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Exhibit 2.1
STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
BY AND AMONG
ON ASSIGNMENT, INC.
VSS HOLDING, INC.
AND
THE STOCKHOLDERS AND OPTIONHOLDERS
NAMED ON SCHEDULE I HERETO
December 20, 2006
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I
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PURCHASE AND SALE OF COMPANY
SECURITIES
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1
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Purchase and Sale of the Common Shares from the
Stockholders
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1
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Further Assurances
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1
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The Closing
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2
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Actions at the Closing
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2
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Purchase Price for the Company
Securities
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2
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Treatment of Company Stock Options
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3
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Adjustments to Purchase Price
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4
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Escrow
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5
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Earnout
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6
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Securityholders’ Representative
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9
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Currency
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11
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Withholding
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11
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ARTICLE II
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REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE SELLING
SECURITYHOLDERS REGARDING THE SELLING SECURITYHOLDERS AND THE
COMPANY SECURITIES
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11
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Selling Securityholders Representations and
Warranties
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11
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ARTICLE III
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REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY AND
THE SELLING SECURITYHOLDERS REGARDING THE COMPANY
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13
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Organization, Qualification and Corporate
Power
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13
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Capitalization
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14
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Authorization of Transaction
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15
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Noncontravention
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15
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Undisclosed Liabilities
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16
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Tax Matters
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16
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Assets
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18
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Owned Real Property
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18
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Real Property Leases
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18
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Intellectual Property
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19
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Contracts
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19
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Accounts Receivable
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21
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Powers of Attorney
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21
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Insurance
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21
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Litigation
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21
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Employees
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21
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Employee Benefits
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23
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Environmental Matters
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25
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Legal Compliance
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25
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i
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Existing Customers and Suppliers
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25
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Permits
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26
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Certain Business Relationships With Affiliates,
Officers and Directors
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26
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Books and Records
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26
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Brokers’ Fees
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26
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Financial Statements
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26
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Guarantees
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27
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Earnout Payments
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27
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ARTICLE IV
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REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE
BUYER
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27
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Organization, Qualification and Corporate
Power
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27
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Authorization of Transaction
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27
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Noncontravention
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27
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Litigation
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28
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Investment Intent
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28
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Sophistication of the Buyer
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28
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Buyer Financial Capacity
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28
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SEC Filings; Financial Statements
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28
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ARTICLE V
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COVENANTS
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29
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Closing Efforts
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29
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Governmental and Third-Party Notices and
Consents
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29
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Operation of Business
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29
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Access to Information
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32
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Expenses
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32
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Director and Officer Indemnification
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32
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Employment Matters.
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33
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Company ESOP Matters
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34
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Tax Matters
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35
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FIRPTA
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38
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Withholding Forms
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38
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Financial Statements
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38
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Valid Issuance of Buyer Common Stock
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39
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Registration of Buyer Common Stock
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39
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Accounts Receivable
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40
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Guarantees
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40
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Professional Liability Insurance
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40
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ARTICLE VI
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CONDITIONS TO CLOSING
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40
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Conditions to Obligations of the Buyer
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40
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Conditions to Obligations of the Company and the
Selling Securityholders
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42
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ARTICLE VII
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INDEMNIFICATION
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43
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Indemnification by the Selling
Securityholders
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43
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Indemnification by the Buyer
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43
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Indemnification Claims
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44
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Survival
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46
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Limitations
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47
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Treatment of Indemnity Payments
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49
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Subrogation of Rights
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49
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ARTICLE VIII
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TERMINATION
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49
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Termination of Agreement
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49
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Effect of Termination
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50
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ARTICLE IX
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DEFINITIONS
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50
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ARTICLE X
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MISCELLANEOUS
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59
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Press Releases and Announcements
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59
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Reliance
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59
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No Third Party Beneficiaries
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60
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Entire Agreement
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60
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Succession and Assignment
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60
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Counterparts and Facsimile Signature
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60
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Headings
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60
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Notices
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60
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Governing Law
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61
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Amendments and Waivers
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61
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Severability
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62
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Submission to Jurisdiction
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62
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Construction
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62
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Specific Performance
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62
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iii
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Schedule I
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List of Selling Securityholders
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Schedule II
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List of Employees of the Company
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Schedule 1.7(a)
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Estimated Closing Balance Sheet and Estimated
Working Capital
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Schedule 1.9
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Earnout Calculation
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Schedule 1.9(a)
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Certain Earnout Distribution
Arrangements
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Schedule 1.9(c)
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Budgeted EBITDA
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Disclosure Schedule
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Disclosures and Exceptions to Selling
Securityholders and Company Representations and
Warranties
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iv
STOCK PURCHASE
AGREEMENT
This Stock Purchase Agreement (this " Agreement ") is
made as of December 20, 2006 by and among On Assignment, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the " Buyer "), VSS Holding, Inc., a
Nevada corporation (the " Company "), the stockholders of
the Company listed on Schedule I attached hereto
(individually, a " Stockholder " and, collectively, the "
Stockholders "), who own all of the issued and outstanding
capital stock of the Company, and each holder of a Company Stock
Option (as defined herein) listed on Schedule I attached
hereto (individually, an " Optionholder " and, collectively,
the " Optionholders "). For purposes of this Agreement, the
term " Selling Securityholders " shall refer to the
Stockholders and the Optionholders, collectively.
PRELIMINARY STATEMENT
Each of the Stockholders owns the number of issued and
outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Company
(collectively, the " Common Shares ") set forth opposite
his, her or its name on Schedule I attached hereto, which
Common Shares in the aggregate represent all of the issued and
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, and each
Optionholder is the rightful holder of outstanding Company Stock
Options representing the right to acquire the number of Common
Shares upon exercise of such Company Stock Option set forth
opposite his or her name on Schedule I attached hereto,
which in the aggregate represent all outstanding Company Stock
Options.
The Buyer desires to purchase, and the Selling Securityholders
desire to sell, the Company Securities (as defined herein) for the
consideration set forth below, subject to the terms and conditions
of this Agreement.
Now, therefore, in consideration of the representations,
warranties and covenants herein contained, the Parties agree as
follows.
ARTICLE I
PURCHASE AND SALE OF COMPANY SECURITIES
1.1
Purchase and Sale of the Common Shares from the
Stockholders . Subject to and upon the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, at the Closing, each Stockholder
shall sell, transfer, convey, assign and deliver to the Buyer, and
the Buyer shall purchase, acquire and accept from each Stockholder,
all of the Common Shares owned by such Stockholder, as set forth
opposite such Stockholder’s name on Schedule I attached
hereto. At the Closing, each Stockholder shall deliver to the Buyer
appropriate evidence of the transfer of the Common Shares owned by
such Stockholder to the Buyer.
1.2
Further Assurances . At any time and
from time to time after the Closing, at the Buyer’s request
and without further consideration, each of the Selling
Securityholders shall promptly execute and deliver such instruments
of sale, transfer, conveyance, assignment and confirmation, and
take all such other action as the Buyer may reasonably request,
more effectively to transfer, convey and assign to the Buyer, and
to confirm the Buyer’s title to, all of the Common Shares
owned by any Stockholder, to put the Buyer in actual possession and
operating control of the assets, properties and business of the
Company, to assist the Buyer in
exercising all rights with respect thereto and to
carry out the purpose and intent of this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby.
1.3
The Closing . The Closing shall take
place at the offices of Latham & Watkins LLP, 633 West Fifth
Street, Suite 4000, Los Angeles, CA, commencing at 9:00 a.m. local
time on the Closing Date.
1.4
Actions at the Closing . At the
Closing:
(a)
the Company and the Selling Securityholders shall
deliver to the Buyer the various certificates, instruments and
documents referred to in Section 6.1;
(b)
the Buyer shall deliver to the Company the various
certificates, instruments and documents referred to in Section
6.2;
(c)
each of the Stockholders shall deliver to the Buyer
all of his, her or its Common Shares, with appropriate instruments
of transfer; and
(d)
the Buyer shall make the deliveries provided in
Section 1.5 and Section 1.6.
1.5
Purchase Price for the Company Securities
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(a)
The aggregate purchase price to be paid by the Buyer
in respect of all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the
Company and all of the outstanding Company Stock Options shall be
Forty-One Million Dollars ($41,000,000) (the " Purchase
Price "), subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 1.7 hereof.
The Purchase Price shall be payable in the manner described in
paragraph (b) of this Section 1.5 and, with respect to Company
Stock Options outstanding immediately prior to the Closing Date, in
the manner described in Section 1.6(b).
(b)
At the Closing, the Buyer shall deliver:
(i)
to each Stockholder, the portion of the Purchase
Price (after reduction of the Purchase Price by the payments
specified in (ii) through (vi) below) due to such Stockholder,
based on the percentage set forth opposite each such person’s
name on Schedule I attached hereto, by check or wire
transfer of immediately available funds to be allocated among the
accounts designated by each Stockholder at least two Business Days
prior to Closing;
(ii)
to the Escrow Agent, an amount in cash equal to
$4,100,000 (the " Escrow Cash "), to be invested pursuant to
the terms of the Escrow Agreement, as a reserve to satisfy all or
part of any claims for indemnity pursuant to Article VII and
any amounts owed to the Buyer under Section 1.7(b);
(iii)
to the Persons designated for payment by the
Securityholders’ Representative, the Estimated Closing
Expenses;
(iv)
to the account designated by, and accessible to, the
holders’ Security Representative, the Representative
Fund;
(v)
to the account designated by Therus C. Kolff, the
Settlement Amount; and
(vi)
to the applicable debt holders, the Debt
Repayment.
1.6
Treatment of Company Stock Options
.
(a)
Effective immediately prior to the Closing, each
Company Stock Option then outstanding shall become fully vested and
exercisable with respect to all Common Shares subject thereto and,
at the Closing, each unexercised Company Stock Option (or portion
thereof) then outstanding shall be cancelled, terminated and
extinguished in exchange for the right to receive the consideration
set forth in Section 1.6(b) below, subject to Section 1.12 below.
Upon the cancellation of a Company Stock Option, each Optionholder
shall cease to have any rights with respect to a Company Stock
Option, except the right to receive the consideration payable with
respect thereto pursuant to Section 1.6(b) below. Except as
provided in Section 1.7(b)(iv) and Section 1.9(b)(iii), hereof, no
interest will be paid or accrue on the cash payable upon surrender
of any Company Stock Option. Prior to the Closing, the Board of
Directors of the Company shall take all such actions as it deems
necessary or desirable to effectuate the provisions of this Section
1.6(a) and to terminate the Company Stock Plan effective as of the
Closing, including without limitation, obtaining any consents
necessary to effectuate the foregoing.
(b)
Each Optionholder shall, with respect to each
unexercised Company Stock Option (or portion thereof) cancelled in
accordance with Section 1.6(a), be entitled to receive, subject to
Section 1.12 below: (i) from the Buyer at the Closing, the portion
of the Purchase Price (after reduction of the Purchase Price by the
payments specified in Section 1.5(b)(ii) through (vi)) due to such
Optionholder, based on the percentage set forth opposite each such
person’s name on Schedule I attached hereto, by
check or wire transfer of immediately available funds to be
allocated among the accounts designated at least two Business Days
prior to Closing by each Optionholder; (ii) if, upon final
determination, Closing Working Capital exceeds Estimated Closing
Working Capital, on the date set forth in Section 1.7(b)(iv)
hereof, such Optionholder’s Pro Rata Share of such excess,
determined in accordance with Section 1.7(b)(iv) hereof;
(iii) upon any disbursement of funds to Securityholders from
the Escrow Fund pursuant to the Escrow Agreement, such
Optionholder’s Pro Rata Share of such disbursement; (iv) such
Optionholder’s Pro Rata Share of any disbursement of funds to
Securityholders from the Representative Fund; and (v) at such time
or times as any amounts become payable pursuant to Section 1.9
hereof, an amount equal to such Optionholder’s Pro Rata Share
of any Earnout Amount paid thereunder.
1.7
Adjustments to Purchase Price .
(a)
Closing Date Purchase Price Adjustment
.
(i)
Not later than three Business Days prior to the
Closing Date, the Company shall provide the Buyer with an estimated
balance sheet of the Company as of the closing of business on the
Closing Date (the " Estimated Closing Balance Sheet ") and a
statement of the estimated Closing Working Capital derived from the
Estimated Closing Balance Sheet (" Estimated Closing Working
Capital "). The Estimated Closing Balance Sheet and
Estimated
Closing Working Capital shall be prepared by the
Company in accordance with Schedule 1.7(a) attached
hereto.
(ii)
If Estimated Closing Working Capital is less than
Target Working Capital, then the Purchase Price payable at Closing
will be decreased by the positive difference between Estimated
Closing Working Capital and Target Working Capital. If Estimated
Closing Working Capital is greater than Target Working Capital, the
Buyer shall retain the excess.
(b)
Post-Closing Date Purchase Price
Adjustment .
(i)
Following the Closing, the Purchase Price shall be
adjusted as provided herein to reflect the difference between
Closing Working Capital and Estimated Closing Working
Capital.
(ii)
Within 30 days following the Closing Date, the Buyer
shall deliver to the Securityholders’ Representative a
balance sheet of the Company as of the closing of business on the
Closing Date (the " Closing Balance Sheet "), reviewed by
the Company’s accountants, and a statement of Closing Working
Capital derived from the Closing Balance Sheet (the " Closing
Working Capital Statement "). The Closing Balance Sheet and the
Closing Working Capital Statement shall be prepared in accordance
with GAAP and Schedule 1.7(a) attached hereto; provided,
that, to the extent that Schedule 1.7(a) differs from GAAP,
Schedule 1.7(a) shall govern. Immediately following delivery
of the Closing Balance Sheet and the Closing Working Capital
Statement, the Securityholders’ Representative (and its
representative) shall have reasonable access to the books and
records (including financial statements) of the Company during
regular business hours to the extent necessary to verify the
Buyer’s preparation of the Closing Balance Sheet and its
computation of the Closing Working Capital Statement.
(iii)
The Closing Balance Sheet and the Closing Working
Capital Statement (and the computation of Closing Working Capital
indicated thereon) delivered to the Securityholders’
Representative by the Buyer shall be conclusive and binding upon
the parties unless the Securityholders’ Representative,
within 30 days after delivery to the Securityholders’
Representative of the Closing Balance Sheet and the Closing Working
Capital Statement, notifies the Buyer in writing that the
Securityholders’ Representative disputes any of the amounts
set forth therein, specifying the nature of the dispute and the
basis therefor. The parties shall in good faith attempt to resolve
any dispute and, if the parties so resolve all disputes, the
Closing Balance Sheet and the Closing Working Capital Statement
(and the computation of Closing Working Capital indicated thereon),
as amended to the extent necessary to reflect the resolution of the
dispute, shall be conclusive and binding on the parties. If the
parties do not reach agreement in resolving the dispute within 30
days after notice is given by the Securityholders’
Representative to the Buyer pursuant to the second preceding
sentence, the parties shall submit the dispute to a nationally
recognized independent accounting firm which is mutually agreeable
to the parties (the " Arbiter ") for resolution. If the
parties cannot agree on the selection of an independent accounting
firm to act as the Arbiter, the parties shall request the AAA to
appoint such firm, and such appointment shall be conclusive and
binding on the parties. Promptly, but no later than 20 days after
acceptance of his or her appointment as the Arbiter, the Arbiter
shall determine (it being understood that in making such
determination, the Arbiter shall be functioning as an expert and
not as an arbitrator), based solely on written submissions by
the
Buyer and the Securityholders’
Representative, and not by independent review, only those issues in
dispute and shall render a written report as to the resolution of
the dispute and the resulting computation of the Closing Working
Capital which shall be conclusive and binding on the parties absent
manifest error. All proceedings conducted by the Arbiter shall take
place in Salt Lake City, Utah. In resolving any disputed item, the
Arbiter (x) shall be bound by the provisions of this Section 1.7
and (y) may not assign a value to any item greater than the
greatest value for such items claimed by either party or less than
the smallest value for such items claimed by either party. The
fees, costs and expenses of the Arbiter shall be equally allocated
to and borne by the Buyer and the Selling
Securityholders.
(iv)
Upon final determination of Closing Working Capital
as provided in Section 1.7(b)(iii) above, (A) if Closing Working
Capital is greater than Estimated Closing Working Capital, the
Buyer shall retain the excess and (B) if Closing Working Capital is
less than Estimated Closing Working Capital, the Purchase Price
shall be decreased by the excess of Estimated Closing Working
Capital over Closing Working Capital, and the Selling
Securityholders shall pay to the Buyer the amount of such
difference, together with interest thereon from the Closing Date to
the date of payment thereof as determined below, out of the Escrow
Cash as set forth in Section 1.7(b)(v). If such amount is in excess
of the Escrow Cash, then each Selling Securityholder shall pay to
the Buyer its Pro Rata Share of such excess. Interest shall be
equal to the prime rate as set forth in The Wall Street
Journal on the Closing Date.
(v)
If an amount is payable to the Buyer pursuant to
Section 1.7(b)(iv), such amount shall be paid to the Buyer within
two Business Days after a final determination, first by the Escrow
Agent from the Escrow Cash, and then any earnout payment due to the
Selling Securityholders pursuant to Section 1.9 hereof shall be
paid in cash directly to the Escrow Agent as Escrow Cash to the
extent of the amount of any payment made to the Buyer by the Escrow
Agent from the Escrow Cash pursuant to this Section
1.7(b)(v).
1.8
Escrow . On the Closing Date, the
Buyer shall deliver to the Escrow Agent the Escrow Cash for the
purpose of securing the indemnification obligations of the Selling
Securityholders set forth in Article VII of this Agreement and
the payment of any amounts owed to the Buyer under Section 1.7(b).
The Escrow Cash shall be held as a trust fund and shall not be
subject to any lien, attachment, trustee process or any other
judicial process of any creditor of any Party, and shall be held
and disbursed solely for the purposes and in accordance with the
terms of the Escrow Agreement.
1.9
Earnout .
(a)
Earnout Payment . In addition to the
Purchase Price payable to the Selling Securityholders pursuant to
Sections 1.5, 1.6 and 1.7 hereof, but subject to Schedule
1.9(a) attached hereto (provided, that the Buyer will have no
liability to any third party as a result of such payments), each
Selling Securityholder shall be entitled to receive its Pro Rata
Share of any Earnout Amount paid hereunder. Such amounts shall be
paid by the Buyer to each Selling Securityholder in (i) cash and
(ii) at the Buyer’s option, up to a maximum of 40% of such
amount to be paid to each Selling Securityholder (without
considering the portion of the Earnout Amount, if any, paid to the
Escrow Agent as Escrow Cash pursuant to Section 1.7(b)(v)) may
be
paid in Buyer Common Stock (at the Buyer Common
Stock Price), provided , that , any payment to the
ESOP Stockholder pursuant to this Section 1.9 shall be made by the
Buyer in cash. No Other Selling Securityholder shall be required to
accept more than 40% of its Pro Rata portion of the Earnout Amount
(without considering the portion of the Earnout Amount, if any,
paid to the Escrow Agent as Escrow Cash pursuant to
Section 1.7(b)(v)) in Buyer Common Stock.
(b)
Time for Determination .
(i)
Within 30 days following the completion of the
audited financial statements of the Buyer for each of the Earnout
Periods, the Buyer shall determine the Earnout EBITDA for such
Earnout Period (the " Applicable Earnout EBITDA ") and the
Earnout Amount for such Earnout Period (the " Applicable Earnout
Amount ") and deliver to the Securityholders’
Representative a copy of such computations. Such computations
delivered to the Securityholders’ Representative by the Buyer
shall be conclusive and binding upon the parties, unless the
Securityholders’ Representative, within 30 days after
delivery to the Securityholders’ Representative of such
computations, notifies the Buyer in writing that the
Securityholders’ Representative disputes any of the amounts
set forth therein, specifying the nature of the dispute and the
basis therefor. Immediately following delivery of the computations
of the Applicable Earnout EBITDA and the Applicable Earnout Amount,
the Securityholders’ Representative and its representatives
shall have reasonable access to the books and records (including
financial statements) of the Company during regular business hours
to the extent necessary to verify the Buyer’s computation of
the Applicable Earnout EBITDA and the Applicable Earnout
Amount.
(ii)
The parties shall in good faith attempt to resolve
any dispute and, if the parties so resolve all disputes, the
computations of the Applicable Earnout EBITDA and the Applicable
Earnout Amount, as amended to the extent necessary to reflect the
resolution of the dispute, shall be conclusive and binding on the
parties. If the parties do not reach agreement in resolving the
dispute within 30 days after notice is given by the
Securityholders’ Representative to the Buyer pursuant to
Section 1.9(b)(i) above, the parties shall submit the dispute to a
nationally recognized independent accounting firm which is mutually
agreeable to the parties (the " Earnout Arbiter ") for
resolution. If the parties cannot agree on the selection of an
independent accounting firm to act as the Earnout Arbiter, the
parties shall request the AAA to appoint such firm, and such
appointment shall be conclusive and binding on the parties.
Promptly, but no later than 20 days after acceptance of his or her
appointment as Earnout Arbiter, the Earnout Arbiter shall determine
(it being understood that in making such determination, the Earnout
Arbiter shall be functioning as an expert and not as an
arbitrator), based solely on written submissions by the Buyer and
the Securityholders’ Representative, and not by independent
review, only those issues in dispute and shall render a written
report as to the resolution of the dispute and the resulting
computation of the Applicable Earnout Amount, which shall be
conclusive and binding on the parties absent manifest error. All
proceedings conducted by the Earnout Arbiter shall take place in
Salt Lake City, Utah. In resolving any disputed item, the Earnout
Arbiter (x) shall be bound by the provisions of this Section
1.9(b)(ii) and (y) may not assign a value to the Applicable Earnout
Amount greater than the greatest value for such item claimed by
either party or less than the smallest value for such item claimed
by either party. The fees, costs and expenses of the Earnout
Arbiter shall be equally allocated to and borne by the Buyer and
the Selling Securityholders.
(iii)
The Applicable Earnout Amount shall be paid to the
Selling Securityholders according to each Selling
Securityholder’s Pro Rata Share as follows: (A) as to
any amounts that are not subject to dispute as set forth in a
notice of the Securityholders’ Representative pursuant to
Section 1.9(b)(ii) above, within five Business Days after the
expiration of the time during which the Securityholders’
Representative may object to the Buyer’s calculation of the
Applicable Earnout Amount; and (B) as to any amounts that are
subject to dispute as set forth in a notice of the
Securityholders’ Representative pursuant to Section
1.9(b)(ii) above, within five Business Days following the date that
the determination of the disputed portion of the Applicable Earnout
Amount shall become binding and conclusive in accordance with
Sections 1.9(b)(i) or 1.9(b)(ii) above, as the case may be, and in
each case together with interest thereon from the date payment is
due following computations and resolutions of disputes to the date
of payment thereof. Interest shall be equal to the prime rate as
set forth in the Wall Street Journal on the date the payment
is due.
(c)
The Parties hereto acknowledge that the payment of
the Applicable Earnout Amount is contingent upon the future
operations of the Acquired Companies. Accordingly, the Buyer will
act in good faith to operate the Acquired Companies in a manner
consistent with its Ordinary Course of Business (except as
otherwise contemplated by this Agreement) and during the Earnout
Periods shall:
(i)
operate the Acquired Companies as a distinct
division, with separate books and records, including periodic
financial statements;
(ii)
not take funds from the Acquired Companies so that
they have inadequate capital to conduct their business;
and
(iii)
the Buyer shall permit the Company to have access to
funds, as may be required by the Company from time to time in the
Ordinary Course of Business, from the Buyer or under the credit
arrangements obtained by the Buyer if, during any applicable
Earnout Period, such credit arrangements by the Buyer have
contractually limited or precluded the Company from obtaining
financing separate and apart from the Buyer.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon an Acceleration Event, the
Buyer shall pay the Selling Securityholders, upon five Business
Days notice, the Liquidated Earnout Amount in cash.
For purposes of this Section 1.9(c), each of the following terms
shall have the meaning set forth below:
" Acceleration Event " means the occurrence of any of the
following events: (i) the Buyer materially changes the business
plan or operations of the Acquired Companies in a manner that could
reasonably be expected to impair the ability of the Company to
reach the applicable Earnout Amount; (ii) at any time the Buyer is
in material breach of Sections 1.9(c)(i), 1.9(c)(ii), or
1.9(c)(iii) and such breach has not been cured within 30 days of
receipt by the Buyer of notice of such breach; or (iii) a Change of
Control in Buyer occurs.
" Change in Control " means the occurrence
of any of the following:
a merger or consolidation in which the Buyer is not the
surviving entity, except for a transaction the principal purpose of
which is to change the state of the Company’s incorporation
or a transaction in which 50% or more of the surviving
entity’s outstanding voting stock following the transaction
is held by holders who held 50% or more of the Buyer’s
outstanding voting stock prior to such transaction; or
the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially
all of the assets of the Buyer; or
any reverse merger in which the Buyer is the surviving entity,
but in which 50% or more of the Buyer’s outstanding voting
stock is transferred to holders different from those who held the
stock immediately prior to such merger; or
the acquisition by any person (or entity) directly or indirectly
of 50% or more of the combined voting power of the outstanding
shares of Buyer capital stock; or
individuals who constitute the Board at the date of this
Agreement cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof;
provided, however, that any individual becoming a director
subsequent to the date hereof whose election, or nomination for
election by the Buyer’s stockholders, was approved by a vote
of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Board
on the date hereof (the " Incumbent Board ") shall be
considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent
Board, but excluding, for purposes of this proviso, any such
individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of
an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the
election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened
solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person
other than the Board.
" Earnout Liquidation Factor " means (a) in the event of
an Acceleration Event occurring after June 30, 2007, the
average of (i) the quotient of the last fiscal quarter’s
actual EBITDA divided by that fiscal quarter’s budgeted
EBITDA and (ii) the quotient of the second to the last fiscal
quarter’s actual EBITDA divided by that fiscal
quarter’s budgeted EBITDA (but not greater than 1.0) or (b)
in the event of an Acceleration Event occurring prior to June 30,
2007, the quotient of the first quarter 2007’s actual EBITDA
divided by the first quarter 2007’s budgeted EBITDA (but not
greater than 1.0). "Last fiscal quarter" and "second to last fiscal
quarter" as used herein shall be in relation to the time of the
Acceleration Event and "budgeted EBITDA" shall be the quarterly
budgeted EBITDA amounts for 2007 and 2008 set forth on Schedule
1.9(c) hereto, unless and until modified by agreement of the
Buyer and the Securityholders’ Representative.
" Liquidated Earnout Amount " means an amount equal to
the amount derived by applying Schedule 1.9 assuming, (a)
for an Acceleration Event occurring in 2007, that (i) the 2007
Earnout EBITDA equals the product of (x) the 2007 Maximum Target
and (y) the Earnout Liquidation Factor and (ii) the 2008 Earnout
EBITDA equals the product of (x) the 2008 Maximum Target and (y)
the Earnout Liquidation Factor and (b) for an Acceleration
Event occurring in 2008, that (i) the 2008 Earnout EBITDA
equals the product of (x) the total budgeted EBITDA for 2008
as agreed upon in good faith by the Buyer and the
Securityholder’s Representative and (y) the Earnout
Liquidation Factor. "EBITDA" as used in this definition
shall be determined in a manner consistent with
the calculation of "Earnout EBITDA" in Schedule 1.9
.
(d)
Acknowledgement of the Parties . The
Buyer, the Company and the Selling Securityholders acknowledge
that: (i) the payment of the Applicable Earnout Amount
hereunder is an integral part of the consideration to be received
by the Stockholders and the Optionholders pursuant to this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (and that the
Applicable Earnout Amount could be zero); (ii) the Applicable
Earnout Amount is not dependent upon the operating results of the
Buyer or any subsidiary or Affiliate of the Buyer (other than the
Acquired Companies); (iii) the right of the Selling Securityholders
to a portion of the Applicable Earnout Amount is not transferable
other than by operation of Law; (iv) the right of the Selling
Securityholders to a portion of the Applicable Earnout Amount shall
not be represented by a certificate or other instrument, shall not
represent an ownership interest in the Buyer and shall not entitle
any Selling Securityholder to any rights common to any holder of
Buyer Common Stock; and (v) the right of the Selling
Securityholders to payment of the Applicable Earnout Amount shall
not bear any interest other than in accordance with Section
1.9(b)(iii).
1.10
Securityholders’ Representative
.
(a)
The Selling Securityholders hereby appoint,
authorize and empower Mark S. Brouse (Mr. Brouse in such
capacity and any successor appointed pursuant to or in accordance
with Section 1.10(b), the " Securityholders’
Representative ") to act on behalf of each Selling
Securityholder in connection with, and to facilitate the
consummation of the transactions under, this Agreement, which shall
include the power and authority (i) to make all decisions relating
to the determination of any adjustments to the Purchase Price, (ii)
to take all action necessary in connection with the waiver of any
condition to the obligations of the Selling Securityholders to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, or the defense
and/or settlement of any claims for which the Selling
Securityholders may be required to indemnify the Buyer pursuant to
Article VII hereof, provided, that the settlement affects
the Selling Securityholders on a proportionate basis with no
individual Selling Securityholder becoming liable for more than his
or her Pro Rata Share of any claim, (iii) to give and receive all
notices required to be given under this Agreement, copies of which
shall be promptly provided to each Selling Securityholder, (iv) to
execute and deliver the Escrow Agreement, (v) to designate and
determine amounts to be paid and recipients of the Estimated
Closing Expenses, (vi) to make payment of the Representative
Expenses, (vii) collect and/or sell any receivable transferred
to the Selling Securityholders pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement and to distribute the proceeds thereof to the Selling
Securityholders and (viii) to take any and all additional
action as is contemplated to be taken by or on behalf of the
Selling Securityholders by the terms of this Agreement.
(b)
In the event that the Securityholders’
Representative dies, becomes unable to perform his responsibilities
hereunder or resigns from such position, (i) Kathryn Hoffman-Abby
or (ii) in her absence, such person selected by a majority of the
Selling Securityholders, shall fill such vacancy and shall be
deemed to be the Securityholders’ Representative for all
purposes of this Agreement.
(c)
All decisions and actions by the
Securityholders’ Representative, including any agreement
between the Securityholders’ Representative and the Buyer
relating to the
determination of any adjustments to the Purchase
Price, the defense or settlement of any claims for which the
Selling Securityholders may be required to indemnify the Buyer
pursuant to Article VII hereof or the payment of the
Estimated Closing Expenses or the Representative Expenses shall be
binding upon all of the Selling Securityholders, and no Selling
Securityholder shall have the right to object, dissent, protest or
otherwise contest the same.
(d)
By their execution of this Agreement, the Selling
Securityholders agree that:
(i)
the Buyer shall be able to rely conclusively on the
instructions and decisions of the Securityholders’
Representative as to the determination of any adjustments to the
Purchase Price, the settlement of any claims for indemnification by
the Buyer pursuant to Article VII hereof, the payment of the
Estimated Closing Expenses or the Representative Expenses or any
other actions required to be taken by the Securityholders’
Representative hereunder, and no Party hereunder shall have any
cause of action against the Buyer or the Securityholders’
Representative for any action taken by the Buyer in reliance upon
the instructions or decisions of the Securityholders’
Representative;
(ii)
all actions, decisions and instructions of the
Securityholders’ Representative shall be conclusive and
binding upon all of the Selling Securityholders, and no Selling
Securityholder shall have any cause of action against the
Securityholders’ Representative for any action taken,
decision made or instruction given by the Securityholders’
Representative under this Agreement, except for fraud or
intentional breach of this Agreement by the Securityholders’
Representative;
(iii)
the provisions of this Section 1.10 are independent
and severable, are irrevocable and coupled with an interest and
shall be enforceable notwithstanding any rights or remedies that
any Selling Securityholder may have in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(iv)
remedies available at law for any breach of the
provisions of this Section 1.10 are inadequate; therefore, the
Buyer, the Securityholders’ Representative and the Company
shall be entitled to temporary and permanent injunctive relief
without the necessity of proving damages if any such Party brings
an action to enforce the provisions of this Section 1.10;
and
(v)
the provisions of this Section 1.10 shall be binding
upon the executors, heirs, legal representatives and successors of
each Selling Securityholder, and any references in this Agreement
to a Selling Securityholder or to the Selling Securityholders shall
mean and include the successors to the Selling
Securityholders’ rights hereunder, whether pursuant to
testamentary disposition, the laws of descent and distribution or
otherwise.
(e)
In connection with any material determinations or
decisions hereunder, as determined in the good faith discretion of
the Securityholders’ Representative, the
Securityholders’ Representative shall consult with the ESOP
Stockholder regarding such determinations or decisions.
(f)
The Securityholders’ Representative may incur
reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable
attorney’s fees and court costs) on behalf of the Selling
Securityholders in his capacity as the Securityholders’
Representative (collectively, the "
Representative
Expenses "). If not paid directly to
the Securityholders’ Representative by the Selling
Securityholders, the Representative Expenses will be paid out of
the Representative Fund and thereafter the Representative Expenses
may be recovered from any Escrow Cash to be distributed to the
Selling Securityholders following the termination of the Escrow
Agreement, provided, that, the Securityholders’
Representative shall have delivered a notice to the Buyer and the
Escrow Agent not less than five Business Days prior to the
termination of the Escrow Agreement setting forth the amount of
such Representative Expenses to be paid to the
Securityholders’ Representative, and such recovery will be
made from the Selling Securityholders according to their respective
Pro Rata Share. The Securityholders’ Representative shall
cause any balance remaining in the Representative Fund at the
termination of the Escrow Agreement to be promptly distributed to
the Selling Securityholders according to their Pro Rata Share;
provided that the Securityholders’ Representative shall be
entitled to retain any portion of the Representative Fund required
to fund Representative Expenses related to unresolved Expected
Claim Notices or Claim Notices.
1.11
Currency . All references herein to
"Dollars" and amounts preceded by a "$" shall be construed as
references to United States dollars.
1.12
Withholding . The Buyer shall be
entitled to deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise
payable pursuant to this Agreement to any Selling Securityholder
such amounts as the Buyer is required to deduct and withhold under
the Code, or any provisions of foreign, state or local Tax Law,
with respect to the making of such payment. To the extent that
amounts are so withheld by the Buyer, such withheld amounts shall
be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid
to the Selling Securityholder, in respect of whom such deduction
and withholding was made by the Buyer.
ARTICLE II
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE SELLING SECURITYHOLDERS
REGARDING THE SELLING SECURITYHOLDERS AND THE COMPANY
SECURITIES
2.1
Selling Securityholders Representations and
Warranties . Each Selling Securityholder severally
represents and warrants to the Buyer that, except as set forth in
the Disclosure Schedule, the statements contained in this Section
2.1 are true and correct as of the date of this Agreement, except
to the extent such representations and warranties are specifically
made as of a particular date (in which case such representations
and warranties will be true and correct as of such date).
(a)
Title to Shares . Such Selling
Securityholder holds beneficially and of record and has good and
marketable title to the Common Shares which are to be transferred
to the Buyer by such Selling Securityholder pursuant hereto and/or
the Company Stock Options which are to become fully vested and
exercisable or cancelled, free and clear of any and all covenants,
conditions, restrictions, voting trust arrangements, options,
Security Interests, and adverse claims or rights whatsoever ("
Encumbrances "), other than restrictions on transferability under
the applicable federal and state securities Laws. Such Selling
Securityholder is not a party to any voting trust, proxy or other
agreement or understanding with respect to the voting of any
capital
stock of the Company. Schedule I to this
Agreement sets forth a true and correct description of all Company
Securities owned or held by such Selling Securityholder.
(b)
Organization of Certain Selling
Securityholders . If such Selling Securityholder is a
corporation, trust or other legal entity, it is duly organized,
validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation or other formation.
(c)
Authorization of Transaction . Such
Selling Securityholder has the full right, power and authority to
execute and enter into this Agreement, the Escrow Agreement, the
Non-Competition Agreement and all other agreements contemplated
hereby to which it is a party, to perform its obligations hereunder
and thereunder and to transfer, convey and sell to the Buyer at the
Closing the Common Shares to be sold by such Selling Securityholder
hereunder and, upon consummation of the purchase contemplated
hereby, the Buyer will acquire from such Selling Securityholder
good and marketable title to such Common Shares, free and clear of
any and all Encumbrances, other than any Encumbrances created by
the Buyer and any restrictions on transferability under applicable
federal and state securities Laws. If such Selling Securityholder
is a corporation, trust or other legal entity, the execution and
delivery by such Selling Securityholder of the Escrow Agreement,
this Agreement and all other agreements contemplated hereby to
which it is a party, and the consummation by such Selling
Securityholder of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby
have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate,
trust or other action on the part of such Selling Securityholder.
This Agreement, the Escrow Agreement, the Non-Competition Agreement
and all other agreements contemplated hereby to which it is a
party, have each been, or when executed and delivered by such
Selling Securityholder shall be, duly and validly executed and
delivered by such Selling Securityholder and each constitutes a
valid and binding obligation of such Selling Securityholder,
enforceable against such Selling Securityholder in accordance with
its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and similar Laws affecting
creditors’ rights and remedies generally and to general
principles of equity.
(d)
Noncontravention . Subject to
compliance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act,
and any applicable state securities and antitrust and trade
regulation Laws, such Selling Securityholder is not a party to,
subject to or bound by any agreement or any judgment, order, writ,
prohibition, injunction or decree of any Governmental Entity which
would prevent the execution, delivery or performance of this
Agreement by such Selling Securityholder or the transfer,
conveyance and sale of the Common Shares to be sold by such Selling
Securityholder to the Buyer pursuant to the terms hereof. Neither
the execution and delivery by such Selling Securityholder of this
Agreement, nor the consummation by such Selling Securityholder of
the transactions contemplated hereby, will (i) conflict with or
violate any provision of the formation or similar documents of such
Selling Securityholder, (ii) require on the part of the Selling
Securityholder any notice to or filing with, or any permit,
authorization, consent or approval of, any Governmental Entity,
(iii) conflict with, result in a breach of, constitute (with or
without due notice or lapse of time or both) a default under,
result in the acceleration of obligations under, create in any
party the right to terminate, accelerate, modify or cancel, or
require any notice, consent or waiver under, any contract or
instrument to which the Selling Securityholder is a party or by
which the Selling Securityholder is bound or to which its assets
are subject, except for (A) any conflict, breach, default,
acceleration, termination, modification or cancellation
which
would not have a material adverse effect upon the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or result in
any liability to the Company or (B) any notice, consent or waiver
the absence of which would not have a material adverse effect upon
the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or result
in any liability to the Company, or (iv) violate any
constitution, judgment, ruling, charge, order, writ, injunction,
decree, statute, rule or regulation, or other restriction of any
Governmental Entity applicable to the Selling
Securityholder.
(e)
Powers of Attorney . There are no
outstanding powers of attorney executed on behalf of such Selling
Securityholder relating to any Common Shares, this Agreement, the
Escrow Agreement and all other agreements contemplated hereby,
other than any power of attorney, including any stock powers,
required to be executed by such Selling Securityholder in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and delivered
to the Buyer at Closing.
(f)
No Claims Against the Company . Such
Selling Securityholder has not at any time instituted any claim,
proceeding, action, suit or cause of action against the Company or
any of its Affiliates, or any of their respective predecessors or
Affiliates in its capacity as a holder of securities of the
Company, and is not aware of any grounds for any such claim or
proceeding in its capacity as a holder of securities of the
Company.
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY AND THE SELLING
SECURITYHOLDERS REGARDING THE COMPANY
The ESOP Stockholder, severally and not jointly, represents and
warrants to the Buyer and each of the Company and the Other Selling
Securityholders, jointly and severally, represents and warrants to
the Buyer that, except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedule, the
statements contained in this Article III are true and
correct as of the date of this Agreement, except to the extent such
representations and warranties are specifically made as of a
particular date (in which case such representations and warranties
will be true and correct as of such date). For purposes of this
Article III , the phrase " to the knowledge of the
Company and the Selling Securityholders " or " of which the
Company is aware " or any variation of any of the foregoing or
phrase of similar import shall be deemed to refer to the actual
knowledge of one or more of the Selling Securityholders of a
particular fact, circumstance, event or other matter.
3.1
Organization, Qualification and Corporate
Power .
(a)
Section 3.1 of the Disclosure Schedule contains a
list for each Acquired Company of its name, its jurisdiction of
formation, other jurisdictions in which it is authorized to do
business, and its capitalization. Each Acquired Company is duly
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of
the jurisdiction in which it is organized, with full power and
authority to conduct its business as it is now being conducted and
to own, lease or use the properties and assets that it purports to
own, lease or use. Each Acquired Company is duly qualified or
licensed to do business as a foreign corporation and is in
corporate and tax good standing (where such concepts are recognized
under applicable Law) in each state or other jurisdiction where
either the ownership or use of the properties owned or used by it,
or the nature of the activities conducted by it, requires such
qualification.
(b)
Sellers have delivered or made available to Buyer
copies of the Organizational Documents of each Acquired Company, as
currently in effect.
3.2
Capitalization .
(a)
The authorized capital stock of the Company consists
of 5,000,000 Common Shares, of which 196,750 shares are issued and
outstanding.
(b)
Schedule I and Section 3.2 of the
Disclosure Schedule set forth a list, as of the date of this
Agreement, of all the holders of capital stock of the Company,
showing the number of shares of such capital stock held by each
Stockholder. All of the outstanding equity securities and other
securities of each Acquired Company (other than the Company) are
owned of record and beneficially by one or more of the Acquired
Companies, free and clear of all Encumbrances. All of the issued
and outstanding shares of capital stock of, or other equity
interests in, each of the Acquired Companies have been duly
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable.
Other than contracts relating to Company Stock Options, there are
no unfulfilled contracts relating to the issuance, sale, or
transfer of any equity securities or other securities of any
Acquired Company. All of the issued and outstanding shares of
capital stock, or other equity interests in, each of the Acquired
Companies have been offered, issued and sold in material compliance
with all applicable federal and state securities Laws.
(c)
Section 3.2(c) of the Disclosure Schedule sets forth
a list, as of the date of this Agreement of: (i) (A) the number of
Common Shares issued to date under each Company Stock Plan, (B) the
number of Common Shares subject to outstanding Company Stock
Options under each Company Stock Plan, and (C) the number of Common
Shares reserved for future issuance under each Company Stock Plan;
and (ii) all Optionholders and, with respect to each such
Optionholder’s outstanding Company Stock Options, (A) the
number of Common Shares subject to such Company Stock Options, (B)
the exercise price, the date of grant, the vesting schedule
(including any acceleration provisions with respect thereto)
applicable to such Company Stock Options, and (C) whether such
Company Stock Options are intended to qualify as incentive stock
options (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code). The
Company has delivered or made available to the Buyer copies of the
Company Stock Plan and each form of stock option agreement
evidencing the grant of any outstanding Company Stock Option. All
Company Stock Options have been granted in material compliance with
applicable federal and state tax and securities Laws and the terms
of the applicable Company Stock Plan.
(d)
(i) No subscription, warrant, option, convertible
security or other right (contingent or otherwise) to purchase or
acquire any shares of capital stock of any Acquired Company is
authorized or outstanding, (ii) no Acquired Company has an
obligation (contingent or otherwise) to issue any subscription,
warrant, option, convertible security or other such right or to
issue or distribute to holders of any shares of its capital stock
any evidence of indebtedness or assets of any Acquired Company,
(iii) no Acquired Company has any obligation (contingent or
otherwise) to purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of
its capital stock or any interest therein or to pay any dividend or
to make any other distribution in respect thereof, and (iv) there
are no outstanding or authorized stock appreciation, phantom stock,
restricted stock, profit participation or other rights based on or
measured by the value of any equity security of, or interest in,
any Acquired Company.
(e)
There is no agreement, written or oral, between any
Acquired Company and any holder of its securities, or, to the
Company’s and the Selling Securityholders’ knowledge,
among any holders of its securities, relating to the sale or
transfer (including agreements relating to rights of first refusal,
co sale rights or "drag along" rights), registration under the
Securities Act, or voting, of the capital stock of such Acquired
Company.
3.3
Authorization of Transaction . The
Company has all requisite power and authority to execute and
deliver this Agreement and all other agreements contemplated hereby
to which the Company is a party and to perform its obligations
hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery by the Company
of this Agreement and all other agreements contemplated hereby to
which the Company is a party, and the consummation by the Company
of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, have been duly
and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the
part of the Company. This Agreement and all other agreements
contemplated hereby to which the Company is a party, have each
been, or when executed and delivered by the Company will be, duly
and validly executed and delivered by the Company and each
constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Company,
enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms,
subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and similar Laws affecting
creditors’ rights and remedies generally and to general
principles of equity.
3.4
Noncontravention . Subject to
compliance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act,
and any applicable state securities and antitrust and trade
regulation Laws, neither the execution and delivery by the Company
of this Agreement, nor the consummation by the Company of the
transactions contemplated hereby, will (a) conflict with or violate
any provision of the Organizational Documents of any Acquired
Company, (b) require on the part of any Acquired Company any notice
to or filing with, or any permit, authorization, consent or
approval of, any Governmental Entity, (c) conflict with, result in
a breach of, constitute (with or without due notice or lapse of
time or both) a default under, result in the acceleration of
obligations under, create in any party the right to terminate,
accelerate, modify or cancel, or require any notice, consent or
waiver under, any contract or instrument set forth on Section
3.10(d), 3.11 or 3.17(a) of the Disclosure Schedule, (d) result in
the imposition of any Security Interest upon any assets of the
Acquired Company, or (e) violate any order, writ, injunction,
decree, statute, rule or regulation applicable to any Acquired
Company or any of the properties or assets of any Acquired
Company.
3.5
Undisclosed Liabilities . Except for
(a) liabilities that are reflected, or for which reserves were
established, on the Most Recent Balance Sheet, (b) liabilities
incurred in the Ordinary Course of Business from and after the Most
Recent Balance Sheet Date and (c) liabilities arising under this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, the Company has
no liabilities of any nature that would be required to be reflected
on a balance sheet for the Company prepared in accordance with GAAP
or that would be reasonably be expected to have a Company Material
Adverse Effect. At the Closing, the Company will have no debt for
borrowed money outstanding.
3.6
Tax Matters .
(a)
Filing of Tax Returns . Each
Acquired Company has timely filed with the appropriate Governmental
Entities all material Tax Returns required to be filed under any
applicable Laws. All such Tax Returns are complete and accurate in
all material respects. The Acquired Companies are not currently the
beneficiary of any extension of time within which to file any Tax
Return. No written claim has ever been made by any Governmental
Entity in a jurisdiction where any Acquired Company does not file
Tax Returns that it is or may be subject to taxation by that
jurisdiction.
(b)
Payment of Taxes . All Taxes due and
owing by the Acquired Companies and any of their predecessors or
affiliates (whether or not shown on any Tax Returns) have been paid
on a timely basis. The unpaid Taxes of the Acquired Companies did
not, (i) as of the date of the Most Recent Balance Sheet, exceed
the accruals and reserve for Tax liability (excluding any reserve
for deferred Taxes established to reflect timing differences
between book and Tax income) set forth on the face of the Most
Recent Balance Sheet (rather than in any notes thereto), and (ii)
will not exceed that reserve as adjusted for operations and
transactions through the Closing Date in accordance with past
custom and practice of such Acquired Companies in filing its Tax
Returns.
(c)
Audits, Investigations or Claims .
No deficiencies for Taxes of the Acquired Companies have been
claimed or proposed or assessed in writing by any Governmental
Entity. There are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Selling
Securityholders or the Acquired Companies, threatened audits,
assessments or other actions for or relating to any liability in
respect of Taxes of the Acquired Companies (or their predecessors
or affiliates), and there are no matters under discussion with any
governmental authorities, or known to the Selling Securityholders
or the Acquired Companies, with respect to Taxes that are likely to
result in an additional liability for Taxes with respect to the
Acquired Companies (or their predecessors or affiliates). The
Company has delivered or made available to Buyer complete and
accurate copies of foreign, federal, state and local Tax Returns of
the Acquired Companies (and their respective predecessors and
affiliates) for the years ended December 31, 2000, 2001, 2002,
2003, 2004 and 2005, and complete and accurate copies of all
examination reports and statements of deficiencies assessed against
or agreed to by any Acquired Company (and their respective
predecessors) since December 31, 2001. The Tax Returns of the
Acquired Companies have been audited by the IRS or the prescribed
Governmental Entity in the relevant jurisdiction or are closed by
the statute of limitations for all taxable years through the
taxable years specified for such Tax Returns in Section 3.6(c) of
the Disclosure Schedule. The Acquired Companies have not (nor has
any predecessor or affiliate) waived any statute of limitations in
respect of Taxes or agreed to any extension of time with respect to
a Tax assessment or deficiency, nor has any request been made in
writing for any such extension or waiver. No power of attorney
(other than powers of attorney authorizing employees of the Company
to act on behalf of the Company) with respect to any Taxes has been
executed or filed with any Tax authority or other Governmental
Entity.
(d)
Tax Elections . All material
elections with respect to Taxes affecting any Acquired Company as
of the date hereof are set forth on Section 3.6(d) of the
Disclosure Schedule. No Acquired Company (i) has agreed, and is not
required, to make any adjustment under Section 481(a) of the Code
by reason of a change in accounting method or otherwise;
(ii) has elected at any time to be treated as an
S corporation within the meaning of Sections 1361 or 1362 of the
Code; or (iii) has made any of the foregoing elections and is not
required to apply any of the foregoing rules under any comparable
state or local Tax provision.
(e)
Tax Sharing and Pre-Filing Agreements
. There are no Tax-sharing, indemnity, allocation,
pre-filing, or advance pricing agreements or similar arrangements
with respect to or involving any Acquired Company, and, after the
Closing Date, no Acquired Company shall be bound by any such
agreements or similar arrangements or have any liability thereunder
for amounts due in respect of periods prior to the Closing
Date.
(f)
Other Entity Liability . No Acquired
Company has ever been a member of an affiliated group filing a
consolidated federal income Tax Return (other than a group the
common parent of which is the Company). No Acquired Company has any
liability for the Taxes of any Person (other than Taxes of the
Company) (i) under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or any
similar provision of state, local, or foreign law), (ii) as a
transferee or successor, (iii) by contract, or (iv)
otherwise.
(g)
USRPHC . No Acquired Company has
ever been a United State real property holding corporation within
the meaning of Section 897(c)(2) of the Code during the applicable
period specified in section 897(c)(1)(A)(ii) of the Code.
(h)
Partnerships and Single Member LLCs
. No Acquired Company (i) is a partner for Tax purposes with
respect to any joint venture, partnership, or other arrangement or
contract which is treated as a partnership for Tax purposes, or
(ii) owns a single member limited liability company which is
treated as a disregarded entity.
(i)
Disallowance of Interest Deductions
. None of the outstanding indebtedness of the Acquired
Companies constitutes indebtedness with respect to which any
interest deductions may be disallowed under Sections 163(i) or
163(l) or 279 of the Code or under any other provision of
applicable Law.
(j)
Tax Shelters . The Acquired
Companies have not entered into any transaction identified as a
" listed transaction " for purposes of Treasury Regulations
Sections 1.6011-4(b)(2) or 301.6111-2(b)(2). If any Acquired
Company has entered into any transaction such that, if the
treatment claimed by it were to be disallowed, the transaction
would constitute a substantial understatement of federal income tax
within the meaning of Code Section 6662, then it believes that it
has either (x) substantial authority for the tax treatment of such
transaction or (y) disclosed on its Tax Return the relevant facts
affecting the tax treatment of such transaction.
(k)
Spin-Offs . The Acquired Companies
have not distributed the stock of any corporation in a transaction
satisfying the requirements of Section 355 of the Code since
December 31, 2004, and the stock of the Acquired Companies has not
been distributed in a transaction satisfying the requirements of
Section 355 of the Code since December 31, 2004.
3.7
Assets .
(a)
Each Acquired Company has good and marketable title
to all of the material assets (tangible or intangible) purported to
be owned by such Acquired Company, free and clear
of all Security Interests. Each Acquired Company
owns or leases all tangible assets sufficient for the conduct of
its business as presently conducted. Such tangible assets, taken as
a whole, have been maintained in accordance with normal industry
practice, are in functional operating condition and repair (subject
to normal wear and tear) and are suitable for the purposes for
which they are presently used.
(b)
Section 3.7(b) of the Disclosure Schedule sets forth
a list of all equipment, motor vehicles and assets which have a
fair market value of over $25,000 as of the date hereof and which
are leased by the Company. Each item of equipment, motor vehicle
and other asset that any Acquired Company has possession of
pursuant to a lease agreement or other contractual arrangement is
in such condition that, if such item of equipment, motor vehicle or
other asset were returned to its lessor or owner on the Closing
Date in accordance with the applicable lease or contract, the
Acquired Company would not be charged any additional payments due
to the condition of such item of equipment, motor vehicle or other
asset.
3.8
Owned Real Property . The Company
does not currently own, and has not at any time during its
existence owned, any Owned Real Property.
3.9
Real Property Leases . Section 3.9
of the Disclosure Schedule lists all Leases to which any Acquired
Company is a party. The Company has made available to the Buyer
copies of the Leases. With respect to each Lease:
(a)
such Lease is in full force and effect, and such
Lease affords the applicable Acquired Company a valid leasehold
interest to the real property that is the subject of the
Lease;
(b)
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement do
not require the consent of any other party to such Lease, will not
result in a breach of or default under such Lease, and will not
otherwise cause such Lease to cease to be in full force and effect
immediately following the Closing in accordance with the terms
thereof as in effect immediately prior to the Closing;
(c)
no Acquired Company has collaterally assigned or
granted any Security Interest in such Lease; and
(d)
no Acquired Company nor, to the knowledge of the
Company or the Selling Securityholders, any other party, is in
breach or violation of, or default under, any such Lease, and no
event has occurred, is pending (including the transactions
contemplated hereby) or, to the knowledge of the Company and the
Selling Securityholders, is threatened, which, after the giving of
notice, with lapse of time, or otherwise, would permit the
termination, modification or acceleration of rent under such Lease
or would constitute a breach or default by the applicable Acquired
Company or, to the knowledge of the Company and the Selling
Securityholders, any other party under such Lease.
3.10
Intellectual Property .
(a)
Section 3.10(a) of the Disclosure Schedule lists
each registration or application for registration for copyrights
and each registered trademark and service mark and any application
for registration therefore and each active registered Internet
domain name of any Acquired Company. No Acquired Company has any
patents or patent applications.
(b)
To the knowledge of the Company and the Selling
Securityholders, each Acquired Company owns or has the right to use
all Intellectual Property necessary to conduct the business of such
Acquired Company as presently conducted. Each item of Company
Intellectual Property will be owned or available for use by the
Buyer immediately following the Closing on substantially identical
terms and conditions as it was immediately prior to the Closing. To
the knowledge of the Company and the Selling Securityholders, no
other person or entity is, as of the date hereof, infringing,
violating or misappropriating any of the Company Intellectual
Property.
(c)
To the knowledge of the Company and the Selling
Securityholders, the use of the Company Intellectual Property by
the Acquired Companies does not infringe or violate, or constitute
a misappropriation of, any Intellectual Property rights of any
person or entity. Section 3.10(c) of the Disclosure Schedule lists
each written complaint, claim or notice, or written threat thereof,
received by any Acquired Company alleging any such infringement,
violation or misappropriation since January 1, 2004. The Acquired
Company has made available to the Buyer a summary of all written
documentation in the Company’s possession relating to claims
or disputes known to the Company concerning any Company
Intellectual Property owned by any Acquired Company.
(d)
Section 3.10(d) of the Disclosure Schedule
identifies each license or other agreement currently in effect
pursuant to which any Acquired Company has licensed, distributed or
otherwise granted any rights to any third party with respect to,
any Company Intellectual Property.
(e)
Section 3.10(e) of the Disclosure Schedule
identifies each item of Company Intellectual Property that is owned
by a party other than any Acquired Company, and the license or
agreement pursuant to which any Acquired Company uses it, if any
(excluding non-customized, off the shelf software programs licensed
by any Acquired Company pursuant to " shrink wrap " or "
click-through " licenses).
3.11
Contracts .
(a)
Section 3.11 of the Disclosure Schedule lists the
following agreements (written or oral) to which any Acquired
Company is a party as of the date of this Agreement:
(i)
any agreement for the lease of personal property
from or to third parties providing for lease payments by any
Acquired Company in excess of $25,000 per annum;
(ii)
any agreement for the purchase of products or for
the receipt of services which involves the payment by any Acquired
Company of more than the sum of $25,000 per annum;
(iii)
any partnership, joint venture or limited liability
company agreement;
(iv)
any agreement under which any Acquired Company has
created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed (or may create, incur,
assume or guarantee) indebtedness for borrowed money or any
capitalized lease obligation, or under which any Acquired Company
has imposed (or may impose) a Security Interest on any of its
assets, tangible or intangible;
(v)
any agreement for the acquisition of a business or
entity, or substantially all of the assets of a business or entity
(including by merger or consolidation);
(vi)
any agreement concerning noncompetition or
nonsolicitation, or an agreement that otherwise materially
restricts the ability of any Acquired Company to compete, to which
any Acquired Company is a party;
(vii)
any agreement for the employment of any individual
on a full-time, part-time, consulting or other basis that is not
terminable at will by the applicable Acquired Company and without
the payment of severance, termination or similar compensation or
benefits (other than required by Law) and which agreement requires
payment of amounts after the date hereof in excess of $75,000 of
base pay per annum;
(viii) any agreement under which any Acquired Company has advanced or
loaned any amount to any of its directors, officers, and employees
outside the Ordinary Course of Business;
(ix)
any agreement in which any current or former
officer, director or stockholder of the Company is directly or
indirectly interested, including any agreement subject to Section
5.17;
(x)
any settlement, conciliation or similar agreement,
the performance of which will involve payment after the Closing
Date of consideration in excess of $25,000; and
(xi)
any agreement (other than agreements of the type
described in subclauses (i) through (x) above) that involves
aggregate future payments by any Acquired Company in excess of
$50,000 per annum, other than an agreement entered into in the
Ordinary Course of Business.
(b)
The Company has made available to the Buyer a copy
of each written agreement listed in Section 3.10 or Section 3.11 of
the Disclosure Schedule (the "Scheduled Agreements"). As of the
date hereof, neither any Acquired Company nor, to the knowledge of
the Company or the Selling Securityholders, any other party, is in
material breach or default under, any Scheduled Agreement, and no
event has occurred, is pending (including the transactions
contemplated hereby) or, to the knowledge of the Company and the
Selling Securityholders, is threatened, which, after the giving of
notice, with lapse of time, or otherwise, would constitute a
material breach or default by any Acquired Company or, to the
knowledge of the Company and the Selling Securityholders, any other
party under a Scheduled Agreement.
3.12
Accounts Receivable . All accounts
receivable of any Acquired Company reflected on the Most Recent
Balance Sheet (other than those collected since such date) are
valid receivables and are not subject to material setoffs or
counterclaims, except as reflected in reserves on the Most Recent
Balance Sheet. All accounts receivable (including receivables on
the Closing Balance Sheet) of any Acquired Company that have arisen
since the Most Recent Balance Sheet Date are valid receivables and
are not subject to setoffs or counterclaims, are current and
collectible, and will be collected in accordance with their terms
within 120 days of Closing at their recorded amounts, except
as reflected in reserves for uncollectible accounts in such
Acquired Company’s books and records.
3.13
Powers of Attorney . There are no
outstanding powers of attorney executed on behalf of any Acquired
Company.
3.14
Insurance . Section 3.14 of the
Disclosure Schedule lists each insurance policy (including medical
malpractice, fire, theft, casualty, comprehensive general
liability, workers’ compensation, business interruption,
environmental, product liability and automobile insurance policies
and bond and surety arrangements) to which any Acquired Company is
a party, all of which are in full force and effect. To the
knowledge of the Company and the Selling Securityholders, there is
no material claim pending under any such policy as to which
coverage has been questioned, denied or disputed by the underwriter
of such policy. All premiums due and payable under all such
policies have been paid or reflected in the Financial Statements
(unless such premiums became due after the date of the Financial
Statements), no Acquired Company is liable for retroactive
premiums, and each Acquired Company is otherwise in compliance in
all material respects with the terms of such policies. No Acquired
Company, nor to the knowledge of the Company and the Selling
Securityholders, any other party to such policy is in material
breach or default and no event has occurred that, with the notice
or the lapse of time, would constitute such a material breach or
default, or permit termination, modification, or acceleration under
the policy and, to the knowledge of the Company and the Selling
Securityholders, no party has repudiated any provision of any such
policy. The Company has no knowledge of any threatened termination
of, or premium increase with respect to, any such policy. Each such
policy will continue to be in full force and effect immediately
following the Closing in accordance with the terms thereof as in
effect immediately prior to the Closing. Unless a different level
of medical malpractice insurance is required to be maintained by
the Company by a particular State or individual facility, the
Company has, as of the date of this Agreement, professional
liability insurance coverage of $1,000,000 per claim, with a per
claim deductible of $100,000.
3.15
Litigation . Section 3.15 of the
Disclosure Schedule sets forth each instance in which any Acquired
Company is party or, to the knowledge of the Company and the
Selling Securityholders, is threatened to be made a party to any
action, suit, proceeding, hearing, or investigation of, in, or
before any Governmental Entity. There are no injunctions,
judgments, orders or decrees outstanding against any Acquired
Company on the date hereof.
3.16
Employees .
(a)
Section 3.16(a) of the Disclosure Schedule contains
a list of all current employees of the Acquired Companies whose
annual base salary exceeds $50,000 per year, along with the
position and the annual rate of compensation of each such person.
As of the date hereof, no Acquired Company employee at the Vice
President level or higher has provided notice of such
employee’s intent to terminate employment with such Acquired
Company and, as of the date hereof, to the knowledge of the
Company, no such employee presently plans to terminate employment
with such Acquired Company.
(b)
No Acquired Company is now or has been a party to or
bound by any collective bargaining or similar agreement, nor during
the past five years has any Acquired Company experienced any
strikes, slowdowns, work stoppages, grievances, lockouts, claims of
unfair labor practices or other collective bargaining disputes and,
to the knowledge of the Company, no such
strikes, slowdowns, work stoppages, grievances,
lockouts, claims of unfair labor practices or other collective
bargaining disputes are threatened. There are no labor unions or
other organizations, either currently or within the past five
years, representing, purporting to represent or, to the knowledge
of the Company, attempting to represent any employees of any
Acquired Company.
(c)
No Acquired Company has violated any law, order,
judgment or arbitration award of any court, arbitrator or
government authority regarding the terms and conditions of
employment of employees, former employees or prospective employees
or other labor related matters, including any laws, orders,
judgments or awards relating to wrongful discharge, discrimination,
personal rights, leaves of absence, wages, hours, collective
bargaining, fair labor standards or occupational health and
safety.
(d)
Each Acquired Company has properly classified all of
its service providers as either employees or independent
contractors. Each Acquired Company has withheld and paid to the
appropriate governmental authority all amounts required to be
withheld from compensation paid to its employees and is not liable
for any arrears of taxes, penalties or other sums for failure to
withhold and pay applicable taxes. Each Acquired Company has paid
in full to its employees or adequately accrued for in accordance
with GAAP all wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, benefits and
other compensation due to or on behalf of such employees. There is
no claim in dispute against any Acquired Company with respect to
payment of wages, salary or overtime pay that has been asserted or
is now pending or threatened with respect to any current or former
service providers of such Acquired Company.
(e)
In the three years prior to the date hereof, no
Acquired Company has effectuated (i) a " plant closing " (as
defined in the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act
(the " WARN Act ") or any similar state, local or foreign
Law) affecting any site of employment or one or more facilities or
operating units within any site of employment or facility of any
Acquired Company, or (ii) a " mass layoff " (as defined in
the WARN Act, or any similar state, local or foreign law) affecting
any site of employment or facility of any Acquired Company. No
Acquired Company has material liabilities, whether contingent or
absolute, relating to workers’ compensation benefits that are
not fully insured against by a bona fide third-party insurance
carrier to the extent required by applicable Law. With respect to
each state workers’ compensation arrangement that is funded
wholly or partially through an insurance policy or public or
private fund, all premiums required to have been paid to date under
such insurance policy or fund have been paid.
(f)
Section 3.16(f) of the Disclosure Schedule sets
forth any and all indebtedness in excess of $10,000 owed by any
current or former employee, consultant or director of any Acquired
Company to any Acquired Company.
3.17
Employee Benefits .
(a)
Section 3.17(a) of the Disclosure Schedule contains
a complete and accurate list of all Company Plans. Complete and
accurate copies of (i) all Company Plans which have been reduced to
writing (including all amendments thereto), (ii) written summaries
of all unwritten Company Plans, (iii) all related current trust
agreements, insurance contracts and summary plan
descriptions and material written employee
communications distributed generally to employees within
12 months preceding the date hereof regarding such Company
Plans, (iv) the most recent annual reports filed on IRS Form 5500
(including all exhibits and attachments thereto) for each Company
Plan, (v) if a Company Plan is intended to qualify under Section
401(a) of the Code, the most recent IRS determination or opinion
letter applicable to such Company Plan, and (vi) all material,
non-routine communications with any governmental entity or agency,
including the U.S. Department of Labor, the IRS and the Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation, within the three years preceding the
date hereof and relating to a Company Plan have been made available
to Buyer. Except as necessary to comply with applicable Laws, none
of the Acquired Companies has made any plan or commitment to create
any new or additional Company Plan or to modify any existing
Company Plan that would result in a material increase in the
compensation or benefits provided to any current or former
employee, consultant or director of any Acquired Company or the
spouses, beneficiaries or other dependents thereof.
(b)
Each of the Acquired Companies has, in all material
respects, (i) timely made or, to the extent not yet due, accrued on
its consolidated financial statements, all required contributions
(including all employer contributions and employee salary reduction
contributions) thereto, and (ii) timely paid all premiums and
expenses to or in respect of such Company Plan. Each of the
Acquired Companies and each Company Plan are in compliance in all
material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code
and foreign law applicable to any Company Plan and any regulations
thereunder. Except as set forth on Section 3.17(b) of the
Disclosure Schedule, no Company Plan or related trust holds assets
that include securities issued by any Acquired Company.
(c)
With respect to each Company Plan, (i) no
breaches of fiduciary duty or other failures to act or comply in
connection with the administration or investment of the assets of a
Company Plan in connection with which any Acquired Company or a
fiduciary could reasonably be expected to incur a material
liability have occurred; and (ii) no non-exempt prohibited
transaction within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section
4975 of the Code that could reasonably be expected to result in
material liability to any Acquired Company has occurred; and
(iii) no lien has been imposed under the Code, ERISA or any
comparable foreign law.
(d)
There are no Legal Proceedings (including without
limitation any audits or investigation by the IRS, the U.S.
Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or
any other federal, state or foreign Governmental Authority), except
claims for benefits payable in the normal operation of the Company
Plans, pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened,
against, by, on behalf of, relating to or involving any Company
Plan.
(e)
Each Company Plan that is intended to be qualified
under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable
determination or opinion letter from the IRS on which each
Acquiring Company that is a participating employer in such Company
Plan is entitled to rely and (i) no prototype plan has been
modified or amended such that the plan would be considered an
individually designed plan, (ii) no such determination or opinion
letter has been revoked and revocation has not been threatened, and
(iii) no act or omission has occurred that would reasonably be
expected to adversely affect the qualification of such Company
Plan. Each Company Plan that is intended to qualify under any law
of any foreign jurisdiction has received any required approval of a
governmental authority of a foreign jurisdiction which approval
has
not been revoked and, to the knowledge of the
Company, no event or circumstance exists that has adversely
affected or is likely to adversely affect such qualification or
approval.
(f)
No Company Plan is, and no Acquired Company nor any
ERISA Affiliate maintains, contributes to, or, in the six years
preceding the date of this Agreement, has maintained or been
obligated to contribute to an Employee Benefit Plan subject to
Section 412 of the Code, Title IV of ERISA or comparable funding
obligations imposed under the laws of any foreign
jurisdiction.
(g)
At no time in the six years preceding the date of
this Agreement has any Acquired Company or any ERISA Affiliate been
obligated to contribute to any " multiemployer plan " (as
defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA) or " multiple employer
plan " (as defined in Section 413(c) of the Code).
(h)
No Acquired Company has obligations under any
Company Plan or otherwise to provide benefits after termination of
employment or service to any current or former employees,
consultants or directors of any Acquired Company (or to any spouse,
dependent or beneficiary of any of the foregoing), including but
not limited to obligations to provide health, accident, disability
or life insurance coverage, but excluding continuation of health
coverage required to be continued under Section 4980B of the Code
or other applicable law and insurance conversion privileges
provided under state law. There has been no communication to any
current or former employee, consultant or director or any retiree
of any Acquired Company, or the spouses, dependents or
beneficiaries of any of the foregoing, that would reasonably be
expected to promise or guarantee any such health, accident,
disability or life insurance coverage.
(i)
Neither the execution and delivery of this
Agreement, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby, either alone or in combination with another event (whether
contingent or otherwise) will (i) entitle any current or former
employee, consultant or director of any Acquired Company or any
group of such employees, consultants or directors to any payment or
benefit; (ii) increase the amount of compensation or benefits due
to any such employee, consultant or director; or (iii) accelerate
the vesting, funding or time of payment of any compensation, equity
award or other benefit.
(j)
Each Company Plan that is a nonqualified deferred
compensation plan subject to Code Section 409A has been operated
and administered in good faith compliance with Code Section 409A
from the period beginning January 1, 2005 through the date
hereof.
(k)
With respect to each Company Plan providing
compensation or benefits to any employee or former employee of any
Acquired Company (or any dependent or beneficiary thereof) which is
subject to the laws of any jurisdiction outside of the United
States (the " Foreign Plans "): (i) such Foreign Plan has
been maintained in all material respects in accordance with all
applicable requirements and all applicable laws, (ii) if intended
to qualify for special tax treatment, such Foreign Plan meets all
requirements for such treatment, (iii) if intended or required to
be funded and/or book-reserved, such Foreign Plan has been funded
and/or book reserved, as appropriate, based upon reasonable
actuarial assumptions, and (iv) no material liability exists or
reasonably could be imposed upon the assets of any Acquired Company
by reason of such Foreign Plan.
(l)
Each Acquired Company is in compliance in all
material respects with (i) the requirements of the applicable
health care continuation and notice provisions of Section 4980B of
the Code, as amended, and the regulations (including proposed
regulations) thereunder and any similar state law, and (ii) the
applicable requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act of 1996, as amended, and the regulations
(including the proposed regulations) thereunder.
(m)
Neither the execution and delivery of this
Agreement, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby, either alone or in combination with another event (whether
contingent or otherwise) will result in any "parachute payment"
under Code Section 280G (whether or not such payment is considered
to be reasonable compensation for services rendered).
(n)
ESOP Stockholder .
(i)
The ESOP Stockholder and the ESOP Stockholder Trust
have been operated and administered at all times in compliance with
their terms and with the provisions of applicable Law, including
without limitation, applicable provisions of ERISA and the Code.
Since inception, (A) the ESOP Stockholder and the ESOP Stockholder
Trust have been tax-qualified and tax-exempt, and (B) the ESOP
Stockholder has constituted a valid "employee stock ownership plan"
(within the meaning of Code Section 409).
(ii)
No Person has made an election under Section
1042(a)(1) of the Code with respect to any Common Shares or other
securities held by the ESOP Stockholder Trust.
(iii)
In connection with the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, the ESOP Stockholder has retained the services of
the Independent Fiduciary. The Independent Fiduciary is an
"investment manager" (within the meaning of Section 3(38) of ERISA)
of the ESOP Stockholder and has full discretionary investment
management authority with respect to the Common Shares held by the
ESO
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