EXHIBIT
3.3
UNITED STATES GASOLINE FUND,
LP
FORM OF AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
This Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited
Partnership (this “Agreement” ) executed on
[_____________], is entered into by and among Victoria Bay Asset
Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as General
Partner, Wainwright Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, as the
Organizational Limited Partner, and [
Initial Authorized Purchaser ,] as
a Limited Partner, together with any Persons who shall hereafter be
admitted as Partners in accordance with this Agreement.
WHEREAS, the General Partner and the
Organizational Limited Partner are parties to that certain limited
partnership agreement entered into on [_________]
, 2007 (the “LP Agreement” ), regarding the
operation of the Partnership and their rights and obligations
thereunder; and
WHEREAS, the Organizational Limited Partner and
the General Partner now desire to amend and restate the LP
Agreement regarding the operation of the Partnership;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual
promises and agreements herein made, the Partners, intending to be
legally bound, hereby agree to amend and restate the LP Agreement
in its entirety as follows:
ARTICLE 1
Definitions
As used in this Agreement, the following terms
shall have the following meanings:
1.1 “Accounting Period”
shall mean the following periods: the initial accounting period
which shall commence upon the commencement of operations of the
Partnership. Each subsequent Accounting Period shall commence
immediately after the close of the preceding Accounting Period.
Each Accounting Period hereunder shall close on the earliest of (i)
the last Business Day of a month, (ii) the effective date of
dissolution of the Partnership, and (iii) such other day or days in
addition thereto or in substitution therefore as may from time to
time be determined by the General Partner in its discretion either
in any particular case or generally.
1.2 “Act” shall mean the
Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act of the State of Delaware,
as amended from time to time.
1.3 “Additional Limited
Partner” shall mean a Person admitted to the Partnership
as a Limited Partner pursuant to this Agreement and who is shown as
such on the books and records of the Partnership.
1.4 “Affiliate” shall mean,
when used with reference to a specified Person, (i) any Person who
directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls
or is controlled by or is under common control with the specified
Person or (ii) any Person that is an officer of, partner in, or
trustee of, or serves in a similar capacity with respect to, the
specified Person or of which the specified Person is an officer,
partner or trustee, or with respect to which the specified Person
serves in a similar capacity.
1.5 “Assignee” shall mean a
Record Holder that has not been admitted to the Partnership as a
Substituted Limited Partner.
1.6 “Agreement” shall mean
this Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership as may
be amended, modified, supplemented or restated from time to
time.
1.7 “Authorized Purchaser
Agreement” shall mean an agreement among the
Partnership, the General Partner and a Participant, as may be
amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with its
terms.
1.8 “Business Day” shall
mean any day other than a day on which the American Stock Exchange,
the New York Mercantile Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange is
closed for regular trading.
1.9 “Beneficial Owner”
shall mean the ultimate beneficial owner of Units held by a nominee
which has furnished the identity of the Beneficial Owner in
accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code (or any other method
acceptable to the General Partner in its sole discretion) and with
Section 9.2.2 of this Agreement.
1.10 “Capital Account”
shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section
4.1.
1.11 “Capital Contribution”
shall mean the total amount of money or agreed-upon value of
property contributed to the Partnership by all the Partners or any
class of Partners or any one Partner, as the case may be (or the
predecessor holders of the interests of such Partner or
Partners).
1.12 “Capital Transaction”
shall mean a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Partnership not in the ordinary course of business.
1.13 “Certificate” shall
mean a certificate issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership
of one or more Units.
1.14 “Close of Business”
shall mean 5:00 PM New York time.
1.15 “Creation Basket”
shall mean 100,000 Units, or such other number of Units as may be
determined by the General Partner from time to time, purchased by a
Participant.
1.16 “Code” shall mean the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
1.17 “Departing Partner”
shall mean a former General Partner, from and after the effective
date of any withdrawal or removal of such former General
Partner.
1.18 “Depository” or
“DTC” shall mean The Depository Trust Company,
New York, New York, or such other depository of Units as may be
selected by the General Partner as specified herein.
1.19 “Depository Agreement”
shall mean the Letter of Representations from the General Partner
to the Depository, dated as of [_________________]
, as may be amended or supplemented from time to time.
1.20 “Distributable Cash”
shall mean, with respect to any period, all cash revenues of the
Partnership (not including (i) Capital Contributions, (ii) funds
received by the Partnership in respect of indebtedness incurred by
the Partnership, (iii) interest or other income earned on temporary
investments of Partnership funds pending utilization, and (iv)
proceeds from any Capital Transaction), less the sum of the
following: (x) all amounts expended by the Partnership pursuant to
this Agreement in such period and (y) such working capital or
reserves or other amounts as the General Partner reasonably deems
to be necessary or appropriate for the proper operation of the
Partnership’s business or its winding up and liquidation. The
General Partner in its sole discretion may from time to time
declare other funds of the Partnership to be Distributable
Cash.
1.21 “DTC Participants”
shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section
9.2.2.
1.22 “General Partner”
shall mean Victoria Bay Asset Management, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company, or any Person who, at the time of reference
thereto, serves as a general partner of the Partnership.
1.23 “Global Certificates”
shall mean the global certificate or certificates issued to the
Depository as provided in the Depository Agreement, each of which
shall be in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit
B.
1.24 “Indirect
Participants” shall have the meaning assigned to such
term in Section 9.2.2.
1.25 “Initial Limited
Partner” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 3.3.
1.26 “Initial Offering
Period” shall mean
the period commencing with the initial effective date of the
Prospectus and terminating no later than the ninetieth (90th) day
following such date unless extended for up to an additional 90 days
at the sole discretion of the General Partner.
1.27 “Limited Partner”
shall mean the Organizational Limited Partner prior to its
withdrawal from the Partnership and any other Person who is a
limited partner (whether the Initial Limited Partner, a Limited
Partner admitted pursuant to this Agreement or an assignee who is
admitted as a Limited Partner) at the time of reference thereto, in
such Person’s capacity as a limited partner of the
Partnership.
1.28 “Management Fee” shall
mean the management fee paid to the General Partner pursuant to
this Agreement.
1.29 “Net Asset Value” or
“NAV” shall mean the current market value of
the Partnership’s total assets, less any liabilities, as
reasonably determined by the General Partner or its
designee.
1.30 “Opinion of Counsel”
shall mean a written opinion of counsel (who may be regular counsel
to the Partnership or the General Partner) acceptable to the
General Partner.
1.31 “Organizational Limited
Partner” shall mean Wainwright Holdings, Inc., a
Delaware corporation, in its capacity as the organizational limited
partner of the Partnership pursuant to this Agreement.
1.32 “Outstanding” shall
mean, with respect to the Units or other Partnership Securities, as
the case may be, all Units or other Partnership Securities that are
issued by the Partnership and reflected as outstanding on the
Partnership’s books and records as of the date of
determination.
1.33 “Participant” shall
mean a Person that is a DTC Participant and has entered into an
Authorized Purchaser Agreement which, at the relevant time, is in
full force and effect.
1.34 “Partner” shall mean
the General Partner or any Limited Partner.
“Partners” shall mean the General Partner and
all Limited Partners (unless otherwise indicated).
1.35 “Partnership” shall
mean the limited partnership hereby formed, as such limited
partnership may from time to time be constituted.
1.36 “Partnership
Securities” shall mean any additional Units, options,
rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating thereto, or any
other type of equity security that the Partnership may lawfully
issue, any unsecured or secured debt obligations of the Partnership
or debt obligations of the Partnership convertible into any class
or series of equity securities of the Partnership.
1.37 “Person” shall mean
any natural person, partnership, limited partnership, limited
liability company, trust, estate, corporation, association,
custodian, nominee or any other individual or entity in its own or
any representative capacity.
1.38 “Profit or Loss” with
respect to any Accounting Period shall mean the excess (if any)
of:
(a) the Net Asset Value as of the Valuation Time
on the Valuation Date, less
(b) the Net Asset Value as of the Valuation Time
on the Valuation Date immediately preceding the commencement of
such Accounting Period,
adjusted as
deemed appropriate by the General Partner to reflect any Capital
Contributions, redemptions, withdrawals, distributions, or other
events occurring or accounted for during such Accounting Period
(including any allocation of Profit or Loss to a redeeming partner
pursuant to Article 4.3.2 with respect to such Accounting
Period).
If the amount
determined pursuant to the preceding sentence is a positive number,
such amount shall be the “Profit” for the
Accounting Period and if such amount is a negative number, such
amount shall be the “Loss” for the Accounting
Period.
1.39 “Prospectus” shall
mean the United States Gasoline Fund, LP prospectus, dated
[__________________] , as the same may have been
amended or supplemented, used in connection with the offer and sale
of Units in the Partnership.
1.40 “Record Date” shall
mean the date established by the General Partner for determining
(a) the identity of Limited Partners (or Assignees if applicable)
entitled to notice of, or to vote at any meeting of Limited
Partners or entitled to vote by ballot or give approval of any
Partnership action in writing without a meeting or entitled to
exercise rights in respect of any action of Limited Partners or (b)
the identity of Record Holders entitled to receive any report or
distribution.
1.41 “Record Holder” shall
mean the Person in whose name such Unit is registered on the books
of the Transfer Agent as of the open of business on a particular
Business Day.
1.42 “Redeemable Units”
shall mean any Units for which a redemption notice has been
given.
1.43 “Redemption Basket”
shall mean 100,000 Units or such other number of Units as may be
determined by the General Partner from time to time, redeemed by a
Participant.
1.44 “Revolving Credit
Facility” shall mean a revolving credit facility that
the Partnership may enter into on behalf of the Partnership with
one or more commercial banks or other lenders for liquidity or
other purposes for the benefit of the Partnership.
1.45 “Substituted Limited
Partner” shall mean a Person who is admitted as a
Limited Partner to the Partnership pursuant to Article 11.2 in
place of and with all the rights of a Limited Partner and who is
shown as a Limited Partner on the books and records of the
Partnership.
1.46 “Tax Certificate”
shall mean an Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 (or the substantial
equivalent thereof) in the case of a Limited Partner that is a U.S.
person within the meaning of the Code, or an Internal Revenue
Service Form W-8BEN or other applicable form in the case of a
Limited Partner that is not a U.S. person.
1.47 “Transfer Agent” shall
mean Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. or such bank, trust company
or other Person (including, without limitation, the General Partner
or one of its Affiliates) as shall be appointed from time to time
by the Partnership to act as registrar and transfer agent for the
Units or any applicable Partnership Securities.
1.48 “Transfer Application”
shall mean an application and agreement for transfer of Units,
which shall be substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit
D.
1.49 “Unit” shall mean an
interest of a Limited Partner or an assignee of the Partnership
representing such fractional part of the interests of all Limited
Partners and assignees as shall be determined by the General
Partner pursuant to this Agreement.
1.50 “Unit Register” shall
have the meaning assigned to such term in Article 9.2.1.
1.51 “Unitholders” shall
mean the General Partner and all holders of Units, where no
distinction is required by the context in which the term is
used.
1.52 “Valuation Date” shall
mean the last Business Day of any Accounting Period.
1.53 “Valuation Time” shall
mean (i) Close of Business on a Valuation Date or (ii) such other
time or day as the General Partner in its discretion may determine
from time to time either in any particular case or
generally.
ARTICLE 2
General Provisions
2.1 This Agreement shall become effective on the
date set forth in the preamble of this Agreement. The rights and
liabilities of the Partners shall be as set forth in the Act,
except as herein otherwise expressly provided. The Partnership
shall continue without interruption as a limited partnership
pursuant to the provisions of the Act.
2.2 The name of the Partnership shall be United
States Gasoline Fund, LP; however, the business of the Partnership
may be conducted, upon compliance with all applicable laws, under
any other name designated in writing by the General Partner to the
Limited Partners.
2.3 The Partnership’s principal place of
business shall be located at 1320 Harbor Bay Parkway, Suite 145,
Alameda, California 94502 or such other place as the General
Partner may designate from time to time. The registered agent for
the Partnership is Corporation Service Company and the registered
office is located at 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, Wilmington,
Delaware 19808, County of New Castle. The Partnership may maintain
such other offices at such other places as the General Partner
deems advisable.
2.4 The investment objective of the Partnership
is for changes in percentage terms of the Units’ NAV to
reflect the changes in percentage terms of the price of unleaded
gasoline (also known as reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygen
blending, or “RBOB”, for delivery to New York harbor),
as measured by the “Benchmark Futures Contract, less the
Partnership’s expenses. It is not the intent of the
Partnership to be operated in such a fashion such that its NAV will
equal, in dollar terms, the dollar price of spot gasoline or any
particular futures contract based on gasoline. The Partnership will
invest in futures contracts for gasoline, crude oil, natural gas,
heating oil, and other petroleum based fuels that are traded on the
New York Mercantile Exchange, ICE Futures or other U.S. and foreign
exchanges (collectively, “Gasoline Futures
Contracts” ) and other gasoline related investments such
as cash-settled options on Gasoline Futures Contracts, forward
contracts for gasoline, and over-the-counter transactions that are
based on the price of gasoline, oil and other petroleum-based
fuels, Gasoline Futures Contracts and indices based on the
foregoing.
2.5 The term of the Partnership shall be from
the date of its formation in perpetuity, unless earlier terminated
in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
2.6 The General Partner shall execute, file and
publish all such certificates, notices, statements or other
instruments required by law for the formation or operation of a
limited partnership in all jurisdictions where the Partnership may
elect to do business. The General Partner shall not be required to
deliver or mail to the Limited Partners a copy of the certificate
of limited partnership of the Partnership or any certificate of
amendment thereto.
2.7 The Partnership shall be empowered to do any
and all acts and things necessary, appropriate, proper, advisable,
incidental to or convenient for the furtherance and accomplishment
of the purposes, business, protection and benefit of the
Partnership.
2.8 The business and affairs of the Partnership
shall be managed by the General Partner in accordance with Article
7 hereof. The General Partner has seven directors, a majority of
whom may also be executive officers of the General Partner. The
General Partner shall establish and maintain an audit committee of
its board of directors for the Partnership (the “Audit
Committee” ) in compliance with, and granted the
requisite authority and funding pursuant to, any applicable (1)
federal securities laws and regulations, including the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and (2) rules, policies and procedures
of any national securities exchange on which the securities issued
by the Partnership are listed and traded.
ARTICLE 3
Partners and Capital
Contributions
3.1.1 The name of the General Partner is
Victoria Bay Asset Management, LLC, which maintains its principal
business office at 1320 Harbor Bay Parkway, Suite 145, Alameda,
California 94502.
3.1.2 In consideration of management and
administrative services rendered by the General Partner, the
Partnership shall pay the Management Fee to the General Partner (or
such other person or entity designated by the General Partner)
including the payment of expenses in the ordinary course of
business. Expenses in the “ordinary course of
business” shall not include the payment of (i) brokerage
fees, (ii) licensing fees for the use of intellectual property used
by the Partnership, or (iii) registration or other fees paid to the
Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) ,
the NASD, or any other regulatory agency in connection with the
offer and sale of the Units and all legal, accounting,
printing and other expenses associated therewith; provided,
however, that the fees and expenses incurred under (iii) in
connection with the initial public offering of the Units shall be
paid by the General Partner. The Partnership also pays the fees and
expenses, including directors and officers’ liability
insurance, of the independent directors. The Management Fee shall
be payable monthly. The initial Management Fee shall be set forth
on Exhibit A attached hereto, as may be amended from time to time.
The General Partner may, in its sole discretion, waive all or part
of the Management Fee. The Partnership shall be responsible for all
extraordinary expenses (i.e., expenses not in the ordinary course
of business, including, without limitation, the items listed above
in this Section 3.1.2, the indemnification of any Person against
liabilities and obligations to the extent permitted by law and
required under this Agreement and the bringing and defending of
actions at law or in equity and otherwise engaging in the conduct
of litigation and the incurring of legal expense and the settlement
of claims and litigation).
3.1.3 In connection with the formation of the
Partnership under the Act, the General Partner acquired a 2%
interest in the profits and losses of the Partnership and made an
initial capital contribution to the Partnership in the amount of
$20.00, and the Organizational Limited Partner acquired a 98%
interest in the profits and losses of the Partnership and made an
initial capital contribution to the Partnership in the amount of
$980.00. As of the date hereof, the interest of the Organizational
Limited Partner shall be redeemed, the initial capital contribution
of the Organizational Limited Partner shall be refunded, and the
Organizational Limited Partner shall thereupon withdraw and cease
to be a Limited Partner. 98% of any interest or other profit that
may have resulted from the investment or other use of such initial
capital contribution was allocated and distributed to the
Organizational Limited Partner, and the balance thereof was
allocated and distributed to the General Partner. As of the first
date of the offering, the General Partner shall be issued an
appropriate number of Units based on its initial capital
contribution. The General Partner may but shall not be required to
make Capital Contributions to the Partnership on or after the date
hereof. If the General Partner does make a Capital Contribution to
the Partnership on or after the date hereof, it shall be issued
Units based on the same terms and conditions applicable to the
purchase of a Creation Basket under Article 16 hereof.
3.1.4 The General Partner may not, without
written approval by all of the Limited Partners or by other written
instrument executed and delivered by all of the Limited Partners
subsequent to the date of this Agreement, take any action in
contravention of this Agreement, including, without limitation, (i)
any act that would make it impossible to carry on the ordinary
business of the Partnership, except as otherwise provided in this
Agreement; (ii) possess Partnership property, or assign any rights
in specific Partnership property, for other than a Partnership
purpose; (iii) admit a Person as a Partner, except as otherwise
provided in this Agreement; (iv) amend this Agreement in any
manner, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement or under
applicable law; or (v) transfer its interest as general partner of
the Partnership, except as otherwise provided in this
Agreement.
3.1.5 Except as otherwise provided herein, the
General Partner may not sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all
or substantially all of the Partnership’s assets in a single
transaction or a series of related transactions (including by way
of merger, consolidation or other combination with any other
Person) or approve on behalf of the Partnership the sale, exchange
or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of
the Partnership, taken as a whole, without the approval of at least
a majority of the Limited Partners; provided, however, that this
provision shall not preclude or limit the General Partner’s
ability to mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security
interest in all or substantially all of the Partnership’s
assets and shall not apply to any forced sale of any or all of the
Partnership’s assets pursuant to the foreclosure of, or other
realization upon, any such encumbrance.
3.1.6 Unless approved by a majority of the
Limited Partners, the General Partner shall not take any action or
refuse to take any reasonable action the effect of which, if taken
or not taken, as the case may be, would be to cause the
Partnership, to the extent it would materially and adversely affect
the Limited Partners, to be taxable as a corporation for federal
income tax purposes.
3.1.7 Notwithstanding any other provision of
this Agreement, the General Partner is not authorized to institute
or initiate on behalf of, or otherwise cause the Partnership
to:
(a) make a general assignment for the benefit of
creditors;
(b) file a voluntary bankruptcy petition;
or
(c) file a petition seeking for the Partnership a
reorganization, arrangement, composition, readjustment liquidation,
dissolution or similar relief under any law.
3.2 Issuance of Units. Units in the
Partnership will only be issued in a Creation Basket or whole
number multiples thereof.
3.3 Initial Limited Partner. The name
of the initial Limited Partner is [ insert
name ] (the “Initial Limited
Partner” ). The business address and Capital
Contribution of the Initial Limited Partner are [INSERT
INFORMATION PRIOR TO EFFECTIVENESS ]. The Initial Limited
Partner shall purchase the initial Creation Basket at an initial
offering price per Unit equal to the closing price of near-month
Gasoline Futures Contracts as listed on the New York Mercantile
Exchange on the last Business Day prior to the effective date of
the registration statement relating to the Prospectus.
3.4 Capital Contribution. Except as
otherwise provided in this Agreement, no Partner shall have any
right to demand or receive the return of its Capital Contribution
to the Partnership. No Partner shall be entitled to interest on any
Capital Contribution to the Partnership or on such Partner’s
capital account.
ARTICLE 4
Capital Accounts of Partners and
Operation Thereof
4.1 Capital Accounts. There shall be
established on the books and records of the Partnership for each
Partner (or Beneficial Owner in the case of Units held by a
nominee) a capital account (a “Capital
Account” ). It is intended that each Partner’s
Capital Account shall be maintained at all times in a manner
consistent with Section 704 of the Code and applicable Treasury
regulations thereunder, and that the provisions hereof relating to
the Capital Accounts shall be interpreted in a manner consistent
therewith. For each Accounting Period, the Capital Account of each
Partner shall be:
(i) credited with the amount of any Capital
Contributions made by such Partner during such Accounting
Period;
(ii) credited with any allocation of Profit made
to such Partner for such Accounting Period;
(iii) debited with any allocation of Loss made
to such Partners for such Accounting Period; and
(iv) debited with the amount of cash paid to
such Partner as an amount withdrawn or distributed to such Partner
during such Accounting Period, or, in the case of any payment of a
withdrawal or distribution in kind, the fair value of the property
paid or distributed during such Accounting Period.
4.1.1 For any Accounting Period in which Units
are issued or redeemed for cash or other property, the General
Partner shall, in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), adjust the Capital Accounts of all Partners
and the carrying value of each Partnership asset upward or downward
to reflect any unrealized gain or unrealized loss attributable to
each such Partnership asset, as if such unrealized gain or
unrealized loss had been recognized on an actual sale of the asset
and had been allocated to the Partners at such time pursuant to
Article 4.2 of this Agreement in the same manner as any item of
gain or loss actually recognized during such period would have been
allocated.
4.1.2 To the extent an adjustment to the
adjusted tax basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section
734(b) or 743(b) of the Code is required, pursuant to Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account
in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such adjustment to
the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain (if the
adjustment increases the basis of the asset) or loss (if the
adjustment decreases such basis), and such item of gain or loss
shall be specially allocated to the Partners in a manner consistent
with the manner in which their Capital Accounts are required to be
adjusted pursuant to such Section of the Treasury
Regulations.
4.2 Allocation of Profit or Loss.
Profit or Loss for an Accounting Period shall be allocated among
the Partners in proportion to the number of Units each Partner
holds as of the close of business on the last Business Day of such
Accounting Period. The General Partner may revise, alter or
otherwise modify this method of allocation to the extent it deems
necessary to comply with the requirements of Section 704 or Section
706 of the Code and Treasury Regulations or administrative rulings
thereunder.
4.3 Allocations for Tax Purposes
4.3.1 Except as otherwise provided in this
Agreement, for each fiscal year of the Partnership, items of
income, deduction, gain, loss, and credit recognized by the
Partnership for federal income tax purposes shall be allocated
among the Partners in a manner that equitably reflects the amounts
credited or debited to each Partner’s Capital Account for
each Accounting Period during such fiscal year. Allocations under
this Article 4.3 shall be made by the General Partner in accordance
with the principles of Sections 704(b) and 704(c) of the Code and
in conformity with applicable Treasury Regulations promulgated
thereunder (including, without limitation, Treasury Regulations
Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), 1.704-1(b)(4)(i), and
1.704-3(e)).
4.3.2 Notwithstanding anything else contained in
this Article 4, if any Partner has a deficit Capital Account for
any Accounting Period as a result of any adjustment of the type
described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5) or
1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) (6), then the Partnership’s income and
gain shall be specially allocated to such Partner in an amount and
manner sufficient to eliminate such deficit as quickly as possible.
Any special allocation of items of income or gain pursuant to this
Article 4.3.2 shall be taken into account in computing subsequent
allocations pursuant to this Article 4 so that the cumulative net
amount of all items allocated to each Partner shall, to the extent
possible, be equal to the amount that would have been allocated to
such Partner if there had never been any allocation pursuant to the
first sentence of this Article 4.3.2.
4.3.3 Allocations that would otherwise be made
to a Limited Partner under the provisions of this Article 4 shall
instead be made to the Beneficial Owner of Units held by a
nominee.
4.4 Compliance. In applying the
provisions of this Article 4, the General Partner is authorized to
utilize such reasonable accounting conventions, valuation methods
and assumptions as the General Partner shall determine to be
appropriate and in compliance with the Code and applicable Treasury
Regulations. The General Partner may amend the provisions of this
Agreement to the extent it determines to be necessary to comply
with the Code and Treasury Regulations.
ARTICLE 5
Records and Accounting;
Reports
5.1 Records and Accounting. The
Partnership will keep proper books of record and account of the
Partnership at its office located in 1320 Harbor Bay Parkway, Suite
145, Alameda, California 94502 or such office, including that of an
administrative agent, as it may subsequently designate upon notice
to the Limited Partners. These books and records are open to
inspection by any person who establishes to the Partnership’s
satisfaction that such person is a Limited Partner upon reasonable
advance notice at all reasonable times during the usual business
hours of the Partnership.
5.2 Annual Reports. Within 90 days
after the end of each fiscal year, the General Partner shall cause
to be delivered to each Person who was a Partner at any time during
the fiscal year, an annual report containing the
following:
(i) financial statements of the Partnership,
including, without limitation, a balance sheet as of the end of the
Partnership’s fiscal year and statements of income,
Partners’ equity and changes in financial position, for such
fiscal year, which shall be prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles consistently applied and shall be
audited by a firm of independent certified public accountants
registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight
Board,
(ii) a general description of the activities of
the Partnership during the period covered by the report,
and
(iii) a report of any material transactions
between the Partnership and the General Partner or any of its
Affiliates, including fees or compensation paid by the Partnership
and the services performed by the General Partner or any such
Affiliate or such fees or compensation.
5.3 Quarterly Reports. Within 45 days
after the end of each quarter of each fiscal year, the General
Partner shall cause to be delivered to each Person who was a
Partner at any time during the quarter then ended, a quarterly
report containing a balance sheet and statement of income for the
period covered by the report, each of which may be unaudited but
shall be certified by the General Partner as fairly presenting the
financial position and results of operations of the Partnership
during the period covered by the report. The report shall also
contain a description of any material event regarding the business
of the Partnership during the period covered by the
report.
5.4 Monthly Reports. Within 30 days
after the after the end of each month, the General Partner shall
cause to be delivered to each Person who was a Partner at any time
during the month then ended, a monthly report containing an account
statement, which will include a statement of income (loss) and a
statement of changes in NAV, for the prescribed period. In
addition, the account statement will disclose any material business
dealings between the Partnership, General Partner, commodity
trading advisor (if any), futures commission merchant, or the
principals thereof that previously have not been disclosed in the
Partnership’s Prospectus or any amendment thereto, other
account statements or annual reports.
5.5 Tax Information. The General
Partner shall use its best efforts to prepare and to transmit a
U.S. federal income tax form K-1 for each Partner, Assignee, or
Beneficial Owner or a report setting forth in sufficient detail
such transactions effected by the Partnership during each fiscal
year as shall enable each Partner, Assignee, or Beneficial Owner to
prepare its U.S. federal income tax return, if any, within a
reasonable period after the end of such fiscal year.
5.6 Tax Returns. The General Partner
shall cause income tax returns of the Partnership to be prepared
and timely filed with the appropriate authorities.
5.7 Tax Matters Partner. The General
Partner is hereby designated as the Partnership’s
“Tax Matters Partner,” as defined under
Section 6231(a)(7) of the Code. The General Partner is specifically
directed and authorized to take whatever steps the General Partner,
in its discretion, deems necessary or desirable to perfect such
designation, including filing any forms or documents with the U.S.
Internal Revenue Service and taking such other action as may from
time to time be required under U.S. Treasury regulations. Any
Partner shall have the right to participate in any administrative
proceedings relating to the determination of Partnership items at
the Partnership level. Expenses of such administrative proceedings
undertaken by the Tax Matters Partner shall be expenses of the
Partnership. Each Partner who elects to participate in such
proceedings shall be responsible for any expenses incurred by such
Partner in connection with such participation. The cost of any
resulting audits or adjustments of a Partner’s tax return
shall be borne solely by the affected Partner. In the event of any
audit, investigation, settlement or review, for which the General
Partner is carrying out the responsibilities of Tax Matters
Partner, the General Partner shall keep the Partners reasonably
apprised of the status and course of such audit, investigation,
settlement or review and shall forward copies of all written
communications from or to any regulatory, investigative or judicial
authority with regard thereto.
ARTICLE 6
Fiscal Affairs
6.1 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the
Partnership shall be the calendar year. The General Partner may
select an alternate fiscal year.
6.2 Partnership Funds. Pending
application or distribution, the funds of the Partnership shall be
deposited in such bank account or accounts, or invested in such
interest-bearing or non-interest bearing investment, including,
without limitation, checking and savings accounts, certificates of
deposit and time or demand deposits in commercial banks, U.S.
government securities and securities guaranteed by U.S. government
agencies as shall be designed by the General Partner. Such funds
shall not be commingled with funds of any other Person. Withdrawals
therefrom shall be made upon such signatures as the General Partner
may designate.
6.3 Accounting Decisions. All decisions
as to accounting principles, except as specifically provided to the
contrary herein, shall be made by the General Partner.
6.4 Tax Elections. The General Partner
shall, from time to time, make such tax elections as it deems
necessary or desirable in its sole discretion to carry out the
business of the Partnership or the purposes of this Agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the General Partner shall make a
timely election under Section 754 of the Code.
6.5 Partnership Interests. Title to the
Partnership assets shall be deemed to be owned by the Partnership
as an entity, and no Partner or Assignee, individually or
collectively, shall have any ownership interest in such Partnership
assets or any portion thereof. Title to any or all of the
Partnership assets may be held in the name of the Partnership, the
General Partner or one or more nominees, as the General Partner may
determine. The General Partner hereby declares and warrants that
any Partnership assets for which record title is held in the name
of the General Partner shall be held by the General Partner for the
exclusive use and benefit of the Partnership in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement; provided, however, that the General
Partner shall use its reasonable efforts to cause record title to
such assets (other than those assets in respect of which the
General Partner determines that the expense and difficulty of
conveyancing makes transfer of record title to the Partnership
impracticable) to be vested in the Partnership as soon as
reasonably practicable; provided, that prior to the withdrawal or
removal of the General Partner or as soon thereafter as
practicable, the General Partner will use reasonable efforts to
effect the transfer of record title to the Partnership and, prior
to any such transfer, will provide for the use of such assets in a
manner satisfactory to the Partnership. All Partnership Assets
shall be recorded as the property of the Partnership in its books
and records, irrespective of the name in which record title to such
Partnership assets are held.
ARTICLE 7
Rights and Duties of the General
Partner
7.1 Management Power. The General
Partner shall have exclusive management and control of the business
and affairs of the Partnership, and all decisions regarding the
management and affairs of the Partnership shall be made by the
General Partner. The General Partner shall have all the rights and
powers of general partner as provided in the Act and as otherwise
provided by law. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
Agreement, the General Partner is hereby granted the right, power
and authority to do on behalf of the Partnership all things which,
in its sole judgment, are necessary, proper or desirable to carry
out the aforementioned duties and responsibilities, including but
not limited to, the right, power and authority from time to time to
do the following:
(a) the making of any expenditures, the lending
or borrowing of money, the assumption or guarantee of, or other
contracting for, indebtedness and other liabilities, the issuance
of evidences of indebtedness and the incurring of any other
obligations and the securing of same by mortgage, deed of trust or
other lien or encumbrance;
(b) the making of tax, regulatory and other
filings, or rendering of periodic or other reports to governmental
or other agencies having jurisdiction over the business or assets
of the Partnership;
(c) the acquisition, disposition, mortgage,
pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or exchange of any or all of the
assets of the Partnership, or the merger or other combination of
the Partnership with or into another Person (the matters described
in this clause (c) being subject, however, to any prior approval
that may be required in accordance with this Agreement);
(d) the use of the assets of the Partnership
(including, without limitation, cash on hand) for any purpose
consistent with the terms of this Agreement including, without
limitation, the financing of the conduct of the operations of the
Partnership, the lending of funds to other Persons, and the
repayment of obligations of the Partnership;
(e) the negotiation, execution and performance
of any contracts, conveyances or other instruments (including,
without limitation, instruments that limit the liability of the
Partnership under contractual arrangements to all or particular
assets of the Partnership with the other party to the contract to
have no recourse against the General Partner or its assets other
than its interest in the Partnership, even if same results in the
terms of the transaction being less favorable to the Partnership
than would otherwise be the case);
(f) the distribution of Distributable
Cash;
(g) the selection and dismissal of employees
(including, without limitation, employees having titles such as
“president,” “vice president,”
“secretary” and “treasurer”
), agents, outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and
contractors and the determination of their compensation and other
terms of employment or hiring;
(h) the maintenance of insurance for the benefit
of the Partners and the Partnership (including, without limitation,
the assets and operations of the Partnership);
(i) the formation of, or acquisition of an
interest in, and the contribution of property to, any further
limited or general partnerships, joint ventures or other
relationships;
(j) the control of any matters affecting the
rights and obligations of the Partnership, including, without
limitation, the bringing and defending of actions at law or in
equity and otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation and the
incurring of legal expense and the settlement of claims and
litigation;
(k) the indemnification of any Person against
liabilities and contingencies to the extent permitted by
law;
(l) the entering into of listing agreements with
the American Stock Exchange and any other securities exchange and
the delisting of some or all of the Units from, or requesting that
trading be suspended on, any such exchange; and
(m) the purchase, sale or other acquisition or
disposition of Units.
7.2 Best Efforts. The General Partner
will use its best efforts to cause the Partnership to be formed,
reformed, qualified or registered under assumed or fictitious name
statutes or similar laws in any state in which the Partnership owns
property or transacts business if such formation, reformation,
qualification or registration is necessary in order to protect the
limited liability of the Limited Partners or to permit the
Partnership lawfully to own property or transact
business.
7.3 Right of Public to Rely on Authority of
a General Partner. No person shall be required to determine
the General Partner’s authority to make any undertaking on
behalf of the Partnership.
7.4 Obligation of the General Partner.
The General Partner shall:
(a) devote to the Partnership and apply to the
accomplishment of the Partnership purposes so much of its time and
attention as is necessary or advisable to manage properly the
affairs of the Partnership;
(b) maintain the Capital Account for each Partner;
and
(c) cause the Partnership to enter into and carry
out the obligations of the Partnership contained in the agreements
with Affiliates of the General Partner as described in the
Prospectus and cause the Partnership not to take any action in
violation of such agreements.
7.5 Good Faith. The General Partner has
a responsibility to the Limited Partners to exercise good faith and
fairness in all dealings. In the event that a Limited Partner
believes that the General Partner has violated its fiduciary duty
to the Limited Partners, he may seek legal relief individually or
on behalf of the Partnership under applicable laws, including under
the Act and under securities and commodities laws, to recover
damages from or require an accounting by the General Partner.
Limited Partners should be aware that performance by the General
Partner of its fiduciary duty is measured by the terms of this
Agreement as well as applicable law. Limited Partners may also have
the right, subject to applicable procedural and jurisdictional
requirements, to bring class actions in federal court to enforce
their rights under the federal securities laws and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder by the SEC. Limited Partners who
have suffered losses in connection with the purchase or sale of the
Units may be able to recover such losses from the General Partner
where the losses result from a violation by the General Partner of
the federal securities laws. State securities laws may also provide
certain remedies to limited partners. Limited Partners are afforded
certain rights to institute reparations proceedings under the
Commodity Exchange Act for violations of the Commodity Exchange Act
or of any rule, regulation or order of the Commodities Futures
Trading Commission (“CFTC”) by the General
Partner.
7.6.1 Notwithstanding any other provision of
this Agreement, neither a General Partner nor any employee or other
agent of the Partnership nor any officer, director, stockholder,
partner, employee or agent of a General Partner (a
“Protected Person” ) shall be liable to any
Partner or the Partnership for any mistake of judgment or for any
action or inaction taken, nor for any losses due to any mistake of
judgment or to any action or inaction or to the negligence,
dishonesty or bad faith of any officer, director, stockholder,
partner, employee or agent of the Partnership or any officer,
director, stockholder, partner, employee or agent of such General
Partner, provided that such officer, director, stockholder,
partner, employee or agent of the Partner or officer, director,
stockholder, partner, employee or agent of such General Partner was
selected, engaged or retained by such General Partner with
reasonable care, except with respect to any matter as to which such
General Partner shall have been finally adjudicated in any action,
suit or other proceeding not to have acted in good faith in the
reasonable belief that such Protected Person’s action was in
the best interests of the Partnership and except that no Protected
Person shall be relieved of any liability to which such Protected
Person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance,
gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in
the conduct of the Protected Person’s office. A General
Partner and its officers, directors, employees or partners may
consult with counsel and accountants (except for the
Partnership’s independent auditors) in respect of Partnership
affairs and be fully protected and justified in any action or
inaction which is taken in accordance with the advice or opinion of
such counsel or accountants (except for the Partnership’s
independent auditors), provided that they shall have been selected
with reasonable care.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing to the
contrary, the provisions of this Article 7.6.1 and of Article 7.6.2
hereof shall not be construed so as to relieve (or attempt to
relieve) a General Partner (or any officer, director, stockholder,
partner, employee or agent of such General Partner) of any
liability to the extent (but only to the extent) that such
liability may not be waived, modified or limited under applicable
law, but shall be construed so as to effectuate the provisions of
this Article 7.6.1 and of Article 7.6.2 hereof to the fullest
extent permitted by law.
7.6.2 The Partnership shall, to the fullest
extent permitted by law, but only out of Partnership assets,
indemnify and hold harmless a General Partner and each officer,
director, stockholder, partner, employee or agent thereof
(including persons who serve at the Partnership’s request as
directors, officers or trustees of another organization in which
the Partnership has an interest as a Unitholder, creditor or
otherwise) and their respective legal representatives and
successors (hereinafter referred to as a “Covered
Person” against all liabilities and expenses, including
but not limited to amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in
compromise or as fines and penalties, and counsel fees reasonably
incurred by any Covered Person in connection with the defense or
disposition of any action, suit or other proceedings, whether civil
or criminal, before any court or administrative or legislative
body, in which such Covered Person may be or may have been involved
as a party or otherwise or with which such Covered Person may be or
may have been threatened, while in office or thereafter, by reason
of an alleged act or omission as a General Partner or director or
officer thereof, or by reason of its being or having been such a
General Partner, director or officer, except with respect to any
matter as to which such Covered Person shall have been finally
adjudicated in any such action, suit or other proceeding not to
have acted in good faith in the reasonable believe that such
Covered Person’s action was in the best interest of the
Partnership, and except that no Covered Person shall be indemnified
against any liability to the Partnership or Limited Partners to
which such Covered Person would otherwise be subject by reason of
willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such Covered
Person’s office. Expenses, including counsel fees so incurred
by any such Covered Person, may be paid from time to time by the
Partnership in advance of the final disposition of any such action,
suit or proceeding on the condition that the amounts so paid shall
be repaid to the Partnership if it is ultimately determined that
the indemnification of such expenses is not authorized
hereunder.
As to any matter disposed of by a compromise
payment by any such Covered Person, pursuant to a consent decree or
otherwise, no such indemnification either for said payment or for
any other expenses shall be provided unless such compromise shall
be approved as in the best interests of the Partnership, after
notice that it involved such indemnification by any disinterested
person or persons to whom the questions may be referred by the
General Partner, provided that there has been obtained an opinion
in writing of independent legal counsel to the effect that such
Covered Person appears to have acted in good faith in the
reasonable belief that his or her action was in the best interests
of the Partnership and that such indemnification would not protect
such persons against any liability to the Partnership or its
Limited Partners to which such person would otherwise by subject by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or
reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of office.
Approval by any disinterested person or persons shall not prevent
the recovery from persons of indemnification if such Covered Person
is subsequently adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction
not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that such
Covered Person’s action was in the best interests of the
Partnership or to have been liable to the Partnership or its
Limited Partners by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the
conduct of such Covered Person’s office.
The right of indemnification hereby provided
shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which any
such Covered Person may be entitled. As used in this Article 7.6.2,
an “interested Covered Person” is one against
whom the action, suit or other proceeding on the same or similar
grounds is then or has been pending and a “disinterested
person” is a person against whom no actions, suits or
other proceedings or another action, suit or other proceeding on
the same or similar grounds is then or has been pending. Nothing
contained in this Article 7.6.2 shall affect any rights to
indemnification to which personnel of a General Partner, other than
directors and officers, and other persons may be entitled by
contract or otherwise under law, nor the power of the Partnership
to purchase and maintain liability insurance on behalf of any such
person.
Nothing in this Article 7.6.2 shall be construed
to subject any Covered Person to any liability to which he or she
is not already liable under this Agreement or applicable
law.
7.6.3 Each Limited Partner agrees that it will
not hold any Affiliate or any officer, director, stockholder,
partner, employee or agent of any Affiliate of the General Partner
liable for any actions of such General Partner or any obligations
arising under or in connection with this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby.
7.7 Resolutions of Conflicts of Interest;
Standard of Care.
7.7.1 Unless otherwise expressly provided in
this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby, whenever
a conflict of interest exists or arises between the General Partner
on the one hand, and the Partnership or any Limited Partner, on the
other hand, any resolution or course of action by the General
Partner in respect of such conflict of interest shall be permitted
and deemed approved by all Partners and shall not constitute a
breach of this Agreement or of any agreement contemplated hereby or
of a duty stated or implied by law or equity, if the resolution or
course of action is, or by operation of this Agreement is deemed to
be, fair and reasonable to the Partnership. If a dispute arises, it
will be resolved through negotiations with the General Partner or
by a court located in the State of Delaware. Any resolution of a
dispute is deemed to be fair and reasonable to the Partnership if
the resolution is:
· approved by the Audit Committee, although no
party is obligated to seek such approval and the General Partner
may adopt a resolution or course of action that has not received
such approval;
· on terms no less favorable to the Limited
Partners than those generally being provided to or available from
unrelated third parties; or
· fair to the Limited Partners, taking into
account the totality of the relationships of the parties involved
including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or
advantageous to the Limited Partners.
7.7.2 Whenever this Agreement or any other
agreement contemplated hereby provides that the General Partner is
permitted or required to make a decision (i) in its discretion or
under a grant of similar authority or latitude, the General Partner
shall be entitled to the extent permitted by applicable law, to
consider only such interest and factors as it desires and shall
have no duty or obligation to give any consideration to any
interest of or factors affecting the partnership or the Limited
Partners, or (ii) in its good faith or under another express
standard, the General Partner shall act under such express standard
and except as required by applicable law, shall not be subject to
any other different standards imposed by this Agreement, any other
agreement contemplated hereby or applicable law.
7.8 Other Matters Concerning the General
Partner.
7.8.1 The General Partner (including the Audit
Committee) may rely on and shall be protected in acting or
refraining from acting upon any certificate, document or other
instrument believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or
presented by the proper party or parties.
7.8.2 The General Partner (including the Audit
Committee) may consult with legal counsel, accountants, appraisers,
management consultants, investment bankers and other consultants
and advisors selected by it and any opinion or advice of any such
person as to matters which the General Partner (including the Audit
Committee) believes to be within such person’s professional
or expert competence shall be the basis for full and complete
authorization of indemnification and provide legal protection with
respect to any action taken or suffered or omitted by the General
Partner (including the Audit Committee) hereunder in good faith and
in accordance with such opinion or advice.