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Exhibit 1.1

 

EMERGE ENERGY SERVICES LP

 

3,400,000 Common Units

 

Underwriting Agreement

 

November 17, 2016

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Piper Jaffray & Co.

As Representatives of the
                Underwriters listed
                in Schedule 1 hereto

 

c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10179

 

c/o Piper Jaffray & Co.

800 Nicollet Mall

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Emerge Energy Services LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), proposes to issue and sell to the underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), an aggregate of 3,400,000 common units representing limited partnership interests in the Partnership (the “Underwritten Units”) and, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional 510,000 common units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “Option Units”).  The Underwritten Units and the Option Units are herein referred to as the “Units.”  The Partnership was formed by its sole general partner, Emerge Energy Services GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “General Partner”).  Reference herein to (i) “Partnership Parties” means the Partnership, the General Partner and Emerge Energy Services Operating LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Operating Company”) and (ii) “Partnership Entities” means the Partnership, the General Partner, the Operating Company, Superior Silica Sands LLC, a Texas limited liability company (“SSS”), and Emerge Energy Services Finance Corporation, a Delaware corporation.

 

The Partnership Parties hereby confirm their agreement with the Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Units, as follows:

 

1.                                      Registration Statement.  The Partnership has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-214237), including a prospectus, relating to the Units.  Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement;” and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before effectiveness, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Units.  If the

 



 

Partnership has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.  Any reference in this underwriting agreement (this “Agreement”) to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-1 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and any reference to “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein.  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

At or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Partnership had prepared the following information (collectively, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”):  a Preliminary Prospectus dated November 3, 2016 and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex A hereto.

 

“Applicable Time” means 6:05 P.M., New York City time, on November 17, 2016.

 

2.                                      Purchase of the Units.

 

(a)                                 The Partnership agrees to issue and sell the Underwritten Units to the Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Partnership the respective number of Underwritten Units set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price per unit (the “Purchase Price”) of $9.50.

 

In addition, the Partnership agrees to issue and sell the Option Units to the Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and the Underwriters, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Partnership the Option Units at the Purchase Price less an amount per unit equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Partnership and payable on the Underwritten Units but not payable on the Option Units.

 

If any Option Units are to be purchased, the number of Option Units to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the number of Option Units which bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of Option Units being purchased as the number of Underwritten Units set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 10 hereof) bears to the aggregate number of Underwritten Units being purchased from the Partnership by the Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional Units as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make.

 

The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase Option Units at any time in whole, or from time to time in part, on or before the thirtieth day following the date of the Prospectus, by written notice from the Representatives to the Partnership.  Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Units as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Option Units are to be delivered and paid for, which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date nor later than the tenth full business day (as hereinafter

 



 

defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 hereof).  Any such notice shall be given at least two business days prior to the date and time of delivery specified therein.

 

(b)                                 The Partnership understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Units as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Units on the terms set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package.  The Partnership acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Units to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter.

 

(c)                                  Payment for the Units shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Partnership to the Representatives in the case of the Underwritten Units, at the offices of Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on November 23, 2016, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Partnership may agree upon in writing or, in the case of the Option Units, on the date and at the time and place specified by the Representatives in the written notice of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Option Units.  The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten Units is referred to herein as the “Closing Date,” and the time and date for such payment for the Option Units, if other than the Closing Date, is herein referred to as the “Additional Closing Date.”

 

Payment for the Units to be purchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of the Units to be purchased on such date in definitive form registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall request in writing not later than two full business days prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of such Units duly paid by the Partnership.  Delivery of the Units shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

 

(d)                                 The Partnership acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Partnership with respect to the offering of Units contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Partnership or any other person.  Additionally, neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Partnership or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction.  The Partnership shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Partnership with respect thereto.  Any review by the Underwriters of the Partnership Parties, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Partnership.

 

3.                                      Representations and Warranties of the Partnership Parties.  Each of the Partnership Parties, jointly and severally, hereby represents and warrants to each Underwriter on the date hereof, the Closing Date and any Additional Closing Date that:

 

(a)                                 Preliminary Prospectus.  No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and no Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof,

 



 

contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that each Partnership Party makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Partnership in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

 

(b)                                 Pricing Disclosure Package.  The Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that each Partnership Party makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Partnership in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

 

(c)                                  Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.  Other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Partnership (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Units (each such communication by the Partnership or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex A hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Representatives.  Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complies in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no Partnership Party makes any representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Partnership in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

 

(d)                                 Registration Statement and Prospectus.  The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission.  As of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a

 



 

material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Partnership makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Partnership in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.

 

(e)                                  Incorporated Documents.  The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, when they were filed with the Commission conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(f)                                   Financial Statements.  The financial statements (including the related notes thereto) of the Partnership and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly the financial position of the Partnership and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and any supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein; and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Partnership and its consolidated subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby.

 

(g)                                  No Material Adverse Change.  Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Partnership Entities have not sustained any loss or interference from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, investigation, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and other than as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below).  Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, in each case excluding any amendments or supplements to the foregoing made after the execution of this Agreement, there has not been (i) any material adverse change, or any development involving, individually or in the

 



 

aggregate, a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), management, earnings, business or properties of the Partnership Entities, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto) or (ii) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by any Partnership Party, in each case other than as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(h)                                 Organization and Good Standing.  Each of the Partnership Entities has been duly formed and is validly existing as a limited partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of formation or organization with full power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties currently owned or leased or to be owned or leased and conduct its business as currently conducted or as to be conducted, in each case in all material respects as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.  Each of the Partnership Entities is duly registered or qualified to transact business as a foreign limited partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, in and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which requires such registration or qualification, except where the failure to be so registered or qualified would not (i) have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Partnership Entities, taken as a whole, (a “Material Adverse Effect”), or (ii) subject the limited partners of the Partnership to any material liability or disability.  The General Partner has full power and authority to serve as general partner of the Partnership in all material respects as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(i)                                     Ownership.  (i) Emerge Energy Services Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“GP Holdings”), will own all of the limited liability company interests in the General Partner; (ii) such limited liability company interests will be duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of the General Partner (the “GP LLC Agreement”), and will be fully paid (to the extent required by the GP LLC Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-303, 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the “Delaware LLC Act”)); (iii) GP Holdings will own such limited liability company interests free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, charges or other claims (collectively, “Liens”); and (iv) no other interest in the General Partner will be issued or outstanding.  The General Partner is the sole general partner of the Partnership, with non-economic general partner interest in the Partnership; such general partner interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership (the “Partnership Agreement”); and the General Partner owns such general partner interest free and clear of all Liens except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.  (i) All of the equity interests in each of the Partnership’s subsidiaries will be owned as set forth on Schedule 2 hereto; (ii) all of such equity interests will be duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the certificate of incorporation or limited liability company agreement, as applicable, of each such Partnership subsidiary (collectively, the “Subsidiary Organizational Agreements”), and will be fully paid (to the extent required by the applicable

 



 

Subsidiary Organizational Agreement) and nonassessable (except (A) with respect to a Delaware limited liability company, as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 18-303, 18-607 and 18-804 of the Delaware LLC Act, and (B) with respect to a Texas limited liability company, as such nonassessability may be affected by Section 101.206 of the Texas Business Organizations Code (“TBOC”); (iii) all of such equity interests will be owned free and clear of all Liens, except for Liens created by, arising under or securing obligations under the Revolving Credit and Security Agreement, dated as of May 14, 2013, as amended, by and among the Partnership, the Borrowers party thereto and PNC Bank, National Association, as administrative agent and collateral agent, as amended (the “Credit Agreement”), or Liens contemplated under the Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, dated March 1, 2016 (the “Intercreditor Agreement”); and (iv) no other interest in any of the Partnership Subsidiaries will be issued or outstanding other than as set forth on Schedule 2.  Other than its non-economic general partner interest in the Partnership, the General Partner does not own, directly or indirectly, any equity or long-term debt securities of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association or other entity.  Other than as set forth on Schedule 2 hereto, neither the Partnership nor the Operating Company own, directly or indirectly, any equity or long-term debt securities of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association or other entity.

 

(j)                                    Capitalization.  The issued and outstanding partnership interests of the Partnership consist of 25,166,456 Common Units and the general partner interest.  All outstanding Common Units and the limited partner interests represented thereby have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Partnership Agreement and are fully paid (to the extent required under the Partnership Agreement) and nonassessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Sections 17-303, 17-607 and 17-804 of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act or as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus) and conform in all material respects to the description of the Common Units in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(k)                                 Due Authorization.  Each of the Partnership Parties has all requisite power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and perform its respective obligations hereunder.  This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Partnership Parties.

 

(l)                                     The Units.  The Units to be issued and sold by the Partnership hereunder have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and will conform to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no (i) preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, nor any restriction upon the voting or transfer of, any equity securities of any of the Partnership Parties or (ii) outstanding options or warrants to purchase any securities of any of the Partnership Parties.  Neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Units as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights for or relating to the registration of any Common Units or other securities of any of the Partnership Parties, other than as have been complied with or waived.

 

(m)                             No Violation or Default.  None of the Partnership Entities is (i) in violation of any provision of its Organizational Documents (as defined below), (ii) in violation of any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order, decree or injunction of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over

 



 

such Partnership Entity or any of its properties, as applicable, or (iii) in breach, default (or an event that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a breach or default) or violation in the performance of the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound or subject, which breach, default or violation in the case of clauses (ii) or (iii) would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(n)                                 No Conflicts.  None of (i) the offering, issuance or sale by the Partnership of the Units, (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Partnership Parties, (iii) the consummation of any other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or (iv) the application of the proceeds as described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) conflicts or will conflict with, or constitutes or will constitute a violation of, the partnership agreement, limited liability company agreement, certificate of limited partnership, certificate of formation, conversion or other constituent document (collectively, the “Organizational Documents”) of any of the Partnership Entities, (B) conflicts or will conflict with, or constitutes or will constitute a breach or violation of, or a default under (or an event that, with notice or lapse of time or both would constitute such a default), the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which any Partnership Entity is a party or bound or to which any of its properties is subject, (C) violates or will violate any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order, decree or injunction of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over any Partnership Entity or any of its properties in a proceeding to which such Partnership Entity or its property is a party or (D) results or will result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any property or assets of any of the Partnership Entities (other than Liens created pursuant to the Credit Agreement or Liens contemplated under the Intercreditor Agreement), which conflicts, breaches, violations, defaults or Liens, in the case of clauses (B), (C) or (D), would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or materially impair the ability of any of the Partnership Entities to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(o)                                 No Consents Required.  No permit, consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, filing or qualification (“Consent”) of or with any court, governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over any of the Partnership Entities or any of their properties or assets is required in connection with (i) the offering, issuance or sale of the Units as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Partnership Parties, (iii) the consummation of any other transactions contemplated by this Agreement other than (A) registration of the Units under the Securities Act, which has been effected (or, with respect to any registration statement to be filed hereunder pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, will be effected in accordance herewith) and Consents required under the Exchange Act, (B) any necessary qualification under the securities or blue sky laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Units are being offered by the Underwriters, (C) Consents under the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), (D) Consents that have been, or prior to the Closing Date will be, obtained and (E) Consents that, if not obtained, would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect or materially impair the ability of any of the Partnership Parties to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 



 

(p)                                 Legal Proceedings.  Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation by or before any court or governmental or other regulatory or administrative agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving any of the Partnership Entities or its or their property is pending or, to the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, threatened or contemplated that (i) would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein or therein; (ii) would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; or (iii) is required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus but are not described as required.

 

(q)                                 Independent Accountants.  BDO USA, LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Partnership and its subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Partnership and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Partnership Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.

 

(r)                                    Title to Real and Personal Property.  The Partnership Entities have (A) good and indefeasible title in fee simple to all real property owned by them and (B) good title to all other property and assets owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all Liens, except (i) Liens that arise under or are expressly permitted by the Credit Agreement or (ii) Liens that do not, individually or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use of such properties as they have been used in the past and are proposed to be used in the future as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus by the Partnership Entities.  All real property, buildings and other improvements, and equipment and other property to be held under lease or sublease by any of the Partnership Entities will be held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases or subleases, as the case may be, (i) except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), and (ii) with, solely in the case of leases or subleases relating to real property and buildings or other improvements, such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property and buildings or other improvements as they have been used in the past and are proposed to be used in the in the future as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and all such leases and subleases will be in full force and effect; and none of the Partnership Entities has any notice of any claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Partnership Entities under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above or affecting or questioning the rights of the Partnership Entities to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease except for such claims that, if successfully asserted, would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.  Each of the Partnership Entities has such consents, easements, rights-of-way or licenses from each person (collectively, “rights-of-way”) as are necessary to conduct its business in the manner described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, subject to such qualifications as may be set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except for such rights-of-way the failure of which to obtain would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; each of the Partnership Entities will have fulfilled and performed all of its obligations with respect to such rights-of-way and no event shall have occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination

 



 

thereof or would result in any impairment of the rights of the holder of any such rights-of-way, except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; and none of such rights-of-way contains any restriction that is materially burdensome to the Partnership Entities.

 

(s)                                   Intellectual Property.  The Partnership Entities own, possess, license or have other rights to use on reasonable terms, all patents, patent applications, trade and service marks, trade and service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets, technology, know-how and other intellectual property (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”) necessary for the operations of the Partnership Entities as now conducted or as proposed to be conducted in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(t)                                    No Undisclosed Relationships.  No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any Partnership Entity, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, equityholders, affiliates, customers or suppliers of any Partnership Entity, on the other hand, that is required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and is not so described.

 

(u)                                 Investment Company Act.  None of the Partnership Parties is now, nor immediately following the sale of the Units hereunder and the application of the net proceeds from such sale as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds” will be, an “investment company” or a company “controlled by” an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

 

(v)                                 Taxes.  Each of the Partnership Entities has filed all foreign, federal, state and local tax returns that are required to be filed or has requested extensions thereof, except in any case in which the failure to so file would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such tax, assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith and except for such taxes, assessments, fines or penalties the nonpayment of which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(w)                               Licenses and Permits.  Each of the Partnership Entities possess such licenses, certificates, permits, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by all applicable federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities, agencies or bodies necessary to conduct its business in the manner described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to so possess would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; the Partnership Entities are and will be in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; the Governmental Licenses are and will be valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and none of the Partnership Entities has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Governmental Licenses that, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 



 

(x)                                 No Labor Disputes.  No labor problem or dispute with the employees of any of the Partnership Entities exists or is threatened or imminent, and the Partnership Entities are not aware of any existing or threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of the Partnership Entities’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(y)                                 Certain Environmental Matters.  Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) the Partnership Entities are in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local or foreign statutes, laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, codes, policies or rules of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretations thereof, including, without limitation, any judicial or administrative orders, consents, decrees or judgments, relating to pollution or the protection of human health and safety (to the extent such health and safety protection relates to exposure to Hazardous Materials, as defined below), natural resources, wildlife or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including, without limitation, laws and regulations imposing liability or standards of conduct concerning any pollutants or contaminants, hazardous, dangerous or toxic chemicals, materials, wastes or substances, any petroleum or petroleum products, or any polychlorinated biphenyls or radioactive materials (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport, arrangement for disposal or transport, release, threatened release or handling of, or exposure to, Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Partnership Entities have all permits, authorizations and other approvals required for the operation of their business under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permits, authorizations and other approvals, (C) no Partnership Entity has received notice of any pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of liability, noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against any of the Partnership Entities, and (D) no Partnership Entity has any liability in connection with the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials and, to the knowledge of the Partnership Entities, there are no events or circumstances that might reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against any of the Partnership Entities relating to any Environmental Laws, which noncompliance or liability in the case of this clause (D) would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  In the ordinary course of their businesses, the Partnership Entities periodically review the effect of Environmental Laws on their businesses, operations and properties, in the course of which they identify and evaluate associated costs and liabilities that they believe are reasonably likely to be incurred pursuant to such Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure or post-closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws, or any permit, authorization or other approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties).  On the basis of such review, the Partnership Entities have concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(z)                                  Compliance with ERISA.  Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (i) the Partnership Entities are in compliance in all material respects with all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published governmental interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”); (B) no audit or investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any other federal or state governmental

 



 

agency or any foreign regulatory agency with respect to the employment or compensation of employees by any of the Partnership Entities has occurred or is expected to occur and (C) no breach of any contractual obligation, or any violation of law or applicable qualification standards, with respect to the employment or compensation of employees by the Partnership Entities has occurred; (ii) no “reportable event” (as defined in Section 4043(c) ERISA) has occurred with respect to any “pension plan” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) for which any Partnership Entity would have any liability, whether actual or contingent (a “Plan”), excluding any reportable event for which the notice requirements have been waived; (iii) none of the Partnership Entities has incurred, nor does any such entity expect to incur, liability under (A) Title IV of ERISA or (B) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published governmental interpretations thereunder (the “Code”) with respect to any Plan; (iv) each “pension plan” for which any Partnership Entity would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is the subject of a favorable determination or opinion letter from the Internal Revenue Service to the effect that it is so qualified and, to the knowledge of the Partnership Entities, nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which could reasonably be expected to cause the loss of such qualification; and (v) no Partnership Entity has incurred any material unpaid liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (other than for payment of premiums in the ordinary course of business).

 

(aa)                          Disclosure Controls.  The Partnership has established and maintains “disclosure controls and procedures” (to the extent required by and as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act); and (i) such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by the Partnership in the reports it files or will file or submit under the Exchange Act, as applicable, is accumulated and communicated to management of the General Partner, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure to be made and (ii) such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established to the extent required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.

 

(bb)                          Accounting Controls.  The Partnership Parties maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; (v) interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.  The Partnership Parties’ internal controls over financial reporting are effective and, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the Partnership Parties is aware of any material weaknesses in the Partnership Parties’ internal control over financial reporting.

 

(cc)                            eXtensible Business Reporting Language. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

 



 

(dd)                          Insurance.  The Partnership Entities are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are generally maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar business; all policies of insurance and any fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Partnership Entities or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors will be in full force and effect; the Partnership Entities will be in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; there are no claims by any of the Partnership Entities under any existing policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; none of the Partnership Entities has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and none of the Partnership Entities has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ee)                            No Unlawful Payments.  Neither the Partnership nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Partnership, any director, officer or employee of the Partnership or any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Partnership, any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Partnership or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit.  The Partnership and its subsidiaries have instituted, maintain and enforce, and will continue to maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws.

 

(ff)                              Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws.  The operations of the Partnership and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Partnership or any of its subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Partnership or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Partnership, threatened.

 

(gg)                            No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws.  Neither the Partnership nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Partnership, any of its directors, officers, or employees, nor, to the knowledge of the Partnership, any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the

 



 

Partnership or any of its subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government, (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”) or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Partnership or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria and Crimea (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Partnership will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Units hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.  For the past five years, the Partnership and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.

 

(hh)                          No Restrictions on Subsidiaries.  No subsidiary of the Partnership is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Partnership, from repaying to the Partnership any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Partnership or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Partnership.

 

(ii)                                  No Broker’s Fees.  Neither the Partnership nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement and that certain engagement letter, dated October 25, 2016 (the “Engagement Letter”), by and among the Partnership and the Representatives) that would give rise to a valid claim against any of them or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Units.

 

(jj)                                No Registration Rights.  Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no person has the right to require the Partnership or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Units.

 

(kk)                          No Stabilization.  None of the Partnership Entities has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Partnership to facilitate the sale or resale of the Units.

 

(ll)                                  Statistical and Market Data.  All statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Partnership believes to be reliable and accurate, and the Partnership has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources to the extent required.

 

(mm)                  Sarbanes-Oxley Act.  There is and has been no failure on the part of the Partnership or any of the Partnership’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply

 



 

with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

 

(nn)                          Mineral Reserve Estimates.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the mineral reserve estimates contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are derived from reports that have been prepared and audited by Cooper Engineering Company, Inc. and Westward Environmental, Inc., and such estimates (i) fairly reflect, in all material respects, the mineral reserves attributable to SSS at the dates indicated therein and (ii) were calculated in accordance with standard mining engineering procedures used in the sand industry and applicable government reporting requirements and applicable law.  All assumptions used in the calculation of the mineral reserve estimates of SSS contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus were and are reasonable in all material respects with (i) the procedures described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (ii) all applicable guidelines and industry standards, including Industry Guide 7, of the Commission applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved.  Each of Cooper Engineering Company, Inc. and Westward Environmental, Inc., which prepared the reports and audits upon which the estimates of the proven mineral reserves of SSS disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus were based, is an independent mining engineer with respect to the Partnership Parties and for the periods set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(oo)                          FINRA.  To the knowledge of the Partnership Parties, there are no affiliations or associations between any member of FINRA and the Partnership, the General Partner, any of the General Partner’s officers or directors or the Partnership’s 5% or greater security holders, except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

4.                                      Further Agreements of the Partnership Parties.  Each of the Partnership Parties, jointly and severally, hereby covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:

 

(a)                                 Required Filings.  The Partnership will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and the Partnership will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.

 

(b)                                 Delivery of Copies.  The Partnership will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representatives, copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and documents incorporated by reference therein; and (ii) to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus) as the Representatives may reasonably request.  As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Units as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Units is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Units by any Underwriter or dealer.

 



 

(c)                                  Amendments or Supplements, Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses.  Before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Partnership will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object.

 

(d)                                 Notice to the Representatives.  The Partnership will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when the Registration Statement has become effective; (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (iii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus has been filed or distributed; (iv) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (v) of the issuance by the Commission or any other governmental or regulatory authority of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (vi) of the occurrence of any event or development within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vii) of the receipt by the Partnership of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Units for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Partnership will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Units and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

 

(e)                                  Ongoing Compliance.  (1) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Partnership Parties will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event or development shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein,

 



 

in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package to comply with law, the Partnership will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate such amendments or supplements to the Pricing Disclosure Package (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Pricing Disclosure Package will comply with law.

 

(f)                                   Blue Sky Compliance.  The Partnership will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Units for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Units; provided that the Partnership shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

 

(g)                                  Earning Statement.  The Partnership will make generally available to its unitholders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Partnership occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.

 

(h)                                 Clear Market.  Except in connection with the exercise of any warrant disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, for a period of 45 days after the date of the Prospectus, the Partnership will not (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any common units representing limited partnership interests in the Partnership or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for any common units, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing, or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of such common units or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of any common units or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, other than the Units to be sold hereunder.

 

(i)                                     Use of Proceeds.  The Partnership will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Units as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of proceeds.”

 

(j)                                    No Stabilization.  No Partnership Entity will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the common units.

 

(k)                                 Exchange Listing.  The Partnership will use its reasonable best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Units on the NYSE.

 



 

(l)                                     Record Retention.  The Partnership will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

 

5.                                      Certain Agreements of the Underwriters.                        Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:

 

(a)                                 It has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Partnership and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Partnership) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex A or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such underwriter and approved by the Partnership in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”).

 

(b)                                 It has not and will not, without the prior written consent of the Partnership, use any free writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the Units unless such terms have previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission; provided that Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex B hereto without the consent of the Partnership; provided further that any Underwriter using such term sheet shall notify the Partnership, and provide a copy of such term sheet to the Partnership, prior to, or substantially concurrently with, the first use of such term sheet.

 

(c)                                  It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Partnership if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).

 

6.                                      Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations.  The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Underwritten Units on the Closing Date or the Option Units on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Partnership of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

 

(a)                                 Registration Compliance; No Stop Order.  No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.

 

(b)                                 Representations and Warranties.  The representations and warranties of the Partnership Parties contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be; and the statements of the Partnership and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

 



 

(c)                                  No Material Adverse Change.  No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(g) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Pricing Disclosure Package (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Units on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(d)                                 Officer’s Certificate.  The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Partnership and one additional senior executive officer of the Partnership who is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officers, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(d) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Partnership in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Partnership has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) above.

 

(e)                                  Comfort Letters.  On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, BDO USA, LLP, Cooper Engineering Company, Inc. and Westward Environmental, Inc. shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Partnership, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing (i) in the case of the letters of BDO USA, LLP, statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (ii) in the case of the letters of Cooper Engineering Company, Inc. and Westward Environmental, Inc., statements and information of the type ordinarily included in mineral reserve engineers’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the mineral reserve reports referred to in, and the related reserve information contained or incorporated by reference in, each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (iii) with regards to such letters dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, to the effect that such firm reaffirms the statements made in the letters furnished on the date of this Agreement, the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.  References to the Prospectus in this paragraph (e) include any supplement thereto at the date of the respective letter.

 

(f)                                   Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Partnership.  Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Partnership, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Partnership, their written opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex C hereto.

 

(g)                                  Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters.  The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion and 10b-5 statement, addressed to the Underwriters, of Morrison & Foerster LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives

 



 

may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

 

(h)                                 No Legal Impediment to Issuance.  No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Units; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Units.

 

(i)                                     Good Standing.  The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Partnership and its subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.

 

(j)                                    Exchange Listing.  The Units to be delivered on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been approved for listing on the NYSE, subject to official notice of issuance.

 

(k)                                 Lock-up Agreements.  The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and officers and directors of the Partnership relating to sales and certain other dispositions of common units or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be full force and effect on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

 

(l)                                     Additional Documents.  On or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Partnership shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

 

All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

 

7.                                      Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)                                 Indemnification of the Underwriters.  The Partnership agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred) in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred, joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any road show as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a “road show”) or any Pricing Disclosure Package

 



 

(including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Partnership in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below.

 

(b)                                 Indemnification of the Partnership.  Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Partnership, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Partnership within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Partnership by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any road show or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the statements set forth in the third, twelfth and thirteenth paragraphs of the section entitled “Underwriting”.

 

(c)                                  Notice and Procedures.  If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b) above.  If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred.  In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing

 



 

interests between them.  It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred.  Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by the Representatives and any such separate firm for the Partnership, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Partnership shall be designated in writing by the Partnership.  The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.  Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.  No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

 

(d)                                 Contribution.  If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Partnership, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, from the offering of the Units or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Partnership, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Partnership, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Partnership from the sale of the Units and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Units.  The relative fault of the Partnership, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Partnership or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 



 

(e)                                  Limitation on Liability.  The Partnership and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to paragraph (d) above were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above.  The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim.  Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (d) and (e), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Units exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to paragraphs (d) and (e) are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

 

(f)                                   Non-Exclusive Remedies.  The remedies provided for in this Section 7 paragraphs (a) through (e) are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

 

8.                                      Effectiveness of Agreement.  This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above.

 

9.                                      Termination.  This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Partnership, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and on or prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Option Units, prior to the Additional Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the NYSE or The Nasdaq Stock Market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Partnership shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Units on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

10.                               Defaulting Underwriter.

 

(i)                                     If, on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Units that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Units by other persons satisfactory to the Partnership on the terms contained in this Agreement.  If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Units, then the Partnership shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Units on such terms.  If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Units of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Partnership may postpone the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may

 



 

be, for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Partnership or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Partnership agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes.  As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Units that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

 

(ii)                                  If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Units of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Partnership as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Units that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of Units to be purchased on such date, then the Partnership shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Units that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder on such date plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the number of Units that such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date) of the Units of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.

 

(iii)                               If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Units of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Partnership as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Units that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate amount of Units to be purchased on such date, or if the Partnership shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement or, with respect to any Additional Closing Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase Units on the Additional Closing Date shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters.  Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Partnership, except that the Partnership will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

 

(iv)                              Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Partnership or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

 

11.                               Payment of Expenses.

 

(a)                                 Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Partnership will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Units and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the fees and expenses of the Partnership’s counsel and independent accountants; (iv) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Units under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (v) the cost of preparing unit certificates; (vi) the

 



 

costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (vii) all expenses and application fees of the Underwriters up to $10,000 incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, FINRA; (viii) all expenses incurred by the Partnership in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors and (ix) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Units on the NYSE.

 

(b)                                 If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9(ii), (ii) the Partnership for any reason fails to tender the Units for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Units for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Partnership agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.

 

12.                               Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to herein, and the affiliates of each Underwriter referred to in Section 7 hereof.  Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.  No purchaser of Units from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

 

13.                               Survival.  The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Partnership and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Partnership or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Units and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Partnership or the Underwriters.

 

14.                               Certain Defined Terms.  For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

15.                               Compliance with USA Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Partnership, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.

 

16.                               Miscellaneous.

 

(a)                                 Notices.  All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication.  Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179 (fax: (212) 622-8358); Attention Equity Syndicate Desk; and c/o Piper Jaffray & Co., 800 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, to the attention of Equity Capital Markets and separately, General Counsel.  Notices to the Partnership shall be given to it at Emerge Energy Services LP, 180 State Street, Suite 225, Southlake, Texas 76092, (fax: (817) 865-5900); Attention: Deborah Deibert.

 

(b)                                 Integration.  This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Partnership and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof other than the Engagement Letter.

 



 

(c)                                  Governing Law.  This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

(d)                                 Waiver of Jury Trial.  Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right to trial by jury in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

 

(e)                                  Submission to Jurisdiction.  The Partnership Parties hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. federal and New York state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.  The Partnership Parties waive any objection which they may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit or proceeding in such courts.  The Partnership Parties agree that final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such court shall be conclusive and binding upon a Partnership Party and may be enforced in any court to the jurisdiction of which a Partnership Party is subject by a suit upon such judgment.

 

(f)                                   Counterparts.  This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

(g)                                  Amendments or Waivers.  No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

 

(h)                                 Headings.  The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

 



 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

Emerge Energy Services LP

 

 

 

By:

Emerge Energy Services GP LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Warren B. Bonham

 

 

 

 

Name:

Warren B. Bonham

 

 

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

Emerge Energy Services GP LLC

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Warren B. Bonham

 

 

 

 

Name:

Warren B. Bonham

 

 

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 

 

Emerge Energy Services Operating LLC

 

 

 

By:

Emerge Energy Services LP, its sole member

 

 

 

 

By:

Emerge Energy Services GP LLC, its general partner

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Warren B. Bonham

 

 

 

 

Name:

Warren B. Bonham

 

 

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

Accepted:  As of the date first written above

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

 

Piper Jaffray & Co.

 

For themselves and on behalf of the
Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto.

 

By:

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Geoff Paul

 

Name:

Geoff Paul

 

Title:

Managing Director

 

 

By:

Piper Jaffray & Co.

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Ira H. Green, Jr.

 

Name:

Ira H. Green, Jr.

 

Title:

Managing Director

 

 



 

Schedule 1

 

Underwriter

 

Number of Units

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

 

2,550,000

 

Piper Jaffray & Co.

 

850,000

 

Total

 

3,400,000

 

 



 

Schedule 2

 

OWNERSHIP OF THE PARTNERSHIP’S SUBSIDIARIES

 

Partnership Subsidiary

 

Issued and Outstanding Equity
Interests

 

Owner

Emerge Energy Services Operating LLC

 

Limited Liability Company Interests

 

100% owned by Emerge Energy Services LP

Superior Silica Sands LLC

 

Limited Liability Company Interests

 

100% Owned by Emerge Energy Services Operating LLC

Emerge Energy Services Finance Corporation

 

1,000 Shares of Common Stock

 

100% Owned by Emerge Energy Services Operating LLC

 



 

Annex A

 

a.                                      Pricing Disclosure Package

 

None.

 

b.                                      Pricing Information Provided Orally by Underwriters

 

Number of Underwritten Units: 3,400,000

Price per Unit to Public: $10.00

Price per Unit to Underwriters: $9.50

 



 

ANNEX B

 

Emerge Energy Services LP

 

Pricing Term Sheet

 

None.

 



 

Annex C

 

FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP

 



 

Exhibit A

 

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

 

, 2016

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC
PIPER JAFFRAY & CO.

As Representatives of
the Underwriters listed in
Schedule 1 to the Underwriting
Agreement referred to below

c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10179

 

c/o Piper Jaffray & Co.

800 Nicollet Mall

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402

 

Re:                             Emerge Energy Services LP — Public Offering

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned understands that you, as Representatives of the Underwriters, propose to enter into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Emerge Energy Services LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the Underwriters named in Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters”), of common units representing limited partnership interests in the Partnership (the “Units”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, this Letter Agreement (as defined below) shall not apply to any Common Units (as defined below) held by Insight Equity Management Company LLC and its affiliated investment funds.

 

In consideration of the Underwriters’ agreement to purchase and make the Public Offering of the Units, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, during the period beginning on the date of this letter agreement (this “Letter Agreement”) and ending 45 days after the date of the prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”) (such period, the “Restricted Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any common units representing limited partnership interests in the Partnership (the “Common Units”) or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Units (including without limitation, Common Units or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a unit option or warrant), or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Units or such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Units or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any Common Units or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Units, in each case other than (A) the Units to be sold by the

 



 

undersigned pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, (B) Common Units disposed of to satisfy tax withholding obligations in conjunction with the issuance or vesting of equity incentive awards outstanding due to an acceleration event upon the death or disability of a participant in accordance with the terms of any plan or award agreement relating to such equity incentive awards (which shall be subject to this Letter Agreement upon issuance or vesting), (C) transfers of Common Units as a bona fide gift or gifts,  (D) distributions of Common Units to members or unitholders of the undersigned, and (E) transfers of Common Units or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Units pursuant to a bona fide third party tender offer, merger, amalgamation, consolidation or other similar transaction involving a Change of Control (as defined below) of the Partnership, provided that in the event that the tender offer, merger, amalgamation, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, the Common Units owned by the undersigned shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this Letter Agreement; provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (C) or (D), each donee or distributee shall execute and deliver to the Representatives a lock-up letter in the form of this paragraph; and provided, further, that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clause (C) or (D), no filing by any party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer or distribution (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the Restricted Period referred to above).  For purposes of clause (E) of this paragraph, “Change of Control” shall mean the transfer (whether by tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction), after the closing of the Public Offering, to a person or group of affiliated persons, of limited liability company interests in Emerge Energy Services GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the general partner of the Partnership (the “General Partner”), if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold interests having more than 50% of the voting power of all outstanding voting interest of the General Partner (or the surviving entity).

 

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Partnership, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.

 

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement.  All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.

 

The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective by December 31, 2016, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Units to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from, all obligations under this Letter Agreement.  The undersigned understands that the Underwriters are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement.

 

This Letter Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title: