PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT (REVISED) BETWEEN BOOTHEEL AGRI-ENERGY, LLC AND DELTA-T CORPORATION
Exhibit 10.1
This Agreement is entered into this 28th day of July 2006 by and between
DELTA-T Corporation, a Virginia corporation located at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ (hereinafter “DELTA-T”), and Bootheel Agri-Energy, LLC located at ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (hereinafter “Client”), which parties may be referred to individually
as a “Party” or jointly as the “Parties.”
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, DELTA-T is in the business of developing, designing, and supplying commercial
technologies, equipment and manufacturing facilities to perform a wide range of process industry
applications, including, without limitation, grain processing, ethanol production, evaporation,
distillation, dehydration, adsorption, solvent recovery and waste treatment; and
WHEREAS, Client intends to develop an ethanol plant having the capacity to produce 100
million (un-denatured) gallons per year at a site to be located in Sikeston, Missouri in two
phases, Phase 1 will consist of the design, procurement, and construction of a conventional
natural gas fired dry milling plant, while phase 2 will take place within 2 to 3 years and will
consist of the installation of a coal fire boiler system to replace the natural gas boiler as
primary fuel, (hereinafter “Plant”); and
WHEREAS, Client wishes to retain DELTA-T to provide professional advice, business and
technical information, design and engineering, and related services in order to assist Client in
assembling all of the information, permits, agreements and resources necessary for construction of
Plant (hereinafter “Project”), and DELTA-T is willing to provide such services for a fixed fee,
provided that Client enters into an exclusive relationship with DELTA-T to provide the Plant
and/or technology transfer, engineering and procurement services for the Plant, and otherwise on
the terms and conditions set forth herein; and
WHEREAS, Client and DELTA-T intend to enter into an Engineering, Procurement and Construction
Agreement (hereinafter referred to as the “EPC Agreement”) for the supply of such engineering,
procurement and construction, personnel training, commissioning, start-up and testing services,
which EPC Agreement will become effective only upon its execution by both parties and fulfillment
of certain conditions and requirements still outstanding in anticipation of the construction phase
to be initiated in the early 4th quarter of 2006 upon mutually acceptable terms; and
WHEREAS, Client recognizes that DELTA-T is foregoing other significant business opportunities
in order to perform such services, and that the provisions of this Agreement concerning
exclusivity are essential to this Agreement and that DELTA-T would not be willing to enter into
this Agreement without those provisions;
NOW THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual terms and conditions of this Agreement, Client
and DELTA-T agree as follows:
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ARTICLE 1
SCOPE OF PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND
PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING SERVICES
SCOPE OF PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND
PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING SERVICES
Client hereby retains DELTA-T, and DELTA-T hereby agrees, to provide per the terms of this
Agreement, the services described in this Section 1.1 to help Client develop the Project.
1.1 Basic Project Development Services: DELTA-T shall:
1.1.1 Help Client develop and analyze feasible Project alternatives,
including
potential facility sites, and assist in the selection of the most appropriate
technical
and site options in conjunction with the needs of the Project;
1.1.2 Provide projected plant operating cost factors and assist Client with
profitability and sensitivity analyses for selected Project alternative(s);
1.1.3 Work with Client to define Plant specifications, and assist in developing
Project roles and responsibilities for all participating parties;
1.1.4 Develop a preliminary general arrangement drawing for the Plant based
on the selected alternatives and site physical and geo-technical data provided by
the Client;
1.1.5 Provide process emissions data for environmental permitting activities in
support of the environmental permitting firm to be retained by Client;
1.1.6 Utilize DELTA-T’s experience in ethanol plant operation, products
marketing, and industry economics to help Client develop a business plan;
1.1.7 Provide technical and economic data and strategic guidance to assist
Client in making presentations to potential equity investors and financial
institutions;
DELTA-T shall continue to develop and make modifications to each of the services
referenced under Section 1.1 as necessary in accordance with changing or evolving Project
plans. DELTA-T shall perform such services at such times, and according to such schedule,
as reasonably necessary to support effective development of the Project. Mutually agreed
project development tasks not addressed in Section 1.1 above, will be engaged by separate
agreements such as a compensated scope of work which may be appended to this Agreement.
1.2
Client’s Responsibilities: The entity that will own the Project, whether it is
the Client or another entity, shall hereinafter be referred to as “Owner.” Client shall
perform, or cause Owner to perform, the following tasks to assure development of the
Project, and such other tasks as may be required to achieve funding for the Project:
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1.2.1 Promptly provide to DELTA-T, upon its request, such design decisions
and information related to site selection, plant size, interface of the Plant to other
sections of the Project, and other key project design parameters as DELTA-T
may reasonably request from time to time;
1.2.2 Create a Project development strategy and timeline, in cooperation with
DELTA-T, (the “Plan”), for the purposes of fully defining the Project its
specifications and of obtaining one or more letter(s) of commitment for financing
in an amount and on terms and conditions sufficient to enable Client or Owner to
execute the Project, and on terms otherwise acceptable to Client (“Financing”);
1.2.3 Execute the Plan in a diligent manner;
1.2.4 Cooperate with DELTA-T to define Project specifications, and define
Project development roles for all participating parties;
1.2.5 Develop a business plan, in cooperation with DELTA-T, based on the
information provided by DELTA-T under Section 1.1 above; and
1.2.6 Otherwise cooperate with DELTA-T in the development of the Project as
mutually agreed between the Parties.
Client, or Owner, shall perform such tasks within sufficient time to allow DELTA-T to fulfill its
obligations under Section 1.1 above in a timely manner. Client will designate ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, of BBI
International, an individual, to serve as DELTA-T’s primary contact for the work performed under
this Agreement. DELTA-T shall be entitled to rely on, and shall proceed according to the
directions of, that individual, or such other individual as Client may from time to time appoint
in writing with respect to this Agreement.
1.3
Project Control Responsibilities: Client shall notify DELTA-T promptly of any plan or
intent on the part of any actual or potential investors in the Project to form an Owner, or alter
the equity or voting structure of an Owner, in such a way that Client would not have sufficient
control over such Owner to require it to perform the obligations of Owner described in this
Agreement, and to assist DELTA-T in causing such Owner to become a party to this Agreement, or
another similar agreement acceptable to DELTA-T. Client agrees that it shall not assist Owner in
any way, directly or indirectly, in working with anyone other than DELTA-T in connection with the
Project, except as expressly permitted under this Agreement. Client acknowledges that if it were to
provide any Confidential Information (as described in Article 2 below) of DELTA-T to any Owner over
which it did not have control, that such Owner would benefit significantly from such information,
and Client acknowledges that it understands and will comply strictly with the prohibition on such
disclosures set forth in Article 2 below. In the event that Owner, for any reason other than
termination of this Agreement for breach by DELTA-T, fails to honor the exclusivity provisions of
Article 5 below, Client shall, in addition to any other damages that DELTA-T may have, pay DELTA-T
the entire amount due to DELTA-T and remaining unpaid under Sections 3.1 and 3.2 below.
ARTICLE 2
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
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“Confidential Information” shall mean (i) all inventions, whether patentable or not, all
processes, designs, know-how, copyrights and any and all other intellectual property of any kind
(“Intellectual Property”) and financial and other business information provided by DELTA-T to
Client under this Agreement, which shall be deemed Confidential Information of DELTA-T and (ii) all
business plans, and other sensitive information about the Project disclosed by Client to DELTA-T
during the term of this Agreement, which shall be deemed Confidential Information of Client (except
to the extent that it consists of Confidential Information of DELTA-T).
Neither Party shall (i) use any Confidential Information of the other except for development of the
Project as provided under this Agreement, or (ii) disclose any part of the Confidential Information
of the other to any person or entity other than its employees who need to have access to such data
and who are bound to comply with the confidentiality terms of this Agreement, and as otherwise
authorized by the Party providing the Confidential Information. Notwithstanding the foregoing
Client may disclose information of the type provided by DELTA-T under Section 1.1 above to third
parties to whom it needs to disclose such information to develop the Project, provided that it
first obtains a written confidentiality agreement from such party to protect such information to at
least the same degree as provided under the agreement attached hereto as Exhibit B. Client may
disclose information of the type provided by DELTA-T under Section 1 above to any third party to
whom it needs to disclose such information to develop the Project only after such party executes a
confidentiality directly with DELTA-T in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B, or such other form
as DELTA-T may agree. Client shall provide a copy of each such agreement to Delta-T promptly upon
execution of the same. Furthermore, Client may disclose Confidential Information, if any, that it
needs to disclose in order to comply with any applicable law, rule or regulation provided that it
takes whatever steps are necessary to protect the confidentiality of such information to the full
extent allowed by such law, rule or regulation.
In particular, but without limitation, under no circumstances may Client use any of the
Confidential Information to assist it in negotiating or entering into an agreement with any third
party to provide any services or technology related to the Project in violation of this Agreement.
Neither Party shall disclose any Confidential Information of the other pursuant to court order or
other legal process unless: (i) it is advised by its legal counsel that it is legally required to
do so, (ii) it has promptly given the other notice of such order or process so that the other can
obtain a secrecy order or other applicable remedy and (iii) it has used all other reasonable means
to ensure the confidential treatment of such information, other than seeking a judicial order or
other judicial relief.
Notwithstanding anything set forth above, however, neither Party shall have any obligation under
this Article 2 with respect to Confidential Information of the other which the receiving Party can
show through documentary evidence falls under one or more of the following exclusions: (a) that
such information was in its possession prior to receipt from the other; (b) such information was
in the public domain at the time of disclosure or thereafter enters into the public domain through
no breach of this Agreement by Recipient or is in general use in the trade without violation by
Recipient of this Agreement, or violation by any other party of an obligation not to disclose it;
or (c) the information is disclosed to the receiving Party by a third party who is under no
obligation not to disclose it.
The provisions of this Section shall survive termination of this Agreement until such time, if
ever, that it falls under one of the exclusions described in the preceding paragraph.
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ARTICLE 3
COMPENSATION
COMPENSATION
3.1
Project Development Services: For the services described in Section 1.1
above,
Client shall pay DELTA-T a fee equal to $185,000.00. Client shall pay to DELTA-T 70%
of such fee within ten (10) days of signing this Agreement and the remaining balance
within ten (10) days of Phase 1 air permit submittal by Client to the State of Missouri.
3.2 Travel and Related Expenses: Client shall bear the cost of all reasonable
travel, room and board and related expenses incurred in connection with providing on site
services to the extent provided under Article 1 above, with reimbursement based on
actual costs. Client shall pay DELTA-T’s reasonable costs incurred in connection with
all other such expenses incurred with Client’s prior consent, except that DELTA-T will
be responsible for one site visit by two people without charge to Client.
3.3 Late Payment Penalty: Client shall pay DELTA-T a late charge at the lesser of
1% per month or the highest amount permitted by applicable law on all payments past
due.
ARTICLE 4
LIMITED LICENSE OF DELTA-T CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
LIMITED LICENSE OF DELTA-T CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
DELTA-T is and shall remain the sole owner of the Confidential Information provided by
DELTA-T hereunder, and of the copyrights in all the drawings and other documents provided by
DELTA-T under this Agreement. DELTA-T hereby grants Client a limited, non-exclusive,
non-transferable license, without right to sublicense, to use the Confidential Information of
DELTA-T solely for Client’s use in connection with development and financing of the Project during
the term of this Agreement. DELTA-T reserves to itself all rights not expressly granted under this
Article 4. In particular, but without limitation, this license does not include the right to use
any of the Confidential Information to procure bids for development or construction of a plant, or
to design or operate a plant or facility based on any of such Confidential Information.
ARTICLE 5
EXCLUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
EXCLUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
5.1 The Plant: If Client, or Owner as the case may be, elects to build the Plant, then it
shall
employ best efforts to enter into a contract with DELTA-T whereby DELTA-T will provide, as a
minimum, all services defined in Article 6 below. Additional services, up to and including
DELTA-T providing the Plant on a turn-key fixed-price basis, may be included at the mutual
consent of the Parties. During the term of this Agreement Client shall not, and shall not permit
Owner or any other party associated with the Project, to enter into, negotiate toward, or take any
other action in furtherance of entering into any agreement for provision of the technology,
services or equipment to be provided by DELTA-T under the Technology Agreement to be
entered into under Article 6 below, or in furtherance of entering into any turnkey engineering,
procurement and construction agreement for the entire Plant (“EPC Agreement”) except as
permitted under Sections 6 and 7 below.
5.2 Other Plants: If for any reason the Parties do not enter into an EPC Agreement or
Technology Agreement with respect to the Plant, then neither Client nor Owner shall, for a the
shorter of (a) five (5) years from the date of this Agreement, or (b) such time as Client or Owner
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and DELTA-T enter into an EPC Agreement or Technology Agreement for an ethanol plant, enter
into an agreement with any other party to use technology, engineering and procurement services
other than DELTA-T’s for any ethanol plant project without first providing DELTA-T at least sixty
(60) days to enter into an agreement for development and design of such plant on the same terms as
set forth in this Agreement.
ARTICLE 6
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, ENGINEERING AND
PROCUREMENT SERVICES AGREEMENT
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, ENGINEERING AND
PROCUREMENT SERVICES AGREEMENT
Upon Client’s obtaining the Financing for the Project or at such earlier time as Client and
DELTA-T may agree, Client and DELTA-T shall enter into either a turnkey EPC agreement to provide
the entire Plant under mutually agreeable terms (“EPC Agreement”), or a technology transfer,
engineering and procurement services agreement (“EPT Agreement”) whereby DELTA-T shall, as a
minimum, (a) provide engineering services in addition to that provided under Section 1.1 above
that may be required to complete the basic process engineering design suitable for capital
investment determination and all detail design; (b) review all detailed engineering performed by
others in order to assure that it conforms to such suitable process engineering design; (c)
provide the procurement services for plant equipment as determined by DELTA-T; (d) provide
construction observation assistance, operations and maintenance manuals, training and start up
assistance services to be specified in the EPC or Technology Agreement; (e) provide a license of
the Plant process technology embodied in the basic process engineering design provided by DELTA-T
for the purpose of operating the Plant. Such Technology Agreement shall include the following
provisions, and such other provisions as the parties deem reasonably appropriate:
| a. | DELTA-T shall be paid a detailed engineering, startup and training services fee, plus a one-time technology license fee. Such fees will be quoted by DELTA-T upon substantial completion of Basic Project Development Services listed in Section 1.1 herein. | ||
| b. | In addition, DELTA-T shall be paid a fee based on the purchase price of all equipment for which DELTA-T is to provide procurement services. | ||
| c. | DELTA-T shall provide Plant process performance warranties that are typical for the industry based on the final plant configuration and selected energy-saving options. | ||
| d. | DELTA-T shall offer a liquidated damages provision the event of breach of the Plant process performance warranties on a pro rata basis, depending upon the extent to which such warranty is breached as determined by a performance test protocol to be included in the Technology Agreement; | ||
| e. | The maximum amount of DELTA-T’s total liabilities in the Technology Agreement shall be limited to a percentage of the fees earned performing the scope of services described in the Technology Agreement. |
ARTICLE 7
FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL
FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL
If the Parties do not reach agreement for DELTA-T to provide the plant on a turnkey, EPC
basis and instead enter into a Technology Agreement, Owner shall not enter into a construction
agreement with any other party without providing DELTA-T at least sixty (60) days to enter into an
agreement for construction on the same terms as another party is willing to contractually agree to
for the construction.
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ARTICLE 8
INDEPENDENT CONRACTOR
INDEPENDENT CONRACTOR
DELTA-T and Client are independent contractors, and nothing in this Agreement shall be
deemed to make either Party an agent or partner of the other, or to give either Party the right to
bind the other in any way.
ARTICLE 9
TERM AND TERMINATION
TERM AND TERMINATION
This Agreement shall commence on the date first above written and shall continue for a
period of five (5) years unless earlier terminated as provided in this Article 9. This Agreement
may be terminated upon written notice:
| (i) | By either Party in case of material breach by the other if such breach is not cured within thirty (30) days after receipt of the breaching party of notice of such breach; | ||
| (ii) | By DELTA-T if a) payment is not received by DELTA-T as provided in Article 3 of this Agreement and such breach is not cured with thirty (30) days after receipt of DELTA-T’s notice of such breach, or b) Project Financing is not obtained within eighteen (18) months of the date first above written. |
Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason, the license granted under Article 4 above shall
immediately cease, and each Party shall (i) immediately cease use of all Confidential Information
of the other, (ii) immediately deliver to the disclosing Party all Confidential Information
provided to it by the other, including all copies of the same, and destroy all materials developed
by it or any third parties to whom it disclosed such information which was based upon such
information, and (iii) certify to the disclosing Party that it has done so. In particular, but
without limitation, Client shall promptly advise all actual and potential investors and lenders
for the Project and all regulatory authorities to which Confidential Information of DELTA-T has
been provided of the termination hereof, and shall withdraw any applications for financing or
permits that were based on the use of DELTA-T’s Confidential Information.
ARTICLE 10
DISPUTE RESOLUTION
DISPUTE RESOLUTION
In the event of any dispute arising under or in connection with this Agreement or with the
existence, validity, interpretation, breach or enforcement thereof, either before or after the
termination or expiration of this Agreement, the Parties shall, upon the written request of either
of them, enter into mediation of such dispute pursuant to the applicable rules of the American
Arbitration Association, or such other rules or procedures as they may agree. Neither party shall
file suit unless it has first complied with this provision and attempted to resolve such dispute
for a period of at least thirty (30) days. Nothing herein contained, however, shall be deemed to
prevent either Party from seeking injunctive relief from any court of competent jurisdiction,
without necessity of posting bond, in case of a breach of Articles 2, 4, 5, 6 or 7 above. Should
litigation arise after complying with the provisions of this paragraph, the losing party will pay
legal expenses of the prevailing party in such litigation.
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ARTICLE 11
LIMITATION OF DAMAGES AND REMEDY
LIMITATION OF DAMAGES AND REMEDY
Client’s sole remedy with respect to uncured breach by DELTA-T of any provision of this
Agreement (other than breach of Article 2), or with respect to services performed by DELTA-T under
this Agreement shall be termination of this Agreement and refund of the portion of the fee, if
any, allocable to services not properly performed. In no case shall DELTA-T be liable for any
other damages of any kind, direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, reliance, exemplary or
otherwise, with respect to any services performed by it, or to its failure to perform services,
under this Agreement.
ARTICLE 12
GENERAL TERMS
GENERAL TERMS
12.1 Waiver: The failure of either Party to insist on strict performance of any of
the
provisions of this Agreement or to exercise any right it grants will not be construed as a
relinquishment of any right or a waiver of any provision of this Agreement. No waiver of
any provision or right shall be valid unless it is in writing and signed by a duly
authorized
representative of the Party granting the waiver.
12.2 No Assignment: Neither Party may assign or convey this Agreement or its
obligations hereunder without the other’s prior written consent, except that either Party
may assign this Agreement to a purchaser of a controlling interest in its capital stock or
of
substantially all of its assets as long as the purchaser agrees to comply with all the
selling
Party’s obligations set forth herein.
12.3 Governing Law: This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance
with the laws of the state of Missouri, without regard to its choice of law rules.
12.4 Notices: Notices and other communications required or allowed by this
Agreement shall be in writing and sent by U.S. mail, express carrier, by hand, or by
facsimile transmission as follows:
If to DTC, to:
|
DELTA-T Corporation, | |
| ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | ||
| ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ | ||
| FAX: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇ | ||
| Attn: ▇▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇, Vice President | ||
If to CLIENT, to
|
Bootheel Agri-Energy, LLC | |
| ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ | ||
| ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ FAX: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇ |
||
| Attn: ▇▇. ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ |
or such other addresses as a Party may specify by proper notice.
Each notice so given shall be deemed delivered, if by mail upon the third business day
after mailing, if by courier, upon delivery by the courier, and otherwise upon receipt by
the Party to whom notice is sent.
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12.5 Survival: The provisions of Articles 2, 10 and 11 above shall survive
termination
or expiration of this Agreement, and Articles 5.2 and 7 shall survive except in case of
termination by Client for material breach by DELTA-T.
12.6 Severability: If a court of competent jurisdiction determines that any portion of
this agreement is illegal, unenforceable or invalid, then that portion shall be considered
to
be removed from this agreement, the remainder shall remain in full force and effect, and
the Parties shall cooperate to modify the Agreement to cause it to conform to the original
language of the Agreement to the extent consistent with the finding of the court.
12.6 Entire Agreement: This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the
Parties relating to its subject matter, and supersedes all prior representations,
understandings and agreements, written or oral, express or implied. The Agreement can be
modified only by written agreement executed by authorized representatives of each Party.
IN WITNESS whereof the Parties have executed this Agreement on the dates set forth below.
| DELTA-T CORPORATION | BOOTHEEL AGRI-ENERGY LLC. | |||||
By:
|
/s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | By: | ||||
Printed Name:
|
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | Printed Name: | ▇▇. ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ | |||
Title:
|
Vice President Project Development | Title: | Chairman | |||
Date:
|
July 28, 2006 | Date: | ||||
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