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USA EDUCATION, INC.
(formerly known as SLM Holding Corporation)
DEBT SECURITIES
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UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
September 28, 2000
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.
85 Broad Street
New York, New York 10004
Banc of America Securities LLC
Banc One Capital Markets, Inc.
Credit Suisse First Boston
First Union National Bank
c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.
85 Broad Street
New York, New York 10004
Ladies and Gentlemen:
From time to time USA Education, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to enter into one or more Pricing Agreements (each a
"Pricing Agreement") in the form of Annex I hereto, with such additions and
deletions as the parties thereto may determine, and, subject to the terms and
conditions stated herein and therein, to issue and sell to the firms named in
Schedule I to the applicable Pricing Agreement (such firms constituting the
"Underwriters" with respect to such Pricing Agreement and the securities
specified therein) certain of its debt securities (the "Securities") specified
in Schedule II to such Pricing Agreement (with respect to such Pricing
Agreement, the "Designated Securities").
The terms and rights of any particular issuance of Designated Securities
shall be as specified in the Pricing Agreement relating thereto and in or
pursuant to the indenture (the "Indenture") identified in such Pricing
Agreement.
1. Particular sales of Designated Securities may be made from time to
time to the Underwriters of such Securities, for whom the firms designated as
representatives of the Underwriters of such Securities in the Pricing Agreement
relating thereto will act as representatives (the "Representatives"). The term
"Representatives" also refers to a single firm acting as sole representative of
the Underwriters and to an Underwriter or Underwriters who act without any firm
being designated as its or their representatives. This Underwriting Agreement
shall not be construed as an obligation of the Company to sell any of the
Securities or as an obligation of any of the Underwriters to purchase the
Securities. The obligation of the Company to issue and sell any of the
Securities and the obligation of any of the Underwriters to purchase any of the
Securities shall be evidenced by the Pricing Agreement
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with respect to the Designated Securities specified therein. Each Pricing
Agreement shall specify the aggregate principal amount of such Designated
Securities, the initial public offering price of such Designated Securities, the
purchase price to the Underwriters of such Designated Securities, the names of
the Underwriters of such Designated Securities, the names of the Representatives
of such Underwriters and the principal amount of such Designated Securities to
be purchased by each Underwriter and shall set forth the date, time and manner
of delivery of such Designated Securities and payment therefor. The Pricing
Agreement shall also specify (to the extent not set forth in the Indenture and
the registration statement and prospectus with respect thereto) the terms of
such Designated Securities. A Pricing Agreement shall be in the form of an
executed writing (which may be in counterparts), and may be evidenced by an
exchange of telegraphic communications or any other rapid transmission device
designed to produce a written record of communications transmitted. The
obligations of the Underwriters under this Agreement and each Pricing Agreement
shall be several and not joint.
2. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of
the Underwriters that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-46056)
(the "Initial Registration Statement") in respect of the Securities has
been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission"); the Initial Registration Statement and any post-effective
amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered or to be
delivered to the Representatives and, excluding exhibits to the Initial
Registration Statement, but including all documents incorporated by
reference in the prospectus contained therein, to the Representatives for
each of the other Underwriters, have been declared effective by the
Commission in such form; other than a registration statement, if any,
increasing the size of the offering (a "Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement"), filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Act"), which became effective upon filing, no
other document with respect to the Initial Registration Statement or
document incorporated by reference therein has heretofore been filed or
transmitted for filing with the Commission (other than prospectuses filed
pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Commission
under the Act, each in the form heretofore delivered to the
Representatives); and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Initial Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto or
the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no
proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the
Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in the Initial
Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(a) under the Act, is hereinafter called a "Preliminary
Prospectus"; the various parts of the Initial Registration Statement, any
post-effective amendment thereto and the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto and the documents
incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained in the Initial
Registration Statement at the time such part of the Initial Registration
Statement became effective but excluding Form T-1, each as amended at the
time such part of the Initial Registration Statement became effective or
such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, became or
hereafter becomes effective, are hereinafter collectively called the
"Registration Statement"; the prospectus relating to the Securities, in
the form in which it has most recently been filed, or transmitted for
filing, with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement,
being hereinafter called the "Prospectus"; any reference herein to any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and
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include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to the
applicable form under the Act, as of the date of such Preliminary
Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any
amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus
shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after the
date of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be,
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or
Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment to the
Initial Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include
any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) or
15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the Initial
Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement; and any reference to the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented shall be deemed to refer to the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented in relation to the applicable Designated Securities in the
form in which it is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)
under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof, including any
documents incorporated by reference therein as of the date of such
filing);
(b) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus,
when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case
may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act
or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder, and none of such documents contained an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement
thereto, when such documents become effective or are filed with the
Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to
the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that this representation and warranty
shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and
in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an
Underwriter of Designated Securities through the Representatives
expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating
to such Securities;
(c) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform, and
any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements
of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust
Indenture Act") and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date
as to the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and as of the
applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement thereto, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or
omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter of Designated
Securities through the Representatives expressly for use in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such Securities;
(d) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has
sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements
included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus any material loss
or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other
calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute
or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set
forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, since the respective dates
as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the
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Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock or
long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (except as
described in the Pricing Agreement) or any material adverse change, or
any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or
affecting the general affairs, management, financial position,
stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Prospectus;
(e) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws Delaware, with
power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and
conduct its business as described in the Prospectus;
(f) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth
in the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the
Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully
paid and non-assessable;
(g) The Securities have been duly authorized, and, when
Designated Securities are issued and delivered pursuant to this Agreement
and the Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated Securities,
such Designated Securities will have been duly executed, authenticated,
issued and delivered and will constitute valid and legally binding
obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits provided by the
Indenture, which will be substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to
the Registration Statement; the Indenture has been duly authorized and
duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and, at the Time of Delivery
for such Designated Securities (as defined in Section 4 hereof), the
Indenture will constitute a valid and legally binding instrument,
enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general
applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to general
equity principles; and the Indenture conforms, and the Designated
Securities will conform, to the descriptions thereof contained in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented with respect to such Designated
Securities;
(h) The issue and sale of the Securities and the compliance by
the Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture,
this Agreement and any Pricing Agreement, and the consummation of the
transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or
result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
agreement or other material agreement or instrument to which the Company
is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the
property or assets of the Company is subject, nor will such action result
in any violation of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or
By-laws of the Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of
any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the
Company or any of its properties; and no consent, approval,
authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such
court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale
of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or any Pricing Agreement or the Indenture,
except such as have been, or will have been prior to the Time of Delivery
(as defined in Section 4 hereof), obtained under the Act and the Trust
Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations
or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky
laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities
by the Underwriters;
(i) The statements set forth in the Prospectus as supplemented
under the caption "Description of Senior Notes", insofar as they purport
to constitute a summary of the terms of the Securities, and under the
caption "Underwriting", insofar as they purport to describe the
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provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate,
complete in all material respects and fair;
(j) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in
violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or in default in
the performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement,
covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it
is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound;
(k) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no
legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of
its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined adversely to
the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the
aggregate have a material adverse effect on the current or future
consolidated financial position, stockholders' equity or results of
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries; and, to the best of the
Company's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated
by governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(l) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the
offering and sale of the Securities, will not be an "investment company",
as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended
(the "Investment Company Act");
(m) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates does
business with the government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate
located in Cuba within the meaning of Section 517.075, Florida Statutes;
(n) Arthur Anderson LLP, who have certified certain financial
statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are independent public
accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder.
3. Upon the execution of the Pricing Agreement applicable to any
Designated Securities and authorization by the Representatives of the release of
such Designated Securities, the several Underwriters propose to offer such
Designated Securities for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented.
4. Designated Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter pursuant
to the Pricing Agreement relating thereto, in the form specified in such Pricing
Agreement, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as
the Representatives may request upon at least forty-eight hours' prior notice to
the Company, shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the
Representatives for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by such
Underwriter or on its behalf of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of
Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by the Company to the
Representatives at least forty-eight hours in advance or at such other place and
time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing,
such time and date being herein called the "Time of Delivery" for such
Securities.
5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters of any Designated
Securities:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus as amended or supplemented in
relation to the applicable Designated Securities in a form approved by
the Representatives and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b)
under the Act not later than the Commission's close of business on the
second business day following the execution and delivery of the Pricing
Agreement relating to
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the applicable Designated Securities or, if applicable, such earlier time
as may be required by Rule 424(b); to make no further amendment or any
supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus as amended or
supplemented after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to such
Securities and prior to the Time of Delivery for such Securities which
shall be disapproved by the Representatives for such Securities promptly
after reasonable notice thereof; to advise the Representatives promptly
of any such amendment or supplement after such Time of Delivery and
furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; to file promptly all
reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be
filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act for so long as the delivery of a
prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of such
Securities, and during such same period to advise the Representatives,
promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment
to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any
supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed
with the Commission, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus
relating to the Securities, of the suspension of the qualification of
such Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the
initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of
any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; and,
in the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such order
preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to the
Securities or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its best
efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the
Representatives may reasonably request to qualify such Securities for
offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the
Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit
the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for
as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of such
Securities, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not
be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general
consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;
(c) Prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Business
Day (defined in Section 14 hereof) next succeeding the date of this
Agreement and from time to time, to furnish the Underwriters with copies
of the Prospectus in New York City as amended or supplemented in such
quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request, and, if the
delivery of a prospectus is required at any time in connection with the
offering or sale of the Securities and if at such time any event shall
have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or
supplemented would include an 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 under which they were made
when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other
reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or
supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the
Act, the Exchange Act or the Trust Indenture Act, to notify the
Representatives and upon their request to file such document and to
prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer
in securities as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time
reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the
Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such
compliance;
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(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon
as practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the
effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c)
under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries
(which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the
option of the Company, Rule 158);
(e) During the period beginning from the date of the Pricing
Agreement for such Designated Securities and continuing to and including
the later of (i) the termination of trading restrictions for such
Designated Securities, as notified to the Company by the Representatives
and (ii) the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, not to
offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities
of the Company which mature more than one year after such Time of
Delivery and which are substantially similar to such Designated
Securities, without the prior written consent of the Representatives; and
(f) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the
Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the
Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 p.m., Washington, D.C.
time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of
filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment
of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act.
6. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters
that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees,
disbursements and expenses of the Company's counsel and accountants in
connection with the registration of the Securities under the Act and all other
expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and
amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies
thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing
any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, any Pricing Agreement, any
Indenture, any Blue Sky and Legal Investment Memoranda, closing documents
(including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with
the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities; (iii) all expenses
in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale
under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the
fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such
qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky and Legal Investment Surveys;
(iv) any fees charged by securities rating services for rating the Securities;
(v) any filing fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Underwriters in connection with, any required review by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the
Securities; (vi) the cost of preparing the Securities; (vii) the fees and
expenses of any trustee and any agent of any trustee and the fees and
disbursements of counsel for any trustee in connection with any Indenture and
the Securities; and (viii) all other costs and expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically
provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as
provided in this Section, and Sections 8 and 11 hereof, the Underwriters will
pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel,
transfer taxes on resale of any of the Securities by them, and any advertising
expenses connected with any offers they may make.
7. The obligations of the Underwriters of any Designated Securities
under the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities shall be
subject, in the discretion of the Representatives, to the condition that all
representations and warranties and other statements of the Company in or
incorporated by reference in the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated
Securities are, at and as of the Time of Delivery for such Designated
Securities, true and correct, the condition that
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the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to
be performed, and the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the
applicable Designated Securities shall have been filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for such
filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with
Section 5(a) hereof; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b), the
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 p.m.,
Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement; no stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have
been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or
threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the
part of the Commission shall have been complied with to the Representatives'
reasonable satisfaction;
(b) Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, counsel for the Underwriters, shall
have furnished to the Representatives such written opinion or opinions (a draft
of each such opinion is attached as Annex II(a) hereto), dated the Time of
Delivery for such Designated Securities, with respect to the matters covered in
paragraphs (i), (ii), (iv), (v), (vi), (x), (xii) and (xiii) of subsection (c)
below as well as such other related matters as the Representatives may
reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and
information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such
matters;
(c) The general counsel of or other counsel employed by the Company,
or outside counsel for the Company satisfactory to the Representatives shall
have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion (a draft of such
opinion is attached as Annex II(b) hereto), dated the Time of Delivery for such
Designated Securities, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives, to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation, with power and authority (corporate
and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in
the Prospectus as amended or supplemented;
(ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth
in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and all of the issued shares
of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and
issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
(iii) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other than as
set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental
proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a
party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of
its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a material
adverse effect on the current or future consolidated financial position,
stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries; and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no such
proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or
threatened by others;
(iv) This Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect to
the Designated Securities have been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company;
(v) The Designated Securities have been duly authorized,
executed, authenticated, issued and delivered and constitute valid and
legally binding obligations of the Company
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entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture; and the Designated
Securities and the Indenture conform to the descriptions thereof in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented;
(vi) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the parties thereto and constitutes a valid and legally
binding instrument, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as
to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws
of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and
to general equity principles; and the Indenture has been duly qualified
under the Trust Indenture Act;
(vii) The issue and sale of the Designated Securities being
delivered at such Time of Delivery and the compliance by the Company with
all of the provisions of the Designated Securities, the Indenture, this
Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect to the Designated
Securities and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein
contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of
any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other material
agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the Company or any
of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company is bound or to
which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is subject, nor will such actions result in any violation of
the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the
Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation known to such
counsel of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction
over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its properties;
(viii) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration
or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body
is required for the issue and sale of the Designated Securities being
delivered at such Time of Delivery or the consummation by the Company of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or such Pricing Agreement
or the Indenture, except such as have been obtained under the Act and the
Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders,
registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities
or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the
Designated Securities by the Underwriters;
(ix) Neither the Company nor any of its material subsidiaries
is in violation of its By-laws or Certificate of Incorporation or in
default in the performance or observance of any material obligation,
agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture,
mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument to which it is
a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound;
(x) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the
caption "Description of Senior Notes", insofar as they purport to
constitute a summary of the terms of the Designated Securities, and under
the caption "Underwriting", insofar as they purport to describe the
provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, constitute a
fair summary of such terms, laws and documents;
(xi) The Company is not an "investment company", as such term
is defined in the Investment Company Act;
(xii) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
as amended or supplemented (other than the financial statements, related
schedules and other financial
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information therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion),
when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case
may be, complied as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules
and regulations of the Commission thereunder; and they have no reason to
believe that any of such documents, when they became effective or were so
filed, as the case may be, contained, in the case of a registration
statement which became effective under the Act, an untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or,
in the case of other documents which were filed under the Act or the
Exchange Act with the Commission, an 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 when such documents were so filed, not misleading; and
(xiii) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended
or supplemented, and any further amendments and supplements thereto made
by the Company prior to the Time of Delivery for the Designated
Securities (other than the financial statements, related schedules and
other financial information therein, as to which such counsel need
express no opinion), comply as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and
regulations thereunder; although such counsel does not assume any
responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the
statements contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus,
except for those referred to in the opinion in subsection (x) of this
Section 7(c), such counsel has no reason to believe that, as of its
effective date, the Registration Statement or any further amendment
thereto made by the Company prior to the Time of Delivery (other than the
financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such
counsel need express no opinion) contained an untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or
that, as of its date, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any
further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the
Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related
schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion)
contained an 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 or that, as
of the Time of Delivery, either the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any further amendment or
supplement thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery
(other than the financial statements, related schedules and other
financial information therein, as to which such counsel need express no
opinion) contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits 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 such counsel does not know of any amendment to the Registration
Statement required to be filed or any contracts or other documents of a
character required to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement or required to be incorporated by reference into the Prospectus
as amended or supplemented or required to be described in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented which
are not filed or incorporated by reference or described as required;
10
<PAGE>
Such counsel may rely on the opinion of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft as
to matters of New York law.
(d) On the date of the Pricing Agreement for such Designated
Securities at a time prior to the execution of the Pricing Agreement with
respect to such Designated Securities and at the Time of Delivery for such
Designated Securities, the independent accountants of the Company who have
certified the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included
or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall have furnished
to the Representatives a letter, dated the date of the Pricing Agreement or the
date of the most recent report filed with the Commission containing financial
statements and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, if the
date of such report is later than such date, and a letter dated such Time of
Delivery, respectively, to the effect set forth in Annex II hereto, and with
respect to such letter dated such Time of Delivery, as to such other matters as
the Representatives may reasonably request and in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Representatives (the executed copy of the letter delivered
prior to the execution of this Agreement is attached as Annex I(a) hereto and a
draft of the form of letter to be delivered on the effective date of any
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement and as of each Time of
Delivery is attached as Annex I(b) hereto);
(e) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have
sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as amended prior to the date of the
Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Securities any loss or interference
with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not
covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action,
order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus
as amended prior to the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated
Securities, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given
in the Prospectus as amended prior to the date of the Pricing Agreement relating
to the Designated Securities there shall not have been any change in the capital
stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any change,
or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the general
affairs, management, financial position, stockholders' equity or results of
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or
contemplated in the Prospectus as amended prior to the date of the Pricing
Agreement relating to the Designated Securities, the effect of which, in any
such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in the judgment of the
Representatives so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the
Designated Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to the Designated Securities;
(f) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Securities (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating
accorded the Company's debt securities or preferred stock by any "nationally
recognized statistical rating organization", as that term is defined by the
Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and (ii) no such
organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or
review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company's
debt securities or preferred stock;
(g) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Securities there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a
suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the New
York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange"); (ii) a suspension or material limitation
in trading in the Company's securities on the Exchange; (iii) a general
moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either Federal or New
York State authorities, or a general
11
<PAGE>
moratorium on commercial banking activities in the District of Columbia declared
by either Federal or District of Columbia authorities; or (iv) the outbreak or
escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the
United States of a national emergency or war, if the effect of any such event
specified in this clause (iv) in the judgment of the Representatives makes it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery
of the Designated Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the
Prospectus as first amended or supplemented relating to the Designated
Securities;
(h) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of
Section 5(c) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the
Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement; and
(i) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the
Representatives at the Time of Delivery for the Designated Securities a
certificate or certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to the
Representatives as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the
Company herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the
Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such
Time of Delivery, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this
Section and as to such other matters as the Representatives may reasonably
request.
8. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which
such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary
prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented and any other prospectus relating to the Securities, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will
reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred
by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such
action or claim as such expenses are incurred; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the
Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss,
claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary
Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any other prospectus relating to
the Securities, or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter
of Designated Securities through the Representatives expressly for use in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such Securities.
(b) Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may
become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based
upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement,
the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any
other prospectus relating to the Securities, or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to
the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue
12
<PAGE>
statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any Preliminary
Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any other prospectus relating to
the Securities, or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter
through the Representatives expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the
Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in
connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such
expenses are incurred.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such
indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the
indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in
writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the
indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to
any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such
action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the
indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be
entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly
with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense
thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who
shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party (which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), be counsel to the
indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such
indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the
indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such
subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in
each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with
the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No
indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party,
effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment
with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which
indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the
indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim)
unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional
release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action
or claim and (ii) does not include any statement as to, or an admission of,
fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified
party. The consent in this last sentence shall not be unreasonably withheld,
conditioned or delayed and the indemnifying party agrees that the indemnified
party shall in all cases be justified in withholding consent unless such
settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the
indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and
(ii) does not include a statement as to, or an admission of, fault, culpability
or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters
of the Designated Securities on the other from the offering of the Designated
Securities to which such loss, claim, damage or liability (or action in respect
thereof) relates. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately
preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified
party failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) above, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such
relative
13
<PAGE>
benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the
Underwriters of the Designated Securities on the other in connection with the
statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and such Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same
proportion as the total net proceeds from such offering (before deducting
expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and
commissions received by such Underwriters. The relative fault 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 Company on the one hand
or such Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) 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 which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount
paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this
subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending
any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d),
no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
amount by which the total price at which the applicable Designated Securities
underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public
exceeds the amount of any damages which 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 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from
any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The
obligations of the Underwriters of Designated Securities in this subsection (d)
to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting
obligations with respect to such Securities and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend,
upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the
Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which
the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same
terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and to each
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
9. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to
purchase the Designated Securities which it has agreed to purchase under the
Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities, the Representatives
may in their discretion arrange for themselves or another party or other parties
to purchase such Designated Securities on the terms contained herein. If within
thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter the Representatives do
not arrange for the purchase of such Designated Securities, then the Company
shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to
procure another party or other parties satisfactory to the Representatives to
purchase such Designated Securities on such terms. In the event that, within
the respective prescribed period, the Representatives notify the Company that
they have so arranged for the purchase of such Designated Securities, or the
Company notifies the Representatives that it has so arranged for the purchase of
such Designated Securities, the Representatives or the Company shall have the
right to postpone a Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities for a period
of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes
14
<PAGE>
may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the
Company agrees to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in the opinion of the
Representatives may thereby be made necessary. The term "Underwriter" as used
in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section with
like effect as if such person had originally been a party to the Pricing
Agreement with respect to such Designated Securities.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of
the Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the
Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the
aggregate principal amount of such Designated Securities which remains
unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of
the Designated Securities, to be purchased at the Time of Delivery, then the
Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to
purchase the principal amount of Designated Securities which such Underwriter
agreed to purchase under the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated
Securities and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to
purchase its pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Designated
Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase under such Pricing
Agreement) of the Designated Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein
shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of
the Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the
Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the
aggregate principal amount of Designated Securities which remains unpurchased
exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of the Designated
Securities, to be purchased at the Time of Delivery, as referred to in
subsection (b) above, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described
in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase
Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then the
Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities shall thereupon
terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or
the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the
Underwriters as provided in Section 6 hereof and the indemnity and contribution
agreements in Section 8 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting
Underwriter from liability for its default.
10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations,
warranties and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as
set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively,
pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of
any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on
behalf of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the
Company, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and
shall survive delivery of and payment for the Securities.
11. If any Pricing Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9
hereof, the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter
with respect to the Designated Securities with respect to which such Pricing
Agreement shall have been terminated except as provided in Sections 6 and 8
hereof; but, if for any other reason Designated Securities are not delivered by
or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Company will reimburse the
Underwriters through the Representatives for all out-of-pocket expenses approved
in writing by the Representatives, including fees and disbursements of counsel,
reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase,
sale and delivery of such Designated Securities, but the Company shall then be
under no further
15
<PAGE>
liability to any Underwriter with respect to such Designated Securities except
as provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof.
12. In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives of the Underwriters
of Designated Securities shall act on behalf of each of such Underwriters, and
the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement,
request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by such
Representatives jointly or by such of the Representatives, if any, as may be
designated for such purpose in the Pricing Agreement.
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission to the address of the Representatives as set forth in the
Pricing Agreement; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by facsimile
transmission or registered mail to USA Education, Inc., 11600 Sallie Mae Drive,
Reston, Virginia 20193, facsimile transmission number (703) 810-7586, Attention:
General Counsel's office; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter
pursuant to Section 8(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its
Underwriters' Questionnaire, or telex constituting such Questionnaire, which
address will be supplied to the Company by the Representatives upon request.
Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon
receipt thereof.
13. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be binding upon,
and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the
extent provided in Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the
Company and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their
respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no
other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this
Agreement or any such Pricing Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Securities
from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of
such purchase.
14. Time shall be of the essence of each Pricing Agreement. As used
herein, "Business Day" shall mean any day when the Commission's office in
Washington, D.C. is open for business.
15. THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH PRICING AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
16. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement may be executed by any
one or more of the parties hereto and thereto in any number of counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such respective
counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
16
<PAGE>
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign
and return counterparts to us, one for the Company and for each of the
Representatives plus one for each counsel.
Very truly yours,
USA EDUCATION, INC.
By: /s/ John F. Remondi
----------------------------------------
Name: John F. Remondi
Title: Senior Vice President & Treasurer
Accepted as of the date hereof:
GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
By: /s/ Goldman, Sachs & Co.
---------------------------
As Representative of the Underwriters
17
<PAGE>
ANNEX I
PRICING AGREEMENT
________________,
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto
............,2000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
USA Education, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes,
subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in the Underwriting
Agreement, dated ____________, 2000 (the "Underwriting Agreement"), between the
Company on the one hand and Goldman, Sachs & Co. Salomon Smith Barney Inc. on
the other hand, to issue and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto
(the "Underwriters") the Securities specified in Schedule II hereto (the
"Designated Securities"). Each of the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement
is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be a
part of this Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set
forth in full herein; and each of the representations and warranties set forth
therein shall be deemed to have been made at and as of the date of this Pricing
Agreement, except that each representation and warranty which refers to the
Prospectus in Section 2 of the Underwriting Agreement shall be deemed to be a
representation or warranty as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement in
relation to the Prospectus (as therein defined), and also a representation and
warranty as of the date of this Pricing Agreement in relation to the Prospectus
as amended or supplemented relating to the Designated Securities which are the
subject of this Pricing Agreement. Each reference to the Representatives herein
and in the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement so incorporated by reference
shall be deemed to refer to you. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined
in the Underwriting Agreement are used herein as therein defined. The
Representatives designated to act on behalf of the Representatives and on behalf
of each of the Underwriters of the Designated Securities pursuant to Section 12
of the Underwriting Agreement and the address of the Representatives referred to
in such Section 12 are set forth at the end of Schedule II hereto.
An amendment to the Registration Statement, or a supplement to the
Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Designated Securities, in the
form heretofore delivered to you is now proposed to be filed with the
Commission.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the
Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to
issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the time and place
and at the purchase price to the Underwriters set forth in Schedule II hereto,
the principal amount of Designated Securities set forth opposite the name of
such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign
and return to us one for the Company and each of the Representatives plus one
for each counsel counterparts hereof, and upon acceptance hereof by you, on
behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof,
including the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by
reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters
and the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf
of each of the Underwriters is or will be pursuant to the authority set forth in
a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to
the Company
<PAGE>
for examination upon request, but without warranty on the part of the
Representatives as to the authority of the signers thereof.
Very truly yours,
USA EDUCATION, INC.
By:
.................................
Name:
Title:
Accepted as of the date hereof:
[Name(s) of Co-Representative(s)]
By:
.....................................
On behalf of each of the Underwriters
2
<PAGE>
SCHEDULE I
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT OF
DESIGNATED
SECURITIES
TO BE
UNDERWRITER PURCHASED
---------
<S> <C>
............................................................... $
...............................................................
---------
Total ................................................. $
=========
</TABLE>
3
<PAGE>
SCHEDULE II
TITLE OF DESIGNATED SECURITIES:
[ %] [Floating Rate] [Zero Coupon] [Notes]
[Debentures] due ,
AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT:
[$]
PRICE TO PUBLIC:
% of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus accrued
interest[, if any,] from to [and accrued
amortization[, if any,] from to ]
PURCHASE PRICE BY UNDERWRITERS:
% of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus accrued
interest from to [and accrued amortization[, if any,]
from to ]
FORM OF DESIGNATED SECURITIES:
[Definitive form to be made available for checking and packaging at least
twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery at the office of [The
Depository Trust Company or its designated custodian] [the
Representatives]](13)
[Book-entry only form represented by one or more global securities
deposited with The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") or its designated
custodian, to be made available for checking by the Representatives at
least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery at the office of
DTC.](14)
SPECIFIED FUNDS FOR PAYMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE:
Federal (same day) funds(15)
TIME OF DELIVERY:
a.m. (New York City time), , 2000
INDENTURE:
Indenture dated , 2000 , between the Company
and , as trustee
MATURITY:
INTEREST RATE:
[ %] [Zero Coupon] [See Floating Rate Provisions]
INTEREST PAYMENT DATES:
[months and dates, commencing ....................., 2000]
REDEMPTION PROVISIONS:
[No provisions for redemption]
4
<PAGE>
[The Designated Securities may be redeemed, otherwise than through the
sinking fund, in whole or in part at the option of the Company, in the
amount of [$ ] or an integral multiple thereof,
[on or after , at the following redemption prices (expressed in
percentages of principal amount). If [redeemed on or before ,
%, and if] redeemed during the 12-month period beginning ,
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
REDEMPTION
YEAR PRICE
---- -----
<S> <C>
</TABLE>
and thereafter at 100% of their principal amount, together in each
case with accrued interest to the redemption date.]
[on any interest payment date falling on or after ,
, at the election of the Company, at a redemption price equal
to the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest to the date
of redemption.]]
[Other possible redemption provisions, such as mandatory
redemption upon occurrence of certain events or redemption for
changes in tax law]
[Restriction on refunding]
SINKING FUND PROVISIONS:
[No sinking fund provisions]
[The Designated Securities are entitled to the benefit of a sinking fund
to retire [$ ] principal amount of Designated Securities on
in each of the years through at 100% of their
principal amount plus accrued interest[, together with [cumulative]
[noncumulative] redemptions at the option of the Company to retire an
additional [$ ] principal amount of Designated Securities in the
years through at 100% of their principal amount plus
accrued interest.]
[IF DESIGNATED SECURITIES ARE EXTENDABLE DEBT SECURITIES, INSERT--
EXTENDABLE PROVISIONS:
Designated Securities are repayable on , [insert date
and years], at the option of the holder, at their principal amount with
accrued interest. The initial annual interest rate will be %, and
thereafter the annual interest rate will be adjusted on ,
and to a rate not less than % of the effective annual
interest rate on U.S. Treasury obligations with -year maturities
as of the [insert date 15 days prior to maturity date] prior to such
[insert maturity date].]
[IF DESIGNATED SECURITIES ARE FLOATING RATE DEBT SECURITIES, INSERT--
FLOATING RATE PROVISIONS:
Initial annual interest rate will be % through [and
thereafter will be adjusted [monthly] [on each , ,
and ] [to an annual rate of % above the average rate for
-year
5
<PAGE>
[month][securities][certificates of deposit] issued by
and [insert names of banks].] [and the annual interest rate
[thereafter] [from through ] will be the interest yield
equivalent of the weekly average per annum market discount rate for
-month Treasury bills plus % of Interest Differential (the
excess, if any, of (i) the then current weekly average per annum
secondary market yield for -month certificates of deposit over
(ii) the then current interest yield equivalent of the weekly average per
annum market discount rate for -month Treasury bills); [from
and thereafter the rate will be the then current interest yield
equivalent plus % of Interest Differential].]
DEFEASANCE PROVISIONS:
CLOSING LOCATION FOR DELIVERY OF DESIGNATED SECURITIES:
ADDITIONAL CLOSING CONDITIONS:
NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF REPRESENTATIVES:
Designated Representatives:
Address for Notices, etc.:
[OTHER TERMS]:
6
<PAGE>
ANNEX II
Pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Underwriting Agreement, the accountants
shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the effect that:
(i) They are independent certified public accountants with
respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act
and the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission;
(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any
supplementary financial information and schedules audited (and, if
applicable, financial forecasts and/or pro forma financial information)
examined by them and included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act
or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the related rules and
regulations; and, if applicable, they have made a review in accordance
with standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants of the consolidated interim financial statements, selected
financial data, pro forma financial information, financial forecasts
and/or condensed financial statements derived from audited financial
statements of the Company for the periods specified in such letter, as
indicated in their reports thereon, copies of which have been
[SEPARATELY] furnished to the representative or representatives of the
Underwriters (the "Representatives") such term to include an Underwriter
or Underwriters who act without any firm being designated as its or their
representatives [AND ARE ATTACHED TO SUCH LETTERS];
(iii) They have made a review in accordance with standards
established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of
the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income, consolidated
balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows included in the
Prospectus and/or included in the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q
incorporated by reference into the Prospectus as indicated in their
reports thereon copies of which [HAVE BEEN SEPARATELY FURNISHED TO THE
REPRESENTATIVES][ARE ATTACHED TO SUCH LETTERS]; and on the basis of
specified procedures including inquiries of officials of the Company who
have responsibility for financial and accounting matters regarding
whether the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements
referred to in paragraph (vi)(A)(i) below comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the [ACT
AND THE EXCHANGE] Act and the related rules and regulations, nothing came
to their attention that caused them to believe that the unaudited
condensed consolidated financial statements do not comply as to form in
all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the
[ACT AND THE EXCHANGE] Act and the related rules and regulations adopted
by the Commission;
(iv) The unaudited selected financial information with respect
to the consolidated results of operations and financial position of the
Company for the five most recent fiscal years included in the Prospectus
and included or incorporated by reference in Item 6 of the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year agrees with
the corresponding amounts (after restatement where applicable) in the
audited consolidated financial statements for five such fiscal years
included or incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Reports on
Form 10-K for such fiscal years;
(v) They have compared the information in the Prospectus under
selected captions with the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K and
on the basis of limited procedures specified in such letter nothing came
to their attention as a result of the foregoing procedures that caused
them to believe that this information does not conform in all material
respects with the disclosure requirements of Items 301, 302, 402 and
503(d), respectively, of Regulation S-K;
<PAGE>
(vi) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards,
consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and other
information referred to below, a reading of the latest available interim
financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, inspection of
the minute books of the Company and its subsidiaries since the date of
the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus, inquiries of officials of the Company and
its subsidiaries responsible for financial and accounting matters and
such other inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter,
nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that:
(A) (i) the unaudited condensed consolidated statements
of income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements
of cash flows included in the Prospectus and/or included or
incorporated by reference in the Company's Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do not
comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Exchange Act and the published
rules and regulations adopted by the Commission, or (ii) any
material modifications should be made to the unaudited condensed
consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets and
consolidated statements of cash flows included in the Prospectus
or included in the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus for them to be in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles;
(B) any other unaudited income statement data and
balance sheet items included in the Prospectus do not agree with
the corresponding items in the unaudited consolidated financial
statements from which such data and items were derived, and any
such unaudited data and items were not determined on a basis
substantially consistent with the basis for the corresponding
amounts in the audited consolidated financial statements included
or incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year;
(C) the unaudited financial statements which were not
included in the Prospectus but from which were derived the
unaudited condensed financial statements referred to in clause (A)
and any unaudited income statement data and balance sheet items
included in the Prospectus and referred to in clause (B) were not
determined on a basis substantially consistent with the basis for
the audited financial statements included or incorporated by
reference in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most
recent fiscal year;
(D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed
financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material respects with
the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the rules
and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder or the pro
forma adjustments have not been properly applied to the historical
amounts in the compilation of those statements;
(E) as of a specified date not more than five days prior
to the date of such letter, there have been any changes in the
consolidated capital stock (other than issuances of capital stock
upon exercise of options and stock appreciation rights, upon
earn-outs of performance shares and upon conversions of
convertible securities, in each case which were outstanding on the
date of the latest balance sheet included or incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus) or any increase in the consolidated
long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, or any
decreases in consolidated net current assets or stockholders'
equity or other items specified by the Representatives, or any
increases in any items specified by the Representatives, in each
case as compared with amounts shown in the latest balance sheet
included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, except
F-2
<PAGE>
in each case for changes, increases or decreases which the
Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which are
described in such letter; and
(F) for the period from the date of the latest financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
to the specified date referred to in clause (E) there were any
decreases in consolidated net revenues or operating profit or the
total or per share amounts of consolidated net income or other
items specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any
items specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared
with the comparable period of the preceding year and with any
other period of corresponding length specified by the
Representatives, except in each case for increases or decreases
which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which
are described in such letter; and
(vii) In addition to the audit referred to in their report(s)
included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the limited
procedures, inspection of minute books, inquiries and other procedures
referred to in paragraphs (iii) and (vi) above, they have carried out
certain specified procedures, not constituting an audit in accordance
with generally accepted auditing standards, with respect to certain
amounts, percentages and financial information specified by the
Representatives which are derived from the general accounting records of
the Company and its subsidiaries, which appear in the Prospectus
(excluding documents incorporated by reference), or in Part II of, or in
exhibits and schedules to, the Registration Statement specified by the
Representatives or in documents incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus specified by the Representatives, and have compared certain of
such amounts, percentages and financial information with the accounting
records of the Company and its subsidiaries and have found them to be in
agreement.
All references in this Annex II to the Prospectus shall be deemed to
refer to the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference
therein) as defined in the Underwriting Agreement as of the date of the letter
delivered on the date of the Pricing Agreement for purposes of such letter and
to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the documents
incorporated by reference therein) in relation to the applicable Designated
Securities for purposes of the letter delivered at the Time of Delivery for such
Designated Securities.
F-3
