EX-10 2 form8k112304ex10-1.htm EXHIBIT 10.1, CREDIT AGREEMENT

EXHIBIT 10.1

Published CUSIP Number: ________________

FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
CREDIT AGREEMENT

among

APRIA HEALTHCARE GROUP INC.
as Borrower,

CERTAIN OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES,
as Guarantors,

THE LENDERS IDENTIFIED HEREIN,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Agent

THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA,
as Syndication Agent

and

CALYON NEW YORK BRANCH
(formerly known as Credit Lyonnais New York Branch),

and
ING CAPITAL LLC

as Co-Documentation Agents

Dated as of November 23, 2004

ARRANGED BY:

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC
and
THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA,
as Co-Lead Arrangers and Joint Book Managers


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

 
SECTION 1   DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS 1
1.1       Definitions 1
1.2       Computation of Time Periods and Other Definitional Provisions 25
1.3       Accounting Terms 25
1.4       Letter of Credit Amounts 25
       
SECTION 2   CREDIT FACILITY 25
2.1       Revolving Loans 25
2.2       Letter of Credit Subfacility 27
2.3       Swingline Loans 35
       
SECTION 3   GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO LOANS 37
3.1       Default Rate 37
3.2       Extension and Conversion 37
3.3       Prepayments 38
3.4       Termination and Reduction of Revolving Committed Amount 39
3.5       Fees 39
3.6       Capital Adequacy 40
3.7       Limitation on Eurodollar Loans 41
3.8       Illegality 41
3.9       Requirements of Law 41
3.10     Treatment of Affected Loans 43
3.11     Taxes 43
3.12     Compensation 45
3.13     Pro Rata Treatment 46
3.14     Sharing of Payments 47
3.15     Payments, Computations, Etc. 47
3.16     Evidence of Debt 49
 
SECTION 4   GUARANTY 51
4.1       The Guaranty 51
4.2       Obligations Unconditional 51
4.3       Reinstatement 53
4.4       Certain Additional Waivers 53
4.5       Remedies 53
4.6       Rights of Contribution 53
4.7       Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee 54
 
SECTION 5   CONDITIONS 55
5.1       Closing Conditions 55
5.2       Conditions to all Extensions of Credit 57
 
SECTION 6   REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES 58
6.1       Financial Condition 58
6.2       No Material Change 59
6.3       Organization and Good Standing 59
6.4       Power; Authorization; Enforceable Obligations 59
6.5       No Conflicts 60
6.6       No Default 60
6.7       Ownership 60
6.8       Litigation 60
6.9       Taxes 60
6.10     Compliance with Law 61
6.11     ERISA 61
6.12     Subsidiaries 62
6.14     Purpose of Loans and Letters of Credit 63
6.15     Environmental Matters 63
6.16     Intellectual Property 64
6.17     Disclosure 64
6.18     No Unusual Restrictions 64
6.19     Fraud and Abuse 64
6.20     Licensing and Accreditation 65
 
SECTION 7   AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS 65
7.1       Information Covenants 66
7.2       Preservation of Existence and Franchises 69
7.3       Books and Records 69
7.4       Compliance with Law 69
7.5       Payment of Taxes and Other Indebtedness 69
7.6       Insurance 70
7.7       Maintenance of Property 70
7.8       Performance of Obligations 70
7.9       Use of Proceeds 70
7.10     Audits/Inspections 70
7.11     Financial Covenants 71
7.12     Additional Credit Parties 71
7.13     Pledged Assets 71
7.14     Redemption Availability 72
 
SECTION 8   NEGATIVE COVENANTS 73
8.1       Indebtedness 73
8.2       Liens 74
8.3       Nature of Business 74
8.4       Consolidation, Merger, Dissolution, etc. 74
8.5       Asset Dispositions 74
8.6       Investments 75
8.7       Restricted Payments 75
8.8       Transactions with Affiliates 76
8.9       Modifications of Subordinated Indebtedness, etc. 76
 
SECTION 9   EVENTS OF DEFAULT 77
9.1       Events of Default 77
9.2       Acceleration; Remedies 80
 
SECTION 10   AGENT 80
10.1       Appointment and Authority 80
10.2       Rights as a Lender 81
10.3       Exculpatory Provisions 81
10.4       Reliance by Agent 82
10.5       Delegation of Duties 82
10.6       Resignation of Agent 82
10.7       Non-Reliance on Agent and Other Lenders 83
10.8       No Other Duties, etc. 84
10.9       Agent May File Proofs of Claim 84
10.10       Collateral and Guaranty Matters 84
 
SECTION 11   MISCELLANEOUS 85
11.1       Notices 85
11.2       Right of Set-Off 86
11.3       Successors and Assigns 87
11.4       No Waiver; Remedies Cumulative 90
11.5       Payment of Expenses; Indemnification 91
11.6       Amendments, Waivers and Consents 92
11.7       Counterparts 94
11.8       Headings 94
11.9       Defaulting Lender 94
11.10       Survival of Indemnification and Representations and Warranties 94
11.11       Governing Law; Jurisdiction 95
11.12       Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury 95
11.13       Time 96
11.14       Severability 96
11.15       Entirety 96
11.16       Binding Effect 96
11.17       Confidentiality 96
11.18       Binding Effect; Termination of Credit Agreement; etc. 97
11.19       USA PATRIOT Act Notice 97

SCHEDULES

Schedule 1.1(a)
Schedule 1.1(b)
Schedule 2.1(a)
Schedule 2.2(a)
Schedule 6.8
Schedule 6.12
Schedule 7.6
Schedule 8.1
Schedule 11.1


Investments
Liens
Lenders Commitments
Existing Letters of Credit
Litigation
Subsidiaries
Insurance
Indebtedness
Notices


EXHIBITS

Exhibit 1.1(a)
Exhibit 2.1(b)
Exhibit 2.1(e)
Exhibit 3.2
Exhibit 7.1(c)
Exhibit 7.12
Exhibit 11.3(b)


Form of Pledge Agreeement
Form of Notice of Borrowing
Form of Revolving Note
Form of Notice of Extension/Conversion
Form of Compliance Certificate
Form of Joinder Agreement
Form of Assignment and Acceptance

CREDIT AGREEMENT

     THIS FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “Credit Agreement”), is entered into as of November 23, 2004 among APRIA HEALTHCARE GROUP INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Subsidiaries of the Borrower listed on the signature pages hereto (individually a “Guarantor”, collectively the “Guarantors”), the Lenders (as defined herein), BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as administrative agent for the Lenders, THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, as syndication agent and CALYON NEW YORK BRANCH (formerly known as Credit Lyonnais New York Branch), and ING CAPITAL LLC as co-documentation agents.

RECITALS

     WHEREAS, the Borrower and certain of its Subsidiaries are party to that certain Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of June 7, 2002, as amended from time to time thereafter (as amended, the “Existing Credit Agreement”), among the Borrower, certain of its Subsidiaries, the lenders party thereto, Bank of America, N.A., as the Administrative and Collateral Agent, and Credit Lyonnais New York Branch, The Bank of Nova Scotia and Fleet National Bank, as Co-Syndication Agents;

     WHEREAS, the parties to the Existing Credit Agreement have agreed to amend the Existing Credit Agreement and for ease of reference have agreed to amend and restate the Existing Credit Agreement in this Credit Agreement; and

     WHEREAS, the Borrower and the Guarantors have requested, and the Lenders have agreed, to provide a credit facility in an aggregate amount of $500,000,000 (the “Credit Facility”) on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.

     NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the premises and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

SECTION 1

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

     1.1      Definitions.

     As used herein, the following terms shall have the meanings herein specified unless the context otherwise requires. Defined terms herein shall include in the singular number the plural and in the plural the singular:

           “Acquisition”, by any Person, means the acquisition by such Person of all or substantially all of the capital stock or all or substantially all of the Property of another Person, or of a division or business unit of a Person, whether or not involving a merger or consolidation with such Person.

            “Adjusted Base Rate” means the Base Rate plus the Applicable Percentage.

            “Adjusted Eurodollar Rate” means the Eurodollar Rate plus the Applicable Percentage.

            “Administrative Questionnaire” means an administrative questionnaire in a form supplied by the Agent.

           “Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling (including but not limited to all directors and executive officers of such Person), controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such Person. A Person shall be deemed to control a corporation if such Person possesses, directly or indirectly, the power (i) to vote 5% or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of such corporation or (ii) to direct or cause direction of the management and policies of such corporation, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

           “Agent” means Bank of America, N.A. (or any successor thereto) or any successor Agent appointed pursuant to Section 10.9.

           “Agent-Related Persons” means the Agent (including any successor agent), together with its Affiliates (including, in the case of Bank of America in its capacity as the Agent, the Arranger), and the officers, directors, employees, agents and attorneys-in-fact of such Persons and Affiliates.

           “Agents’ Fee Letters” means (i) the fee letter between the Agent and the Borrower dated as of October 19, 2004, as amended and (ii) the fee letter between the Syndication Agent and the Borrower dated as of October 22, 2004, as amended.

           “Alternative Financing” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.14.

          “Applicable Lending Office” means, for each Lender, the office of such Lender (or of an Affiliate of such Lender) as such Lender may from time to time specify to the Agent and the Borrower by written notice as the office by which its Eurodollar Loans are made and maintained.

          “Applicable Percentage” means, for purposes of calculating the applicable interest rate for any day for any Revolving Loan, the applicable rate of the Commitment Fee for any day for purposes of Section 3.5(a), the applicable rate of the Letter of Credit Fee for any day for purposes of Section 3.5(b)(i), the appropriate applicable percentage corresponding to the following percentages per annum, based upon the Debt Ratings at each Pricing Level (“Pricing Level”) as set forth below:

Pricing
Level
S&P/Moody's
Debt Rating
Eurodollar Rate
and Letters of
Credit
Base Rate Commitment
Fee

I

Higher than or equal to
BBB/Baa2


75.0

0.0

15.0

II

Higher than or equal to
BBB-/Baa3 but less
than BBB/Baa2


100.0

0.0

20.0

III

Higher than or equal to
BB+/Ba1 but less
than BBB-/Baa3


125.0

25.0

25.0

IV

Less than BB+/Ba1


150.0

50.0

37.5

  Debt Rating” means, as of any date of determination, the rating as determined by either S&P or Moody’s (collectively, the “Debt Ratings”) with respect to the Credit Facility; provided that if the Debt Ratings issued by each of the foregoing rating agencies shall fall within different Pricing Levels, the Applicable Percentage shall be based on the higher of the Debt Ratings (with the Debt Rating for Pricing Level I being the highest and the Debt Rating for Pricing Level IV being the lowest) unless one of the Debt Ratings is two or more categories less than the other, in which case the Applicable Percentage shall be determined by the Pricing Level that corresponds to the Debt Rating that is one level higher than the Pricing Level that corresponds to the lower of the two Debt Ratings; provided further, that the Applicable Percentage shall be at Pricing Level IV if no Debt Rating is available for the Borrower.

  Initially, the Applicable Percentage shall be set at Pricing Level II. Thereafter, each change in the Applicable Percentage resulting from a publicly announced change in the Debt Rating shall reset the Pricing Level and shall be effective during the period commencing on the date of the public announcement thereof and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change.

          “Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

          “Arrangers” means Banc of America Securities LLC and The Bank of Nova Scotia, in their capacities as co-lead arrangers and joint book managers.

           “Asset Disposition” means any disposition of any or all of the Property (including without limitation the Capital Stock of a Subsidiary) of any Consolidated Party whether by sale, lease, transfer or otherwise, but other than pursuant to any casualty or condemnation event.

            “Attorney Costs” means and includes all reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel.

           “Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date, (a) in respect of any Capital Lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease were accounted for as a Capital Lease.

            “Bank of America” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.

           “Bankruptcy Code” means the Bankruptcy Code in Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended, modified, succeeded or replaced from time to time.

          “Bankruptcy Event” means, with respect to any Person, the occurrence of any of the following with respect to such Person: (i) a court or governmental agency having jurisdiction in the premises shall enter a decree or order for relief in respect of such Person in an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of such Person or for any substantial part of its Property or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs; or (ii) there shall be commenced against such Person an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or any case, proceeding or other action for the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of such Person or for any substantial part of its Property or for the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and such involuntary case or other case, proceeding or other action shall remain undismissed, undischarged or unbonded for a period of sixty (60) consecutive days; or (iii) such Person shall commence a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or consent to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, or consent to the appointment or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of such Person or for any substantial part of its Property or make any general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (iv) such Person shall be unable to, or shall admit in writing its inability to, pay its debts generally as they become due.

          “Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the higher of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1% and (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate.” The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

            “Base Rate Loan” means any Loan bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Base Rate.

            “Borrower” means Apria Healthcare Group Inc., a Delaware corporation, together with any successors and permitted assigns.

           “Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Agent’s office is located and, if such day relates to any Eurodollar Loan, means any such day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.

          “Capital Lease” means, as applied to any Person, any lease of any property (whether real, personal or mixed) by that Person as lessee which, in accordance with GAAP, is or should be accounted for as a capital lease on the balance sheet of that Person.

          “Capital Stock” means (a) in the case of a corporation, capital stock, (b) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock, (c) in the case of a partnership, partnership interests (whether general or limited), (d) in the case of a limited liability company, membership interests and (e) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person.

           “Cash Equivalents” means (a) United States Treasury securities and/or obligations of United States government agencies and government sponsored enterprises having maturities of not more than twelve months from the date of acquisition, (b) U.S. dollar denominated time and demand deposits, Yankee CDs, Eurodollar time deposits issued by domestic banks and certificates of deposit of (i) any Lender, (ii) any domestic commercial bank having capital and surplus in excess of $100,000,000 or (iii) any bank whose short-term commercial paper rating from S&P is at least A-1 or the equivalent thereof or from Moody’s is at least P-1 or the equivalent thereof (any such bank being an “Approved Bank”), in each case with maturities of not more than twelve months from the date of acquisition, (c) commercial paper and variable rate notes issued by any Approved Bank (or by the parent company thereof) or any commercial paper or variable rate notes issued by, or guaranteed by, any domestic corporation rated A-1 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P or P-1 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Moody’s and maturing within nine months of the date of acquisition, (d) repurchase agreements with a bank or trust company (including any of the Lenders) or securities dealer having capital and surplus in excess of $500,000,000 for direct obligations issued by or fully guaranteed by the United States of America and to include obligations of the United States government agencies and government sponsored enterprises in which the Borrower shall have a perfected first priority security interest (subject to no other Liens) and having, on the date of purchase thereof, a fair market value of at least 102% of the amount of the repurchase obligations, (e) shares of money market mutual funds that are regulated by Rule 2a7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and maintain a net asset value of $1.00 and total assets in excess of $1,000,000,000, (f) auction rate securities rated AA (or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P or Aa2 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Moody’s and with reset periods not to exceed 49 days between auctions and (g) corporate bonds issued by any domestic corporation whose long-term debt rating from S&P is at least AA or the equivalent thereof or from Moody’s is at least Aa2 or the equivalent thereof, in each case with maturities of not more than twelve months from the date of acquisition.

          “Change of Control” means (i) any Person or two or more Persons acting in concert shall have acquired, after the date hereof, beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, of Capital Stock of the Borrower (or other securities convertible into such Capital Stock) representing 25% or more of the combined voting power of all Capital Stock of the Borrower (ii) Continuing Directors shall cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Parent then in office. As used herein, “beneficial ownership” shall have the meaning provided in Rule 13d-3 of the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, or (iii) the occurrence of (x) a “fundamental change” (or any comparable term) under, and as defined in the Senior Convertible Indenture, which, in accordance with the terms of such indenture, gives the Senior Convertible Noteholders the right to require the Borrower to repurchase the Senior Convertible Notes held by such Person and (y) thereafter the Borrower either provides notice to the Senior Convertible Noteholders that it intends to pay in cash or actually pays in cash any portion of the required purchase price for the Senior Convertible Notes.

            “Closing Date” means the date hereof.

           “CMS” means the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and any successor and predecessor thereof, including without limitation, the Health Care Financing Administration.

          “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as amended, modified, succeeded or replaced from time to time.

          “Collateral” means a collective reference to all Property with respect to which Liens in favor of the Agent are purported to be granted pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of the Collateral Documents.

           “Collateral Documents” means a collective reference to the Pledge Agreement and such other documents executed and delivered in connection with the attachment and perfection of the Agent’s security interests and liens arising thereunder, including without limitation, UCC financing statements.

           “Commitment” means (i) with respect to each Lender, the Revolving Commitment of such Lender, (ii) with respect to the Issuing Lender, the LOC Commitment and (iii) with respect to the Swingline Lender, the Swingline Commitment.

            “Commitment Fee” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.5(a).

            “Commitment Fee Calculation Period” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.5(a).

            “Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 7.1(c).

           “Consolidated Assets” means, at any date, the consolidated assets of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries at such date, as determined in accordance with GAAP.

           “Consolidated EBITDA” means, as of any date for the four fiscal quarter period ending on, or most recently ended prior to, such date, with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of (i) Consolidated Net Income, plus (ii) an amount which, in the determination of Consolidated Net Income, has been deducted for (A) Consolidated Interest Expense, (B) total Federal, state, local and foreign income, value added and similar taxes and (C) depreciation and amortization expense, as determined in accordance with GAAP.

           “Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of the four prior fiscal quarters ending on such date to (b) Consolidated Interest Expense for such period.

           “Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, all net interest expense, including the interest component under Capital Leases, as determined in accordance with GAAP.

          “Consolidated Net Income” means, as of any date for the four fiscal quarter period ending on, or most recently ended prior to, such date with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, net income, as determined in accordance with GAAP; provided, that in any event there shall be excluded any extraordinary items and any non-cash or non-recurring gains or losses.

           “Consolidated Parties” means a collective reference to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and “Consolidated Party” means any one of them.

           “Continue”, “Continuation”, “Continuing”, and “Continued” shall refer to the continuation pursuant to Section 3.2 hereof of a Eurodollar Loan from one Interest Period to the next Interest Period.

          “Continuing Directors” means during any period of up to 24 consecutive months commencing after the Closing Date, individuals who at the beginning of such 24 month period were directors of the Borrower (together with any new director whose election by the Borrower’s board of directors or whose nomination for election by the Borrower’s shareholders was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of such period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved).

           “Contract Provider” means any Person or any employee, agent or subcontractor of such Person who provides professional health care services under or pursuant to any contract with any Consolidated Party.

           “Convert”, “Conversion”, “Converting” and “Converted” shall refer to a conversion pursuant to Section 3.2 or Sections 3.7 through 3.12, inclusive, of a Base Rate Loan into a Eurodollar Loan.

           “Credit Documents” means a collective reference to this Credit Agreement, the Notes, the LOC Documents, each Joinder Agreement, the Agents’ Fee Letters, the Collateral Documents and all other related agreements and documents issued or delivered hereunder or thereunder or pursuant hereto or thereto (in each case as the same may be amended, modified, restated, supplemented, extended, renewed or replaced from time to time), and “Credit Document” means any one of them.

            “Credit Facility” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals hereto.

            “Credit Parties” means the Borrower and the Guarantors and “Credit Party” means any one of them.

           “Credit Party Obligations” means, without duplication, (i) all of the obligations and liabilities of the Credit Parties to the Lenders (including the Issuing Lender) and the Agent, whenever arising, under this Credit Agreement, the Notes, the Collateral Documents or any of the other Credit Documents (including, but not limited to, any interest accruing after the occurrence of a Bankruptcy Event with respect to any Credit Party, regardless of whether such interest is an allowed claim under the Bankruptcy Code) and (ii) all liabilities and obligations, whenever arising, owing from the Borrower to any Lender, or any Affiliate of a Lender, arising under any Hedging Agreement.

           “Default” means any event, act or condition which with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default.

            “Default Rate” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(a).

           “Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, any Lender that, (a) has failed to make a Loan or purchase a Participation Interest required pursuant to the terms of this Credit Agreement (but only for so long as such Loan is not made or such Participation Interest is not purchased), (b) has failed to pay to the Agent or any Lender an amount owed by such Lender pursuant to the terms of this Credit Agreement (but only for so long as such amount has not been repaid) or (c) has been deemed insolvent or has become subject to a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding or to a receiver, trustee or similar official.

            “Dollars” and “$” means dollars in lawful currency of the United States of America.

          “Domestic Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any Subsidiary of such Person which is incorporated or organized under the laws of any State of the United States or the District of Columbia.

          “Eligible Assignee” means (a) a Lender; (b) an Affiliate of a Lender; (c) an Approved Fund; and (d) any other Person (other than a natural person) approved by (i) the Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Swingline Lender, and (ii) unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower (each such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that notwithstanding the foregoing, “Eligible Assignee” shall not include the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries.

          “Environmental Claim” means any investigation, written notice, violation, written demand, written allegation, action, suit, injunction, judgment, order, consent decree, penalty, fine, lien, proceeding, or written claim whether administrative, judicial, or private in nature arising (a) pursuant to, or in connection with, an actual or alleged violation of, any Environmental Law, (b) in connection with any Hazardous Material, (c) from any assessment, abatement, removal, remedial, corrective, or other response action in connection with an Environmental Law or other order of a Governmental Authority or (d) from any actual or alleged damage, injury, threat, or harm to health, safety, natural resources, or the environment.

          “Environmental Laws” means any current or future legal requirement of any Governmental Authority pertaining to (a) the protection of the health and safety of the indoor or outdoor environment, (b) the conservation, management, or use of natural resources and wildlife, (c) the protection or use of surface water and groundwater, (d) the management, manufacture, possession, presence, use, generation, transportation, treatment, storage, disposal, release, threatened release, abatement, removal, remediation or handling of, or exposure to, any hazardous or toxic substance or material which is or may be harmful to the environment or (e) pollution (including any release to land surface water and groundwater) and includes, without limitation, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, 42 USC 9601 et seq., Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 and Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendment of 1984, 42 USC 6901 et seq., Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended by the Clean Water Act of 1977, 33 USC 1251 et seq., Clean Air Act of 1966, as amended, 42 USC 7401 et seq., Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, 15 USC 2601 et seq., Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, 49 USC App. 1801 et seq., Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended, 29 USC 651 et seq., Oil Pollution Act of 1990, 33 USC 2701 et seq., Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, 42 USC 11001 et seq., National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 USC 4321 et seq., Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, as amended, 42 USC 300(f) et seq., any analogous implementing or successor law, and any amendment, rule, regulation, order, or binding directive issued thereunder.

          “Equity Issuance” means any issuance by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to any Person of (a) shares of its Capital Stock other than (i) any shares of its Capital Stock pursuant to the exercise of options or warrants, (ii) any shares of its Capital Stock pursuant to the conversion of any debt securities to equity and (iii) in the case of Subsidiaries, any shares of its Capital Stock issued to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or (b) any options or warrants relating to its Capital Stock.

          “ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and any successor statute thereto, as interpreted by the rules and regulations thereunder, all as the same may be in effect from time to time. References to sections of ERISA shall be construed also to refer to any successor sections.

          “ERISA Affiliate” means an entity which is under common control with any Consolidated Party within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA, or is a member of a group which includes any Consolidated Party and which is treated as a single employer under Sections 414(b) or (c) of the Code.

          “ERISA Event” means (i) with respect to any Plan, the occurrence of a Reportable Event or the substantial cessation of operations (within the meaning of Section 4062(e) of ERISA); (ii) the withdrawal by any Consolidated Party or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiple Employer Plan during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as such term is defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA), or the termination of a Multiple Employer Plan; (iii) the distribution of a notice of intent to terminate or the actual termination of a Plan pursuant to Section 4041(a)(2) or 4041A of ERISA; (iv) the institution of proceedings to terminate or the actual termination of a Plan by the PBGC under Section 4042 of ERISA; (v) any event or condition which might constitute grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Plan; (vi) the complete or partial withdrawal of any Consolidated Party or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan; (vii) the conditions for imposition of a lien under Section 302(f) of ERISA exist with respect to any Plan; or (viii) the adoption of an amendment to any Plan requiring the provision of security to such Plan pursuant to Section 307 of ERISA.

           “Eurodollar Loan” means a Loan bearing interest based at a rate determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate.

          “Eurodollar Rate” means, for any Eurodollar Loan for any Interest Period, therefor, the rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100th of 1%) determined by the Agent to be equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate.

            “Event of Default” means any of the events or circumstances described in Section 9.1.

            “Existing Credit Agreement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals hereto.

          “Existing Letters of Credit” means the letters of credit described by date of issuance, letter of credit number, undrawn amount, name of beneficiary and date of expiry on Schedule 2.2(a).

          “Federal Funds Rate means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upwards, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Agent.

           “Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes. For purposes of this definition, the United States, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.

          “Foreign Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any Subsidiary of such Person which is not a Domestic Subsidiary of such Person.

           “Fund” means any Person (other than a natural Person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.

          “Funded Debt” means, without duplication, the sum of (a) all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for borrowed money, (b) all purchase money Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (c) the Attributable Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in respect of Capital Leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations, (d) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, relative to the face amount of all letters of credit (other than letters of credit supporting trade payables in the ordinary course of business), whether or not drawn, and banker’s acceptances issued for the account of such Person (it being understood that, to the extent an undrawn letter of credit supports another obligation consisting of Indebtedness, in calculating aggregated Indebtedness only such other obligation shall be included), (e) all Guaranty Obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries with respect to Funded Debt of another Person, (f) all Funded Debt of another entity secured by a Lien on any property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries whether or not such Funded Debt has been assumed by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (g) all Funded Debt of any partnership or unincorporated joint venture to the extent the Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries is legally obligated, net of any assets of such partnership or joint venture, (h) the aggregate amount of uncollected accounts receivable subject at such time to a sale of receivables (or similar transaction) (whether or not such transaction would be reflected on the balance sheet of the Consolidated Parties in accordance with GAAP) and (i) the aggregate amount of Governmental Reimbursement Program Costs (exclusive of, with respect to the determination of Funded Debt in any period, the portion of Governmental Reimbursement Program Costs paid in such period).

           “GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis and subject to Section 1.3.

          “Governmental Authority” means any Federal, state, local, provincial or foreign court or governmental agency, authority, instrumentality or regulatory body.

           “Governmental Reimbursement Program Cost” means with respect to and payable by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries the sum of:

     (i)        all amounts (including punitive and other similar amounts) agreed to be paid or payable (a) in settlement of claims or (b) as a result of a final, non-appealable judgment, award or similar order, in each case, relating to participation in Medical Reimbursement Programs;


     (ii)        all final, non-appealable fines, penalties, forfeitures or other amounts rendered pursuant to criminal indictments or other criminal proceedings relating to participation in Medical Reimbursement Programs; and


     (iii)        the amount of final, non-appealable recovery, damages, awards, penalties, forfeitures or similar amounts rendered in any litigation, suit, arbitration, investigation or other legal or administrative proceeding of any kind relating to participation in Medical Reimbursement Programs.


          “Guarantor” means each of the Persons identified as a “Guarantor” on the signature pages hereto and each Person which may hereafter execute a Joinder Agreement pursuant to Section 7.12, together with their successors and permitted assigns, and “Guarantor” means any one of them.

           “Guaranty Obligations” means, with respect to any Person, without duplication, any obligations (other than endorsements in the ordinary course of business of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection) guaranteeing or intended to guarantee any Indebtedness of any other Person in any manner, whether direct or indirect, and including without limitation any obligation, whether or not contingent, (a) to purchase any such Indebtedness or other obligation or any property constituting security therefor, (b) to advance or provide funds or other support for the payment or purchase of such indebtedness or obligation or to maintain working capital, solvency or other balance sheet condition of such other Person (including, without limitation, maintenance agreements, comfort letters, take or pay arrangements, put agreements or similar agreements or arrangements but excluding obligations to provide funding for partnerships and joint ventures) for the benefit of the holder of Indebtedness of such other Person, (c) to lease or purchase property, securities or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or (d) to otherwise assure or hold harmless the owner of such Indebtedness or obligation against loss in respect thereof. The amount of any Guaranty Obligation hereunder shall (subject to any limitations set forth therein) be deemed to be an amount equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Indebtedness in respect of which such Guaranty Obligation is made.

           “Hazardous Materials” means any substance, material or waste defined or regulated in or under any Environmental Laws.

            “Hedging Agreements” means any interest rate protection agreement or foreign currency exchange agreement.

           “Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, or upon which interest payments are customarily made, (c) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to Property purchased by such Person (other than customary reservations or retentions of title under agreements with suppliers entered into in the ordinary course of business), (d) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of Property or services purchased by such Person (other than trade debt incurred in the ordinary course of business and due within six months of the incurrence thereof) which would appear as liabilities on a balance sheet of such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person under take-or-pay or similar arrangements or under commodities agreements, (f) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on, or payable out of the proceeds of production from, Property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the obligations secured thereby have been assumed, (g) all Guaranty Obligations of such Person with respect to Indebtedness of another Person, (h) the implied principal component of all obligations of such Person under Capital Leases, (i) all obligations of such Person under Hedging Agreements, (j) the maximum amount of all performance and standby letters of credit issued or bankers’ acceptances facilities created for the account of such Person and, without duplication, all drafts drawn thereunder (to the extent unreimbursed), (k) all preferred Capital Stock issued by such Person and which by the terms thereof could be (at the request of the holders thereof or otherwise) subject to mandatory sinking fund payments, redemption or other acceleration (other than as a result of a Change of Control or an Asset Disposition that does not in fact result in a redemption of such preferred Capital Stock) at any time prior to the Maturity Date, (l) the Attributable Indebtedness of such Person with respect to Capital Leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations, (m) all obligations of such Person to repurchase any securities which repurchase obligation is related to the issuance thereof, including, without limitation, obligations commonly known as residual equity appreciation potential shares, (n) the Indebtedness of any partnership or unincorporated joint venture in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, and (o) the aggregate amount of uncollected accounts receivable of such Person subject at such time to a sale of receivables (or similar transaction) regardless of whether such transaction is effected without recourse to such Person or in a manner that would not be reflected on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP.

           “Interest Payment Date” means (a) as to Base Rate Loans, the last day of each month and the Maturity Date, (b) as to Eurodollar Loans, the last day of each applicable Interest Period and the Maturity Date and in addition where the applicable Interest Period for a Eurodollar Loan is greater than three months, then also on the date three months from the beginning of the Interest Period and each three months thereafter and (c) with respect to any Swingline Loan, the date such Loan is required to be repaid and the Maturity Date.

           “Interest Period” means, as to Eurodollar Loans, a period of one week, one month, two months’, three months’ or six months’ duration, as the Borrower may elect, commencing, in each case, on the date of the borrowing (including continuations and conversions thereof); provided, however, (a) if any Interest Period would end on a day which is not a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day (except that where the next succeeding Business Day falls in the next succeeding calendar month, then on the next preceding Business Day), (b) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date and (c) where an Interest Period begins on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month in which the Interest Period is to end, such Interest Period shall end on the last Business Day of such calendar month.

           “Investment” in any Person means (a) the acquisition (whether for cash, property, services, assumption of Indebtedness, securities or otherwise) of assets comprising all or substantially all of the assets of any Person or of a division or business unit of a Person (other than equipment, inventory and supplies in the ordinary course of business and other than any acquisition of assets constituting a capital expenditure), Capital Stock, bonds, notes, debentures, partnership, joint ventures or other ownership interests or other securities of such other Person or (b) any deposit with, or advance, loan or other extension of credit to, such Person (other than deposits made in connection with the purchase of equipment inventory and supplies in the ordinary course of business) or (c) any other capital contribution to or investment in such Person, including, without limitation, any Guaranty Obligations (including any support for a letter of credit issued on behalf of such Person) incurred for the benefit of such Person, but excluding any Restricted Payment to such Person.

           “Involuntary Disposition” means any loss of, damage to or destruction of, or any condemnation or other taking for public use of, any Property of the Consolidated Parties.

           “Issuing Lender” means Bank of America in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder and any other Lender that is a commercial bank acceptable to the Borrower and the Agent.

            “Issuing Lender Fees” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.5(b)(ii).

            “Joinder Agreement” means a Joinder Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit 7.12

          “Lender” means any of the Persons identified as a “Lender” on the signature pages hereto, and any Person which may become a Lender by way of assignment in accordance with the terms hereof, together with their successors and permitted assigns.

           “Letter of Credit” means (i) any letter of credit issued by the Issuing Lender for the account of any Credit Party in accordance with the terms of Section 2.2 and (ii) any Existing Letter of Credit, as such Letter of Credit or Existing Letter of Credit may be amended, modified, extended, renewed or replaced.

           “Letter of Credit Application” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the Issuing Lender.

            “Letter of Credit Fee” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.5(b)(i).

           “Leverage Ratio” means, as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Consolidated Parties for the four fiscal quarter period ending on such date with respect to the Consolidated Parties on a consolidated basis, the ratio of (a) Funded Debt of the Consolidated Parties on a consolidated basis on the last day of such period to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for such period.

           “Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, security interest, encumbrance, lien (statutory or otherwise), preference, priority or charge of any kind, including, without limitation, any agreement to give any of the foregoing, any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, and any lease in the nature thereof.

           “Loan” or “Loans” means the Revolving Loans bearing interest at the Adjusted Base Rate or the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate and referred to as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Loan and/or the Swingline Loans (or any Swingline Loan bearing interest at the Adjusted Base Rate and referred to as a Base Rate Loan), individually or collectively, as appropriate.

           “LOC Application” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the Issuing Lender.

           “LOC Commitment” means the commitment of the Issuing Lender to issue Letters of Credit in an aggregate face amount at any time outstanding (together with the amounts of any unreimbursed drawings thereon of up to the LOC Committed Amount.

            “LOC Committed Amount” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.2.

           “LOC Documents” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit, any amendments thereto, any documents delivered in connection therewith, any LOC Application or other application therefor, and any agreements, instruments, guarantees or other documents (whether general in application or applicable only to such Letter of Credit) governing or providing for (a) the rights and obligations of the parties concerned or at risk of (b) any collateral security for such obligations.

          “LOC Obligations” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the maximum amount which is, or at any time thereafter may become, available to be drawn under Letters of Credit then outstanding, assuming compliance with all requirements for drawings referred to in such Letters of Credit plus (b) the aggregate amount of all drawings under Letters of Credit honored by the Issuing Lender but not theretofore reimbursed by the Borrower.

          “London Interbank Offered Rate means, for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Loan, the rate per annum equal to the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate (“BBA LIBOR”), as published by Reuters (or other commercially available source providing quotations of BBA LIBOR as designated by the Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period. If such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “Eurodollar Rate” for such Interest Period shall be the rate per annum determined by the Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Eurodollar Loan being made, continued or converted by Bank of America and with a term equivalent to such Interest Period would be offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to major banks in the London interbank eurodollar market at their request at approximately 4:00 p.m. (London time) two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period.

          “Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Borrower, individually, or the Credit Parties, taken as a whole, to perform its or their obligations, when such obligations are required to be performed, under this Credit Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents, or (c) the validity or enforceability of this Credit Agreement, any of the other Credit Documents, or the rights and remedies of the Lenders hereunder or thereunder taken as a whole.

          “Materials of Environmental Concern” means any gasoline or petroleum (including crude oil or any fraction thereof) or petroleum products or any hazardous or toxic substances, materials or wastes, defined or regulated as such in or under any Environmental Laws, including, without limitation, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls and urea-formaldehyde insulation.

          “Maturity Date” means as to the Revolving Loans, Letters of Credit (and the related LOC Obligations) and the Swingline Loans, November 23, 2009.

           “Medicaid” means that means-tested entitlement program under Title XIX of the Social Security Act that provides federal grants to states for medical assistance based on specific eligibility criteria. (Social Security Act of 1965, Title XIX, P.L. 89-87, as amended; 42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.).

           “Medicaid Regulations” means, collectively, (i) all federal statutes (whether set forth in Title XIX of the Social Security Act or elsewhere) affecting the medical assistance program established by Title XIX of the Social Security Act and any statutes succeeding thereto; (ii) all applicable provisions of all federal rules, regulations, manuals and orders of all Governmental Authorities promulgated pursuant to or in connection with the statutes described in clause (i) above and all federal administrative, reimbursement and other guidelines of all Governmental Authorities having the force of law promulgated pursuant to or in connection with the statutes described in clause (i) above; (iii) all state statutes and plans for medical assistance enacted in connection with the statutes and provisions described in clauses (i) and (ii) above; and (iv) all applicable provisions of all rules, regulations, manuals and orders of all Governmental Authorities promulgated pursuant to or in connection with the statutes described in clause (iii) above and all state administrative, reimbursement and other guidelines of all Governmental Authorities having the force of law promulgated pursuant to or in connection with the statutes described in clause (ii) above, in each case as may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

           “Medical Reimbursement Programs” means the Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE programs and any other health care program operated by or financed in whole or in part by any federal, state or local government.

           “Medicare” means that government-sponsored entitlement program under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act that provides for a health insurance system for eligible elderly and disabled individuals. (Social Security Act of 1965, Title XVIII, P.L. 89-87 as amended; 42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.).

           “Medicare Regulations” means, collectively, all federal statutes (whether set forth in Title XVIII of the Social Security Act or elsewhere) affecting the health insurance program for the aged and disabled established by Title XVIII of the Social Security Act and any statutes succeeding thereto; together with all applicable provisions of all rules, regulations, manuals and orders and administrative, reimbursement and other guidelines having the force of law of all Governmental Authorities (including, without limitation, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), CMS, the Office of the Inspector General for HHS, or any person succeeding to the functions of any of the foregoing) promulgated pursuant to or in connection with any of the foregoing having the force of law, as each may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

           “Moody's” means Moody's Investors Service, Inc., or any successor or assignee of the business of such company in the business of rating securities.

           “Multiemployer Plan” means a Plan covered by Title IV of ERISA which is a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 3(37) or 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

           “Multiple Employer Plan” means a Plan covered by Title IV of ERISA, other than a Multiemployer Plan, with respect to which any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate and at least one employer other than a Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate are contributing sponsors.

            “Note” or “Notes” means the Revolving Notes, if any, individually or collectively, as appropriate.

            “Notice of Borrowing” means a request by the Borrower for a Revolving Loan, in the form of Exhibit 2.1(b).

          “Notice of Extension/Conversion” means the written notice of extension or conversion in substantially the form of Exhibit 3.2, as required by Section 3.2.

          “Operating Lease” means, as to any Person, any lease of any property (whether real, personal or mixed) by that Person as lessee which, in accordance with GAAP, is or should be accounted for as an operating lease.

           “Participation Interest” means a purchase by a Lender of a participation in Letters of Credit or LOC Obligations as provided in Section 2.2, in Swingline Loans as provided in Section 2.3 or in any Loans as provided in Section 3.14.

           “PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation established pursuant to Subtitle A of Title IV of ERISA and any successor thereto.

           “Permitted Acquisition” shall mean an Acquisition by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower, provided that (a) the capital stock or property acquired in such Acquisition relates to a line of business similar to the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries engaged in on the Closing Date or a reasonable extension or expansion thereof or a business ancillary thereto; (b) in the case of an Acquisition of the capital stock of another Person, (i) the board of directors (or other comparable governing body) of such other Person shall have duly approved such Acquisition and (ii) such Person shall become a wholly-owned direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Borrower; (c) if the aggregate consideration for such Acquisition, exceeds $50,000,000, the Borrower shall have delivered to the Agent, not less than 10 days prior to the consummation of such Acquisition, a pro forma certificate of a Responsible Officer demonstrating that, upon giving effect to such Acquisition on a pro forma basis as though it had occurred on the first day of the relevant calculation period, the Borrower shall be in compliance with all of the covenants set forth in Section 7.11(b) and (d) the representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein shall be true and correct in all material respects at and as if made as of the date of such Acquisition (after giving effect thereto) except to the extent such representations and warranties expressly relate to an earlier date and no Default or Event of Default exists as of the date of such Acquisition (after giving effect thereto).

           “Permitted Investments” means Investments which are (a) cash or Cash Equivalents, (b) accounts receivable created, acquired or made in the ordinary course of business and payable or dischargeable in accordance with customary trade terms, (c) inventory, raw materials and general intangibles acquired in the ordinary course of business, (d) Investments by one Credit Party in another Credit Party; (e) Investments in notes receivables and loans to directors, officers or employees of a Credit Party in the ordinary course of business for reasonable business expenses, not to exceed $2,000,000 in the aggregate, at any one time outstanding, (f) Permitted Acquisitions, (g) Investments existing on the date hereof and set forth on Schedule 1.1(a), and (h) other Investments (including Investments in Foreign Subsidiaries) not to exceed $10,000,000, in the aggregate, at any one time outstanding.

     “Permitted Liens” mean:

     (i)        Liens in favor of the Agent to secure the Credit Party Obligations;


     (ii)        Liens (other than Liens created or imposed under ERISA) for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or levies not yet due or Liens for taxes being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings for which adequate reserves determined in accordance with GAAP have been established (and as to which the Property subject to any such Lien is not yet subject to foreclosure, sale or loss on account thereof);


    (iii)        statutory Liens of landlords and Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen and suppliers and other Liens imposed by law or pursuant to customary reservations or retentions of title arising in the ordinary course of business, provided that such Liens secure only amounts not yet due and payable or, if due and payable, are unfiled and no other action has been taken to enforce the same or are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings for which adequate reserves determined in accordance with GAAP have been established (and as to which the Property subject to any such Lien is not yet subject to foreclosure, sale or loss on account thereof);


     (iv)        Liens (other than Liens created or imposed under ERISA) incurred or deposits made by any Consolidated Party in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security, or to secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, bids, leases, government contracts, performance and return-of-money bonds and other similar obligations (exclusive of obligations for the payment of borrowed money);


     (v)        Liens in connection with attachments or judgments (including judgment or appeal bonds) provided that the judgments secured shall, within 30 days after the entry thereof, have been discharged or execution thereof stayed pending appeal, or shall have been discharged within 30 days after the expiration of any such stay;


     (vi)        easements, rights-of-way, restrictions (including zoning restrictions), minor defects or irregularities in title and other similar charges or encumbrances not, in any material respect, impairing the use or value of the encumbered Property for its intended purposes;


     (vii)        Liens on Property of any Person securing purchase money Indebtedness (including Capital Leases and Synthetic Leases) of such Person permitted under Section 8.1(c), provided that any such Lien attaches to such Property concurrently with or within 90 days after the acquisition thereof;


     (viii)        leases or subleases granted to others not interfering in any material respect with the business of any Consolidated Party;


     (ix)        any interest of title of a lessor under, and Liens arising from UCC financing statements (or equivalent filings, registrations or agreements in foreign jurisdictions) relating to, leases permitted by this Credit Agreement;


     (x)        Liens deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements permitted under Section 8.6;


     (xi)        normal and customary rights of setoff upon deposits of cash in favor of banks or other depository institutions;


    (xii)        Liens of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code on items in the course of collection;


     (xiii)        Liens of sellers of goods to the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries arising under Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code or similar provisions of applicable law in the ordinary course of business, covering only the goods sold and securing only the unpaid purchase price for such goods and related expenses;


     (xiv)        Liens existing on any Property prior to the acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Subsidiary, as the case may be, and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;


     (xv)        Liens existing as of the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 1.1(b); provided that (a) no such Lien shall at any time be extended to or cover any Property other than the Property subject thereto on the Closing Date and (b) the principal amount of the Indebtedness secured by such Liens shall not be extended, renewed, refunded or refinanced; and


     (xvi)        Liens on the Property of any Person not otherwise contemplated by the foregoing clauses (i) – (xv) in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $10,000,000 at any time outstanding.


           “Person” means any individual, partnership, joint venture, firm, corporation, limited liability company, association, trust or other enterprise (whether or not incorporated), or any Governmental Authority.

           “Plan” means any employee benefit plan (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) which is subject to Title I (other than Subtitle A or Part 1 of Subtitle B thereof) or Title IV of ERISA and with respect to which any Credit Party or any of its Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated at such time, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” within the meaning of Section 3(5) of ERISA.

           “Pledge Agreement” means the amended and restated pledge agreement dated as of the Closing Date in the form of Exhibit 1.1(a) to be executed in favor of the Agent by each of the Credit Parties, as amended, modified, restated or supplemented from time to time.

           “Property” means any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible.

            “Register” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.3(c).

           “Regulation T, U, or X” means Regulation T, U or X, respectively, of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as from time to time in effect and any successor to all or a portion thereof.

           “Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

           “Reportable Event” means a “reportable event” as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA with respect to which the notice requirements to the PBGC have not been waived.

           “Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders (other than Defaulting Lenders) holding in the aggregate more than 50 percent (50%) of (i) the Revolving Commitments (and Participation Interests therein), or (ii) if the Revolving Commitments have been terminated, the outstanding Loans, LOC Obligations and Participation Interests (including the Participation Interests of the Issuing Lender in any Letters of Credit and the Participation Interests of the Swingline Lender in any Swingline Loans).

           “Requirement of Law” means, as to any Person, the articles or certificate of incorporation and by-laws or other organizational or governing documents of such Person, and any law, treaty, rule or regulation or final, non-appealable determination of an arbitrator or a court or other Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or to which any of its material property is subject.

           “Responsible Officer” means the Chief Executive Officer, President and Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (or principal accounting and finance officer) or other duly authorized officer.

           “Restricted Payment” means (i) any dividend or other payment or distribution, direct or indirect, on account of any shares of any class of Capital Stock of any Consolidated Party, now or hereafter outstanding (including without limitation any payment in connection with any dissolution, merger, consolidation or disposition involving any Consolidated Party), or to the holders, in their capacity as such, of any shares of any class of Capital Stock of any Consolidated Party, now or hereafter outstanding (other than dividends or distributions payable in Capital Stock of the applicable Person or to any Credit Party (directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries)), (ii) any redemption, retirement, sinking fund or similar payment, purchase or other acquisition for value, direct or indirect, of any shares of any class of Capital Stock of any Consolidated Party, now or hereafter outstanding and (iii) any payment made to retire, or to obtain the surrender of, any outstanding warrants, options or other rights to acquire shares of any class of Capital Stock of any Consolidated Party, now or hereafter outstanding (other than the repurchases of the Senior Convertible Notes by the Borrower).

           “Revolving Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender (i) to make Revolving Loans in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.1(a), (ii) to purchase Participation Interests in Letters of Credit in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.2(c) and (iii) to purchase Participation Interests in the Swingline Loans in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.3, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed such Lender’s Revolving Committed Amount.

           “Revolving Committed Amount” means (i) with regard to the Lenders collectively, the aggregate maximum amount of Revolving Loans as may be reduced from time to time as provided in Section 3.4 and (ii) with regard to each Lender, the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, as such amount may be reduced from time to time as provided in Section 3.4. The initial Revolving Committed Amount of each Lender is set forth on Schedule 2.1(a).

           “Revolving Commitment Percentage” means, for each Lender, the percentage identified as its Revolving Commitment Percentage on Schedule 2.1(a), as such percentage may be modified in connection with any assignment made in accordance with the provisions of Section 11.3.

            “Revolving Loans” means the Revolving Loans made to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.1.

          “Revolving Note” or “Revolving Notes” means the promissory notes of the Borrower in favor of each of the Lenders evidencing the Revolving Loans provided pursuant to Section 2.1, individually or collectively, as appropriate, as such promissory notes may be amended, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed or replaced from time to time and as evidenced in the form of Exhibit 2.1(e).

          “S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a division of McGraw Hill, Inc., or any successor or assignee of the business of such division in the business of rating securities.

           “SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

            “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all regulations issued pursuant thereto.

           “Securities Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and all regulations issued pursuant thereto.

           “Senior Convertible Noteholder” means any one of the holders from time to time of the Senior Convertible Notes.

           “Senior Convertible Notes” means a collective reference to the Borrower’s 3.375% convertible senior notes in the aggregate principal amount of $250,000,000 under that certain indenture between the Borrower and U.S. Bank National Association, dated as of August 20, 2003 (the “Senior Convertible Indenture”).

           “Single Employer Plan” means any Plan which is covered by Title IV of ERISA, but which is not a Multiemployer Plan or a Multiple Employer Plan.

           “Social Security Act” means the Social Security Act as set forth in Title 42 of the United States Code, as amended, and any successor statute thereto, as interpreted by the rules and regulations issued thereunder, in each case as in effect from time to time. References to sections of the Social Security Act shall be construed also to refer to any successor sections.

           “Stark I and II” means Section 1877 of the Social Security Act as set forth at Section 1395nn of Title 42 of the United States Code, as amended, and any successor statute thereto, as interpreted by the rules and regulations issued thereunder, in each case as in effect from time to time.

           “Subordinated Indebtedness” means up to $200,000,000 of Indebtedness of the Borrower (a) having a maturity of not less than 7 years, (b) no scheduled amortization and (c) containing other terms, including subordination provisions, reasonably acceptable to the Agent and the Required Lenders.

           “Subsidiary” means, as to any Person, (a) any corporation more than 50% of whose stock of any class or classes having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether or not at the time, any class or classes of such corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time owned by such Person directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries, (b) any partnership, association, joint venture or other entity in which such person directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries has more than a 50% equity interest at any time or (c) any other entity whose financial information is consolidated with the Borrower’s financial statements in accordance with GAAP.

           “Swingline Commitment” means the commitment of the Swingline Lender to make Swingline Loans in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding of up to the Swingline Committed Amount.

            “Swingline Committed Amount” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.3(a).

            “Swingline Lender” means Bank of America, N.A.

            “Swingline Loan” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.3(a).

           “Synthetic Lease Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).

            “Taxes” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.11(a).

           “TRICARE” means the United States Department of Defense health care program for service families, including but not limited to, TRICARE PRIME, TRICARE EXTRA, and TRICARE STANDARD and any successor and predecessor thereof.

           “Unused Revolving Committed Amount” means, for any period, the amount by which (a) the then applicable Revolving Committed Amount exceeds (b) the daily average sum for such period of (i) the outstanding aggregate principal amount of all Revolving Loans (but not including any Swingline Loans) plus (ii) the outstanding aggregate principal amount of all LOC Obligations.

           “Voting Stock” means, with respect to any Person, Capital Stock issued by such Person the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of such Person, even though the right so to vote has been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.

     1.2      Computation of Time Periods and Other Definitional Provisions.

     For purposes of computation of periods of time hereunder, the word “from” means “from and including” and the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding.” References in this Credit Agreement to “Articles”, “Sections”, “Schedules” or “Exhibits” shall be to Articles, Sections, Schedules or Exhibits of or to this Credit Agreement unless otherwise specifically provided.

     1.3      Accounting Terms.

     Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all accounting terms used herein shall be interpreted, and all financial statements and certificates and reports as to financial matters required to be delivered to the Lenders hereunder shall be prepared, in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis. All calculations made for the purposes of determining compliance with this Credit Agreement shall (except as otherwise expressly provided herein) be made by application of GAAP applied on a basis consistent with the most recent annual or quarterly financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 7.1; provided, however, if (a) the Borrower shall object to determining such compliance on such basis at the time of delivery of such financial statements due to any change in GAAP or the rules promulgated with respect thereto or (b) either the Agent or the Required Lenders shall so object in writing within 60 days after delivery of such financial statements (or after the Lenders have been informed of the change in GAAP affecting such financial statements, if later, and the impact of such change), then such calculations shall be made on a basis consistent with the most recent financial statements delivered by the Borrower to the Lenders as to which no such objection shall have been made.

     1.4      Letter of Credit Amounts.

     Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any LOC Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.

SECTION 2

CREDIT FACILITY

     2.1      Revolving Loans.

     (a)        Revolving Commitment. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof and in reliance upon the representations and warranties set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make available to the Borrower such Lender’s Revolving Commitment Percentage of revolving credit loans requested by the Borrower in Dollars (“Revolving Loans”) from time to time from the Closing Date until the Maturity Date, or such earlier date as the Revolving Commitments shall have been terminated as provided herein; provided, however, that the sum of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Revolving Loans shall not exceed FIVE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS ($500,000,000) (as such aggregate maximum amount may be reduced from time to time as provided in Section 3.4, the “Revolving Committed Amount”); provided, further, (A) with regard to each Lender individually, such Lender’s pro rata share of the outstanding Revolving Loans plus such Lender’s Participation Interest in the LOC Obligations plus such Lender’s Participation Interest in the Swingline Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Committed Amount, and (B) the sum of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Revolving Loans plus LOC Obligations plus Swingline Loans shall not exceed the aggregate Revolving Committed Amount. Revolving Loans may consist of Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Loans, or a combination thereof, as the Borrower may request; provided, however, that no more than 8 Eurodollar Loans shall be outstanding hereunder at any time (it being understood that, for purposes hereof, Eurodollar Loans with different Interest Periods shall be considered as separate Eurodollar Loans, even if they begin on the same date, although borrowings, extensions and conversions may, in accordance with the provisions hereof, be combined at the end of existing Interest Periods to constitute a new Eurodollar Loan with a single Interest Period). Revolving Loans hereunder may be repaid and reborrowed in accordance with the provisions hereof.


     (b)        Revolving Loan Borrowings.


     (i)        Notice of Borrowing. The Borrower shall request a Revolving Loan borrowing by written notice (or telephonic notice promptly confirmed with a written Notice of Borrowing) to the Agent not later than 2:00 P.M. (Charlotte, North Carolina time) on the Business Day prior to the date of the requested borrowing in the case of Base Rate Loans, and on the third Business Day prior to the date of the requested borrowing in the case of Eurodollar Loans. Each such request for borrowing shall be irrevocable and shall specify (A) that a Revolving Loan is requested, (B) the date of the requested borrowing (which shall be a Business Day), (C) the aggregate principal amount to be borrowed, and (D) whether the borrowing shall be comprised of Base Rate Loans, Eurodollar Loans or a combination thereof, and if Eurodollar Loans are requested, the Interest Period(s) therefor. A form of Notice of Borrowing (a “Notice of Borrowing”) is attached as Exhibit 2.1(b). If the Borrower shall fail to specify in any such Notice of Borrowing (I) an applicable Interest Period in the case of a Eurodollar Loan, then such notice shall be deemed to be a request for an Interest Period of one month, or (II) the type of Revolving Loan requested, then such notice shall be deemed to be a request for a Base Rate Loan hereunder. The Agent shall give notice to each affected Lender promptly upon receipt of each Notice of Borrowing pursuant to this Section 2.1(b)(i), the contents thereof and each such Lender’s share of any borrowing to be made pursuant thereto.


     (ii)        Minimum Amounts. Each Eurodollar Loan or Base Rate Loan that is a Revolving Loan shall be in a minimum aggregate principal amount of $1,000,000 and integral multiples of $500,000 in excess thereof (or the remaining amount of the Revolving Committed Amount, if less).


     (iii)        Advances. Each Lender will make its Revolving Commitment Percentage of each Revolving Loan borrowing available to the Agent for the account of the Borrower as specified in Section 3.15(a), or in such other manner as the Agent may specify in writing, by 2:00 P.M. (Charlotte, North Carolina time) on the date specified in the applicable Notice of Borrowing in Dollars and in funds immediately available to the Agent. Such borrowing will then be made available to the Borrower by the Agent by crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of such office with the aggregate of the amounts made available to the Agent by the Lenders and in like funds as received by the Agent.


     (c)        Repayment. The principal amount of all Revolving Loans shall be due and payable in full on the Maturity Date, unless accelerated sooner pursuant to Section 9.2.


     (d)        Interest. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1,


     (i)        Base Rate Loans. During such periods as Revolving Loans shall be comprised in whole or in part of Base Rate Loans, such Base Rate Loans shall bear interest at a per annum rate equal to the Adjusted Base Rate.


     (ii)        Eurodollar Loans. During such periods as Revolving Loans shall be comprised in whole or in part of Eurodollar Loans, such Eurodollar Loans shall bear interest at a per annum rate equal to the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate.


  Interest on Revolving Loans shall be payable in arrears on each applicable Interest Payment Date (or at such other times as may be specified herein).

     (e)        Revolving Notes. The Revolving Loans made by each Lender may, upon the request of a Lender, be evidenced by a duly executed promissory note of the Borrower to such Lender in an original principal amount equal to such Lender’s Revolving Commitment Percentage of the Revolving Committed Amount and in substantially the form of Exhibit 2.1(e).


     2.2      Letter of Credit Subfacility.

     (a)        Issuance.


     (i)        Subject to the terms and conditions hereof and in reliance upon the representations and warranties set forth herein, the Issuing Lender agrees to issue, and each Lender with a Revolving Commitment severally agrees to participate in the issuance by the Issuing Lender of, standby Letters of Credit in Dollars from time to time from the Closing Date until the date thirty (30) days prior to the Maturity Date as the Borrower may request, in a form acceptable to the Issuing Lender; provided, however, that (i) the LOC Obligations outstanding shall not at any time exceed TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS ($20,000,000) (the “LOC Committed Amount”) and (ii) the sum of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Revolving Loans plus LOC Obligations plus Swingline Loans shall not at any time exceed the aggregate Revolving Committed Amount. No Letter of Credit shall (x) have an original expiry date more than one year from the date of issuance (provided that any such Letter of Credit may contain customary “evergreen” provisions pursuant to which the expiry date is automatically extended by a specific time period unless the Issuing Lender gives notice to the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit at least a specified time period prior to the expiry date then in effect) or (y) as originally issued or as extended, have an expiry date extending beyond the date thirty (30) days prior to the Maturity Date. Each Letter of Credit shall comply with the related LOC Documents. The issuance and expiry dates of each Letter of Credit shall be a Business Day.


     (ii)        The Issuing Lender shall not issue any Letter of Credit, if:


     (A)        subject to customary “evergreen” provisions, the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve months after the date of issuance or last extension, unless the Required Lenders have approved such expiry date; or


     (B)        the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Maturity Date, unless all the Lenders have approved such expiry date.


     (iii)        The Issuing Lender shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:


     (A)        any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the Issuing Lender from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Requirement of Law applicable to the Issuing Lender or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the Issuing Lender shall prohibit, or request that the Issuing Lender refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the Issuing Lender with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the Issuing Lender is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon the Issuing Lender any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which the Issuing Lender in good faith deems material to it;


     (B)        the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the Issuing Lender;


     (C)        such Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars; or


     (D)        a default of any Lender’s obligations to fund under Section 2.2(c) exists or any Lender is at such time a Defaulting Lender hereunder, unless the Issuing Lender has entered into satisfactory arrangements with the Borrower or such Lender to eliminate the Issuing Lender’s risk with respect to such Lender.


     (iv)        The Issuing Lender shall not amend any Letter of Credit if the Issuing Lender would not be permitted at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof.


     (v)        The Issuing Lender shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) the Issuing Lender would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to such Letter of Credit.


     (vi)        The Issuing Lender shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the Issuing Lender shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Agent in Section 10 with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the Issuing Lender in connection with any Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and the LOC Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Agent” as used in Section 10 included the Issuing Lender with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to the Issuing Lender.


     (vii)        Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Borrower delivered to the Issuing Lender (with a copy to the Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the Issuing Lender and the Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. at least five Business Days (or such later date and time as the Agent and the Issuing Lender may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be. In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the Issuing Lender: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; and (G) such other matters as the Issuing Lender may reasonably require. In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the Issuing Lender (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as the Issuing Lender may reasonably require. Additionally, the Borrower shall furnish to the Issuing Lender and the Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any LOC Documents, as the Issuing Lender or the Agent may reasonably require.


     (viii)        Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the Issuing Lender will confirm with the Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Borrower and, if not, the Issuing Lender will provide the Agent with a copy thereof. Unless the Issuing Lender has received written notice from any Lender, the Agent or any Credit Party, at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Section 5 shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Issuing Lender shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower (or the applicable Subsidiary) or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the Issuing Lender’s usual and customary business practices.


     (ix)        Each Issuing Lender shall provide to the Agent a list of outstanding Letters of Credit (together with amounts) issued by it on a monthly basis (and upon the request of the Agent. Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the Issuing Lender will also deliver to the Borrower and the Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.


     (b)        Notice and Reports. The Issuing Lender will, at least quarterly and more frequently upon request, disseminate to each of the Lenders a detailed report specifying the Letters of Credit which are then issued and outstanding and any activity with respect thereto which may have occurred since the date of the prior report, and including therein, among other things, the beneficiary, the face amount and the expiry date, as well as any payment or expirations which may have occurred.


     (c)        Participation. Each Lender with a Revolving Commitment, upon issuance of a Letter of Credit (or, in the case of each Existing Letter of Credit, on the Closing Date), shall be deemed to have purchased without recourse a Participation Interest from the Issuing Lender in such Letter of Credit and the obligations arising thereunder and any collateral relating thereto, in each case in an amount equal to its pro rata share of the obligations under such Letter of Credit (based on the respective Revolving Commitment Percentages of the Lenders) and shall absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably assume and be obligated to pay to the Issuing Lender and discharge when due, its pro rata share of the obligations arising under such Letter of Credit. Without limiting the scope and nature of each Lender’s Participation Interest in any Letter of Credit, to the extent that the Issuing Lender has not been reimbursed by the Borrower as required hereunder or under any such Letter of Credit, each such Lender shall pay to the Issuing Lender its pro rata share of such unreimbursed drawing in same day funds on the day of notification by the Issuing Lender of an unreimbursed drawing pursuant to the provisions of clause (d) below. The obligation of each Lender to so reimburse the Issuing Lender shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by the occurrence of a Default, an Event of Default or any other occurrence or event. Any such reimbursement shall not relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the Issuing Lender under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as hereinafter provided.


     (d)        Reimbursement. In the event of any drawing under any Letter of Credit, the Issuing Lender will promptly notify the Borrower. Unless the Borrower shall immediately notify the Issuing Lender that the Borrower intends to otherwise reimburse the Issuing Lender for such drawing, the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested that the Lenders make a Revolving Loan in the amount of the drawing as provided in clause (e) below on the related Letter of Credit, the proceeds of which will be used to satisfy the related reimbursement obligations. The Borrower promises to reimburse the Issuing Lender on the day of drawing under any Letter of Credit (either with the proceeds of a Revolving Loan obtained hereunder or otherwise) in same day funds. If the Borrower shall fail to reimburse the Issuing Lender as provided hereinabove, the unreimbursed amount of such drawing shall bear interest at a per annum rate equal to the Adjusted Base Rate plus 2%. The Borrower’s reimbursement obligations hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under all circumstances irrespective of any rights of setoff, counterclaim or defense to payment the Borrower may claim or have against the Issuing Lender, the Agent, the Lenders, the beneficiary of the Letter of Credit drawn upon or any other Person, including without limitation any defense based on any failure of the Borrower or any other Credit Party to receive consideration or the legality, validity, regularity or unenforceability of the Letter of Credit. The Issuing Lender will promptly notify the other Lenders of the amount of any unreimbursed drawing and each Lender shall promptly pay to the Agent for the account of the Issuing Lender in Dollars and in immediately available funds, the amount of such Lender’s pro rata share of such unreimbursed drawing. Such payment shall be made on the day such notice is received by such Lender from the Issuing Lender if such notice is received at or before 2:00 P.M. (Charlotte, North Carolina time), and otherwise such payment shall be made at or before 12:00 Noon (Charlotte, North Carolina time) on the Business Day next succeeding the day such notice is received. If such Lender does not pay such amount to the Issuing Lender in full upon such request, such Lender shall, on demand, pay to the Agent for the account of the Issuing Lender interest on the unpaid amount during the period from the date of such drawing until such Lender pays such amount to the Issuing Lender in full at a rate per annum equal to, if paid within two (2) Business Days of the date that such Lender is required to make payments of such amount pursuant to the preceding sentence, the Federal Funds Rate and thereafter at a rate equal to the Base Rate. Each Lender’s obligation to make such payment to the Issuing Lender, and the right of the Issuing Lender to receive the same, shall be absolute and unconditional, shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever and without regard to the termination of this Credit Agreement or the Commitments hereunder, the existence of a Default or Event of Default or the acceleration of the obligations of the Borrower hereunder and shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Simultaneously with the making of each such payment by a Lender to the Issuing Lender, such Lender shall, automatically and without any further action on the part of the Issuing Lender or such Lender, acquire a Participation Interest in an amount equal to such payment (excluding the portion of such payment constituting interest owing to the Issuing Lender) in the related unreimbursed drawing portion of the LOC Obligation and in the interest thereon and in the related LOC Documents, and shall have a claim against the Borrower with respect thereto.


     (e)        Repayment with Revolving Loans. On any day on which the Borrower shall have requested, or been deemed to have requested, a Revolving Loan advance to reimburse a drawing under a Letter of Credit, the Agent shall give notice to the Lenders that a Revolving Loan has been requested or deemed requested by the Borrower to be made in connection with a drawing under a Letter of Credit, in which case a Revolving Loan advance comprised of Base Rate Loans (or Eurodollar Loans to the extent the Borrower has complied with the procedures of Section 2.1(b)(i) with respect thereto) shall be immediately made to the Borrower by all Lenders (notwithstanding any termination of the Commitments pursuant to Section 9.2) pro rata based on the respective Revolving Commitment Percentages of the Lenders (determined before giving effect to any termination of the Commitments pursuant to Section 9.2) and the proceeds thereof shall be paid directly to the Issuing Lender for application to the respective LOC Obligations. Each such Lender hereby irrevocably agrees to make its pro rata share of each such Revolving Loan immediately upon any such request or deemed request in the amount, in the manner and on the date specified in the preceding sentence notwithstanding (i) the amount of such borrowing may not comply with the minimum amount for advances of Revolving Loans otherwise required hereunder, (ii) whether any conditions specified in Section 5.2 are then satisfied, (iii) whether a Default or an Event of Default then exists, (iv) failure for any such request or deemed request for Revolving Loan to be made by the time otherwise required hereunder, (v) whether the date of such borrowing is a date on which Revolving Loans are otherwise permitted to be made hereunder or (vi) any termination of the Commitments relating thereto immediately prior to or contemporaneously with such borrowing. In the event that any Revolving Loan cannot for any reason be made on the date otherwise required above (including, without limitation, as a result of the commencement of a proceeding under the Bankruptcy Code with respect to the Borrower or any other Credit Party), then each such Lender hereby agrees that it shall forthwith purchase (as of the date such borrowing would otherwise have occurred, but adjusted for any payments received from the Borrower on or after such date and prior to such purchase) from the Issuing Lender such Participation Interests in the outstanding LOC Obligations as shall be necessary to cause each such Lender to share in such LOC Obligations ratably (based upon the respective Revolving Commitment Percentages of the Lenders (determined before giving effect to any termination of the Commitments pursuant to Section 9.2)), provided that at the time any purchase of Participation Interests pursuant to this sentence is actually made, the purchasing Lender shall be required to pay to the Issuing Lender, to the extent not paid to the Issuing Lender by the Borrower in accordance with the terms of clause (d) above, interest on the principal amount of Participation Interests purchased for each day from and including the day upon which such borrowing would otherwise have occurred to but excluding the date of payment for such Participation Interests, at the rate equal to, if paid within two (2) Business Days of the date of the Revolving Loan advance, the Federal Funds Rate, and thereafter at a rate equal to the Base Rate.


     (f)        Designation of Consolidated Parties as Account Parties. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Credit Agreement, including without limitation Section 2.2(a), a Letter of Credit issued hereunder may contain a statement to the effect that such Letter of Credit is issued for the account of any Subsidiary of the Borrower, provided that notwithstanding such statement, the Borrower shall be the actual account party for all purposes of this Credit Agreement for such Letter of Credit and such statement shall not affect the Borrower’s reimbursement obligations hereunder with respect to such Letter of Credit.


     (g)        Renewal, Extension. The renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit shall, for purposes hereof, be treated in all respects the same as the issuance of a new Letter of Credit hereunder.


     (h)        Uniform Customs and Practices. The Issuing Lender may have the Letters of Credit be subject to The Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (the “UCP”) or the International Standby Practices 1998 (the “ISP98”), in either case as published as of the date of issue by the International Chamber of Commerce, in which case the UCP or the ISP98, as applicable, may be incorporated therein and deemed in all respects to be a part thereof.


     (i)        Indemnification; Nature of Issuing Lender’s Duties.


     (i)        In addition to its other obligations under this Section 2.2, the Borrower hereby agrees to pay, and protect, indemnify and save each Lender (including the Issuing Lender) harmless from and against, any and all claims, demands, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, charges and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) that such Lender may incur or be subject to as a consequence, direct or indirect, of (A) the issuance of any Letter of Credit or (B) the failure of such Lender to honor a drawing under a Letter of Credit as a result of any act or omission, whether rightful or wrongful, of any present or future de jure or de facto government or Governmental Authority (all such acts or omissions, herein called “Government Acts”).


     (ii)        As between the Borrower and the Lenders (including the Issuing Lender), the Borrower shall assume all risks of the acts, omissions or misuse of any Letter of Credit by the beneficiary thereof. No Lender (including the Issuing Lender) shall be responsible: (A) for the form, validity, sufficiency, accuracy, genuineness or legal effect of any document submitted by any party in connection with the application for and issuance of any Letter of Credit, even if it should in fact prove to be in any or all respects invalid, insufficient, inaccurate, fraudulent or forged; (B) for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign any Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, that may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason; (C) for errors, omissions, interruptions or delays in transmission or delivery of any messages, by mail, cable, telegraph, telex or otherwise, whether or not they be in cipher; (D) for any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under a Letter of Credit or of the proceeds thereof; and (E) for any consequences arising from causes beyond the control of such Lender, including, without limitation, any Government Acts. None of the above shall affect, impair, or prevent the vesting of the Issuing Lender’s rights or powers hereunder.


     (iii)        In furtherance and extension and not in limitation of the specific provisions hereinabove set forth, any action taken or omitted by any Lender (including the Issuing Lender), under or in connection with any Letter of Credit or the related certificates, if taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith, shall not put such Lender under any resulting liability to the Borrower or any other Credit Party; provided, that the Issuing Bank shall make payment under a Letter of Credit only in respect of a draft that strictly conforms to the requirements thereof. It is the intention of the parties that this Credit Agreement shall be construed and applied to protect and indemnify each Lender (including the Issuing Lender) against any and all risks involved in the issuance of the Letters of Credit, all of which risks are hereby assumed by the Borrower (on behalf of itself and each of the other Credit Parties), including, without limitation, any and all Government Acts. No Lender (including the Issuing Lender) shall, in any way, be liable for any failure by such Lender or anyone else to pay any drawing under any Letter of Credit as a result of any Government Acts or any other cause beyond the control of such Lender.


     (iv)        Nothing in this clause (i) is intended to limit the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower contained in clause (d) above. The obligations of the Borrower under this clause (i) shall survive the termination of this Credit Agreement. No act or omission of any current or prior beneficiary of a Letter of Credit shall in any way affect or impair the rights of the Lenders (including the Issuing Lender) to enforce any right, power or benefit under this Credit Agreement.


     (v)        Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this clause (i), the Borrower shall have no obligation to indemnify any Lender (including the Issuing Lender) in respect of any liability incurred by such Lender (A) arising solely out of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Lender, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, or (B) caused by such Lender’s failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after presentation to it of a request strictly complying with the terms and conditions of such Letter of Credit, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, unless such payment is prohibited by any law, regulation, court order or decree.


     (j)        Responsibility of Issuing Lender. It is expressly understood and agreed that the obligations of the Issuing Lender hereunder to the Lenders are only those expressly set forth in this Credit Agreement and that the Issuing Lender shall be entitled to assume that the conditions precedent set forth in Section 5.2 have been satisfied unless it shall have acquired actual knowledge that any such condition precedent has not been satisfied; provided, however, that nothing set forth in this Section 2.2 shall be deemed to prejudice the right of any Lender to recover from the Issuing Lender any amounts made available by such Lender to the Issuing Lender pursuant to this Section 2.2 in the event that the payment with respect to a Letter of Credit constituted gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Issuing Lender.


     (k)        Conflict with LOC Documents. In the event of any conflict between this Credit Agreement and any LOC Document (including any letter of credit application), this Credit Agreement shall control.


     2.3      Swingline Loans.

    (a)         Swingline Commitment. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Swingline Lender, in its individual capacity, agrees to make certain revolving credit loans to the Borrower (each a “Swingline Loan” and, collectively, the “Swingline Loans”) from time to time from the Closing Date until the Maturity Date for the purposes hereinafter set forth; provided, however, (i) the aggregate principal amount of Swingline Loans outstanding at any time shall not exceed TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS ($20,000,000) (the “Swingline Committed Amount”), and (ii) the sum of the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Loans outstanding plus LOC Obligations plus obligations in respect of Swingline Loans outstanding at any time shall not exceed the aggregate Revolving Committed Amount. Swingline Loans hereunder shall be made as a Base Rate Loan in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2.3, and may be repaid and reborrowed in accordance with the provisions hereof.

    (b)         Swingline Loan Advances.

     (i)        Notices; Disbursement. Whenever the Borrower desires a Swingline Loan advance hereunder, the Borrower shall give written notice (or telephone notice promptly confirmed in writing) to the Swingline Lender not later than 2:00 P.M. (Charlotte, North Carolina time) on the Business Day of the requested Swingline Loan advance. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify (A) that a Swingline Loan advance is requested, (B) the date of the requested Swingline Loan advance (which shall be a Business Day) and (C) the principal amount of the Swingline Loan advance requested. Each Swingline Loan shall be made as a Base Rate Loan and shall have such maturity date as set forth in clause (iii) below. Unless the Swingline Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from the Agent (including at the request of any Lender) prior to 2:00 p.m. (Charlotte, North Carolina time) on the date of the proposed Swingline Loan Borrowing (A) directing the Swingline Lender not to make such Swingline Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in the proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.3(a), or (B) that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Article V is not then satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swingline Lender will, not later than 3:00 p.m. (Charlotte, North Carolina time) on the Business Day of the requested borrowing, make the amount of its Swingline Loan available to the Borrower at its office by crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of the Swingline Lender in immediately available funds.


     (ii)        Minimum Amount. Each Swingline Loan shall be in a minimum principal amount of $100,000 and in integral multiples of $100,000 in excess thereof (or the remaining amount of the Swingline Committed Amount, if less).


     (iii)        Repayment of Swingline Loans. The principal amount of all Swingline Loans shall be due and payable on the earlier of (A) a date that is ten (10) Business Days from the date of advance thereof or (B) the Maturity Date. The Swingline Lender may, at any time, in its sole discretion, by written notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, demand repayment of its Swingline Loans by way of a Revolving Loan advance, in which case the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Revolving Loan advance comprised solely of Base Rate Loans in the amount of such Swingline Loans; provided, however, that any such demand shall be deemed to have been given one Business Day prior to the Maturity Date and on the date of the occurrence of any Event of Default described in Section 9.1 and upon acceleration of the Indebtedness hereunder and the exercise of remedies in accordance with the provisions of Section 9.2. Each Lender hereby irrevocably agrees to make its pro rata share of each such Revolving Loan in the amount, in the manner and on the date specified in the preceding sentence notwithstanding (i) the amount of such borrowing may not comply with the minimum amount for advances of Revolving Loans otherwise required hereunder, (ii) whether any conditions specified in Section 5.2 are then satisfied, (iii) whether a Default or Event of Default then exists, (iv) failure of any such request or deemed request for Revolving Loan to be made by the time otherwise required hereunder, (v) whether the date of such borrowing is a date on which Revolving Loans are otherwise permitted to be made hereunder or (vi) any termination of the Commitments relating thereto immediately prior to or contemporaneously with such borrowing. In the event that any Revolving Loan cannot for any reason be made on the date otherwise required above (including, without limitation, as a result of the commencement of a proceeding under the Bankruptcy Code with respect to the Borrower), then each Lender hereby agrees that it shall forthwith purchase (as of the date such borrowing would otherwise have occurred, but adjusted for any payments received from the Borrower on or after such date and prior to such purchase) from the Swingline Lender such participations in the outstanding Swingline Loans as shall be necessary to cause each such Lender to share in such Swingline Loans ratably based upon its Revolving Commitment Percentage of the Revolving Committed Amount, provided that (A) all interest payable on the Swingline Loans shall be for the account of the Swingline Lender until the date as of which the respective participation is purchased and (B) at the time any purchase of participations pursuant to this sentence is actually made, the purchasing Lender shall be required to pay to the Swingline Lender in accordance with the terms of subsection (c)(ii) hereof, interest on the principal amount of participation purchased for each day from and including the day upon which such borrowing would otherwise have occurred to but excluding the date of payment for such participation, at the rate equal to the Federal Funds Rate.


    (c)         Interest on Swingline Loans.

     (i)        Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1, each Swingline Loan shall bear interest at the rate per annum equal to the Adjusted Base Rate in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.3(b).


     (ii)        Interest on Swingline Loans shall be payable in arrears on each applicable Interest Payment Date (or at such other times as may be specified herein).


SECTION 3

GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO LOANS

     3.1      Default Rate.

    (a)         If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Adjusted Base Rate plus 2% (the “Default Rate”) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

    (b)         If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrower under any Credit Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

    (c)         Upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists, the Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Credit Party Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

    (d)         Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

     3.2      Extension and Conversion.

     The Borrower shall have the option, on any Business Day, to extend existing Loans into a subsequent permissible Interest Period or to convert Loans into Loans of another interest rate type; provided, however, that (i) except as provided in Section 3.8, Eurodollar Loans may be converted into Base Rate Loans or extended as Eurodollar Loans for new Interest Periods only on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) without the consent of the Required Lenders, Eurodollar Loans may be extended, and Base Rate Loans may be converted into Eurodollar Loans, only if no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of extension or conversion, (iii) Loans extended as, or converted into, Eurodollar Loans shall be subject to the terms of the definition of “Interest Period” set forth in Section 1.1 and shall be in such minimum amounts as provided in Section 2.1(b)(ii), (iv) no more than 8 Eurodollar Loans shall be outstanding hereunder at any time (it being understood that, for purposes hereof, Eurodollar Loans with different Interest Periods shall be considered as separate Eurodollar Loans, even if they begin on the same date, although borrowings, extensions and conversions may, in accordance with the provisions hereof, be combined at the end of existing Interest Periods to constitute a new Eurodollar Loan with a single Interest Period), (v) any request for extension or conversion of a Eurodollar Loan which shall fail to specify an Interest Period shall be deemed to be a request for an Interest Period of one month and (vi) Swingline Loans may not be extended or converted pursuant to this Section 3.2. Each such extension or conversion shall be effected by the Borrower by giving a Notice of Extension/Conversion (or telephonic notice promptly confirmed in writing) to the office of the Agent specified in Schedule 11.1, or at such other office as the Agent may designate in writing, prior to 2:00 P.M. (Charlotte, North Carolina time) on the Business Day prior to, in the case of the conversion of a Eurodollar Loan into a Base Rate Loan, and on the third Business Day prior to, in the case of the extension of a Eurodollar Loan as, or conversion of a Base Rate Loan into, a Eurodollar Loan, the date of the proposed extension or conversion, specifying the date of the proposed extension or conversion, the Loans to be so extended or converted, the types of Loans into which such Loans are to be converted and, if appropriate, the applicable Interest Periods with respect thereto. Each request for extension or conversion shall be irrevocable. In the event the Borrower fails to request extension or conversion of any Eurodollar Loan in accordance with this Section 3.2, or any such conversion or extension is not permitted or required by this Credit Agreement, then such Eurodollar Loan shall be automatically converted into a Base Rate Loan at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto. The Agent shall give each Lender notice as promptly as practicable of any such proposed extension or conversion affecting any Loan.

     3.3      Prepayments.

     (a)        Voluntary Prepayments. The Borrower shall have the right to prepay Loans in whole or in part from time to time; provided, however, that each partial prepayment of Loans (other than Swingline Loans) shall be in a minimum principal amount of $5,000,000 and integral multiples of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or the then remaining principal balance of the Revolving Loans, if less). Subject to the foregoing terms, amounts prepaid under this Section 3.3(a) shall be applied as the Borrower may elect; provided that if the Borrower shall fail to specify, voluntary prepayments shall be applied to Revolving Loans, first to Base Rate Loans and then to Eurodollar Loans in direct order of Interest Period maturities. All prepayments under this Section 3.3(a) shall be subject to Section 3.12, but otherwise without premium or penalty, and, other than with respect to Revolving Loans, shall be accompanied by interest on the principal amount prepaid through the date of prepayment.


     (b)        Mandatory Prepayments.


     (i)        (A) Revolving Committed Amount. If at any time, the sum of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Revolving Loans plus LOC Obligations plus Swingline Loans shall exceed the aggregate Revolving Committed Amount, the Borrower immediately shall prepay the Revolving Loans and (after all Revolving Loans have been repaid) cash collateralize the LOC Obligations, in an amount sufficient to eliminate such excess.


     (B)        LOC Committed Amount. If at any time, the sum of the aggregate principal amount of LOC Obligations shall exceed the LOC Committed Amount, the Borrower immediately shall cash collateralize the LOC Obligations in an amount sufficient to eliminate such excess.


     (ii)        Application of Mandatory Prepayments. All amounts required to be paid pursuant to this Section 3.3(b) shall be applied as follows: (A) with respect to all amounts prepaid pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(i)(A), to Revolving Loans and (after all Revolving Loans have been repaid) to a cash collateral account in respect of LOC Obligations and (B) with respect to all amounts prepaid pursuant to Section 3.3(b)(i)(B), to a cash collateral account in respect of LOC Obligations. Within the parameters of the applications set forth above, prepayments shall be applied first to Base Rate Loans and then to Eurodollar Loans in direct order of Interest Period maturities. All prepayments under this Section 3.3(b) shall be subject to Section 3.12, but otherwise without premium or penalty, and shall be accompanied by interest on the principal amount prepaid through the date of prepayment.


     3.4      Termination and Reduction of Revolving Committed Amount.

     (a)        Voluntary Reductions. The Borrower may from time to time permanently reduce or terminate the Revolving Committed Amount in whole or in part (in minimum aggregate amounts of $5,000,000 or in integral multiples of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the full remaining amount of the then applicable Revolving Committed Amount)) upon five Business Days’ prior written notice to the Agent; provided, however, no such termination or reduction shall be made which would cause the sum of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Revolving Loans plus LOC Obligations plus Swingline Loans to exceed the Revolving Committed Amount, unless, concurrently with such termination or reduction, the Revolving Loans are repaid to the extent necessary to eliminate such excess. The Agent shall promptly notify each affected Lender of receipt by the Agent of any notice from the Borrower pursuant to this Section 3.4(a).


     (b)        Maturity Date. The Revolving Commitments, the LOC Commitment and the Swingline Commitment shall automatically terminate on the Maturity Date


     (c)        General. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent for the account of the Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 3.5(a), on the date of each termination or reduction of the Revolving Committed Amount, the Commitment Fee accrued through the date of such termination or reduction on the amount of the Revolving Committed Amount so terminated or reduced.


     3.5      Fees.

     (a)        Commitment Fee. In consideration of the Revolving Commitments of the Lenders hereunder, the Borrower promises to pay to the Agent for the account of each Lender a fee (the “Commitment Fee”) on the Unused Revolving Committed Amount computed at a per annum rate for each day during the applicable Commitment Fee Calculation Period (hereinafter defined) at a rate equal to the Applicable Percentage in effect from time to time. The Commitment Fee shall commence to accrue on the Closing Date and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December (and on any date that the Revolving Committed Amount is reduced and on the Maturity Date) for the immediately preceding quarter (or portion thereof) (each such quarter or portion thereof for which the Commitment Fee is payable hereunder being herein referred to as an “Commitment Fee Calculation Period”), beginning with the first of such dates to occur after the Closing Date.


     (b)        Letter of Credit Fees.


     (i)        Letter of Credit Issuance Fee. In consideration of the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder, the Borrower promises to pay to the Agent for the account of each Lender a fee (the “Letter of Credit Fee”) on such Lender’s Revolving Commitment Percentage of the average daily maximum amount available to be drawn under each such Letter of Credit (whether or not such maximum amount is then in effect under such Letter of Credit) computed at a per annum rate for each day from the date of issuance to the date of expiration equal to the Applicable Percentage. The Letter of Credit Fee will be payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December for the immediately preceding quarter (or a portion thereof).


     (ii)        Issuing Lender Fees. In addition to the Letter of Credit Fee payable pursuant to clause (i) above, the Borrower promises to pay to the Agent for the account of the Issuing Lender without sharing by the other Lenders (i) a letter of credit fronting fee of 0.125% on the average daily maximum amount available to be drawn under each Letter of Credit computed at a per annum rate for each day from the date of issuance to the date of expiration (which fronting fee shall be payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December for the immediately preceding quarter (or a portion thereof)) and (ii) the customary charges from time to time of the Issuing Lender with respect to the issuance, amendment, transfer, administration, cancellation and conversion of, and drawings under, such Letters of Credit.


     (c)        Administrative Fees. The Borrower promises to pay to the Agent, for its own account, for the account of the Issuing Lender and for the account of Banc of America Securities LLC, and Bank of Nova Scotia, as applicable, the fees referred to in the applicable Agent’s Fee Letter.


     3.6      Capital Adequacy.

     If any Lender has determined that the adoption or the becoming effective of, or any change in, or any change by any Governmental Authority, central bank or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof in the interpretation or administration of, any applicable law, rule or regulation regarding capital adequacy in any case occurring after the date hereof, or change after the date hereof in the manner of compliance by such Lender with any request or directive regarding capital adequacy (whether or not having the force of law) of any such authority, central bank or comparable agency, has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s capital or assets as a consequence of its commitments or obligations hereunder to a level below that which such Lender could have achieved but for such adoption, effectiveness, change or compliance (taking into consideration such Lender’s policies with respect to capital adequacy), then, if such Lender generally is assessing such amounts to its borrowers that are similarly situated with the Borrower, upon notice from such Lender to the Borrower, which notice shall include a calculation of such additional amounts in reasonable detail, the Borrower shall be obligated to pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such reduction. Each determination by any such Lender of amounts owing under this Section shall, absent manifest error, be conclusive and binding on the parties hereto.

     3.7      Limitation on Eurodollar Loans.

     If on or prior to the first day of any Interest Period for any Eurodollar Loan:

     (a)        the Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive) that by reason of circumstances affecting the relevant market, adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period; or


     (b)        the Required Lenders determine (which determination shall be conclusive) and notify the Agent that the Eurodollar Rate will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to the Lenders of funding Eurodollar Loans for such Interest Period;


then the Agent shall give the Borrower prompt notice thereof, and so long as such condition remains in effect, the Lenders shall be under no obligation to make additional Eurodollar Loans, Continue Eurodollar Loans, or to Convert Base Rate Loans into Eurodollar Loans and the Borrower shall, on the last day(s) of the then current Interest Period(s) for the outstanding Eurodollar Loans, either prepay such Eurodollar Loans or Convert such Eurodollar Loans into Base Rate Loans in accordance with the terms of this Credit Agreement.

     3.8      Illegality.

     Notwithstanding any other provision of this Credit Agreement, in the event that it becomes unlawful for any Lender or its Applicable Lending Office to make, maintain, or fund Eurodollar Loans hereunder, then such Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower thereof and such Lender’s obligation to make or Continue Eurodollar Loans and to Convert Base Rate Loans into Eurodollar Loans shall be suspended until such time as such Lender may again make, maintain, and fund Eurodollar Loans (in which case the provisions of Section 3.10 shall be applicable).

     3.9      Requirements of Law.

     If the adoption of any applicable law, rule, or regulation, or any change in any applicable law, rule, or regulation, or any change in the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority, central bank, or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, in any case after the date hereof or change after the date hereof in the manner of compliance by any Lender (or its Applicable Lending Office) with any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any such Governmental Authority, central bank, or comparable agency:

     (i)        shall subject such Lender (or its Applicable Lending Office) to any tax, duty, or other charge with respect to any Eurodollar Loans, its Notes, or its obligation to make Eurodollar Loans, or change the basis of taxation of any amounts payable to such Lender (or its Applicable Lending Office) under this Credit Agreement or its Notes in respect of any Eurodollar Loans (other than taxes imposed on the overall net income of such Lender by the jurisdiction in which such Lender has its principal office or such Applicable Lending Office);


     (ii)        shall impose, modify, or deem applicable any reserve (including any reserve imposed by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, special deposit, capital, assessment, or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender or (or its Applicable Lending Office), including the Commitment of such Lender hereunder; or


     (iii)        shall impose on such Lender (or its Applicable Lending Office) or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this Credit Agreement or its Notes or any of such extensions of credit or liabilities or commitments;


and the result of any of the foregoing is to increase the cost to such Lender (or its Applicable Lending Office) of making, Converting into, Continuing, or maintaining any Eurodollar Loans or to reduce any sum received or receivable by such Lender (or its Applicable Lending Office) under this Credit Agreement or its Notes with respect to any Eurodollar Loans, then, if such Lender generally is assessing such amounts to its borrowers that are similarly situated with the Borrower, the Borrower shall pay to such Lender on demand such amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such increased cost or reduction. If any Lender requests compensation by the Borrower under this Section 3.9, the Borrower may, by notice to such Lender (with a copy to the Agent), suspend the obligation of such Lender to make or Continue Eurodollar Loans, or to Convert Base Rate Loans into Eurodollar Loans, until the event or condition giving rise to such request ceases to be in effect (in which case the provisions of Section 3.10 shall be applicable); provided that such suspension shall not affect the right of such Lender to receive the compensation so requested. Each Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Agent of any event of which it has knowledge, occurring after the date hereof, which will entitle such Lender to compensation pursuant to this Section 3.9 and will designate a different Applicable Lending Office if such designation will avoid the need for, or reduce the amount of, such compensation and will not, in the judgment of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to it. Any Lender claiming compensation under this Section 3.9 shall furnish to the Borrower and the Agent a statement setting forth the additional amount or amounts to be paid to it hereunder, and reflecting the computation thereof in reasonable detail, which shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. In determining such amount, such Lender may use any reasonable averaging and attribution methods. The Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section 3.9 for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the change of law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided that, if the change of law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then such 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof. The provisions of this Section 3.9 shall survive repayment of the loans and obligations under the Credit Documents and termination of the Commitments hereunder.

     3.10      Treatment of Affected Loans.

     If the obligation of any Lender to make any Eurodollar Loan or to Continue, or to Convert Base Rate Loans into, Eurodollar Loans shall be suspended pursuant to Section 3.7, 3.8 or 3.9 hereof, such Lender’s Eurodollar Loans shall be automatically Converted into Base Rate Loans on the last day(s) of the then current Interest Period(s) for such Eurodollar Loans (or, in the case of a Conversion, on such earlier date as such Lender may specify to the Borrower with a copy to the Agent) and, unless and until such Lender gives notice as provided below that the circumstances specified in Section 3.7, 3.8 or 3.9 hereof that gave rise to such Conversion no longer exist:

     (a)        to the extent that such Lender’s Eurodollar Loans have been so Converted, all payments and prepayments of principal that would otherwise be applied to such Lender’s Eurodollar Loans shall be applied instead to its Base Rate Loans; and


     (b)        all Loans that would otherwise be made or Continued by such Lender as Eurodollar Loans shall be made or Continued instead as Base Rate Loans, and all Base Rate Loans of such Lender that would otherwise be Converted into Eurodollar Loans shall remain as Base Rate Loans.


If such Lender gives notice to the Borrower (with a copy to the Agent) that the circumstances specified in Section 3.7, 3.8 or 3.9 hereof that gave rise to the Conversion of such Lender’s Eurodollar Loans pursuant to this Section 3.10 no longer exist (which such Lender agrees to do promptly upon such circumstances ceasing to exist) at a time when Eurodollar Loans made by other Lenders are outstanding, such Lender’s Base Rate Loans shall be automatically Converted, on the first day(s) of the next succeeding Interest Period(s) for such outstanding Eurodollar Loans, to the extent necessary so that, after giving effect thereto, all Loans held by the Lenders holding Eurodollar Loans and by such Lender are held pro rata (as to principal amounts, interest rate basis, and Interest Periods) in accordance with their respective Commitments. The provisions of this Section 3.10 shall survive repayment of the loans and obligations under the Credit Documents and termination of the Commitments hereunder.

     3.11      Taxes.

     (a)        Any and all payments by any Credit Party to or for the account of any Lender or the Agent hereunder or under any other Credit Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any and all present or future taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, charges or withholdings, and all liabilities with respect thereto, excluding, in the case of each Lender and the Agent, taxes imposed on net income and franchise taxes imposed, by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such Lender (or its Applicable Lending Office) or the Agent (as the case may be) is organized or any political subdivision thereof (all such non-excluded taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, charges, withholdings, and liabilities being hereinafter referred to as “Taxes”). If any Credit Party shall be required by law to deduct any Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable under this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document to any Lender or the Agent, (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.11) such Lender or the Agent receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) such Credit Party shall make such deductions, (iii) such Credit Party shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant taxation authority or other authority in accordance with applicable law, and (iv) such Credit Party shall furnish to the Agent, at its address referred to in Section 11.1, the original or a certified copy of a receipt evidencing payment thereof.


     (b)        In addition, the Borrower agrees to pay any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes and any other excise or property taxes or charges or similar levies which arise from any payment made under this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document or from the execution or delivery of, or otherwise with respect to, this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document (hereinafter referred to as “Other Taxes”).


     (c)        The Borrower agrees to indemnify each Lender and the Agent for the full amount of Taxes and Other Taxes (including, without limitation, any Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted by any jurisdiction on amounts payable under this Section 3.11) paid by such Lender or the Agent (as the case may be) and any liability (including penalties, interest, and expenses) arising therefrom or with respect thereto.


     (d)        Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments hereunder or under any other Credit Document shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if requested by the Borrower or the Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.


  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is resident for tax purposes in the United States, any Foreign Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower or the Agent, but only if such Foreign Lender is legally entitled to do so), whichever of the following is applicable:

     (i)        duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming eligibility for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party and which reduces to zero the rate of withholding tax on payments of interest,


     (ii)        duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI certifying that the income receivable pursuant to the Credit Agreement is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States,


     (iii)        in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not (A) a “bank” within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (B) a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or (C) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and (y) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN which reduces to zero the rate of withholding tax on payments of interest, or


     (iv)        any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a complete reduction in United States Federal withholding tax duly completed together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Borrower to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made.


     (e)        For any period with respect to which a Lender has failed to provide the Borrower and the Agent with the appropriate form pursuant to Section 3.11(d) (unless such failure is due to a change in treaty, law, or regulation occurring subsequent to the date on which a form originally was required to be provided), such Lender shall not be entitled to indemnification under Section 3.11(a) or 3.11(b) with respect to Taxes imposed by the United States; provided, however, that should a Lender, which is otherwise exempt from withholding tax, become subject to Taxes because of its failure to deliver a form required hereunder, the Borrower shall take such steps as such Lender shall reasonably request to assist such Lender to recover such Taxes.


     (f)        If any Credit Party is required to pay additional amounts to or for the account of any Lender pursuant to this Section 3.11, then such Lender will agree to use reasonable efforts to change the jurisdiction of its Applicable Lending Office so as to eliminate or reduce any such additional payment which may thereafter accrue if such change, in the judgment of such Lender, is not otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender.


     (g)        Without prejudice to the survival of any other agreement of the Credit Parties hereunder, the agreements and obligations of the Credit Parties contained in this Section 3.11 shall survive the repayment of the Loans, LOC Obligations and other obligations under the Credit Documents and the termination of the Commitments hereunder.


     3.12      Compensation.

     Upon the request of any Lender, the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such amount or amounts as shall be sufficient (in the reasonable opinion of such Lender) to compensate it for any loss, cost, or expense (excluding loss of anticipated profits) incurred by it as a result of:

    (a)        any payment, prepayment, or Conversion of a Eurodollar Loan for any reason (including, without limitation, the acceleration of the Loans pursuant to Section 9.2) on a date other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan; or


     (b)        any failure by the Borrower for any reason (including, without limitation, the failure of any condition precedent specified in Section 5 to be satisfied) to borrow, Convert, Continue, or prepay a Eurodollar Loan on the date for such borrowing, Conversion, Continuation, or prepayment specified in the relevant notice of borrowing, prepayment, Continuation, or Conversion under this Credit Agreement.


With respect to Eurodollar Loans, such indemnification may include an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (a) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the amount so prepaid, or not so borrowed, Converted or Continued, for the period from the date of such prepayment or of such failure to borrow, Convert or Continue to the last day of the applicable Interest Period (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, Convert or Continue, the Interest Period that would have commenced on the date of such failure) in each case at the applicable rate of interest for such Eurodollar Loans provided for herein (excluding, however, the Applicable Percentage included therein, if any) over (b) the amount of interest (as reasonably determined by such Lender) which would have accrued to such Lender on such amount by placing such amount on deposit for a comparable period with leading banks in the interbank Eurodollar market. The covenants of the Borrower set forth in this Section 3.12 shall survive the repayment of the Loans, LOC Obligations and other obligations under the Credit Documents and the termination of the Commitments hereunder.

     3.13      Pro Rata Treatment.

     Except to the extent otherwise provided herein:

     (a)        Loans. Each Loan, each payment or (subject to the terms of Section 3.3) prepayment of principal of any Loan or reimbursement obligations arising from drawings under Letters of Credit, each payment of interest on the Loans or reimbursement obligations arising from drawings under Letters of Credit, each payment of Commitment Fees, each payment of the Letter of Credit Fee, each reduction of the Revolving Committed Amount and each conversion or extension of any Loan, shall be allocated pro rata among the Lenders in accordance with the respective principal amounts of their outstanding Loans of the applicable type and Participation Interests in Loans of the applicable type and Letters of Credit.


     (b)        Advances. No Lender shall be responsible for the failure or delay by any other Lender in its obligation to make its ratable share of a borrowing hereunder; provided, however, that the failure of any Lender to fulfill its obligations hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder. Unless the Agent shall have been notified by any Lender prior to the date of any requested borrowing that such Lender does not intend to make available to the Agent its ratable share of such borrowing to be made on such date, the Agent may assume that such Lender has made such amount available to the Agent on the date of such borrowing, and the Agent in reliance upon such assumption, may (in its sole discretion but without any obligation to do so) make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. If such corresponding amount is not in fact made available to the Agent, the Agent shall be able to recover such corresponding amount from such Lender. If such Lender does not pay such corresponding amount forthwith upon the Agent’s demand therefor, the Agent will promptly notify the Borrower, and the Borrower shall immediately pay such corresponding amount to the Agent. The Agent shall also be entitled to recover from the Lender or the Borrower, as the case may be, interest on such corresponding amount in respect of each day from the date such corresponding amount was made available by the Agent to the Borrower to the date such corresponding amount is recovered by the Agent at a per annum rate equal to (i) from the Borrower at the applicable rate for the applicable borrowing pursuant to the Notice of Borrowing and (ii) from a Lender at the Federal Funds Rate.


     3.14      Sharing of Payments.

     The Lenders agree among themselves that, in the event that any Lender shall obtain payment in respect of any Loan, LOC Obligations or any other obligation owing to such Lender under this Credit Agreement through the exercise of a right of setoff, banker’s lien or counterclaim, or pursuant to a secured claim under Section 506 of Title 11 of the United States Code or other security or interest arising from, or in lieu of, such secured claim, received by such Lender under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law or otherwise, or by any other means, in excess of its pro rata share of such payment as provided for in this Credit Agreement, such Lender shall promptly purchase from the other Lenders a Participation Interest in such Loans, LOC Obligations and other obligations in such amounts, and make such other adjustments from time to time, as shall be equitable to the end that all Lenders share such payment in accordance with their respective ratable shares as provided for in this Credit Agreement. The Lenders further agree among themselves that if payment to a Lender obtained by such Lender through the exercise of a right of setoff, banker’s lien, counterclaim or other event as aforesaid shall be rescinded or must otherwise be restored, each Lender which shall have shared the benefit of such payment shall, by repurchase of a Participation Interest theretofore sold, return its share of that benefit (together with its share of any accrued interest payable with respect thereto) to each Lender whose payment shall have been rescinded or otherwise restored. The Borrower agrees that any Lender so purchasing such a Participation Interest may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, exercise all rights of payment, including setoff, banker’s lien or counterclaim, with respect to such Participation Interest as fully as if such Lender were a holder of such Loan, LOC Obligations or other obligation in the amount of such Participation Interest. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Credit Agreement, if any Lender shall fail to remit to the Agent or any other Lender an amount payable by such Lender to the Agent or such other Lender pursuant to this Credit Agreement on the date when such amount is due, such payments shall be made together with interest thereon for each date from the date such amount is due until the date such amount is paid to the Agent or such other Lender at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate. If under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, any Lender receives a secured claim in lieu of a setoff to which this Section 3.14 applies, such Lender shall, to the extent practicable, exercise its rights in respect of such secured claim in a manner consistent with the rights of the Lenders under this Section 3.14 to share in the benefits of any recovery on such secured claim.

     3.15      Payments, Computations, Etc.

    (a)        Generally. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, all payments hereunder shall be made to the Agent in Dollars in immediately available funds, without condition or deduction, setoff, counterclaim, defense, recoupment or withholding of any kind, at the Agent’s office specified in Schedule 2.1(a) not later than 2:00 P.M. (Charlotte, North Carolina time) on the date when due. Payments received after such time shall be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day. The Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) debit the amount of any such payment which is not made by such time to any ordinary deposit account of the Borrower or any other Credit Party maintained with the Agent (with notice to the Borrower or such other Credit Party). The Borrower shall, at the time it makes any payment under this Credit Agreement, specify to the Agent the Loans, LOC Obligations, Fees, interest or other amounts payable by the Borrower hereunder to which such payment is to be applied (and in the event that it fails so to specify, or if such application would be inconsistent with the terms hereof, the Agent shall distribute such payment to the Lenders in such manner as the Agent may determine to be appropriate in respect of obligations owing by the Borrower hereunder, subject to the terms of Section 3.13(a)). The Agent will distribute such payments to such Lenders, if any such payment is received prior to 2:00 P.M. (Charlotte, North Carolina time) on a Business Day in like funds as received prior to the end of such Business Day and otherwise the Agent will distribute such payment to such Lenders on the next succeeding Business Day. Whenever any payment hereunder shall be stated to be due on a day which is not a Business Day, the due date thereof shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day (subject to accrual of interest and Fees for the period of such extension), except that in the case of Eurodollar Loans, if the extension would cause the payment to be made in the next following calendar month, then such payment shall instead be made on the next preceding Business Day. Except as expressly provided otherwise herein, all computations of interest and fees shall be made on the basis of actual number of days elapsed over a year of 360 days, except with respect to computation of interest on Base Rate Loans which shall be calculated based on a year of 365 or 366 days, as appropriate. Interest shall accrue from and include the date of borrowing, but exclude the date of payment.


     (b)        Allocation of Payments After Event of Default. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Credit Agreement to the contrary, after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, all amounts collected or received by the Agent or any Lender on account of the Credit Party Obligations or any other amounts outstanding under any of the Credit Documents or in respect of the Collateral shall be paid over or delivered as follows:


           FIRST, to the payment of all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including without limitation reasonable attorneys’ fees) of the Agent in connection with enforcing the rights of the Lenders under the Credit Documents and any protective advances made by the Agent with respect to the Collateral under or pursuant to the terms of the Collateral Documents;

            SECOND, to payment of any fees owed to the Agent;

            THIRD, to the payment of all of the Credit Party Obligations consisting of accrued fees and interest;

           FOURTH, to the payment of the outstanding principal amount of the Credit Party Obligations (including the payment or cash collateralization of the outstanding LOC Obligations);

           FIFTH, to the payment of all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) of each of the Lenders in connection with enforcing its rights under the Credit Documents or otherwise with respect to the Credit Party Obligations owing to such Lender;

           SIXTH, to all other Credit Party Obligations and other obligations which shall have become due and payable under the Credit Documents or otherwise and not repaid pursuant to clauses “FIRST” through “FIFTH” above; and

           SEVENTH, to the payment of the surplus, if any, to whomever may be lawfully entitled to receive such surplus.

  In carrying out the foregoing, (i) amounts received shall be applied in the numerical order provided until exhausted prior to application to the next succeeding category; (ii) each of the Lenders shall receive an amount equal to its pro rata share (based on the proportion that the then outstanding Loans and LOC Obligations held by such Lender bears to the aggregate then outstanding Loans and LOC Obligations) of amounts available to be applied pursuant to clauses “THIRD”, “FOURTH”, “FIFTH” and “SIXTH” above; and (iii) to the extent that any amounts available for distribution pursuant to clause “FOURTH” above are attributable to the issued but undrawn amount of outstanding Letters of Credit, such amounts shall be held by the Agent in a cash collateral account and applied (A) first, to reimburse the Issuing Lender from time to time for any drawings under such Letters of Credit and (B) then, following the expiration of all Letters of Credit, to all other obligations of the types described in clauses “FOURTH”, “FIFTH” and “SIXTH” above in the manner provided in this Section 3.15(b).

     3.16      Evidence of Debt.

     (a)        Each Lender shall maintain an account or accounts evidencing each Loan made by such Lender to the Borrower from time to time, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time under this Credit Agreement. Each Lender will make reasonable efforts to maintain the accuracy of its account or accounts and to promptly update its account or accounts from time to time, as necessary.


     (b)        The Agent shall maintain the Register pursuant to Section 11.3(c), and a subaccount for each Lender, in which Register and subaccounts (taken together) shall be recorded (i) the amount, type and Interest Period of each such Loan hereunder, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Agent hereunder from or for the account of any Credit Party and each Lender’s share thereof. The Agent will make reasonable efforts to maintain the accuracy of the subaccounts referred to in the preceding sentence and to promptly update such subaccounts from time to time, as necessary.


     (c)        The entries made in the accounts, Register and subaccounts maintained pursuant to clause (b) of this Section 3.16 (and, if consistent with the entries of the Agent, clause (a)) shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations of the Credit Parties therein recorded; provided, however, that the failure of any Lender or the Agent to maintain any such account, such Register or such subaccount, as applicable, or any error therein, shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Credit Parties to repay the Credit Party Obligations owing to such Lender.


     3.17      Replacement of Affected Lenders.

     If any Lender having a Revolving Commitment becomes a Defaulting Lender or otherwise defaults in its Revolving Commitment or if any Lender is owed increased costs under Section 3.6, Section 3.8, Section 3.9, or, or the Borrower is required to make any payments under Section 3.11 to any Lender in excess of those to the other Lenders, the Borrower shall have the right, if no Event of Default then exists, to replace such Lender (the “Replaced Lender”) with one or more other Eligible Assignee or Eligible Assignees, none of whom shall constitute a Defaulting Lender at the time of such replacement (collectively, the “Replacement Lender”) reasonably acceptable to the Agent, provided that (i) at the time of any replacement pursuant to this Section 3.17, the Replaced Lender and Replacement Lender shall enter into an Assignment and Acceptance in the form of Exhibit 11.3(b), pursuant to which the Replacement Lender shall acquire at par all of the Commitments and outstanding Loans of, and participation in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans by, the Replaced Lender and the Replaced Lender shall assign its Commitments, Loans and Participation Interests to the Replacement Lender and (ii) all obligations of the Borrower owing to the Replaced Lender (including, without limitation, such increased costs and excluding those specifically described in clause (i) above in respect of which the assignment purchase price has been, or is concurrently being paid) shall be paid in full to such Replaced Lender concurrently with such replacement. Upon the execution of the assignment documentation, the payment of amounts referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above and, if so requested by the Replacement Lender, delivery to the Replacement Lender of the appropriate Note or Notes executed by the Borrower, the Replacement Lender shall become a Lender hereunder and the Replaced Lender shall cease to constitute a Lender hereunder, except with respect to indemnification provisions under this Agreement, which shall survive as to such Replaced Lender. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained above, (1) the Lender that acts as the Issuing Lender may not be replaced hereunder at any time that it has Letters of Credit outstanding hereunder unless arrangements satisfactory to the Issuing Lender (including the furnishing of a back-up standby letter of credit in form and substance, and issued by an issuer satisfactory to such Issuing Lender or the depositing of cash collateral into a cash collateral account maintained with the Agent in amounts and pursuant to arrangements satisfactory to such Issuing Lender) have been made with respect to such outstanding Letters of Credit and (2) the Lender that acts as the Agent may not be replaced hereunder except in accordance with the terms of Section 10.9. The Replaced Lender shall be required to deliver for cancellation its applicable Notes, if any, to be canceled on the date of replacement, or if any such Note is lost or unavailable, such other assurances or indemnification therefor as the Borrower may reasonably request.

SECTION 4

GUARANTY

     4.1      The Guaranty.

     Each of the Guarantors hereby jointly and severally guarantees to each Lender, each Affiliate of a Lender that enters into a Hedging Agreement, and the Agent as hereinafter provided, as primary obligor and not as surety, the prompt payment of the Credit Party Obligations in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) strictly in accordance with the terms thereof. The Guarantors hereby further agree that if any of the Credit Party Obligations are not paid in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise), the Guarantors will, jointly and severally, promptly pay the same, without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of the Credit Party Obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension or renewal.

     Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein or in any other of the Credit Documents or Hedging Agreements, the obligations of each Guarantor under this Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents shall be limited to an aggregate amount equal to the largest amount that would not render such obligations subject to avoidance under Section 548 of the Bankruptcy Code or any comparable provisions of any applicable state law.

     4.2      Obligations Unconditional.

     The obligations of the Guarantors under Section 4.1 are joint and several, absolute, irrevocable and unconditional, irrespective of the value, genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of any of the Credit Documents or Hedging Agreements, or any other agreement or instrument referred to therein or relating thereto, or any substitution, release, impairment or exchange of any other guarantee of or security for any of the Credit Party Obligations, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, irrespective of any other circumstance whatsoever which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 4.2 that the obligations of the Guarantors hereunder shall be absolute, irrevocable and unconditional under any and all circumstances. Each Guarantor agrees that such Guarantor shall have no right of subrogation, indemnity, reimbursement or contribution against the Borrower or any other Guarantor for amounts paid under this Section 4 until such time as the Lenders (and any Affiliates of Lenders entering into Hedging Agreements) have been paid in full in respect of all Credit Party Obligations, all Commitments under this Credit Agreement have been terminated and no Person or Governmental Authority shall have any right to request any return or reimbursement of funds from the Lenders in connection with monies received under the Credit Documents or Hedging Agreements between any Consolidated Party and any Lender, or any Affiliate of a Lender. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is agreed that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the occurrence of any one or more of the following shall not alter or impair the liability of any Guarantor hereunder which shall remain absolute, irrevocable and unconditional as described above and each Guarantor hereby waives any and all defenses that it may now or hereafter have arising out of any of the following or any other event set forth in this Section 4.2:

     (a)        at any time or from time to time, without notice to any Guarantor, the time for any performance of or compliance with any of the Credit Party Obligations shall be extended, or such performance or compliance shall be waived;


     (b)        any of the acts mentioned in any of the provisions of any of the Credit Documents, any Hedging Agreement between any Consolidated Party and any Lender, or any Affiliate of a Lender, or any other agreement or instrument referred to in the Credit Documents or such Hedging Agreements shall be done or omitted;


     (c)        the maturity of any of the Credit Party Obligations shall be accelerated, or any of the Credit Documents or the Credit Party Obligations shall be modified, supplemented or amended in any respect, or any right under any of the Credit Documents, any Hedging Agreement between any Consolidated Party and any Lender, or any Affiliate of a Lender, or any other agreement or instrument referred to in the Credit Documents or such Hedging Agreements or relating thereto shall be waived or any other guarantee of any of the Credit Party Obligations or any security therefor shall be released, impaired or exchanged in whole or in part or otherwise dealt with;


     (d)        any Lien granted to, or in favor of, the Agent or any Lender or Lenders as security for any of the Credit Party Obligations shall fail to attach or be perfected;


     (e)        any manner of application of Collateral, or proceeds thereof, to any or all of the Guaranteed Obligations, or any manner of sale or other disposition of any Collateral for all or any of the Guaranteed Obligations or any other assets of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries;


     (f)        any change, restructuring or termination of the corporate structure or existence of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; or


     (g)        any of the Credit Party Obligations shall be determined to be void or voidable (including, without limitation, for the benefit of any creditor of any Guarantor) or shall be subordinated to the claims of any Person (including, without limitation, any creditor of any Guarantor).


With respect to its obligations hereunder, each Guarantor hereby expressly waives promptness, diligence, presentment, demand of payment, protest and all notices whatsoever, and any requirement that the Agent or any Lender exhaust any right, power or remedy or proceed against any Person under any of the Credit Documents, any Hedging Agreement between any Consolidated Party and any Lender, or any Affiliate of a Lender, or any other agreement or instrument referred to in the Credit Documents or such Hedging Agreements, or against any other Person under any other guarantee of, or security for, any of the Credit Party Obligations.

     4.3      Reinstatement.

     The obligations of the Guarantors under this Section 4 shall be automatically reinstated if and to the extent that for any reason any payment by or on behalf of any Person in respect of the Credit Party Obligations is rescinded or must be otherwise restored by any holder of any of the Credit Party Obligations, whether as a result of any proceedings in bankruptcy or reorganization or otherwise, and each Guarantor agrees that it will indemnify the Agent and each Lender on demand for all reasonable costs and expenses (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of counsel) incurred by the Agent or such Lender in connection with such rescission or restoration, including any such costs and expenses incurred in defending against any claim alleging that such payment constituted a preference, fraudulent transfer or similar payment under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law.

     4.4      Certain Additional Waivers.

     Without limiting the generality of the provisions of this Section 4, including, without limitation, any other waivers of defenses contained herein, each Guarantor hereby specifically waives the benefits of N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 26-7 through 26-9, inclusive, to the extent applicable. Each Guarantor further agrees that such Guarantor shall have no right of recourse to security for the Credit Party Obligations, except through the exercise of rights of subrogation pursuant to Section 4.2 and through the exercise of rights of contribution pursuant to Section 4.6.

     4.5      Remedies.

     The Guarantors agree that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, as between the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Agent and the Lenders, on the other hand, the Credit Party Obligations may be declared to be forthwith due and payable as provided in Section 9.2 (and shall be deemed to have become automatically due and payable in the circumstances provided in said Section 9.2) for purposes of Section 4.1 notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such declaration (or preventing the Credit Party Obligations from becoming automatically due and payable) as against any other Person and that, in the event of such declaration (or the Credit Party Obligations being deemed to have become automatically due and payable), the Credit Party Obligations (whether or not due and payable by any other Person) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantors for purposes of Section 4.1. The Guarantors acknowledge and agree that their obligations hereunder are secured in accordance with the terms of the Collateral Documents and that the Lenders may exercise their remedies thereunder in accordance with the terms thereof.

     4.6      Rights of Contribution.

     The Guarantors hereby agree as among themselves that, if any Guarantor shall make an Excess Payment (as defined below), such Guarantor shall have a right of contribution from each other Guarantor in an amount equal to such other Guarantor’s Contribution Share (as defined below) of such Excess Payment. The payment obligations of any Guarantor under this Section 4.6 shall be subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of the Guaranteed Obligations, and none of the Guarantors shall exercise any right or remedy under this Section 4.6 against any other Guarantor until payment and satisfaction in full of all of such Guaranteed Obligations. For purposes of this Section 4.6, (a) “Guaranteed Obligations” shall mean any obligations arising under the other provisions of this Section 4; (b) “Excess Payment” shall mean the amount paid by any Guarantor in excess of its Pro Rata Share of any Guaranteed Obligations; (c) “Pro Rata Share” shall mean, for any Guarantor in respect of any payment of Guaranteed Obligations, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) as of the date of such payment of Guaranteed Obligations of (i) the amount by which the aggregate present fair salable value of all of its assets and properties exceeds the amount of all debts and liabilities of such Guarantor (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of such Guarantor hereunder) to (ii) the amount by which the aggregate present fair salable value of all assets and other properties of all of the Credit Parties exceeds the amount of all of the debts and liabilities (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of the Credit Parties hereunder) of the Credit Parties; provided, however, that, for purposes of calculating the Pro Rata Shares of the Guarantors in respect of any payment of Guaranteed Obligations, any Guarantor that became a Guarantor subsequent to the date of any such payment shall be deemed to have been a Guarantor on the date of such payment and the financial information for such Guarantor as of the date such Guarantor became a Guarantor shall be utilized for such Guarantor in connection with such payment; and (d) “Contribution Share” shall mean, for any Guarantor in respect of any Excess Payment made by any other Guarantor, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) as of the date of such Excess Payment of (i) the amount by which the aggregate present fair salable value of all of its assets and properties exceeds the amount of all debts and liabilities of such Guarantor (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of such Guarantor hereunder) to (ii) the amount by which the aggregate present fair salable value of all assets and other properties of the Credit Parties other than the maker of such Excess Payment exceeds the amount of all of the debts and liabilities (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of the Credit Parties) of the Credit Parties other than the maker of such Excess Payment; provided, however, that, for purposes of calculating the Contribution Shares of the Guarantors in respect of any Excess Payment, any Guarantor that became a Guarantor subsequent to the date of any such Excess Payment shall be deemed to have been a Guarantor on the date of such Excess Payment and the financial information for such Guarantor as of the date such Guarantor became a Guarantor shall be utilized for such Guarantor in connection with such Excess Payment. This Section 4.6 shall not be deemed to affect any right of subrogation, indemnity, reimbursement or contribution that any Guarantor may have under applicable law against the Borrower in respect of any payment of Guaranteed Obligations. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all rights of contribution against any Guarantor shall terminate from and after such time, if ever, that such Guarantor shall be relieved of its obligations pursuant to Section 8.4.

     4.7      Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee.

     The guarantee in this Section 4 is a guaranty of payment and not of collection, is a continuing guarantee, and shall apply to all Credit Party Obligations whenever arising.

SECTION 5

CONDITIONS

     5.1      Closing Conditions.

     The obligation of the Lenders to enter into this Credit Agreement and to make the initial Loans or the Issuing Lender to issue the initial Letter of Credit, whichever shall occur first, shall be subject to satisfaction of the following conditions (in form and substance acceptable to the Lenders):

     (a)        Executed Credit Documents. Receipt by the Agent of duly executed copies of (i) this Credit Agreement, (ii) the Collateral Documents, (iii) Agents’ Fee Letters and (iv) all other Credit Documents.


     (b)        Corporate Documents. Receipt by the Agent of the following:


     (i)        Charter Documents. Copies of the articles or certificates of incorporation or other charter documents of each Credit Party certified to be true and complete as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority of the state or other jurisdiction of its incorporation and certified by a secretary or assistant secretary of such Credit Party to be true and correct as of the Closing Date.


     (ii)        Bylaws. A copy of the bylaws of each Credit Party certified by a secretary or assistant secretary of such Credit Party to be true and correct as of the Closing Date.


     (iii)        Resolutions. Copies of resolutions of the Board of Directors of each Credit Party approving and adopting the Credit Documents to which it is a party, the transactions contemplated therein and authorizing execution and delivery thereof, certified by a secretary or assistant secretary of such Credit Party to be true and correct and in force and effect as of the Closing Date.


     (iv)        Good Standing. Copies of (A) certificates of good standing, existence or its equivalent with respect to each Credit Party certified as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authorities of the state or other jurisdiction of incorporation and each other jurisdiction in which the failure to so qualify and be in good standing could have a Material Adverse Effect and (B) to the extent available, a certificate indicating payment of all corporate or comparable franchise taxes certified as of a recent date by the appropriate governmental taxing authorities.


     (v)        Incumbency. An incumbency certificate of each Credit Party certified by a secretary or assistant secretary to be true and correct as of the Closing Date.


     (c)        Opinions of Counsel. The Agent shall have received, dated as of the Closing Date, a legal opinion of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and the Lenders.


     (d)        Personal Property Collateral. The Agent shall have received:


     (i)        searches of Uniform Commercial Code filings in the jurisdiction of the chief executive office of each Credit Party and each jurisdiction where any Collateral is located or where a filing would need to be made in order to perfect the Agent’s security interest in the Collateral, copies of the financing statements on file in such jurisdictions and evidence that no Liens exist other than Permitted Liens;


     (ii)        duly executed UCC financing statements for each appropriate jurisdiction as is necessary, in the Agent’s sole discretion, to perfect the Agent’s security interest in the Collateral;


     (iii)        all certificates evidencing any certificated Capital Stock pledged to the Agent pursuant to the Pledge Agreement, together with duly executed in blank, undated stock powers attached thereto (unless, with respect to the pledged Capital Stock of any Foreign Subsidiary, such stock powers are deemed unnecessary by the Agent in its reasonable discretion under the law of the jurisdiction of incorporation of such Person); and


     (iv)        duly executed consents as are necessary, in the Agent’s sole discretion, to perfect the Agent’s security interest in the Collateral.


     (e)        Evidence of Insurance. Receipt by the Agent of copies of insurance policies or certificates of insurance of the Consolidated Parties evidencing liability and casualty insurance meeting the requirements set forth in the Credit Documents, including, but not limited to, naming the Agent as additional insured (in the case of liability insurance) or sole loss payee (in the case of hazard insurance) on behalf of the Lenders.


     (f)        Corporate Structure. The corporate capital and ownership structure of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall be as described in Schedule 6.13.


     (g)        Consent. Receipt by the Agent of evidence that all governmental, shareholder and material third party consents and approvals necessary or desirable in connection with the financings and other transactions contemplated hereby, and no law or regulation shall be applicable which in the judgment of the Agent could reasonably be likely to have such effect.


     (h)        Litigation. Except for matters disclosed in Schedule 6.8 (which matters have not had and are not likely to have a Material Adverse Effect), there shall not exist any pending or threatened action, suit, investigation or proceeding against a Consolidated Party which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.


     (i)        Officer’s Certificates. The Agent shall have received a certificate or certificates executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as of the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent, stating that (A) each Credit Party is in compliance with all of its existing material financial obligations, (B) all governmental, shareholder and third party consents and approvals, if any, with respect to the Credit Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby have been obtained, (C) no action, suit, investigation or proceeding is pending or threatened in any court or before any arbitrator or governmental instrumentality that purports to affect any Credit Party or any transaction contemplated by the Credit Documents, if such action, suit, investigation or proceeding could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as disclosed in Schedule 6.8, which matters have not had and are not likely to have a Material Adverse Effect and (D) no Default or Event of Default exists, all representations and warranties contained herein and in the other Credit Documents are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Closing Date, the Credit Parties are in pro forma compliance with each of the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11 (assuming for purposes hereof that such financial covenants were measured as of, and for the 12-month period ending on, such date).


     (j)        Other Indebtedness. Receipt by the Agent of satisfactory evidence that the Credit Parties shall have no Funded Debt other than the Indebtedness permitted under Section 8.1.


     (k)        Fees and Expenses. Payment by the Credit Parties of all fees and expenses owed by them to the Lenders and the Agent, including, without limitation, payment to the Agent of the fees set forth in the Agents’ Fee Letters.


     (l)        Other. Receipt by the Lenders of such other documents, instruments, agreements or information as reasonably requested by any Lender, including, but not limited to, information regarding litigation, tax, accounting, labor, insurance, pension liabilities (actual or contingent), real estate leases, material contracts, debt agreements, property ownership and contingent liabilities of the Consolidated Parties.


     5.2      Conditions to all Extensions of Credit.

     The obligations of each Lender to make, convert or extend any Loan and of the Issuing Lender to issue or extend any Letter of Credit (including the initial Loans and the initial Letter of Credit) are subject to satisfaction of the following conditions in addition to satisfaction on the Closing Date of the conditions set forth in Section 5.1:

     (a)        The Borrower shall have delivered (i) a Notice of Borrowing or Notice of Extension/Conversion or (ii) in the case of any Letter of Credit, the Issuing Lender shall have received an appropriate request for issuance in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.2(b);


     (b)        The representations and warranties set forth in Section 6 shall, subject to the limitations set forth therein, be true and correct in all material respects as of such date (except for those which expressly relate to an earlier date);


     (c)        There shall not have been commenced against any Consolidated Party an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or any case, proceeding or other action for the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of such Person or for any substantial part of its Property or for the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and such involuntary case or other case, proceeding or other action shall remain undismissed, undischarged or unbonded;


     (d)        No Default or Event of Default shall exist and be continuing either prior to or after giving effect thereto;


     (e)        No development or event which has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred since December 31, 2003 (other than with respect to matters reflected in Schedule 6.8, which matters have not had and are not likely to have a Material Adverse Effect); and


     (f)        Immediately after giving effect to the making of such Loan (and the application of the proceeds thereof) or to the issuance of such Letter of Credit, as the case may be, (i) the sum of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Revolving Loans plus LOC Obligations plus Swingline Loans shall not exceed the Revolving Committed Amount and (ii) the LOC Obligations shall not exceed the LOC Committed Amount.


The delivery of each Notice of Borrowing, each Notice of Extension/Conversion and each request for a Letter of Credit pursuant to Section 2.2(b) shall constitute a representation and warranty by the Credit Parties of the correctness of the matters specified in clauses (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) above.

SECTION 6

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     The Credit Parties hereby represent to the Agent and each Lender that:

     6.1      Financial Condition.

           The audited consolidated balance sheets and income statements of the Consolidated Parties for the fiscal year ended 2003 and the unaudited interim balance sheets and income statements of the Consolidated Parties for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2004, have been prepared in accordance with GAAP and present fairly in all material respects (on the basis disclosed in the footnotes to such financial statements) the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the applicable parties as of such date and for such periods. Since December 31, 2003, there has been no sale, transfer or other disposition by any Consolidated Party of any material part of the business or property of the Consolidated Parties, taken as a whole, and no purchase or other acquisition by any of them of any business or property (including any capital stock of any other person) material in relation to the consolidated financial condition of the Consolidated Parties, taken as a whole, in each case, which, is not (x) reflected in the foregoing financial statements or in the notes thereto or (y) otherwise permitted by the terms of this Credit Agreement and communicated to the Agent.

     6.2      No Material Change.

     Since December 31, 2003, except with respect to matters reflected in Schedule 6.8 (which matters have not had and are not likely to have a Material Adverse Effect), there has been no development or event relating to or affecting a Consolidated Party which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

     6.3      Organization and Good Standing.

     Each of the Consolidated Parties (a) is duly organized, validly existing and is in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has the corporate or other necessary power and authority, and the legal right, to own and operate its property, to lease the property it operates as lessee and to conduct the business in which it is currently engaged and (c) is duly qualified as a foreign entity and in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, other than in such jurisdictions where the failure to be so qualified and in good standing could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

     6.4      Power; Authorization; Enforceable Obligations.

     Each of the Credit Parties has the corporate or other necessary power and authority, and the legal right, to make, deliver and perform the Credit Documents to which it is a party, and in the case of the Borrower, to obtain extensions of credit hereunder, and has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize the borrowings and other extensions of credit on the terms and conditions of this Credit Agreement and to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of the Credit Documents to which it is a party. No consent or authorization of, filing with, notice to or other similar act by or in respect of, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is required to be obtained or made by or on behalf of any Credit Party in connection with the borrowings or other extensions of credit hereunder or with the execution, delivery, performance, validity or enforceability of the Credit Documents to which such Credit Party is a party. This Credit Agreement has been, and each other Credit Document to which any Credit Party is a party will be, duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Credit Parties. This Credit Agreement constitutes, and each other Credit Document to which any Credit Party is a party when executed and delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Credit Party enforceable against such party in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (whether enforcement is sought by proceedings in equity or at law).

     6.5      No Conflicts.

     Neither the execution and delivery of the Credit Documents, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated therein, nor performance of and compliance with the terms and provisions thereof by such Credit Party will (a) violate or conflict with any provision of its articles or certificate of incorporation or organization or bylaws or other organizational or governing documents of such Person, (b) violate, contravene or conflict with contractual provisions of, or cause an event of default under, any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, deed of trust, contract or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it may be bound, the violation of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or (c) result in or require the creation of any Lien (other than those contemplated in or created in connection with the Credit Documents) upon or with respect to its properties.

     6.6      No Default.

     No Default or Event of Default has occurred or exists except as previously disclosed in writing to the Lenders.

     6.7      Ownership.

     Each Consolidated Party is the owner of, and has good and marketable title to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all of its respective assets and none of such assets is subject to any Lien other than Permitted Liens.

     6.8      Litigation.

     Except for matters disclosed in Schedule 6.8 (which matters have not had and are not likely to have a Material Adverse Effect), there are no actions, suits or legal, equitable, arbitration or administrative proceedings, pending or, to the knowledge of any Credit Party, threatened against any Consolidated Party which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

     6.9      Taxes.

     Each Consolidated Party has filed, or caused to be filed, all tax returns (federal, state, local and foreign) required to be filed and paid (a) all amounts of taxes shown thereon to be due (including interest and penalties) and (b) all other taxes, fees, assessments and other governmental charges (including mortgage recording taxes, documentary stamp taxes and intangibles taxes) owing by it, except for such taxes (i) which are not yet delinquent or (ii) that are being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings, and against which adequate reserves are being maintained in accordance with GAAP. No Credit Party is aware as of the Closing Date of any proposed tax assessments against it or any other Consolidated Party.

     6.10      Compliance with Law.

     Each Consolidated Party is in compliance with all Medicare Regulations, Medicaid Regulations and all other Requirements of Law (including without limitation Environmental Laws) applicable to it, or to its properties, unless such failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Consolidated Party represents that (i) current billing policies, arrangements, protocols and instructions comply with requirements of each Medical Reimbursement Program and are administered by properly trained personnel except where any such failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to result in either (A) exclusion from a Medical Reimbursement Program, or (B) loss of 5% or more of annual consolidated revenues of the Consolidated Parties and (ii) current compensation arrangements with physicians substantially comply with state and federal anti-kickback, fraud and abuse, and Stark I and II requirements except where any such failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to result in either (A) an exclusion from a Medical Reimbursement Program, or (B) loss of 5% or more of annual consolidated revenues of the Consolidated Parties.

     6.11      ERISA.

     (a)        During the five-year period prior to the date on which this representation is made or deemed made: (i) no ERISA Event has occurred, and, to the best knowledge of the Credit Parties, no event or condition has occurred or exists as a result of which any ERISA Event could reasonably be expected to occur, with respect to any Plan; (ii) no material “accumulated funding deficiency,” as such term is defined in Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, whether or not waived, has occurred with respect to any Plan; (iii) to the best knowledge of the Credit Parties, each Plan has been maintained, operated, and funded in compliance with its own terms and in material compliance with the provisions of ERISA, the Code, and any other applicable federal or state laws; and (iv) no lien in favor of the PBGC or a Plan has arisen or is reasonably likely to arise on account of any Plan.


     (b)        The actuarial present value of all “benefit liabilities” (as defined in Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA), whether or not vested, under each Single Employer Plan, as of the last annual valuation date prior to the date on which this representation is made or deemed made (determined, in each case, utilizing the actuarial assumptions used in such Plan’s most recent actuarial valuation report), did not, by any material amount, exceed as of such valuation date the fair market value of the assets of such Plan.


     (c)        Neither any Consolidated Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or, to the best knowledge of the Credit Parties, could be reasonably expected to incur, any material withdrawal liability under ERISA to any Multiemployer Plan or Multiple Employer Plan. Neither any Consolidated Party nor any ERISA Affiliate would become subject to any material withdrawal liability under ERISA if any Consolidated Party or any ERISA Affiliate were to withdraw completely from all Multiemployer Plans and Multiple Employer Plans as of the valuation date most closely preceding the date on which this representation is made or deemed made. Neither any Consolidated Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has received any notification that any Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization (within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA), is insolvent (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA), or has been terminated (within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA), and no Multiemployer Plan is, to the best knowledge of the Credit Parties, reasonably expected to be in reorganization, insolvent, or terminated.


     (d)        No prohibited transaction (within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) or breach of fiduciary responsibility has occurred with respect to a Plan which has subjected or may subject any Consolidated Party or any ERISA Affiliate to any material liability under Sections 406, 409, 502(i), or 502(l) of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, or under any agreement or other instrument pursuant to which any Consolidated Party or any ERISA Affiliate has agreed or is required to indemnify any person against any such liability.


     (e)        Neither any Consolidated Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has any material liability with respect to “expected post-retirement benefit obligations” within the meaning of the Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement 106.


     6.12      Subsidiaries.

     Set forth on Schedule 6.13 is a complete and accurate list of all Subsidiaries of each Consolidated Party as of the Closing Date. Information on Schedule 6.13 includes jurisdiction of incorporation or organization, the number of shares of each class of Capital Stock outstanding, the number and percentage of outstanding shares of each class owned (directly or indirectly) by such Subsidiary; and the number and effect, if exercised, of all outstanding options, warrants, rights of conversion or purchase and all other similar rights with respect thereto. The outstanding Capital Stock of all such Subsidiaries is validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by each such Consolidated Party, directly or indirectly, free and clear of all Liens (other than those arising under or contemplated in connection with the Credit Documents).

     6.13      Governmental Regulations, Etc.

     (a)        None of the transactions contemplated by this Credit Agreement (including, without limitation, the direct or indirect use of the proceeds of the Loans) will violate or contravene or materially conflict with any Requirement of Law or any other law, regulation (including, without limitation, the Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act, Regulation U or Regulation X), order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree or permit applicable to it. If requested by any Lender or the Agent, the Borrower will furnish to the Agent and each Lender a statement, in conformity with the requirements of FR Form U-1 referred to in Regulation U, that no part of the Letters of Credit or proceeds of the Loans will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of “buying” or “carrying” any “margin stock” within the meaning of Regulations U and X.


     (b)        None of the Consolidated Parties is (i) an “investment company”, or a company “controlled” by “investment company”, within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (ii) a “holding company” as defined in, or otherwise subject to regulation under, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended or (iii) subject to regulation under any other Federal or state statute or regulation which limits its ability to incur Indebtedness.


     6.14      Purpose of Loans and Letters of Credit.

     The proceeds of the Loans and Letters of Credit hereunder shall be used solely by the Borrower (a) to refinance existing Indebtedness of the Borrower under the Existing Credit Agreement and (b) to provide for ongoing working capital, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

     6.15      Environmental Matters.

     Except for matters that could not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect:

     (a)        Each of the facilities and properties owned, leased or operated by the Consolidated Parties (the “Properties”) and all operations at the Properties are in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws, and there is no violation of any material Environmental Law with respect to the Properties or the businesses operated by the Consolidated Parties (the “Businesses”), and there are no conditions relating to the Businesses or Properties, that could give rise to any material liability under any applicable Environmental Laws.


     (b)        To the best knowledge of the Credit Parties, none of the Properties contains, or has previously contained, any Materials of Environmental Concern at, on or under the Properties in amounts or concentrations that constitute or constituted a violation of, or could give rise to liability under, Environmental Laws.


     (c)        No Consolidated Party has received any written or verbal notice of, or inquiry from any Governmental Authority regarding, any violation, alleged violation, non-compliance, liability or potential liability regarding environmental matters or compliance with Environmental Laws with regard to any of the Properties or the Businesses, nor does any Consolidated Party have knowledge or reason to believe that any such notice will be received or is being threatened.


     (d)        Materials of Environmental Concern have not been transported or disposed of from the Properties, or generated, treated, stored or disposed of at, on or under any of the Properties or any other location, in each case by or on behalf of any Consolidated Party in violation of, or in a manner that could give rise to liability under, any applicable Environmental Law.


     (e)        No judicial proceeding or governmental or administrative action is pending or, to the best knowledge of any Credit Party, threatened, under any Environmental Law to which any Consolidated Party is or will be named as a party, nor are there any consent decrees or other decrees, consent orders, administrative orders or other orders, or other administrative or judicial requirements outstanding under any Environmental Law with respect to the Consolidated Parties, the Properties or the Businesses.


     (f)        There has been no release or, threat of release of Materials of Environmental Concern at or from the Properties, or arising from or related to the operations (including, without limitation, disposal) of any Consolidated Party in connection with the Properties or otherwise in connection with the Businesses, in violation of or in amounts or in a manner that could give rise to a material liability under Environmental Laws.


     6.16      Intellectual Property.

     Each Consolidated Party owns, or has the legal right to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, technology, know-how and processes (the “Intellectual Property”) necessary for each of them to conduct its business as currently conducted except for those the failure to own or have such legal right to use could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No claim has been asserted and is pending by any Person challenging or questioning the use of any such Intellectual Property or the validity or effectiveness of any such Intellectual Property, nor does any Credit Party know of any such claim, and to the Credit Parties’ knowledge the use of such Intellectual Property by any Consolidated Party does not infringe on the rights of any Person, except for such claims and infringements that in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

     6.17      Disclosure.

     The reports, financial statements, certificates or other written information when furnished by the Borrower or any authorized representative of the Borrower to the Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Credit Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information when so furnished), taken as a whole, did not contain any material misstatement of fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading.

     6.18      No Unusual Restrictions.

     No Consolidated Party is a party to any agreement or instrument or subject to any other obligation or any charter or corporate restriction or any provision of any applicable law, rule or regulation which, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

     6.19      Fraud and Abuse.

     To the knowledge of the officers of the Consolidated Parties, neither the Consolidated Parties nor any of their officers, directors or Contract Providers, have engaged in any activities which are prohibited under Medicare Regulations or Medicaid Regulations or which are prohibited by binding rules of professional conduct, including but not limited to the following: (i) knowingly and willfully making or causing to be made a false statement or representation of a material fact in any applications for any benefit or payment; (ii) knowingly and willfully making or causing to be made any false statement or representation of a material fact for use in determining rights to any benefit or payment; (iii) failing to disclose knowledge by a claimant of the occurrence of any event affecting the initial or continued right to any benefit or payment on its own behalf or on behalf of another, with intent to secure such benefit or payment fraudulently; (iv) knowingly and willfully soliciting or receiving any remuneration (including any kickback, bribe or rebate), directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind or offering to pay such remuneration (a) in return for referring an individual to a Person for the furnishing or arranging for the furnishing of any item or service for which payment may be made in whole or in part by Medicare, Medicaid or other applicable third party payors, or (b) in return for purchasing, leasing or ordering or arranging for or recommending the purchasing, leasing or ordering of any good, facility, service, or item for which payment may be made in whole or in part by Medicare, Medicaid or other applicable third party payors.

     6.20      Licensing and Accreditation.

     Each of the Consolidated Parties and, to the knowledge of the officers of the Consolidated Parties, each Contract Provider, has, to the extent applicable: (i) obtained (or been duly assigned) all required certificates of need or determinations of need as required by the relevant state Governmental Authority for the acquisition, construction, expansion of, investment in or operation of its businesses as currently operated; (ii) obtained and maintains in good standing all required licenses; (iii) to the extent prudent and customary in the industry in which it is engaged, obtained and maintains accreditation from all generally recognized accrediting agencies; and (iv) entered into and maintains in good standing its status as a Medicare Supplier and as a Medicaid Supplier. To the knowledge of the officers of the Consolidated Parties, each Contract Provider is duly licensed (where license is required) by each state or state agency or commission, or any other Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the provisions of such services by such Person in the locations in which the Consolidated Parties conduct business, required to enable such Person to provide the professional services provided by such Person and otherwise as is necessary to enable the Consolidated Parties to operate as currently operated and as presently contemplated to be operated. To the knowledge of the officers of the Consolidated Parties, all such required licenses are in full force and effect on the date hereof and have not been revoked or suspended or otherwise limited.

SECTION 7

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

     Each Credit Party hereby covenants and agrees that so long as this Credit Agreement is in effect or any amounts payable hereunder or under any other Credit Document or Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding, and until all of the Commitments hereunder shall have terminated:

     7.1      Information Covenants.

     The Borrower will furnish, or cause to be furnished, to the Agent and each of the Lenders:

     (a)        Annual Financial Statements. As soon as available, and in any event within 120 days after the close of each fiscal year of the Consolidated Parties (or, if earlier, the date that is thirty (30) days after the reporting date for such information required by the SEC), a consolidated balance sheet and income statement of the Consolidated Parties, as of the end of such fiscal year, together with related consolidated statements of operations and retained earnings and of cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in comparative form consolidated figures for the preceding fiscal year, all such financial information described above to be in reasonable form and detail, audited by independent certified public accountants of recognized national standing reasonably acceptable to the Agent and whose opinion shall be to the effect that such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP (except for changes with which such accountants concur) and shall not be limited as to the scope of the audit or qualified as to the status of the Consolidated Parties as a going concern or qualified or limited in any other material respect.


     (b)        Quarterly Financial Statements. As soon as available, and in any event within 45 days after the close of each of the first three fiscal quarters of the Consolidated Parties (or, if earlier, the date that is ten (10) days after the reporting date for such information required by the SEC) a consolidated balance sheet and income statement of the Consolidated Parties, as of the end of such fiscal quarter, together with related consolidated statements of operations and of cash flows for such fiscal quarter in each case setting forth in comparative form consolidated figures for the corresponding period of the preceding fiscal year, all such financial information described above to be in reasonable form and detail and reasonably acceptable to the Agent, and accompanied by a certificate of the chief financial officer of the Borrower to the effect that such quarterly financial statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Consolidated Parties and have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, subject to changes resulting from audit and normal year-end audit adjustments.


     (c)        Officer’s Certificate. At the time of delivery of the financial statements provided for in Sections 7.1(a) and 7.1(b) above, a Compliance Certificate of the chief financial officer of the Borrower substantially in the form of Exhibit 7.1(c), (i) demonstrating compliance with the financial covenants contained in Section 7.11 by calculation thereof as of the end of each such fiscal period and (ii) stating that no Default or Event of Default exists, or if any Default or Event of Default does exist, specifying the nature and extent thereof and what action the Credit Parties propose to take with respect thereto.


     (d)        Operating Budget. Simultaneously with the financial statements referred to in (a) above, an operating budget for the fiscal year succeeding the year covered by such financial statements.


     (e)        Auditor’s Reports. Promptly upon receipt thereof, a copy of any other report or “management letter” submitted by independent accountants to any Consolidated Party in connection with any annual, interim or special audit of the books of such Person.


     (f)        Reports. Promptly upon transmission or receipt thereof, copies of any filings and registrations with, and reports to or from, the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any successor agency, and copies of all financial statements, proxy statements, notices and reports as any Consolidated Party shall send to its shareholders.


     (g)        Notices. Upon obtaining knowledge thereof, each Credit Party will give written notice to the Agent promptly of (i) the occurrence of an event or condition consisting of a Default or Event of Default, specifying the nature and existence thereof and what action the Credit Parties propose to take with respect thereto, (ii) the occurrence of any of the following with respect to any Consolidated Party (A) the pendency or commencement of any litigation, arbitral or governmental proceeding against such Person which if adversely determined could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (B) the institution of any proceedings against such Person with respect to, or the receipt of notice by such Person of potential liability or responsibility for violation, or alleged violation of any federal, state or local law, rule or regulation, including but not limited to, Environmental Laws, the violation of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (C) any notice or determination concerning the imposition of any withdrawal liability by a Multiemployer Plan against such Person or any ERISA Affiliate, the determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, in reorganization within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA or the termination of any Plan, (D) any notice of loss or threatened loss of accreditation, loss of participation under any Medical Reimbursement Program or loss of applicable health care license, in each case that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (E) the institution of any investigation or proceedings against such Person (or, to the knowledge of the Borrower’s officers, any Contract Provider) to suspend, revoke or terminate or which may result in the termination of its status as a Medicaid Supplier or its status as a Medicare Supplier or exclusion from any Medical Reimbursement Program, promptly deliver to the Agent written notice thereof stating the nature and status of such litigation, dispute, proceeding, investigation, levy, execution or other process, and (iii) any change in Debt Rating for the Borrower’s long term Indebtedness.


     (h)        ERISA. Upon obtaining knowledge thereof, the Borrower will give written notice to the Agent promptly (and in any event within five business days) of: (i) of any event or condition, including, but not limited to, any Reportable Event, that constitutes, or might reasonably lead to, an ERISA Event; (ii) with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the receipt of notice as prescribed in ERISA or otherwise of any withdrawal liability assessed against the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates, or of a determination that any Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization or insolvent (both within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA); (iii) the failure to make full payment on or before the due date (including extensions) thereof of all amounts which any Consolidated Party or any ERISA Affiliate is required to contribute to each Plan pursuant to its terms and as required to meet the minimum funding standard set forth in ERISA and the Code with respect thereto; or (iv) any change in the funding status of any Plan that could have a Material Adverse Effect, together with a description of any such event or condition or a copy of any such notice and a statement by the chief financial officer of the Borrower briefly setting forth the details regarding such event, condition, or notice, and the action, if any, which has been or is being taken or is proposed to be taken by the Credit Parties with respect thereto. Promptly upon request, the Credit Parties shall furnish the Agent and the Lenders with such additional information concerning any Plan as may be reasonably requested, including, but not limited to, copies of each annual report/return (Form 5500 series), as well as all schedules and attachments thereto required to be filed with the Department of Labor and/or the Internal Revenue Service pursuant to ERISA and the Code, respectively, for each “plan year” (within the meaning of Section 3(39) of ERISA).


     (i)        Other Information. With reasonable promptness upon any such request, such other information regarding the business, properties or financial condition of any Consolidated Party as the Agent or any Lender, through the Agent, may reasonably request.


     Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7.1 (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 11.1; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Agent); provided that: (i) the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Agent or any Lender that requests the Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Agent or such Lender and (ii) the Borrower shall notify the Agent and each Lender (by telecopier or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. Notwithstanding anything contained herein, in every instance the Borrower shall be required to provide paper copies of the Compliance Certificates required by Section 7.1(c) to the Agent. Except for such Compliance Certificates, the Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery or to maintain copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower with any such request for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

     The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Agent and/or the Arrangers will make available to the Lenders and the Issuing Lender materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders may be “public-side” Lenders (i.e., Lenders that do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities) (each, a “Public Lender”). The Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Agent, the Arrangers, the Issuing Lender and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as either publicly available information or not material information (although it may be sensitive and proprietary) with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws; (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Investor;” and (z) the Agent and the Arrangers shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Investor.”

     7.2      Preservation of Existence and Franchises.

     Except as a result of or in connection with a dissolution, merger or disposition of a Subsidiary permitted under Section 8.4 or Section 8.5, each Credit Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, do all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence, rights, franchises and authority.

     7.3      Books and Records.

     Each Credit Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep complete and accurate books and records of its transactions in accordance with good accounting practices on the basis of GAAP.

     7.4      Compliance with Law.

     Each Credit Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders, and all applicable restrictions imposed by all Governmental Authorities, applicable to it and its Property if noncompliance with any such law, rule, regulation, order or restriction could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Each Credit Party has in place a compliance program which is reasonably designed to provide effective internal controls that promote adherence to, and prevent and detect material violations of any Requirement of Law applicable to it and which includes the implementation of internal audits and monitoring on a regular basis to monitor compliance with the compliance program and with the Requirements of Law.

     7.5      Payment of Taxes and Other Indebtedness.

     Each Credit Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay and discharge (a) all taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed upon it, or upon its income or profits, or upon any of its properties, before they shall become delinquent, (b) all lawful claims (including claims for labor, materials and supplies) which, if unpaid, might give rise to a Lien upon any of its properties, and (c) except as prohibited hereunder, all of its other Indebtedness as it shall become due; provided, however, that no Consolidated Party shall be required to pay any such tax, assessment, charge, levy, claim or Indebtedness which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and as to which adequate reserves therefor have been established in accordance with GAAP, unless the failure to make any such payment (i) could give rise to an immediate right to foreclose on a Lien securing such amounts or (ii) which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

     7.6      Insurance.

           Each Credit Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, at all times maintain in full force and effect insurance (including worker’s compensation insurance, liability insurance, casualty insurance and business interruption insurance) in such amounts, covering such risks and liabilities and with such deductibles or self-insurance retentions as are in accordance with normal industry practice (or as otherwise required by the Collateral Documents). The Agent shall be named as loss payee or mortgagee, as its interest may appear, and/or additional insured with respect to any such insurance providing coverage in respect of any Collateral, and each provider of any such insurance shall agree, by endorsement upon the policy or policies issued by it or by independent instruments furnished to the Agent, that it will give the Agent thirty (30) days prior written notice before any such policy or policies shall be altered or canceled, and that no act or default of any Consolidated Party or any other Person shall affect the rights of the Agent or the Lenders under such policy or policies. The present insurance coverage of the Consolidated Parties is outlined as to carrier, policy number, expiration date, type and amount on Schedule 7.6.

     7.7      Maintenance of Property.

     Each Credit Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain and preserve its properties and equipment material to the conduct of its business in good repair, working order and condition, normal wear and tear and casualty and condemnation excepted, and will make, or cause to be made, in such properties and equipment from time to time all repairs, renewals, replacements, extensions, additions, betterments and improvements thereto as may be needed or proper, to the extent and in the manner customary for companies in similar businesses.

     7.8      Performance of Obligations.

     Each Credit Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, perform in all material respects all of its obligations under the terms of all material agreements, indentures, mortgages, security agreements or other debt instruments to which it is a party or by which it is bound, unless such failure to perform could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

     7.9      Use of Proceeds.

     The Borrower will use the proceeds of the Loans and will use the Letters of Credit solely for the purposes set forth in Section 6.14.

     7.10      Audits/Inspections.

     Upon reasonable notice and during normal business hours, each Credit Party will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit representatives appointed by the Agent or any Lender, including, without limitation, independent accountants, agents, attorneys, and appraisers to visit and inspect its property, including its books and records, its accounts receivable and inventory, its facilities and its other business assets, and to make photocopies or photographs thereof and to write down and record any information such representative obtains and shall permit the Lenders or their representatives to investigate and verify the accuracy of information provided to the Agent and to discuss all such matters with the officers, employees and representatives of such Person.

     7.11      Financial Covenants.

     (a)        Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio. The Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio, as of the last day of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower, shall be not less than 3.50 to 1.00.


     (b)        Leverage Ratio. The Leverage Ratio, as of the last day of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower, shall be less than or equal to 3.00 to 1.00.


     7.12      Additional Credit Parties.

     As soon as practicable and in any event within 30 days after any Person becomes a Subsidiary of any Credit Party, the Borrower shall provide the Agent with written notice thereof setting forth information in reasonable detail describing all of the assets of such Person and shall (a) cause such Person to execute a Joinder Agreement in substantially the same form as Exhibit 7.12, (b) cause (i) 100% of the Capital Stock of each Domestic Subsidiary and (ii) 66% of the Capital Stock of each first-tier Foreign Subsidiary (to the extent the pledge of any greater percentage would result in adverse tax consequences to the Borrower), to be delivered to the Agent (together with undated stock powers signed in blank), and pledged to the Agent pursuant to an appropriate pledge agreement(s) in substantially the form of the Pledge Agreement and otherwise in form acceptable to the Agent and (c) if such Person has any Subsidiaries (i) deliver all of the Capital Stock of such Subsidiaries (together with undated stock powers signed in blank) to the Agent and (ii) execute a pledge agreement in substantially the form of the Pledge Agreement and otherwise in a form acceptable to the Agent.

     7.13      Pledged Stock.

     (a)        The Credit Parties will cause (i) 100% of the issued and outstanding Capital Stock of each Domestic Subsidiary of each of the Credit Parties and (ii) 66% of the Capital Stock of each first-tier Foreign Subsidiary (to the extent the pledge of any greater percentage would result in adverse tax consequences to the Borrower) of each of the Credit Parties to be subject at all times to a first priority, perfected Lien in favor of the Agent pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Collateral Documents or such other security documents as the Agent shall reasonably request.


     (b)        Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Section 7.13(a), this Credit Agreement or any of the Collateral Documents:


     (i)        if at any time (1) Moody’s has assigned to the Credit Facility a rating of Baa3 or higher and (2) S&P has assigned to the Credit Facility a rating of BBB- or higher, then, so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Borrower will not be required to cause all of its owned Collateral to be subject at all times to first priority, perfected Liens in favor of the Agent and the Agent shall deliver to the Credit Parties, upon the Credit Parties’ request and at the Credit Parties’ expense, such documentation as is reasonably necessary to evidence the release of the Agent’s security interest in such Collateral, including, without limitation, amendments or terminations of UCC financing statements.


     (ii)        if at any time either (A) Moody’s has assigned to the Credit Facility a rating of lower than Baa3, or (B) S&P has assigned to the Credit Facility a rating of lower than BBB-, the requirement of Section 7.13(a) shall be in full force and effect and each Credit Party shall, within 30 days following such rating change, cause all of its owned and after acquired Capital Stock to be subject at all times to first priority, perfected Liens in favor of the Agent and shall deliver to the Agent such UCC financing statements and other items of the types required to be delivered pursuant to Sections 5.1(d) and 7.13(a) each in form and substance acceptable to the Agent.


     7.14      Redemption Availability.

     So long as the Senior Convertible Notes remain outstanding, at all times during the period beginning June 1, 2008 through and including September 1, 2008 (such date, the initial “Company Repurchase Date” as defined in Section 3.06(a) of the Senior Convertible Indenture), the Unused Revolving Committed Amount shall be not less than an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $75,000,000 and (b) an amount equal to 50% of the aggregate outstanding amount of the Senior Convertible Notes as of May 31, 2008 (such amount, the “Minimum Availability Requirement”) (it being understood that such Minimum Availability Requirement shall be in effect both prior to and after giving effect to any such repurchases on the Company Repurchase Date); provided, however, the Minimum Availability Requirement shall not be applicable to the extent that during the period beginning June 1, 2008 and ending immediately prior to such repurchases on the Company Repurchase Date, (i) the Borrower shall have obtained and maintained committed financing outside of the Credit Facility in an amount not less than $250,000,000 (or such lower amount as the Borrower may reasonably determine necessary to satisfy the Borrower’s repurchase obligations on the Company Repurchase Date (the terms of such financing to be reasonably acceptable to the Agent)) (the “Alternate Financing”) and (ii) upon giving effect to the incurrence of such Alternate Financing on a pro forma basis as though it had occurred on the first day of the relevant calculation period, the Borrower shall be in compliance with all of the covenants set forth in Section 7.11.

SECTION 8

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

     Each Credit Party hereby covenants and agrees that, so long as this Credit Agreement is in effect or any amounts payable hereunder or under any other Credit Document or Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding, and until all of the Commitments hereunder shall have terminated:

     8.1      Indebtedness.

     The Credit Parties will not permit any Consolidated Party to contract, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:

     (a)        Indebtedness arising under this Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents;


     (b)        Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries set forth in Schedule 8.1;


     (c)        purchase money Indebtedness (including Capital Leases) or Synthetic Leases hereafter incurred by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to finance the purchase of fixed assets provided that (i) the total of all such Indebtedness for all such Persons taken together shall not exceed an aggregate principal amount of $25,000,000 at any one time outstanding (including any such Indebtedness referred to in subsection (b) above); (ii) such Indebtedness when incurred shall not exceed the purchase price of the asset(s) financed; and (iii) no such Indebtedness shall be refinanced for a principal amount in excess of the principal balance outstanding thereon at the time of such refinancing;


     (d)        obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in respect of Hedging Agreements entered into in order to manage existing or anticipated interest rate or exchange rate risks and not for speculative purposes;


     (e)        unsecured Indebtedness payable to the seller of the Capital Stock or Property acquired in a Permitted Acquisition representing all or a portion of the purchase price of the Capital Stock or Property so acquired;


     (f)        Indebtedness owing by one Credit Party to another Credit Party;


     (g)        Subordinated Indebtedness;


     (h)        other Indebtedness hereafter incurred by the Borrower not exceeding $75,000,000 in aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding; and


     (i)        the Senior Convertible Notes and any renewals, refinancings or extensions thereof (including, without limitation, any Alternate Financing permitted by Section 7.14 hereof); provided, however, that the principal amount of such Indebtedness as renewed, refinanced or extended does not exceed the principal amount of the Indebtedness refinanced thereby on such date.


     8.2      Liens.

     The Credit Parties will not permit any Consolidated Party to contract, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien with respect to any of its Property, whether now owned or after acquired, except for Permitted Liens.

     8.3      Nature of Business.

     The Credit Parties will not permit any Consolidated Party to substantively alter the character or conduct of the business conducted by such Person as of the Closing Date.

     8.4      Consolidation, Merger, Dissolution, etc..

     Except in connection with an Asset Disposition permitted under Section 8.5, the Credit Parties will not permit any Consolidated Party to enter into any transaction of merger or consolidation or liquidate, wind up or dissolve itself (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution); provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 8.4 but subject to the terms of Sections 7.12 and 7.13, (a) the Borrower may merge or consolidate with any of its Subsidiaries provided that the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving corporation, (b) any Credit Party other than the Borrower may merge or consolidate with any other Credit Party other than the Borrower, (c) any Consolidated Party which is not a Credit Party may be merged or consolidated with or into any Credit Party provided that such Credit Party shall be the continuing or surviving corporation, (d) any Consolidated Party which is not a Credit Party may be merged or consolidated with or into any other Consolidated Party which is not a Credit Party, (e) any Subsidiary of the Borrower may merge with any Person that is not a Credit Party in connection with an Asset Disposition permitted under Section 8.5, (f) the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower may merge with any Person other than a Consolidated Party in connection with a Permitted Acquisition provided that, if such transaction involves the Borrower, the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving corporation and (g) any Subsidiary of the Borrower may dissolve, liquidate or wind up its affairs at any time provided that such dissolution, liquidation or winding up, as applicable, could not have a Material Adverse Effect.

     8.5      Asset Dispositions.

     The Credit Parties will not permit any Consolidated Party to make any Asset Disposition other than:

     (a)        the sale of inventory in the ordinary course of such Consolidated Party’s business;


     (b)        the sale or disposition of machinery and equipment no longer used or useful in the conduct of such Consolidated Party’s business;


     (c)        any Equity Issuance by such Consolidated Party;


     (d)        any Involuntary Disposition by such Consolidated Party;


     (e)        any sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of Property by such Consolidated Party to any other Consolidated Party, provided that the Credit Parties shall cause to be executed and delivered such documents, instruments and certificates as the Agent may request so as to cause the Credit Parties to be in compliance with the terms of Section 7.13 after giving effect to such transaction; and


     (f)        Asset Dispositions not otherwise permitted under this Section 8.5; provided that (i) the consideration paid in connection therewith shall be cash or Cash Equivalents, (ii) such transaction does not involve the sale or other disposition of a minority equity interest in any Consolidated Party, (iii) such transaction does not involve a sale or other disposition of receivables other than receivables owned by or attributable to other Property concurrently being disposed of in a transaction otherwise permitted under this Section 8.5 and (iv) the aggregate net book value of all of the assets sold or otherwise disposed of by the Consolidated Parties in all such transactions permitted under this clause (g) following the Closing Date shall not exceed an aggregate amount of more than ten percent (10%) of the Consolidated Assets determined as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal quarter of the Borrower.


     Upon a sale of assets or the sale of Capital Stock of a Consolidated Party permitted by this Section 8.5, the Agent shall (to the extent applicable) deliver to the Credit Parties, upon the Credit Parties’ request and at the Credit Parties’ expense, such documentation as is reasonably necessary to evidence the release of the Agent’s security interest, if any, in such assets or Capital Stock, including, without limitation, amendments or terminations of UCC financing statements, if any, the return of stock certificates, if any, and the release of such Consolidated Party from all of its obligations, if any, under the Credit Documents.

     8.6      Investments.

     The Credit Parties will not permit any Consolidated Party to make Investments in or to any Person, except for Permitted Investments.

     8.7      Restricted Payments.

     The Credit Parties will not permit any Consolidated Party to, directly or indirectly, declare, order, make or set apart any sum for or pay any Restricted Payment, except, so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred or would occur as a result thereof, (a) to make dividends payable solely in the same class of Capital Stock of such Person, (b) to make dividends or other distributions payable to any Credit Party (directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries) and ratably to minority shareholders and (c) other distributions with respect to the redemption, retirement, purchase or other acquisition of the capital stock of the Borrower (or any warrant, option or other rights with respect to any shares of capital stock (now or hereafter outstanding) of the Borrower) so long as upon giving effect to such Restricted Payment on a pro forma basis as though it had occurred on the first day of the relevant calculation period, the Borrower shall be in compliance with all of the covenants set forth in Section 7.11(b).

     8.8      Transactions with Affiliates.

     The Credit Parties will not permit any Consolidated Party to enter into or permit to exist any transaction or series of transactions with any officer, director, shareholder, Subsidiary or Affiliate of such Person other than (a) transactions permitted by Section 8.1, Section 8.4, Section 8.6, Section 8.7 or Section 8.8, (b) normal compensation and reimbursement of expenses of officers and directors and (c) except as otherwise specifically limited in this Credit Agreement, other transactions which are entered into in the ordinary course of such Person’s business on terms and conditions substantially as favorable to such Person as would be obtainable by it in a comparable arms-length transaction with a Person other than an officer, director, shareholder, Subsidiary or Affiliate.

     8.9      Modifications of Subordinated Indebtedness, Senior Convertible Notes, etc.

     The Credit Parties will not permit any Consolidated Party to, after the issuance thereof, amend or modify (or permit the amendment or modification of) any of the terms of any Indebtedness permitted under (a) Section 8.1(g) hereunder if such amendment or modification would add or change any terms in a manner adverse to the issuer of such Indebtedness, or shorten the final maturity or average life to maturity or require any payment to be made sooner than originally scheduled or increase the interest rate applicable thereto or change any subordination provision thereof or (b) Section 8.1(i) hereunder in a manner adverse to the Lenders (it being understood that any amendment or modification that reduces the ability of the Borrower to redeem or repurchase the Senior Convertible Notes in Capital Stock shall not be deemed adverse to the Lenders).

     8.10      Limitation on Restricted Actions.

     The Credit Parties will not permit any Consolidated Party to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any such Person to (a) pay dividends or make any other distributions to any Credit Party on its Capital Stock or with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits, (b) pay any Indebtedness or other obligation owed to any Credit Party, (c) make loans or advances to any Credit Party, (d) sell, lease or transfer any of its properties or assets to any Credit Party, (e) grant a lien on its properties or assets whether now owned or hereafter acquired; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to (i) “equal and ratable” restriction typically contained in public note indentures, (ii) any such restriction contained in any document or instrument governing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 8.1(c) so long as such restriction contained therein relates only to the asset or assets constructed or acquired in connection therewith and (iii) any such restriction contained in any document or instrument governing Subordinated Indebtedness permitted under Section 8.1(g) so long as any such restriction contained therein does not apply to “senior debt” thereunder (including the Loans and Credit Party Obligations hereunder) or (f) act as a Guarantor and pledge its assets pursuant to the Credit Documents or any renewals, refinancings, exchanges, refundings or extension thereof, except (in respect of any of the matters referred to in clauses (a)-(f) above) for such encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of (i) this Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents or (ii) applicable law.

SECTION 9

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

     9.1      Events of Default.

     An Event of Default shall exist upon the occurrence of any of the following specified events (each an “Event of Default”):

     (a)        Payment. Any Credit Party shall


     (i)        default in the payment when due of any principal of any of the Loans or of any reimbursement obligations arising from drawings under Letters of Credit (other than solely as a result of the failure by the Agent or any Lender to comply with Section 2.2(e)), or


     (ii)        default, and such default shall continue for three (3) or more Business Days, in the payment when due of any interest on the Loans or on any reimbursement obligations arising from drawings under Letters of Credit, or of any fees or other amounts owing hereunder, under any of the other Credit Documents or in connection herewith or therewith; or


     (b)        Representations. Any representation, warranty or statement made or deemed to be made by any Credit Party herein, in any of the other Credit Documents, or in any statement or certificate delivered or required to be delivered pursuant hereto or thereto shall prove untrue in any material respect on the date as of which it was made or deemed to have been made; or


     (c)        Covenants. Any Credit Party shall


     (i)        default in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or agreement contained in Sections 7.2, 7.9, 7.11, 7.14 or 8.1 through 8.10, inclusive;


     (ii)        default in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or agreement contained in Section 7.1 and such default shall continue unremedied for a period of at least 5 business days after the earlier of a responsible officer of a Credit Party becoming aware of such default or notice thereof by the Agent; or


     (iii)        default in the due performance or observance by it of any term, covenant or agreement (other than those referred to in subsections (a), (b), (c)(i) or (c)(ii) of this Section 9.1) contained in this Credit Agreement and such default shall continue unremedied for a period of at least 30 days after the earlier of a responsible officer of a Credit Party becoming aware of such default or notice thereof by the Agent.


     (d)        Other Credit Documents. (i) Any Credit Party shall default in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or agreement in any of the other Credit Documents (subject to applicable grace or cure periods, if any) or repudiate its obligations thereunder, or (ii) except as a result of or in connection with a dissolution, merger or disposition of a Subsidiary not prohibited under Section 8.4 or Section 8.5, any Credit Document shall fail to be in full force and effect or to give the Agent and/or the Lenders the Liens, rights, powers and privileges purported to be created thereby, or any Credit Party shall so state in writing; or


     (e)        Guaranties. Except as the result of or in connection with a dissolution, merger or disposition of a Subsidiary permitted under Section 8.4, the guaranty given by any Guarantor hereunder (including any Person after the Closing Date in accordance with Section 7.12) or any provision thereof shall cease to be in full force and effect, or any Guarantor (including any Person after the Closing Date in accordance with Section 7.12) hereunder or any Person acting by or on behalf of such Guarantor shall deny or disaffirm such Guarantor’s obligations under such guaranty, or any Guarantor shall default in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or agreement on its part to be performed or observed pursuant to any guaranty; or


     (f)        Bankruptcy, etc. Any Bankruptcy Event shall occur with respect to any Consolidated Party; or


     (g)        Defaults under Other Agreements. With respect to any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness outstanding under this Credit Agreement) in excess of $10,000,000 in the aggregate for the Consolidated Parties taken as a whole, (i) any Consolidated Party shall (A) default in any payment (beyond the applicable grace period with respect thereto, if any) with respect to any such Indebtedness, or (B) default (after giving effect to any applicable grace period) in the observance or performance of any term, covenant or agreement relating to such Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event or condition shall occur or condition exist, the effect of which default or other event or condition is to cause, or permit, the holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or trustee or agent on behalf of such holders) to cause (determined without regard to whether any notice or lapse of time is required), any such Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity; or (ii) any such Indebtedness shall be declared due and payable, or required to be prepaid other than by a regularly scheduled required prepayment, prior to the stated maturity thereof.


     (h)        Judgments. One or more judgments or decrees shall be entered against one or more of the Consolidated Parties involving a liability of $5,000,000 or more in the aggregate (to the extent not paid or fully covered by insurance provided by a carrier who has acknowledged coverage and has, in the reasonable judgment of the Agent, the ability to perform) and any such judgments or decrees shall not have been satisfied, vacated, discharged or stayed or bonded pending appeal within 60 days from the entry thereof; or


     (i)        ERISA. Any of the following events or conditions, if such event or condition could have a Material Adverse Effect (i) any “accumulated funding deficiency,” as such term is defined in Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, whether or not waived, shall exist with respect to any Plan, or any lien shall arise on the assets of any Consolidated Party or any ERISA Affiliate in favor of the PBGC or a Plan; (ii) an ERISA Event shall occur with respect to a Single Employer Plan, which is, in the reasonable opinion of the Agent, likely to result in the termination of such Plan for purposes of Title IV of ERISA; (iii) an ERISA Event shall occur with respect to a Multiemployer Plan or Multiple Employer Plan, which is, in the reasonable opinion of the Agent, likely to result in (A) the termination of such Plan for purposes of Title IV of ERISA, or (B) any Consolidated Party or any ERISA Affiliate incurring any liability in connection with a withdrawal from, reorganization of (within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA), or insolvency or (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA) such Plan; or (iv) any prohibited transaction (within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) or breach of fiduciary responsibility shall occur which may subject any Consolidated Party or any ERISA Affiliate to any liability under Sections 406, 409, 502(i), or 502(l) of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, or under any agreement or other instrument pursuant to which any Consolidated Party or any ERISA Affiliate has agreed or is required to indemnify any person against any such liability; or


     (j)        Ownership. There shall occur a Change of Control.


     9.2      Acceleration; Remedies.

     Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, and at any time thereafter unless and until such Event of Default has been waived by the requisite Lenders (pursuant to the voting requirements of Section 11.6), the Agent shall, upon the request and direction of the Required Lenders, by written notice to the Credit Parties take any of the following actions:

     (a)        Termination of Commitments. Declare the Commitments terminated whereupon the Commitments shall be immediately terminated.


     (b)        Acceleration. Declare the unpaid principal of and any accrued interest in respect of all Loans, any reimbursement obligations arising from drawings under Letters of Credit and any and all other indebtedness or obligations of any and every kind owing by the Borrower to the Agent and/or any of the Lenders hereunder to be due whereupon the same shall be immediately due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower.


     (c)        Cash Collateral. Direct the Borrower to pay (and the Borrower agrees that upon receipt of such notice, or upon the occurrence of an Event of Default under Section 9.1(f), it will immediately pay) to the Agent additional cash, to be held by the Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, in a cash collateral account as additional security for the LOC Obligations in respect of subsequent drawings under all then outstanding Letters of Credit in an amount equal to the maximum aggregate amount which may be drawn under all Letters of Credits then outstanding.


     (d)        Enforcement of Rights. Enforce any and all rights and interests created and existing under the Credit Documents including, without limitation, all rights and remedies existing under the Pledge Agreement, all rights and remedies against a Guarantor and all rights of set-off.


     Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Event of Default specified in Section 9.1(f) shall occur, then the Commitments shall automatically terminate and all Loans, all reimbursement obligations arising from drawings under Letters of Credit, all accrued interest in respect thereof, all accrued and unpaid fees and other indebtedness or obligations owing to the Agent and/or any of the Lenders hereunder automatically shall immediately become due and payable without the giving of any notice or other action by the Agent or the Lenders, each of which are hereby expressly waived.

SECTION 10

AGENT

     10.1      Appointment and Authority.

     Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Lender hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Agent hereunder and under the other Credit Documents and authorizes the Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Lender, and neither the Borrower nor any other Credit Party shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions.

     10.2      Rights as a Lender.

     The Person serving as the Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.

     10.3      Exculpatory Provisions.

     The Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Credit Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Agent:

     (a)        shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;


     (b)        shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Credit Documents that the Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Credit Documents), provided that the Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Credit Document or applicable law; and


     (c)        shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Credit Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.


     The Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 11.6 and 9.2) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to the Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or the Issuing Lender.

     The Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Credit Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Credit Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Section 5 or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Agent.

     10.4      Reliance by Agent.

     The Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or the Issuing Lender, the Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or the Issuing Lender unless the Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or the Issuing Lender prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit. The Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

     10.5      Delegation of Duties.

     The Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Credit Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Agent. The Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the Credit Facility provided for herein as well as activities as Agent.

     10.6      Resignation of Agent.

     The Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall with the consent of the Borrower (which consent of the Borrower shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Agent may on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Lender, appoint a successor Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above; provided that if the Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment or such appointment shall not have been consented to by the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), then such resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and (1) the retiring Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Credit Documents (except that in the case of any Collateral held by the Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the Issuing Lender under any of the Credit Documents, the retiring Agent shall continue to hold such Collateral until such time as a successor Agent is appointed) and (2) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and the Issuing Lender directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Agent with the consent of the Borrower (which consent of the Borrower shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), as provided for above in this Section. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Agent, and the retiring Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Credit Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Credit Documents, the provisions of this Section 10 and Section 11.5 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Agent was acting as Agent.

     Any resignation by Bank of America as Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as Issuing Lender and Swingline Lender. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Agent hereunder, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Issuing Lender and Swingline Lender, (b) the retiring Issuing Lender and Swingline Lender shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Credit Documents, and (c) the successor Issuing Lender shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangement satisfactory to the retiring Issuing Lender to effectively assume the obligations of the retiring Issuing Lender with respect to such Letters of Credit.

     10.7      Non-Reliance on Agent and Other Lenders.

     Each Lender and the Issuing Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender and the Issuing Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Credit Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

     10.8      No Other Duties, Etc.

     Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Bookrunners, Arrangers or other agents listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Agent, a Lender or the Issuing Lender hereunder.

     10.9      Agent May File Proofs of Claim.

     In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to any Credit Party, the Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or LOC Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

     (a)        to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, LOC Obligations and all other Credit Party Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the Issuing Lender and the Agent under Sections 2.2, 3.5 and 11.5) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and


     (b)        to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;


and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and the Issuing Lender to make such payments to the Agent and, in the event that the Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the Issuing Lender, to pay to the Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Agent under Sections 3.5 and 11.5.

     Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or the Issuing Lender any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or to authorize the Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.

     10.10      Collateral and Guaranty Matters.

     The Lenders and the Issuing Lender irrevocably authorize the Agent, at its option and in its discretion,

     (a)        to release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Agent under any Credit Document (i) upon termination of the Commitments and payment in full of all Credit Party Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations) and the expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit, (ii) that is sold or to be sold as part of or in connection with any sale permitted hereunder or under any other Credit Document, (iii) subject to Section 11.6, if approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders, or (iv) in connection with Section 7.13(b); and


     (b)        to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder.


     Upon request by the Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Agent’s authority to release its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section 10.10.

SECTION 11

MISCELLANEOUS

     11.1      Notices.

    (a)         Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopier as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

     (i)        if to the Borrower, the Agent, the Issuing Lender or the Swingline Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 11.1; and


     (ii)        if to any other Lender, to the address, telecopier number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire.


Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient). Notices delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below, shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).

    (b)         Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Lender hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or the Issuing Lender pursuant to Section 2 if such Lender or the Issuing Lender, as applicable, has notified the Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

     Unless the Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient, and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.

    (c)         Change of Address, Etc. Each of the Borrower, the Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Swingline Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower, the Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Swingline Lender.

    (d)         Reliance by Agent, Issuing Lender and Lenders. The Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including a telephonic Notice of Borrowing and notices for Swingline Loans) purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Borrower shall indemnify the Agent, the Issuing Lender, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Agent may be recorded by the Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.

     11.2      Right of Set-Off.

     In addition to any rights now or hereafter granted under applicable law or otherwise, and not by way of limitation of any such rights, upon the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default and the commencement of remedies described in Section 9.2, each Lender is authorized at any time and from time to time, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind (all of which rights being hereby expressly waived), to set-off and to appropriate and apply any and all deposits (general or special) and any other indebtedness at any time held or owing by such Lender (including, without limitation, branches, agencies or Affiliates of such Lender wherever located) to or for the credit or the account of any Credit Party against obligations and liabilities of such Credit Party to the Lenders hereunder, under the Notes, the other Credit Documents or otherwise, irrespective of whether the Agent or the Lenders shall have made any demand hereunder and although such obligations, liabilities or claims, or any of them, may be contingent or unmatured, and any such set-off shall be deemed to have been made immediately upon the occurrence of an Event of Default even though such charge is made or entered on the books of such Lender subsequent thereto.

     11.3      Successors and Assigns.

    (a)         Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby. Except as provided in Section 8.4 or 8.5, neither the Borrower nor any other Credit Party may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Agent and each Lender. No Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an Eligible Assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section, (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section, or (iv) to an SPC in accordance with the provisions of subsection (h) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

    (b)         Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more Eligible Assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans (including for purposes of this subsection (b), participations in LOC Obligations and in Swingline Loans) at the time owing to it); provided that

     (i)        except in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it or in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to a Lender, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $1,000,000 unless each of the Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed);


     (ii)        each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or the Commitment assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not apply to rights in respect of Swingline Loans;


     (iii)        any assignment of a Commitment must be approved by the Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Swingline Lender, each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed, unless the Person that is the proposed assignee is itself a Lender (whether or not the proposed assignee would otherwise qualify as an Eligible Assignee); and


     (iv)        the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500, and the Eligible Assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.


Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the Eligible Assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.6, 3.11, 3.12 and 11.5 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment. Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.

    (c)         Register. The Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at the Agent’s office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts of the Loans and LOC Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Agent and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by each of the Borrower and the Issuing Lender at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice. In addition, at any time that a request for a consent for a material or substantive change to the Credit Documents is pending, any Lender wishing to consult with other Lenders in connection therewith may request and receive from the Agent a copy of the Register.

    (d)         Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural person or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender’s participations in LOC Obligations and/or Swingline Loans) owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Lender shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.

     Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 11.6 that affects such Participant. Subject to subsection (e) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.6, 3.11 and 3.12 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 11.2 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 3.15 as though it were a Lender.

    (e)         Limitations upon Participant Rights. A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 3.6 or 3.11 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 3.11 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 3.11(d) as though it were a Lender.

    (f)         Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

    (g)         Electronic Execution of Assignments. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

    (h)         Special Purpose Funding Vehicles. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting Lender”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Agent and the Borrower (an “SPC”) the option to provide all or any part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPC to fund any Loan, and (ii) if an SPC elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to make all or any part of such Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Loan pursuant to the terms hereof or, if it fails to do so, to make such payment to the Agent as is required under Section 3.6. Each party hereto hereby agrees that (i) neither the grant to any SPC nor the exercise by any SPC of such option shall increase the costs or expenses or otherwise increase or change the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement (including its obligations under Section 3.6), (ii) no SPC shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement for which a Lender would be liable, and (iii) the Granting Lender shall for all purposes, including the approval of any amendment, waiver or other modification of any provision of any Credit Document, remain the lender of record hereunder. The making of a Loan by an SPC hereunder shall utilize the Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Loan were made by such Granting Lender. In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other senior debt of any SPC, it will not institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against, such SPC any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, or liquidation proceeding under the laws of the United States or any State thereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any SPC may (i) with notice to, but without prior consent of the Borrower and the Agent and without paying any processing fee therefor, assign all or any portion of its right to receive payment with respect to any Loan to the Granting Lender and (ii) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its funding of Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety or Guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPC.

    (i)         Resignation as Issuing Lender or Swingline Lender after Assignment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time Bank of America assigns all of its Commitment and Loans pursuant to subsection (b) above, Bank of America may, (i) upon 30 days’ notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, resign as Issuing Lender and/or (ii) upon 30 days’ notice to the Borrower, resign as Swingline Lender. In the event of any such resignation as Issuing Lender or Swingline Lender, the Borrower shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a successor Issuing Lender or Swingline Lender hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the Borrower to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of Bank of America as Issuing Lender or Swingline Lender, as the case may be. If Bank of America resigns as Issuing Lender, it shall retain all the rights and obligations of the Issuing Lender hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as Issuing Lender and all LOC Obligations with respect thereto, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swingline Loans pursuant to Section 2.2. If Bank of America resigns as Swingline Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swingline Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swingline Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swingline Loans pursuant to Section 2.3.

     11.4      No Waiver; Remedies Cumulative.

     No failure or delay on the part of the Agent or any Lender in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Credit Document and no course of dealing between the Borrower or any Credit Party and the Agent or any Lender shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Credit Document preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege hereunder or thereunder. The rights and remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies which the Agent or any Lender would otherwise have. No notice to or demand on any Credit Party in any case shall entitle any Credit Party to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances or constitute a waiver of the rights of the Agent or the Lenders to any other or further action in any circumstances without notice or demand.

     11.5      Payment of Expenses; Indemnification.

    (a)        Costs and Expenses. The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Agent), in connection with the syndication of the Credit Facility provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Issuing Lender in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Lender (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Lender), in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Credit Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.

     (b)        Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify the Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and the Issuing Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee), incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any third party or by the Borrower or any other Credit Party arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Credit Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the Issuing Lender to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any liability from any Environmental Claim related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by the Borrower or any other Credit Party, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (x) are from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or (y) result from a claim brought by the Borrower or any other Credit Party against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Credit Document, if the Borrower or such Credit Party has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.

    (c)         Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the Issuing Lender or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Agent (or any such sub-agent), the Issuing Lender or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount, provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Agent (or any such sub-agent) or the Issuing Lender in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Agent (or any such sub-agent) or Issuing Lender in connection with such capacity.

    (d)         Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Credit Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof. No Indemnitee referred to in subsection (b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed by it through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Credit Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

    (e)         Payments. All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten Business Days after demand therefor.

    (f)         Survival. The agreements in this Section shall survive the resignation of the Agent and the Issuing Lender, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Credit Party Obligations.

     11.6      Amendments, Waivers and Consents.

     No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Credit Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower or any other Credit Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Borrower or the applicable Credit Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

     (a)        extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 9.2) without the written consent of such Lender;


     (b)        postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Credit Document for any payment (excluding mandatory prepayments) of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under any other Credit Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;


     (c)        reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or LOC Obligation, or (subject to clause (v) of the second proviso to this Section 11.6) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Credit Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (i) to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest or Letter of Credit Fees at the Default Rate or (ii) to amend any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or LOC Obligation or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;


     (d)        change Section 3.14 or Section 3.15(b) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender;


     (e)        change any provision of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender;


     (f)        except as the result of or in connection with an Asset Disposition not prohibited by Section 8.5 or in connection with the release of Collateral set forth in Section 7.13(b), release all or substantially all of the Collateral; or


     (g)        except in connection with the release of a Guarantor set forth in Section 10.10(b), release all or substantially all of the Guarantors from the Guaranty without the written consent of each Lender;


  and, provided further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Issuing Lender in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Issuing Lender under this Agreement or any LOC Document relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it; (ii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Swingline Lender in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Swingline Lender under this Agreement; (iii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Agent under this Agreement or any other Credit Document; and (iv) Section 11.3(h) may not be amended, waived or otherwise modified without the consent of each Granting Lender all or any part of whose Loans are being funded by an SPC at the time of such amendment, waiver or other modification; and (v) the Agents’ Fee Letters may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder, except that the Commitment of such Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender.

     11.7      Counterparts.

     This Credit Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which where so executed and delivered shall be an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument. It shall not be necessary in making proof of this Credit Agreement to produce or account for more than one such counterpart. Delivery by facsimile by any of the parties hereto of an executed counterpart of this Credit Agreement shall be as effective as an original executed counterpart hereof and shall be deemed a representation that an original executed counterpart hereof will be delivered.

     11.8      Headings.

     The headings of the sections and subsections hereof are provided for convenience only and shall not in any way affect the meaning or construction of any provision of this Credit Agreement.

     11.9      Defaulting Lender.

     Each Lender understands and agrees that if such Lender is a Defaulting Lender then notwithstanding the provisions of Section 11.6 it shall not be entitled to vote on any matter requiring the consent of the Required Lenders or to object to any matter requiring the consent of all the Lenders; provided, however, that all other benefits and obligations under the Credit Documents shall apply to such Defaulting Lender.

     11.10      Survival of Indemnification and Representations and Warranties .

     All indemnities set forth herein and all representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Credit Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any extension of credit, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Credit Party Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding.

     11.11      Governing Law; Jurisdiction.

     (a)        THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER CREDIT DOCUMENTS AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER AND THEREUNDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. Any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document may be brought in the courts of the State of New York, New York County or of the United States for the Southern District of New York and, by execution and delivery of this Credit Agreement, each Credit Party hereby irrevocably accepts for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of such courts. Each Credit Party further irrevocably consents to the service of process out of any of the aforementioned courts in any such action or proceeding by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to it at the address for notices pursuant to Section 11.1, such service to become effective 15 days after such mailing. Nothing herein shall affect the right of a Lender to serve process in any other manner permitted by law or to commence legal proceedings or to otherwise proceed against a Credit Party in any other jurisdiction. Each Credit Party agrees that a final judgment in any action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law; provided that nothing in this Section 11.11(a) is intended to impair a Credit Party’s right under applicable law to appeal or seek a stay of any judgment.


     (b)        Each Credit Party hereby irrevocably waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any of the aforesaid actions or proceedings arising out of or in connection with this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document brought in the courts referred to in subsection (a) hereof and hereby further irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.


     11.12       Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury. EACH PARTY TO THIS CREDIT AGREEMENT HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING UNDER ANY CREDIT DOCUMENT OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO OR ANY OF THEM WITH RESPECT TO ANY CREDIT DOCUMENT, OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED THERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER FOUNDED IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE; AND EACH PARTY HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY, AND THAT ANY PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OR A COPY OF THIS SECTION WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE SIGNATORIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

     11.13      Time.

     All references to time herein shall be references to Eastern Standard Time or Eastern Daylight time, as the case may be, unless specified otherwise.

     11.14      Severability.

     If any provision of any of the Credit Documents is determined to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, such provision shall be fully severable and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect and shall be construed without giving effect to the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions.

     11.15      Entirety.

     This Credit Agreement together with the other Credit Documents represent the entire agreement of the parties hereto and thereto, and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, if any, including any commitment letters or correspondence relating to the Credit Documents or the transactions contemplated herein and therein.

     11.16      Binding Effect.

     This Credit Agreement shall become effective at such time when all of the conditions set forth in Section 5.1 have been satisfied or waived by the Lenders and it shall have been executed by the Borrower, the Guarantors and the Agent, and the Agent shall have received copies hereof (telefaxed or otherwise) which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each Lender, and thereafter this Credit Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Borrower, the Guarantors, the Agent and each Lender and their respective successors and assigns.

     11.17      Confidentiality.

     Each of the Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Lender agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its and its Affiliates’ respective partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors and representatives (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over it (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Credit Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Credit Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (y) becomes available to the Agent, any Lender, the Issuing Lender or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower.

     For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary relating to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

     11.18      Binding Effect; Termination of Credit Agreement, etc.

     (a)        This Credit Agreement shall be deemed to have become effective at such time on or after the Closing Date when it shall have been executed by the Borrower, the Guarantors and the Agent, and the Agent shall have received copies thereof (telefaxed or otherwise) which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each Lender, and thereafter the Credit Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Borrower, the Guarantors, the Agent and each Lender and their respective successors and assigns.


     (b)        The term of the Credit Agreement shall be until no Loans, Letters of Credit, LOC Obligations or any other amounts payable under any of the Credit Documents shall remain outstanding and until all of the Commitments shall have expired or been terminated.


     (c)        At such time as this Credit Agreement shall have become effective pursuant to the terms of Section 11.18(a), the promissory notes executed in connection with the Existing Credit Agreement shall be replaced with the Notes, if any, executed in connection with this Credit Agreement.


     11.19      USA PATRIOT Act Notice.

     Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. No. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender or the Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act.

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]


     Each of the parties hereto has caused a counterpart of this Credit Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.

BORROWER:

    APRIA HEALTHCARE GROUP INC.,
a Delaware corporation
     
    By:
Name:
Title:

GUARANTORS:

    APRIA HEALTHCARE INC.,
a Delaware corporation
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    APRIA NUMBER TWO INC.,
a Delaware corporation
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    APRIACARE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS INC.,
a Delaware corporation
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    APRIA HEALTHCARE OF NEW YORK
STATE, INC.
,
a New York corporation
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    MESSICK HOMECARE, INC.,
a Tennesse corporation
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    BIOMEDICAL HOME CARE, INC.,
a North Carolina corporation
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    LIFEPLUS, INC.,
a Massachusetts corporation
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     

ADMINISTRATIVE
AGENT:

    BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
in its capacity as Administrative Agent
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     

LENDERS:

    BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
in its capacity as Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    CALYON NEW YORK BRANCH,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    ING BANK,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    PNC BANK N.A.,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    COMMERZBANK AG, NEW YORK AND
GRAND CAYMAN BRANCHES
,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    MORGAN STANLEY BANK,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    UNION BANK OF CALIFORNIA, N.A.,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    UFJ BANK LIMITED,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY
OF THE BANK OF IRELAND
,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    BANK FÜR ARBEIT UND
WIRTSCHAFT AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    JPMORGAN,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    UBS LOAN FINANCE LLC,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    BANK OF CHINA, LOS ANGELES BRANCH,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    NATIONAL CITY BANK OF KENTUCKY,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    CHINATRUST COMMERCIAL BANK,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    CHANG HWA COMMERCIAL BANK,
LTD., NEW YORK BRANCH
,
as a Lender
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     

Exhibit 1.1(a)

FORM OF SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED PLEDGE AGREEMENT

        THIS SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED PLEDGE AGREEMENT (this “Pledge Agreement”) is entered into as of November 23, 2004 among APRIA HEALTHCARE GROUP INC. a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), certain Subsidiaries of the Borrower (each individually a “Guarantor”, and collectively the “Guarantors”; together with the Borrower, each individually a “Pledgor”, and collectively the “Pledgors”) and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., in its capacity as agent (in such capacity, the “Agent”) for the lenders from time to time party to the Credit Agreement described below (the “Lenders”).

W I T N E S S E T H

         WHEREAS, a $500 million credit facility has been established in favor of the Borrower, pursuant to the terms of that Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of the date hereof (as amended, modified, increased, extended, renewed or replaced, the “Credit Agreement”) among the Borrower, the Guarantors, the lenders identified therein and the Agent; and

        WHEREAS, it is a condition precedent to the effectiveness of the Credit Agreement and the obligations of the Lenders to make their respective Loans and to issue Letters of Credit under the Credit Agreement that the Pledgors shall have amended and restated the terms and conditions of that certain Amended and Restated Pledge Agreement dated as of July 20, 2001 among the Borrower, certain of its Subsidiaries and Bank of America, N.A., as agent thereunder, by execution and delivery of this Pledge Agreement to the Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders;

        NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of these premises and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

    1.        Definitions. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings provided in the Credit Agreement. As used herein:

          “Secured Obligations” means, without duplication, (i) all of the obligations and liabilities of the Credit Parties to the Lenders (including the Issuing Lender), and the Agent, whenever arising, under the Credit Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents (including, but not limited to, any interest accruing after the occurrence of a Bankruptcy Event with respect to any Credit Party, regardless of whether such interest is an allowed claim under the Bankruptcy Code), whether now existing or hereafter arising, due or to become due, direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, howsoever evidenced, created, held or acquired, whether primary, secondary, direct, contingent, or joint and several, as such obligations may be amended, modified, increased, extended, renewed or replaced from time to time, (ii) all obligations owing by the Credit Parties to the Lenders or any affiliate of a Lender, whenever arising, under any interest rate protection agreements, foreign currency exchange agreements or commodity purchase or option agreements to the extent permitted under the Credit Agreement, and (iii) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with enforcement and collection of the Secured Obligations, including reasonable attorneys’ fees.

    2.        Pledge and Grant of Security Interest. To secure the prompt payment and performance in full when due, whether by lapse of time or otherwise, of the Secured Obligations, each Pledgor hereby pledges and assigns to the Agent, for the benefit of the holders of the Secured Obligations, and grants to the Agent, for the benefit of the holders of the Secured Obligations, a continuing security interest in any and all right, title and interest of such Pledgor in and to the following, whether now owned or existing or owned, acquired, or arising hereafter (collectively, the “Pledged Collateral”):

    (a)        Pledged Shares. (i) 100% (or, if less, the full amount owned by such Pledgor) of the issued and outstanding Capital Stock of each Domestic Subsidiary set forth on Schedule 2(a) attached hereto and (ii) 65% (or, if less, the full amount owned by such Pledgor) of the issued and outstanding shares of Capital Stock entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2)) (“Voting Equity”) and 100% (or, if less, the full amount owned by such Pledgor) of the issued and outstanding Capital Stock not entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2)) (“Non-Voting Equity”) of each Foreign Subsidiary set forth on Schedule 2(a) attached hereto, in each case together with the certificates (or other agreements or instruments), if any, representing such Capital Stock, and all options and other rights, contractual or otherwise, with respect thereto (collectively, together with the Capital Stock described in Section 2(b) and 2(c) below, the “Pledged Shares”), including, but not limited to, the following:


    (A)        all shares, securities, membership interests or other equity interests representing a dividend on any of the Pledged Shares, or representing a distribution or return of capital upon or in respect of the Pledged Shares, or resulting from a stock split, revision, reclassification or other exchange therefor, and any subscriptions, warrants, rights or options issued to the holder of, or otherwise in respect of, the Pledged Shares; and


    (B)        without affecting the obligations of the Pledgors under any provision prohibiting such action hereunder or under the Credit Agreement, in the event of any consolidation or merger involving the issuer of any Pledged Shares and in which such issuer is not the surviving entity, all Capital Stock of the successor entity formed by or resulting from such consolidation or merger issued to the Pledgor in connection with such consolidation or merger.


    (b)        Additional Shares. 100% (or, if less, the full amount owned by such Pledgor) of the issued and outstanding Capital Stock of any Person which hereafter becomes a Domestic Subsidiary and 65% (or, if less, the full amount owned by such Pledgor) of the Voting Equity and 100% (or, if less, the full amount owned by such Pledgor) of the Non-Voting Equity of any Person which hereafter becomes a Foreign Subsidiary, including, without limitation, the certificates representing such Capital Stock.


    (c)        Proceeds. All proceeds and products of the foregoing, however and whenever acquired and in whatever form.


        Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is hereby specifically understood and agreed that a Pledgor may from time to time hereafter deliver additional Capital Stock to the Agent as collateral security for the Secured Obligations. Upon delivery to the Agent, such additional Capital Stock shall be deemed to be part of the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor and shall be subject to the terms of this Pledge Agreement whether or not Schedule 2(a) is amended to refer to such additional Capital Stock.

    3.        Security for Secured Obligations. The security interest created hereby in the Pledged Collateral of each Pledgor constitutes continuing collateral security for all of the Secured Obligations of the Credit Parties to the holders of the Secured Obligations.

    4.        Delivery of the Pledged Collateral. Each Pledgor hereby agrees that:

    (a)        Each Pledgor shall deliver to the Agent (i) simultaneously with or prior to the execution and delivery of this Pledge Agreement, all certificates representing the Pledged Shares of such Pledgor and (ii) promptly upon the receipt thereof by or on behalf of a Pledgor, all other certificates and instruments constituting Pledged Collateral of a Pledgor. Prior to delivery to the Agent, all such certificates and instruments constituting Pledged Collateral of a Pledgor shall be held in trust by such Pledgor for the benefit of the Agent pursuant hereto. All such certificates shall be delivered in suitable form for transfer by delivery or shall be accompanied by duly executed instruments of transfer or assignment in blank, substantially in the form provided in Exhibit 4(a) attached hereto.


    (b)        Additional Securities. If such Pledgor shall receive by virtue of its being or having been the owner of any Pledged Collateral, any (i) certificate, including without limitation, any certificate representing a dividend or distribution in connection with any increase or reduction of capital, reclassification, merger, consolidation, sale of assets, combination of shares or other equity interests, stock splits, spin-off or split-off, promissory notes or other instruments; (ii) option or right, whether as an addition to, substitution for, or an exchange for, any Pledged Collateral or otherwise; (iii) dividends payable in securities or other equity interests; or (iv) distributions of securities or other equity interests in connection with a partial or total liquidation, dissolution or reduction of capital, capital surplus or paid-in surplus, then such Pledgor shall receive such certificate, instrument, option, right or distribution in trust for the benefit of the Agent, shall segregate it from such Pledgor’s other property and shall deliver it forthwith to the Agent in the exact form received together with any necessary endorsement and/or appropriate stock power duly executed in blank, substantially in the form provided in Exhibit 4(a), to be held by the Agent as Pledged Collateral and as further collateral security for the Secured Obligations.


    (c)        Financing Statements. Each Pledgor shall deliver to the Agent such UCC or other applicable financing statements as may be reasonably requested by the Agent in order to perfect and protect the security interest created hereby in the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor.


    5.        Representations and Warranties. Each Pledgor hereby represents and warrants to the Agent, for the benefit of the holders of the Secured Obligations, that:

    (a)        Authorization of Pledged Shares. The Pledged Shares are duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are not subject to the preemptive rights of any Person.


    (b)        Title. Each Pledgor has good and indefeasible title to the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor and will at all times (unless such Pledged Collateral is subject to an asset disposition permitted under the Credit Agreement) be the legal and beneficial owner of such Pledged Collateral free and clear of any Lien, other than Permitted Liens. There exists no “adverse claim” within the meaning of Section 8-102 of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York as of the date hereof (the “UCC”) with respect to the Pledged Shares of such Pledgor.


    (c)        Exercising of Rights. The exercise by the Agent of its rights and remedies hereunder will not violate any law or governmental regulation applicable to a Pledgor or any material contractual restriction binding on or affecting a Pledgor or any of its property.


    (d)        Pledgor’s Authority. No authorization, approval or action by, and no notice or filing with any Governmental Authority or with the issuer of any Pledged Stock is required either (i) for the pledge made by a Pledgor or for the granting of the security interest by a Pledgor pursuant to this Pledge Agreement (except as have been already obtained) or (ii) for the exercise by the Agent or the holders of the Secured Obligations of their rights and remedies hereunder (except as may be required by laws affecting the offering and sale of securities, Hart-Scott-Rodino and other antitrust laws and applicable UCC provisions).


    (e)        Security Interest/Priority. This Pledge Agreement creates a valid security interest in favor of the Agent for the benefit of the holders of the Secured Obligations, in the Pledged Collateral. The taking of possession by the Agent of the certificates representing the Pledged Shares and all other certificates and instruments constituting Pledged Collateral will perfect and establish the first priority of the Agent’s security interest in the Pledged Shares and, when properly perfected by filing or registration, in all other Pledged Collateral represented by such Pledged Shares and instruments securing the Secured Obligations. Except as set forth in this Section 5(e), no action is necessary to perfect or otherwise protect such security interest.


    (f)        Partnership and Membership Interests. Except as previously disclosed to the Agent, none of the Pledged Shares consisting of partnership or limited liability company interests (i) is dealt in or traded on a securities exchange or in a securities market, (ii) by its terms expressly provides that it is a security governed by Article 8 of the UCC, (iii) is an investment company security, (iv) is held in a securities account or (v) constitutes a “security” or a “financial asset” as such terms are defined in Article 8 of the UCC.


    (g)        No Other Interests. No Pledgor owns any Capital Stock in any Subsidiary other than as set forth on Schedule 2(a) attached hereto.


    6.        Covenants. Each Pledgor hereby covenants, that so long as any of the Secured Obligations or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding and until all of the Commitments shall have been terminated, such Pledgor shall:

    (a)        Books and Records. Mark its books and records (and shall cause the issuer of the Pledged Shares of such Pledgor to mark its books and records) to reflect the security interest granted to the Agent, for the benefit of the holders of the Secured Obligations, pursuant to this Pledge Agreement.


    (b)        Defense of Title. Warrant and defend title to and ownership of the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor at its own expense against the claims and demands of all other parties claiming an interest therein, keep the Pledged Collateral free from all Liens, except for Permitted Liens, and not sell, exchange, transfer, assign, lease or otherwise dispose of Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor or any interest therein, except as permitted under the Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents.


    (c)        Further Assurances. Promptly execute and deliver at its expense all further instruments and documents and take all further action that may be reasonably necessary or that the Agent may reasonably request in order to (i) perfect and protect the security interest created hereby in the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor (including, without limitation, any and all action necessary to satisfy the Agent that the Agent has obtained a first priority perfected security interest in all Pledged Collateral); (ii) enable the Agent to exercise and enforce its rights and remedies hereunder in respect of the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor; and (iii) otherwise effect the purposes of this Pledge Agreement, including, without limitation and if requested by the Agent, delivering to the Agent irrevocable proxies in respect of the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor.


    (d)        Amendments. Not make or consent to any amendment or other modification or waiver with respect to any of the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor or enter into any agreement or allow to exist any restriction with respect to any of the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor other than pursuant hereto or as may be permitted under the Credit Agreement.


    (e)        Compliance with Securities Laws. File all reports and other information now or hereafter required to be filed by such Pledgor with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any other state, federal or foreign agency in connection with the ownership of the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor.


    (f)        Issuance or Acquisition of Capital Stock. Not, without executing and delivering, or causing to be executed and delivered, to the Agent such agreements, documents and instruments as the Agent may reasonably require, issue or acquire any Capital Stock consisting of an interest in a partnership or a limited liability company that (i) is dealt in or traded on a securities exchange or in a securities market, (ii) by its terms expressly provides that it is a security governed by Article 8 of the UCC, (iii) is an investment company security, (iv) is held in a securities account or (v) constitutes a “security” or a “financial asset” as such terms are defined in Article 8 of the UCC.


    7.        Advances by Holders of the Secured Obligations. On failure of any Pledgor to perform any of the covenants and agreements contained herein, the Agent may, at its sole option and in its sole discretion, perform the same and in so doing may expend such sums as the Agent may reasonably deem advisable in the performance thereof, including, without limitation, the payment of any insurance premiums, the payment of any taxes, a payment to obtain a release of a Lien or potential Lien, expenditures made in defending against any adverse claim and all other expenditures which the Agent or the holders of the Secured Obligations may make for the protection of the security hereof or which may be compelled to make by operation of law. All such reasonable and documented sums and amounts so expended shall be repayable by the Pledgors on a joint and several basis promptly upon timely notice thereof and demand therefor, shall constitute additional Secured Obligations and shall bear interest from the date said amounts are expended at the default rate specified in Section 3.1 of the Credit Agreement for Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans. No such performance of any covenant or agreement by the Agent or the holders of the Secured Obligations on behalf of any Pledgor, and no such advance or expenditure therefor, shall relieve the Pledgors of any default under the terms of this Pledge Agreement, the other Credit Documents or any other documents relating to the Secured Obligations. The holders of the Secured Obligations may make any payment hereby authorized in accordance with any bill, statement or estimate procured from the appropriate public office or holder of the claim to be discharged without inquiry into the accuracy of such bill, statement or estimate or into the validity of any tax assessment, sale, forfeiture, tax lien, title or claim except to the extent such payment is being contested in good faith by a Pledgor in appropriate proceedings and against which adequate reserves are being maintained in accordance with GAAP.

    8.        Events of Default. The occurrence of an event which under the Credit Agreement would constitute an Event of Default shall be an Event of Default hereunder (an “Event of Default”).

    9.        Remedies.

    (a)        General Remedies. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default and during the continuation thereof, the Agent and the holders of the Secured Obligations shall have, in respect of the Pledged Collateral of any Pledgor, in addition to the rights and remedies provided herein, in the Credit Documents, in any other documents relating to the Secured Obligations, or by law, the rights and remedies of a secured party under the UCC or any other applicable law.


    (b)        Sale of Pledged Collateral. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default and during the continuation thereof, without limiting the generality of this Section and without notice, the Agent may, in its sole discretion, sell or otherwise dispose of or realize upon the Pledged Collateral, or any part thereof, in one or more parcels, at public or private sale, at any exchange or broker’s board or elsewhere, at such price or prices and on such other terms as the Agent may deem commercially reasonable, for cash, credit or for future delivery or otherwise in accordance with applicable law. To the extent permitted by law, any Lender may in such event, bid for the purchase of such securities. Each Pledgor agrees that, to the extent notice of sale shall be required by law and has not been waived by such Pledgor, any requirement of reasonable notice shall be met if notice, specifying the place of any public sale or the time after which any private sale is to be made, is personally served on or mailed, postage prepaid, to such Pledgor, in accordance with the notice provisions of Section 11.1 of the Credit Agreement at least 10 days before the time of such sale. The Agent shall not be obligated to make any sale of Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor regardless of notice of sale having been given. The Agent may adjourn any public or private sale from time to time by announcement at the time and place fixed therefor, and such sale may, without further notice, be made at the time and place to which it was so adjourned.


    (c)        Private Sale. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default and during the continuation thereof, the Pledgors recognize that the Agent may deem it impracticable to effect a public sale of all or any part of the Pledged Shares or any of the securities or other equity interests constituting Pledged Collateral and that the Agent may, therefore, determine to make one or more private sales of any such Pledged Collateral to a restricted group of purchasers who will be obligated to agree, among other things, to acquire such Pledged Collateral for their own account, for investment and not with a view to the distribution or resale thereof. Each Pledgor acknowledges that any such private sale may be at prices and on terms less favorable to the seller than the prices and other terms which might have been obtained at a public sale and, notwithstanding the foregoing, agrees that such private sale shall be deemed to have been made in a commercially reasonable manner and that the Agent shall have no obligation to delay sale of any such Pledged Collateral for the period of time necessary to permit the issuer of such Pledged Collateral to register such Pledged Collateral for public sale under the Securities Act. Each Pledgor further acknowledges and agrees that any offer to sell such Pledged Collateral which has been (i) publicly advertised on a bona fide basis in a newspaper or other publication of general circulation in the financial community of New York, New York (to the extent that such offer may be advertised without prior registration under the Securities Act), or (ii) made privately in the manner described above shall be deemed to involve a “public sale” under the UCC, notwithstanding that such sale may not constitute a “public offering” under the Securities Act, and the Agent may, in such event, bid for the purchase of such Pledged Collateral.


    (d)        Retention of Pledged Collateral. To the extent permitted under applicable law, in addition to the rights and remedies hereunder, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, the Agent may, after providing the notices required by Sections 9-620 and 9-621 of the UCC (or any successor sections of the UCC) or otherwise complying with the requirements of applicable law of the relevant jurisdiction, retain all or any portion of the Pledged Collateral in satisfaction of the Secured Obligations. Unless and until the Agent shall have provided such notices, however, the Agent shall not be deemed to have retained any Pledged Collateral in satisfaction of any Secured Obligations for any reason.


    (e)        Deficiency. In the event that the proceeds of any sale, collection or realization are insufficient to pay all amounts to which the Agent or the holders of the Secured Obligations are legally entitled, the Pledgors shall be jointly and severally liable for the deficiency, together with interest thereon at the default rate specified in Section 3.1 of the Credit Agreement for Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans, together with the costs of collection and the reasonable fees of any attorneys employed by the Agent to collect such deficiency. Any surplus remaining after the full payment and satisfaction of the Secured Obligations shall be returned to the Pledgors or to whomsoever a court of competent jurisdiction shall determine to be entitled thereto.


    10.        Rights of the Agent.

    (a)        Power of Attorney. In addition to other powers of attorney contained herein, each Pledgor hereby designates and appoints the Agent, on behalf of the holders of the Secured Obligations, and each of its designees or agents as attorney-in-fact of such Pledgor, irrevocably and with power of substitution, with authority to take any or all of the following actions upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default:


    (i)        to demand, collect, settle, compromise, adjust and give discharges and releases concerning the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor, all as the Agent may reasonably determine;


    (ii)        to commence and prosecute any actions at any court for the purposes of collecting any of the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor and enforcing any other right in respect thereof;


    (iii)        to defend, settle or compromise any action in respect of the Pledged Collateral brought and, in connection therewith, give such discharge or release as the Agent may deem reasonably appropriate;


    (iv)        to pay or discharge taxes, liens, security interests, or other encumbrances levied or placed on or threatened against the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor;


    (v)        to direct any parties liable for any payment under any of the Pledged Collateral to make payment of any and all monies due and to become due thereunder directly to the Agent or as the Agent shall direct;


    (vi)        to receive payment of and receipt for any and all monies, claims, and other amounts due and to become due at any time in respect of or arising out of any Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor;


    (vii)        to sign and endorse any drafts, assignments, proxies, stock powers, verifications, notices and other documents relating to the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor;


    (viii)        to settle, compromise or adjust any suit, action or proceeding described above and, in connection therewith, to give such discharges or releases as the Agent may deem reasonably appropriate;


    (ix)        to execute and deliver all assignments, conveyances, statements, financing statements, renewal financing statements, pledge agreements, affidavits, notices and other agreements, instruments and documents that the Agent may determine necessary in order to perfect and maintain the security interests and liens granted in this Pledge Agreement and in order to fully consummate all of the transactions contemplated therein;


    (x)        to exchange any of the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor or other property upon any merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization or other readjustment of the issuer thereof and, in connection therewith, deposit any of the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor with any committee, depository, transfer agent, registrar or other designated agency upon such terms as the Agent may determine;


    (xi)        to vote for a shareholder resolution, or to sign an instrument in writing, sanctioning the transfer of any or all of the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor into the name of the Agent or one or more of the holders of the Secured Obligations or into the name of any transferee to whom the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor or any part thereof may be sold pursuant to Section 9 hereof; and


    (xii)        to do and perform all such other acts and things as the Agent may reasonably deem to be necessary, proper or convenient in connection with the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor.


  This power of attorney is a power coupled with an interest and shall be irrevocable (i) for so long as any of the Secured Obligations remain outstanding, any Credit Document or any other documents relating to the Secured Obligations, is in effect or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding and (ii) until all of the Commitments shall have been terminated. The Agent shall be under no duty to exercise or withhold the exercise of any of the rights, powers, privileges and options expressly or implicitly granted to the Agent in this Pledge Agreement, and shall not be liable for any failure to do so or any delay in doing so. The Agent shall not be liable for any act or omission or for any error of judgment or any mistake of fact or law in its individual capacity or its capacity as attorney-in-fact except acts or omissions resulting from its gross negligence or willful misconduct. This power of attorney is conferred on the Agent solely to protect, preserve and realize upon its security interest in the Pledged Collateral.

    (b)        Assignment by the Agent. Pursuant to the Credit Agreement, the Agent may from time to time assign the Secured Obligations and any portion thereof and/or the Pledged Collateral and any portion thereof, and the assignee shall be entitled to all of the rights and remedies of the Agent under this Pledge Agreement in relation thereto.


    (c)        The Agent’s Duty of Care. Other than the exercise of reasonable care to assure the safe custody of the Pledged Collateral while being held by the Agent hereunder, the Agent shall have no duty or liability to preserve rights pertaining thereto, it being understood and agreed that Pledgors shall be responsible for preservation of all rights in the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor, and the Agent shall be relieved of all responsibility for Pledged Collateral upon surrendering it or tendering the surrender of it to the Pledgors. The Agent shall be deemed to have exercised reasonable care in the custody and preservation of the Pledged Collateral in its possession if such Pledged Collateral is accorded treatment substantially equal to that which the Agent accords its own property, which shall be no less than the treatment employed by a reasonable and prudent agent in the industry, it being understood that the Agent shall not have responsibility for (i) ascertaining or taking action with respect to calls, conversions, exchanges, maturities, tenders or other matters relating to any Pledged Collateral, whether or not the Agent has or is deemed to have knowledge of such matters; or (ii) taking any necessary steps to preserve rights against any parties with respect to any Pledged Collateral.


    (d)        Voting Rights in Respect of the Pledged Collateral.


    (i)        So long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, to the extent permitted by law, each Pledgor may exercise any and all voting and other consensual rights pertaining to the Pledged Collateral of such Pledgor or any part thereof for any purpose not inconsistent with the terms of this Pledge Agreement or the Credit Agreement; and


    (ii)        Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, and delivery by the Agent to the relevant Pledgor of its intent to exercise its rights under this Section 10(d)(ii) all rights of a Pledgor to exercise the voting and other consensual rights which it would otherwise be entitled to exercise pursuant to paragraph (i) of this subsection shall cease and all such rights shall thereupon become vested in the Agent which shall then have the sole right to exercise such voting and other consensual rights.


    (e)        Dividend Rights in Respect of the Pledged Collateral.

    (i)        So long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and subject to Section 4(b) hereof, each Pledgor may receive and retain any and all dividends (other than stock dividends and other dividends constituting Pledged Collateral which are addressed hereinabove) or interest paid in respect of the Pledged Collateral to the extent they are allowed under the Credit Agreement.


    (ii)        Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default and delivery by the Agent to the relevant Pledgor of its intent to exercise its rights under this Section 10(e)(ii):


    (A)        all rights of a Pledgor to receive the dividends and interest payments which it would otherwise be authorized to receive and retain pursuant to paragraph (i) of this Section shall cease and all such rights shall thereupon be vested in the Agent which shall then have the sole right to receive and hold as Pledged Collateral such dividends and interest payments; and


    (B)        all dividends and interest payments which are received by a Pledgor contrary to the provisions of paragraph (A) of this Section shall be received in trust for the benefit of the Agent, shall be segregated from other property or funds of such Pledgor, and shall be forthwith paid over to the Agent as Pledged Collateral in the exact form received, to be held by the Agent as Pledged Collateral and as further collateral security for the Secured Obligations.


    (f)        Release of Pledged Collateral. The Agent may release any of the Pledged Collateral from this Pledge Agreement or may substitute any of the Pledged Collateral for other Pledged Collateral without altering, varying or diminishing in any way the force, effect, lien, pledge or security interest of this Pledge Agreement as to any Pledged Collateral not expressly released or substituted, and this Pledge Agreement shall continue as a first priority lien on all Pledged Collateral not expressly released or substituted. If any of the Pledged Collateral shall be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of by any Pledgor in a transaction permitted by the Credit Agreement, then the Agent, at the request and sole expense of such Pledgor, shall execute and deliver to such Pledgor all releases or other documents reasonably necessary or desirable for the release of the Liens created hereby on such Pledged Collateral.


    11.        Rights of Required Lenders. All rights of the Agent hereunder, if not exercised by the Agent, may be exercised by the Required Lenders under the Credit Agreement.

    12.        Application of Proceeds. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, and request and direction of the Required Lenders under Section 9.2 of the Credit Agreement any payments in respect of the Secured Obligations and any proceeds of any Pledged Collateral, when received by the Agent or any of the holders of the Secured Obligations in cash or its equivalent, will be applied in reduction of the Secured Obligations in the order set forth in the Credit Agreement or other document relating to the Secured Obligations, and each Pledgor irrevocably waives the right to direct the application of such payments and proceeds and acknowledges and agrees that the Agent shall have the continuing and exclusive right to apply and reapply any and all such payments and proceeds in the Agent’s sole discretion, notwithstanding any entry to the contrary upon any of its books and records.

    13.        Costs of Counsel. At all times hereafter, the Pledgors agree to promptly pay upon demand any and all reasonable costs and expenses of the Agent and the holders of the Secured Obligations, (a) as required under Section 11.5 of the Credit Agreement and (b) as necessary to protect the Pledged Collateral or to exercise any rights or remedies under this Pledge Agreement or with respect to any Pledged Collateral. All of the foregoing costs and expenses shall constitute Secured Obligations hereunder.

    14.        Continuing Agreement.

    (a)        This Pledge Agreement shall be a continuing agreement in every respect and shall remain in full force and effect so long as the Secured Obligations or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding and until all of the Commitments shall have been terminated (other than any obligations with respect to the indemnities and the representations and warranties set forth in the Credit Documents). Upon the payment in full of the Secured Obligations and such termination, this Pledge Agreement shall be automatically terminated and the Agent and the holders of the Secured Obligations shall, upon the request and at the expense of the Pledgors, forthwith release all of its liens and security interests hereunder and shall execute and deliver all UCC termination statements and/or other documents reasonably requested by the Pledgors evidencing such termination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all releases and indemnities provided hereunder shall survive termination of this Pledge Agreement.


    (b)        This Pledge Agreement shall continue to be effective or be automatically reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, in whole or in part, of any of the Secured Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be restored or returned by the Agent or any holder of the Secured Obligations as a preference, fraudulent conveyance or otherwise under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law, all as though such payment had not been made; provided that in the event payment of all or any part of the Secured Obligations is rescinded or must be restored or returned, all reasonable costs and expenses (including without limitation any reasonable legal fees and disbursements) incurred by the Agent or any holder of the Secured Obligations in defending and enforcing such reinstatement shall be deemed to be included as a part of the Secured Obligations.


    15.        Amendments; Waivers; Modifications. This Pledge Agreement and the provisions hereof may not be amended, waived, modified, changed, discharged or terminated except as set forth in Section 11.6 of the Credit Agreement.

    16.        Successors in Interest. This Pledge Agreement shall create a continuing security interest in the Collateral and shall be binding upon each Pledgor and its successors and assigns, and shall inure, together with the rights and remedies of the Agent and the holders of the Secured Obligations hereunder, to the benefit of the Agent and the holders of the Secured Obligations and their successors and permitted assigns; provided, however, that except in connection with mergers or consolidations permitted by Section 8.4 of the Credit Agreement that none of the Pledgors may assign its rights or delegate its duties hereunder without the prior written consent of the requisite number of Lenders required by the Credit Agreement. To the fullest extent permitted by law, each Pledgor hereby releases the Agent and each Lender, and its successors and assigns, from any liability for any act or omission relating to this Pledge Agreement or the Collateral, except for any liability arising from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Agent, or such Lender, or their respective officers, employees or agents.

    17.        Notices. All notices required or permitted to be given under this Pledge Agreement shall be given as provided in the Credit Agreement.

    18.        Counterparts. This Pledge Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which where so executed and delivered shall be an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument. It shall not be necessary in making proof of this Pledge Agreement to produce or account for more than one such counterpart.

    19.        Headings. The headings of the sections and subsections hereof are provided for convenience only and shall not in any way affect the meaning or construction of any provision of this Pledge Agreement.

    20.        Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Venue.

    (a)        THIS PLEDGE AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. Any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document may be brought in the courts of the State of New York, New York County or of the United States for the Southern District of New York, and, by execution and delivery of this Pledge Agreement, each Pledgor hereby irrevocably accepts for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of such courts. Each Pledgor further irrevocably consents to the service of process out of any of the aforementioned courts in any such action or proceeding by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to it at the address for notices pursuant to Section 11.1 of the Credit Agreement, such service to become effective three days after such mailing. Nothing herein shall affect the right of the Agent to serve process in any other manner permitted by law or to commence legal proceedings or to otherwise proceed against any Pledgor in any other jurisdiction.


    (b)        Each Pledgor hereby irrevocably waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any of the aforesaid actions or proceedings arising out of or in connection with this Pledge Agreement brought in the courts referred to in subsection (a) hereof and hereby further irrevocably waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any such court that any such action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.


    21.        Waiver of Jury Trial. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EACH OF THE PARTIES TO THIS PLEDGE AGREEMENT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS PLEDGE AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

    22.        Severability. If any provision of this Pledge Agreement is determined to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, such provision shall be fully severable and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect and shall be construed without giving effect to the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions.

    23.        Entirety. This Pledge Agreement, the other Credit Documents and the other documents relating to the Secured Obligations represent the entire agreement of the parties hereto and thereto, and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, if any, including any commitment letters or correspondence relating to the Credit Documents, the other documents relating to the Secured Obligations or the transactions contemplated herein and therein.

    24.        Survival. All representations and warranties of the Pledgors hereunder shall survive the execution and delivery of this Pledge Agreement, the other Credit Documents and the other documents relating to the Secured Obligations, the delivery of the Notes and the extension of credit thereunder or in connection therewith.

    25.        Other Security. To the extent that any of the Secured Obligations are now or hereafter secured by property other than the Pledged Collateral (including, without limitation, real and other personal property owned by a Pledgor), or by a guarantee, endorsement or property of any other Person, then the Agent and the holders of the Secured Obligations shall have the right to proceed against such other property, guarantee or endorsement upon the occurrence of any Event of Default, and the Agent and the holders of the Secured Obligations shall have the right, in their sole discretion, to determine which rights, security, liens, security interests or remedies the Agent and the holders of the Secured Obligations shall at any time pursue, relinquish, subordinate, modify or take with respect thereto, without in any way modifying or affecting any of them or the Secured Obligations or any of the rights of the Agent and the holders of the Secured Obligations under this Pledge Agreement, under any other of the Credit Documents or any other document relating to the Secured Obligations.

    26.        Joint and Several Obligations of Pledgors.

    (a)        Each of the Pledgors is accepting joint and several liability hereunder in consideration of the financial accommodation to be provided by the Lenders under the Credit Agreement, for the mutual benefit, directly and indirectly, of each of the Pledgors and in consideration of the undertakings of each of the Pledgors to accept joint and several liability for the obligations of each of them.


    (b)        Each of the Pledgors jointly and severally hereby irrevocably and unconditionally accepts, not merely as a surety but also as a co-debtor, joint and several liability with the other Pledgors with respect to the payment and performance of all of the Secured Obligations arising under this Pledge Agreement, the other Credit Documents and the other documents relating to the Secured Obligations, it being the intention of the parties hereto that all the Secured Obligations shall be the joint and several obligations of each of the Pledgors without preferences or distinction among them.


    (c)        Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein, in any other of the Credit Documents or in any other documents relating to the Secured Obligations, the obligations of each Guarantor under the Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents shall be limited to an aggregate amount equal to the largest amount that would not render such obligations subject to avoidance under Section 548 of the Bankruptcy Code or any comparable provisions of any applicable state law.


[remainder of page intentionally left blank]


        Each of the parties hereto has caused a counterpart of this Pledge Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.

BORROWER:

    APRIA HEALTHCARE GROUP INC.,
     
    By:
Name:
Title:

GUARANTORS:

    APRIA HEALTHCARE INC.,
a Delaware corporation
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    APRIA NUMBER TWO INC.,
a Delaware corporation
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    APRIACARE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS INC.,
a Delaware corporation
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    APRIA HEALTHCARE OF NEW YORK
STATE, INC.
,
a New York corporation
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    MESSICK HOMECARE, INC.,
a Tennesse corporation
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    BIOMEDICAL HOME CARE, INC.,
a North Carolina corporation
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     
    LIFEPLUS, INC.,
a Massachusetts corporation
     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     


[signature pages continue]


Accepted and agreed to as of the date first above written.

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Agent
   
     
By:
Name:
Title:
   
     

Schedule 2(a)

to

Pledge Agreement

dated as of November 23, 2004

in favor of Bank of America, N.A.

as Agent

PLEDGED STOCK

           Pledgor            Issuer Number of
Shares
Certificate
Number
Percentage
Ownership
 
Apria Healthcare Group Inc. Apria Healthcare, Inc. 1,000 1 100%
 
Apria Healthcare, Inc. ApriaCare Management Systems, Inc. 100 1 100%
 
Apria Healthcare, Inc. Apria Healthcare of New York State,
Inc.
300 1 100%
 
Apria Healthcare Group, Inc. Apria Number Two, Inc. 100 2 100%
 
Apria Healthcare, Inc. Messick Homecare, Inc. 1,000 14 100%
 
Apria Healthcare, Inc. Biomedical Home Care, Inc. 68,000 20 100%
 
Apria Healthcare, Inc. Lifeplus, Inc. 133 13 100%

Exhibit 4(a)

to

Pledge Agreement

dated as of November 23, 2004

in favor of Bank of America, N.A.

as Agent

Irrevocable Stock Power

        FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and transfers to

the following shares of capital stock of _____________________, a ____________ corporation:

No. of Shares                             Certificate No.

and irrevocably appoints __________________________________ its agent and attorney-in-fact to transfer all or any part of such capital stock and to take all necessary and appropriate action to effect any such transfer. The agent and attorney-in-fact may substitute and appoint one or more persons to act for him. The effectiveness of a transfer pursuant to this stock power shall be subject to any and all transfer restrictions referenced on the face of the certificates evidencing such interest or in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the subject corporation, to the extent they may from time to time exist.



     
    By:
Name:
Title:
     

Exhibit 2.1(b)

FORM OF NOTICE OF BORROWING

Bank of America, N.A.,
as Agent for the Lenders
1455 Market St
CA5-701-05-19
San Francisco, CA 94103
Attention: Cassandra McCain

Ladies and Gentlemen:

        The undersigned, Apria Healthcare Group Inc. (the “Borrower”), refers to the Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of November 23, 2004 (as amended, modified, restated or supplemented from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among the Borrower, the Guarantors, the Lenders and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement. The Borrower hereby gives notice pursuant to Section 2.1 of the Credit Agreement that it requests a Revolving Loan advance under the Credit Agreement, and in connection therewith sets forth below the terms on which such Loan advance is requested to be made:

(A) Date of Borrowing (which is Business Day) _______________________
 
(B) Principal Amount of Borrowing _______________________
 
(C) Interest rate basis _______________________
 
(D) Interest Period and the last day thereof _______________________

        In accordance with the requirements of Section 5.2, the Borrower hereby reaffirms the representations and warranties set forth in the Credit Agreement as provided in clause (b) of such Section, and confirms that the matters referenced in clauses (c), (d), (e) and (f) of such Section, are true and correct.

    APRIA HEALTHCARE GROUP INC.
     
    By:
Name:
Title:

Exhibit 2.1(e)

FORM OF REVOLVING NOTE

$____________ November [        ], 2004

        FOR VALUE RECEIVED, APRIA HEALTHCARE GROUP INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), hereby promises to pay to the order of __________________________, its successors and assigns (the “Lender”), at the times set forth in the Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of the date hereof among the Borrower, the Guarantors, the Lenders and the Agent (as it may be as amended, modified, restated or supplemented from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”; all capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Credit Agreement), but in no event later than the Maturity Date, in Dollars and in immediately available funds, the principal amount of ________________________DOLLARS ($____________) or, if less than such principal amount, the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all Revolving Loans made by the Lender to the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement, and to pay interest from the date hereof on the unpaid principal amount hereof, in like money, at said office, on the dates and at the rates selected in accordance with Section 2.1(d) of the Credit Agreement.

        Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the balance outstanding hereunder shall bear interest as provided in Section 3.1 of the Credit Agreement. Further, in the event the payment of all sums due hereunder is accelerated under the terms of the Credit Agreement, this Note, and all other indebtedness of the Borrower to the Lender shall become immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower.

        In the event this Note is not paid when due at any stated or accelerated maturity, the Borrower agrees to pay, in addition to the principal and interest, all costs of collection, including reasonable attorneys’ fees.

        This Note and the Loans evidenced hereby may be transferred in whole or in part only by registration of such transfer on the Register maintained by or on behalf of the Borrower as provided in Section 11.3(c) of the Credit Agreement.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower has caused this Note to be duly executed by its duly authorized officer as of the day and year first above written.

    APRIA HEALTHCARE GROUP INC.
     
    By:
Name:
Title:

Exhibit 3.2

FORM OF NOTICE OF EXTENSION/CONVERSION

Bank of America, N.A.,
as Agent for the Lenders
1455 Market St
CA5-701-05-19
San Francisco, CA 94103
Attention: Cassandra McCain

Ladies and Gentlemen:

        The undersigned, APRIA HEALTHCARE GROUP INC. (the “Borrower”), refers to the Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of November 23, 2004 (as amended, modified, restated or supplemented from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among the Borrower, the Guarantors, the Lenders and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement. The Borrower hereby gives notice pursuant to Section 3.2 of the Credit Agreement that it requests an extension or conversion of the Revolving Loan outstanding under the Credit Agreement, and in connection therewith sets forth below the terms on which such extension or conversion is requested to be made:

(A) Loan Type _______________________
 
(B) Date of Extension or Conversion
(which is the last day of the
applicable Interest Period)


_______________________
 
(C) Principal Amount of Extension or Conversion _______________________
 
(D) Interest rate basis _______________________
 
(E) Interest Period and the last day thereof _______________________
 

         In accordance with the requirements of Section 5.2, the Borrower hereby reaffirms the representations and warranties set forth in the Credit Agreement as provided in clause (b) of such Section, and confirms that the matters referenced in clauses (c), (d), (e) and (f) of such Section, are true and correct.

    APRIA HEALTHCARE GROUP INC.
     
    By:
Name:
Title:

Exhibit 7.1(c)

FORM OF OFFICER’S COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

        For the fiscal quarter ended _________________, 20___.

        I, ______________________, [Title] of APRIA HEALTHCARE GROUP INC. (the “Borrower”) hereby certify solely in such capacity that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, with respect to that certain Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of November 23, 2004 (as amended, modified, restated or supplemented from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”; all of the defined terms in the Credit Agreement are incorporated herein by reference) among the Borrower, the Guarantors, the Lenders and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent:

a.  

The company-prepared financial statements which accompany this certificate are true and correct in all material respects and have been prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis, subject to changes resulting from normal year-end audit adjustments.


b.  

Since ___________ (the date of the last similar certification, or, if none, the Closing Date) no Default or Event of Default has occurred under the Credit Agreement; and


        Delivered herewith are detailed calculations demonstrating compliance by the Credit Parties with the financial covenants contained in Section 7.11 of the Credit Agreement as of the end of the fiscal period referred to above.

      This ______ day of ___________, 20__.

    APRIA HEALTHCARE GROUP INC.
     
    By:
Name:
Title:

Attachment to Officer’s Certificate

Computation of Financial Covenants


Exhibit 7.12

FORM OF JOINDER AGREEMENT

        THIS JOINDER AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), dated as of _____________, 20__, is by and between _____________________, a ___________________ (the “Subsidiary”), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., in its capacity as Agent under that certain Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (as it may be amended, modified, restated or supplemented from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), dated as of November 23, 2004 by and among APRIA HEALTHCARE GROUP INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors, the Lenders and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent. All of the defined terms in the Credit Agreement are incorporated herein by reference.

        The Credit Parties are required by Section 7.12 of the Credit Agreement to cause the Subsidiary to become a “Guarantor”.

        Accordingly, the Subsidiary hereby agrees as follows with the Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders:

    1.        The Subsidiary hereby acknowledges, agrees and confirms that, by its execution of this Agreement, the Subsidiary will be deemed to be a party to the Credit Agreement and a “Guarantor” for all purposes of the Credit Agreement, and shall have all of the obligations of a Guarantor thereunder as if it had executed the Credit Agreement. The Subsidiary hereby ratifies, as of the date hereof, and agrees to be bound by, all of the terms, provisions and conditions applicable to the Guarantors contained in the Credit Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing terms of this paragraph 1, the Subsidiary hereby (i) jointly and severally together with the other Guarantors, irrevocably, unconditionally and absolutely guarantees to each Lender and the Agent, as further provided in Section 4 of the Credit Agreement, the prompt payment and performance of the Credit Party Obligations in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration or otherwise) strictly in accordance with the terms thereof.

    2.        The Subsidiary hereby acknowledges, agrees and confirms that, by its execution of this Agreement, the Subsidiary will be deemed to be a party to the Pledge Agreement, and shall have all the obligations of a “Pledgor” thereunder as if it had executed the Pledge Agreement. The Subsidiary hereby ratifies, as of the date hereof, and agrees to be bound by, all the terms, provisions and conditions contained in the Pledge Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing terms of this paragraph 3, the Subsidiary hereby pledges and assigns to the Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, and grants to the Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, a continuing security interest in any and all right, title and interest of the Subsidiary in and to Pledged Shares (as such term is defined in Section 2 of the Pledge Agreement) listed on Schedule 1 attached hereto and the other Pledged Collateral (as such term is defined in Section 2 of the Pledge Agreement).

    3.        The address of the Subsidiary for purposes of all notices and other communications is ____________________, ____________________________, Attention of ______________ (Facsimile No. ____________).

    4.        The Subsidiary hereby waives acceptance by the Agent and the Lenders of the guaranty by the Subsidiary under Section 4 of the Credit Agreement upon the execution of this Agreement by the Subsidiary.

    5.        This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original but all of which when taken together shall constitute one contract.

    6.        This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Subsidiary has caused this Joinder Agreement to be duly executed by its authorized officers, and the Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, has caused the same to be accepted by its authorized officer, as of the day and year first above written.

    [SUBSIDIARY]
     
    By:
Name:
Title:

    Acknowledged and accepted:

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Agent
     
    By:
Name:
Title:

Schedule 1

TO FORM OF JOINDER AGREEMENT

[Pledged Shares]


Exhibit 11.3(b)

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ACCEPTANCE

        This Assignment and Assumption (this “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [Insert name of Assignor] (the “Assignor”) and [Insert name of Assignee] (the “Assignee”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (the “Credit Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.

        For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Agent as contemplated below (i) all of the Assignor’s rights and obligations as a Lender under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of the Assignor under the respective facilities identified below (including, without limitation, the Letters of Credit and the Swingline Loans included in such facilities) and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender) against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including, but not limited to, contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as, the “Assigned Interest”). Such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.

1. Assignor: ______________________________
 
2. Assignee: ______________________________ [and is an Affiliate/Approved
Fund of [identify Lender]]
 
3. Borrower: Apria Healthcare Group Inc.
 
4. Administrative Agent: Bank of America, N.A., as the administrative agent under the
Credit Agreement
 
5. Credit Agreement: Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of November
23, 2004, among Apria Healthcare Group Inc., the Lenders from time to
time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Agent, Issuing Lender,
and Swingline Lender
6. Assigned Interest:
Aggregate
Commitments/Loans
for all Lenders
Amount of
Aggregate
Commitments/
Assigned
Percentage
Assigned of
Aggregate
Commitments/Loans1
CUSIP
Number
$_______________ $_______________ $_______________ $_______________
 
[7. Trade Date: [_____________________]2

         Effective Date: __________________, 20__ [TO BE INSERTED BY AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

        The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:

    ASSIGNOR
[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]
     
    By:
Title:
 
    ASSIGNEE
[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]
     
    By:
Title:





__________________
1 Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder.
2 To be completed if the Assignor and the Assignee intend that the minimum assignment amount is to be determined as of the Trade Date.


[Consented to and]3 Accepted:

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as
  Agent

By:
Title:

[Consented to:]4

By:
Title:
















__________________
3 To be added only if the consent of the Agent is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.
4 To be added only if the consent of the Borrower and/or other parties (e.g. Swingline Lender, Issuing
Lender) is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.


ANNEX 1 TO ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

    1.        Representations and Warranties.

    1.1.        Assignor. The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Credit Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Credit Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Credit Document or (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Credit Document.

    1.2.        Assignee. The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it meets all requirements of an Eligible Assignee under the Credit Agreement (subject to receipt of such consents as may be required under the Credit Agreement), (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 7.1 thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis of which it has made such analysis and decision independently and without reliance on the Agent or any other Lender, and (v) if it is a Foreign Lender, attached hereto is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Credit Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Credit Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

    2.        Payments. From and after the Effective Date, the Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.

    3.        General Provisions. This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption. This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.