS, Indemnitors recognize that bonds may be a necessary and
desirable
adjunct to the business done and to be done by Principal that
will directly
benefit Indemnitors and desire to accommodate the financial,
security,
indemnity, exoneration, and other requirements of Surety as an
inducement to
Surety to become surety upon obligations of Principal, and have
therefore agreed
to be bound by this Agreement and have agreed to exercise their
best efforts to
permit and require any Indemnitor to honor and perform all of
the applicable
terms of this Agreement and the other Surety Credit
Documents;
WHEREAS, each of Indemnitors has determined that execution,
delivery, and
performance of this Agreement by Indemnitors will inure directly
to the benefit
of Indemnitors and is in the best interest of Indemnitors;
WHEREAS, upon the express condition that this Agreement be
executed,
Surety has executed or procured or will execute or procure the
execution of the
Bonds, and Surety may continue previously executed Bonds and may
forbear
cancellation of such Bonds in Surety's sole and absolute
discretion but only to
the extent provided for in such Bonds or permitted by law;
and
WHEREAS, Surety has agreed to act as surety or procure surety
bonds for
Principal, subject to the understanding of the parties that
Surety is under no
obligation to act as surety for every bond of Principal, and
that Principal is
under no obligation to obtain bonds from Surety.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements set
forth
herein, the parties agree and bind ourselves, and our respective
successors and
assigns, jointly and severally, as follows:
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1. Definitions. For the purposes of this Agreement, the
following terms
will have the meanings listed below:
"Accounts" means and includes all of Indemnitors' now owned or
hereafter
acquired accounts (as defined in the UCC) and (whether included
in such
definition) accounts receivable; and proceeds, including without
limitation, all
insurance proceeds, proceeds of any letter of credit on which
any Indemnitor is
a beneficiary, in each case solely to the extent such accounts,
accounts
receivable, and proceeds arise out of a Bonded Contract,
including, but not
limited to, Retainage, and all forms of obligations whatsoever
owing to any
Indemnitor under instruments and documents of title constituting
the foregoing
or proceeds thereof; and all rights, securities, and guarantees
with respect to
each of the foregoing.
"Affiliate" means, with respect to any Person, any other Person
or group
acting in concert with respect of such Person that, directly or
indirectly,
through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled
by, or is under
the common control with such Person. For purposes of this
definition, "control"
(including, with correlative meanings, the terms "controlled by"
and "under
common control with"), as used with respect to any Person or
group of Persons,
means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to
direct or cause
the direction of management and policies of such Person, whether
through the
ownership of voting securities or by contract or otherwise. Each
of Indemnitors
is an Affiliate of each other of Indemnitors. None of
Indemnitors is an
Affiliate of Surety.
"Agreement" or "this Agreement" means this Underwriting,
Continuing
Indemnity, and Security Agreement as it may be amended, modified
or supplemented
from time to time.
"Bankruptcy Code" means Title 11 of the United States Code
entitled
"Bankruptcy," as now and hereafter in effect, or successor
statute.
"Bonded Contract" means any existing or future contract in
respect of
which any Bond is issued on behalf of any Principal.
"Bonded Contract Balances" means all payments made, or to be
made, to or
on behalf of any Principal pursuant to, arising out of, or
relating to any
Bonded Contract, including, without limitation, whether earned
and unpaid or to
be earned, Retainage, increases in contract amounts and payments
made, or to be
made, as a result of affirmative claims.
"Bonded Job Site" means the site where a Principal is to perform
the Work
related to a Bonded Contract.
"Bonds" means any surety agreements, undertakings, or
instruments of
guarantee signed by Surety on behalf of any Principal, whether
executed before
or after the execution of this Agreement.
"Collateral" means the Bonded Contracts and other collateral
described in
Section 6.
"Debt" means, as of any applicable date of determination and as
to any
Person, without duplication, all items of indebtedness,
obligation, or liability
of such Person, whether matured or
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unmatured, liquidated or unliquidated, direct or indirect,
absolute or
contingent, joint or several, that would be classified and
presented as a
liability on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with
GAAP.
"Default Rate" means on each day of its determination the prime
rate
reflected in the Money Rates section of The Wall Street Journal
plus two percent
(2%).
"Equipment" means all of Indemnitor's now owned or hereafter
acquired
right, title, and interest with respect to equipment (as defined
in the UCC) and
(whether or not included in such definition) all other personal
property in each
case which is delivered to, prefabricated for, or specifically
ordered for a
Bonded Job site, whether or not the same will be deemed to be
affixed to, arise
out of, or relate to any real property, together with all
accessions thereto.
"Event of Default" means any one or more of the following:
(a) Principal, Indemnitors, or any of them have failed or
refused in a
material respect to perform any obligation to Surety; provided,
however, the
foregoing will not be deemed an Event of Default hereunder if
such failure or
refusal is curable and such cure is effected within ten (10)
days following the
earlier of (i) receipt by Indemnitors of notice from Surety of
any such failure
or refusal, or (ii) knowledge by Indemnitors of the occurrence
of any such
failure or refusal; or
(b) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by any
Indemnitor
in this Agreement or any other Surety Credit Document, or which
is contained in
any certificate, document, opinion, or financial or other
statement furnished
under or in connection with any Surety Credit Document, proves
to have been
incorrect in a material respect on or as of the date made or
deemed made;
provided, however, Principal will have the right to cure an
Event of Default
under this item (b) by delivering to Surety cash in an amount
designated by
Surety, in its sole and absolute discretion, within ten (10)
days of written
demand having been made by Surety for such delivery. In the
event that Surety
determines it is obligated to discharge any performance bond
claim before making
such demand (or the expiration of such ten (10) day period),
said action will
not operate as a defense to Surety's rights under this
Agreement; provided,
however, that such action by Surety will not be an Event of
Default under this
Agreement if Indemnitors fully indemnify Surety within ten (10)
days of receipt
of any demand by Surety for indemnification; or
(c) an Obligee under a Bonded Contract has declared any
Principal to be in
default under such Bonded Contract and such Principal has failed
to cure such
default within any cure period provided in such Bonded Contract
and as a result
of such default Obligee has made a claim under a Bond, or any
Principal has
acknowledged its default under any Bonded Contract irrespective
of whether such
Principal is actually in default of the Bonded Contract. It will
be no defense
to the enforcement of this Agreement by Surety that any
Principal asserts that
it is not in default under the Bonded Contract; or
(d) Surety incurs any Surety Loss (excluding items payable
pursuant to
paragraph (b) of the definition of Surety Loss and other
attorneys fees and
similar fees and professional fees incurred in the ordinary
course of business
that are promptly reimbursed to Surety by
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Indemnitors); provided, however, Principal will have the right
to cure an Event
of Default under this item (d) by delivering to Surety cash in
an amount
designated by Surety, in its sole and absolute discretion,
within ten (10) days
of written demand having been made by Surety for such delivery;
or
(e) if Surety is required or deems it necessary to establish a
Reserve in
any amount to cover any anticipated or actual loss on any Bond;
provided,
however, Principal and Indemnitors will have the right to cure
any such Event of
Default under this item (e) by delivering to Surety cash in an
amount equal to
such Reserve so established within ten (10) days of such written
notice having
been made by Surety; or
(f) any Principal has failed or refused to pay when due or is
unable to
pay when due claims, bills, or other Debt incurred in, or in
connection with,
the performance of any Bonded Contract, and Principal has failed
to deliver to
Surety an amount sufficient to discharge any claim or demand
made against Surety
with respect to such Bond within ten (10) days of written demand
having been
made on Indemnitors by Surety in respect of such claim or
demand. In the event
that Surety determines it is obligated to discharge any Bond
claim resulting
from such failure or refusal to pay prior to any cure by
Principal or Indemnitor
before the foregoing demand by Surety is made on Indemnitors,
said action will
not operate as a defense against any of Surety's rights under
this Agreement;
provided, however, that such action by Surety will not result in
an Event of
Default under this Agreement if Indemnitors fully indemnify
Surety within ten
(10) days of receipt of any demand by Surety for indemnification
in respect of
all amounts incurred in respect of such action; or
(g) Principal defaults under any banking facility or other
credit
agreement to which Principal is a party in respect of any Debt
having an
aggregate principal amount of more than Fifteen Million Dollars
($15,000,000)
which results in (i) acceleration of the Debt thereunder, or
(ii) the
foreclosure or notice of foreclosure by the lenders thereunder
or applicable
agent on behalf of such lenders of the collateral that secures
such Debt
thereunder; or
(h) Principal defaults under any banking facility or other
credit
agreement to which Principal is a party in respect of any Debt
having an
aggregate principal amount of more than Fifteen Million Dollars
($15,000,000)
which results in such lenders materially limiting the
availability of the credit
facility for the business operations of Principal; provided,
however, the
foregoing will not be deemed an Event of Default hereunder if
such event is
cured within thirty (30) days of the occurrence of said event;
or
(i) the commencement of proceedings in bankruptcy, or for
reorganization
of any Principal or Indemnitors, or for the readjustment of Debt
of any
Principal or Indemnitors, in each case under the Bankruptcy
Code, or any part
thereof, or under any other laws, whether state or federal, for
the relief of
debtors, now or hereafter existing, by or against any Principal
or Indemnitors
and any such proceedings commenced against any Principal or
Indemnitors are not
dismissed, discharged, or stayed within sixty (60) days of
filing; or
(j) the appointment of a receiver or trustee for any Principal
or
Indemnitors or for any substantial part of their assets, or the
institution by a
Person other than any Principal or any Indemnitor or any Person
acting on their
behalf of any proceedings for the dissolution or the full or
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partial liquidation of any Principal or Indemnitors and such
proceedings are not
dismissed, discharged, or stayed within sixty (60) days of
filing, or any of
Principal or Indemnitors will discontinue their business or
materially change
the nature of their business; or
(k) any of Principal or Indemnitors allow a judgment creditor to
obtain
possession of any of the Collateral by any means, including, but
without
limitation, levy, distraint, replevin, or self-help, and (i)
such possession
continues for five (5) days after written notice thereof to
Principal and
Indemnitors from Surety, or (ii) Principal will have failed to
cure an Event of
Default under this item (d) by delivering to Surety cash in an
amount designated
by Surety, in its sole and absolute discretion, within ten (10)
days of written
demand having been made by Surety for such delivery; or
(l) failure to pay any Bond premiums due and payable to
Surety.
"Existing Pledged Collateral" means that certain cash collateral
in the
aggregate original principal amount of Seventeen Million Five
Hundred Thousand
Dollars ($17,500,000) (and all interest, proceeds, and
substitutions therefore)
delivered to Surety pursuant to that certain Interim Pledge
Agreement dated
September 9, 2004, Integrated Electrical Services, Inc., as
Pledgor, in favor of
Surety, as modified by First Amendment to Interim Pledge
Agreement dated October
6 , 2004, as further amended by Second Amendment to Interim
Pledge Agreement
dated October 12, 2004, as further amended by Third Amendment to
Interim Pledge
Agreement dated November 3, 2004, and as restated by that
certain Restated
Pledge Agreement of even date by Integrated Electrical Services,
Inc. in favor
of Surety.
"GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles in the
United States
of America, as set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of
the Accounting
Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants and
statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting
Standards Board,
consistently applied.
"Indebtedness" means, without duplication, any and all Surety
Loss, and
the payment and performance of all other obligations and
undertakings now or
hereafter owing to Surety with respect to the Bonds and/or under
the Surety
Credit Documents, as same may now or hereafter be modified,
replaced, extended,
or renewed, in accordance with their terms.
"Indemnitors" means Integrated Electrical Services, Inc., a
Delaware
corporation, certain of its Affiliates and Subsidiaries listed
on Exhibit B, any
Affiliate or Subsidiary that is a named Principal on any Bond,
and any new
Indemnitor added to this Agreement by rider as provided in
Section 52, and all
of their successors and assigns.
"Indemnity Agreement" means and includes that certain General
Agreement of
Indemnity dated January 9, 1998, executed by Integrated
Electrical Services,
Inc. on its behalf and on behalf of any of its subsidiaries or
on behalf of any
subsidiary of a subsidiary or successive subsidiaries, direct or
indirect, now
existing or hereafter created, in favor of Surety, and that
certain General
Agreement of Indemnity dated September 9, 2004, executed by
Integrated
Electrical Services, Inc., Anderson & Wood Construction Co.,
Inc., Kayton
Electric, Inc., Bryant Electric Company, Inc., Pan American
Electric, Inc., DKD
Electric Company, Inc., Mills Electric LP d/b/a Mills Electrical
Contractors,
H.R. Allen, Inc., and T&H Electrical Corporation in favor of
Surety.
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"Inventory" means and includes all of Indemnitors' now owned and
hereafter
acquired inventory, including, without limitation, goods,
merchandise, and other
personal property furnished under any contract of service,
Bonded Contract, or
intended for sale or lease, all raw materials, work in process,
finished goods
and materials, and supplies of any kind, nature, or description
which is
delivered to, prefabricated for, or specifically ordered for a
Bonded Job Site.
"Licensed Property" means all proprietary systems, software, or
any other
assets of a similar nature which are employed by Principal in
connection with
any and all contractual work referred to in the Bonded Contracts
and/or the
Bonds; any and all inventions, designs, patents, patent
applications,
trademarks, trademark applications, trade names, trade secrets,
registrations,
copyrights, licenses, franchises, customer lists, and any
associated goodwill
that is associated with or required for the completion of any
Bonded Contract
and/or the fulfillment of any of Surety's obligations under the
Bonds.
"Lien" means any mortgage, deed of trust, pledge, security
interest,
hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement to assure payment
of any debt,
encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), or preference, priority,
or other
security agreement, or preferential arrangement to assure
payment of any debt,
charge, or encumbrance of any kind or nature whatsoever
(including, without
limitation, any conditional sale or other title retention
agreement, any
financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as
any of the
foregoing, and the filing of any financing statement under the
UCC or comparable
law of any jurisdiction to evidencing any of the foregoing).
"Material Adverse Effect" means, relative to any occurrence of
whatever
nature (including the adverse determination in any litigation,
arbitration, or
governmental investigation or proceeding), (a) a material
adverse effect on the
financial condition, business, or business operations of
Principal and
Indemnitors taken as a whole, or (b) a material impairment of
the collective
ability of Principal and Indemnitors taken as a whole to satisfy
their
respective obligations to Surety under the Surety Credit
Documents, or (c) a
material adverse effect upon the enforceability against
Principal and
Indemnitors of Surety's security interest in the Collateral.
"Obligee" means any named party or parties appearing on any
Bond(s) in
whose favor the Bond(s) are issued, or such parties' successors
and permitted
assigns.
"Overhead" means the general operating and administrative
expenses of any
Indemnitor, including, but not limited to, the cost of rent,
utilities, taxes,
governmental charges, and all other expenses of any Indemnitor
not allocated to
a specific Bonded Contract.
"Permitted Liens" means:
(a) Liens for taxes, assessments, or governmental charges not
yet past due
or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings and for
which adequate reserves have been established in accordance with
GAAP;
(b) mechanics', workmen's, materialmen's and repairmen's Liens
or other
Liens arising by operation of law in the ordinary course of
business, or
pursuant to customary reservations or retentions of title
arising in the
ordinary course of business, of any Indemnitor
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securing obligations that are not past due, or if past due
contested in good
faith by appropriate proceedings and that are unfiled and no
other action has
been taken to enforce the same;
(c) any Lien granted on their assets by Indemnitors to Surety to
secure
the payment of Surety Loss;
(d) Liens in connection with workers' compensation, unemployment
insurance
or other social security, old age pension or public liability
obligations not
yet due or which are being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings
and for which adequate reserves are maintained in accordance
with GAAP;
(e) statutory Liens of landlords, and Liens of carriers,
warehousemen or
suppliers, or other similar possessory Liens arising in the
ordinary course of
business; provided, that, the holder of such possessory Lien
does not exercise
any foreclosure right to enforce its Lien;
(f) deposits securing, or in lieu of, any surety, appeal, or
custom bonds
in proceedings to which any Indemnitor is a party, bids, trade
contracts and
leases, statutory obligations, performance bonds and other
obligations of a like
nature, and Liens securing judgments for the payment of money
(or appeal or
other surety bonds relating to such judgments);
(g) Liens existing on the date hereof and any renewals and
extensions
thereof which Liens are described on the attached Exhibit C and
any replacement,
refinancing, renewal, or extension of any such Lien in the same
property
theretofore subject arising out of the extension, renewal,
replacement, or
refinancing of the Debt secured thereby;
(h) common law rights of offset and contractual rights of offset
arising
in the ordinary course of business;
(i) any common law or contractual security interest of a surety
in the
actual proceeds of a project subject to the underlying bond
provided by such
surety;
(j) any other Liens pursuant to any Surety Credit Document;
(k) normal and customary rights of setoff upon deposits of cash
in favor
of banks or other depository institutions;
(l) Liens of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of
the UCC on
items in the course of collection;
(m) Liens of sellers of goods to Principal or any Indemnitor
arising under
Article 2 of the UCC or similar provisions of applicable law in
the ordinary
course of business, covering only the goods sold and securing
only the unpaid
purchase price for such goods and related expenses.
(n) purchase money security interest Liens arising under Article
9 of the
UCC or similar provisions of applicable law in the ordinary
course of business,
covering only the goods purchased and securing only the unpaid
purchase price
for such goods and related expenses, which are not past due;
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(o) any interest of title of a lessor under, and Liens arising
from UCC
financing statements (or equivalent filings, registrations or
agreements in
foreign jurisdictions) relating to, leases or short term rentals
not prohibited
by this Agreement; and
(p) leases or subleases granted to others not interfering in any
material
respect with the business of Principal or any Indemnitor.
"Person" means any individual or entity, whether a trustee,
corporation,
partnership, limited liability company, joint stock company,
unincorporated
organization, business association or firm, joint venture, a
government or any
agent or instrumentality or political subdivision thereof.
"Principal" means Integrated Electrical Services, Inc., a
Delaware
corporation, certain of its Affiliates and Subsidiaries listed
on Exhibit A and
any other Affiliates and Subsidiaries of Integrated Electrical
Services, Inc.
for whom Surety executes Bonds, in each case in their respective
capacity as a
named principal under any Bond, and any new Principal added to
this Agreement by
rider as provided in Section 52, and any joint ventures in which
one or more of
them are involved for which any Bond is issued.
"Records" means correspondence, memoranda, tapes, books, discs,
papers,
magnetic storage, and other documents or information of any
type, whether
expressed in ordinary or machine language relating to any Bonded
Contract or
Collateral.
"Reserve" means a sum of money that may be set aside by Surety
to pay its
present and future liabilities under Bonds.
"Retainage" means contract proceeds periodically withheld by an
Obligee to
provide further security for Principal's performance of a Bonded
Contract, and
as such are payable to Principal only upon a clear demonstration
of compliance
with the terms of the Bonded Contract.
"Subsidiaries" means, with respect to any Person, any
corporation, limited
liability company, partnership, or other entity wherein such
Person owns or
acquires, directly or indirectly, more than fifty percent (50%)
of the issued
and outstanding voting stock, voting securities, or other equity
interest of
such corporation, partnership, or other entity, or any other
corporation,
partnership or other entity the management of which is otherwise
controlled,
directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, or
both, by any such
Person.
"Surety" means Federal Insurance Company, an Indiana
corporation, its
Affiliates and Subsidiaries and any other companies writing
Bonds for which this
Agreement is consideration (and other companies from whom Surety
procures Bonds
for Principal), and their co-sureties and reinsurors, and their
respective
successors and permitted assigns.
"Surety Credit Documents" means the following: (i) the Bonds;
(ii) the
Indemnity Agreement; (iii) this Agreement; (iv) UCC Financing
Statements listing
any of Indemnitors as debtor and Surety as secured party; (v)
any intercreditor
agreement by and between Surety and any banking institution;
(vi) Interim Pledge
Agreement dated September 9, 2004, Integrated
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Electrical Services, Inc., as Pledgor, in favor of Surety, as
modified by First
Amendment to Interim Pledge Agreement dated October 6, 2004, as
further modified
by Second Amendment to Interim Pledge Agreement dated October
12, 2004, as
further modified by Third Amendment to Interim Pledge Agreement
dated November
3, 2004, as restated by that certain Restated Pledge Agreement
of even date by
Integrated Electrical Services, Inc. in favor of Surety; and
(vii) all
amendments, modifications, extensions, additions, substitutions,
or other
documents hereafter executed or delivered by any of Indemnitors,
which relate to
any of the foregoing documents.
"Surety Loss" means:
(a) all damages, costs, reasonable attorney fees, and
liabilities
(including all expenses incurred in connection therewith) which
Surety may
sustain or incur by reason of executing or procuring the
execution of any Bonds,
or any other bonds, which may be already or hereafter executed
on behalf of any
Principal, or renewal or continuation thereof; or which may be
sustained or
incurred by reason of making any investigation on account
thereof, prosecuting
or defending any action in connection therewith, obtaining a
release,
recovering, or attempting to recover any salvage in connection
therewith or
enforcing by litigation or otherwise any of the provisions of
this Agreement,
including, but not limited to:
(1) money judgments, amounts paid in settlement or compromise,
the
full amount of reasonable attorney and other professional fees
incurred or paid
by Surety, including without limitation allocated costs of
in-house counsel,
accountants, and engineers, court costs and fees, and interest
at the Default
Rate on all sums due it from the date of Surety's demand for
said sums, whether
interest has been awarded by a court;
(2) any loss which Surety may sustain or incur as a result of
any
Bonded Contract or any Bonds, whether that loss results from any
activity of any
Principal individually or as part of a joint venture,
partnership, or other
entity which has been or may be formed;
(3) any loss which Surety may sustain or incur as a result of
any
actions taken by Surety upon information provided by any
Indemnitor with respect
to the issuance of any Bonds;
(4) any Bond premiums due Surety;
(5) any amounts that have been paid to Surety to be applied
to
Surety Loss that a court of competent jurisdiction determines
constitute
"preferences," within the meaning of Section 547 of the
Bankruptcy Code, and by
reason thereof Surety is required to disgorge said amounts paid;
and
(b) legal, accounting, consulting, and related fees and
expenses
reasonably incurred after January 31, 2005, in connection with
the Bonds, the
Surety Credit Documents, and/or any application or submission by
any of
Indemnitors for the issuance of any Bond or renewal of any
existing Bond,
whether or not Surety decides to issue said Bond.
Notwithstanding the foregoing,
Indemnitors will be required to reimburse Surety for one hundred
percent (100%)
of any filing fees and recording taxes incurred to perfect and
continue Surety's
security interest in the Collateral regardless of when those
fees are incurred.
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"UCC" means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect on the date
hereof in
Texas, as it may be amended from time-to-time provided that if
by reason of
mandatory provisions of law, the perfection or the effect of
perfection or
non-perfection of a security interest in any Collateral is
governed by any state
other than Texas, "UCC" means the Uniform Commercial Code as in
effect in such
other jurisdiction for purposes of the provisions hereof
relating to such
perfection or effect of perfection or non-perfection.
"Work" means the specialized electrical and communication
services
required of any Principal by any Bonded Contract, whether
completed or partially
completed, of such Principal, and includes all other labor,
materials,
equipment, and services provided or to be provided by Principal
to fulfill such
Principal or Indemnitor's obligations pursuant to such Bonded
Contract.
Any collective defined term and any defined term used in the
plural will
be taken to encompass individually and collectively all members
of the relevant
class. Any defined term used in the singular preceded by "any"
will be taken to
indicate any number of the members of the relevant class. Any
defined term used
in the singular and preceded by the word "each" will indicate
all members of the
relevant class, individually.
2. Due Diligence Items Required to be Delivered by
Indemnitors.
Indemnitors will deliver to Surety each of the following, in
form and substance
satisfactory to Surety and its counsel:
(a) Favorable opinion of counsel to Principal and Indemnitors
in
form acceptable to Surety and its counsel, opining as to the
validity and
enforceability of the documents entered into between and among
Surety and
Indemnitors and opining to the perfection of the security
interests of Surety in
the Collateral. Said enforceability opinion will include an
opinion that
Integrated Electrical Services, Inc. is duly formed and that
Indemnitors are
validly existing, the execution and delivery of the documents,
the fulfillment
of the respective terms and conditions thereof, and the
consummation of the
respective transactions contemplated thereby will not violate
any provisions of
applicable law or any applicable order or regulation of any
court or public
governmental agency, and will not conflict with or constitute a
breach a default
under the charter of incorporation, bylaws, or other governing
documents of any
of Indemnitors, as amended, or any material agreement,
indenture, or other Debt
instrument to which any of Indemnitors are a party or by which
any of
Indemnitors are bound, or any law, ordinance, administrative
regulation, or
decree of court, that is applicable to any of Indemnitors;
(b) an officer's certificate of each of Indemnitors
certifying
appropriate resolutions authorizing the execution, delivery, and
performance of
the applicable Surety Credit Documents, certifying that such
resolutions have
been approved in accordance with each of Indemnitors' governing
documents, and
certifying incumbencies and true signatures of the officers so
authorized;
(c) evidence of the good standing of each of Indemnitors in
the
jurisdiction in which such Indemnitor is formed; and
(d) such other information and documents as may reasonably
be
required by Surety.
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Contemporaneously with the execution of this Agreement,
Principal will pay
Surety a facility fee in the amount of Four Hundred Thousand
Dollars ($400,000).
Surety hereby acknowledges receipt of Three Hundred Thousand
Dollars ($300,000)
of this Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($400,000) facility fee in
conjunction
with the execution of that certain First Amendment to Interim
Pledge Agreement
dated October 6, 2004, and that certain Third Amendment to
Interim Pledge
Agreement dated November 3, 2004. The delivery of said facility
fee will not
reduce Surety Loss, or otherwise affect Surety's rights under
the Indemnity
Agreement or any other of the Surety Credit Documents.
3. Bonds; Conditions Precedent to all Bonds. Subject to the
terms of this
Agreement, and so long as no Event of Default has occurred and
is continuing,
Surety is willing to consider the extension of additional surety
credit for the
purposes set out in this Agreement. Surety reserves the right to
decline to
execute any and all bonds, in Surety's sole and absolute
discretion, and if
Surety executes any Bond, Surety will not be obligated to expand
or renew any
such Bond. No claim will be made, nor any cause of action
asserted against
Surety as a consequence of its failure to execute any bond(s).
Whether to
approve or disapprove any application of any Principal for
surety credit and
issue bonds in response thereto will be determined on a case by
case basis and
is within Surety's sole and absolute discretion. Without
limiting the generality
of the foregoing, Indemnitors specifically acknowledge and
confirm Surety's
right to decline execution of any bond, or all bonds, as set
forth in this
Agreement.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
determination of
Surety in its sole and absolute discretion, to issue any Bond
will be subject to
the further conditions precedent that on the date of such
issuance each of the
following conditions will be satisfied, in the sole and absolute
discretion of
Surety:
(a) The following statements will be true and, by its request
for
the issuance of such Bond, Indemnitors will be deemed to have
certified to
Surety that as of the date of such issuance:
(1) the representations and warranties contained in this
Agreement and the Surety Credit Documents are correct in all
material respects
on and as of the date of such issuance as though made on and as
of such date,
except to the extent that such representations and warranties
specifically refer
to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct as
of such earlier
date; and
(2) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, or
would result from the issuance of such Bond.
(b) Surety will have received such other approvals, opinions,
or
documents as Surety may reasonably request.
(c) Any banking or other financial institutions that have
any
interest in the Collateral will have entered into an
intercreditor agreement
with Surety which will address: (i) the release of the security
interest of any
bank or other financial institution in the Collateral and
Surety's first
priority security interest in the Collateral; and (ii)
provisions addressing the
release of Indemnitors as described in Section 4.
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(d) Any request for a Bond will contemplate any of Indemnitors
being
named as the principal.
(e) Surety will be the holder of a first priority security
interest
in the Collateral subject only to Permitted Liens.
4. Indemnity; Exoneration; Release of Indemnitor. Integrated
Electrical
Services, Inc. has full right and authority to execute any and
all current or
future documents and/or amendments on behalf of any Principals
and Indemnitors
without requiring the separate signature of any such Principal
and Indemnitors.
Although execution will not be necessary to bind any such
Affiliate or
Subsidiary or other such Person as an Indemnitor hereunder, at
the request of
Surety, Indemnitors will cause any such Affiliate or Subsidiary
or other such
Person to execute this Agreement. Said Affiliates and
Subsidiaries and such
other Person will be deemed to be an Indemnitor hereunder as
though they were
original signatories hereto. Indemnitors agree to indemnify, and
keep
indemnified, and hold and save harmless Surety against all
Surety Loss. The duty
of Indemnitors to indemnify Surety is a continuing duty,
separate from the duty
to exonerate, and survives any payments made in exoneration of
Surety. Amounts
due Surety (together with interest at the Default Rate) will be
payable upon
written demand.
Indemnitors recognize and acknowledge the common law right of
Surety to be
exonerated by Indemnitors. Upon a Surety Loss, in the event
Indemnitors fail or
refuse to exonerate Surety upon written demand, all Indemnitors
agree, upon
demand by Surety, to exonerate Surety from Surety Loss, by
satisfying
Indemnitors' obligations under the Bonded Contracts and
obtaining either a
withdrawal of all claims against Surety under the Bonds or a
general release.
Principal will pay Surety's reasonable legal, accounting,
consulting and
related fees and expenses reasonably incurred after October 31,
2004, in
connection with the Bonds, the Surety Credit Documents, and/or
any application
or submission by any of Indemnitors for the issuance of any Bond
or renewal of
any existing Bond, whether or not Surety decides to issue said
Bond.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Indemnitors will be required to
reimburse Surety
for one hundred percent (100%) of any filing fees and recording
taxes incurred
and required to perfect and continue Surety's security interest
in the
Collateral regardless of when those fees are incurred.
In order to facilitate the sale of the equity of any Principal
or the
Collateral (other than the transfer of Inventory or Equipment
that is required
pursuant to the terms of any Bonded Contract to be transferred
to any Obligee on
any Bond (or any assignee of such Obligee or any other owner, or
assignee of any
owner, of the Work) upon completion or termination of the Work
in the ordinary
course of business, as to which no release is necessary) of any
Principal and
Indemnitor (exclusive of Integrated Electrical Services, Inc.:
(i) in the event
the sale is of the equity or of any such Collateral of any
Indemnitor that is
not also a Principal under any outstanding Bonds and provided,
that, the sales
proceeds are remitted to and used in the ordinary course of
business of the
continuing Indemnitors, then Surety will upon request of any
such Indemnitor (y)
in the event the sale is of the equity interest, release such
Indemnitor from
its guaranty and other obligations (including the pledge of its
assets as
collateral)of any such Surety; and (z) in the event the sale is
of Collateral,
release such Collateral as collateral; and (ii) in the event the
sale is of the
equity or of any Collateral (other than the transfer of
Inventory or
12
<PAGE>
Equipment that is required pursuant to the terms of any Bonded
Contract to be
transferred to any Obligee on any Bond (or any assignee of such
Obligee of any
other owner, or assignee of any owner, of the Work) upon
completion or
termination of the Work in the ordinary course of business, as
to which no
release is necessary) of any Principal under any outstanding
Bonds and provided,
that, the sales proceeds are remitted to and used in the
ordinary course of
business of the continuing Indemnitors, then Surety will upon
request of any
such Principal (y) in the event the sale is of equity interest,
release such
Principal from its guaranty and other obligations (including the
pledge of its
assets as collateral) with respect to the Bonds issued by Surety
for the other
Principals and Indemnitors; and (z) in the event the sale is of
any such
Collateral release such Collateral as collateral with respect to
Bonds issued by
Surety for the other Principals and Indemnitors; provided, that,
in each of (y)
and (z) (a) such Principal continues as an Indemnitor with
respect to all Bonds
issued on behalf of such Principal and Surety will retain all
Collateral of such
Principal to secure all Surety Loss and other obligations on
such Bonds; (b)
Surety is provided with the indemnity of a Person(s), acceptable
to Surety in
its sole and absolute discretion, with respect to all Bonds
issued on behalf of
such Principal and such new indemnitor(s) executes an indemnity
agreement in
favor of Surety, in a form that is acceptable to Surety, in its
sole and
absolute discretion; and (c) all Bonds other than payment and
performance Bonds
are replaced within ninety (90) days of the sale.
Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the provisions of this paragraph will not require Surety to
release: (x) the
Existing Pledged Collateral; (y) any Proceeds of Collateral that
are required to
be delivered to Surety or to any separate account following an
Event of Default;
and (z) any cash delivered to Surety pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement.
5. Security Interest; Obligation Secured. To secure payment or
other
performance of any and all Surety Loss, and the payment and
performance of all
other obligations and undertakings now or hereafter owing to
Surety with respect
to the Bonds and/or under the Surety Credit Documents, as same
may now or
hereafter be modified, replaced, extended, or renewed,
Indemnitors hereby grant
to Surety a perfected first priority (subject to Permitted
Liens) security
interest in the Collateral. The security interest created herein
will attach
without the execution or delivery to Surety of any instruments,
documents,
assignments, or other agreements of transfer, and in the event
any such
instruments, documents, or other agreements of transfer are or
will be delivered
to Surety, the same are and will be in furtherance of and in
addition to the
security interest created by virtue of this Agreement. As
additional security
for any and all Surety Loss, Indemnitors have caused to be
delivered to Surety
and named Surety as the beneficiary of that certain Irrevocable
Letter of Credit
No. CLS420168 dated April 26, 2004, issued by Bank One, N.A. in
the face amount
of Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000), and have pledged to Surety
the Existing
Pledged Collateral.
Indemnitors will at all times keep Surety's security interest
properly
perfected and hereby designate Surety as their attorney in fact
to do any acts
or deeds or execute such documents reasonably appropriate to
accomplish said
perfection. Said designation will be irrevocable as long as any
obligation of
any of Indemnitors to Surety under this Agreement and/or any of
the Surety
Credit Documents is outstanding. The right is expressly granted
to Surety, at
Surety's discretion, to file in those jurisdictions where the
same is permitted,
one or more financing statements under the UCC and indicating
therein the types
or describing the items of the Collateral. Without the prior
written consent of
Surety, none of Indemnitors will, after the date hereof, file or
authorize or
permit to be filed in any jurisdiction any financing or like
statement
13
<PAGE>
relating to the Collateral other than filings of Permitted
Liens. Surety's
security interest will be first and prior to any other Liens on
the Collateral
except for Permitted Liens. Surety reserves all rights to
contest the validity
or priority of any Lien.
If any Accounts constituting Collateral should be evidenced by
promissory
notes, trade acceptances, or other instruments for the payment
of money,
Indemnitors promptly will deliver the same to Surety
appropriately endorsed to
the order of Surety. Regardless of the form of each endorsement,
Indemnitors
hereby waive presentment, demand, notice of dishonor, protest,
and notice of
protest, and all other notices with respect thereto, except as
required by this
Agreement.
At any time, and at reasonable intervals, upon the request of
Surety,
Indemnitors will: (a) give, execute, deliver, file, and/or
record any notice,
statement, instrument, document, agreement, or other papers that
may be
necessary or desirable, or that Surety may reasonably request in
order to
create, preserve, perfect, or validate any security interest
granted herein or
to enable Surety to exercise and enforce its rights hereunder or
with respect to
such security interest; and (b) permit Surety or Surety's
representatives, at
reasonable intervals during normal business hours, to inspect
and make abstracts
from any of Indemnitors' books and records pertaining to the
Collateral.
Upon the Indebtedness being paid and satisfied in full, Surety
will, with
reasonable promptness, execute all necessary documents and file
same in every
jurisdiction in which the security agreement or any Surety
Credit Document was
filed to effectuate a termination of said security agreement and
all Liens
evidenced thereby.
6. Set Off Rights; Description of Collateral. Indemnitors
confirm and
acknowledge that Surety has the right to set off against Surety
Loss any and all
amounts that may be owing from time to time by Surety to any
Indemnitor in any
capacity, including, but without limitation, any balance or
share belonging to
any Indemnitor of any deposit or other account with Surety. The
Collateral
includes all of any Principal's or Indemnitor's right, title,
and interest in
and to all existing and future Bonded Contracts and associated
contract rights;
Accounts; all claims, rights, and choses in action against any
Obligee on any
Bond or against any other Person with respect to any Bond or
Bonded Contract;
Bonded Contracts Balances; to the extent assignable (provided,
that, any such
prohibition on assignment would not be rendered ineffective
pursuant to Article
9 of the UCC, including, without limitation Section 9-406 and
9-408 of the UCC,
or any successor provisions and further, provided, that, any
such prohibition on
assignment has not otherwise been rendered ineffective, lapsed,
or terminated)
all rights and actions that any Indemnitor may have or acquire
in any
subcontract, purchase order, or other agreement in connection
with any Bonded
Contract, and against any subcontract, purchase order, or other
agreement with
any Person furnishing or agreeing to furnish or supply vehicles,
labor,
supplies, machinery, or other inventory or equipment in
connection with or on
account of any Bonded Contract, and against any surety or
sureties of any such
subcontractor, laborer, or other Person; any and all Equipment;
any and all
Inventory; any and all books, accounts, computer software, and
other computer
stored information, and any and all drawings, plans,
specifications, shop and as
built drawings, utilized in or necessary to fully perform all
obligations and
services required of Principal under the Bonded Contracts; all
progress
schedules, work in process schedules (including, but not limited
to, estimates
of completion costs), accounts receivable ledgers, accounts
payable ledgers, and
14
<PAGE>
estimates of completion costs relating to any and all Bonded
Contracts; and any
and all proceeds and products arising with respect thereto.
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, (i) Indemnitors
will
remain liable under any contracts and agreements included in the
Collateral,
solely to the extent set forth therein, to perform all of their
duties and
obligations thereunder to the same extent as if this Agreement
had not been
executed, (ii) the exercise by Surety of any of the rights
hereunder will not
release any Indemnitor from any of its duties or obligations
under the contracts
and agreements included in the Collateral, and (iii) Surety will
not have any
obligation or liability under any contracts and agreements
included in the
Collateral by reason of this Agreement, nor will Surety be
obligated to perform
any of the obligations or duties of Indemnitor thereunder or
take any action to
collect or enforce any claim for payment assigned hereunder.
7. Representations and Warranties. Indemnitors hereby warrant,
covenant,
and represent that:
(a) Indemnitors are the exclusive owners of the Collateral and
have
good and marketable title to the Collateral and that on the date
of this
Agreement the Collateral is free of any and all Liens (excluding
Permitted
Liens).
(b) Until such time as all of the Indebtedness has been paid
and
satisfied in full, none of Indemnitors will sell, transfer,
convey, or assign
any of the Collateral without prior written consent of Surety or
permit any Lien
on the Collateral (other than Permitted Liens).
(c) If, at any time, the Collateral will be deemed
unsatisfactory to
and by Surety or in the event Surety will otherwise deem itself,
its security
interests, its Collateral, or its recovery of Surety Loss unsafe
or insecure,
then and on demand of Surety, Indemnitors will immediately
furnish such further
collateral or make such payment on said account as will be
reasonably
satisfactory to Surety to be held by Surety as if originally
pledged hereunder.
(d) The current jurisdiction of formation as of the date of
this
Agreement, of each of Principal and Indemnitors is correctly
reflected on page
one and/or the attached Exhibits A and B, respectively.
Indemnitors will notify
Surety of any change in any Indemnitor's name, identity,
corporate structure, or
change in jurisdiction in which it is formed or exists thirty
(30) days prior to
such change. Indemnitors will not be required to give any
additional advance
notice to Surety of the name changes that are contemplated on
the attached
Exhibit A, but will give Surety notice of any such name change
within ten (10)
days of the effective date of the change.
(e) Indemnitors are not in default with respect to any of
their
existing Debt except for such defaults that would not,
individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and the making and
performance of
this Agreement and the Surety Credit Documents by Principal and
Indemnitors will
not (immediately or with the passage of time, the giving of
notice, or both):
(i) Violate the charter, bylaws, or other governing document
provisions of any Indemnitor, or violate any applicable laws or
result in a
default under any contract, agreement, or instrument to which
any of Indemnitors
is a party or by which any of
15
<PAGE>
Indemnitors or their property is bound, except for such
violations or defaults
that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
Material Adverse
Effect; or
(ii) result in the creation or imposition of any Lien (other
than Permitted Liens) upon any assets of any Indemnitor other
than Liens in
favor of Surety.
(f) Indemnitors have the corporate or other power and authority
to
enter into and perform this Agreement and the Surety Credit
Documents to which
they are a party, and to incur the Indebtedness herein and
therein provided for,
and have taken all corporate or other action necessary to
authorize the
execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement and such
other Surety
Credit Documents.
(g) This Agreement and each other Surety Credit Document to
which
Principal and Indemnitors are a party constitute valid and
binding obligations
of such Principal and Indemnitors, and are enforceable against
such Principal
and such Indemnitors in accordance with their respective
terms.
(h) Each consent, approval, or authorization of, or filing,
registration, or qualification with, any Person required to be
obtained by
Indemnitors in connection with the execution and delivery of
this Agreement or
the undertaking or performance of any obligation hereunder or
thereunder has
been duly obtained, other than any filings to perfect the Liens
on the
Collateral.
(i) Indemnitors will promptly pay all of their taxes,
assessments,
and other governmental charges prior to the date on which any
penalties are
attached thereto, establish adequate reserves for the payment of
taxes and
assessments and make all required withholding and other tax
deposits; provided,
however, that nothing contained in this Agreement will be
interpreted to require
the payment of any tax, assessment, or charge so long as its
validity is being
contested in good faith (and for which adequate reserves have
been established)
by appropriate proceedings and as to which foreclosure and other
enforcement
proceedings will not have been commenced (unless fully bonded or
otherwise
effectively stayed).
(j) With regard to the rights with respect to the Bonded
Contracts
in which Indemnitors have hereby granted Surety a security
interest, Indemnitors
represent and warrant to Surety:
(i) Such rights arise under one or more existing binding
written contracts between a Principal and the other party or
parties thereto, or
will be evidenced by a binding written contract before
performance thereunder,
and do or will represent a bona fide transaction, enforceable in
accordance with
its terms;
(ii) The title of such Principal to the Bonded Contracts is
absolute;
(iii) No rights of any Principal under any Bonded Contracts
have been transferred to any other Person except pursuant to
Permitted Liens;
16
<PAGE>
(iv) Indemnitors have not received any prepayment of amounts
due Surety under any Bonded Contracts;
(v) Indemnitors will not, without the prior written consent
of
Surety, permit any material amendment, modification, settlement,
compromise, or
extension to any of the Bonded Contracts if such modification,
compromise,
settlement, or extension would adversely affect the interests of
Surety or
extend the time of any payment required thereunder; and
(vi) To the best of Indemnitors' knowledge, information, and
belief, all parties to any Bonded Contracts, and other
commitments that
constitute Collateral and to which any of Indemnitors are a
party, have complied
in all material respects with the provisions of such Bonded
Contracts and other
commitments; no party is in default in any material respect
under any provision
thereof; and no event has occurred which, but for the giving of
notice or the
passage of time, or both, would constitute a default.
(k) Indemnitors have the insurance in force that is usual
and
customary for those engaged in the same or similar business of
Indemnitors, and
that they will maintain said insurance in force with good and
substantial
carriers with insurance companies with an A- rating or better.
Indemnitors
further agree to furnish Surety, upon request, with the
insurance in force and
with copies of the policies of said insurance evidencing the
existence of the
coverage called for by this Agreement. Indemnitors will obtain
all necessary
insurance coverages, including, without limitation, workers'
compensation,
liability, and other insurance coverages, in the amounts and as
required by the
Bonded Contracts that are the subject of the Bonds, protecting
itself, Obligees
(as applicable), and, if requested, Surety. Indemnitors will
deliver to Surety
copies of Certificates of Insurance showing Surety as an
additional insured for
all such insurance policies which Surety has specifically
requested that it be
added as an additional insured, except as to professional
liability coverages.
(l) None of Indemnitors is insolvent within the meaning of
the
Bankruptcy Code.
(m) Principal or Indemnitors will give prompt notice to Surety
of
their knowledge of any pending or threatened proceeding or claim
before any
court or governmental agency or department which involves a
reasonable material
risk of having a Material Adverse Effect.
(n) Indemnitors are in material compliance with all laws,
statutes
and governmental rules and regulations applicable to it or them,
except for any
failure so to be in compliance which would not reasonably be
expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(o) Indemnitors perform minimal work as a party contracting
directly
with the Federal Government or any of its agencies and do not
anticipate that
changing.
(p) Bonds have been issued in the names of Riviera Electric,
LLC,
Riviera Electric LP, Riviera Electric Inc., and Riviera Electric
as the named
Principal. Indemnitors represent and warrant to Surety that the
proper name of
the entity is Riviera Electric LLC. If
17
<PAGE>
Surety requests that IES take the necessary steps to correct any
Bonded
Contracts and Bonds that may have been issued with the names
Riviera Electric,
Riviera Electric LP, or Riviera Electric Inc. to change the name
to Riviera
Electric LLC, Indemnitors will take such steps.
(q) Ron's Electric referred to in a UCC Financing Statement
filed on
or about April 11, 1984, by First American Bank is not the same
company as Ron's
Electric, Inc., nor is that Ron's Electric in any way affiliated
with any of
Indemnitors.
(r) The
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