A fee agreement is a contract between a service provider such as an attorney, recruiter, maintenance company, or stockbroker and a client. As a binding contract, a fee agreement expresses what services will be delivered, based on time spent (as in the case of a lawyer consultation) or a project to be completed (as in the writing of a press release).
A fee agreement will include the hourly or per-project payment the service provider will receive and whether that amount will be paid in advance, upon completion of the task or as the work progresses. It may also delineate what constitutes acceptable work and how disputes will be resolved, how and when the agreement can be terminated, and other details.
Below is a list of common sections included in Fee Agreements. These sections are linked to the below sample agreement for you to explore.
This TRANSACTION AND MANAGEMENT FEE AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is dated as of October 28, 2008 and is between Sky Merger Sub Corporation, a Delaware corporation (together with its successors, the “ Company ”), and Blackstone Management Partners V L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (“ BMP ”).
1. The Company has entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 18, 2008, as it may be amended, supplemented or modified (the “ Merger Agreement ”), by among Sky Acquisition LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Parent ”), the Company, and Apria Healthcare Group Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ Apria ”).
2. In accordance with the Merger Agreement, the Company is merging with and into Apria (the “ Merger ”), with Apria surviving the Merger. As a result, Apria shall succeed to and assume all the rights and obligations of the Company in accordance with the Merger, including the obligations set forth in this Agreement. References in this Agreement to the Company encompass Apria after the Merger.
3. BMP has expertise in the areas of finance, strategy, investment, acquisitions and other matters relating to the Company, Apria and their business and has facilitated the Merger and certain other related transactions (collectively, the “ Transactions ”) through its provision of financial and structural analysis, due diligence investigations, other advice and negotiation assistance with all relevant parties to the Transactions. BMP has also provided advice and negotiation assistance with relevant parties in connection with the financing of the Transactions as contemplated by the Merger Agreement.
4. The Company desires to avail itself, for the term of this Agreement, of BMP’s expertise in providing financial and structural analysis, due diligence investigations, corporate strategy, other advice and negotiation assistance, which the Company believes will be beneficial to it, and BMP desires to provide the services to the Company as set forth in this Agreement in consideration of the payment of the fees described below.
5. The rendering by BMP of the services described in this Agreement has been made and will be made on the basis that the Company will pay, or cause to be paid, the fees described below.
In consideration of the premises and agreements contained herein and of other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
SECTION 1. Transaction and M&A Management Fees . In consideration of BMP undertaking financial and structural analysis, due diligence investigations, corporate strategy and other advice and negotiation assistance necessary in order to enable the Transactions to be consummated, the Company will pay BMP at the closing of the Merger (the “ Closing ” and the date of such Closing, the “ Closing Date ”) a non-refundable and irrevocable transaction fee of $18,733,969.22.
SECTION 2. Appointment . The Company hereby engages BMP to render the Services (as defined in Section 3(a), below) on the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement.
SECTION 3. Services .
(a) BMP agrees that until the Termination Date (as defined below) or the earlier termination of its obligations under this Section 3(a) pursuant to Section 4(f) hereof, it will render to the Company, by and through itself and its affiliates and such of their respective officers, employees, representatives, agents and third parties as BMP in its sole discretion may designate from time to time (“ Representatives ”), monitoring, advisory and consulting services in relation to the affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries, including, without limitation, (i) advice regarding the structure, distribution and timing of private or public debt or equity offerings and advice regarding relationships with the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ lenders and bankers, including in relation to the selection, retention and supervision of independent auditors, outside legal counsel, investment bankers or other financial advisors or consultants, (ii) advice regarding the strategy of the Company and its subsidiaries, (iii) advice regarding the structuring and implementation of equity participation plans, employee benefit plans and other incentive arrangements for certain key executives of the Company, (iv) general advice regarding dispositions and/or acquisitions, (v) advice regarding the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and (vi) such other advice directly related or ancillary to the above financial advisory services as may be reasonably requested by the Company (collectively, the “ Services ”). BMP will have no obligation to provide any other services to the Company absent an agreement between BMP and the Company over the scope of such other services and the payment therefor.
(b) It is expressly agreed that the Services to be rendered hereunder will not include investment banking or other financial advisory services which may be provided by BMP or any of its affiliates to the Company, or any of its affiliates, in connection with any specific acquisition, divestiture, disposition, merger, consolidation, restructuring, refinancing, recapitalization, issuance of private or public debt or equity securities (including, without limitation, an initial public offering of equity securities), financing or similar transaction by the Company or any of its subsidiaries. BMP may be entitled to receive additional compensation for providing services of the type specified in the preceding sentence by mutual agreement of the Company or such subsidiary, on the one hand, and BMP or its relevant affiliate, on the other hand. In the absence of an express agreement regarding the provision by BMP or its affiliate of such services and the compensation therefor in connection with any such transaction specified in this Section 3(b), in lieu of being engaged to provide such services on mutually agreeable terms and without regard to whether any such services were performed, BMP shall be entitled to receive upon consummation of:
(i) any such acquisition, divestiture, disposition, merger, consolidation, restructuring or recapitalization, a non-refundable and irrevocable fee equal to (x) 1% of the aggregate enterprise value of the acquired, divested, disposed of, merged, consolidated, restructured or recapitalized entity (calculated, on a consolidated basis for such entity, as the sum of (1) the market value of its common equity (or the fair market value thereof if not publicly traded), (2) the value of its preferred stock (at liquidation value), (3) the book value of its minority interests and (4) its aggregate long- and short-term debt, less its cash and cash equivalents), or (y) if such transaction is structured as an asset purchase or sale, 1% of the consideration paid for or received in respect of the assets acquired or disposed of;
(ii) any such refinancing, a non-refundable and irrevocable fee equal to 1% of the aggregate value of the securities subject to such refinancing; and
(iii) any such issuance, a non-refundable and irrevocable fee equal to 1% of the aggregate value of the securities subject to such issuance.
(c) Without affecting the rights of BMP under Section 3(b) hereof, if the Company or any of its subsidiaries determines that it is advisable for the Company or such subsidiary to hire a financial advisor, consultant, investment banker or any similar advisor in connection with any acquisition, divestiture, disposition, merger, consolidation, restructuring, refinancing, recapitalization, issuance of private or public debt or equity securities (including, without limitation, an initial public offering of equity securities), financing or similar transaction, it will notify BMP of such determination in writing. Promptly thereafter, upon the request of BMP, the parties will negotiate in good faith to agree upon appropriate services, compensation and indemnification for the Company or such subsidiary to hire BMP or one of its affiliates for such services. The Company and its subsidiaries may not hire any person, other than BMP or one of its affiliates to perform any such services unless all of the following conditions have been satisfied: (i) the parties are unable to agree upon the terms of the engagement of BMP or its affiliate to render such services after 30 days following receipt by BMP of such written notice; (ii) such other person has a reputation that is at least equal to the reputation of BMP or its affiliate in respect of such services; (iii) ten business days have elapsed after the Company or such subsidiary provides a written notice to BMP of its intention to hire such other person, which notice shall identify such other person and shall describe in reasonable detail the nature of the services to be provided, the compensation to be paid and the indemnification to be provided; (iv) the compensation to be paid is not more than BMP or its affiliate was willing to accept in the negotiations described above; and (v) the indemnification to be provided is not more favorable to the Company or the applicable subsidiary than the indemnification that BMP or its affiliate was willing to accept in the negotiations described above.
SECTION 4. Management Fee .
(a) In consideration of the Services being rendered by BMP, the Company will pay, or will cause to be paid, to BMP an annual non-refundable and irrevocable management fee (the “ Management Fee ”; the term “Management Fee” as used in this Agreement with respect to any annual period means all amounts payable with respect to such annual period pursuant to Sections 4(b) or (c) hereof, as applicable; provided that notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, except as set forth in Section 4(b) below, the minimum annual Management Fee payable to BMP shall be $7,000,000).
(b) The Management Fee for the year ending December 31, 2008 shall be equal to $1,227,397.26, which shall be paid, or caused to be paid, by the Company at the Closing in respect of Services to be rendered from the Closing Date to December 31, 2008. On the first business day of January in each year, beginning in January 2009, the Company shall pay to BMP the Management Fee in respect of the fiscal year then beginning.
(c) The Management Fee for fiscal year 2009 and each subsequent year shall be equal to the greater of (x) $7,000,000 (adjusted as provided below) or (y) 2.0% of Consolidated EBITDA (as defined in the Credit Agreement dated as of the Closing Date by and among Parent, the Company, the other borrowers from time to time party thereto, Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent, the other agents listed therein and the lenders from time to time party thereto) for the immediately preceding fiscal year (the “ EBITDA Amount ”). The EBITDA Amount for purposes of determining the initial payment of the Management Fee will be based on management’s then most recent estimate. Following the availability of audited financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008 and each subsequent fiscal year, the Company shall recalculate the EBITDA Amount and the Management Fee, and based on such recalculation, (A) if the applicable recalculated Management Fee is more than the Management Fee previously paid by the Company to BMP in respect of the then-current fiscal year, the Company shall pay to BMP the difference between such amounts and (B) if the applicable recalculated Management Fee is less than the Management Fee previously paid by the Company to BMP in respect of the then-current fiscal
year, then BMP shall pay to the Company the difference between such recalculated Management Fee and the Management Fee received from the Company in respect of such fiscal year. Any payment required by the preceding sentence shall be paid by the Company or BMP, as applicable, promptly following the determination of the amount of such payment.
(d) In the event the Company or any of its subsidiaries enters into a business combination transaction with another entity that is large enough to constitute a “significant subsidiary” of the Company under any of the relevant tests contained in Regulation S-X as promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Company and BMP will mutually agree, following good faith negotiations, on an appropriate increase in the minimum annual Management Fee as warranted by the increase in the Company’s size. Such increase will be based on the percentage increase in the Company’s Consolidated EBITDA determined on a pro forma basis giving effect to such business combination transaction.
(e) To the extent the Company cannot pay, or cause to be paid, the Management Fee for any reason, including by reason of any prohibition on such payment pursuant to any applicable law or the terms of any debt financing of the Company or its subsidiaries, the payment by the Company or any of its subsidiaries to BMP of the accrued and payable Management Fee will be deferred and will be payable immediately on the earlier of (i) the first date on which the payment of such deferred Management Fee is no longer prohibited under any contract applicable to the Company and the Company or its subsidiaries, as applicable, is otherwise able to make such payment, or cause such payment to be made and (ii) total or partial liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, under any applicable law or under any contract applicable to the Company or its subsidiaries, any forbearance of collection of the Management Fee by BMP shall not be deemed to be a subordination of such payments to any other person, entity or creditor of the Company or its subsidiaries. Any such forbearance shall be at BMP’s sole option and discretion and shall in no way impair BMP’s right to collect such payments. Any installment of the Management Fee not paid on the scheduled due date will bear interest, payable in cash on each scheduled due date, at an annual rate of 10%, compounded quarterly, from the date due until paid.
(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, BMP may elect, in its sole discretion by the delivery of written notice to the Company, at any time in connection with or in anticipation of a change of control of the Company, a sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or an initial public offering of the equity of the Company or its successor or any controlling person thereof (or at any time thereafter) to receive, in consideration of BMP’s role in facilitating the same and in settlement of the termination of the Services, (i) any remaining accrued and unpaid Management Fees payable by the Company under this Agreement and (ii) in addition to any fees owing to BMP in connection with such transaction pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof, a single lump sum non-refundable and irrevocable cash payment (the “ Lump Sum Fee ”) equal to the then present value (using a discount rate equal to the yield to maturity on the date of such written notice of the class of outstanding U.S. government bonds having a final maturity closest to the twelfth anniversary of the date of such election (the “ Discount Rate ”)) of all then current and future Management Fees payable under this Agreement, assuming the Termination Date is the twelfth anniversary of the date of such election and assuming that the EBITDA Amount continues to grow at the rate it grew (using the 12 months ended December 31, 2007 as a benchmark, during the subsequent 12 month periods) ending prior to the payment of such Termination Fee. Promptly after the receipt of such written notice, the Company shall pay the Lump Sum Fee and any accrued and unpaid Management Fees to BMP by wire transfer in same-day funds to the bank account or accounts designated by BMP, which payment shall not be refundable under any circumstances. Upon the giving of such notice, the obligation of BMP to provide the Services hereunder, and the obligations of the Company to pay Management Fees (except as provided in this Section 4(f)), shall be terminated, but all other provisions of this Agreement shall continue unaffected.
(g) To the extent the Company does not pay, or cause to be paid, any portion of the Lump Sum Fee by reason of any prohibition on such payment pursuant to any applicable law, the terms of any agreement or indenture governing indebtedness of the Company or its subsidiaries, any unpaid portion of the Lump Sum Fee shall be paid to BMP immediately on the earlier of (i) the first date on which the payment of such unpaid amount is no longer prohibited pursuant to such applicable law or under any such agreement or indenture applicable to the Company and the Company or its subsidiaries, as applicable, is otherwise able to make such payment, or cause such payment to be made and (ii) a total or partial liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, under any applicable law or under any contract applicable to the Company or its subsidiaries, any forbearance of collection of the Lump Sum Fee by BMP shall not be deemed to be a subordination of such payments to any other person, entity or creditor of the Company or its subsidiaries. Any such forbearance shall be at BMP’s sole option and discretion and shall in no way impair BMP’s right to collect such payments. Any portion of the Lump Sum Payment not paid on the scheduled due date shall bear interest at an annual rate equal to the Discount Rate, compounded quarterly, from the date due until paid.
SECTION 5. Reimbursements . In addition to the fees payable pursuant to this Agreement, the Company will pay, or cause to be paid, directly, or reimburse BMP and each of its affiliates for, their respective Out-of-Pocket Expenses (as defined below). For the purposes of this Agreement, the term “ Out-of-Pocket Expenses ” means the out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by BMP and its affiliates in connection with the Transactions and the Services or other services provided by them under this Agreement (including prior to the Closing), or in order to make Securities and Exchange Commission and other legally required filings relating to the ownership of equity securities of the Company or its successor by BMP or its affiliates, or otherwise incurred by BMP or its affiliates from time to time in the future in connection with the ownership or subsequent sale or transfer by BMP or its affiliates of capital stock of the Company or its successor, including, without limitation, (a) fees and disbursements of any independent professionals and organizations, including independent accountants, outside legal counsel or consultants, retained by BMP or any of its affiliates, (b) costs of any outside services or independent contractors such as financial printers, couriers, business publications, on-line financial services or similar services, retained or used by BMP or any of its affiliates, and (c) transportation, per diem costs, word processing expenses or any similar expense not associated with BMP or its affiliates’ ordinary operations. All payments or reimbursements for Out-of-Pocket Expenses will be made by wire transfer in same-day funds promptly upon or as soon as practicable following request for payment or reimbursement in accordance with this Agreement, to the bank account indicated to the Company by the relevant payee.
SECTION 6. Indemnification .
The Company will indemnify and hold harmless BMP, its affiliates and their respective partners (both general and limited), members (both managing and otherwise) and Representatives (each such person being an “ Indemnified Party ”) from and against any and all actions, suits, investigations, losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including in connection with seeking indemnification, whether joint or several (the “ Liabilities ”), related to, arising out of or in connection with the Transactions, the Services or other services contemplated by this Agreement or the engagement of BMP pursuant to, and the performance by BMP of the Services or other services contemplated by, this Agreement, whether or not pending or threatened, whether or not an Indemnified Party is a party, whether or not resulting in any liability and whether or not such action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding is initiated or brought by the Company. The Company will reimburse any Indemnified Party for all reasonable costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses and any other litigation-related expenses) as they are incurred in connection with investigating, preparing, pursuing, defending or assisting in the defense of any action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding for which the
Indemnified Party would be entitled to indemnification under the terms of the previous sentence, or any action or proceeding arising therefrom, whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto. The Company agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated hereby (if any Indemnified Party is a party thereto or has been threatened to be made a party thereto) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of the Indemnified Party from all liability, without future obligation or prohibition on the part of the Indemnified Party, arising or that may arise out of such claim, action or proceeding, and does not contain an admission of guilt or liability on the part of the Indemnified Party. The Company will not be liable under the foregoing indemnification provision with respect to any particular loss, claim, damage, liability, cost or expense of an Indemnified Party that is determined by a court, in a final judgment from which no further appeal may be taken, to have resulted solely from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party. The attorneys’ fees and other expenses of an Indemnified Party shall be paid by the Company as they are incurred upon receipt, in each case, of an undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnified Party to repay such amounts if it is finally judicially determined that the Liabilities in question resulted solely from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party.
The rights of an Indemnified Party to indemnification hereunder will be in addition to any other rights and remedies any such person may have under any other agreement or instrument to which each Indemnified Party is or becomes a party or is or otherwise becomes a beneficiary or under any law or regulation.
SECTION 7. Accuracy of Information . The Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to BMP such information as BMP believes reasonably appropriate to rendering the Services and other services contemplated by this Agreement and to comply with the Securities and Exchange Commission or other legal requirements relating to the beneficial ownership by BMP or its affiliates and their respective members, officers and employees of equity securities of the Company (all such information so furnished, the “ Information ”). The Company recognizes and confirms that BMP (a) will use and rely primarily on the Information and on information available from generally recognized public sources in performing the Services and other services contemplated by this Agreement without having independently verified the same, (b) does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the Information and such other information and (c) is entitled to rely upon the Information without independent verification.
SECTION 8. Term . This Agreement will become effective as of the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement) and (except as otherwise provided herein) will continue until the “ Termination Date ,” which is the earlier of (i) the twelfth anniversary of the date hereof and (ii) such earlier date as the Company and BMP may mutually agree upon in writing; provided , that (x) the occurrence of the Termination Date will not affect the obligations of the Company to pay, or cause to be paid, any amounts accrued but not yet paid as of such date, (y) Section 5 hereof will remain in effect after the Termination Date with respect to Out-of-Pocket Expenses that were incurred prior to or within a reasonable period of time after the Termination Date, but which have not been paid to BMP or its affiliates in accordance with Section 5 hereof, and (z) the provisions of Sections 4(e), 4(g), 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 hereof will survive after the Termination Date. The Management Fee will accrue and be payable with respect to the entire fiscal year of the Company in which the Termination Date occurs.
SECTION 9. Disclaimer, Opportunities, Release and Limitation of Liability .
(a) Disclaimer; Standard of Care . BMP makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, in respect of the Services to be provided hereunder. In no event shall BMP or any Indemnified Party be liable to the Company or any of its affiliates for any act,
alleged act, omission or alleged omission that does not constitute gross negligence or willful misconduct of BMP as determined by a final, non-appealable determination of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(b) Freedom to Pursue Opportunities . In recognition that BMP and its affiliates currently have, and will in the future have or will consider acquiring, investments in numerous companies with respect to which BMP or its affiliates may serve as an advisor, a director or in some other capacity, in recognition that BMP and its affiliates have myriad duties to various investors and partners, in anticipation that the Company, on the one hand, and BMP (or one or more affiliates, associated investment funds or portfolio companies), on the other hand, may engage in the same or similar activities or lines of business and have an interest in the same areas of corporate opportunities, in recognition of the benefits to be derived by the Company hereunder, and in recognition of the difficulties which may confront any advisor who desires and endeavors fully to satisfy such advisor’s duties in determining the full scope of such duties in any particular situation, the provisions of this Section 9(b) are set forth to regulate, define and guide the conduct of certain affairs of the Company as they may involve BMP. Except as BMP may otherwise agree in writing after the date hereof:
(i) BMP and its affiliates (including one or more associated investments funds or portfolio companies) shall have the right: (A) to directly or indirectly engage in any business (including, without limitation, any business activities or lines of business that are the same as or similar to those pursued by, or competitive with, the Company and its subsidiaries); (B) to directly or indirectly do business with any client or customer of the Company and its subsidiaries; (C) to take any other action that BMP believes in good faith is necessary to or appropriate to fulfill its obligations as described in the first sentence of this Section 9(b); and (D) not to present potential transactions, matters or business opportunities to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, and to pursue, directly or indirectly, any such opportunity for themselves, and to direct any such opportunity to another person.
(ii) BMP and its affiliates shall have no duty (contractual or otherwise) to communicate or present any corporate opportunities to the Company or any of its affiliates or to refrain from any actions specified in Section 9(b)(i) hereof, and the Company, on its own behalf and on behalf of its affiliates, hereby irrevocably waives any right to require BMP or any of its affiliates to act in a manner inconsistent with the provisions of this Section 9(b).
(iii) Neither BMP nor any of its affiliates shall be liable to the Company or any of its affiliates for breach of any duty (contractual or otherwise) by reason of any activities or omissions of the types referred to in this Section 9(b) or of any such person’s participation therein.
(c) Release . The Company hereby irrevocably and unconditionally releases and forever discharges BMP and its affiliates and their respective partners (both general and limited), members (both managing and otherwise), and Representatives from any and all liabilities, claims and causes of action related to or arising out of or in connection with the Transactions, the Services or other services contemplated by this Agreement or the engagement of BMP pursuant to, and the performance by BMP of the Services or other services contemplated by, this Agreement that the Company may have suffered or incurred, or may claim to have suffered or incurred, on or after the date hereof, except with respect to any act or omission that constitutes gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a final, non-appealable determination of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(d) Limitation of Liability . In no event will BMP or any Indemnified Party be liable to the Company or any of its affiliates (i) for any indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, including, without limitation, lost profits or savings, whether or not such damages are foreseeable, or for any third-party claims (whether based in contract, tort or otherwise), related to or arising out of or in connection with the Transactions, the Services or other services contemplated by this Agreement or the engagement of BMP pursuant to, and the performance by BMP of the Services or other services contemplated by, this Agreement that the Company may have suffered or incurred, or may claim to have suffered or incurred, on or after the date hereof, except with respect to any act or omission that constitutes gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a final, non-appealable determination of a court of competent jurisdiction or (ii) for an amount in excess of the fees actually received by BMP hereunder.
SECTION 10. Miscellaneous .
(a) No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, or consent to any departure by any party hereto from any such provision, will be effective unless it is in writing and signed by each of the parties hereto. Any amendment, waiver or consent will be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given. The waiver by any party of any breach of this Agreement will not operate as or be construed to be a waiver by such party of any subsequent breach.
(b) Any notices or other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing and will be sufficiently given if delivered personally or sent by facsimile with confirmed receipt, or by overnight courier, addressed as follows or to such other address of which the parties may have given written notice:
c/o The Blackstone Group L.P.
345 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10154
Attention: Neil P. Simpkins
Facsimile: (212) 583-5712
with a copy (which copy shall not constitute notice) to:
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP