ADVANCED COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS INC
8-K, 1998-03-13
COMPUTER INTEGRATED SYSTEMS DESIGN
Previous: SHORE BANCSHARES INC, PRE 14A, 1998-03-13
Next: JET AVIATION TRADING INC, SB-2/A, 1998-03-13





                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                             CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT
                          TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
                       March 13, 1998 (February 26, 1998)
         ---------------------------------------------------------------

                      Advanced Communication Systems, Inc.
         ---------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

                                    Delaware
         ---------------------------------------------------------------
                 (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)



       0-22737                                         54-1421222
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Commission File Number)                     (IRS Employer Identification No.)


 10089 Lee Highway, Fairfax, Virginia                     22030
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                (Zip Code)

                                 (703) 934-8130
      --------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)




<PAGE>




Item 2.           Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

On  February  26,  1998,  Advanced   Communication  Systems,  Inc.,  a  Delaware
corporation ("ACS"), acquired all the outstanding shares of Advanced Management,
Incorporated,  a  Virginia  corporation  ("AMI")  pursuant  to a Stock  Purchase
Agreement,  effective  as of January 31,  1998,  by and between ACS and John Lin
(the "Shareholder") for the initial consideration paid of $19.5 million in cash.
In addition,  ACS may pay  additional  amounts to the  shareholder  based on the
achievement of certain financial goals by AMI for each of two consecutive twelve
month periods following the closing date of the acquisition. The amount and type
of consideration was determined on the basis of negotiations between ACS and the
Shareholder.  ACS financed the  acquisition  with  proceeds  from its  revolving
credit facility with Nationsbank, N.A. (as described below).

On February 17, 1998, ACS replaced its existing $6.5 million  credit  facilities
with a $35 million  revolving  credit facility to finance the acquisition of AMI
and to provide for its other working capital needs.  The new facility is secured
by all assets of ACS and its subsidiaries,  including contract receivables,  and
has various financial covenants which require ACS to maintain specific financial
ratios and imposes certain  restrictions on, among other things, the creation or
incurrence of certain  indebtedness,  preferred  stock or liens,  the payment of
dividends,  mergers and the sale of assets,  certain  capital  expenditures  and
certain transactions with and investments in affiliates.

AMI provides a wide range of information  technology  services including complex
computer solutions and management  services that address full project life-cycle
from systems planning and requirements  analysis to  implementation  and ongoing
operational  support.  AMI  is  headquartered  in  McLean,   Virginia,  and  has
operations   in   California,    Connecticut,   Georgia,   Illinois,   Maryland,
Massachusetts, New York, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington, DC.


Item 7.           Financial Statements and Exhibits.

                  (a)      Financial Statements of Business Acquired.

                  It is  not  practicable  to  provide  the  required  financial
                  statements for AMI at this time. The statements  will be filed
                  as an amendment to this report on Form 8-K as soon as they are
                  prepared  and not later  than 60 days after the  deadline  for
                  filing this Form 8-K.

                  (b)      Pro Forma Financial Information.

                  It is not  practicable  to  provide  the  required  pro  forma
                  financial  statements for ACS at this time.  The statements  
                  will be filed as an amendment  to this report on Form 8-K as 
                  soon as they are prepared and not later than 60 days after the
                  deadline for filing this Form 8-K.

                  (c)      Exhibits

                  10.1     Stock Purchase Agreement by and between ACS and the 
                  Shareholder, dated as of January 31, 1998.

                  10.2     Credit Agreement between ACS and Nationsbank, N.A. 
                  dated as of February 17, 1998.

                  10.3     Security Agreement between ACS and Nationsbank, N.A.
                  dated as of February 17, 1998.

                                                    SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


Date:  March 13 , 1998                  ADVANCED COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, INC.

                                                 /S/ Dev Ganesan
                                  ---------------------------------------------
                                                   Dev Ganesan
                                    Executive Vice-President, Chief Financial 
                                             Officer and Treasurer




Exhibit 10.1

                            STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT


                                 EFFECTIVE AS OF


                                JANUARY 31, 1998


                                     BETWEEN


                      ADVANCED COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, INC.


                                       AND


                                    JOHN LIN





<PAGE>


                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                                           Page

1.       Definitions......................................................  1
2        Purchase and Sale of Company Shares..............................  7
         2.1      Basic Transaction.......................................  7
         2.2      Preliminary Purchase Price..............................  7
         2.3      The Closing.............................................  7
         2.4      Deliveries at the Closing...............................  7
         2.5      Contingent Purchase Price...............................  7
         2.6      Contingent Purchase Price Determination Procedures......  9
3.       Representations and Warranties Concerning the Transaction........  9
         3.1      Representations and Warranties of the Seller............  9
         3.2      Representations and Warranties of the Buyer.............  10
4.       Representations and Warranties Concerning the Company ...........  11
         4.1      Organization, Qualification, and Corporate Power........  11
         4.2      Capitalization..........................................  11
         4.3      Noncontravention........................................  12
         4.4      Brokers' Fees...........................................  12
         4.5      Title to Assets.........................................  12
         4.6      Financial Statements....................................  12
         4.7      Events Subsequent to the Interim Balance Sheet Date.....  13
         4.8      Undisclosed Liabilities.................................  15
         4.9      Legal Compliance........................................  15
         4.10     Tax Matters.............................................  15
         4.11     Real Property...........................................  16
         4.12     Intellectual Property...................................  17
         4.13     Tangible Assets.........................................  19
         4.14     Inventory...............................................  19
         4.15     Contracts...............................................  19
         4.16     Notes and Accounts Receivable...........................  20
         4.17     Powers of Attorney......................................  20
         4.18     Insurance...............................................  20
         4.19     Litigation..............................................  21
         4.20     Product Warranty........................................  21
         4.21     Product Liability.......................................  22
         4.22     Employees...............................................  22
         4.23     Employee Benefits.......................................  22
         4.24     Guaranties..............................................  24
         4.25     Government Contracts....................................  24
         4.26     Environment, Health, and Safety Matters.................  26
         4.27     Subsidiaries............................................  26
         4.28     Disclosure..............................................  26


<PAGE>


                                                                           Page

5.       Pre-Closing Covenants............................................  27
         5.1      General.................................................  27
         5.2      Notices and Consents....................................  27
         5.3      Operation of Business...................................  27
         5.4      Preservation of Business................................  27
         5.5      Full Access, Confidentiality............................  28
         5.6      Notice of Developments..................................  29
         5.7      Exclusivity.............................................  29
6.       Post-Closing Covenants...........................................  29
         6.1      General.................................................  29
         6.2      Litigation Support......................................  29
         6.3      Transition..............................................  30
         6.4      Covenant Not to Compete.................................  30
7.       Conditions to Obligation to Close................................  32
         7.1      Conditions to Obligation of the Buyer...................  32
         7.2      Conditions to Obligation of the Seller..................  33
8.       Remedies for Breaches of This Agreement..........................  34
         8.1      Survival of Representations and Warranties..............  34
         8.2      Indemnity...............................................  35
         8.3      Notice of Claim.........................................  35
         8.4      Limitation..............................................  37
         8.5      Recoupment..............................................  37
9.       Tax Matters......................................................  37
         9.1      Section 338(h)(10) Election.............................  37
         9.2      Tax Periods Ending on or Before  the Closing Date.......  38
         9.3      Allocation of Purchase Price ...........................  38
         9.4      S Corporation Status....................................  38
         9.5      Tax Period Beginning Before and Ending After 
                  the Closing Date........................................  39
         9.6      Cooperation on Tax Matters..............................  39
10.      Termination and Miscellaneous....................................  40
         10.1     Termination of Agreement................................  40
         10.2     Effect of Termination...................................  40
         10.3     Cooperation.............................................  41
         10.4     Successors and Assigns..................................  41
         10.5     Entire Agreement........................................  41
         10.6     Counterparts............................................  41


<PAGE>



                                                                           Page

         10.7     Expenses................................................  42
         10.8     Notices.................................................  42
         10.9     Governing Law...........................................  43
         10.10    Severability............................................  43
         10.11    Absence of Third-Party Beneficiary Rights...............  43
         10.12    Mutual Drafting.........................................  43
         10.13    Further Representations.................................  43
         10.14    Amendment; Waiver.......................................  43
         10.15    Public Disclosure.......................................  44

Exhibit A--Form of Employment Agreement for John Lin
Exhibit B--Form of Employment Agreement for Grace Lee
Exhibit C--Form of Opinion of Counsel to the Seller
Exhibit D--List of Executive Level Employees

Schedule   4.1--Organization,   Qualification   and  Corporate   Power  
Schedule   4.3--Noncontravention   
Schedule   4.4--Broker's  Fees  
Schedule   4.6--Financial Statements 
Schedule   4.7--Events  Subsequent  to  Interim  Balance  Sheet  Date
Schedule   4.8--Undisclosed   Liabilities    
Schedule   4.10--Tax  Matters  
Schedule   4.11--Real    Property
Schedule   4.12--Intellectual    Property
Schedule   4.15--Contracts
Schedule   4.16--Notes   and  Accounts   Receivable
Schedule   4.18--Insurance
Schedule   4.19--Litigation
Schedule   4.20--Product  Warranties
Schedule   4.23--Employee Benefits
Schedule   4.25--Government  Contracts 
Schedule   4.28--Disclosure




<PAGE>



                            STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT


         THIS STOCK PURCHASE  AGREEMENT is made as of this  thirty-first  day of
January,  1998, (the  "Effective  Date") by and between  Advanced  Communication
Systems,  Inc.,  a  Delaware  corporation  (the  "Buyer"),  and  John  Lin  (the
"Seller"),  and shall be deemed to be effective and the  "Purchase,"  as defined
below,  shall be deemed to have  occurred  as of the date  hereof as between the
parties hereto, upon the satisfaction and/or waiver of the conditions to closing
set forth in Section 7. The Buyer and the Seller are  referred  to  collectively
herein as the "Parties."

                                    RECITALS

         WHEREAS,  the  Seller  owns  all of the  outstanding  capital  stock of
Advanced Management, Inc., a Virginia corporation (the "Company"); and

         WHEREAS,  this Agreement  contemplates a transaction in which the Buyer
will purchase from the Seller, and the Seller will sell to the Buyer, all of the
outstanding capital stock of the Company in return for cash (the "Purchase").

         NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of the  premises  and  the  mutual
promises herein made, and in consideration of the  representations,  warranties,
and covenants herein contained, the Parties agree as follows.


1.       DEFINITIONS

         "ACS Allocations" means any allocations  expenses or costs of the Buyer
to the Company after the Closing  Date,  except for and excluding any charges by
the Buyer to the  Company at cost (not to exceed  the cost of the same  services
performed on an outsourced  basis) for services  performed by the Buyer directly
for the Company.

         "Adverse Consequences" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.2.

         "Affiliate"  has the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 of the regulations
promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act.

         "Basis"  means  any  past or  present  fact,  situation,  circumstance,
status,  condition,  activity,  practice,  plan,  occurrence,  event,  incident,
action,  failure to act, or  transaction  that forms or could form the basis for
any specified consequence.

         "Buyer" has the meaning set forth in the preface above.

         "Closing" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3 below.

         "Closing Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3 below.

         "Closing Date Balance  Sheet" means the balance sheet of the Company as
of  January  31,  1998,  prepared  in  accordance  with GAAP  applied on a basis
consistent  with the  preparation of the Financial  Statements,  reviewed by the
Company's  independent  certified  public  accountant  and adjusted to take into
account any  transactions  occurring  between  January 31, 1998, and the Closing
date that are  determined  to be outside the Ordinary  Course of Business by the
Buyer  with  the  concurrence  of the  Company's  independent  certified  public
accountant  and such other items as the Parties may agree,  and delivered by the
Seller to the Buyer within 45 days subsequent to the Closing Date.

         "COBRA"  means the  requirements  of Part 6 of Subtitle B of Title I of
ERISA and Code Section 4980B.

         "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

         "Company" has the meaning set forth in the preface above.

         "Company Shares" means any share of the Company common stock, par value
$5 per share.

         "Confidential   Information"  means  any  information   concerning  the
businesses and affairs of the Company or the Buyer that is not already generally
available to the public.

         "Contingent Purchase Price" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.5 
          below.

         "Controlled Group" has the meaning set forth in Code section 1563.

         "Earn Out Period" means the Initial Earn Out Period and the Second Earn
          Out Period.

         "EBITDA" means  earnings,  determined in accordance  with GAAP,  before
interest,  income taxes, depreciation and amortization determined before (i) any
ACS Allocations, (ii) any Excess Executive Salary, (iii) any Executive Bonus and
(iv) the Excess  Employee  Benefits,  and reduced by any amount  contributed  to
earnings  from any  discretionary  management  reserves  existing on the Closing
Date.

         "Effective Date" has the meaning set forth in the preface, above.

         "Employee   Benefit   Plan"   means  any  (a)   nonqualified   deferred
compensation  or  retirement  plan  or   arrangement,   (b)  qualified   defined
contribution retirement plan or arrangement which is an Employee Pension Benefit
Plan, (c) qualified  defined benefit  retirement plan or arrangement which is an
Employee  Pension  Benefit  Plan  (including  any  Multiemployer  Plan),  or (d)
Employee  Welfare Benefit Plan or material  fringe benefit or other  retirement,
bonus, or incentive plan or program.

         "Employee Pension Benefit Plan" has the meaning set forth in ERISA 
Section 3(2).

         "Employee Welfare Benefit Plan" has the meaning set forth in ERISA 
Section 3(1).

         "Environmental,   Health,  and  Safety  Requirements"  shall  mean  all
federal,  state, local and foreign statutes,  regulations,  ordinances and other
provisions  having the force or effect of law, all  judicial and  administrative
orders  and  determinations,  all  contractual  obligations  and all  common law
concerning public health and safety,  worker health and safety, and pollution or
protection of the environment,  including without  limitation all those relating
to  the  presence,  use,  production,   generation,  handling,   transportation,
treatment,  storage,  disposal,  distribution,  labeling,  testing,  processing,
discharge,  release,  threatened  release,  control, or cleanup of any hazardous
materials,  substances or wastes,  chemical substances or mixtures,  pesticides,
pollutants,  contaminants,  toxic chemicals,  petroleum  products or byproducts,
asbestos,  polychlorinated biphenyls, noise or radiation, each as amended and as
now or hereafter in effect.

         "ERISA" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as 
amended.

         "ERISA  Affiliate"  means  each  entity  that is  treated  as a  single
employer with the Company for purposes of Code Section 414.

         "Estimated Net Book Value" means $4 million.

         "Excess  Employee  Benefits" means excess of bonuses paid to or accrued
with  respect to the  employees of the Company  (exclusive  of the amount of any
bonus paid to the Seller or Grace Lee) over $375,000.

         "Excess Executive Salary" means any annual amount in excess of $150,000
of ordinary  salary or wages  (including  fringe benefits and all other types of
compensations)  paid to or  accrued  during  the Earn Out Period on behalf of an
individual  hired by the Company to serve  initially  as Vice  President  of the
Company reporting to the Seller and expected to eventually serve as President of
the Company upon the retirement of the Seller.

         "Excess Purchase Price  Adjustment"  means the positive excess, if any,
of the  Purchase  Price  Adjustment  over the amount of any Initial  Product (as
defined in Section 2.5).

         "Executive  Bonus" means the amount of any bonus  payments  made to the
Seller or Grace Lee during the Earn Out Period in  accordance  with the terms of
their employment agreements with the Company.

         "Fiduciary" has the meaning set forth in ERISA Section 3(21).

         "Financial Statement" has the meaning set forth in Section 4.6 below.

         "GAAP" means United States generally accepted accounting  principles as
in effect from time to time.

         "Governmental  Entity" means any government or agency,  bureau,  board,
commission,  court,  department,  official,  political subdivision,  tribunal or
other  instrumentality  of any  government,  whether  federal  state  or  local,
domestic or foreign.

         "Government  Contract"  means any Contract  between the Company and any
Governmental  Entity,  and any bids or proposals  for any  Contract  between the
Company and any Governmental Entity.

         "Government  Subcontract"  means  any  Contract  that is a  subcontract
between the Company and any third party  relating to a prime  contract  with any
Governmental  Entity  and any  bids or  proposals  for  any  Contract  that is a
subcontract between the Company and any third party relating to a prime contract
with any Governmental Entity.

         "Indemnified Party" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.2 below.

         "Indemnifying Party" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.2 below.

         "Initial Earn Out Period" means the period  commencing on the day after
the Closing Date and ending on the twelfth full month anniversary of the Closing
Date.

         "Initial Earn Out Period EBITDA" shall mean EBITDA for the Initial Earn
Out Period as determined  by a nationally  recognized  accounting  firm to be in
accordance  with GAAP applied on a basis  consistent with the preparation of the
Financial  Statements  and  agreed  to by the  Seller  in  accordance  with  the
procedures set forth in Section 2.6 up to a maximum amount of $4.8 million.

         "Intellectual Property" means (a) all inventions (whether patentable or
unpatentable and whether or not reduced to practice),  all improvements thereto,
and all patents, patent applications, and patent disclosures,  together with all
reissuances,  continuations,  continuations-in-part,  revisions, extensions, and
reexaminations  thereof, (b) all trademarks,  service marks, trade dress, logos,
trade names, and corporate names,  together with all translations,  adaptations,
derivations,  and  combinations  thereof and including  all goodwill  associated
therewith,  and all  applications,  registrations,  and  renewals in  connection
therewith,  (c) all copyrightable  works, all copyrights,  and all applications,
registrations,  and renewals in connection therewith, (d) all mask works and all
applications, registrations, and renewals in connection therewith, (e) all trade
secrets and confidential  business  information  (including ideas,  research and
development,  know-how,  formulas,  compositions,  manufacturing  and production
processes and techniques,  technical data,  designs,  drawings,  specifications,
customer  and supplier  lists,  pricing and cost  information,  and business and
marketing plans and proposals),  (f) all computer  software  (including data and
related documentation), (g) all other proprietary rights, and (h) all copies and
tangible embodiments thereof (in whatever form or medium).

         "Interim  Balance Sheet" means the balance sheet  contained  within the
Interim Financial Statements.

         "Interim Financial Statements" has the meaning set forth in Section 4.6
below.

         "Knowledge of the Seller" or the "Seller's  Knowledge" means the actual
knowledge  of the Seller,  Grace Lee,  and any of the  individuals  set forth on
Exhibit D.

         "Law"  means  any  constitutional   provision,   statute,   law,  rule,
regulation, permit, decree, injunction,  judgment, order, ruling, determination,
finding or writ of any Governmental Entity.

         "Liability"  means any  liability  (whether  known or unknown,  whether
asserted or  unasserted,  whether  absolute or  contingent,  whether  accrued or
unaccrued,  whether  liquidated  or  unliquidated,  and whether due or to become
due), including any liability for Taxes.

         "Material  Adverse  Effect"  means any change,  event or effect that is
materially  adverse  to the  business,  assets  (including  intangible  assets),
liabilities,  condition  (financial  or  otherwise),  results of  operations  or
financial projections of the Company.

         "Multiemployer Plan" has the meaning set forth in ERISA Section 3(37).

         "Net Book Value" means the excess of assets over liabilities (excluding
any liabilities  shown thereon for expenses incurred by the Company with respect
to any  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement  to the extent  that such
liabilities  will be satisfied on or prior to the Closing  Date) as shown on the
Closing Date Balance Sheet.

         "Ordinary  Course of Business"  means the  ordinary  course of business
consistent with past custom and practice (including with respect to quantity and
frequency).

         "Party" has the meaning set forth in the preface above.

         "PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

         "Permitted  Distribution"  means cash and property  having an aggregate
combined  fair market value up to $7.4 million  distributed  from the Company to
the  Seller  during  the period  commencing  January 1, 1998,  and ending on the
Closing Date and including the distribution of any  split-dollar  life insurance
policy in which the Seller is the  Beneficiary  and the cash surrender  value of
which has not been recorded on the Financial Statements.

         "Person"  means  an  individual,  a  partnership,  a  corporation,   an
association,  a joint stock company, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated
organization, or a governmental entity (or any department,  agency, or political
subdivision thereof).

         "Prohibited Transaction" has the meaning set forth in ERISA Section 406
and Code Section 4975.

         "Preliminary Purchase Price" has the meaning set forth in section 2.2 
below.

         "Purchase  Price  Adjustment"  means the  positive  excess,  if any, of
Estimated Net Book Value over Net Book Value.

         "Reportable Event" has the meaning set forth in ERISA section 4043.

         "Second Earn Out Period"  means the period  commencing on the day after
the end of the  Initial  Earn Out Period and  ending on the  twenty-fourth  full
month anniversary of the Closing Date.

         "Second Earn Out Period  EBITDA"  shall mean EBITDA for the Second Earn
Out Period as determined  by a nationally  recognized  accounting  firm to be in
accordance  with GAAP applied on a basis  consistent with the preparation of the
Financial  Statements  and  agreed  to by the  Seller  in  accordance  with  the
procedures  set forth in Section 2.6 up to a maximum  amount of $5.4 million and
increased  (but not so that the  Second  Earn Out  Period  EBITDA  exceeds  $5.4
million) by the excess,  if any, of the Initial Earn Out Period  EBITDA over the
amount of $4.8 million (such  Initial Earn Out Period  EBITDA to be  determined,
solely for purposes of this sentence,  without regard to the to the $4.8 million
maximum amount).

         "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

         "Securities Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.

         "Security  Interest"  means any mortgage,  pledge,  lien,  encumbrance,
charge, or other security  interest,  other than (a) mechanic's,  materialmen's,
and similar  liens,  (b) liens for Taxes not yet due and payable or (c) purchase
money liens and liens securing rental payments under capital lease arrangements.

         "Seller" has the meaning set forth in the preface above.

         "Subsidiary"  means any  corporation  with respect to which a specified
Person (or a Subsidiary  thereof) owns a majority of the common stock or has the
power to vote or direct the voting of sufficient  securities to elect a majority
of the directors.

         "Tax"  means any  federal,  state,  local,  or  foreign  income,  gross
receipts,  license, payroll,  employment,  excise, severance, stamp, occupation,
premium,  windfall  profits,  environmental  (including taxes under Code Section
59A), customs duties, capital stock,  franchise,  profits,  withholding,  social
security  (or  similar),  unemployment,   disability,  real  property,  personal
property, sales, use, transfer, registration, value added, alternative or add-on
minimum, estimated, or other tax of any kind whatsoever, including any interest,
penalty, or addition thereto, whether disputed or not.

         "Tax Return" means any return,  declaration,  report, claim for refund,
or information return or statement relating to Taxes,  including any schedule or
attachment thereto, and including any amendment thereof.

         "Year End Financial Statements" has the meaning set forth in Section 
4.6 below.


2.       PURCHASE AND SALE OF COMPANY SHARES.

         2.1. Basic  Transaction.  On and subject to the terms and conditions of
this  Agreement,  the Buyer agrees to purchase  from the Seller,  and the Seller
agrees to sell to the Buyer,  all of his  Company  Shares for the  consideration
specified below in this Section 2.

         2.2 Preliminary  Purchase Price.  The Buyer agrees to pay to the Seller
at the Closing $19.5 million (the  "Preliminary  Purchase Price") by delivery of
cash by wire transfer to a bank account  designated by the Seller.  In the event
that the Closing (as defined below) occurs after February 28, 1998, then, within
30 days of the Closing,  the Buyer shall pay to the Seller,  by delivery of cash
by wire  transfer to a bank account  designated by the Seller an amount equal to
the lesser of (i) the  excess,  if any,  of Net Book Value over $4.4  million or
(ii) the  product of $13,333  multiplied  by the number of days that the Closing
occurs after February 28, 1998 (the "Additional Purchase Price").

         2.3 The Closing.  The closing of the transactions  contemplated by this
Agreement (the "Closing")  shall take place at the offices of Venable,  Baetjer,
Howard & Civiletti in Washington,  DC, commencing at 9:00 a.m. local time on the
business day  following  the  satisfaction  or waiver of all  conditions  to the
obligations of the Parties to consummate the  transactions  contemplated  hereby
(other than conditions with respect to actions the respective  Parties will take
at the Closing itself) or such other date as the Parties may determine, however,
the Closing Date shall be no later than March 15, 1998.

         2.4  Deliveries  at the Closing.  At the  Closing,  (i) the Seller will
deliver  to the Buyer  the  various  certificates,  instruments,  and  documents
referred to in Section 7.1 below,  (ii) the Buyer will deliver to the Seller the
various  certificates,  instruments,  and  documents  referred to in Section 7.2
below,   (iii)  the  Seller  will  deliver  to  the  Buyer  stock   certificates
representing all of the Company Shares, endorsed in blank or accompanied by duly
executed assignment documents, and (iv) the Buyer will deliver to the Seller the
consideration specified in Section 2.2 above.

         2.5 Contingent  Purchase Price. The Contingent Purchase Price means the
sum of the Initial Contingent  Purchase Price and the Second Contingent Purchase
Price determined and paid as follows:
                  (a)  Subject  to the  procedures  set  forth and  adjusted  in
accordance with the provisions of Section 2.6, below, the Buyer shall pay to the
Seller (by delivery of cash by wire  transfer to a bank account  selected by the
Seller) the "Initial  Contingent  Purchase  Price,"  which shall be equal to the
product of seven and one-half (7.5) multiplied by any excess of Initial Earn Out
Period  EBITDA  over $4.1  million the (the  "Initial  Product"),  such  Initial
Product being  reduced (but not below zero) by the amount of any Purchase  Price
Adjustment.  Interest  shall  accrue on any  portion of the  Initial  Contingent
Purchase  Price not paid by the Buyer when due to the Seller in accordance  with
the provisions of this Section 2.5 at the rate of the regular  commercial  prime
rate of interest of NationsBank  N.A., which NationsBank N.A. uses as a standard
for determining actual interest rates charged commercial borrowers, beginning on
the date on which  such  amount  was due to the Seller and ending on the date on
which Buyer pays such  amount to the Seller,  which  payment  shall  include any
interest accrued thereon.  The Buyer shall pay the Initial  Contingent  Purchase
Price to the  Seller  by the later of (i) 45 days  subsequent  to the end of the
Initial Earn Out Period  (applicable  to all amounts not then in dispute),  (ii)
the date  that is five days  after  the date on which  the Buyer and the  Seller
resolve all  disputes  with  respect to the  determination  the Initial Earn Out
Period EBITDA in accordance  with Section 2.6,  below, or (iii) the date that is
five days after the date on which the Seller receives the written  determination
of the  Arbitrator  resolving  any  dispute  between  the Buyer  and the  Seller
concerning the calculation of the Initial Earn Out Period EBITDA.

                  (b)  Subject  to the  procedures  set  forth and  adjusted  in
accordance with the provisions of Section 2.6, below, the Buyer shall pay to the
Seller (by delivery of cash by wire  transfer to a bank account  selected by the
Seller)) the "Second  Contingent  Purchase  Price,"  which shall be equal to the
product of seven and one-half (7.5)  multiplied by any excess of Second Earn Out
Period  EBITDA over the amount of $4.7  million  (the  "Second  Product"),  such
Second  Product  being  reduced (but not below zero) by the amount of any Excess
Purchase  Price  Adjustment.  Interest shall accrue on any portion of the Second
Contingent  Purchase  Price  not paid by the  Buyer  when due to the  Seller  in
accordance  with the  provisions  of this Section 2.5 at the rate of the regular
commercial prime rate of interest of NationsBank  N.A.,  which  NationsBank N.A.
uses as a standard for  determining  actual  interest  rates charged  commercial
borrowers,  beginning on the date on which such amount was due to the Seller and
ending on the date on which Buyer pays such amount to the Seller,  which payment
shall  include  any  interest  accrued  thereon.  The Buyer shall pay the Second
Contingent  Purchase Price, and any interest thereon, to the Seller by the later
of (i) 45 days  subsequent to the end of the Second Earn Out Period  (applicable
to all amounts not then in  dispute),  (ii) the date that is five days after the
date on which the Buyer and the Seller  resolve all disputes with respect to the
determination  the Second Earn Out Period EBITDA in accordance with Section 2.6,
below,  or (iii) the date that is five days  after the date on which the  Seller
receives  the written  determination  of the  Arbitrator  resolving  any dispute
between the Buyer and the Seller  concerning the  calculation of the Second Earn
Out Period EBITDA.

The  Preliminary  Purchase  Price  increased  by the  amount  of any  Contingent
Purchase  Price and any  Additional  Purchase Price is referred to herein as the
"Purchase Price."

         2.6 Contingent Purchase Price Determination Procedures.  Within 30 days
from the end of each of the Earn Out  Periods,  the Buyer  shall  deliver to the
Seller a draft  calculation  of either the Initial Earn Out Period EBITDA or the
Second  Earn  Out  Period  EBITDA,  as the  case  may  be,  (the  "Draft  EBITDA
Calculations")  prepared by a  nationally  recognized  accounting  firm.  If the
Seller has any  objection  to the Draft  EBITDA  Calculations,  the Seller shall
deliver a detailed  statement  describing  his objections to the Buyer within 15
days after receiving either of the Draft EBITDA Calculations.  The Buyer and the
Seller will use reasonable efforts to resolve any such objections themselves. If
the Buyer and Seller do not finally resolve any of the objections within 15 days
after the Buyer has received the statement of objections, however, the Buyer and
the Seller will  select,  within 5 days,  a  nationally  recognized  independent
accounting  firm  mutually  acceptable  to  each  party  (the  agreement  to the
selection  of which  shall not be  unreasonably  withheld)  to resolve  any such
differences  (the  "Arbitrator").  The  Arbitrator  shall  settle any  remaining
dispute by selecting the position of the party that the  Arbitrator  determines,
in its  sole  discretion,  to be the  most  correct.  The  determination  of the
Arbitrator shall be set forth in writing, delivered to each of the Buyer and the
Seller  and  shall  be  conclusive  and  binding  on the  parties  and  shall be
non-appealable.  The party whose position is not chosen by the Arbitrator  shall
pay all expenses of the Arbitrator.  The Draft EBITDA Calculations,  as adjusted
for any  items of  dispute  resolved  by the Buyer  and the  Seller  and for any
determinations  of the Arbitrator  shall  constitute the Initial Earn Out Period
EBITDA and the Second Earn Out Period EBITDA, as the case may be.

3.       REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES CONCERNING THE TRANSACTION.

         3.1 Representations and Warranties of the Seller. The Seller represents
and  warrants to the Buyer as of the  Effective  Date and as of the Closing Date
(as though made then and as though the  Closing  Date were  substituted  for the
Effective Date throughout this Section 3.1) as follows:

                  (a)  Authorization  of Transaction.  The Seller has full power
and  authority  to  execute  and  deliver  this  Agreement  and to  perform  his
obligations hereunder.  This Agreement constitutes the valid and legally binding
obligation  of  the  Seller,  enforceable  in  accordance  with  its  terms  and
conditions.  The Seller  need not give any notice to, make any filing  with,  or
obtain any  authorization,  consent,  or approval of any Governmental  Entity in
order to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

                  (b) Noncontravention. Neither the execution or the delivery of
this Agreement,  nor the consummation of the transactions  contemplated  hereby,
will (i)  violate  any  constitution,  statute,  regulation,  rule,  injunction,
judgment,   order,  decree,   ruling,   charge,  or  other  restriction  of  any
Governmental  Entity,  or court to which the Seller is subject or (ii)  conflict
with,  result  in a  breach  of,  constitute  a  default  under,  result  in the
acceleration of, create in any party the right to accelerate, terminate, modify,
or cancel, or require any notice under any agreement,  contract, lease, license,
instrument,  or other  arrangement to which the Seller is a party or by which he
is bound or to which any of his assets is subject.

                  (c) Brokers'  Fees.  The Seller has no Liability or obligation
to pay any fees or commissions to any accountant,  lawyer,  broker,  finder,  or
agent with respect to the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement for which
the Buyer could become liable or obligated.

                  (d)  Company  Shares.  The  Seller  holds of  record  and owns
beneficially  all of the Company  Shares free and clear of any  restrictions  on
transfer  (other  than any  restrictions  under  the  Securities  Act and  state
securities laws), Taxes, Security Interests, options, warrants, purchase rights,
contracts, commitments, equities, claims, and demands. The Seller is not a party
to any option,  warrant,  purchase  right,  or other contract or commitment that
could require the Seller to sell, transfer,  or otherwise dispose of any capital
stock of the Company (other than this  Agreement).  The Seller is not a party to
any voting trust, proxy, or other agreement or understanding with respect to the
voting of any capital stock of the Company.

         3.2  Representations  and Warranties of the Buyer. The Buyer represents
and warrants to the Seller as of the  Effective  Date and as of the Closing Date
(as though made then and as though the  Closing  Date were  substituted  for the
Effective Date of this Agreement throughout this Section 3.2) as follows:

                  (a) Organization of the Buyer. The Buyer is a corporation duly
organized,  validly  existing,  and in  good  standing  under  the  laws  of the
jurisdiction  of its  incorporation.  The  Buyer  has all  requisite  power  and
authority to own,  operate and lease its properties and to carry on its business
as now being conducted.

                  (b) Authorization of Transaction.  The  representatives of the
Buyer executing this Agreement have all requisite  corporate power and authority
to enter into and bind the Buyer to the terms of this  Agreement.  The Buyer has
full power and  authority  (including  full  corporate  power and  authority) to
execute and deliver this  Agreement  and to perform its  obligations  hereunder.
This  Agreement  constitutes  the valid and legally  binding  obligation  of the
Buyer,  enforceable in accordance with its terms and conditions.  The Buyer need
not give any  notice  to,  make any filing  with,  or obtain any  authorization,
consent,  or  approval of any  Governmental  Entity in order to  consummate  the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

                  (c)  Noncontravention.  Neither the execution and the delivery
of this Agreement, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby,
will (i)  violate  any  constitution,  statute,  regulation,  rule,  injunction,
judgment,  order,  decree,  ruling,  charge,  or subject or any provision of its
charter or bylaws or (ii)  conflict  with,  result in a breach of,  constitute a
default under,  result in the  acceleration of, create in any party the right to
accelerate,  terminate,  modify,  or  cancel,  or require  any notice  under any
agreement,  contract, lease, license,  instrument, or other arrangement to which
the  Buyer is a party or by which it is bound or to which  any of its  assets is
subject.

                  (d) Brokers' Fees. The Buyer has no Liability or obligation to
pay any fees or commissions to any broker,  finder, or agent with respect to the
transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement for which the Seller could become
liable or obligated.

                  (e) Investment.  The Buyer is not acquiring the Company Shares
with a view to distribute or offer for sale in connection with any  distribution
thereof within the meaning of the Securities Act.

                  (f)  Financing.  The Buyer  has,  or will have at the  Closing
Date,  sufficient  funds available to make payment of the  Preliminary  Purchase
Price.

                  (g) Litigation.  There is no action, suit, proceeding,  claim,
arbitration  or  investigation  pending  or,  to the  knowledge  of  the  Buyer,
threatened  against the Buyer that in any manner challenges or seeks to prevent,
enjoin, alter or delay any of the transaction contemplated hereby.


4.       REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES CONCERNING THE COMPANY.

         The Seller  represents  and  warrants to the Buyer as of the  Effective
Date and as of the Closing Date (as though made then and as though the Effective
Date were substituted for the date of this Agreement  throughout this Section 4)
as follows:

         4.1 Organization,  Qualification, and Corporate Power. The Company is a
corporation  duly organized,  validly  existing,  and in good standing under the
laws of the  jurisdiction  of its  incorporation.  As of the Closing  Date,  the
Company will be duly authorized to conduct business and will be in good standing
under the laws of each  jurisdiction  in which the  failure  to be so  qualified
would have a Material  Adverse Effect.  Schedule 4.1 lists all  jurisdictions in
which the Company is  qualified  to do business  as a foreign  corporation.  The
Company has full corporate  power and authority and all licenses,  permits,  and
authorizations  necessary to carry on the  businesses in which it is engaged and
in which it presently proposes to engage and to own and use the properties owned
and used by it.  Schedule 4.1 lists the  directors  and officers of the Company.
The Seller has delivered to the Buyer correct and complete copies of the charter
and bylaws of the Company (as amended to date). The minute books (containing the
records  of  meetings  of the  stockholders,  the  board of  directors,  and any
committees of the board of  directors),  the stock  certificate  books,  and the
stock record books of the Company are correct and  complete.  The Company is not
in default under or in violation of any provision of its charter or bylaws.

         4.2 Capitalization.  The entire authorized capital stock of the Company
consists  of 1,000  Company  Shares,  of  which  1,000  shares  are  issued  and
outstanding  and  no  shares  are  held  in  treasury.  All of  the  issued  and
outstanding Company Shares have been duly authorized,  are validly issued, fully
paid,  and  nonassessable,  and are held of record by the  Seller.  There are no
outstanding  or authorized  options,  warrants,  purchase  rights,  subscription
rights,  conversion  rights,  exchange rights, or other contracts or commitments
that could  require the Company to issue,  sell,  or  otherwise  cause to become
outstanding  any of its capital  stock.  There are no  outstanding or authorized
stock appreciation,  phantom stock, profit participation, or similar rights with
respect to the Company. There are no voting trusts, proxies, or other agreements
or  understandings  with  respect  to the  voting  of the  capital  stock of the
Company. All of the issued and outstanding Company Shares were offered,  issued,
sold and delivered by the Company in compliance with all applicable federal laws
and in material compliance with applicable state laws concerning the issuance of
securities. None of the Company Shares was issued in violation of any preemptive
rights  created by  statute,  or by the  charter  and bylaws of the  Company (as
amended to date) or by any agreement to which the Company may be bound.  Neither
the voting  stock  structure  of the Company nor the  relative  ownership of the
Company has been altered or changed in contemplation  of this Agreement.  To the
Knowledge  of the Seller,  there is no reason to believe that as a result of the
transactions  contemplated by this  Agreement,  the Buyer will not be the record
and beneficial owner of all outstanding  capital stock of the Company and rights
to acquire capital stock of the Company.

         4.3 Noncontravention.  Except as set forth on Schedule 4.3, neither the
execution  and the  delivery  of this  Agreement,  nor the  consummation  of the
transactions  contemplated  hereby,  will  (i)  conflict  with  or  violate  any
provision of the charter or bylaws of the Company as now in effect, (ii) violate
any  constitution,  statute,  regulation,  rule,  injunction,  judgment,  order,
decree, ruling, charge, or other restriction of any Governmental Entity or court
to which the Company is subject or any provision of the charter or bylaws of the
Company or (iii)  conflict  with,  result in a breach of,  constitute  a default
under,  result  in the  acceleration  of,  create  in any  party  the  right  to
accelerate,  terminate,  modify,  or  cancel,  or require  any notice  under any
agreement,  contract, lease, license,  instrument, or other arrangement to which
the  Company is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its assets is
subject (or result in the  imposition  of any Security  Interest upon any of its
assets).  Except as set forth on Schedule  4.3,  the Company is not  required to
give any notice to, make any filing with, or obtain any authorization,  consent,
or approval of any  Governmental  Entity in order for the Parties to  consummate
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

         4.4 Brokers'  Fees. As of the Closing  Date,  the Company will not have
any Liability or obligation to pay any fees or  commissions  to any  accountant,
lawyer, broker,  finder, or agent with respect to the transactions  contemplated
by this Agreement.

         4.5 Title to Assets. The Company has good and marketable title to, or a
valid  leasehold  interest in, the  properties and assets used by it, located on
its  premises,  shown on the Interim  Balance  Sheet or acquired  after the date
thereof,  free and  clear  of all  Security  Interests,  except  for  properties
constituting equipment furnished by Governmental Entities and property or assets
disposed of in the  Ordinary  Course of  Business  since the date of the Interim
Balance Sheet.

         4.6 Financial Statements. Except for the financial statements described
in 4.6(ii) below, which will be delivered to the Buyer on or before February 20,
1998,  Schedule 4.6 includes the following  financial  statements of the Company
(collectively the "Financial Statements"): (i) audited balance sheets as of, and
statements  of  income,  changes in  stockholders'  equity and cash flow for the
fiscal years ended,  December 31, 1995 and 1996 (the 1996  Financial  Statements
being  referred  to  herein  as the "Year  End  Financial  Statements")  for the
Company;  and (ii) unaudited  balance sheets as of and statements of income (the
"Interim  Financial  Statements")  for the year  ended  December  31,  1997 (the
"Interim  Balance Sheet Date").  The Financial  Statements  (including the notes
thereto) have been and, in the case of the Interim Financial Statements, will be
prepared in accordance  with GAAP applied on a consistent  basis  throughout the
periods covered thereby,  present fairly the financial  condition of the Company
in all material  respects as of such dates and the results of  operations of the
Company for such periods, are correct and complete,  and are consistent with the
books and  records of the  Company  (which  books and  records  are  correct and
complete).

         4.7 Events  Subsequent  to the Interim  Balance  Sheet Date.  Since the
Interim  Balance Sheet Date,  there has not been any material  adverse change in
the  business,  condition  (financial  or  otherwise),  operations,  results  of
operations,  or  financial  projections  of the  Company.  Without  limiting the
generality of the  foregoing,  except as set forth in Schedule  4.7,  since that
date:

                  (a) the Company has not sold, leased, transferred, or assigned
any of its assets,  tangible or intangible,  other than for a fair consideration
in the Ordinary Course of Business;

                  (b) the Company has not entered into any agreement,  contract,
lease,  or license  (or series of related  agreements,  contracts,  leases,  and
licenses)  either  involving more than $10,000 or outside the Ordinary Course of
Business;

                  (c)  no  party   (including  the  Company)  has   accelerated,
terminated, modified, or canceled any agreement, contract, lease, or license (or
series of related  agreements,  contracts,  leases, and licenses) involving more
than $10,000 to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

                  (d) the Company has not imposed any Security Interest upon any
of its assets, tangible or intangible;

                  (e) the  Company  has not made  any  capital  expenditure  (or
series of related capital  expenditures)  either  involving more than $10,000 or
outside the Ordinary Course of Business;

                  (f) the Company has not made any  capital  investment  in, any
loan to, or any acquisition of the securities or assets of, any other Person (or
series of related capital investments, loans, and acquisitions) either involving
more than $10,000 or outside the Ordinary Course of Business;

                  (g) the Company has not issued any note,  bond,  or other debt
security or created,  incurred,  assumed,  or guaranteed  any  indebtedness  for
borrowed money or capitalized lease obligation involving more than $10,000.;

                  (h) the Company has not  delayed or  postponed  the payment of
accounts payable and other Liabilities outside the Ordinary Course of Business;

                  (i) the  Company has not  canceled,  compromised,  waived,  or
released  any right or claim (or series of related  rights  and  claims)  either
involving more than $10,000 or outside the Ordinary Course of Business;

                  (j) the Company has not granted any license or  sublicense  of
any rights under or with respect to any Intellectual Property;

                  (k) there has been no change made or authorized in the charter
or bylaws of the Company;

                  (l) the Company has not issued, sold, or otherwise disposed of
any of its capital stock, or granted any options,  warrants,  or other rights to
purchase or obtain (including upon conversion, exchange, or exercise) any of its
capital stock;

                  (m) the  Company  has not  declared,  set  aside,  or paid any
dividend or made any distribution  with respect to its capital stock (whether in
cash or in  kind,  and  except  for the  Permitted  Distribution)  or  redeemed,
purchased, or otherwise acquired any of its capital stock;

                  (n) the Company has not experienced  any damage,  destruction,
or loss (whether or not covered by insurance) to its property;

                  (o) the Company has not made any loan to, or entered  into any
other transaction with, any of its directors, officers, or employees outside the
Ordinary  Course of  Business  or in  excess of  $10,000  singly or  $50,000  in
aggregate;

                  (p) the Company has not entered into any  employment  contract
or collective  bargaining  agreement,  written or oral, or modified the terms of
any existing such contract or agreement;

                  (q) the  Company  has not  granted  any  increase  in the base
compensation  of any of its  directors,  officers,  and  employees  outside  the
Ordinary Course of Business  (except for 1997 employee  bonuses and pension plan
contributions not to collectively exceed $350,000);

                  (r)  the  Company  has  not  adopted,  amended,  modified,  or
terminated  any bonus,  profit-sharing,  incentive,  severance,  or other  plan,
contract, or commitment for the benefit of any of its directors,  officers,  and
employees (or taken any such action with respect to any other  Employee  Benefit
Plan);

                  (s) the  Company has not made any other  change in  employment
terms for any of its  directors,  officers,  and employees  outside the Ordinary
Course of Business;

                  (t) the Company has not made or pledged to make any charitable
or other capital contribution outside the Ordinary Course of Business; and

                  (v) the Company has not committed to any of the foregoing.

         4.8  Undisclosed  Liabilities.  The Company  does not have any material
Liability or obligation, except for (i) Liabilities and obligations set forth on
the face of the Interim  Balance  Sheet  (rather than in any notes  thereto) and
(ii)  Liabilities  and  obligations  which have arisen after the Interim Balance
Sheet Date in the  Ordinary  Course of  Business  (none of which  results  from,
arises out of,  relates  to, is in the nature of, or was caused by any breach of
contract, breach of warranty, tort, infringement, or violation of law).

         4.9 Legal Compliance. The Company has complied in all material respects
with  all  applicable  laws  (including  rules,   regulations,   codes,   plans,
injunctions,  judgments,  orders,  decrees,  rulings, and charges thereunder) of
federal,  state, local, and foreign governments (and all agencies thereof),  and
to the Seller's Knowledge, no action, suit, proceeding,  hearing, investigation,
charge, complaint,  claim, demand, or notice has been filed or commenced against
any of them alleging any failure so to comply.

         4.10     Tax Matters.

                  (a) The Company has filed all Tax Returns that it was required
to file.  All such Tax Returns were correct and  complete in all  respects.  All
Taxes owed by the Company  (whether  or not shown on any Tax  Return)  have been
paid.  The Company is not  currently  the  beneficiary  of any extension of time
within which to file any Tax Return. No claim has ever been made by an authority
in a jurisdiction  where the Company does not file Tax Returns that it is or may
be subject to taxation by that jurisdiction.  There are no Security Interests on
any of the assets of the Company that arose in  connection  with any failure (or
alleged failure) to pay any Tax.

                  (b) The Company has  withheld  and paid all Taxes  required to
have been  withheld  and paid in  connection  with  amounts paid or owing to any
employee, independent contractor, creditor, stockholder, or other third party.

                  (c)  Neither  the  Seller  nor any  director  or  officer  (or
employee  responsible  for Tax matters) of the Company  expects any authority to
assess  any  additional  Taxes for any period  for which Tax  Returns  have been
filed.  There is no dispute or claim concerning any Tax Liability of the Company
either (i)  claimed or raised by any  authority  in writing to the Company or to
the  Seller or (ii) as to which the  Seller has  Knowledge  based upon  personal
contact with any agent of such  authority.  The Seller has made available to the
Buyer correct and complete  copies of all federal income Tax Returns  previously
filed,  examination reports, and statements of deficiencies  assessed against or
agreed to by the Company since January 1, 1995.

                  (d) The Company has not waived any statute of  limitations  in
respect  of Taxes or  agreed to any  extension  of time  with  respect  to a Tax
assessment or deficiency.

                  (e) The  Company  has not filed a consent  under Code  section
341(f) concerning  collapsible  corporations.  The Company has not been a United
States real  property  holding  corporation  within the meaning of Code  section
897(c)(2)   during   the   applicable   period   specified   in   Code   section
897(c)(1)(A)(ii).  The Company has  disclosed on its federal  income Tax Returns
all positions taken therein that could give rise to a substantial understatement
of federal  income Tax within the meaning of Code section  6662.  The Company is
not a party to any Tax allocation or sharing agreement. The Company has not been
and will not be required to include any material  adjustment  in Taxable  income
for any Tax period (or  portion  thereof)  ending on or after the  Closing  Date
pursuant to Code  sections  481 or 263A as a result of  transactions,  events or
accounting methods employed prior to the Closing Date.

                  (f) The  Company  has  been  classified  as an S  Corporation,
within the meaning of Code section 1361,  since August 1, 1987, and will be an S
corporation up to and including the date of closing.

                  (g) The  Company  will not be liable  for any Tax  under  Code
section 1374 in connection  with the deemed sale of the Company's  assets caused
by the Section 338(h)(10) Election (as defined herein).  The Company has not, in
the last 10 years,  acquired assets from another corporation in a transaction in
which the Company's Tax basis in the acquired assets was determined, in whole or
in part,  by  reference  to the Tax basis of the  acquired  assets (or any other
property) in the hands of the transferor.

         4.11 Real  Property.  The Company  currently does not own and has never
owned any real  property.  Schedule  4.11 lists and  describes  briefly all real
property  leased or subleased to the  Company.  The Seller has  delivered to the
Buyer correct and complete copies of the leases and subleases listed in Schedule
4.11 (as amended to date).  With  respect to each lease and  sublease  listed in
Section 4.11:

                  (a) the lease or sublease is legal, valid, binding, 
enforceable, and in full force and effect;

                  (b) to the Seller's  Knowledge,  there is no reason to believe
that the  lease or  sublease  will not  continue  to be legal,  valid,  binding,
enforceable,  and in full  force and effect on  identical  terms  following  the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby;

                  (c) no party to the lease or sublease is in breach or default,
and no event has occurred which,  with notice or lapse of time, would constitute
a breach  or  default  or  permit  termination,  modification,  or  acceleration
thereunder;

                  (d) no  party to the  lease or  sublease  has  repudiated  any
provision thereof;

                  (e) there are no disputes,  oral  agreements,  or  forbearance
programs in effect as to the lease or sublease;

                  (f) the  Company  has  not  assigned,  transferred,  conveyed,
mortgaged,  deeded in trust,  or  encumbered  any  interest in the  leasehold or
subleasehold;

                  (g) to the Knowledge of the Seller,  all facilities  leased or
subleased  thereunder  have received all approvals of  governmental  authorities
(including  licenses  and permits)  required in  connection  with the  operation
thereof and have been  operated and  maintained in  accordance  with  applicable
laws, rules, and regulations; and

                  (h) all facilities leased or subleased thereunder are supplied
with  utilities  and  other  services   necessary  for  the  operation  of  said
facilities.


         4.12     Intellectual Property.

                  (a) The  Company  owns or has the  right  to use  pursuant  to
license,   sublicense,   agreement,  or  permission  all  Intellectual  Property
necessary  for the  operation  of the  businesses  of the  Company as  presently
conducted and as presently  proposed to be conducted.  Each item of Intellectual
Property  owned or used by any of the Company  immediately  prior to the Closing
hereunder  will be owned or available for use by the Company on identical  terms
and conditions immediately subsequent to the Closing hereunder.  The Company has
taken all  commercially  reasonable  action to maintain and protect each item of
Intellectual Property that it owns or uses.

                  (b) The  Company  has not  interfered  with,  infringed  upon,
misappropriated,  or otherwise come into conflict with any Intellectual Property
rights of third  parties,  and neither the Seller nor the  directors or officers
(and employees with  responsibility  for Intellectual  Property  matters) of the
Company  has ever  received  any charge,  complaint,  claim,  demand,  or notice
alleging any such  interference,  infringement,  misappropriation,  or violation
(including  any claim that the Company  must  license or refrain  from using any
Intellectual  Property  rights  of any third  party).  To the  Knowledge  of the
Seller, no third party has interfered with, infringed upon, misappropriated,  or
otherwise come into conflict with any Intellectual Property rights of any of the
Company.

                  (c) Schedule 4.12 identifies each patent or registration which
has been issued to the Company with respect to any of its Intellectual Property,
identifies each pending patent application or application for registration which
the  Company  has made with  respect to any of its  Intellectual  Property,  and
identifies each license,  agreement,  or other  permission which the Company has
granted to any third  party with  respect  to any of its  Intellectual  Property
(together  with any  exceptions).  The Seller has delivered to the Buyer correct
and complete copies of all such patents, registrations,  applications, licenses,
agreements,  and permissions (as amended to date) and have made available to the
Buyer correct and complete copies of all other written documentation  evidencing
ownership and prosecution (if applicable) of each such item.  Schedule 4.12 also
identifies  each trade name or  unregistered  trademark  used by the  Company in
connection with any of its businesses. With respect to each item of Intellectual
Property required to be identified in Schedule 4.12:

                           (i) the Company  possesses all right,  title,  and 
interest in and to the item, free and clear of any Security Interest, license, 
or other restriction;

                           (ii)  the  item  is not  subject  to any  outstanding
injunction, judgment, order, decree, ruling, or charge;

                           (iii)   no   action,   suit,   proceeding,   hearing,
investigation, charge, complaint, claim, or demand is pending or is threatened
which  challenges  the legality,  validity,  enforceability,  use, or ownership 
of the item; and

                           (iv) the Company has never  agreed to  indemnify  any
Person for or against any interference, infringement, misappropriation, or
other conflict with respect to the item.

                  (d)  Schedule  4.12   identifies  each  item  of  Intellectual
Property  that any  third  party  owns and that the  Company  uses  pursuant  to
license,  sublicense,  agreement,  or  permission.  With  respect  to each  item
required to be identified in Schedule 4.12, the Seller has listed:

                           (i) the license,  sublicense,  agreement,  or  
permission  covering  the item is legal,  valid, binding, enforceable, and in
full force and effect;

                           (ii)  to  the   Seller's   Knowledge,   the  license,
sublicense, agreement, or permission will continue to be legal, valid, binding,
enforceable, and in full force and effect on identical terms following the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (including the assignments
and  assumptions  referred to in Section 2 above);

                           (iii) no party to the license, sublicense, agreement,
or permission is in breach or default, and no event has occurred which with
notice or lapse of time would  constitute a breach  or  default  or  permit
termination,  modification,  or acceleration thereunder;

                           (iv) no party to the license, sublicense,  agreement,
or permission has repudiated any provision thereof;

                           (v) the underlying item of  Intellectual  Property is
not subject to any outstanding injunction, judgment, order, decree, ruling,
or charge;

                           (vi)   no   action,   suit,   proceeding,    hearing,
investigation, charge, complaint, claim, or demand is pending or is  threatened
which  challenges  the legality,  validity,  or  enforceability  of the  
underlying  item of Intellectual Property; and

                           (vii) the Company has not granted any  sublicense  or
similar right with respect to the license, sublicense, agreement, or permission.

                  (e) To the  Knowledge of the Seller,  the Seller has no reason
to believe that the Company will interfere with, infringe upon,  misappropriate,
or otherwise come into conflict with, any Intellectual  Property rights of third
parties as a result of the  continued  operation of its  businesses as presently
conducted and as presently proposed to be conducted.

                  (f)  The  Seller  has  no  Knowledge  of  any  new   products,
inventions,  procedures,  or methods of  manufacturing  or  processing  that any
competitors  or other third parties have  developed  which  reasonably  could be
expected to supersede or make obsolete any product or process of the Company.

         4.13  Tangible  Assets.  The  Company  owns or  leases  all  buildings,
machinery, equipment, and other tangible assets necessary for the conduct of its
businesses  as presently  conducted  and as presently  proposed to be conducted.
Each such  tangible  asset is free from  defects  (patent  and, to the  Seller's
Knowledge,  latent),  has been  maintained  in accordance  with normal  industry
practice,  is in good operating condition and repair (subject to normal wear and
tear),  and is suitable  for the  purposes  for which it  presently  is used and
presently is proposed to be used.

         4.14 Inventory.  The Company has no inventory other than supplies to be
consumed in the Ordinary Course of Business.

         4.15      Contracts.  Schedule  4.15 lists the following  contracts and
other  agreements to which the Company is a party:

                  (a) any  agreement  (or group of related  agreements)  for the
lease of personal property to or from any Person providing for lease payments in
excess of $10,000 per annum;

                  (b) any  agreement  (or group of related  agreements)  for the
purchase or sale of raw materials,  commodities,  supplies,  products,  or other
personal property, or for the furnishing or receipt of services, the performance
of which  extends  over a period of more than one year,  expected to result in a
loss to the Company, or involve consideration in excess of $10,000;

                  (c) any agreement concerning a partnership or joint venture;

                  (d) any agreement (or group of related agreements) under which
it has created,  incurred,  assumed, or guaranteed any indebtedness for borrowed
money, or any capitalized lease obligation,  in excess of $10,000 or under which
it has imposed a Security Interest on any of its assets, tangible or intangible;

                  (e) any agreement concerning confidentiality or 
noncompetition;

                  (f) any profit sharing,  stock option,  stock purchase,  stock
appreciation, deferred compensation, severance, or other plan or arrangement for
the benefit of its current or former directors, officers, and employees;

                  (g) any collective bargaining agreement;

                  (h) any  agreement for the  employment of any  individual on a
full-time,  part-time,  consulting, or other basis providing annual compensation
in excess of $50,000 or providing severance benefits;

                  (i) any  agreement  under which it has  advanced or loaned any
amount to any of its  directors,  officers,  and employees  outside the Ordinary
Course of Business;

                  (j) any agreement under which the consequences of a default or
termination could have a Material Adverse Effect; or

                  (k) any other  agreement (or group of related  agreements) the
performance of which involves consideration in excess of $10,000.

The Seller has  delivered or made  available to the Buyer a correct and complete
copy of each written  agreement listed in Schedule 4.15 (as amended to date) and
a written  summary setting forth the terms and conditions of each oral agreement
referred to in  Schedule  4.15.  With  respect to each such  agreement:  (A) the
agreement is legal, valid, binding,  enforceable,  and in full force and effect;
(B) the agreement will continue to be legal, valid, binding, enforceable, and in
full force and effect on  identical  terms  following  the  consummation  of the
transactions  contemplated  hereby; (C) no party is in breach or default, and no
event has occurred which with notice or lapse of time would  constitute a breach
or default,  or permit  termination,  modification,  or acceleration,  under the
agreement; and (D) no party has repudiated any provision of the agreement.

         4.16  Notes  and  Accounts  Receivable.  Schedule  4.16  sets  forth an
accounts  receivable  aging  schedule  as of  January  31,  1998.  All notes and
accounts  receivable  of the  Company  are  reflected  properly on its books and
records and are bona fide  receivables  subject to no setoffs or  counterclaims.
The amount of any reserve for bad debts set forth on the Interim  Balance Sheet,
as adjusted for the passage of time through the Closing Date in accordance  with
the past custom and practice of the Company,  is  sufficient to cover the amount
of any note or account receivable thereon not collected within 180 days.

         4.17     Powers of Attorney.  There are no outstanding powers of 
attorney executed on behalf of the Company.

         4.18 Insurance. Schedule 4.18 sets forth the following information with
respect  to  each  insurance  policy  (including  policies  providing  property,
casualty,  liability,  and  workers'  compensation  coverage and bond and surety
arrangements)  to  which  the  Company  has been a party,  a named  insured,  or
otherwise the beneficiary of coverage at any time since August 1, 1994:

                  (a) the name, address, and telephone number of the agent;

                  (b) the name of the insurer, the name of the policyholder, and
the name of each covered insured;

                  (c) the policy number and the period of coverage;

                  (d) the scope (including an indication of whether the coverage
was on a claims  made,  occurrence,  or other  basis)  and amount  (including  a
description  of how  deductibles  and  ceilings are  calculated  and operate) of
coverage; and

                  (e) a description of any  retroactive  premium  adjustments or
other loss-sharing arrangements.

With  respect to each such  insurance  policy:  (i) the policy is legal,  valid,
binding, enforceable, and in full force and effect; (ii) to the Knowledge of the
Seller,  there is no reason to believe  that the policy will not  continue to be
legal, valid,  binding,  enforceable,  and in full force and effect on identical
terms following the consummation of the transactions  contemplated hereby; (iii)
neither  the Company nor any other party to the policy is in default or material
breach  (including  with  respect to the  payment of  premiums  or the giving of
notices),  and no event has  occurred  which,  with notice or the lapse of time,
would  constitute  such a default or  material  breach,  or permit  termination,
modification, or acceleration, under the policy; and (iv) no party to the policy
has  repudiated any provision  thereof.  The Company has been covered during the
past 10 years by insurance in scope and amount  customary and reasonable for the
businesses in which it has engaged during the  aforementioned  period.  Schedule
4.18 describes any self-insurance arrangements affecting the Company.

         4.19  Litigation.  Schedule  4.19 sets forth each instance in which the
Company: (a) is subject to any outstanding injunction,  judgment, order, decree,
ruling,  or charge or (b) is a party or is  threatened to be made a party to any
action, suit, proceeding,  hearing, or investigation of, in, or before any court
or  quasi-judicial  or administrative  agency of any federal,  state,  local, or
foreign jurisdiction or before any arbitrator.

         4.20  Product  Warranty.  Except as set forth on  Schedule  4.20,  each
service  delivered  by the Company has been in  conformity  with all  applicable
contractual commitments and all express and implied warranties,  and the Company
has no  Liability  for  replacement  or  repair  thereof  or  other  damages  in
connection  therewith,  subject only to the reserve for product  warranty claims
set forth on the face of the Interim  Balance  Sheet  (rather  than in any notes
thereto)  as  adjusted  for the  passage of time  through  the  Closing  Date in
accordance  with the past custom and  practice  of the  Company.  Schedule  4.20
includes the terms and conditions of all warranties to which the services of the
Company are subject.

         4.21  Product  Liability.  The  Company  does  not  have  any  material
Liability  arising out of any injury to  individuals  or property as a result of
the ownership,  possession, or use of any product manufactured, sold, leased, or
delivered by the Company.

         4.22  Employees.  To the  Knowledge of the Seller,  no  executive,  key
employee,  or group of employees has any plans to terminate  employment with the
Company.  The  Company is not a party to or bound by any  collective  bargaining
agreement,  nor has any of them experienced any strikes,  grievances,  claims of
unfair labor practices, or other collective bargaining disputes. The Company has
not  committed  any unfair  labor  practice.  The Seller has no Knowledge of any
organizational  effort presently being made or threatened by or on behalf of any
labor union with respect to employees of the Company.

         4.23     Employee Benefits.

                  (a) Schedule  4.23 lists each  Employee  Benefit Plan that the
Company  maintains or to which the Company  contributes or has any obligation to
contribute.

                           (i) Each such Employee Benefit Plan (and each related
trust, insurance contract, or fund) complies in form and in operation in  all
material respects with the  applicable requirements of ERISA, the Code,  and
other applicable laws.

                           (ii) All required reports and descriptions (including
Form 5500 Annual Reports, summary annual reports,  PBGC-1's, and summary plan
descriptions) have been timely filed and distributed  appropriately with respect
to each such Employee Benefit Plan.  The  requirements  of COBRA  have been met
with  respect to each suchEmployee Benefit Plan which is an Employee Welfare 
Benefit Plan.

                           (iii)  All  contributions   (including  all  employer
contributions  and employee salary reduction  contributions)  which are due have
been  paid to each such  Employee  Benefit  Plan  which is an  Employee  Pension
Benefit  Plan and all  contributions  for any  period  ending on or  before  the
Closing Date which are not yet due have been paid to each such Employee  Pension
Benefit Plan or accrued in  accordance  with the past custom and practice of the
Company.  All premiums or other payments for all periods ending on or before the
Closing  Date have been paid with  respect to each such  Employee  Benefit  Plan
which is an Employee Welfare Benefit Plan.

                           (iv) Each such  Employee  Benefit  Plan which is an  
Employee Pension Benefit Plan meets the requirements of a "qualified plan" under
Code  section  401(a),  has  received,  within the last two years,  a  favorable
determination  letter from the Internal  Revenue Service that it is a "qualified
plan,"  and the  Seller is not aware of any facts or  circumstances  that  could
result in the revocation of such determination letter.

                           (v) The  market  value  of  assets  under  each  such
Employee  Benefit Plan which is an Employee Pension Benefit Plan (other than any
Multiemployer  Plan)  equals or  exceeds  the  present  value of all  vested and
nonvested  Liabilities  thereunder  determined in accordance  with PBGC methods,
factors,  and  assumptions  applicable  to  an  Employee  Pension  Benefit  Plan
terminating on the date for determination.

                           (vi)  The  Seller  has  made  availabe  to the  Buyer
correct and complete copies of the plan documents and summary plan descriptions,
the most recent determination letter received from the Internal Revenue Service,
the most recent  Form 5500 Annual  Report,  and all  related  trust  agreements,
insurance  contracts,  and other funding  agreements  which  implement each such
Employee Benefit Plan.

                  (b)  With  respect  to each  Employee  Benefit  Plan  that the
Company or any ERISA Affiliate  maintains or ever has maintained or to which any
of them  contributes,  ever  has  contributed,  or ever  has  been  required  to
contribute:

                           (i)  Except as set forth in  Schedule  4.23,  no such
Employee  Benefit Plan which is an Employee Pension Benefit Plan (other than any
Multiemployer  Plan) has been  completely  or partially  terminated  or been the
subject of a Reportable Event as to which notices would be such Employee Pension
Benefit  Plan  (other  than  any  Multiemployer  Plan)  has been  instituted  or
threatened.

                           (ii) There have been no Prohibited  Transactions with
respect to any such  Employee  Benefit  Plan. No Fiduciary has any Liability for
breach of  fiduciary  duty or any other  failure to act or comply in  connection
with the administration or investment of the assets of any such Employee Benefit
Plan. No action, suit, proceeding, hearing, or investigation with respect to the
administration or the investment of the assets of any such Employee Benefit Plan
(other than routine  claims for benefits) is pending or  threatened.  The Seller
has no Knowledge of any Basis for any such action, suit, proceeding, hearing, or
investigation.

                           (iii) The Company has not  incurred,  and neither the
Seller nor any of the directors or officers (and employees  with  responsibility
for employee  benefits matters) of the Company has any reason to expect that the
Company will incur, any Liability to the PBGC (other than PBGC premium payments)
or otherwise  under Title IV of ERISA  (including  any  withdrawal  liability as
defined  in ERISA  section  4201) or under  the Code  with  respect  to any such
Employee Benefit Plan which is an Employee Pension Benefit Plan.

                  (c) None of the Company or the other members of the Controlled
Group that includes the Company contributes to, ever has contributed to, or ever
has been required to contribute to any  Multiemployer  Plan or has any Liability
(including  withdrawal  liability  as defined in ERISA  section  4201) under any
Multiemployer Plan.

                  (d) The Company does not maintain and has never maintained and
does not contribute,  and has never contributed,  and never has been required to
contribute to any Employee Welfare Benefit Plan providing  medical,  health,  or
life insurance or other  welfare-type  benefits for current or future retired or
terminated  employees,  their  spouses,  or  their  dependents  (other  than  in
accordance with COBRA).

         4.24 Guaranties. The Company is not a guarantor or otherwise liable for
any Liability or obligation (including indebtedness) of any other Person.

         4.25     Government Contracts.

                  (a) To the Seller's Knowledge, except as set forth on Schedule
4.25:  (i) the Company has complied  with all material  terms and  conditions of
each  Government  Contract or  Government  Subcontract,  including  all clauses,
provisions and requirements incorporated expressly, by reference or by operation
of Law therein,  (ii) the Company has complied in all material respects with all
requirements of all Laws or agreements pertaining to each Government Contract or
Government   Subcontract  and  (iii)  all   representations  and  certifications
executed, acknowledged or set forth in or pertaining to each Government Contract
or Government  Subcontract were complete and correct in all material respects as
of their  effective  date and the Company has complied in all material  respects
with all such representations and certifications.

                  (b) Except as set forth on Schedule 4.25: (i) neither the U.S.
Government nor any prime contractor,  subcontractor or other Person has notified
the Seller or the  Company,  either in writing or orally,  that the  Company has
breached or violated any Law, certification,  representation,  clause, provision
or requirement  pertaining to any Government Contract or Government  Subcontract
and (ii) no termination  for  convenience is in effect and no,  termination  for
default,  cure notice or show cause notice has been  received  pertaining to any
Government Contract or Government  Subcontract,  (iii) no material cost incurred
by the Company pertaining to any Government  Contract or Government  Subcontract
has been questioned or challenged by representatives of Governmental  Entity, is
the subject of any investigation, or has been disallowed by the U.S. Government,
and (iv) no amount  of money due to the  Company  pertaining  to any  Government
Contract  or  Government  Subcontract  has been  withheld or set off nor has any
claim been made to  withhold or set off money and the Company is entitled to all
progress payments received with respect thereto.

                  (c) To the Seller's Knowledge, except as set forth on Schedule
4.25:  (i) neither the Company nor any of its  directors,  officers,  employees,
consultants  or  agents  is or  during  the past  three  years  has  been  under
administrative,  civil or criminal  investigation,  indictment or information by
any  Governmental  Entity or any  audit or  investigation  by the  Seller or the
Company  or  any  other  Person  with  respect  to  any  alleged   irregularity,
misstatement or omission arising under or relating to any Government Contract or
Government  Subcontract,  and (ii)  during the past  three  years,  neither  the
Company nor any Affiliate of the Company has conducted or initiated any internal
investigation  or made a voluntary  disclosure to any  Governmental  Entity with
respect to any alleged  irregularity,  misstatement or omission arising under or
relating to a Government  Contract or  Government  Subcontract.  There exists no
irregularity,  misstatement  or  omission  arising  under  or  relating  to  any
Government Contract or Government Subcontract that has led during the last three
years  to any of the  consequences  set  forth  in  clause  (i) or  (ii)  of the
immediately  preceding  sentence  or  any  other  damage,   penalty  assessment,
recoupment of payment or disallowance of cost.

                  (d) To the Seller's Knowledge, except as set forth on Schedule
4.25, there exist: (i) no outstanding claims against the Company,  either by any
Governmental Entity or by any prime contractor,  subcontractor,  vendor or other
Person,  arising  under or relating  to any  Government  Contract or  Government
Subcontract  and  (ii)  no  material   disputes  between  the  Company  and  any
Governmental Entity under the Contract Disputes Act or any other federal statute
or regulation or between the Company and any prime contractor,  subcontractor or
vendor  arising  under or relating  to any  Government  Contract  or  Government
Subcontract. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.25, the Company does not have any
interest in any pending or potential  claim against any  Governmental  Entity or
any prime  contractor,  subcontractor or vendor arising under or relating to any
Government  Contract  or  Government  Subcontract.   Schedule  4.25  lists  each
Government Contract or Government  Subcontract which is currently under audit by
any  Governmental  Entity or any other Person that is a party to such Government
Contract or Government  Subcontract.  Except as set forth in Schedule  4.25, the
Company has not received any draft or final post award audit  report,  any draft
or  final  notice  of  cost  disallowance,  or any  draft  or  final  notice  of
noncompliance  with any Cost Accounting  Standard and there exists no Basis upon
which any Government Entity could disallow any costs in any pending audits,  and
that all  information  provided by the Company for any such audits was  current,
complete and accurate and in compliance  with  applicable  regulations  and Cost
Accounting Standards.

                  (e) Except as set forth on Schedule  4.25, the Company has not
been debarred or suspended from participation in the award of contracts with any
Governmental Entity (excluding for this purpose  ineligibility to bid on certain
contracts  due to generally  applicable  bidding  requirements).  There exist no
facts or circumstances that would warrant suspension or debarment or the finding
of nonresponsibility or ineligibility on the part of the Company or any director
or officer of the  Company.  No payment  has been made by the  Company or by any
Person on behalf of the Company in connection  with any  Government  Contract or
Government  Subcontract  in  violation  of  applicable  procurement  Laws  or in
violation of, or requiring disclosure pursuant to, the Foreign Corrupt Practices
Act.  Except as set forth on Schedule 4.25,  the Company's  cost  accounting and
procurement  systems  and the  associated  entries  reflected  in the  Company's
financial  statements  with respect to the  Government  Contracts and Government
Subcontracts  are in  compliance in all material  respects  with all  applicable
Laws.

                  (f) Except as set forth in Schedule  4.25,  all material  test
and  inspection  results  provided  by the  Company to any  Governmental  Entity
pursuant to any  Government  Contract or Government  Subcontract or to any other
Person pursuant to a Government Contract or Government  Subcontract or as a part
of the delivery to any Governmental  Entity or to any other Person pursuant to a
Government   Contract  or  Government   Subcontract  of  any  article  designed,
engineered  or  manufactured  by the Company  were  complete  and correct in all
material  respects as of the date so  provided.  Except as set forth in Schedule
4.25, the Company has provided all material test and  inspection  results to the
Department of Defense or to any other Person  pursuant to a Government  Contract
or  Government  Subcontract  as required by Law and the terms of the  applicable
Government Contracts or Government Subcontracts.

                  (g) Except as set forth in Schedule  4.25, (i) the Company has
obtained or will  obtain from any  Governmental  Entity all  authorizations  and
consents  that are  necessary or required  because of the change of ownership of
the Company,  (ii) the Company has made or will make to any Governmental  Entity
all  notifications  that are  necessary  or  required  because  of the change of
ownership  of the  Company,  (iii) until the Closing  Date,  the Company and the
Seller have complied with all requirements to maintain the Company's status as a
small  business  concern,  and (iv) through and including the Company's  date of
graduation from the Section 8(a) program administered by the U.S. Small Business
Administration   ("SBA"),   the  Company  and  the  Seller   complied  with  all
requirements to obtain and maintain the Company's status as a concern  certified
under the SBA's Section 8(a) program.

         4.26     Environmental, Health, and Safety Matters.

                  (i)  To  the  Knowledge  of  the  Seller,  the  Company  is in
compliance with Environmental,  Health, and Safety Requirements, except for such
noncompliance as would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

                  (ii) To the  Knowledge  of the  Seller,  the  Company  has not
received any written notice, report or other information regarding any actual or
alleged material violation of Environmental, Health, and Safety Requirements, or
any material  liabilities or potential  material  liabilities  (whether accrued,
absolute, contingent,  unliquidated or otherwise),  including any investigatory,
remedial or corrective  obligations,  relating to the Company or its  facilities
arising under  Environmental,  Health, and Safety  Requirements,  the subject of
which would have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.

         4.27  Subsidiaries.  The  Company  has no  subsidiaries  and  does  not
presently own, of record or  beneficially,  or control,  directly or indirectly,
any capital stock, securities convertible into capital stock or any other equity
interest in any corporation  association or business entity (except for publicly
traded  corporations  in which the Company owns less than 5% of the  outstanding
equity  interests  therein),  nor is the  Company,  directly  or  indirectly,  a
participant in any joint venture, partnership or other entity.

         4.28 Disclosure.  No  representation  or warranty made by the Seller in
this Agreement,  nor any financial statement,  certificate,  schedule or exhibit
delivered with or attached to this  Agreement and furnished by the Company,  the
Seller  or  its  representative  pursuant  hereto  or  in  connection  with  the
transaction  contemplated hereby,  contains or will contain any untrue statement
of material  fact, or omits or will omit to state a material  fact  necessary to
make the statement of facts  contained  herein or therein not  misleading in the
light of the  circumstances  under  which they were  furnished.  The  historical
information,  financial projections,  listing of Government Contract backlog and
information  concerning  Government  Contracts  relating to the Company that was
delivered  to the Buyer  prior to the date of this  Agreement  and  included  in
Schedule  4.28  ("Financial  Projections")  was  delivered  in  good  faith  and
constitutes, to the Seller's Knowledge, a good faith estimate of the information
purported  to be shown  therein.  The Seller  caused the Company to prepare such
projections  and provide such  information  in good faith based upon  reasonable
assumptions, and believes that there is a reasonable basis for such projections.
The Seller has no  Knowledge of any fact or  information  that would lead him to
believe that the Financial Projections are misleading in any material respect.

5. PRE-CLOSING COVENANTS.

         The Parties  agree as follows  with  respect to the period  between the
date hereof and the Closing Date.

         5.1 General.  Each of the Parties will use his or its  reasonable  best
efforts to take all action and to do all things necessary,  proper, or advisable
in order to consummate and make effective the transactions  contemplated by this
Agreement (including satisfaction, but not waiver, of the closing conditions set
forth in Section 7 below).

         5.2 Notices and Consents. The Seller will cause the Company to give any
notices to third parties,  and will cause the Company to use its reasonable best
efforts  to obtain  any third  party  consents,  that the Buyer  reasonably  may
request in connection with the matters referred to in Section 4.3 above. Each of
the Parties will (and the Seller will cause the Company to) give any notices to,
make any  filings  with,  and use its  reasonable  best  efforts  to obtain  any
authorizations,  consents,  and approvals of Governmental Entities in connection
with the matters referred to in Section 3.1(b),  Section 3.2(c), and Section 4.3
above.

         5.3  Operation  of  Business.  The Seller  will not cause or permit the
Company  to  engage  in any  practice,  take  any  action,  or  enter  into  any
transaction  outside the  Ordinary  Course of  Business.  Without  limiting  the
generality of the foregoing,  the Seller will not cause or permit the Company to
(i) declare,  set aside, or pay any dividend in an or make any distribution with
respect to its capital stock or redeem,  purchase,  or otherwise  acquire any of
its  capital  stock  (except  that  the  Company  shall be  entitled  to pay the
Permitted  Distribution to the Seller) or (ii) otherwise engage in any practice,
take any action,  or enter into any transaction of the sort described in Section
4.7 above.

         5.4 Preservation of Business. The Seller will cause the Company to keep
its  business  and  properties   substantially  intact,  including  its  present
operations,  physical  facilities,  working  conditions,  and relationships with
lessors, licensors, suppliers, customers, and employees.

         5.5      Full Access, Confidentiality.

                  (a) The Seller  will  permit,  and the  Seller  will cause the
Company  to  permit,  representatives  of the Buyer to have  full  access at all
reasonable  times,  and in a  manner  so as not to  interfere  with  the  normal
business  operations  of the Company,  to all premises,  properties,  personnel,
books,  records  (including  Tax  records),   contracts,  and  documents  of  or
pertaining to the Company.

                  (b) The Seller  recognizes and acknowledges that he has had in
the past,  currently has, and in the future may possibly have, access to certain
confidential  information  of the  Company  and  the  Buyer,  such as  lists  of
customers,  operational  policies,  and  pricing  and  cost  policies  that  are
valuable,  special and unique assets of the Company's and the Buyer's respective
businesses. The Seller agrees that it will not disclose Confidential Information
with  respect to the  Company  or the Buyer to any  person,  firm,  corporation,
association  or other  entity for any  purpose or reason  whatsoever,  except to
authorized  representatives  of the Buyer  and to  counsel  and other  advisers;
provided,  however,  that  such  advisors  (other  than  counsel)  agree  to the
confidentiality  provisions of this Section 5.5(b),  unless (i) such information
becomes  known to the  public  generally  through no fault of the  Seller,  (ii)
disclosure  is required  by law or the order of any  Governmental  Entity  under
color of law,  or (iii)  the  disclosing  party  reasonably  believes  that such
disclosure is required in connection  with the defense of a lawsuit  against the
disclosing party; and provided further, that prior to disclosing any information
pursuant to clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, the Seller shall, if possible, give
prior  written  notice  thereof  to the Buyer  and  provide  the Buyer  with the
opportunity to contest such disclosure.

                  (c) The Buyer recognizes and  acknowledges  that it has had in
the past,  currently has, and in the future may possibly have, access to certain
confidential information of the Company, such as lists of customers, operational
policies,  and pricing and cost policies  that are valuable,  special and unique
assets of the Company's  business.  The Buyer agrees that, prior to the Closing,
it will not disclose confidential information with respect to the Company to any
person, firm, corporation, association or other entity for any purpose or reason
whatsoever,  except to authorized  representatives of the Company and the Seller
and to counsel and other  advisers and that they will not disclose  confidential
information  with  respect  to the  Seller  to any  person,  firm,  corporation,
association  or other  entity for any  purpose or reason  whatsoever,  except to
authorized  representatives  of the  Company  and the Seller and to counsel  and
other advisers; provided, however, that such advisers (other than counsel) agree
to the  confidentiality  provisions  of this  Section  5.5(c),  unless  (i) such
information becomes known to the public generally through no fault of the Buyer,
(ii) disclosure is required by law or the order of any Governmental Entity under
color of law,  or (iii)  the  disclosing  party  reasonably  believes  that such
disclosure is required in connection  with the defense of a lawsuit  against the
disclosing party; and provided further, that prior to disclosing any information
pursuant to clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, the Buyer shall, if possible,  give
prior  written  notice  thereof to the  Company  and the Seller and  provide the
Company and the Seller with the opportunity to contest such disclosure.

         5.6 Notice of Developments.  The Seller will give prompt written notice
to the Buyer of any material adverse  development causing a breach of any of the
representations  and warranties in Section 4 above.  Each Party will give prompt
written  notice to the  others of any  material  adverse  development  causing a
breach of any of his or its own  representations  and  warranties  in  Section 3
above. No disclosure by any Party pursuant to this Section 5.6,  however,  shall
be deemed to amend or supplement any Schedule or Exhibit hereto or to prevent or
cure any misrepresentation, breach of warranty, or breach of covenant.

         5.7 Exclusivity.  The Seller will not (and the Seller will not cause or
permit the Company or any of the officers,  directors, agents,  representatives,
or  affiliates  of the Company  to) (a)  solicit,  initiate,  or  encourage  the
submission of any proposal or offer from any Person  relating to the acquisition
of any capital stock or other voting securities,  or any substantial  portion of
the assets,  of the Company  (including any acquisition  structured as a merger,
consolidation,  or share  exchange) or (b)  participate  in any  discussions  or
negotiations  regarding,  furnish any  information  with  respect to,  assist or
participate  in, or  facilitate in any other manner any effort or attempt by any
Person to do or seek any of the foregoing.  The Seller will not vote his Company
Shares in favor of any such acquisition  structured as a merger,  consolidation,
or share  exchange.  The Seller will notify the Buyer  immediately if any Person
makes any  proposal,  offer,  inquiry,  or  contact  with  respect to any of the
foregoing.

6. POST-CLOSING COVENANTS.

         The Parties  agree as follows with respect to the period  following the
Closing.

         6.1 General.  In case at any time after the Closing any further  action
is necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of this  Agreement,  each of
the Parties will take such further action  (including the execution and delivery
of such further  instruments  and  documents) as any other Party  reasonably may
request,  all at the sole cost and expense of the  requesting  Party (unless the
requesting Party is entitled to indemnification therefor under Section 8 below).
The Seller  acknowledges  and agrees  that from and after the  Closing the Buyer
will be entitled to possession of all documents,  books,  records (including Tax
records), agreements, and financial data of any sort relating to the Company .

         6.2  Litigation  Support.  In the  event  and for so long as any  Party
actively is  contesting  or  defending  against any  action,  suit,  proceeding,
hearing,  investigation,  charge, complaint, claim, or demand in connection with
(i)  any  transaction  contemplated  under  this  Agreement  or (ii)  any  fact,
situation,   circumstance,   status,   condition,   activity,   practice,  plan,
occurrence,  event, incident, action, failure to act, or transaction on or prior
to the Closing  Date  involving  the  Company,  each of the other  Parties  will
cooperate with him or it and his or its counsel in the contest or defense,  make
available their personnel,  and provide such testimony and access to their books
and records as shall be necessary in connection with the contest or defense, all
at the sole cost and expense of the  contesting  or defending  Party (unless the
contesting  or defending  Party is entitled to  indemnification  therefor  under
Section 8 below).

         6.3      Transition.

         (a) The Seller will not take any action that is designed or intended to
have the effect of discouraging any lessor,  licensor,  customer,  supplier,  or
other  business  associate of the Company  from  maintaining  the same  business
relationships  with the  Company  after the  Closing as it  maintained  with the
Company prior to the Closing.  The Seller will use his best efforts to cooperate
with the Buyer to cause the Company to employ an individual  to serve  initially
as a vice president of the Company and expected to serve eventually as president
of the Company upon the termination of the Seller's employment with the Company.

         (b) The Parties  intend and expect that  subsequent  to the Closing and
until the expiration of the Second Earn Out Period,  the Company will operate as
a separate  subsidiary  of the Buyer and that the  Company  shall be operated in
accordance  with its historic  business  practices.  The Parties  understand and
acknowledge  that  Buyer  will  provide  certain  administrative  support to the
Company and that it is  anticipated  that the Company will benefit from mutually
beneficial  business synergies created by the transactions  contemplated by this
Agreement.  Except for certain  administrative  staff provided to the Company by
the Buyer,  the parties  acknowledge that the Buyer has no obligation to provide
additional  support or capital to the Company  from the Closing Date through the
end of the Second Earn Out Period. Within 30 days subsequent to the Closing, the
Seller shall submit a proposed  detailed  budget for each month of 1998 and 1999
to the Company's  Board of Directors for approval.  The parties  anticipate that
such budget will  demonstrate  sufficient  levels  revenues and  expenditures to
achieve the projected  net income  levels  included in Schedule 4.6 for 1998 and
1999.  During any Earn Out Period Buyer will not take any  actions,  without the
prior  approval  of the Board of  Directors  of AMI and the Buyer,  which  would
prevent the Buyer from performing its obligations under this Agreement.

         6.4      Covenant Not to Compete.

                  (a) Until  the  later of (x) the end of the four  year  period
following the Closing Date or (y) two years  subsequent to the date on which the
Seller's employment with the Company  Terminates,  the Seller shall not, for any
reason  whatsoever,  directly or  indirectly,  for himself or on behalf of or in
conjunction with any other person, persons, company,  partnership,  corporation,
business or other entity of whatever nature:

                           (i) engage, as a shareholder, owner,  partner,  joint
venturer,  or in a managerial  capacity,  whether as an independent  contractor,
consultant or advisor, or as a sales representative, in any business selling any
products  or  services in direct  competition  with the current  business of the
Company;

                           (ii) call upon any person  who is, at that  time,  an
employee  of the Buyer or the  Company  for the  purpose  or with the  intent of
enticing  such  employee  away  from or out of the  employ  of the  Buyer or the
Company; or

                           (iii)  call upon any  person  or entity  which is, at
that time, or which has been,  within one year prior to that time, a customer of
the  Company for the purpose of  soliciting  or selling  products or services in
competition with the Company.

                  Notwithstanding the above, the foregoing covenant shall not be
deemed to prohibit the Seller from acquiring as an investment not more than five
percent (5%) of the capital stock of a competing  business whose stock is traded
on a national securities exchange or over-the-counter.

                  (b) Damages.  Because of the difficulty of measuring  economic
losses  to the  Buyer as a result of a breach  of the  foregoing  covenant,  and
because of the  immediate  and  irreparable  damage  that could be caused to the
Buyer for which it would have no other adequate  remedy,  the Seller agrees that
the  foregoing  covenant  may be enforced by the Buyer in the event of breach by
the Seller, by injunctions and restraining orders.

                  (c) Reasonable Restraint. The parties agree that the foregoing
covenants  in this  Section 6.4 impose a  reasonable  restraint on the Seller in
light of the  activities  and business of the Buyer on the date of the execution
of this Agreement and the current plans of the Buyer;  but it is also the intent
of the Buyer and the Seller that such  covenants  be  construed  and enforced in
accordance with the changing activities and business of the Buyer throughout the
term of this  covenant.  The parties  further agree that in the event the Seller
shall enter into a business or pursue other  activities not in competition  with
the Buyer or similar activities or business in locations the operation of which,
under such circumstances,  does not violate Section 6.4(a), the Seller shall not
be chargeable with a violation of this Section 6.4 if the Buyer shall thereafter
enter the same, similar or a competitive (i) business, (ii) course of activities
or (iii) location, as applicable.

                  (d) Severability;  Reformation.  The covenants in this Section
6.4 are  severable  and  separate,  and  the  unenforceability  of any  specific
covenant shall not affect the provisions of any other covenant. Moreover, in the
event any court of competent  jurisdiction  shall determine that the scope, time
or territorial restrictions set forth are unreasonable, then it is the intention
of the parties that such  restrictions  be enforced to the fullest  extent which
the court deems reasonable, and the Agreement shall thereby be reformed.

                  (e) Independent Covenant. All of the covenants in this Section
6.4 shall be  construed as an agreement  independent  of any other  provision in
this Agreement,  and the existence of any claim or cause of action of the Seller
against the Buyer, whether predicated on this Agreement or otherwise,  shall not
constitute a defense to the  enforcement by the Buyer of such  covenants.  It is
specifically agreed that the period of noncompetition  stated at Section 6.4(a),
during which the agreements and covenants of the Seller made in this Section 6.4
shall be effective,  shall be computed by excluding  from such  computation  any
time during  which the Seller is found by a court of competent  jurisdiction  to
have been in  violation of any  provision  of this  Section  6.4. The  covenants
contained  in  Section  6.4 shall  not be  affected  by any  breach of any other
provision  hereof  by  any  party  hereto  and  shall  have  no  effect  if  the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement are not consummated.

                  (f)  Materiality.  The Seller hereby agrees that the covenants
set  forth  in this  Section  6.4 are a  material  and  substantial  part of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

                  (g) Internet  Business.  Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  this
Section 6.4 shall not prohibit the Seller from entering into business activities
in which  Internet  dial-up access  services and Web hosting  services (the "Lin
Internet Business") are provided to customers ("Internet  Customers") so long as
none of any such Internet  Customers are customers or  prospective  customers of
ACS or the Company, as discussed by the Parties from time to time.


7.       Conditions to Obligation to Close.

         7.1 Conditions to Obligation of the Buyer.  The obligation of the Buyer
to consummate  the  transactions  to be performed by it in  connection  with the
Closing is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions:

                  (a) the  representations  and  warranties set forth in Section
3.1 and Section 4 above shall be true and  correct in all  material  respects at
and as of the Closing Date;

                  (b) the Seller shall have  performed  and complied with all of
his covenants hereunder in all material respects through the Closing;

                  (c) the  Company  shall have  procured  all of the third party
consents specified in Section 5.2 above.

                  (d) no  action,  suit,  or  proceeding  shall  be  pending  or
threatened before any court or  quasi-judicial  or administrative  agency of any
federal,  state, local, or foreign jurisdiction or before any arbitrator wherein
an unfavorable injunction,  judgment, order, decree, ruling, or charge would (i)
prevent consummation of any of the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement,
(ii)  cause  any  of the  transactions  contemplated  by  this  Agreement  to be
rescinded following consummation,  (iii) affect adversely the right of the Buyer
to own the Company Shares and to control the Company , or (iv) affect  adversely
the right of the Company to own its assets and to operate its businesses (and no
such injunction, judgment, order, decree, ruling, or charge shall be in effect);

                  (e) no material  adverse  change in the  business  operations,
affairs,  prospects,  properties,  assets,  existing or  potential  liabilities,
obligations,  profits or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company shall
have occurred;

                  (f) the Seller shall have delivered to the Buyer a certificate
dated as of the Closing Date to the effect that each of the conditions specified
in Section 7.1(a) through (e) above is satisfied in all respects;

                  (g)  the  Seller  and  Grace  Lee  shall  have   entered  into
employment agreements with the Company substantially in the form attached hereto
as Exhibits A and B. All other  employment  agreements with any employees of the
Company shall have been terminated and be of no further force or effect;

                  (h) the Buyer shall have  received  from counsel to the Seller
an opinion  in form and  substance  as set forth in  Exhibit C attached  hereto,
addressed to the Buyer, and dated as of the Closing Date;

                  (i) the Buyer shall have received the resignations,  effective
as of the Closing,  of each  director and officer of the Company other than John
Lin;

                  (j) all actions to be taken by the Seller in  connection  with
consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  and all  certificates,
opinions,  instruments,  and other documents required to effect the transactions
contemplated hereby will be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the
Buyer; and

                  (k) the Company shall of obtained a release from its financial
advisors in a form  satisfactory  to the Buyer stating that that the Company has
no existing or future  Liability to such financial  advisors with respect to any
fees,  commissions  or other  amounts  payable with respect to the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement;

                  (l) the Buyer  shall have  received a favorable  opinion  from
A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., as to the fairness of consideration paid with respect
to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and

                  (m) Reserved

                  (n) the Buyer's board of directors  shall have  authorized and
approved the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

The Buyer may waive any condition specified in this Section 7.1 if it executes a
writing so stating at or prior to the Closing.

         7.2  Conditions  to  Obligation  of the Seller.  The  obligation of the
Seller to consummate the transactions to be performed by them in connection with
the Closing is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions:

                  (a) the  representations  and  warranties set forth in Section
3.2 above  shall be true and correct in all  material  respects at and as of the
Closing Date;

                  (b) the Buyer shall have  performed  and complied  with all of
its covenants hereunder in all material respects through the Closing;

                  (c) no  action,  suit,  or  proceeding  shall  be  pending  or
threatened before any court or  quasi-judicial  or administrative  agency of any
federal,  state, local, or foreign jurisdiction or before any arbitrator wherein
an unfavorable injunction,  judgment, order, decree, ruling, or charge would (i)
prevent  consummation of any of the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement
or (ii)  cause any of the  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement  to be
rescinded  following  consummation  (and no such  injunction,  judgment,  order,
decree, ruling, or charge shall be in effect);

                  (d) all  actions to be taken by the Buyer in  connection  with
consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  and all  certificates,
opinions,  instruments,  and other documents required to effect the transactions
contemplated hereby will be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the
Seller; and

                  (e) the Buyer shall have delivered to the Seller a certificate
dated as of the Closing Date to the effect that each of the conditions specified
in Section 7.2(a) through (d) above is satisfied in all respects.

The Seller may waive any condition specified in this Section 7.2 if they execute
a writing so stating at or prior to the Closing.


8.       REMEDIES FOR BREACHES OF THIS AGREEMENT.

         8.1 Survival of Representations and Warranties.  Except with respect to
Sections 4.10 (Taxes), 4.23 (Employee Benefits), 4.25 (Government Contracts) and
4.26  (Environmental,   Health  and  Safety  Matters)  all  representations  and
warranties  contained  in  this  Agreement,  including  those  contained  in the
exhibits,  schedules and other documents  delivered  pursuant to this Agreement,
above shall survive the Closing  hereunder and continue in full force and effect
for a period of eighteen  months  thereafter.  All  covenants  contained in this
Agreement  likewise  shall survive the Closing,  but shall not be subject to the
limitation on survival set forth in the preceding sentence.  Representations and
warranties  contained in Section 4.25 and 4.26 shall  survive  Closing and shall
remain  in  full  force  and  effect  for  a  period  of   twenty-four   months.
Representations and warranties contained in Sections 4.10 and 4.23 shall survive
Closing and shall  remain in full force and effect for a period of three  years.
So long as a claim  arising out of a breach of a  representation  or warranty is
made prior to the expiration of such representation or warranty, indemnification
may be had (subject to the other  provisions of this Section 8)  notwithstanding
that the scope of loss may not be  determined,  remedial work completed or claim
otherwise resolved prior to such expiration.

         8.2  Indemnity.  Each party  hereto (the  "Indemnifying  Party")  shall
indemnify  and hold the  other  party  hereto  (each,  an  "Indemnified  Party")
harmless to the extent  provided in this  Section 8 from and against any and all
losses (consequential or otherwise), Liabilities, claims, disputes, proceedings,
demands,  cost unallowability  determinations,  judgments,  settlements,  liens,
costs and  expenses  of any nature  whatsoever  (including  reasonable  fees and
disbursements of attorneys, accountants, or other professional advisors relating
to investigation, prosecution, negotiation, defense, settlement, or appeal) (the
foregoing referred to individually as an "Adverse  Consequence" and collectively
as "Adverse Consequences") resulting from or arising out of

         (i) any breach of any  representation  or warranty of the  Indemnifying
Party  contained in this  Agreement or in any  schedule,  exhibit,  certificate,
document   or  other  item   delivered   by  the   Indemnifying   Party  or  its
representative(s) in connection with this Agreement;

         (ii) the  nonperformance,  partial  or total,  of any  covenant  of the
Indemnifying Party contained in this Agreement; and

         (iii) the scheduled items set forth on 4.10 or 4.19;

         (iv)  any  and  all  Adverse  Consequences  incidental  to  any  of the
foregoing  or to the  enforcement  of this  section  8.2.  Without  limiting the
foregoing,  the Seller's  indemnification  liabilities arising from Section 4 of
this  Agreement  shall include  Adverse  Consequences  consisting of any and all
Taxes of the Company with  respect to any period (or any portion  thereof) up to
and including  the Closing  Date,  except for Taxes of the Company (if any) that
are  reflected  as  current or  deferred  liabilities  for Taxes on the  Interim
Balance Sheet Date. The Seller hereby agrees that he will not make any claim for
indemnification  against  the  Company  by  reason  of the  fact  that  he was a
director,  officer,  employee,  or agent of the  Company  or was  serving at the
request of the Company as a partner, trustee,  director,  officer,  employee, or
agent  of  another  entity  (whether  such  claim  is  for  judgments,  damages,
penalties,  fines,  costs,  amounts paid in  settlement,  losses,  expenses,  or
otherwise and whether such claim is pursuant to any statute,  charter  document,
bylaw,  agreement,  or otherwise)  prior to the Closing Date with respect to any
action,  suit,  proceeding,  complaint,  claim,  or demand  brought by the Buyer
against the Seller (whether such action, suit, proceeding,  complaint, claim, or
demand is pursuant to this Agreement, applicable law, or otherwise).

         8.3      Notice of Claim.

         (a) If an  Indemnified  Party makes any claim  against an  Indemnifying
Party for  indemnification,  such claim  shall be in writing  and shall state in
general terms the facts upon which the Indemnified Party makes such claim.

         (b)  In  the  event  of  any  claim  or  demand  asserted  against  the
Indemnified  Party by a third party upon which the  Indemnified  Party may claim
indemnification,  the  Indemnifying  Party  shall  give  written  notice  to the
Indemnified  Party within 15 days after  receipt of notice from the  Indemnified
Party indicating whether the Indemnifying Party intends to assume the defense of
such claim or demand.  If the  Indemnifying  Party does assume such defense,  it
shall indemnify and hold the Indemnified Party harmless from and against any and
all losses,  damages and liabilities  caused by or arising out of any settlement
or  judgment  of such  claim  and  may  not  claim  that  it  does  not  have an
indemnification   obligation   with  respect   thereto.   Notwithstanding   such
assumption,  the  Indemnified  Party shall have the right to participate in such
defense,  by written notice given to the Indemnifying  Party within 15 days from
the date of the Indemnifying  Party's notice,  provided that such  participation
shall be at the expense of the  Indemnified  Party unless there is a conflict of
interest between the Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, in which case
the cost of such participation  (including  attorneys' fees for counsel selected
by the Indemnified Party) shall be reimbursed by the Indemnifying  Party. If the
Indemnifying  Party assumes the defense and the Indemnified  Party elects not to
participate, the Indemnifying Party shall have the right fully to control and to
settle the proceeding.  If the  Indemnified  Party elects to participate in such
defense, the parties shall cooperate in the defense of the proceeding, and shall
not settle the same  without the  consent of each,  which  consent  shall not be
unreasonably withheld or delayed. If the Indemnifying Party elects not to assume
the defense, the Indemnified Party shall have the right to do so (at the expense
of the Indemnifying  Party),  and may settle the same without the consent of the
Indemnifying Party.

         (c)  In  the  event  an  Indemnified  Party  has  a  claim  against  an
Indemnifying  Party  hereunder  which does not  involve a claim  being  asserted
against or sought to be collected by a third party, the Indemnifying Party shall
give written  notice to the  Indemnified  Party within 15 days after  receipt of
notice from the Indemnified  Party  indicating  whether the  Indemnifying  Party
disputes such claim. If the  Indemnifying  Party does not notify the Indemnified
Party within such 15 day period that the Indemnifying Party disputes such claim,
the  amount  of such  claim  shall be  conclusively  deemed a  liability  of the
Indemnifying  Party hereunder.  In the event that the  Indemnifying  Party shall
object in writing to any claim made in accordance with this Section 8.3(c),  the
Indemnified  Party shall have 15 days to respond in a written  statement  to the
objection of the Indemnifying Party. If after such 15 day period there remains a
dispute as to any claims, the parties shall attempt in good faith for 30 days to
agree upon the rights of the  respective  parties  with  respect to each of such
claims.  If the  parties  should so  agree,  a  memorandum  setting  forth  such
agreement  shall be prepared and signed by both parties.  If the parties  cannot
agree  within such 30 day  period,  the parties  shall  jointly  select a single
arbitrator (the "Indemnification  Arbitrator"),  the selection of which will not
be unreasonably withheld by either party, who shall have substantial  experience
with  respect to the  substance  of the  matters  in dispute  and shall have the
authority  to hold  hearings  and to render a decision  in  accordance  with the
arbitration rules of the American Arbitration  Association.  The Indemnification
Arbitrator  shall settle any remaining  dispute by selecting the position of the
party that the Arbitrator  determines,  in its sole  discretion,  to be the most
correct. The determination of the Indemnification  Arbitrator shall be set forth
in  writing,  delivered  to each  of the  Buyer  and the  Seller  and  shall  be
conclusive  and binding on the parties  and shall be  non-appealable.  The party
whose  position is not chosen by the  Indemnification  Arbitrator  shall pay all
expenses of the Indemnification Arbitrator.

         8.4  Limitation.   Notwithstanding   the  above,  and  except  for  (i)
misrepresentations  and  breaches of  warranties  by the Seller  under  Sections
4.25(g)(iv) and (ii) Adverse  Consequences  resulting from or arising out of the
scheduled  items set forth on 4.10 or 4.19, the Seller shall not be liable under
this Section 8 (y) until the aggregate amount of Adverse Consequences in respect
of misrepresentations  and breaches of warranties to the Buyer exceeds $200,000,
and only to the extent of such  excess,  and (z) to the extent  that the Adverse
Consequences to the Buyer exceeds $10 million.

         8.5 Recoupment. The Buyer shall have the option of recouping all or any
part  of any  Adverse  Consequences  it may  suffer  (in  lieu  of  seeking  any
indemnification  to which it is entitled  under this Section 8) by notifying the
Seller  within 30 days from the end of the  applicable  Earn Out Period that the
Buyer is reducing the amount of any Contingent  Purchase Price otherwise payable
to the Seller. Any amount of the Contingent  Purchase Price not in dispute shall
be paid in  accordance  with Section 2.5. The written  notice shall  specify the
general,  factual  basis for such claim and the amount the  Contingent  Purchase
Price is to be reduced.  If the Seller has any objection to the  reduction,  the
Seller  shall  have 30 days to make  such  investigation  of the claim as Seller
deems  necessary or  desirable.  For the purposes of such  investigation,  Buyer
agrees  to make  available  to  Seller  or its  authorized  representatives  the
information relied upon by Buyer to substantiate the reduction. If the Buyer and
Seller do not agree within such 30 day period,  the matter shall be submitted to
arbitration in accordance with the arbitration rules of the American Arbitration
Association then in effect. Within such 30 day period, the parties shall jointly
select a single arbitrator (the "Recoupment Arbitrator"), the selection of which
will not be unreasonably  withheld by either party,  who shall have  substantial
experience  with  respect to the  substance  of the matters in dispute and shall
have the authority to hold hearings and to render a decision in accordance  with
the arbitration rules of the American  Arbitration  Association.  The Recoupment
Arbitrator  shall settle any remaining  dispute by selecting the position of the
party that the Arbitrator  determines,  in its sole  discretion,  to be the most
correct.  The  determination of the Recoupment  Arbitrator shall be set forth in
writing,  delivered to each of the Buyer and the Seller and shall be  conclusive
and binding on the parties and shall be non-appealable. The party whose position
is not  chosen  by the  Recoupment  Arbitrator  shall  pay all  expenses  of the
Recoupment  Arbitrator and interest accruing on the amount of reduction,  at the
rate of the regular commercial prime rate of interest of NationsBank N.A., which
NationsBank  N.A.  uses as a standard  for  determining  actual  interest  rates
charged  commercial  borrowers,  beginning on the date the  Contingent  Purchase
Price was otherwise due to be paid to the Seller.

9.       TAX MATTERS.

         The following  provisions shall govern the allocation of responsibility
as between  the Buyer and the Seller  for  certain  tax  matters  following  the
Closing Date:

         9.1 Section 338(h)(10)  Election.  The Seller agrees, if so directed by
the  Buyer,  to join with the Buyer in making an  election  under  Code  section
338(h)(10) (and any corresponding  elections under state,  local, or foreign tax
law)  (collectively,  a  "Section  338(h)(10)  Election")  with  respect  to the
purchase  and sale of the  Company  Shares.  The Seller  shall pay any "Tax" (as
defined in Section 4.10 above),  including  any liability of the Company for any
Tax resulting from application to it of applicable regulations,  attributable to
the making of the Section  338(h)(10)  Election and will indemnify the Buyer and
the Company against any Adverse  Consequences  arising out of any failure to pay
such Tax.  The  Seller  shall  also pay any  state,  local or  foreign  Tax (and
indemnify the Buyer and the Company against any Adverse consequences arising out
of any failure to pay such Tax)  attributable to an election under state,  local
or foreign law similar to the election available under Section 338(h)(10) of the
Code (or which results from the making of an election  under Section  338(h)(10)
of the Code) with respect to the purchase and sale of the Company hereunder.

         9.2 Tax Periods  Ending on or Before the Closing Date. The Seller shall
prepare or cause to be  prepared  and file or cause to be filed all Tax  Returns
for the Company for all periods  ending on or prior to the Closing Date that are
filed after the Closing  Date.  The Seller  shall permit the Buyer to review and
comment on each such Tax Return  described in the  preceding  sentence  prior to
filing. Seller shall pay any Taxes shown on any such Tax Returns.

         9.3 Allocation of Purchase Price. Within 15 days from the Closing Date,
the Buyer shall deliver to the Seller a draft  schedule  allocating the Purchase
Price and the liabilities of the Company among the assets of the Company for all
purposes  (including Tax and financial  accounting) in a manner  consistent with
the fair market values of such assets (the "Draft  Purchase Price  Allocation").
If the Seller has any  objection to the Draft  Purchase  Price  Allocation,  the
Seller shall deliver a detailed statement describing his objections to the Buyer
within 5 days after receiving the Draft Purchase Price Allocation. The Buyer and
the  Seller  will  use  reasonable   efforts  to  resolve  any  such  objections
themselves. If the Buyer and Seller do not finally resolve any of the objections
within 5 days after the Buyer has received the statement of objections, however,
the Buyer and the Seller will select,  within 5 days,  a  nationally  recognized
independent  accounting firm mutually acceptable to each party, the agreement to
the  selection  which shall not be  unreasonably  withheld,  to resolve any such
differences  (the  "Arbitrator").  The  Arbitrator  shall  settle any  remaining
dispute by selecting the position of the party that the  Arbitrator  determines,
in its  sole  discretion,  to be the  most  correct.  The  determination  of the
Arbitrator shall be set forth in writing, delivered to each of the Buyer and the
Seller  and  shall  be  conclusive  and  binding  on the  parties  and  shall be
non-appealable.  The party whose position is not chosen by the Arbitrator  shall
pay all expenses of the  Arbitrator.  The Draft  Purchase Price  Allocation,  as
adjusted  for any items of dispute  resolved by the Buyer and the Seller and for
any  determinations  of the Arbitrator shall be referred to herein as the "Final
Purchase  Price  Allocation."  The Buyer and the Seller will file and the Seller
will cause the Company to file all Tax Returns  (including  amended  returns and
claims for refund) and information reports in a manner consistent with the Final
Purchase Price Allocation.

         9.4 S Corporation  Status.  The Seller will not, and will not allow the
Company to, revoke the Company's election to be taxed as an S corporation within
the meaning of Code  sections  1361 and 1362.  The Seller will not, and will not
allow  the  Company  to,  take or allow  any  action  that  would  result in the
termination of the Company's status as a validly  existing S corporation  within
the meaning of Code sections 1361 and 1362.

         9.5 Tax Periods Beginning Before and Ending After the Closing Date. The
Buyer shall  prepare,  or cause to be prepared,  and file, or cause to be filed,
any Tax Returns of the Company  for Tax periods  which begin  before the Closing
Date and end after the Closing Date. The Buyer shall permit the Seller to review
and comment upon each such Tax Return described in the preceding  sentence prior
to filing.  The Seller shall pay to the Buyer within fifteen (15) days after the
date on which Taxes are paid with respect to such periods an amount equal to the
portion of such Taxes which relates to the portion of such Taxable period ending
on the Closing  Date to the extent such Taxes are not  reflected  in the reserve
for Tax Liability  (rather than any reserve for deferred  Taxes  established  to
reflect timing differences between book and Tax income) shown on the face of the
Closing Date Balance  Sheet.  For purposes of this  Section,  in the case of any
Taxes that are imposed on a periodic  basis and are payable for a Taxable period
that includes  (but does not end on) the Closing  Date,  the portion of such Tax
which  relates to the portion of such Taxable  period ending on the Closing Date
shall (x) in the case of any Taxes  other  than  Taxes  based upon or related to
income  or  receipts,  be deemed  to be the  amount  of such Tax for the  entire
Taxable period  multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of
days in the Taxable  period  ending on the Closing Date and the  denominator  of
which is the number of days in the entire  Taxable period and (y) in the case of
any Tax based  upon or  related  to income or  receipts  be deemed  equal to the
amount  which  would be  payable if the  relevant  Taxable  period  ended on the
Closing Date.  Any credits  relating to a Taxable  period that begins before and
ends after the Closing  Date shall be taken into  account as though the relevant
Taxable period ended on the Closing Date. All  determinations  necessary to give
effect to the foregoing  allocations  shall be made in a manner  consistent with
prior practice of the Company .

         9.6      Cooperation on Tax Matters.

                  (a) The Buyer and the Seller shall, and the Seller shall cause
the Company to,  cooperate fully, as and to the extent  reasonably  requested by
the other party, in connection  with the filing of Tax Returns  pursuant to this
Section and any audit,  litigation  or other  proceeding  with respect to Taxes.
Such  cooperation  shall  include  the  retention  and (upon  the other  party's
request) the provision of records and information which are reasonably  relevant
to any such audit, litigation or other proceeding and making employees available
on a mutually convenient basis to provide additional information and explanation
of any material  provided  hereunder.  The Seller agrees (i) to retain all books
and records with respect to Tax matters pertinent to the Company relating to any
taxable period beginning before the Closing Date (except those books and records
in the  custody  of  the  Company)  until  the  expiration  of  the  statute  of
limitations  (and, to the extent notified by Buyer,  any extensions  thereof) of
the respective taxable periods,  and to abide by all record retention agreements
entered into with any taxing  authority,  and (ii) to give the Buyer  reasonable
written  notice prior to  transferring,  destroying or discarding any such books
and records and, if the Buyer requests, the Seller shall allow the Buyer to take
possession of such books and records.

                  (b) Buyer and Seller further agree, upon request, to use their
best efforts to obtain any  certificate or other document from any  Governmental
Entity or any other Person as may be necessary to mitigate,  reduce or eliminate
any Tax that could be imposed  (including,  but not limited to, with  respect to
the transactions contemplated hereby).

                  (c) Buyer and Seller further agree,  upon request,  to provide
the other party with all information that either party may be required to report
pursuant to Section  6043 of the Code and all  Treasury  Department  Regulations
promulgated thereunder.


10.      TERMINATION AND MISCELLANEOUS.

         10.1     Termination  of  Agreement. This  Agreement may be terminated
at any time prior to the Closing  Date solely:
                  
                  (a) by mutual consent of the Buyer and the Seller; or

                  (b) by the  Seller  or by the Buyer if the  Closing  shall not
have occurred on or before March 15, 1998; provided,  however, that the right to
terminate  this Agreement  under this Section  10.1(b) shall not be available to
either party whose material misrepresentation,  breach of warranty or failure to
fulfill any  obligation  under this Agreement has been the cause of, or resulted
in, the failure of the Closing to occur on or before such date; or

                  (c) by the  Seller  or by the  Buyer if there is or has been a
material breach, failure to fulfill or default on the part of the other party of
any of the  representations  and warranties  contained  herein or in the due and
timely  performance  and  satisfaction  of any of the  covenants,  agreements or
conditions  contained herein, and the curing of such default shall not have been
made or shall not reasonably be expected to occur before the Closing Date; or

                  (d) by the  Seller or by the  Buyer if there  shall be a final
nonappealable   order  of  a  federal  or  state  court  in  effect   preventing
consummation  of the  Purchase;  or there  shall  be any  action  taken,  or any
statute,  rule,  regulation or order  enacted,  promulgated  or issued or deemed
applicable  to the  Purchase  by any  Governmental  Entity  which would make the
consummation of the Purchase illegal.

         10.2 Effect of  Termination.  In the event of the  termination  of this
Agreement  pursuant to Section 10.1, this Agreement shall forthwith become void,
and there shall be no liability or obligation on the part of any party hereto or
its officers, directors,  stockholders or members. Notwithstanding the foregoing
sentence,  (i) the provisions of this Section 10.2,  Sections  5.5(b) and 5.5(c)
(confidentiality)  and the other  provisions  of Section 10  (including  without
limitation  brokers  and  expenses),  shall  remain in full force and effect and
survive any termination of this  Agreement;  (ii) each party shall remain liable
for any  breach of this  Agreement  prior to its  termination;  and (iii) in the
event of termination of this Agreement  pursuant to Section 10.1(c) above,  then
notwithstanding  the provisions of Section 10.7 below, the breaching party shall
be liable to the other  party to the  extent of the  expenses  incurred  by such
other party in connection with this Agreement and the transactions  contemplated
hereby, as well as any damages in accordance with applicable law.

         10.3   Cooperation.   The  Seller   and  the  Buyer,   for  no  further
consideration,  shall each  deliver or cause to be delivered to the other on the
Closing  Date,  and either  before or after the Closing Date at such other times
and places as shall be reasonably agreed to, such additional  instruments as the
other may reasonably request for the purpose of carrying out this Agreement.  In
connection therewith,  if required,  the President or Chief Financial Officer of
the Company will execute any  documentation  reasonably  required by the Buyer's
independent  public  accountants (in connection with such accountant's  audit of
the Company) or the Nasdaq National Market. Without limitation of the foregoing,
the Seller will cooperate and use its reasonable  efforts to cause the Company's
present  officers,  directors and employees  cooperate with the Buyer before, on
and after the Closing Date in furnishing  information,  evidence,  testimony and
other assistance in connection with any, actions,  proceedings,  arrangements or
disputes of any nature with respect to matters  pertaining  to all periods prior
to the Closing Date and the Buyer will cooperate and use its reasonable  efforts
to cause its present officers, directors and employees cooperate with the Seller
before,  on and after the Closing Date in  furnishing  any such  information  to
employees  of the Seller  and/or the Company who will be  continuing  employment
with the Company after the sale,  regarding such continued  employment.  Without
limitation of the foregoing,  in connection with any securities  filing required
of the Buyer as a result of the Purchase,  (i) the Seller will cooperate and use
its reasonable efforts to assist the Buyer and the Company in the preparation of
audited and  unaudited (as required)  financial  statements  for the Company and
(ii) the Seller will use its reasonable  efforts to cause its accountants at the
Buyer's  sole cost and  expense,  to assist  the  Buyer and the  Company  in the
preparation of such financial statements.

         10.4  Successors  and  Assigns.  This  Agreement  and the rights of the
parties  hereunder may not be assigned (except by operation of law) and shall be
binding  upon  and  shall  inure  to the  benefit  of the  parties  hereto,  the
successors of the Buyer, and the heirs and legal representatives of the Seller.

         10.5 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (which includes the Schedules and
Exhibits hereto) sets forth the entire  understanding of the parties hereto with
respect  to the  transactions  contemplated  hereby.  It shall not be amended or
modified  except by a written  instrument  duly  executed by each of the parties
hereto. Any and all previous agreements and understandings  between or among the
parties  regarding  the subject  matter  hereof,  whether  written or oral,  are
superseded by this Agreement.

         10.6  Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may be  executed in any number of
counterparts  and any party  hereto may  execute any such  counterpart,  each of
which when executed and  delivered  shall be deemed to be an original and all of
which  counterparts  taken  together  shall  constitute  but one  and  the  same
instrument.  This Agreement  shall become binding when one or more  counterparts
taken together shall have been executed and delivered  (which  deliveries may be
by telefax) by the parties.

         10.7 Expenses.  The Buyer has paid and will pay the fees,  expenses and
disbursements  of the Buyer and its  agents,  representatives,  accountants  and
counsel  incurred in connection with the subject matter of this  Agreement.  The
Seller has paid and will pay the fees,  expenses and disbursements of the Seller
and  the  Company  and  their  agents,   representatives,   financial  advisors,
accountants  and counsel  incurred in connection with the subject matter of this
Agreement.

         10.8 Notices.  Any notice,  request,  claim, demand,  waiver,  consent,
approval or other  communication  which is required or permitted hereunder shall
be in  writing  and shall be deemed  given if  delivered  personally  or sent by
telefax (with confirmation of receipt), by registered or certified mail, postage
prepaid, or by recognized courier service, as follows:

                                    If to the Buyer, to:

                                    Advanced Communication Systems, Inc.
                                    10089 Lee Highway
                                    Fairfax, Virginia  22030
                                    Attn:  Dev Ganesan, Chief Financial Officer
                                    Fax No.:  (703) 385-8684

                                    with a required copy to:

                                    Venable, Baetjer, Howard and Civiletti, LLP
                                    1201 New York Avenue, Suite 1000
                                    Washington, DC  20005
                                    Attn:  Wallace E. Christner, Esq.
                                    Fax No.:  (202) 962-8300

                                    If to the Seller, to:

                                    John Lin
                                    10721 Falls Pointe Drive
                                    Great Falls, Virginia  22066
                                    Fax No.  (703) 759-6145

                                    with a required copy to:

                                    Jenner & Block
                                    601 Thirteenth Street, N.W.
                                    12th Floor
                                    Washington, DC  20005
                                    Attn: Leslie H. Lepow, Esq.
                                    Fax No.:  (202) 639-6066


or to such other  address  as the person to whom  notice is to be given may have
specified in a notice duly given to the sender as provided herein.  Such notice,
request, claim, demand, waiver,  consent,  approval or other communication shall
be deemed to have been given as of the date so delivered,  telefaxed,  mailed or
dispatched  and, if given by any other  means,  shall be deemed  given only when
actually received by the addressees.

         10.9 Governing Law. This Agreement  shall be governed by and construed,
interpreted  and enforced in  accordance  with the laws of the  Commonwealth  of
Virginia, without regard to conflicts of laws provisions.

         10.10  Severability.   If  any  provision  of  this  Agreement  or  the
application   thereof  to  any  person  or  circumstances  is  held  invalid  or
unenforceable in any jurisdiction,  the remainder hereof, and the application of
such provision to such person or circumstances in any jurisdiction, shall not be
affected  thereby,  and to this end the  provisions of this  Agreement  shall be
severable.  The  preceding  sentence  is in  addition to and not in place of the
severability provisions in Section 6.4(d).

         10.11 Absence of Third-Party  Beneficiary  Rights. No provision of this
Agreement  is  intended,  nor will be  interpreted,  to provide or to create any
third-party  beneficiary  rights or any other  rights of any kind in any client,
customer, affiliate,  stockholder, member, employee, partner of any party hereto
or any other person or entity.

         10.12 Mutual  Drafting.  This  Agreement  is the mutual  product of the
parties  hereto,  and each  provision  hereof  has been  subject  to the  mutual
consultation, negotiation and agreement of each of the parties, and shall not be
construed for or against any party hereto.

         10.13   Further   Representations.   Each   party  to  this   Agreement
acknowledges  and  represents  that it has  been  represented  by its own  legal
counsel in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, with
the  opportunity  to seek advice as to its legal rights from such counsel.  Each
party further  represents that it is being  independently  advised as to the tax
consequences  of the  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement  and is not
relying on any  representation  or statements made by the other party as to such
tax consequences.

         10.14 Amendment;  Waiver.  This Agreement may be amended by the parties
hereto at any time prior to the Closing by execution of an instrument in writing
signed on behalf of each of the parties  hereto.  Any extension or waiver by any
party of any provision  hereto shall be valid only if set forth in an instrument
in writing signed on behalf of such party.

         10.15 Public Disclosure. Prior to the Closing Date, no party shall make
any disclosure  (whether or not in response to an inquiry) of the subject matter
of this  Agreement  unless  previously  approved  by the Buyer and the Seller in
writing. Each party agrees to keep the others apprised in advance of any planned
disclosure of the subject matter of this Agreement.




<PAGE>


         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on
this __ day of ______, 1998.

                      ADVANCED COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, INC.



                    By:_____________________________________
                              George A. Robinson
                       President and Chief Executive Officer




                      -----------------------------------------
                                   John Lin




Exhibit 10.2


                  CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated as of February 17, 1998, among:

(a)  ADVANCED  COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, INC., INTEGRATED SYSTEMS CONTROL,
     INC. and RF MICROSYSTEMS, INC. (together with any other Person that has 
     become a borrower hereto as provided  herein, collectively, the "Borrowers"
     and individually, each a "Borrower");

(b)  the banks and other financial institutions from time to time parties to 
     this Agreement (the "Lenders"); and

(c)  NATIONSBANK, N.A., as agent (in such capacity, the "Agent") for the Lenders
     hereunder.

                                   WITNESSETH:

                  WHEREAS,  the Borrowers  have  requested that the Lenders make
available  to them  revolving  credit  facilities  of up to  $35,000,000  in the
aggregate  upon the terms,  and subject to the  conditions,  set forth herein to
finance  future  acquisitions,  provide  ongoing  working  capital and for other
general corporate purposes permitted by this Agreement;

                WHEREAS,  the Agent and the Lenders are willing to provide  such
financing to the Borrowers only upon the terms and subject to the conditions set
forth herein;

                NOW, THEREFORE,  in consideration of the premises and the mutual
covenants contained herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

         SECTION 1.  DEFINITIONS

1.1.     Defined Terms.  As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall 
have the following meanings:

         "Acquired Business":  any Person, or a business unit or other asset 
group of a Person,  that has been acquired by ACS Inc. or its  Subsidiaries in a
manner permitted hereunder.

         "Additional Borrower": as defined in subsection 7.12(c).

         "ACS Inc." Advanced Communication Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation
of  which  each  other  Borrower  is  directly  or  indirectly  a  wholly  owned
Subsidiary.

         "Affiliate":  as to any Person, any other Person (other than a 
Subsidiary) which,  directly or indirectly,  is in control of, is controlled by,
or is under common control with, such Person.  For purposes of this  definition,
"control" of a Person means the power, directly or indirectly, either to

<PAGE>


         (a) vote 5% or more of the securities  having ordinary voting power for
the election of directors of such Person or (b) direct or cause the direction of
the management and policies of such Person, whether by contract or otherwise.

         "Agent":  as defined in the preamble to this Agreement.


         "Aggregate Outstanding Extensions of Credit":  as to any Lender, at any
time, its Facility A Aggregate  Extensions of Credit or its Facility B Aggregate
Extensions of Credit, as the context may require.

         "Agreement":  this Credit Agreement, as amended, supplemented or 
otherwise modified from time to time.

         "Applicable Margin":  for each Type of Loan outstanding under each 
Facility,  the rate per annum set forth below  opposite the  quarterly  ratio of
Borrowers' (a) Debt to (b) EBITDA:

(a)      for Facility A:

Debt/EBITDA                            Prime                        Eurodollar
greater than 3.50                        0%                           2.20%
                                         0%                           2.00%
3.50 but greater than 2.50
                                         0%                           1.65%
less than 2.50 but greater than 2.00
less than 2.00                           0%                           1.25%


(b)      for Facility B:

Debt/EBITDA                            Prime                        Eurodollar
greater than 3.50                        0%                           2.45%
                                         0%                           2.25%
less than 3.50 greater than 2.50
less than 2.50 greater than 2.00         0%                           1.90%

less than 2.00                           0%                           1.50%



         The Applicable  Margin shall,  in each case, be determined and adjusted
quarterly  on the  date  that  is the  first  (1st)  Business  Day of the  month
immediately  following the date by which the  Borrowers' are required to provide
quarterly financial  information in accordance with the provisions of subsection
7.1(b) (each, an "Interest  Determination Date") provided that in the event that
the financial  statements required to be delivered pursuant to subsection 7.1(b)
and the related certificates required pursuant to 7.2 (b) are not delivered when
due, then, during the period from the date upon which such financial  statements
are required to be delivered  until one (1) Business Day following the date upon
which they actually are delivered, the highest rate shall be determined to be in
effect for the purposes of  determining  Applicable  Margins during such period.
Such Applicable Margins shall be effective from such Interest Determination Date
until the next such Interest Determination Date.  Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the  initial  Applicable  Margin  shall  be  determined  as if the  ratio of the
Borrowers' (a) Debt to (b) EBITDA is greater than 3.50.


         "Application":  an application, in such form as the relevant Issuing 
Bank may  specify  from time to time,  requesting  such  Issuing  Bank to open a
Letter of Credit.

         "Assignee":  as defined in subsection 11.8(c).


         "Available  Facility A  Commitment":  as to any Lender at any time,  an
amount  equal  to the  excess,  if any,  of (a) the  lesser  of (i)  Facility  A
Commitment  and (ii) the Lender's  Facility A Commitment  Percentage of the Loan
Value minus (b) the  Facility A Aggregate  Outstanding  Extensions  of Credit of
such Lender.


         "Available Facility B Commitment":  as to any Lender at any time, an 
amount  equal to the excess,  if any,  of the  Facility B  Commitment  minus the
Facility B Aggregate Outstanding Extensions of Credit of such Lender.

         "Bank Default": means (i) the refusal (which has not been retracted) of
a Lender to make available an amount equal to its Lender's Commitment Percentage
of any borrowing or its Lender's Commitment  Percentage of any L/C Participation
or (ii) a Lender having notified the Agent and or the Borrowers that such Lender
does not  intend to comply  with the  obligations  under  subsections  2.1(a) or
2.1(b),  in the case of either  (i) or (ii) above  including  as a result of the
appointment  of a receiver  or  conservator  with  respect to such Lender at the
direction or request of any regulatory agency or authority.

         "Borrowing Base Certificate":  a certificate in form and substance 
similar to the form of  Exhibit E hereto,  duly  completed  and  certified  by a
Responsible Officer of ACS Inc.

         "Business":  as defined in subsection 5.16(a).

         "Business  Day":  a day other than a  Saturday,  Sunday or other day on
which commercial  banks in Charlotte,  North Carolina are authorized or required
by law to close;  provided that, with respect to matters  relating to Eurodollar
Loans, the term "Business Day" shall mean a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or
other  day on which  commercial  banks in  London,  England  are  authorized  or
required by law to close.


         "Capital Stock":  any and all shares, interests, participations or 
other equivalents  (however  designated) of capital stock of a corporation,  any
and all  equivalent  ownership  interests in a Person (other than a corporation)
and any and all warrants or options to purchase any of the foregoing.

         "Cash Equivalents":  (a) securities with maturities of one (1) year or 
less from the date of acquisition  issued or fully  guaranteed or insured by the
United States Government or any agency thereof,  (b) certificates of deposit and
eurodollar time deposits with maturities of one (1) year or
<PAGE>



less from the date of  acquisition  and overnight bank deposits of any Lender or
of any commercial bank having capital and surplus in excess of $500,000,000, (c)
repurchase  obligations  of any Lender or of any  commercial  bank or investment
bank satisfying the requirements of clause (b) of this definition, having a term
of not more than thirty  (30) days with  respect to  securities  issued or fully
guaranteed or insured by the United States Government or any agency thereof, (d)
commercial  paper issued in the United States which is rated at least A-2 by S&P
or P-2 by Moody's,  (e) securities  with maturities of one (1) year or less from
the date of acquisition issued or fully guaranteed by any state, commonwealth or
territory of the United States, by any political subdivision or taxing authority
of any such state,  commonwealth or territory or by any foreign government,  the
securities  of which  state,  commonwealth,  territory,  political  subdivision,
taxing  authority  or  foreign  government  are  rated at least A by S&P or A by
Moody's, (f) securities with maturities of one (1) year or less from the date of
acquisition  backed by  standby  letters  of credit  issued by any Lender or any
commercial bank satisfying the  requirements of clause (b) of this definition or
(g) shares of money market  mutual or similar  funds which invest  substantially
exclusively in assets  satisfying the requirements of clauses (a) through (f) of
this definition.

         "Change in  Control":  (a) the  failure of ACS Inc. to continue to own,
directly or indirectly, free and clear of all Liens except for Liens in favor of
the Agent, one hundred percent (100%) of the Capital Stock of the  Subsidiaries,
(b) prior to the date of the next  public  offering  by ACS Inc.  of its Capital
Stock  providing  ACS Inc. with gross  proceeds of not less than twenty  million
dollars  ($20,000,000) to occur after the date hereof,  the failure of George A.
Robinson,  Charles G.  Martinache  and Thomas A.  Costello  to  continue to own,
directly or indirectly, free and clear of all Liens except for Liens in favor of
the Agent,  thirty  percent (30%) or more of the issued and  outstanding  voting
shares of ACS Inc.  and (c) on any date  after  such  public  offering,  (i) any
Person shall have acquired beneficial  ownership of twenty percent (20%) or more
of any outstanding Capital Stock having ordinary voting power in the election of
directors  of ACS Inc.  or (ii) the  Board of  Directors  of ACS Inc.  shall not
consist of a majority of Continuing Directors.


         "Closing Date":  the date on which the conditions precedent set forth 
in subsection 6.1 shall be satisfied but in any event no later than February 28,
1998.

         "Code": the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to 
time.

         "Collateral": all assets of the Loan Parties (including but not limited
to the following  tangible and intangible assets of each Borrower and any of its
Subsidiaries:  accounts  receivable,  chattel  paper,  inventory,  fixed assets,
equipment,  investments  and  general  intangibles),  now  owned or  hereinafter
acquired, upon which a Lien is purported to be created by any Security Document.

         "Commercial Letter of Credit":  as defined in subsection 3.1(b)(i)(B).


         "Commitment":  as to any Lender, its Facility A Commitment or its 
Facility  B  Commitment,   as  the  context  shall  require;   collectively  the
"Commitments".



<PAGE>



         "Commitment Percentage":  as to any Lender at any time, its Facility A
Commitment  Percentage or its Facility B Commitment  Percentage,  as the context
shall require.

         "Commitment Period":  the Facility A Commitment Period or the Facility 
B Commitment Period, as the context shall require.

         "Commonly  Controlled Entity": an entity,  whether or not incorporated,
which is under common  control  with any Borrower  within the meaning of Section
4001 of ERISA or is part of a group which  includes  any  Borrower  and which is
treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.

         "Consolidated   Charges":  for  any  fiscal  period,  the  sum  of  the
following,  determined on a consolidated  basis in accordance with GAAP: (a) the
amount of interest  expense,  both expensed and capitalized,  for such period on
the aggregate principal amount of the consolidated  Indebtedness of ACS Inc. and
its Subsidiaries owed with respect to such Indebtedness  during such period plus
(b) the amount of scheduled  principal payments of Indebtedness of such ACS Inc.
and its  Subsidiaries  for such  period  plus (c) the  amount of the  Facility B
Aggregate Amount of Outstanding  Extensions of Credit for such period divided by
six plus (d) the aggregate  amount of cash dividends,  payments or distributions
made with respect to the Capital Stock of ACS Inc. and its Subsidiaries.


         "Consolidated Net Income" or "Consolidated Net Loss":  for any fiscal
period,  the amount which, in conformity with GAAP,  would be set forth opposite
the  caption  "net  income"  (or any like  caption)  or "net  loss" (or any like
caption),  as the case may be, on a  consolidated  statement  of earnings of ACS
Inc. and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal period.

         "Consolidated Net Worth": for any fiscal period, the sum of (a) Capital
Stock and  additional  paid-in  capital  plus (b)  retained  earnings  (or minus
accumulated  deficits)  of  ACS  Inc.  and  its  Subsidiaries  determined  on  a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

         "Continuing Directors": the directors of ACS Inc. on the date hereof 
and each other director, if such director's nomination for election to the Board
of Directors is recommended by a majority of the then Continuing Directors.

         "Contractual Obligation":  as to any Person, any provision of any 
security  issued  by  such  Person  or of any  agreement,  instrument  or  other
undertaking  to  which  such  Person  is a party  or by  which  it or any of its
property is bound.

         "Debt":  of any  Person,  at any  date,  without  duplication,  (a) all
indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money, (b) the deferred  purchase price
of property or services  (other than current trade  liabilities  incurred in the
ordinary course of business and payable in accordance with customary practices),
(c) any other indebtedness of such Person which is evidenced by a note,

<PAGE>



         bond, debenture or similar instrument,  and (d) all Indebtedness of the
types referred to in clauses (a) through (c) above which is guaranteed  directly
or indirectly by such Person.

         "Default":  any of the events specified in Section 9, whether or not 
any  requirement  for the giving of notice,  the lapse of time,  or both, or any
other condition, has been satisfied.

         "Defaulting Lender":  any Lender with respect to which a Bank Default 
is in effect.

         "Deferred Purchase  Consideration":  with respect to the Acquisition of
any Acquired Business, the amount contractually agreed by any Borrower or one of
its  Subsidiaries to be paid to the sellers of such Acquired  Business after the
closing  of  the  acquisition  thereof,  provided  that  all  Deferred  Purchase
Consideration  (other than any such Deferred Purchase  Consideration paid by ACS
Inc.  and its  Subsidiaries  pursuant  to ACS  Inc.'s  acquisition  of  Advanced
Management,  Inc.) shall be  subordinated to the obligations of the Loan Parties
hereunder  on  terms  and  pursuant  to  documentation  containing  other  terms
(including interest, amortization,  covenants and events of default) in form and
substance  satisfactory to the Agent. Deferred Purchase  Consideration shall not
include  purchase  price  adjustments  based on net working  capital or net book
value  required or permitted to be made within six months of the  acquisition of
an Acquired Business by the agreements governing such acquisition.


         "Dollars" and "$": dollars in lawful currency of the United States of 
America.

         "Domestic Subsidiary": any Subsidiary of a Borrower organized under 
the laws of any jurisdiction within the United States.

         "EBIDA":  for any fiscal period, for any Person, the Consolidated Net 
Income or  Consolidated  Net Loss,  as the case may be, for such fiscal  period,
after excluding  therefrom  amounts included therein on account of extraordinary
gain  and  restoring  thereto  (a)  depreciation  and  amortization   (including
write-offs or write-downs of amortizable and depreciable  items), (b) the amount
of  interest  expense of such  Person,  determined  on a  consolidated  basis in
accordance with GAAP, for such period on the aggregate  principal  amount of its
consolidated  Indebtedness  and (c)  with  respect  to any  fiscal  period  from
September  30,  1997  until  and  including   September  30,  1998,  the  amount
attributable to RF  Microsystems,  Inc., which in conformity with GAAP, would be
set forth  opposite the caption  "acquired in process  research and  development
cost" (or any like caption) on the  consolidating  income  statement of ACS Inc.
for such period.

"EBITDA":  for any fiscal period for any Person,  the Consolidated Net Income or
Consolidated  Net  Loss,  as the case  may be,  for such  fiscal  period,  after
excluding  therefrom  amounts included therein on account of extraordinary  gain
and restoring thereto (a) depreciation and amortization (including write-offs or
write-downs of amortizable  and depreciable  items),  (b) the amount of interest
expense of such Person,  determined on a consolidated  basis in accordance  with
GAAP,  for such period on the  aggregate  principal  amount of its  consolidated
Indebtedness,  (c) the amount of tax  expense of such  Person,  determined  on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, for such period and (d) with respect
to any fiscal period from September 30, 1997

<PAGE>


until  and  including   September  30,  1998,  the  amount  attributable  to  RF
Microsystems,  Inc.,  which in conformity with GAAP, would be set forth opposite
the caption  "acquired in process  research and  development  cost" (or any like
caption) on the consolidating income statement of ACS Inc. for such period.

         "Eligible Receivables": means any Receivables owned by the Borrowers or
any  Subsidiaries  free and clear of all Liens  (other than the Liens  permitted
herein and Liens in favor of the Agent securing the Secured  Obligations)  other
than the following:

         (a)      Receivables that do not arise out of sales of goods or 
rendering  of services in the  ordinary  course of the business of a Borrower or
its Subsidiaries;

         (b)  Receivables  on terms other than those  normal or  customary  in a
Borrower's business;

         (c)      Receivables owing from any Person that is an Affiliate of a
Borrower;

         (d) Receivables more than ninety (90) days past original invoice date;

         (e)  Receivables  owing  from any Person  other than the United  States
Government or any department, agency or instrumentality or agents thereof or any
state or local government or ant department,  agency or instrumentality or agent
thereof from which an aggregate  amount of more than fifty  percent (50%) of the
Receivables  owing from such Person are more than ninety (90) days past original
invoice date;

         (f)  Receivables  owing from any Person  that has  asserted  any claim,
demand  or  liability,  by  action,  suit,  counterclaim  or other  judicial  or
arbitrable proceeding with respect to such Receivable;

         (g)  Receivables  owing from any Person that shall have taken or be the
subject of any action or proceeding of a type described in subsection 9(f);

         (h) Receivables (i) owing from any Person (other than the United States
Government or any department,  agency or instrumentality thereof) that is also a
supplier to or  creditor of a Borrower  (to the extent such Person has any right
of setoff but only to the extent of such  setoff)  unless such Person has waived
any right of set-off in a manner  acceptable to the Lenders or (ii) representing
any manufacturer's or supplier's credits, discounts,  incentive plans or similar
arrangements entitling a Borrower to discounts on future purchase therefrom;

         (i)  Receivables  arising out of sales to account  debtors  outside the
United  States  other than  those  Receivables  arising  out of sales to account
debtors  approved  by the  Agent in its sole  discretion  and other  than  those
Receivables  backed  by a letter of credit  issued  by a  financial  institution
organized under the laws of the United States which is rated at least A-2 by S&P
or P-2 by

<PAGE>


Moody's or other credit support otherwise satisfactory in form and substance
satisfactory to the Agent;

         (j)  Receivables  arising out of sales on a  bill-and-hold,  guaranteed
sale,  sale-or-return,  sale on approval or consignment  basis or subject to any
right of return,  set-off or  charge-back to the extent of such right of return,
set-off or charge-back;

         (k)  Receivables  in respect  of which the  Security  Agreement,  after
giving effect to the related filings of financing statements that have then been
made,  if any,  does not or has  ceased to create a valid  and  perfected  first
priority lien or security interest in favor of the Lenders,  as secured parties,
securing the Secured  Obligations  or as to which any other Lien  exists,  other
than liens permitted herein;

         (l)  Receivables  due in a currency other than U.S.  dollars other than
those non-U.S.  dollar Receivables approved by the Agent in its sole discretion;
and

         (m)  Receivables  determined  in  whole  or in part by the  Agent to be
unacceptable,  doubtful  or  impaired in  accordance  with the Agent's  standard
practices for the evaluation of Receivables.

         The  value of such  Eligible  Receivables  shall be  their  book  value
determined  in  accordance  with GAAP unless valued at a lower value as provided
above.


         "Environmental  Laws": as may be applicable to any Borrower or any Loan
Party,  any and all foreign,  Federal,  state,  local or municipal laws,  rules,
orders, regulations,  statutes, ordinances, codes, decrees or other Requirements
of Law  regulating,  relating to or imposing  liability  or standards of conduct
concerning pollution or protection of the environment  (including  protection of
human health from environmental hazards), as now or may at any time hereafter be
in effect.


         "ERISA": the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as 
amended from time to time.


         "Eurocurrency  Reserve  Requirements":  for  any  day as  applied  to a
Eurodollar Loan, the aggregate (without  duplication) of the rates (expressed as
a decimal  fraction) of reserve  requirements  in effect on such day (including,
without limitation,  basic, supplemental,  marginal and emergency reserves under
any regulations of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or other
Governmental  Authority having  jurisdiction  with respect thereto) dealing with
reserve requirements  prescribed for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to
as  "Eurocurrency  Liabilities"  in Regulation D of such Board)  maintained by a
member bank of such System.


         "Eurodollar  Base Rate":  with respect to any  Eurodollar  Loan for any
Interest Period, the rate per annum determined by the Agent to be the average of
the respective  rates per annum posted by each of the principal London office of
banks posting rates as displayed on the Telerate screen, page 3750 or such other
page as may replace such page on such service for the purpose of

<PAGE>



         displaying  the  London  interbank  offered  rate of  major  banks  for
deposits  in US  dollars  at  approximately  11:00  A.M.  (London  Time) two (2)
Business Days prior to the beginning of such  Interest  Period,  as specified in
the Notice of Borrowing  (and rounded,  if  necessary,  upward to the next whole
multiple of 1/16 of 1%);  provided  that,  to the extent an interest rate is not
ascertainable  pursuant to the  foregoing  provisions  of this  definition,  the
"Eurodollar  Base Rate" shall be the interest  rate per annum  determined by the
Agent to be the average  (rounded,  if  necessary,  upward to the nearest  whole
multiple of 1/16 of 1% per annum, if such average is not such a multiple) of the
rates per annum at which  deposits  in Dollars  are  offered  for such  relevant
Interest Period to major banks in the London interbank market in London, England
by such other major banks in the London interbank  market in London,  England at
approximately  11:00 a.m.  (London  time) on the date which is two (2)  Business
Days prior to the beginning of such Interest Period.


         "Eurodollar Loans": Loans the rate of interest applicable to which is 
based upon the Eurodollar Rate.

         "Eurodollar Rate": with respect to each day during each Interest Period
pertaining  to a Eurodollar  Loan, a rate per annum  determined  for such day in
accordance  with the following  formula  (rounded,  if necessary,  upward to the
nearest whole multiple of 1/16th of 1%).
                              Eurodollar Base Rate
       -------------------------------------------------------------------
                    1.00 - Eurocurrency Reserve Requirements


         "Event of Default": any of the events specified in Section 9, provided
that any  requirement  for the giving of notice,  the lapse of time, or both, or
any other condition, has been satisfied.

         "Facility": Facility A or Facility B, as the context shall require.

         "Facility A": the revolving credit facility provided for in Section 2 
hereof.

         "Facility  A Aggregate  Outstanding  Extensions  of Credit":  as to any
Lender at any time,  an amount equal to the sum of (a) the  aggregate  principal
amount of all Facility A Loans made by such Lender then outstanding and (b) such
Lender's  Commitment  Percentage of the aggregate  amount of all L/C Obligations
then outstanding.


         "Facility A  Commitment":  as to any  Lender,  the  obligation  of such
Lender to make Loans to the Borrowers hereunder in an aggregate principal amount
not to exceed the amount set forth  opposite  such Lender's name on Schedule II;
as the same may be reduced from time to time pursuant to subsection  4.4 and 4.5
as to all Lenders collectively, the "Facility A Commitments."


         "Facility A Fee": a fee of .25% of the average daily unused portion of
Facility A from the Closing Date until the Maturity Date.



<PAGE>



         "Facility A Commitment  Percentage":  as to any Lender at any date, the
percentage  which such Lender's  Facility A Commitment  then  constitutes of the
aggregate  Facility  A  Commitments  or,  at  any  time  after  the  Facility  A
Commitments shall have expired or terminated,  the percentage which the Facility
A Aggregate Outstanding  Extensions of Credit of such Lender then constitutes of
the Facility A Aggregate Outstanding Extensions of Credit of all Lenders.


         "Facility A Commitment Period": the period from and including the date
hereof but not  including  the  Maturity  Date or such earlier date on which the
Facility A Commitments shall terminate as provided herein.

         "Facility A Loans": as defined in subsection 2.1(a).


         "Facility A Note": as defined in subsection 4.1(e).


         "Facility B": the revolving credit facility provided for in Section 2 
hereof.

         "Facility B Aggregate Outstanding Extensions of Credit": as to any
Lender at any time, an amount equal to the sum of the aggregate principal amount
of all Facility B Loans made by such Lender then outstanding.

         "Facility B  Commitment":  as to any  Lender,  the  obligation  of such
Lender to make Loans to the Borrowers hereunder in an aggregate principal amount
not to exceed the amount set forth  opposite  such Lender's name on Schedule II;
as the same may be reduced from time to time pursuant to subsection 4.4 and 4.5;
as to all Lenders collectively, the "Facility B Commitments."


         "Facility B Fee": a fee of .35% of the principal amount of each Loan
made under Facility  B.

         "Facility B Commitment  Percentage":  as to any Lender at any date, the
percentage  which such Lender's  Facility B Commitment  then  constitutes of the
aggregate  Facility  B  Commitments  or,  at  any  time  after  the  Facility  B
Commitments shall have expired or terminated,  the percentage which the Facility
B Aggregate Outstanding  Extensions of Credit of such Lender then constitutes of
the Facility B Aggregate Outstanding Extensions of Credit of all Lenders.


         "Facility B Commitment Period": the period from and including the date
hereof but not  including  the  Maturity  Date or such earlier date on which the
Facility B Commitments shall terminate as provided herein.

         "Facility B Loans": as defined in subsection 2.1(b).


         "Facility B Notes": as defined in subsection 4.1(e).


         "Facility Fees":  as provided for in subsection 4.2.




<PAGE>



         "Federal Funds Effective  Rate":  for any day, the weighted  average of
the rates on overnight  Federal funds  transactions  with members of the Federal
Reserve  System  arranged by Federal  funds  brokers,  as  published on the next
succeeding  Business Day by the Federal  Reserve  Bank of New York,  or, if such
rate is not so published for any day which is a Business Day, the average of the
quotations  for the day of such  transactions  received  by the Agent from three
Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.


         "Financing Lease":  any lease of property, real or personal, the 
obligations  of the lessee in respect of which are required in  accordance  with
GAAP to be capitalized on a balance sheet of the lessee.

         "Foreign Subsidiary": any Subsidiary of a Borrower organized under the 
laws of any jurisdiction outside the United States of America.

         "GAAP": generally accepted accounting principles in the United States
of America as in effect from time to time.

         "Government Contract":  as defined in the Security Agreement.


         "Government Receivables":  all Receivables arising under any Government
Contract.


         "Governmental Authority": any nation or government, any state or other
political subdivision thereof and any entity exercising executive,  legislative,
judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government.

         "Guarantee Obligation": as to any Person (the "guaranteeing person"), 
any obligation of (a) the guaranteeing  person or (b) another Person (including,
without limitation,  any bank under any letter of credit) to induce the creation
of which the guaranteeing  person has issued a reimbursement,  counter indemnity
or similar obligation, in either case guaranteeing or in effect guaranteeing any
Indebtedness, leases, dividends or other obligations (the "primary obligations")
of any other  third  Person  (the  "primary  obligor")  in any  manner,  whether
directly or indirectly,  including,  without  limitation,  any obligation of the
guaranteeing  person  incurred  for the  purpose of  providing  credit  support,
whether or not  contingent,  (i) to purchase any such primary  obligation or any
property  constituting direct or indirect security therefor,  (ii) to advance or
supply funds (1) for the purchase or payment of any such primary  obligation  or
(2) to maintain  working  capital or equity  capital of the  primary  obligor or
otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency of the primary obligor, (iii) to
purchase property,  securities or services primarily for the purpose of assuring
the owner of any such primary  obligation of the ability of the primary  obligor
to make payment of such primary  obligation or (iv)  otherwise to assure or hold
harmless  the  owner of any such  primary  obligation  against  loss in  respect
thereof, provided, however, that the term Guarantee Obligation shall not include
endorsements  of instruments for deposit or collection in the ordinary course of
business and  guarantees by any Borrower or any  Subsidiary of  obligations of a
Borrower or a Subsidiary  to  suppliers,  licensers or lessors to the extent the
underlying  obligation  is  incurred  in the  ordinary  course of  business  and
otherwise permitted hereunder. The amount of any Guarantee  Obligation of any
<PAGE>



guaranteeing  person  shall be deemed to be the lower of (a) an amount  equal to
the stated or determinable  amount of the primary obligation in respect of which
such  Guarantee  Obligation  is made and (b) the  maximum  amount for which such
guaranteeing  person  may be  liable  pursuant  to the  terms of the  instrument
embodying  such  Guarantee  Obligation,  unless such primary  obligation and the
maximum amount for which such  guaranteeing  person may be liable are not stated
or determinable,  in which case the amount of such Guarantee Obligation shall be
such guaranteeing  person's maximum reasonably  anticipated liability in respect
thereof as determined by the Agent in good faith.

         "Indebtedness":  of any Person, at any date, without  duplication,  (a)
all  indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money,  (b) the deferred  purchase
price of property or services (other than current trade liabilities  incurred in
the  ordinary  course of  business  and  payable in  accordance  with  customary
practices),  (c) any other  indebtedness  of such Person which is evidenced by a
note, bond, debenture or similar instrument,  (d) all obligations of such Person
under Financing Leases, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of letters
of credit  and  acceptances  and  letters of credit  issued or  created  for the
account of such Person (including  without limitation all issued and outstanding
Letters of  Credit),  (f) all  liabilities  secured by any Lien on any  property
owned by such Person even though such Person has not assumed or otherwise become
liable for the payment thereof, (g) all Indebtedness of the types referred to in
clauses (a) through (f) above which is guaranteed directly or indirectly by such
Person.

         "Insolvency": with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the condition
that such Plan is insolvent within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA.

         "Insolvent": pertaining to a condition of Insolvency.


         "Interest Payment Date": as to any Loan, the last Business Day of each 
month.

         "Interest Period":  with respect to any Eurodollar Loan: (a) initially,
the period  commencing on the borrowing or conversion  date, as the case may be,
with  respect  to such  Eurodollar  Loan and  ending  one,  two or three  months
thereafter,  as selected by a Borrower in its notice of  borrowing  or notice of
conversion,  as the case may be, given with respect  thereto and (b) thereafter,
each period  commencing on the last day of the next  preceding  Interest  Period
applicable  to  such  Eurodollar  Loan  and  ending  one,  two or  three  months
thereafter,  as selected by a Borrower in a Notice of Borrowing delivered to the
Agent by 10:00 A.M.,  Charlotte,  North  Carolina  time, not less than three (3)
Business  Days prior to the last day of the then  current  Interest  Period with
respect thereto;


provided that, all of the foregoing provisions relating to Interest Periods are 
subject to the following:

                  (1) if any Interest  Period  pertaining  to a Eurodollar  Loan
         would  otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day, such Interest
         Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless the
         result of such extension would be to carry such

<PAGE>

                  Interest  Period into  another  calendar  month in which event
         such Interest  Period shall end on the immediately  preceding  Business
         Day;


                         (2) any  Interest  Period that would  otherwise  extend
            beyond the Maturity Date shall end on the Maturity Date or such date
            of final payment, as the case may be;


                         (3) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Loan
            that begins on the last  Business  Day of a calendar  month (or on a
            day for  which  there  is no  numerically  corresponding  day in the
            calendar month at the end of such Interest  Period) shall end on the
            last Business Day of a calendar month.


                         (4) the Borrowers shall select  Interest  Periods so as
            not to require a payment or prepayment of any Eurodollar Loan during
            an Interest Period for such Loan.


         "Issuing Bank": with respect to any Letter of Credit, NationsBank, N.A.
(or any  affiliate  thereof)  upon its  agreement to serve in such capacity with
respect to such Letter of Credit.

         "Joinder Agreement": the Joinder Agreement to be executed and delivered
by each  Person  that,  subsequent  to the  Closing  Date,  becomes  a  Domestic
Subsidiary,  substantially in the form of Exhibit D, as the same may be amended,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

         "L/C Collateral Account": the "Collateral Account", as defined in the 
Security Agreement.

         "L/C Commitment": $1,000,000.

         "L/C Fee Payment Date": the last Business Day of each June, September, 
December and March.

         "L/C  Obligations":  at any time, an amount equal to the sum of (a) the
aggregate then undrawn and unexpired amount of the then  outstanding  Letters of
Credit and (b) the  aggregate  amount of drawings  under Letters of Credit which
have not then been reimbursed pursuant to subsection 3.4(a).


         "L/C Participants": with respect to each Letter of Credit, the 
collective reference to all the Lenders other than the Issuing Bank with respect
thereto.

         "Letter of Credit": a Commercial Letter of Credit or a Standby Letter 
of Credit, as the context shall require; collectively, the "Letters of Credit".

         "Lien": any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit 
arrangement,  encumbrance,  lien (statutory or other),  charge or other security
interest or any preference, priority or other security agreement or preferential
arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever (including,  without  limitation,
<PAGE>

any conditional sale or other title retention agreement and any Financing Leases
having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

         "Loan": a Facility A Loan or a Facility B Loan, as the context shall 
require; collectively, the "Loans".

         "Loan Documents": this Agreement, the Notes, the Applications, and the 
Security Documents.

         "Loan Parties": ACS Inc. and its Subsidiaries.

         "Loan Value":  means with respect to Eligible  Receivables,  the sum of
(i) ninety percent (90%) of billed Government  Receivables plus (ii) eighty-five
percent (85%) of billed commercial accounts receivables plus (iii) fifty percent
(50%)  of  amounts  that  would  but for the  delivery  of an  invoice  for work
performed  within  thirty  (30) days of the date of  calculation  of Loan Value,
otherwise  be  considered  Eligible  Receivables,   provided,  that  the  amount
described in clause (iii) (fifty percent (50%) of amounts that would but for the
delivery of an invoice for work performed within thirty (30) days of the date of
calculation of Loan Value,  otherwise be considered Eligible  Receivables) shall
not exceed  $6,000,000,  each of (i), (ii) and (iii) as determined  based on the
most  recent  Borrowing  Base  Certificate  delivered  to the  Agent  hereunder,
provided;  however,  that the  Agent in its  reasonable  discretion  based on an
analysis of changes in the Borrowers' credit and collection  experience  arising
after  the  date  hereof,  may  dilute  the  value  of the  Borrowers'  Eligible
Receivables that shall be used in determining Loan Value.


         "Majority  Lenders":  at any time (i)  NationsBank,  N.A.  and (ii) any
other Lenders having  Commitments (or if Commitments have terminated,  Aggregate
Outstanding   Extensions  of  Credit)  which,   when  taken  together  with  the
Commitments of NationsBank, N.A., aggregate more than fifty-one percent (51%) of
the  sum  of  the  Commitments  of  the  Non-Defaulting  Lenders  (or  Aggregate
Outstanding  Extensions of Credit of the Non-Defaulting  Lenders as the case may
be) then in effect, provided that, if at any time, there are two or more Lenders
hereunder,  any action required by Majority Lenders shall require the consent of
not less than two Lenders.


         "Management Change":  (a) George A. Robinson or (b) any two or more of 
the  following  individuals  Charles G.  Martinache,  Thomas A. Costello and Dev
Ganesan,  ceasing to be active full time in the  management of ACS Inc. and such
Person or such Persons not being replaced to the reasonable  satisfaction of the
Majority  Lenders  within  ninety (90) days of any such Person  ceasing to be so
active.

         "Material Adverse Amount": an amount payable by ACS Inc. and/or its 
Subsidiaries  in excess of $500,000 for remedial costs,  non-routine  compliance
costs,   compensatory  damages,   punitive  damages,  fines,  penalties  or  any
combination thereof.

         "Material Adverse Effect": a material adverse effect on (a) the 
business,  operations,  property, financial condition or prospects of a Borrower
and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the validity or  enforceability
<PAGE>



of this or any of the other Loan  Documents or (c) the rights or remedies of the
Agent or the Lenders hereunder or under any of the other Loan Documents.

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

         "Maturity Date": February 28, 2000.

         "Moody's": Moody's Investors Service, Inc.

         "Multiemployer Plan": a Plan which is a multiemployer plan as defined 
in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

         "Net Proceeds":  with respect to any Net Proceeds Event,  (a) the gross
cash  consideration,  and all cash  proceeds (as and when  received) of non-cash
consideration  (including,  without  limitation,  any such cash  proceeds in the
nature of principal  and  interest  payments on account of  promissory  notes or
similar obligations),  received by a Borrower and its Subsidiaries in connection
with such Net Proceeds Event,  minus the sum,  without  duplication,  of (i) any
taxes which are paid or actually payable to any federal, state, local or foreign
taxing   authority  by  a  Borrower  and  its   Subsidiaries  and  are  directly
attributable  to the receipt of such Net  Proceeds,  (ii) the amount of fees and
commissions  (including reasonable investment banking fees), legal,  accounting,
consulting,  survey,  title and  recording  tax  expenses  and  other  costs and
expenses  directly incident to such Net Proceeds Event which are paid or payable
by a Borrower and its Subsidiaries,  (iii) the amount of any reserve  reasonably
maintained by a Borrower and its  Subsidiaries  with respect to  indemnification
obligations owing pursuant to the definitive documentation pursuant to which the
Net Proceeds  Event is  consummated  (with any unused portion of such reserve to
constitute Net Proceeds on the date upon which the  indemnification  obligations
terminates)  and  (iv) the  amount  of  Indebtedness  (other  than  intercompany
Indebtedness), if any, which is required to be repaid at the time or as a result
of such Net Proceeds Event out of the proceeds thereof.


         "Net Proceeds Event":  (a) the incurrence by a Borrower or any of its 
Subsidiaries of any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness  permitted pursuant to
clauses (a) through (h) of subsection 8.2);

         (b) the issuance or sale of any equity  securities by a Borrower or any
of its  Subsidiaries  to any Person,  other than (i) the issuance or sale of any
such  equity  securities  to a  Borrower  or any of its  Subsidiaries,  (ii) the
issuance of Capital Stock upon the sale or exercise of stock options,  (iii) the
issuance and sale of Capital Stock under employee stock purchase plans, (iv) the
issuance and sale of Capital  Stock and/or stock options  under  employee  stock
ownership and incentive plans and similar  programs or individual  arrangements,
(v) the issuance and sale of Capital  Stock in  connection  with an  acquisition
permitted pursuant to subsection 8.9(f);




<PAGE>



         (c) the sale, transfer or other disposition by a Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries  of  any  real  or  personal,  tangible  or  intangible,   property
(including,  without  limitation,  any capital  stock,  but other than inventory
sold,  transferred or otherwise  disposed of in the ordinary course of business)
of a  Borrower  or such  Subsidiary  to any  Person  (other  than any such sale,
transfer or disposition permitted pursuant to subsection 8.6); and


         (d) the  recovery by a Borrower of amounts  owing to it under  property
insurance policies.

         "Non-Defaulting Lender": any lender other than a Defaulting Lender.

         "Non-Excluded Taxes": as defined in subsection 4.16(a).

         "Notes": the collective reference to the Facility A Notes and the 
Facility B Notes.

         "Notice  of  Borrowing":  means (a) with  respect  to a  request  for a
borrowing  hereunder,  a request in the form of  Exhibit  H-1  hereto,  (b) with
respect to a request for continuation of a Eurodollar Loan hereunder,  a request
in the  form of  Exhibit  H-2  hereto  and (c) with  respect  to a  request  for
conversion  of or to a  Eurodollar  Loan  hereunder,  a  request  in the form of
Exhibit  H-3  hereto,  in each case  delivered  by a  Responsible  Officer  of a
Borrower to any such Lender hereunder.

         "Participant": as defined in subsection 11.8(b).

         "PBGC": the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation established pursuant 
to Subtitle A of Title IV of ERISA.

         "Person": an individual, partnership, corporation, business trust, 
joint  stock  company,  trust,   unincorporated   association,   joint  venture,
Governmental Authority or other entity of whatever nature.

         "Plan": at a particular time, any employee benefit plan or other plan 
established,  maintained  or  contributed  to  by  any  Borrower  or a  Commonly
Controlled Entity that is covered by Title IV of ERISA.

         "Prime Rate":  the rate of interest per annum  publicly  announced from
time to time by the Agent at its principal office in the State of North Carolina
as its prime rate on a  particular  day in effect for domestic  (United  States)
commercial loans; such rate is not necessarily intended to be the lowest rate of
interest  charged by the Lenders in connection with  extensions of credit.  Each
change in the Prime Rate shall be  effective on the date such change is publicly
announced.

         "Properties": as defined in subsection 5.16(a).

         "Receivables": means all Receivables referred to in Section 7 of the 
Security Agreement.


<PAGE>

         "Regulation G": Regulation G of the Board of Governors of the Federal 
Reserve System as in effect from time to time.

         "Regulation U": Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal 
Reserve System as in effect from time to time.

         "Reimbursement Obligation": with respect to any Letter of Credit, the 
joint and several  obligation  of the  Borrowers to  reimburse  the Lenders with
respect thereto pursuant to subsection 3.5(a) for amounts drawn thereunder.

         "Reorganization": with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the condition
that such plan is in reorganization within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA.

         "Reportable Event": any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of 
ERISA,  other than those events as to which the thirty (30) day notice period is
waived under subsections .22, .25, .27 or .28 of PBGC Reg. ss.4043.

         "Requirement   of  Law":  as  to  any  Person,   the   Certificate   of
Incorporation and By-Laws or other organizational or governing documents of such
Person,  and  any  law,  treaty,  rule  or  regulation  or  determination  of an
arbitrator or a court or other Governmental  Authority,  in each case applicable
to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or
any of its property is subject.

         "Responsible Officer": the chief executive officer, the president, the 
executive  vice  president,  the chief  financial  officer or the treasurer of a
Borrower.

         "Restricted Payment": as defined in subsection 8.7.

         "SEC": the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any 
Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

         "S&P": Standard and Poor's Ratings Group, a division of McGraw Hill 
Companies Inc.

         "Secured Obligations":  as defined in the Security Documents.

         "Security Agreement": the Security Agreement to be executed and 
delivered by the Borrowers,  substantially in the form of Exhibit C, as the same
may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

         "Security Documents": the collective reference to the Security 
Agreement and the Joinder Agreement,  and all other security documents hereafter
delivered to the Lenders granting a Lien on any asset or assets of any Person to
secure the obligations and liabilities of any Borrower hereunder  and under

<PAGE>



any of  the  other  Loan  Documents  or to  secure  any  guarantee  of any  such
obligations and liabilities.

         "Single Employer Plan": any Plan which is covered by Title IV of ERISA,
but which is not a Multiemployer Plan.

         "Standby Letter of Credit": as defined in paragraph 3.1(b)(i)(1).

         "Subordinated Indebtedness": any debt for which any Borrower is liable 
that is subordinated  to the obligations of the Loan Parties  hereunder on terms
and  pursuant  to  documentation  containing  other terms  (including  interest,
amortization,   covenants   and  events  of  default)  in  form  and   substance
satisfactory to the Agent.

         "Subsidiary":  as to any Person,  a  corporation,  partnership or other
entity of which shares of stock or other  ownership  interests  having  ordinary
voting power  (other than stock or such other  ownership  interests  having such
power only by reason of the happening of a  contingency)  to elect a majority of
the board of directors or other  managers of such  corporation,  partnership  or
other  entity are at the time owned,  or the  management  of which is  otherwise
controlled, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries,  or both,
by such Person. Unless otherwise qualified,  all references to a "Subsidiary" or
to  "Subsidiaries" in this Agreement shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries
of the Borrowers.


         "Tranche": the collective reference to Eurodollar Loans having then 
current  Interest Periods which began on the same date and end on the same later
date  (whether  or not such Loans  shall  originally  have been made on the same
day).

         "Transferee": as defined in subsection 11.8(f).

         "Type": as to any Loan, its nature as a Prime Rate Loan or a Eurodollar
Loan.

         "Uniform Customs": the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary 
Credits (1993 Revision),  International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 500,
as the same may be amended from time to time.

1.2.     Other Definitional Provisions:

(a) Unless  otherwise  specified  therein,  all terms defined in this  Agreement
shall have the defined  meanings  when used in any Notes or any  certificate  or
other document made or delivered pursuant hereto.

(b) Unless otherwise  specified herein, all accounting terms used herein (and in
any other Loan Document and any  certificate or other document made or delivered
pursuant hereto or thereto) shall be interpreted,  all accounting determinations
shall be made, and all financial

<PAGE>



                   statements  required  to  be  delivered  hereunder  shall  be
prepared, in accordance with GAAP as in effect from time to time.

(c) The words  "hereof,"  "herein" and  "hereunder"  and words of similar import
when used in this Agreement  shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to
any particular provision of this Agreement,  and Section,  subsection,  Schedule
and Exhibit references are to this Agreement unless otherwise specified.  (d) In
the  computation of periods of time from a specified  date to a later  specified
date,  the word "from" means "from and including" and the words "to" and "until"
each mean "to but  excluding".  Periods of days  referred  to in this  Agreement
shall be counted in calendar days unless Business Days are expressly prescribed.
Any period  determined  hereunder  by  reference to a month or months or year or
years shall end on the day in the relevant  calendar month in the relevant year,
if applicable,  immediately preceding the date numerically  corresponding to the
first day of such period,  provided,  that if such period  commences on the last
day  of a  calendar  month  (or  on a day  for  which  there  is no  numerically
corresponding  day in the  calendar  month  during which such period is to end),
such period shall,  unless otherwise  expressly required by the other provisions
of this Agreement,  end on the last day of the calendar month.  (e) The meanings
given to terms defined  herein shall be equally  applicable to both the singular
and plural forms of such terms.

         SECTION 2.  AMOUNT AND TERMS OF COMMITMENT

                  2.1      Commitments.

                  (a) Subject to the terms and  conditions  hereof,  each Lender
severally  agrees  to make  revolving  credit  loans  (the  "Facility  A Loans")
immediately  available to the Borrowers  from time to time during the Facility A
Commitment  Period in an aggregate  principal amount at any one time outstanding
which, when added to such Lender's Facility A Commitment  Percentage of the then
outstanding L/C Obligations does not exceed such Lender's  Facility A Commitment
provided;  that such Lender shall have no obligation to make any Facility A Loan
in  excess of the  Available  Facility  A  Commitment.  During  the  Facility  A
Commitment Period the Borrowers may use the Facility A Commitments by borrowing,
prepaying  the  Facility A Loans in whole or in part,  and  reborrowing,  all in
accordance with the terms and conditions hereof.

                  (b) Subject to the terms and  conditions  hereof,  each Lender
severally  agrees  to make  revolving  credit  loans  (the  "Facility  B Loans")
immediately  available to the Borrowers  from time to time during the Facility B
Commitment  Period in an aggregate  principal amount at any one time outstanding
which, when added to such Lender's Facility B Commitment  Percentage of the then
outstanding L/C Obligations does not exceed such Lender's  Facility B Commitment
provided;  that such Lender shall have no obligation to make any Facility B Loan
in  excess of the  Available  Facility  B  Commitment.  During  the  Facility  B
Commitment Period the Borrowers

<PAGE>


may use the Facility B  Commitments  by  borrowing,  prepaying  the  Revolving B
Credit Loans in whole or in part, and  reborrowing,  all in accordance  with the
terms and conditions hereof.

                  (c) The Loans may from time to time be (i)  Eurodollar  Loans,
(ii) Prime Rate  Loans or (iii) a  combination  thereof,  as  determined  by the
Borrowers and notified to the Agent in accordance with  subsections 2.2 and 4.8,
provided  that no Loan shall be made as a Eurodollar  Loan after the day that is
one month prior to the Maturity Date.

                  2.2 Procedure for  Borrowing.  A Borrower may borrow under the
Commitments during the Commitment Period on any Business Day, provided that such
Borrower  shall  deliver  to the  Agent  the  Borrower's  irrevocable  Notice of
Borrowing which notice must be in writing or by telephone  promptly confirmed in
writing  prior to 10:00 A.M.,  Charlotte,  North  Carolina  time,  (a) three (3)
Business Days prior to the requested  borrowing  date, if all or any part of the
requested  Loans are to be initially  Eurodollar  Loans or (b) on the  requested
borrowing date,  otherwise.  Upon receipt of any such Notice of Borrowing from a
Borrower,  the Agent shall promptly notify each Lender thereof. Each Lender will
make the amount of its pro rata share of each  borrowing  available to the Agent
for the  account  of such  Borrower  at the  office  of the Agent  specified  in
subsection  11.3 prior to 12:00  P.M.,  Charlotte,  North  Carolina  time on the
borrowing date, in funds immediately available to the Agent. Such borrowing will
then be made available to such Borrower by the Agent  transferring to an account
(which shall be maintained  for such purpose by the Agent) with the aggregate of
the  amounts  made  available  to the Agent by the  Lenders and in like funds as
received by the Agent.

                  2.3      Use of Proceeds of Loans.

                  (a) The  proceeds of the Facility A Loans shall be utilized by
the Borrowers (i) to finance future acquisitions  permitted  hereunder,  (ii) to
provide working capital and (iii) for other general corporate purposes.

                  (b) The  proceeds of the Facility B Loans shall be utilized by
the Borrowers to finance future acquisitions permitted hereunder.

         SECTION 3.  AMOUNT AND  TERMS OF LETTER OF CREDIT SUB-FACILITY
                  3.1      L/C Commitment.

                  (a) Subject to the terms and conditions  hereof,  each Issuing
Bank, in reliance on the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in subsection
3.4(a) agrees to issue any Letters of Credit requested to be issued by it and so
issued by it for the account of the  Borrowers  on any  Business  Day during the
Facility A Commitment  Period in such form as may be approved  from time to time
by such Issuing  Bank;  provided that such Issuing Bank shall have no obligation
to issue any Letter of Credit if, after  giving  effect to such  issuance,  such
Issuing Bank has  knowledge  that (i) the L/C  Obligations  would exceed the L/C
Commitment, or (ii) the Available Facility A Commitment would be less than zero.


<PAGE>


                  (b)      Each Letter of Credit shall:

                           (i)  be either (A) a standby letter of credit issued 
to support  obligations  of the  Borrowers and the  Subsidiaries,  contingent or
otherwise, for which Loans would be available (a "Standby Letter of Credit"), or
(B) a commercial  letter of credit issued in respect of the purchase of goods or
services  by the  Borrowers  and the  Subsidiaries  in the  ordinary  course  of
business for which Loans would be available (a "Commercial Letter of Credit");

                           (ii) be (A) issued from an office of the Issuing Bank
in the United States and (B)
denominated in Dollars; and

                           (iii) expire no later than the earlier of (A) one (1)
year following the date of issuance
thereof  and (B) five (5) days prior to the  Maturity  Date;  provided  that any
Letter of Credit may provide for renewal thereof for additional one-year periods
on an "evergreen"  basis (but not, in any event,  beyond the date referred to in
clause (B) of this subparagraph (iii)).

                  (c) Each  Letter of Credit  shall be  subject  to the  Uniform
Customs  and,  to  the  extent  not  inconsistent  therewith,  the  laws  of the
Commonwealth of Virginia.

                  (d) No Issuing  Bank shall at any time be  obligated  to issue
any Letter of Credit  hereunder if such issuance  would  conflict with, or cause
such Issuing Bank or any L/C  Participant  to exceed any limits  imposed by, any
applicable Requirement of Law.

                  3.2 Procedure for Issuance of Letters of Credit. The Borrowers
shall  request that such Issuing Bank issue a Letter of Credit by  delivering to
such Issuing  Bank at its address for notices  specified  herein an  Application
therefor,  completed to the  satisfaction  of the Issuing  Bank,  and such other
certificates, documents and other papers and information as the Issuing Bank may
request.  Upon  receipt of any  Application,  the Issuing Bank will process such
Application  and the  certificates,  documents and other papers and  information
delivered  to it in  connection  therewith  in  accordance  with  its  customary
procedures and shall promptly  issue the Letter of Credit  requested  thereby by
issuing the original of such Letter of Credit to the  beneficiary  thereof or as
otherwise may be agreed by the Issuing Bank and the Borrowers; provided that the
Issuing Bank shall in no event be required to issue any Letter of Credit earlier
than three (3) Business Days after its receipt of the  Application  therefor and
all such other certificates, documents and other papers and information relating
thereto. In the event that the Letter of Credit to be issued is a Standby Letter
of Credit,  the  Issuing  Bank shall  furnish a copy of such  Standby  Letter of
Credit to each of the Agent and the  Borrowers  promptly  following the issuance
thereof.

                  3.3      Fees, Commissions and Other Charges.

         (a) The Borrowers,  jointly and severally,  shall pay to the Agent, for
the account of each Issuing Bank and the L/C Participants,  with respect to each
Commercial Letter of Credit

<PAGE>


issued  by such  Issuing  Bank a fee in an  amount  equal to 1% per annum on the
amount  available to be drawn under each Commercial  Letter of Credit payable on
the  date of  issuance  of  such  Commercial  Letter  of  Credit  and  shall  be
nonrefundable.

                  (b) The  Borrowers,  jointly and  severally,  shall pay to the
Agent, for the account of each Issuing Bank and the L/C  Participants,  a letter
of credit  commission  with respect to each Standby  Letter of Credit  issued by
such Issuing Bank,  computed for each day during the period for which payment is
due at the rate per annum  equal to the  Applicable  Margin for the  Facility in
effect for Eurodollar  Loans on such date  (calculated on the basis of a 360 day
year) times the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Standby Letter
of Credit on such date. Such commissions shall be payable quarterly, in advance,
on each L/C Fee Payment Date and shall be nonrefundable.

                  (c) The  Borrowers,  jointly and  severally,  shall pay to the
relevant Issuing Bank, for its own account a fronting fee in the amount equal to
1/4 of 1% per annum on the face amount of each Standby  Letter of Credit  issued
by it. The fronting fee shall be  calculated  on the basis of a 360 day year and
shall be payable quarterly, in advance, on each L/C Fee Payment Date.

                  (d) In addition to the  foregoing  fees and  commissions,  the
Borrowers,  jointly and severally,  shall pay or reimburse each Issuing Bank for
such normal and customary  costs and expenses as are incurred or charged by such
Issuing  Bank  issuing,   effecting   payment   under,   amending  or  otherwise
administering any Letter of Credit issued by it.

                  (e) The Agent shall,  promptly  following its receipt thereof,
distribute to the relevant  Issuing Bank and the L/C  Participants  all fees and
commissions received by the Agent for their respective accounts pursuant to this
subsection 3.3.

                  3.4      L/C Participations.

                  (a) Each Issuing Bank  irrevocably  agrees to grant and hereby
grants to each L/C  Participant,  and,  to  induce  such  Issuing  Bank to issue
Letters of Credit hereunder,  each L/C Participant  irrevocably agrees to accept
and purchase and hereby  accepts and  purchases  from the Issuing  Bank,  on the
terms and conditions  hereinafter stated, for such L/C Participant's own account
and  risk an  undivided  interest  equal to such  L/C  Participant's  Commitment
Percentage  in the Issuing  Bank's  obligations  and rights under each Letter of
Credit  issued by it hereunder  and the amount of each draft paid by the Issuing
Bank thereunder.  Each L/C Participant  unconditionally  and irrevocably  agrees
with such Issuing  Bank that,  if a draft is paid under any Letter of Credit for
which such Issuing Bank is not reimbursed in full by the Borrowers in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement, such L/C Participant shall pay to such Issuing
Bank  (through the Agent) upon demand an amount equal to such L/C  Participant's
Commitment Percentage of the amount of such draft, or any part thereof, which is
not so reimbursed.

                  (b) If any amount  required to be paid by any L/C  Participant
to an Issuing Bank pursuant to paragraph  3.4(a) in respect of any  unreimbursed
portion of any payment made by such

<PAGE>


Issuing  Bank  under any Letter of Credit  issued by it is paid to such  Issuing
Bank within three (3) Business Days after the date such payment is due, such L/C
Participant  shall pay to such  Issuing  Bank  (through  the Agent) on demand an
amount  equal to the product of (i) such  amount,  times (ii) the daily  average
Federal Funds Effective Rate, as quoted by such Issuing Bank,  during the period
from and  including  the date such payment is required to the date on which such
payment is  immediately  available to such Issuing Bank,  times (iii) a fraction
the  numerator of which is the number of days that elapse during such period and
the  denominator of which is 360. If any such amount  required to be paid by any
L/C  Participant  pursuant to paragraph  4.4(a) is not in fact made available to
such Issuing Bank by such L/C  Participant  within three (3) Business Days after
the date such  payment is due,  such  Issuing  Bank shall be entitled to recover
from  such L/C  Participant,  on  demand,  such  amount  with  interest  thereon
calculated  from such due date at the rate per annum  applicable  to Prime  Rate
Loans  hereunder.  A  certificate  of such  Issuing  Bank  submitted  to any L/C
Participant  (through the Agent)  shall,  to the extent  permitted by applicable
law, be prima facie evidence of any amounts owing under this subsection 3.4.

                  (c)  Whenever,  at any  time  after an  Issuing  Bank has made
payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any L/C Participant its
pro rata share of such  payment  in  accordance  with  subsection  3.4(a),  such
Issuing  Bank  receives  any payment  related to such Letter of Credit  (whether
directly  from the  Borrowers or  otherwise,  including  proceeds of  collateral
applied  thereto by such  Issuing  Bank),  or any payment of interest on account
thereof, such Issuing Bank will distribute to the Agent (for the account of such
L/C  Participant)  such L/C  Participant's  pro rata  share  thereof;  provided,
however,  that in the event that any such payment  received by such Issuing Bank
shall be  required to be returned by such  Issuing  Bank,  such L/C  Participant
shall  return to such  Issuing  Bank  (through  the Agent) the  portion  thereof
previously distributed by such Issuing Bank to it.

                  3.5      Reimbursement Obligation of the Borrowers.

                  (a) The Borrowers,  jointly and severally,  agree to reimburse
each Issuing Bank on each date on which such Issuing Bank notifies the Borrowers
of the date and amount of a draft presented under any Letter of Credit issued by
such Issuing Bank and paid by such Issuing Bank for the amount of (i) such draft
so paid and (ii) any taxes, fees, charges or other costs or expenses incurred by
the Lenders in connection with such payment.  Each such payment shall be made to
such Issuing Bank at its address for notices  specified herein in Dollars and in
immediately available funds.

                  (b) Interest shall be payable on any and all amounts remaining
unpaid by the  Borrowers  under this  subsection  3.5 from the date such amounts
become payable (whether at stated maturity,  by acceleration or otherwise) until
payment in full at the rate which would be payable on any outstanding Prime Rate
Loans which were then overdue.

                  (c) Each drawing  under any Letter of Credit shall  (unless it
is reimbursed  by the Borrowers on the date of drawing)  constitute a request by
the Borrowers to the Agent for a

<PAGE>


borrowing pursuant to subsection 2.2 of Prime Rate Loans under Facility A in the
amount of such drawing.  The borrowing date with respect to such borrowing shall
be the date of such drawing.

                  3.6      Obligations Absolute.

                  (a) The Borrowers'  obligations  under this Section 3 shall be
absolute and  unconditional  under any and all circumstances and irrespective of
any set-off,  counterclaim  or defense to payment which any Borrower may have or
have had against any Issuing Bank or any beneficiary of a Letter of Credit.

                  (b) The Borrowers  also agree with each Issuing Bank that such
Issuing  Bank shall not be  responsible  for, and the  Borrowers'  Reimbursement
Obligations  under  subsection  3.5(a)  shall not be  affected  by,  among other
things,  (i) the validity or  genuineness  of  documents or of any  endorsements
thereon,  even  though  such  documents  shall  in  fact  prove  to be  invalid,
fraudulent or forged,  or (ii) any dispute between or among any Borrower and any
beneficiary  of any Letter of Credit or any other  party to which such Letter of
Credit may be transferred or (iii) any claims whatsoever of any Borrower against
any beneficiary of such Letter of Credit or any such transferee.

                  (c) No Issuing  Bank shall be liable for any error,  omission,
interruption  or delay in  transmission,  dispatch or delivery of any message or
advice,  however transmitted,  in connection with any Letter of Credit issued by
such Issuing Bank,  except for errors or omissions caused by such Issuing Bank's
gross negligence or willful misconduct.

                  (d) The Borrowers agree that any action taken or omitted by an
Issuing  Bank under or in  connection  with any Letter of Credit or the  related
drafts or  documents,  if done in the  absence  of gross  negligence  or willful
misconduct and in accordance with the standards of care specified in the Uniform
Commercial  Code of the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia,  shall  be  binding  on the
Borrowers  and shall not result in any  liability  of such  Issuing  Bank to the
Borrowers.

                  (e) Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event a Bank Default
exists,  the  Issuing  Bank shall not be  required to issue any Letter of Credit
unless the Issuing Bank has entered into arrangements satisfactory to it and the
Borrowers to eliminate the Issuing  Bank's  additional  risk with respect to the
participation  in the Letters of Credit of the  Defaulting  Lender or Defaulting
Lenders, including,  without limitation, by cash collateralizing such Defaulting
Lender or Lender's  Commitment  Percentage  of the  applicable  outstanding  L/C
Obligations or by a Non-Defaulting  Lender or  Non-Defaulting  Lenders replacing
such Defaulting Lender or Defaulting Lenders with respect to such participation.

                  3.7  Letter of Credit  Payments.  The  responsibility  of each
Issuing Bank to the Borrowers in connection with any draft presented for payment
under  any  Letter  of Credit  shall,  in  addition  to any  payment  obligation
expressly provided for in such Letter of Credit, be limited to

<PAGE>


determining  that the  documents  (including  each draft)  delivered  under such
Letter of Credit in connection with such presentment are in conformity with such
Letter of Credit.

                  3.8  Application.  To the  extent  that any  provision  of any
Application  related to any Letter of Credit is inconsistent with the provisions
of this Section 3, the provisions of this Section 3 shall apply.

         SECTION 4.   PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE EXTENSIONS OF CREDIT; FEES AND 
                      PAYMENTS.

                  4.1      Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt.

                  (a)   The   Borrowers,    jointly   and   severally,    hereby
unconditionally  promise to pay to the Agent for the account of each  applicable
Lender (i) the then unpaid  principal  amount of each Loan on the Maturity  Date
(or such  earlier  date on which the Loans  become due and  payable  pursuant to
Section 9). The Borrowers,  jointly and  severally,  hereby further agree to pay
interest  on the  unpaid  principal  amount  of the  Loans  from  time  to  time
outstanding  from the date hereof until payment in full thereof at the rates per
annum, and on the dates, set forth in subsection 4.10.

                  (b) Each Lender shall  maintain in  accordance  with its usual
practice an account or accounts  evidencing  debt of the Borrowers to the Lender
resulting from each Loan of such Lender from time to time, including the amounts
of  principal  and  interest  payable  and paid to such Lender from time to time
under this Agreement.

                  (c)  The  Agent  shall  maintain  the  Register   pursuant  to
subsection  11.8(d) and a subaccount  therein for each Lender, in which shall be
recorded  (i) the  amount  of each  Facility  A Loan and  Facility  B Loan  made
hereunder,  the Type thereof and each Interest Period applicable  thereto,  (ii)
the amount of any  principal  or  interest  due and payable or to become due and
payable from the Borrowers to the Lenders  hereunder and (iii) the amount of any
sum received by the Agent hereunder from the Borrowers.

                  (d) The entries  made in the Register and the accounts of each
Lender maintained  pursuant to subsection 11.8(d) shall, to the extent permitted
by applicable  law, be prima facie  evidence of the existence and amounts of the
obligations  of the Borrowers  therein  recorded;  provided,  however,  that the
failure of any Lender or the Agent to maintain the Register or any such account,
or any error therein,  record or any error in any record shall not in any manner
affect the obligation of the Borrowers to repay (with  applicable  interest) the
Loans made to the Borrowers by the Lenders in accordance  with the terms of this
Agreement.

                  (e) The  Borrowers  agree  that,  upon  request  of any Lender
through the Agent,  the Borrowers  will execute and deliver to such Lender (i) a
promissory note of the Borrowers evidencing the Facility A Loan of the Lender to
the  Borrowers,  substantially  in the form of Exhibit A ("Facility A Note") and
(ii) a promissory  note of the Borrowers  evidencing  the Facility B Loan of the
Lender to the  Borrowers,  substantially  in the form of Exhibit B  ("Facility B
Note").

                  4.2      Facility Fees.

                  (a) The Borrowers,  jointly and severally, agree to pay to the
Agent,  for the  account of each  Lender,  the (i)  Facility A Fees and (ii) the
Facility B Fees (the "Facility Fees").

                  (b) Such  Facility  Fees shall be calculated on the basis of a
365/366 day year as the case may be.

                  (c) Such  Facility  A Fees  shall  be  payable  quarterly,  in
arrears,  on the last Business Day of each June,  September,  December and March
and the Maturity Date or such earlier date as the Facility A  Commitments  shall
terminate as provided herein, commencing on June 30, 1998.

                  (d) Such Facility B Fees shall be payable,  in advance,  on or
before each borrowing date of a Borrower under Facility B.

                  4.3      Optional Prepayments.

                  (a) The Borrowers may at any time and from time to time prepay
the Prime Rate Loans, in whole or in part,  without premium or penalty,  subject
to the provisions of 4.6.

                  (b) The  Borrowers,  with the  consent of the Agent  (which in
each case shall not be unreasonably withheld),  may at any time and from time to
time  prepay  the  Eurodollar  Loans,  in whole or in part,  without  premium or
penalty  (subject to the provisions of subsections 4.7 and 4.17),  upon at least
three (3) Business  Days' notice to the Agent (which  notice must be received by
the Agent prior to 11:00 A.M., Charlotte,  North Carolina time, on the date upon
which such notice is due and shall be  irrevocable  by the  Borrowers  except in
connection with prepayments that are contingent on Net Proceeds to the extent of
such contingency) specifying the date and amount of prepayment.  Upon receipt of
any such notice,  the Agent shall promptly  notify each Lender and the Borrowers
of its  consent or its  rejection  thereof.  If any such  notice is given by the
Borrowers  and not  withdrawn  or  rejected  prior to the date upon  which  such
payment is made, the amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on
the date  specified  therein,  together  with any  amounts  payable  pursuant to
subsection 4.17.

                  (c) Partial  prepayments  shall be in an  aggregate  principal
amount of  $100,000  or an  integral  multiple  thereof  or in the amount of the
outstanding Loans.

                  (d) For so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred
and is continuing, the Borrowers may elect the application of prepayments to the
Facilities  made  pursuant  to this  subsection  4.3,  provided  that unless the
Borrowers  otherwise elect,  the application of prepayments  under each Facility
made pursuant to this  subsection  4.3 shall be made,  first,  to Prime Rate and
second, to Eurodollar Loans.

                  4.4 Optional  Termination  or Reduction  of  Commitments.  The
Borrowers  shall have the right,  upon not less than  three (3)  Business  Days'
notice to the Agent,  to terminate  the  Commitments  or, from time to time,  to
reduce  the  amount of the  Commitments;  provided  that with  respect to either
Facility A or Facility B, no such  termination  or reduction  shall be permitted
with respect to the Commitments of such Facility to the extent that after giving
effect  thereto  and to any  prepayments  of the Loans  made  thereunder  on the
effective  date  thereof,  the  aggregate  principal  amount of such  Loans then
outstanding when added to the then outstanding L/C Obligations, would exceed the
Commitments  then in effect.  Any such reduction  shall be in an amount equal to
$100,000 or an integral multiple in excess thereof and shall reduce  permanently
the affected Commitments then in effect.

                  4.5      Mandatory Reduction of Commitments and Prepayments.

                  (a) If at any time the  Facility  A  Aggregate  Extensions  of
Credit  for all  Lenders  exceed  the  lesser  of the  Loan  Value  of  Eligible
Receivables and the aggregate Facility A Commitments, the Borrowers, jointly and
severally, shall immediately repay the aggregate Facility A Loans and/or deposit
in the L/C  Collateral  Account an amount  equal to the amount that may be drawn
under  outstanding  Letters of Credit (whether or not the  beneficiaries  of the
then outstanding  Letters of Credit shall have presented the documents  required
thereunder),  such repayments and deposits to be in an aggregate amount equal to
such excess.

                  (b)  If at any  time  the  Facility  B  Aggregate  Outstanding
Extensions of Credit of all Lenders exceed the aggregate Facility B Commitments,
the Borrowers,  jointly and severally,  shall  immediately  repay the Facility B
Loans, such repayments to be in an aggregate amount equal to such excess.

                  (c) The Borrowers, jointly and severally, shall as promptly as
is  practicable  (and,  in any event,  within one (1) Business Day following the
receipt  thereof),  repay the  Facility A Loans,  repay the Facility B Loans and
reduce the Facility B Commitments by the amount equal to the aggregate amount of
Net  Proceeds  received  from  any Net  Proceeds  Event;  provided  that no such
repayment and  reduction  shall be due pursuant to this  subsection  4.5(c) with
respect to any Net Proceeds Event on account of:

                           (i) the  sale,  transfer  or other  disposition  by a
         Borrower or any of its  Subsidiaries of any real or personal,  tangible
         or  intangible,  property of a Borrower  and its  Subsidiaries,  to the
         extent  that  the Net  Proceeds  from  such  sale,  transfer  or  other
         disposition  (in the  aggregate  with the Net  Proceeds  from all other
         sales,  transfers and other  dispositions  occurring  during the fiscal
         year) is less than $250,000; or

                           (ii) the  recovery by a Borrower of amounts  owing to
         it under property  insurance  policies  except,  to the extent that (1)
         such recoveries  exceed the reasonably  estimated cost of replacing the
         property on account of which such  amounts  were paid to such  Borrower
         and its  Subsidiaries or (2) such Borrower and its  Subsidiaries do not
         replace such property within one hundred eighty (180) days.

                  (d)  Any  payments  of  the  Loans  and   reductions   of  the
Commitments made pursuant to subsection 4.5(c) shall be applied, first, to repay
the  Facility B Loans and to reduce the  Facility  B  Commitments  and second to
repay  the  Facility  A  Loans.   Unless  the  Borrowers  otherwise  elect,  the
application of prepayments  under each Facility made pursuant to this subsection
4.5 shall be made, first, to Prime Rate Loans and second, to Eurodollar Loans.

                  4.6  Application  of  Payments.  Any payments of the Loans and
reductions of the Commitments made pursuant to subsections 4.3, 4.4 or 4.5 shall
not be applied to the prepayment of the Loans of a Defaulting Lender at any time
under the  Facility  when the  aggregate  amount of Loans of any  Non-Defaulting
Lender exceeds such Non-Defaulting  Lender's Commitment  Percentage of all Loans
then outstanding.

                  4.7 Prepayment Premium. If any Borrower prepays any portion of
the Loans with the proceeds of a loan from a commercial bank, finance company or
other lender of a type that is a competitor of the Agent, the Borrowers, jointly
and  severally,  shall pay to the Agent,  not later than the next  Business  Day
after the date of such prepayment, a prepayment premium of 1% on any outstanding
obligations so repaid.

                  4.8      Conversion and Continuation Options.

                  (a) A  Borrower  may  elect  from  time  to  time  to  convert
Eurodollar  Loans to Prime Rate Loans by delivering to the Agent an  irrevocable
Notice of  Borrowing  by 10:00 A.M.,  Charlotte,  North  Carolina  time,  on the
requested  date of conversion;  provided that any such  conversion of Eurodollar
Loans  may only be made on the  last  day of an  Interest  Period  with  respect
thereto.  A Borrower may elect from time to time to convert  Prime Rate Loans to
Eurodollar  Loans by delivering to the Agent an irrevocable  Notice of Borrowing
by 10:00 A.M., Charlotte,  North Carolina time, at least three (3) Business Days
prior to the  requested  conversion  date.  Any such  Notice of  Borrowing  with
respect to a  conversion  to  Eurodollar  Loans shall  specify the length of the
initial Interest Period or Interest Periods  therefor.  Upon receipt of any such
Notice of Borrowing the Agent shall promptly notify each Lender thereof.  All or
any part of outstanding  Eurodollar  Loans and Prime Rate Loans may be converted
as provided herein, provided that (i) no Loan may be converted into a Eurodollar
Loan when any Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the
Agent has or the Majority  Lenders have determined that such a conversion is not
appropriate  and (ii) no Loan may be converted into a Eurodollar  Loan after the
date that is one (1) month prior to the Maturity  Date.  Any Prime Rate Loan not
converted to a Eurodollar Loan hereunder shall continue as an Prime Rate Loan.

                  (b) Any  Eurodollar  Loans may be  continued  as such upon the
expiration  of the then  current  Interest  Period  with  respect  thereto  by a
Borrower  delivering  to the  Agent  an  irrevocable  Notice  of  Borrowing,  in
accordance  with the  applicable  provisions of the term  "Interest  Period" set
forth in  subsection  1.1,  of the  length  of the next  Interest  Period  to be
applicable to such Loans,  provided that no Eurodollar  Loan may be continued as
such (i) when any Event of Default has occurred and is continuing  and the Agent
has or the Majority  Lenders have  determined  that such a  continuation  is not
appropriate  or (ii) after the date that is one (1) month prior to the  Maturity
Date, and provided,  further,  that if a Borrower shall fail to give such notice
or if such  continuation  is not  permitted  such Loans  shall be  automatically
converted to Prime Rate Loans

<PAGE>


on the last day of such then expiring Interest Period.  Upon receipt of any such
Notice of Borrowing the Agent shall promptly notify each Lender thereof.

                  4.9      Minimum Amounts and Maximum Number of Tranches.

                  (a)  All   borrowings,   conversions  and   continuations   of
Eurodollar  Loans  hereunder and all  selections of Interest  Periods  hereunder
shall be in such amounts and be made pursuant to such  elections so that,  after
giving effect thereto,  the aggregate  principal  amount of the Eurodollar Loans
comprising each Tranche shall be equal to $100,000 or a whole multiple in excess
thereof.  In no event shall there be more than ten (10)  Tranches of  Eurodollar
Loans outstanding at any time.

                  (b)  All   borrowings  and  repayments  of  Prime  Rate  Loans
hereunder  shall be in such amounts so that,  after giving effect  thereto,  the
aggregate principal amount of the Prime Rate Loans shall be equal to $100,000 or
a whole  multiple  in  excess  thereof,  or if  less,  the  remaining  available
Commitments hereunder.

                  4.10     Interest Rates and Payment Dates.

                  (a) Each  Eurodollar  Loan  shall bear  interest  for each day
during each  Interest  Period with respect  thereto at a rate per annum equal to
the Eurodollar Rate determined for such day plus the Applicable Margin in effect
for such day.

                  (b) Each Prime Rate Loan shall bear interest for each day at a
rate per annum equal to the Prime Rate plus the Applicable  Margin in effect for
such day.

                  (c) If all or a portion of any principal of any Loan shall not
be paid when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise),
such principal  amount of the Loan shall bear interest at a rate per annum which
is the rate that would otherwise be applicable thereto pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this subsection 4.10(c) plus 2%.

                  (d)  Interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each
Interest Payment Date provided that interest  accruing pursuant to paragraph (c)
of this subsection 4.10 shall be payable from time to time on demand.

                  (e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein,
in no event shall the  Borrowers  be  obligated to pay interest in excess of the
maximum amount which is chargeable under applicable law.

                  4.11     Computation of Interest and Facility Fees.

                  (a)      Facility Fees shall be calculated in accordance with 
subsection 4.2.


<PAGE>


                  (b)  Interest  shall be  calculated  on the basis of a 360-day
year for the actual days elapsed.  The Agent shall as soon as practicable notify
the Borrowers and the Lenders of each  determination  of a Eurodollar  Rate. Any
change in the interest rate on a Loan  resulting from a change in the Prime Rate
or the  Eurocurrency  Reserve  Requirements  shall  become  effective  as of the
opening of business on the day on which such change becomes effective.

                  (c)  Each  determination  of an  interest  rate  by the  Agent
pursuant to any provision of this  Agreement  shall be conclusive and binding on
the Borrowers and the Lenders in the absence of manifest error. The Agent shall,
at the request of the  Borrowers,  deliver to the Borrowers a statement  showing
the quotations  used by the Agent in  determining  any interest rate pursuant to
subsection 4.10(a).

                  4.12     Inability to Determine Interest Rate. If prior to the
first day of any Interest Period:

                  (a) the Agent shall have determined (which determination shall
be conclusive  and binding upon the Borrowers in the absence of manifest  error)
that, by reason of  circumstances  affecting the relevant  market,  adequate and
reasonable  means do not exist for  ascertaining  the  Eurodollar  Rate for such
Interest Period; or

                  (b) the Agent shall have  received  notice  from the  Majority
Lenders  that  the  Eurodollar  Rate  determined  or to be  determined  for such
Interest  Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders
(as  conclusively  certified by such Lenders),  of making or  maintaining  their
affected Loans during such Interest Period;

the Agent shall give telecopy or telephonic  notice thereof to the Borrowers and
the Lenders as soon as practicable  thereafter.  If such notice is given (x) any
Eurodollar  Loans  requested to be made on the first day of such Interest Period
shall be made as Prime  Rate  Loans and (y) any  Loans  that on the first day of
such Interest Period were to have been continued as, or converted to, Eurodollar
Loans shall be converted to or continued as Prime Rate Loans.  Until such notice
has been withdrawn by the Agent, no further  Eurodollar  Loans shall be made, or
as of the first day of the immediately succeeding Interest Period,  continued as
such,  nor shall any  Borrower  have the right to  convert  Loans to  Eurodollar
Loans. .

                  4.13 Pro Rata  Treatment  and  Payments.  Each  borrowing by a
Borrower  from the Lenders  hereunder,  each payment by a Borrower on account of
any Facility Fee hereunder and any reduction of the  Commitments  of the Lenders
shall  be  made  pro  rata  according  to  the  respective  relevant  Commitment
Percentages of the Lenders holding  obligations in respect of which such amounts
were paid. Each payment  (including each prepayment) by a Borrower on account of
principal of and (subject to the provisions of subsection  4.14) interest on the
Loans shall be made pro rata according to the respective  outstanding  principal
amounts of such Loans then held by the Lenders.  Except as  otherwise  set forth
herein,  all  payments  (including  prepayments)  to be  made  by the  Borrowers
hereunder,  whether on account of principal,  interest, fees or otherwise, shall
be made without set off or counterclaim

<PAGE>


and shall be made prior to 2:00 P.M., Charlotte, North Carolina time, on the due
date thereof to the Agent,  for the account of the  applicable  Lenders,  at the
Agent's  office  specified in  subsection  11.3,  in Dollars and in  immediately
available funds. The Agent shall distribute such payments to the Lenders holding
obligations  on account of which such amounts were paid promptly upon receipt in
like funds as received.  If any payment  hereunder  becomes due and payable on a
day other  than a Business  Day,  such  payment  shall be  extended  to the next
succeeding  Business Day,  and, with respect to payments of principal,  interest
thereon shall be payable at the then applicable rate during such extension.

                  (b) Unless the Agent  shall have been  notified  in writing by
any Lender  prior to a borrowing  that such Lender will not make the amount that
would constitute its relevant Commitment  Percentage of such borrowing available
to the  Agent,  the Agent may  assume  that such  Lender is making  such  amount
available  to the Agent,  and the Agent may, in reliance  upon such  assumption,
make available to the Borrowers a  corresponding  amount.  If such amount is not
made available to the Agent by the required time on the borrowing date therefor,
such Lender shall pay to the Agent, on demand, such amount with interest thereon
at a rate equal to the daily average Federal Funds Effective Rate for the period
until such  Lender  makes such  amount  immediately  available  to the Agent.  A
certificate of the Agent submitted to any Lender shall, to the extent  permitted
by  applicable  law,  be prima facie  evidence  of any amounts  owing under this
subsection  4.13.  If  such  Lender's  relevant  Commitment  Percentage  of such
borrowing  is not made  available  to the Agent by such Lender  within three (3)
Business  Days of such  borrowing  date,  the Agent  shall also be  entitled  to
recover such amount with  interest  thereon at the rate per annum  applicable to
Prime  Rate  Loans  hereunder,  on  demand,  jointly  and  severally,  from  the
Borrowers.

                  4.14 Illegality.  Notwithstanding  any other provision herein,
if  the  adoption  of or  any  change  in  any  Requirement  of  Law  or in  the
interpretation  or  application  thereof,  in each case after the Closing  Date,
shall make it unlawful  for any Lender to make or maintain  Eurodollar  Loans as
contemplated by this Agreement,  (a) the commitment of such Lender  hereunder to
make Eurodollar Loans,  continue Eurodollar Loans as such and convert Prime Rate
Loans to Eurodollar Loans shall forthwith be suspended and (b) the Loans of such
Lender  then  outstanding  as  Eurodollar  Loans,  if any,  shall  be  converted
automatically  to Prime  Rate  Loans  on the  respective  last  days of the then
current  Interest  Periods  with  respect to such Loans or within  such  earlier
period as required by law. If any such conversion of a Eurodollar Loan occurs on
a day which is not the last day of the then current Interest Period with respect
thereto,  the Borrowers,  jointly and  severally,  shall pay to such Lender such
amounts, if any, as may be required pursuant to subsection 4.17.

                  4.15     Requirements of Law.
I
         (a) If the  adoption of or any change in any  Requirement  of Law or in
the  interpretation or application  thereof or compliance by any Lender with any
request or  directive  (whether or not having the force of law) from any central
bank or other Governmental  Authority, in each case, made subsequent to the date
hereof:


<PAGE>


                           (i) shall  subject  any Lender to any tax of any kind
         whatsoever  with  respect to this  Agreement,  any Note,  any Letter of
         Credit,  any  Application or any Eurodollar  Loan made by it, or change
         the basis of taxation  of  payments  to such Lender in respect  thereof
         (except for  Non-Excluded  Taxes covered by subsection 4.16 and changes
         in the rate of net income taxes or franchise  taxes (imposed in lieu of
         net income taxes) of such Lender);

                           (ii)  shall  impose,  modify or hold  applicable  any
         reserve,  special  deposit,  compulsory  loan  or  similar  requirement
         against  assets held by,  deposits or other  liabilities  in or for the
         account of,  advances,  loans or other  extensions of credit by, or any
         other  acquisition  of funds by, any office of such Lender which is not
         otherwise   included  in  the  determination  of  the  Eurodollar  Rate
         hereunder; or

                           (iii)   shall   impose  on  such   Lender  any  other
condition;

and the result of any of the  foregoing  is to increase the cost to such Lender,
by a material  amount of making,  converting  into,  continuing  or  maintaining
Eurodollar  Loans or issuing or  participating in Letters of Credit or to reduce
any amount receivable hereunder in respect thereof,  then, in any such case, the
Borrowers,  jointly and severally, shall promptly pay such Lender within fifteen
(15) days after written request  therefor such  additional  amount or amounts as
will   compensate  such  Lender  for  such  increased  cost  or  reduced  amount
receivable.

                  (b) If any Lender shall have  determined  that the adoption of
or any change in any  Requirement  of Law regarding  capital  adequacy or in the
interpretation or application  thereof,  in each case, after the date hereof, or
compliance  by any  corporation  controlling  such  Lender  with any  request or
directive regarding capital adequacy (whether or not having the force of law, if
compliance  therewith is a customary  banking  practice)  from any  Governmental
Authority  made  subsequent to the date hereof shall have the effect of reducing
the  rate  of  return  on  such  Lender's  or such  corporation's  capital  as a
consequence  of its  obligations  hereunder  or under any  Letter of Credit to a
level below that which such Lender or such  corporation  could have achieved but
for such adoption, change or compliance by the Lender (taking into consideration
such Lender's or such  corporation's  policies with respect to capital adequacy)
by a  material  amount,  then  from time to time,  the  Borrowers,  jointly  and
severally,  shall pay to such Lender such  additional  amount or amounts as will
compensate such Lender within fifteen (15) days after written  request  therefor
for such reduction.

                  (c) If any Lender  becomes  entitled  to claim any  additional
amounts  pursuant to this subsection 4.15, such Lender shall promptly notify the
Borrowers  (with a copy to the  Agent)  of the  event by  reason of which it has
become so entitled.  The  agreements in this  subsection  4.15 shall survive the
termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts
payable hereunder.


<PAGE>


                  4.16     Taxes.

                  (a) All payments  made by the Borrowers  under this  Agreement
and any  Notes  shall be made  free and  clear  of,  and  without  deduction  or
withholding  for or on account of, any present or future income,  stamp or other
taxes, levies, imposts,  duties, charges, fees, deductions or withholdings,  now
or  hereafter  imposed,   levied,   collected,   withheld  or  assessed  by  any
Governmental Authority,  excluding net income taxes and franchise taxes (imposed
in lieu of net income taxes) imposed on the Agent or any Lender as a result of a
present  or  former  connection  between  the  Agent  or  such  Lender  and  the
jurisdiction of the  Governmental  Authority  imposing such tax or any political
subdivision  or  taxing  authority  thereof  or  therein  (other  than  any such
connection  arising  solely  from the  Lenders  having  executed,  delivered  or
performed  its  obligations  or  received a payment  under,  or  enforced,  this
Agreement or any Note). If any such non-excluded taxes, levies, imposts, duties,
charges, fees, deductions or withholdings ("Non-Excluded Taxes") are required to
be withheld from any amounts  payable to Agent or any Lender  hereunder or under
any Note,  the amounts so payable to the Agent or such Lender shall be increased
to the extent  necessary to yield to the Agent or such Lender (after  payment of
all Non-Excluded  Taxes) interest or any such other amounts payable hereunder at
the  rates  or  in  the  amounts  specified  in  this  Agreement.  Whenever  any
Non-Excluded  Taxes  are  payable  by any  Borrower,  as  promptly  as  possible
thereafter the Borrowers  shall send to the Agent for its own account or for the
account of such  Lender,  as the case may be, a  certified  copy of an  original
official  receipt  received by the Borrowers  showing  payment  thereof.  If the
Borrowers fail to pay any Non-Excluded  Taxes when due to the appropriate taxing
authority or fail to remit to the Agent the required  receipts or other required
documentary evidence, the Borrowers,  jointly and severally, shall indemnify the
Agent and the Lenders for any  incremental  taxes,  interest or  penalties  that
become  payable by the Agent or any Lender as a result of any such failure.  The
agreements  in this  subsection  4.16  shall  survive  the  termination  of this
Agreement and the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

                  (b) Each Lender that is not incorporated under the laws of the
United States of America or a state thereof shall:

                           (i)  deliver to the  Borrowers  and the Agent (A) two
         duly completed  copies of the United States  Internal  Revenue  Service
         Form 1001 or 4224,  or successor  applicable  form, as the case may be,
         and (B) an  Internal  Revenue  Service  Form W-8 or W-9,  or  successor
         applicable form, as the case may be;

                           (ii)  deliver  to the  Borrowers  and the  Agent  two
         further copies of any such form or  certification on or before the date
         that any such form or  certification  expires or becomes  obsolete  and
         after the occurrence of any event requiring a change in the most recent
         form previously delivered by it to the Borrowers; and

                           (iii) obtain such  extensions  of time for filing and
         complete such forms or certifications as may reasonably be requested by
         the Borrowers or the Agent;



<PAGE>


unless in any such case an event (including,  without limitation,  any change in
treaty,  law or  regulation)  has  occurred  prior to the date on which any such
delivery would  otherwise be required which renders all such forms  inapplicable
or which would prevent such Lender from duly  completing and delivering any such
form with respect to it and such Lender so advises the  Borrowers and the Agent.
Such Lender  shall  certify  (i) in the case of a Form 1001 or 4224,  that it is
entitled  to  receive  payments  under  this  Agreement   without  deduction  or
withholding  of any United States  federal  income taxes and (ii) in the case of
Form W-8 or W-9,  that it is entitled to an exemption  from United States backup
withholding  tax.  Each  Person  that  shall  become a Lender  or a  Participant
pursuant  to  subsection  11.8  shall,  upon the  effectiveness  of the  related
transfer,  be  required  to  provide  all of the forms and  statements  required
pursuant to this  subsection  4.16,  provided  that in the case of a Participant
such  Participant  shall furnish all such required  forms and  statements to the
Lender from which the related participation shall have been purchased.

                  (c) If any  Lender  shall  receive a credit  or refund  from a
taxing  authority  with respect to, and actually  resulting  from,  an amount of
Non-Excluded Taxes actually paid to or on behalf of such Lender by the Borrowers
(a "Tax Credit"),  such Lender shall  promptly  notify the Borrowers of such Tax
Credit.  If such Tax Credit is received by such Lender in the form of cash, such
Lender shall  promptly pay to the  Borrowers the amount so received with respect
to the Tax Credit. If such Tax Credit is not received by such Lender in the form
of cash,  such Lender shall pay the amount of such Tax Credit not later than the
time prescribed by applicable Law for filing the return (including extensions of
time) for such Lenders'  taxable  period which includes the period in which such
Lender  receives  the  economic  benefit of such Tax Credit.  In any event,  the
amount of any Tax Credit  payable by a Lender to the Borrowers  pursuant to this
clause (c) shall not exceed the actual  amount of cash  refunded  to, or credits
received and usable (in accordance with the actual practices then in use by such
Lender) by, such Lender from a taxing  authority.  In determining  the amount of
any Tax Credit,  a Lender may use such  apportionment  and attribution  rules as
such Lender customarily employs in allocating taxes among its various operations
and income sources and such  determination  shall be conclusive  absent manifest
error. The Borrowers, jointly and severally, further agree promptly to return to
a Lender the amount paid to the  Borrowers  with respect to a Tax Credit by such
Lender if such Lender is required to repay,  or is  determined  to be ineligible
for, a Tax Credit for such  amount.  Notwithstanding  anything  to the  contrary
contained  herein,  the Borrowers hereby  acknowledge and agree that (i) neither
the Agent nor any Lender  shall be  obligated  to  provide  the  Borrowers  with
details of the tax position of the Agent or such Lender (as the case may be) and
(ii) the  Borrowers  shall have no right to inspect any records  (including  tax
returns) of the Agent or such Lender (as the case may be).

                  4.17 Indemnity. The Borrowers, jointly and severally, agree to
indemnify each Lender and to hold each Lender  harmless from any loss or expense
which  such  Lender  sustains  or incurs as a  consequence  of (a)  failure by a
Borrower to make a borrowing of,  conversion  into or continuation of Eurodollar
Loans after such Borrower has given a notice  requesting  the same in accordance
with the  provisions  of this  Agreement,  (b) failure by a Borrower to make any
prepayment after such Borrower has given a notice thereof in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement or (c) the making of a prepayment or payment of the
principal  amount of any Eurodollar  Loans on a day which is not the last day of
an Interest Period with respect thereto.

<PAGE>


Such  indemnification  may include an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (i)
the amount of interest which would have accrued on the amount so prepaid, or not
so  borrowed,  converted  or  continued,  for the  period  from the date of such
prepayment or of such failure to borrow,  convert or continue to the last day of
such  Interest  Period  (or,  in the case of a failure  to  borrow,  convert  or
continue  the  Interest  Period  that would have  commenced  on the date of such
failure) in each case at the applicable rate of interest for such Loans provided
for herein (excluding,  however, the Applicable Margin included therein, if any)
over (ii) the amount of interest (as reasonably determined by such Lender) which
would have  accrued to such  Lender on such  amount by  placing  such  amount on
deposit for a comparable  period with leading banks in the interbank  eurodollar
market.  This covenant  shall survive the  termination of this Agreement and the
payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

                  4.18 Change of Lending  Office.  Each Lender agrees that if it
makes any  demand  for  payment  under  subsection  4.15 or  4.16(a),  or if any
adoption or change of the type  described  in  subsection  4.14 shall occur with
respect to it, it will use  reasonable  efforts  (consistent  with its  internal
policy and legal and regulatory  restrictions  and so long as such efforts would
not be  disadvantageous  to it, as determined in its good faith  discretion)  to
designate a different  lending office if the making of such a designation  would
reduce or obviate the need for the Borrowers to make payments  under  subsection
4.15 or  4.16(a),  or would  eliminate  or reduce the effect of any  adoption or
change described in subsection 4.14.

         SECTION 5.  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

                  To induce the Lenders to enter into this Agreement and to make
the  Loans and issue or  participate  in the  Letters  of Credit  the  Borrowers
hereby,  jointly  and  severally,  represent  and  warrant to the Agent and each
Lender that:

                  5.1 Financial Condition. The consolidated balance sheet of ACS
Inc. and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at September 30, 1997, and the related
consolidated  statements  of income and cash flows for the fiscal  year ended on
such  date,  as  reported  on by  Arthur  Andersen,  LLP,  a copy of  which  has
heretofore  been  furnished  to the Agent,  is complete and correct and presents
fairly in all material  respects the  consolidated  financial  condition of such
Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at such date, and the consolidated
results of their  operations for the fiscal year then ended.  All such financial
statements,  including  the  related  schedules  and  notes  thereto,  have been
prepared in accordance with GAAP.  Neither ACS Inc. nor any of its  consolidated
Subsidiaries  had,  at the date of the most  recent  balance  sheet  referred to
above, any material Guarantee Obligation,  contingent liability or liability for
taxes,  or any  long-term  lease or  unusual  forward or  long-term  commitment,
including,  without  limitation,  any interest rate or foreign  currency swap or
exchange  transaction,  which is not reflected in the foregoing statements or in
the notes  thereto.  Except to the extent  permitted  under this Agreement or as
disclosed  to the Agent prior to the date  hereof,  or as  otherwise  separately
disclosed to the Agent in writing  prior to the date  hereof,  there has been no
sale,  transfer  or other  disposition  by ACS Inc.  or any of its  consolidated
Subsidiaries  of any part of its  business  or property  (including  any capital
stock of any other Person)  material in relation to the  consolidated  financial
condition of ACS Inc. and its consolidated Subsidiaries at September 30,  1997

<PAGE>


during the period from September 30, 1997 and including the date hereof.

                  5.2 No Change.  Since  September  30, 1997,  there has been no
development  or event  which has had or could  reasonably  be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.

                  5.3 Disclosure. No information, schedule, exhibit or report or
other  document  furnished by each  Borrower or any of its  Subsidiaries  to the
Agent or any Lender in connection  with the negotiation of this Agreement or any
other Loan  Document  (or  pursuant  to the terms  hereof or  thereof),  as such
information,  schedule,  exhibit or report or other  document has been  amended,
supplemented or superseded by any other information, schedule, exhibit or report
or  other  document  later   delivered  to  the  same  parties   receiving  such
information,  schedule,  exhibit  or report  or other  document,  contained  any
material  misstatement  of fact or omitted to state a material  fact or any fact
necessary  to  make  the  statements   contained   therein,   in  light  of  the
circumstances when made, not materially misleading. Any projections so furnished
by each  Borrower or any of its  Subsidiaries  (the  "Projections")  at the time
delivered,  were  based on good  faith  estimates  and  assumptions  made by the
management of such Borrower and, as of the date of their delivery, management of
such  Borrower   believed  that  the  Projections  were  reasonable,   it  being
recognized,  however,  that projections as to future events are not to be viewed
as facts and that the actual results during the period or periods covered by the
Projections  may differ from the projected  results and that the differences may
be material.

                  5.4  Corporate  Existence;  Compliance  with Law.  Each of the
Borrowers and each of its respective Subsidiaries (a) is duly organized, validly
existing  and in  good  standing  under  the  laws  of the  jurisdiction  of its
organization, (b) has the corporate power and authority, and the legal right, to
own and operate its property, to lease the property it operates as lessee and to
conduct the business in which it is currently engaged,  (c) is duly qualified as
a foreign  corporation and in good standing under the laws of each  jurisdiction
where its  ownership,  lease or  operation  of  property  or the  conduct of its
business requires such qualification,  except to the extent that all failures to
be so qualified  could not, in the  aggregate,  reasonably be expected to have a
Material  Adverse Effect and (d) is in compliance  with all  Requirements of Law
except to the extent  that all  failures to comply  therewith  could not, in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

                  5.5 Corporate Power,  Authorization,  Enforceable Obligations.
Each Borrower has the corporate  power and  authority,  and the legal right,  to
make,  deliver  and  perform  the Loan  Documents  to which it is a party and to
borrow  hereunder and has taken all necessary  corporate action to authorize the
borrowings on the terms and  conditions  of this  Agreement and any Notes and to
authorize the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents to which
it is a party. No consent or authorization  of, filing with,  notice to or other
act by or in  respect  of, any  Governmental  Authority  or any other  Person is
required in  connection  with the  borrowings  hereunder or with the  execution,
delivery, performance, validity or enforceability of the Loan Documents to which
the  Borrower  is a party  (other  than  filings to perfect  security  interests
granted pursuant to the Security Agreements).  This Agreement has been, and each
other Loan Document to which it

<PAGE>


is a party will be, duly executed and delivered on behalf of each Borrower. This
Agreement constitutes,  and each other Loan Document to which it is a party when
executed and delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of
each Borrower  enforceable  against each Borrower in accordance  with its terms,
subject  to  the  effects  of  bankruptcy,  insolvency,  fraudulent  conveyance,
reorganization,  moratorium  and other  similar  laws  relating to or  affecting
creditors' rights generally, general equitable principles (whether considered in
a proceeding in equity or at law) and an implied covenant of good faith and fair
dealing.

                  5.6 No Legal Bar. The execution,  delivery and  performance of
the Loan Documents to which each Borrower is a party,  the borrowings  hereunder
and the use of the proceeds  thereof will not violate any  Requirement of Law or
Contractual  Obligation of such Borrower or of any of its  Subsidiaries,  except
any violation which would not have a Material Adverse Effect and will not result
in, or require,  the creation or  imposition  of any Lien on any of its or their
respective  properties or revenues  pursuant to any such  Requirement  of Law or
Contractual  Obligation  other  than any Lien  which  would not have a  Material
Adverse Effect.

                  5.7 No Material  Litigation.  Except as otherwise disclosed to
the Agent, as listed on Schedule IX, no litigation,  investigation or proceeding
of or before any  arbitrator  or  Governmental  Authority  is pending or, to the
knowledge of any  Borrower,  threatened by or against any Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries  or against any of its or their  respective  properties or revenues
(a)  with  respect  to any  of the  Loan  Documents  or any of the  transactions
contemplated  hereby or thereby,  or (b) which could  reasonably  be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect.

                  5.8  No  Default.   Neither  any   Borrower  nor  any  of  its
Subsidiaries  is in  default  under or with  respect  to any of its  Contractual
Obligations in any respect which could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect. No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

                  5.9  Ownership of Property,  Liens.  Each of the Borrowers and
each of its respective  Subsidiaries has good and marketable title in fee simple
to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all its real property,  and good title to,
or a valid  leasehold  interest  in all its  other  property,  and  none of such
property is subject to any Lien except as permitted by subsection 8.3.

                  5.10 Intellectual Property.  Each of the Borrowers and each of
its respective  Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks,  trade
names, copyrights,  technology, know-how and processes necessary for the conduct
of its business as currently  conducted,  except for those for which the failure
to own or license which could not be expected to have a Material  Adverse Effect
(the "Intellectual  Property"). No claim has been asserted and is pending by any
Person  challenging or questioning the use of any such Intellectual  Property or
the  validity or  effectiveness  of any such  Intellectual  Property  which,  if
accurate,  could  reasonably be expected to have a Material  Adverse  Effect nor
does any  Borrower  know of any  valid  basis  for any such  claim.  To the best
knowledge  of  each  Borrower,  the use of such  Intellectual  Property  by each
Borrower  and its  Subsidiaries  does not  infringe on the rights of any Person,
except for such  claims and  infringements  that,  in the  aggregate,  could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.


                  5.11 Taxes.  Each of the Borrowers and each of its  respective
Subsidiaries  has filed or caused to be filed all material tax returns which, to
the  knowledge  of such  Borrower,  are  required  to be filed  and has paid all
material taxes shown to be due and payable on said returns or on any assessments
made  against  it or any of its  property  and all  other  taxes,  fees or other
charges  imposed  on it or any of its  property  by any  Governmental  Authority
(other than any the amount or validity of which are currently being contested in
good faith by  appropriate  proceedings  and with  respect to which  reserves in
conformity  with GAAP have been  provided  on the books of the  Borrower  or its
Subsidiaries,  as the case may be and  other  than any  failure  to pay of which
would not have a Material  Adverse  Effect);  no tax Lien has been filed,  other
than Liens  permitted by subsection 8.3, and, to the knowledge of each Borrower,
no claim is being asserted, with respect to any such tax, fee or other charge.

                  5.12 Federal Regulations. No part of the proceeds of any Loans
will be used in any manner which would  violate,  or result in the violation of,
Regulation  D,  Regulation  G or  Regulation  U of the Board of Governors of the
Federal  Reserve  System as now and from time to time  hereafter  in effect.  If
requested by any Lender or the Agent,  each  Borrower  will furnish to the Agent
and each Lender a  statement  to the  foregoing  effect in  conformity  with the
requirements  of FR Form G-3 or FR Form U-1 referred to in said  Regulation G or
Regulation U, as the case may be.

                  5.13 ERISA.  Neither a  Reportable  Event nor an  "accumulated
funding  deficiency"  (within  the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section
302 of ERISA) has  occurred  during the  five-year  period  prior to the date on
which this  representation  is made or deemed made with respect to any Plan, and
each Plan has complied in all material  respects with the applicable  provisions
of ERISA and the Code. No  termination  of a Single  Employer Plan has occurred,
and no Lien in favor of the PBGC or a Plan has  arisen,  during  such  five-year
period.  The present value of all accrued  benefits  under each Single  Employer
Plan  (based on those  assumptions  used to fund such  Plans) did not, as of the
last annual  valuation  date prior to the date on which this  representation  is
made or deemed  made,  exceed the value of the assets of such Plan  allocable to
such accrued benefits.  Neither any Borrower nor any Commonly  Controlled Entity
has had a complete  or  partial  withdrawal  from any  Multiemployer  Plan,  and
neither any Borrower nor any Commonly  Controlled Entity would become subject to
any liability  under ERISA if any such Borrower or any such Commonly  Controlled
Entity  were to  withdraw  completely  from  all  Multiemployer  Plans as of the
valuation date most closely  preceding the date on which this  representation is
made  or  deemed  made.  No such  Multiemployer  Plan  is in  Reorganization  or
Insolvent.  The present value  (determined using actuarial and other assumptions
which are  reasonable  in respect of the  benefits  provided  and the  employees
participating)  of the liability of each  Borrower and each Commonly  Controlled
Entity for post  retirement  benefits to be provided to their current and former
employees  under Plans which are  welfare  benefit  plans (as defined in Section
3(l) of ERISA)  does not,  in the  aggregate,  exceed the assets  under all such
Plans allocable to such benefits by an amount in excess of $100,000.

                  5.14    Investment Company Act; Other Regulations. No Borrower
is  an  "investment  company",  or a  company  "controlled"  by  an  "investment
company", within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

<PAGE>

No  Borrower  is subject to  regulation  under any  Federal or State  statute or
regulation  (other than  Regulation  X of the Board of  Governors of the Federal
Reserve System) which limits its ability to incur Indebtedness.

                  5.15  Subsidiaries.  Schedule III hereto sets forth all of the
Subsidiaries  of each  Borrower at the date hereof,  together with the ownership
and jurisdiction of each.

                  5.16     Environmental Matters.

                  (a) The facilities and properties owned, leased or operated by
any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (the "Properties") and all operations at
the Properties are in compliance,  and have been in compliance,  in all material
respects, with all applicable  Environmental Laws, and there is no contamination
at or under (or, to the  knowledge  of any  Borrower  about) the  Properties  or
violation  of any  Environmental  Law  with  respect  to the  Properties  or the
business  operated by any Borrower or any of its  Subsidiaries  (the "Business")
except   insofar  as  such   violation  or  failure  to  be  in   compliance  or
contamination, or any aggregation thereof, is not reasonably likely to result in
a payment of a Material Adverse Amount.

                  (b)  Neither  any  Borrower  nor any of its  Subsidiaries  has
received any notice of violation, alleged violation,  non-compliance,  liability
or potential liability regarding  compliance with Environmental Laws with regard
to any of the  Properties or the Business,  nor does any Borrower have knowledge
that any such notice will be received or is being threatened,  except insofar as
such notice or threatened notice, or any aggregation thereof, does not involve a
matter or matters that is or are reasonably likely to result in the payment of a
Material Adverse Amount.

                  (c)   Materials  of   Environmental   Concern  have  not  been
transported  or disposed of from the  Properties in violation of, or in a manner
or to a location  which could  reasonably  be expected to give rise to liability
under, any  Environmental  Law, nor have any Materials of Environmental  Concern
been  generated,  treated,  stored  or  disposed  of at,  on or under any of the
Properties in violation of, or in a manner that could  reasonably be expected to
give rise to liability under, any applicable  Environmental  Law, except insofar
as any  such  violation  or  liability  referred  to in this  paragraph,  or any
aggregation  thereof,  is not  reasonably  likely to result in the  payment of a
Material Adverse Amount.

                  (d) No judicial  proceeding or governmental or  administrative
action is pending or, to the  knowledge of any Borrower,  threatened,  under any
Environmental  Law to which any Borrower,  any of its Subsidiaries is or will be
named as a party with respect to the  Properties or the Business,  nor are there
any consent decrees or other decrees,  consent orders,  administrative orders or
other orders, or other administrative or judicial requirements outstanding under
any  Environmental  Law  which  are  binding  upon  any  Borrower  or any of its
Subsidiaries  with respect to the Properties or the Business,  except insofar as
such proceeding,  action, decree, order or other requirement, or any aggregation
thereof, is not reasonably likely to result in the payment of a Material Adverse
Amount.


<PAGE>


                  (e)  There  has  been no  release  or  threat  of  release  of
Materials of Environmental Concern at or from the Properties, or arising from or
related to the operations of any Borrower or any  Subsidiary in connection  with
the Properties or otherwise in connection with the Business,  in violation of or
in amounts or in a manner that could  reasonably  give rise to  liability  under
Environmental  Laws, except insofar as any such violation or liability  referred
to in this paragraph,  or any aggregation  thereof,  is not reasonably likely to
result in a payment of a Material Adverse Amount.

                  5.17     Security Agreements.

                  (a) Each Security  Agreement  constitutes  a legal,  valid and
binding  obligation  of the grantor  party  thereto,  enforceable  against it in
accordance  with  its  terms,   except  as  enforceability  may  be  limited  by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the
enforcement of creditors' rights generally and by general equitable principles.

                  (b)  Upon  proper   filing  by  the  Agent  of  the  financing
statements  listed on  Schedule IV hereto  (and,  after the  Closing  Date,  any
additional  filings  required to be made  pursuant to the Loan  Documents),  the
security interests granted pursuant to the Security Agreements will constitute a
valid,  perfected first priority  security interest on the Collateral in which a
security  interest can be perfected  by the filing of financing  statements  (as
described therein)  enforceable as such against all creditors of any grantor and
any Persons  purporting to purchase any such  Collateral from the Loan Party who
is the grantor  with  respect  thereto  (except  purchasers  of Inventory in the
ordinary course of business).

                  5.18 Joinder  Agreements.  Each Joinder Agreement on and after
the date of execution thereof, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation
of the Loan Party who is a party thereto,  enforceable  against it in accordance
with  its  terms,  except  as  enforceability  may  be  limited  by  bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement
of creditors' rights generally and by general equitable principles.

                  5.19 Solvency. The aggregate value of all of the assets of ACS
Inc. and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, at a fair valuation,  exceeds
the total  liabilities of ACS Inc. and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated  basis
(including contingent,  subordinated,  unmatured and unliquidated  liabilities).
ACS Inc. and its Subsidiaries  have the ability to pay their respective debts as
they mature and do not have  unreasonably  small  capital  with which to conduct
their  respective  businesses.  For purposes of this subsection  5.19, the "fair
valuation"  of such assets is the price at which the assets  would  change hands
between a willing buyer and a willing seller,  both being adequately informed of
the relevant facts, and neither being under any compulsion to buy or to sell.

         SECTION 6.  CONDITIONS PRECEDENT.

                  6.1 Conditions to Initial  Extensions of Credit. The agreement
of each Lender to make the initial  extension of credit  requested to be made by
it is subject to the satisfaction, immediately prior to or concurrently

<PAGE>


with the  making  of such  extension  of  credit  on the  Closing  Date,  of the
following conditions precedent:

                  (a) Loan  Documents.  The Agent shall have  received  (i) this
Agreement, executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of each Borrower,
(ii) the  Notes  (to the  extent  so  requested  by any  Lender),  executed  and
delivered by a duly authorized officer of the Borrower,  and (iii) each Security
Agreement,  executed  and  delivered by a duly  authorized  officer of the party
thereto.

                  (b) Agreements. The Agent shall have received true and correct
copies,  certified as to  authenticity  by each  Borrower,  of such documents or
instruments as may be reasonably requested by the Agent.

                  (c) Closing  Certificate  of  Borrowers.  The Agent shall have
received a certificate  of the President or any Vice President and the Secretary
or an  Assistant  Secretary  of each  Borrower,  dated  the  Closing  Date,  (i)
attaching  the  Charter  and  By-Laws (of such  Borrower),  (ii)  attaching  the
resolutions  of the Board of  Directors  of such  Borrower  with  respect to the
transactions  contemplated  hereby,  (iii) certifying that such resolutions have
not  been  amended,  modified,  revoked  or  rescinded  as of the  date  of such
certificate  and (iv)  certifying  as to the  incumbency  and  signature  of the
officers of such Borrower executing any Loan Document; such certificate (and the
attachments thereto) shall be in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent.

                  (d) Fees.  The Borrowers  shall have paid the accrued fees and
expenses  owing  hereunder  or  in  connection  herewith   (including,   without
limitation,  accrued  fees and  disbursements  of counsel to the Agent),  to the
extent that such fees and expenses have been  presented for payment a reasonable
time prior to the Closing Date.

                  (e) Legal  Opinions.  The Agent  shall have  received,  with a
counterpart for each Lender, the executed legal opinion of Venable,  Baetjer and
Howard, LLP, counsel to the Borrowers and the other Loan Parties,  substantially
in the form of Exhibit  F. Such legal  opinion  shall  cover such other  matters
incident to the  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement as the Agent may
reasonably require.

                  (f) Termination of Existing Credit Facilities. The Agent shall
have received evidence reasonably  satisfactory to it of (i) (A) the termination
by the  Borrowers of the  Revolving  Credit and Security  Agreement  dated as of
March 1, 1997 (as the same has been amended,  supplemented or otherwise modified
from time to time),  by and between ACS Inc. and First Union  National Bank, (B)
the payments of all amounts  which are then due and payable  thereunder  and (C)
all Liens related thereto shall have been terminated and released;  (ii) (A) the
termination by the Borrowers of the Loan Agreement, dated as of January 27, 1998
(as the same has been amended,  supplemented or otherwise  modified from time to
time),  between  Crestar Bank and  Integrated  Systems  Control,  Inc.,  (B) the
payments of all amounts  which are then due and payable  thereunder  and (C) all
Liens related thereto shall have been terminated and released.


<PAGE>


                  (g) Actions to Perfect  Liens.  The Agent shall have  received
such duly executed financing statements on form UCC-1 as may be necessary or, in
the reasonable  opinion of the Agent,  desirable to perfect the Liens created by
the Security Documents.

                  (h) Lien  Searches.  The Agent shall have received the results
of a recent  search by a Person  reasonably  satisfactory  to the Agent,  of the
Uniform Commercial Code, judgment and tax lien filings which may have been filed
with  respect to  personal  property of the  Borrowers,  and the results of such
search shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.

                  (i) Insurance.  The Agent shall have received evidence in form
and  substance  satisfactory  to the  Agent of the  existence  of the  insurance
required under subsection 7.5.

                  (j) Borrowing Base Certificate.  The Agent shall have received
a Borrowing Base Certificate dated as of December 31, 1997.

                  (k) Additional Information. The Agent shall have received such
additional agreements, opinions, certifications, instruments, documents, orders,
consents,  financing statements,  reports, studies, audits and other information
in form and substance  satisfactory  to the Agent,  as the Agent may  reasonably
request.

                  6.2 Conditions to Each  Extension of Credit.  The agreement of
each Lender to make any  extension  of credit  requested to be made by it on any
date (including, without limitation, its initial extension of credit) is subject
to the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

                  (a)    Representations    and   Warranties.    Each   of   the
representations and warranties made by each of the Borrowers and each other Loan
Party in or  pursuant  to the Loan  Documents  shall be true and  correct in all
material  respects  on and as of such  date  as if  made on and as of such  date
(unless  stated  to relate to a  specific  earlier  date,  in which  case,  such
representations  and  warranties  shall  be true  and  correct  in all  material
respects as of such earlier date).

                  (b) No  Default.  No Default  or Event of  Default  shall have
occurred and be continuing on such date or after giving effect to the extensions
of credit requested to be made on such date.

                  (c)  Conditions to Each Facility A Loan.  The Agent shall have
received a certificate,  in form and substance  satisfactory to the Agent,  duly
executed and  delivered by a  Responsible  Officer of the Borrowers and dated no
earlier than thirty (30) days prior to the requested  borrowing date (i) stating
that,  to the best of such  Officer's  knowledge,  after  giving  effect  to the
extensions of credit  requested to be made on such date, the Lenders'  Aggregate
Outstanding Extensions of Credit shall not exceed the Loan Value of the Eligible
Receivables and (ii) setting forth on a Borrowing Base Certificate dated of even
date therewith and attached thereto, the computations used to determine the Loan
Value.  Such  certificates  shall be in form and substance  satisfactory  to the
Agent.


<PAGE>


                  (d) Conditions to Each Acquisition  Loan. For each acquisition
to be financed by the Loans:

                           (i)      the Majority Lenders shall have provided
written approval of the acquisition pursuant to subsection 8.9(f); and

                           (ii) for each  such  acquisition  to be  financed  in
         whole or in part by Facility B Loans, the Agent shall have received, in
         form and  substance  satisfactory  to the  Agent,  a  certificate  duly
         executed and  delivered by a  Responsible  Officer of the Borrowers and
         dated as of the requested  borrowing date, stating that, to the best of
         such Officer's knowledge, after giving effect to the acquisition of the
         Acquired Business,  the Borrowers shall be in compliance on a pro forma
         basis  with the  covenants  of  subsection  8.1 of this  Agreement  and
         setting forth the computations used to determine such compliance.

                  (e) The  Agent  shall  have  received  such  other  approvals,
opinions or documents as the Agent or the Majority Lenders through the Agent may
reasonably request.

                  Each  borrowing  by, and Letter of Credit issued on behalf of,
each Borrower hereunder shall constitute a joint and several  representation and
warranty by the Borrowers as of the date thereof that the applicable  conditions
contained in this subsection 6.2 have been satisfied.

         SECTION 7.  AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

                  The Borrowers  hereby agree that,  so long as the  Commitments
remain in effect or any amount is owning to any Lender or the Agent hereunder or
under  any other  Loan  Document,  ACS Inc.  shall  and  (except  in the case of
delivery of financial  information  and reports and notices) shall cause each of
its Subsidiaries to:

                  7.1      Financial Statements. Furnish to the Agent:

                  (a) as soon as available,  but in any event within one hundred
twenty  (120) days after the end of each fiscal year of ACS Inc.,  a copy of the
consolidated  balance sheet of ACS Inc. and its consolidated  Subsidiaries as at
the end of such year and the  related  consolidated  statements  of  income  and
retained earnings and of cash flows for such year, setting forth in each case in
comparative form the figures for the previous year, reported on without a "going
concern" or like qualification or exception, or qualification arising out of the
scope of the audit, by an independent certified public accountants of nationally
recognized standing;  as soon as available,  but in any event within ninety-five
(95) days after the end of each fiscal year of ACS Inc., a copy of the unaudited
consolidating balance sheets of ACS Inc. and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at
the end of such fiscal year together with consolidating statements of income and
retained   earnings  and  of  cash  flows  of  ACS  Inc.  and  its  consolidated
Subsidiaries  for such fiscal year as customarily  prepared by the management of
ACS Inc. for internal use,  certified by a  Responsible  Officer as being fairly
stated in all material respects (subject to normal year-end audit adjustments

<PAGE>


and,  in  the  case  of  interim  financial  statements,   subject  to  year-end
adjustments and the absence of footnotes);

                  (b) as soon as  available,  but in any event  not  later  than
fifty (50) days after the end of each fiscal  quarter of ACS Inc., the unaudited
consolidated and  consolidating  balance sheets of ACS Inc. and its consolidated
Subsidiaries  as  at  the  end  of  such  quarter  and  the  related   unaudited
consolidated  and  consolidating  statements  of  income  of ACS  Inc.  and  its
consolidated  Subsidiaries for such quarter and the portion of ACS Inc.'s fiscal
year through the end of such quarter,  setting forth in each case in comparative
form the figures for the previous  year,  certified by a Responsible  Officer as
being fairly stated in all material  respects  (subject to normal year-end audit
adjustments  and,  in the  case of  interim  financial  statements,  subject  to
year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes);

                  (c) all  such  financial  statements  shall  be  complete  and
correct in all material  respects and shall be prepared in reasonable detail and
in accordance with GAAP applied  consistently  throughout the periods  reflected
therein and with prior periods ending after the Closing Date (except as approved
by such accountants or officer, as the case may be, and disclosed therein).

                  7.2     Certificates; Other Information. Furnish to the Agent:

                  (a) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements
referred  to in  subsections  7.1(a) and (b),  a  certificate  of a  Responsible
Officer (i) stating that, to the best of such Officer's  knowledge,  during such
period (A) if any  Subsidiary  has been formed or acquired,  the Borrowers  have
complied with the  requirements  of subsection  7.12 with respect  thereto,  (B)
neither any of the Borrowers nor any of the  Subsidiaries  has changed its name,
its principal place of business,  its chief executive  office or the location of
any material item of tangible Collateral without complying with the requirements
of this Agreement and the Security  Documents with respect  thereto and (C) each
of the  Borrowers  has  observed or  performed  all of its  covenants  and other
agreements,  and satisfied every condition,  contained in this Agreement and the
other Loan Documents to be observed, performed or satisfied by it, and that such
Officer has obtained no  knowledge of any Default or Event of Default  except as
specified in such  certificate and (ii) setting forth the  computations  used by
ACS Inc. in determining  (as of the end of such fiscal period)  compliance  with
the covenants contained in subsection 8.1;

                  (b) as soon as available  and in any event within  twenty (20)
days after the end of each month,  a  Borrowing  Base  Certificate,  an Accounts
Aging  Schedule  and an  Unbilled  Report  Schedule as at the end of such month,
certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrowers;

                  (c) as soon as  available  and in any event  within fifty (50)
days after the end of each fiscal quarter,  a quarterly backlog report as of the
end of such quarter, certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrowers;

                  (d) as soon as  available  and in any event,  within  five (5)
days after the same are sent,  copies of all  financial  statements  and reports
which ACS Inc. sends to its stockholders;


<PAGE>


as soon as  available  and in any event,  within one hundred  twenty  (120) days
after  the  end of  each  fiscal  year  of ACS  Inc.,  a copy  of all  financial
statements and regular, periodical or special reports that ACS Inc. may make to,
or file with the SEC on an annual basis and (ii) within fifty days after the end
of  each  fiscal  quarter,  a copy  of all  financial  statements  and  regular,
periodical or special  reports that the Borrower may make to, or file with,  the
SEC on a quarterly  basis;  and promptly,  such  additional  financial and other
information as any Lender may from time to time reasonably request.

                  7.3  Payment  of  Obligations.  Pay,  discharge  or  otherwise
satisfy at or before  maturity in accordance with customary terms or before they
become  delinquent  or in  default,  as the  case  may be,  all of its  material
obligations of whatever  nature,  except where the amount or validity thereof is
currently being contested in good faith by appropriate  proceedings and reserves
in conformity  with GAAP with respect thereto have been provided on the books of
any Borrower or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be.

                  7.4 Conduct of Business and Maintenance of Existence. Continue
to  engage in  business  of the same  general  type as now  conducted  by it and
preserve,  renew and keep in full force and effect its  corporate  existence and
take all  reasonable  action to maintain all rights,  privileges  and franchises
necessary or (in the reasonable  judgment of a Borrower) desirable in the normal
conduct of its business  except as otherwise  permitted  pursuant to  subsection
8.5; comply with all Contractual  Obligations and  Requirements of Law except to
the extent that  failure to comply  therewith  could not, in the  aggregate,  be
reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

                  7.5      Maintenance of Property; Insurance. Keep all material
property  useful  and  necessary  in its  business  in good  working  order  and
condition;
                  (a) Maintain with  financially  sound and reputable  insurance
companies insurance policies insuring all its tangible property  (including,  in
any  event,  all  material  Collateral)  and  business  against  loss  by  fire,
explosion,  theft and such other casualties as may be reasonably satisfactory to
the  Agent,  such  policies  to be in at least  such  form,  amounts  and having
coverage  against at least such risks as are customarily  insured against in the
same general area by companies  engaged in the same or a similar business as may
be reasonably satisfactory to the Agent with losses payable to the Borrowers and
the Agent, as their respective interests may appear;

                  (b) Each insurance policy described in subsection 7.5(a) shall
(i) contain  endorsements,  in form  satisfactory to each Lender,  (ii) name the
Agent,  as an  insured  party,  (iii)  provide  that no  cancellation,  material
reduction in amount or material  change in coverage  thereof  shall be effective
until at least  thirty  (30) days after  receipt by the Agent of written  notice
thereof and (iv) be reasonably  satisfactory  in all other respect to the Agent.
In the event of any  termination  or notice of  non-payment  by any insurer with
respect to any policy or any lapse in the coverage

<PAGE>


thereunder, the Borrowers shall cause such insurer to give prompt written notice
to each Lender of the occurrence of such termination, nonpayment or lapse.

                  (c) The  Borrowers  shall  deliver  to the Agent a report of a
reputable  insurance broker with respect to such insurance in each calendar year
and such supplemental reports with respect thereto as the Agent may from time to
time reasonably request.

                  7.6  Inspection of Property;  Books and Records;  Discussions.
Keep  proper  books of records  and  accounts  in which  full,  true and correct
entries in conformity with GAAP and all Requirements of Law shall be made of all
dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities; and permit
representatives of the Agent or any Lender accompanied by the Agent to visit and
inspect any of its  properties  and examine and make  abstracts  from any of its
books and records at any reasonable time (upon reasonable advance notice when no
Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing) and, with respect to
the Agent,  as often as may reasonably be desired or, with respect to any Lender
other than the Agent,  not more than once per  calendar  year at the  expense of
such Lender (or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is  continuing,  at any
reasonable time and as often as may be desired at the expense of the Borrowers),
and to discuss the  business,  operations,  properties  and  financial and other
condition of each Borrower and its  Subsidiaries  with officers and employees of
each Borrower and its  Subsidiaries  and upon reasonable prior notice to provide
the  representatives of each Borrower an opportunity to attend such discussions,
with its independent certified public accountants.

                  7.7      Notices.  Promptly give notice to the Agent (who 
shall give prompt notice thereof to the Lenders) of:

                  (a)      the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default;

                  (b) any (i) default or event of default under any  Contractual
Obligation  of a  Borrower  or any  of  its  Subsidiaries  or  (ii)  litigation,
investigation  or proceeding which may exist at any time between any Borrower or
any of its Subsidiaries and any Governmental Authority, which in either case, if
not cured or if adversely  determined,  as the case may be, could  reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

                  (c) any litigation or proceeding affecting any Borrower or any
of its  Subsidiaries  in which the amount  involved  is $250,000 or more and not
covered by insurance or in which  injunctive  or similar  relief is sought which
could have a Material Adverse Effect;

                  (d) the following events, as soon as possible and in any event
within thirty (30) days after any Borrower  knows or has reason to know thereof:
(i) the occurrence or expected  occurrence of any Reportable  Event with respect
to any Plan that is an employee pension benefit plan (as defined in Section 3(2)
of ERISA),  a failure to make any required  contribution to a Plan, the creation
of any Lien in favor of the PBGC or a Plan that is an employee  pension  benefit
plan (as  defined  in  Section  3(2) of ERISA) or any  withdrawal  from,  or the
termination, Reorganization or Insolvency of, any Multiemployer Plan or (ii) the
institution of proceedings or the taking of any

<PAGE>


other action by the PBGC or any Borrower or any  Commonly  Controlled  Entity or
any Multiemployer  Plan with respect to the withdrawal from, or the terminating,
Reorganization  or Insolvency of, any Plan that is an employee  pension  benefit
plan (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA);

                  (e) the  acquisition or creation of any  Subsidiary  which has
Capital  Stock  that is  directly  or  indirectly  owned  by a  Borrower  or any
Subsidiary;

                  (f) any Lien (other  than  security  interests  created by the
Security  Agreement  or Liens  permitted  under  this  Agreement)  on any of the
Collateral  and the  occurrence  of any other event which  could  reasonably  be
expected  to have a  Material  Adverse  Effect  on the  aggregate  value  of the
Collateral  or on the security  interests  created by the Security  Agreement or
this Agreement; and

                  (g) the  occurrence of (i) any material  adverse change in the
business, operations,  property, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects
of a Borrower and its  Subsidiaries  taken as a whole or (ii) any development or
event which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

Each notice  pursuant to this subsection 7.7 shall be accompanied by a statement
of a Responsible  Officer  setting forth details of the  occurrence  referred to
therein  and  stating  what action the  Borrowers  propose to take with  respect
thereto.

                  7.8      Environmental Laws.

                  (a)  Comply  with  and  use   reasonable   efforts  to  ensure
compliance  by  all  tenants  and  subtenants,   if  any,  with  all  applicable
Environmental  Laws and obtain and comply with and maintain,  and use reasonable
efforts to ensure  that all tenants  and  subtenants  obtain and comply with and
maintain,  any and all  licenses,  approvals,  notifications,  registrations  or
permits  required by applicable  Environmental  Laws,  except to the extent that
failure to do so could not be  reasonably  expected  to have a Material  Adverse
Effect.

                  (b) Conduct and complete all investigations, studies, sampling
and  testing,  and all  remedial,  removal  and  other  actions  required  under
Environmental  Laws and promptly comply in all material respects with all lawful
orders and directives of all Governmental  Authorities  regarding  Environmental
Laws,  except to the extent that the same are being  contested  in good faith by
appropriate  proceedings  and  the  pendency  of  such  proceedings,  could  not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.


<PAGE>

                  7.9 Assignments of Government Receivables. Execute and deliver
to the Agent,  for the benefit of the  Lenders,  within five (5)  Business  Days
after  entering  into  or  acquiring  any  Government  Contract  hereafter,  all
statements of assignment and/or notification, in form and substance satisfactory
to the Agent,  which are deemed  necessary by the Agent in  connection  with the
assignment  to the Agent of the  Government  Receivables  of a Borrower  and its
Subsidiaries,  provided,  however that such Borrower and its Subsidiaries  shall
not be required to execute and deliver  such  statements  of  assignment  and/or
notification  with  respect  to  Government  Receivables  that arise (i) under a
contract  with a  maximum  ceiling  value of  $500,000  or less or (ii)  under a
contract  (including  all options,  extensions  and other like  provisions  with
respect thereto) of six (6) months or less in duration.

                  7.10     Maintenance of Primary Deposit Account.

                  (a) Furnish to the Agent, the name of the Lender with whom the
Borrowers shall maintain a primary deposit account until the Maturity Date.

                  (b) As soon as possible,  but in any event not later than five
(5) Business Days after the date hereof,  furnish to the Agent  evidence in form
and scope  satisfactory to the Agent of the establishment of the primary deposit
account with a Lender.

                  7.11     Further Assurances.

                  (a) Upon the request of the Agent,  promptly  perform or cause
to be performed any and all acts and execute or cause to be executed any and all
documents (including, without limitation,  financing statements and continuation
statements)  for filing under the provisions of the Uniform  Commercial  Code or
any other  Requirement  of Law which are  necessary or  reasonably  advisable to
maintain  in favor of the Agent,  for the benefit of the  Lenders,  Liens on the
Collateral   that  are  duly   perfected  in  accordance   with  all  applicable
Requirements of Law.

                  (b) Upon request of the Agent, promptly provide such documents
and legal opinions in order to carry out the transactions contemplated hereby as
the Agent shall reasonably request.

                  7.12     Additional Collateral; Additional Subsidiaries.

                  (a) With respect to any assets  (other than assets having a de
minimis  value)  acquired  after the Closing  Date by any Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries  that are  intended to be subject to the Lien created by any of the
Security  Documents  but which are not so  subject  (other  than (y) any  assets
described in paragraph  (b) or (c) of this  subsection  7.12 and (z)  immaterial
assets  a  Lien  on  which  cannot  be  perfected  by  filing  UCC-1   financing
statements),  promptly  (and in any event  within  thirty  (30)  days  after the
acquisition  thereof):  (i) execute and deliver to the Agent such  amendments to
the  relevant  Security  Documents  or such  other  documents  as the  Agent may
reasonably deem necessary or advisable to grant to the Agent, for the benefit of
the Lenders, a Lien on such assets, (ii) take all actions necessary or advisable
to cause  such  Lien to be duly  perfected  in  accordance  with all  applicable
Requirements of Law, including, without limitation, the filing of financing

<PAGE>


statements in such  jurisdictions as may be requested by the Agent, and (iii) if
requested  by the Agent,  deliver to the Agent  legal  opinions  relating to the
matters described in clauses (i) and (ii) immediately preceding,  which opinions
shall be in form and substance, and from counsel, reasonably satisfactory to the
Agent.

                  (b) With  respect  to any  Subsidiary  (other  than a  Foreign
Subsidiary)  created or acquired  after the Closing  Date by any  Borrower,  (i)
cause such  Subsidiary  to  promptly  become a party to the  Security  Agreement
pursuant to documentation to be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to
the Agent, (ii) execute and deliver such amendments to this Agreement  requested
by the Agent to reflect the  existence  of such new  Subsidiary  and (iii) if so
requested  by the Agent,  deliver to the Agent  legal  opinions  relating to the
matters  described in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) immediately  preceding,  which
opinions  shall  be  in  form  and  substance,   and  from  counsel   reasonably
satisfactory to the Agent.

                  (c) With  respect  to any  Subsidiary  (other  than a  Foreign
Subsidiary)  created or acquired  after the Closing  Date by any  Borrower,  the
Borrowers  may from time to time,  with the prior  written  consent of the Agent
(which shall not be  unreasonably  withheld) (i) designate such  Subsidiary as a
Borrower  hereunder  (an  "Additional  Borrower"),  (ii) cause  such  Additional
Borrower to promptly become a party to this Agreement  pursuant to documentation
to be in form and substance reasonably  satisfactory to the Agent, (iii) execute
and deliver  such  amendments  to this  Agreement  and the other Loan  Documents
(including  without  limitation,  the Notes evidencing the Loans of the Lenders)
requested  by the Agent to reflect the  existence of such  Additional  Borrower,
(iv)  execute  and  deliver  such other  approvals,  certificates  or  documents
requested by the Agent in its  reasonable  discretion and (v) if so requested by
the Agent, deliver to the Agent legal opinions relating to the matters described
in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) immediately preceding, which opinions shall
be in form and substance, and from counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.

         SECTION 8.  NEGATIVE COVENANTS

                  The Borrowers  hereby agree that,  so long as the  Commitments
remain in effect or any amount is owing to any Lender or the Agent  hereunder or
under any other Loan Document, the Borrowers shall not, and (except with respect
to subsection 8.1) shall not permit any Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:

                  8.1      Financial Condition Covenants.

                  (a) Debt to EBITDA. Permit, for any period of four consecutive
fiscal quarters,  ending on the last day of any fiscal quarter, the ratio of the
Debt of ACS Inc. and its  Subsidiaries  determined  on a  consolidated  basis in
accordance  with  GAAP on such day to EBITDA  to be  greater  than the ratio set
forth opposite such fiscal period below:


<PAGE>


                      Fiscal Period                                Ratio

               Closing Date to 12/31/98                             4.00
               01/01/99 to 12/30/99                                 3.50
               12/31/99 and thereafter                              3.00

                  (b) EBIDA Coverage. Permit, for any period of four consecutive
fiscal  quarters,  ending on the last day of any  fiscal  quarter,  the ratio of
EBIDA to Consolidated Charges to be less than 1.25 to 1.00.

                  (c) Minimum Net Worth. Permit the Consolidated Net Worth to be
less than (i) $17,000,000.

                  8.2 Limitation on Indebtedness  and Preferred  Stock.  Create,
incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness or preferred stock (other than
preferred  stock  which,  by its  terms,  does  not  (so  long as any  Loans  or
Commitments are outstanding)  require the payment of any cash dividends  thereon
or redemption/reimbursement obligations or impose any cash penalties (other than
accrual of  dividends  on unpaid  dividends)  for the  failure  to declare  cash
dividends thereon), except:

                  (a)  Indebtedness of the Borrowers under this Agreement or 
any other Loan Document;

                  (b)  Indebtedness of any Subsidiary to a Borrower or any other
Subsidiary,  provided  that  such  other  Subsidiary  has  become a party to the
Security Agreement;

                  (c) Indebtedness  outstanding on the date hereof and listed on
Schedule V and any refinancings,  refundings,  renewals or extensions thereof in
an amount not to exceed the then current principal amount thereof;

                  (d) Indebtedness of a corporation  which becomes a Subsidiary,
after the date hereof,  provided that (i) such Indebtedness  existed at the time
such corporation became a Subsidiary and was not created in anticipation thereof
and (ii) immediately  after giving effect to the acquisition of such corporation
by any  Borrower,  no  Default or Event of Default  shall have  occurred  and be
continuing;

                  (e) additional Indebtedness not exceeding in aggregate 
principal amount at any one time outstanding: $500,000;

                  (f) Guarantee Obligations permitted pursuant to subsection 8.4

                  (g) Subordinated    Indebtedness   and   Deferred   Purchase
Consideration  incurred  pursuant to any acquisition  permitted under subsection
8.9(f); and



<PAGE>


                  (h) Indebtedness  under interest rate  protection  agreements
entered into to protect any Borrower against  fluctuations in interest rates and
otherwise acceptable to the Majority Lenders.

                  8.3 Limitation on Liens.  Create,  incur,  assume or suffer to
exist any Lien upon any of its property,  assets or revenues,  whether now owned
or hereafter acquired, except for:

                  (a) Liens  for taxes not yet due or which are being  contested
in good faith by appropriate  proceedings,  provided that adequate reserves with
respect  thereto are maintained on the books of a Borrower or its  Subsidiaries,
as the case may be, in conformity with GAAP;

                  (b)  carriers',  warehousemen's,   mechanics',  materialmen's,
repairmen's  or other like Liens arising in the ordinary  course of business for
sums which are not  overdue  for a period of more than ninety (90) days or which
are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings;

                  (c)  landlords  or  mortgages of landlords or other like Liens
arising by operation of law, in the ordinary course of business,  for sums which
are not  overdue  for a period of more than  ninety (90) days or which are being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings;

                  (d)   pledges  or  deposits  in   connection   with   workers'
compensation,  unemployment  insurance and other social security legislation and
deposits   securing   liability  to  insurance   carriers  under   insurance  or
self-insurance arrangements;

                  (e)  deposits  to  secure  the  performance  of  bids,   trade
contracts (other than for borrowed money), leases, statutory obligations, surety
and appeal  bonds,  performance  bonds and other  obligations  of a like  nature
incurred in the ordinary course of business;

                  (f) easements,  rights-of-way,  restrictions and other similar
encumbrances  incurred  in  the  ordinary  course  of  business  which,  in  the
aggregate, are not substantial in amount and which do not in any case materially
detract from the value of the property  subject thereto or materially  interfere
with the ordinary conduct of the business of such Borrower or such Subsidiary;

                  (g) Liens in existence  on the date hereof  listed on Schedule
VI and other  Liens,  securing  Indebtedness  permitted  by  subsection  8.2(c),
provided that no such Lien is spread to cover any additional  property after the
date  hereof  and  that  the  amount  of  Indebtedness  secured  thereby  is not
increased;

                  (h) Liens on the  property  or assets of a  corporation  which
becomes a Subsidiary  after the date hereof securing  Indebtedness  permitted by
subsection  8.2(d),  provided  that  (i) such  Liens  existed  at the time  such
corporation  became a Subsidiary and were not created in  anticipation  thereof,
(ii) any such Lien is not spread to cover any  additional  property or assets of
such corporation after the time such corporation becomes a Subsidiary, and (iii)
the amount of Indebtedness secured thereby is not increased;



<PAGE>


                  (i) Liens (not  otherwise  permitted  hereunder)  which secure
obligations not exceeding (as to ACS Inc. and all Subsidiaries), in an aggregate
amount, at any one time outstanding of: $500,000.

                  8.4      Limitation on Guarantee Obligations. Create, incur, 
assume or suffer to exist any Guarantee Obligation, except:

                  (a)      Guarantee Obligations in existence on the date hereof
and listed on Schedule VII;

                  (b) Guarantee  Obligations  incurred after the date hereof, in
an aggregate amount not to exceed, at any one time outstanding: $100,000;

                  (c) performance  bonds and other  obligations of a like nature
incurred in the ordinary course of business  incurred after the date hereof,  in
an aggregate amount not to exceed, at any one time outstanding $500,000;

                  (d)  guarantees  made by a Loan Party of obligations of any of
any other Loan Party,  which  obligations  are  otherwise  permitted  under this
Agreement; and

                  (e)  guarantees  made  by  Subsidiaries  of  any  Borrower  of
obligations of any Borrower or any other  Subsidiaries,  which  obligations  are
otherwise permitted under this Agreement.

                  8.5 Limitation on Fundamental Changes.  Enter into any merger,
consolidation  or  amalgamation,  or liquidate,  wind up or dissolve  itself (or
suffer any liquidation or dissolution), or convey, sell, lease, assign, transfer
or otherwise dispose of, all or substantially  all of its property,  business or
assets, except:

                  (a)  any   Subsidiary   of  any  Borrower  may  be  merged  or
consolidated with or into any Borrower (provided that such Borrower shall be the
continuing  or  surviving  corporation)  or with or into any one or more  wholly
owned  Domestic  Subsidiaries  of any Borrower  (provided  that the wholly owned
Domestic  Subsidiary  or  Domestic  Subsidiaries  shall  be  the  continuing  or
surviving corporation);

                  (b) any wholly owned Subsidiary may sell,  lease,  transfer or
otherwise  dispose of any or all of its assets (upon  voluntary  liquidation  or
otherwise) to any Borrower or any other wholly owned Domestic  Subsidiary of any
Borrower;

                  (c) any  Borrower  or any  Subsidiary  may merge with  another
Person if (i) such merger is in connection  with a transaction  permitted  under
subsection 8.9(f) hereof,  (ii) in the case of a Borrower,  such Borrower is the
entity surviving such merger, and in the case of a Subsidiary,  the requirements
of subsection 7.12 have been satisfied and the entity  surviving such merger is,
immediately after giving effect to such merger, the wholly-owned subsidiary of a
Borrower,  (iii)  immediately  after giving effect to such merger, no Default or
Event of Default shall have  occurred and be  continuing  and (iv) the joint and
several warranties of the Borrowers contained in this Agreement shall be true

<PAGE>




and correct in all material  respects as if made immediately  after such merger;
and

                  (d) any Borrower or any Subsidiary may enter into any 
transaction permitted by subsection 8.6 or 8.9.

                  8.6 Limitation on Sale of Assets. Convey, sell, lease, assign,
transfer  or  otherwise  dispose  of any of its  property,  business  or  assets
(including, without limitation, receivables and leasehold interests) whether now
owned or hereafter  acquired,  or, in the case of any Subsidiary,  issue or sell
any  shares of such  Subsidiary's  Capital  Stock to any  Person  other than any
Borrower or any wholly owned Domestic Subsidiary, except:

                  (a) the  sale or other  disposition  of  obsolete  or worn out
property (including, without limitation, any property which is no longer used or
useful in the  business  of a Borrower  and its  Subsidiaries)  in the  ordinary
course of business and for fair market value;

                  (b) the sale or other  disposition  of any property,  provided
that the fair  market  value of all assets so sold or  disposed  of (other  than
inventory) in any period of twelve consecutive months shall not exceed $700,000;

                  (c) the  sale of  inventory  (including,  without  limitation,
"out-of-date" and "less than first quality" inventory) in the ordinary course of
business;

                  (d)  the  sale  or  discount   without  recourse  of  accounts
receivable  arising in the ordinary  course of business in  connection  with the
compromise or collection thereof; and

                  (e)  liquidation  of Cash  Equivalents  and other  investments
permitted by this Agreement.

                  8.7  Limitation on Dividends.  Declare or pay any dividend on,
or make any  payment on account  of, or set apart  assets for a sinking or other
analogous fund for, the purchase,  redemption,  defeasance,  retirement or other
acquisition  of, any shares of any class of Capital Stock of any Borrower or any
warrants  or  options to  purchase  any such  Stock,  whether  now or  hereafter
outstanding,  or make any other distribution in respect thereof, either directly
or indirectly,  whether in cash or property or in obligations of the Borrower or
any  Subsidiary  (such  declarations,   payments,   setting  apart,   purchases,
redemptions,  defeasances,  retirements,  acquisitions and  distributions  being
herein called "Restricted Payments"), provided; however, that any Subsidiary may
declare, make or pay dividends, payments or other distributions to any Borrower.

                  8.8 Limitation on Capital Expenditures. Make or commit to make
(by  way  of the  acquisition  of  securities  of a  Person  or  otherwise)  any
expenditure in respect of the purchase or other  acquisition of fixed or capital
assets (excluding any such asset acquired in connection with normal  replacement
and maintenance programs properly charged to current operations), except for:


<PAGE>


                  (a)  expenditures in the ordinary course of business;

                  (b)  expenditures  made to repair or replace  assets which are
damaged or destroyed,  in an aggregate  amount not to exceed the amount (if any)
of any proceeds of insurance  received on account of such damage or destruction;
and

                  (c)  expenditures  on account of the making of any  investment
permitted pursuant to subsection 8.9.

                  8.9 Limitation on  Investments,  Loans and Advances.  Make any
advance,  loan,  extension of credit or capital contribution to, or purchase any
stock,  bonds,   notes,   debentures  or  other  securities  of  or  any  assets
constituting  a business unit of, or make any other  investment  in, any Person,
except:

                  (a) extensions of trade credit in the ordinary course of 
business;

                  (b) investments in Cash Equivalents;

                  (c) loans and  advances  to  employees  of a  Borrower  or its
Subsidiaries for travel,  entertainment and relocation  expenses in the ordinary
course of business in an aggregate amount not to exceed $500,000;

                  (d)  investments  in  existence  on the date hereof  which are
described on Schedule VIII hereof;

                  (e)  investments by a Borrower in, and loans by a Borrower to,
its Domestic  Subsidiaries and investments by such Subsidiaries in, and loans by
Domestic Subsidiaries to other Domestic  Subsidiaries,  in existence on the date
hereof or hereafter acquired pursuant to subsection 8.9(f);

                  (f) during  such time as no  Default  or Event of Default  has
occurred  and is  continuing  or  would  result  therefrom,  investments  (which
investments may be made by any Borrower or indirectly through one or more wholly
owned domestic  Subsidiaries  of such Borrower  organized  under the laws of any
jurisdiction  within the United  States,  and which may occur as the result of a
merger of a Borrower or a Subsidiary)  in Capital Stock or assets of an Acquired
Business whose principal  office is located in (and in the case of an investment
in Capital  Stock,  in an entity  organized  under the laws of any  jurisdiction
within) the United States,  provided that any such investment  shall be approved
in writing by the Majority  Lenders,  such  approval to be in each such Majority
Lender's sole discretion;

                  (g) a Borrower may make intercompany loans and advances to its
wholly owned Domestic  Subsidiaries and such  Subsidiaries may make intercompany
loans and advances to the Borrower;


<PAGE>


                  (h) (i)  intercompany  loans and advances  made by ACS Inc. to
its wholly  owned  Foreign  Subsidiary  in  existence  on the date  hereof in an
aggregate  amount not to exceed  $675,000 and (ii) any  additional  intercompany
loans and  advances by ACS Inc. to such wholly  owned  Foreign  Subsidiary  made
after the date hereof in an aggregate amount not to exceed $500,000;

                  (i)      Subordinated Indebtedness permitted under section 
8.2(g); and

                  (j)  other  advances,  loans  and  extensions  of credit in an
aggregate amount not to exceed: $250,000.

                  8.10 Limitation on  Transactions  with  Affiliates.  (a) Enter
into any transaction,  including,  without limitation, any purchase, sale, lease
or exchange of property or the  rendering  of any  service,  with any  Affiliate
unless such transaction is (i) otherwise permitted under this Agreement, (ii) in
the ordinary course of any such Borrower's or any such Subsidiary's business and
(iii) upon fair and reasonable  terms no less favorable to such Borrower or such
Subsidiary,  as the case may be,  than it would  obtain  in a  comparable  arm's
length transaction with a Person which is not an Affiliate;

                  8.11  Limitation  on  Sales  and  Leasebacks.  Enter  into any
arrangement  with any Person  providing  for the leasing by any  Borrower or any
Subsidiary  of real or  personal  property  which  has  been or is to be sold or
transferred  by such Borrower or such  Subsidiary to such Person or to any other
Person to whom  funds  have  been or are to be  advanced  by such  Person on the
security  of such  property  or  rental  obligations  of such  Borrower  or such
Subsidiary.

                  8.12     Limitation on Changes in Fiscal Year. Permit the 
fiscal year of any of the Borrowers to end on a day other than September 30.

                  8.13 Limitation on Negative  Pledge  Clauses.  Enter into with
any Person any agreement,  other than this Agreement,  purchase money mortgages,
Financing  Leases and other  similar  fixed asset  financings  permitted by this
Agreement (in which cases, any prohibition or limitation shall only be effective
against the assets financed  thereby),  which prohibits or limits the ability of
any Borrower or any Subsidiaries to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any
Lien  upon  any of its  property,  assets  or  revenues,  whether  now  owned or
hereafter acquired.

                  8.14 Limitation on Lines of Business. Enter into any business,
either  directly or through any  Subsidiary,  except for (a) the  businesses  in
which any  Borrower  and any  Subsidiaries  are  engaged on the date  hereof and
businesses of a similar type and (b) other activities relating thereto.

         SECTION 9.  EVENTS OF DEFAULT

         If any of the following events shall occur and be continuing:

<PAGE>


                  (a) Any  Borrower  shall fail to pay (i) any  principal of any
Loan or any  Reimbursement  Obligation  when due in  accordance  with the  terms
hereof or any other Loan Document; (ii) any interest on any Loan within five (5)
Business  Days after any such interest  comes due in  accordance  with the terms
hereof or (iii) any other amount  payable  hereunder or any other Loan  Document
within ten (10) Business  Days after any other amount  becomes due in accordance
with the terms thereof or hereof; or

                  (b) Any  representation or warranty made or deemed made by any
Borrower or any other Loan Party  herein or in any other Loan  Document or which
is  contained  in any  certificate,  document or  financial  or other  statement
furnished by it at any time under or in  connection  with this  Agreement or any
such other Loan  Document  shall prove to have been  incorrect  in any  material
respect on or as of the date made or deemed made; or

                  (c) Any Borrower or any other Loan Party shall  default in the
observance  or  performance  of any  agreement  contained  in  Section  8 or any
negative covenant contained in any other Loan Document; or

                  (d) Any Borrower or any other Loan Party shall  default in the
observance or performance of any other agreement  contained in this Agreement or
any other Loan Document (other than as provided in paragraphs (a) through (c) of
this  Section 9), and such default  shall  continue  unremedied  for a period of
thirty  (30) days  after the  earlier  of (i) the date upon  which an  executive
officer of any  Borrower  has actual  knowledge  thereof  and (ii) the date upon
which the Agent or any Lender gives notice to the Borrowers thereof; or

                  (e) Any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries  shall (i) default
in any payment of principal of or interest of any  Indebtedness  (other than the
Loans) or in the payment of any Guarantee Obligation, beyond the period of grace
(not to exceed sixty (60) days), if any, provided in the instrument or agreement
under which such  Indebtedness  or Guarantee  Obligation  was  created;  or (ii)
default in the  observance or  performance  of any other  agreement or condition
relating to any such  Indebtedness  or Guarantee  Obligation or contained in any
instrument or agreement  evidencing,  securing or relating thereto, or any other
event shall occur or condition exist, the effect of which default or other event
or  condition  is to  cause,  or  to  permit  the  holder  or  holders  of  such
Indebtedness or beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee  Obligation (or a
trustee  or  Agent on  behalf  of such  holder  or  holders  or  beneficiary  or
beneficiaries)  to cause,  with the  giving of notice or the  passage of time if
required,  such  Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity or such
Guarantee Obligation to become payable;  provided,  however,  that no Default or
Event of Default shall exist under this paragraph unless the aggregate amount of
Indebtedness  and/or  Guarantee  Obligations  in respect of which any default or
other event or condition referred to in this paragraph shall have occurred shall
be equal to at least $500,000; or

                  (f) (i) Any  Borrower or any  Subsidiary  shall  commence  any
case,  proceeding  or other  action (A) under any  existing or future law of any
jurisdiction,   domestic  or  foreign,   relating  to  bankruptcy,   insolvency,
reorganization or relief of debtors, seeking to have an order for relief entered
with  respect to it, or seeking to  adjudicate  it a bankrupt or  insolvent,  or
seeking

<PAGE>


reorganization,  arrangement, adjustment, winding-up, liquidation,  dissolution,
composition  or other  relief  with  respect to it or its debts,  or (B) seeking
appointment  of a receiver,  trustee,  custodian,  conservator  or other similar
official  for  it or for  all or any  substantial  part  of its  assets,  or any
Borrower or any  Subsidiary  shall make a general  assignment for the benefit of
its  creditors;  or (ii) there shall be  commenced  against any  Borrower or any
Subsidiary  any case,  proceeding  or other  action of a nature  referred  to in
clause  (i) above  which (A)  results in the entry of an order for relief or any
such  adjudication  or appointment or (B) remains  undismissed,  undischarged or
unbonded  for a period of sixty (60) days;  or (iii)  there  shall be  commenced
against any  Borrower or any  Subsidiary  any case,  proceeding  or other action
seeking  issuance of a warrant of  attachment,  execution,  distraint or similar
process against all or any  substantial  part of its assets which results in the
entry of an  order  for any such  relief  which  shall  not have  been  vacated,
discharged,  or stayed or bonded  pending appeal within sixty (60) days from the
entry thereof,  or (iv) any Borrower or any Subsidiary  shall take any action in
furtherance of, or indicating its consent to,  approval of, or acquiescence  in,
any of the acts set forth in  clause  (i),  (ii),  or (iii)  above;  or (v) such
Borrower or any Subsidiary  shall generally not, or shall be unable to, or shall
admit in writing its inability to, pay its debts as they become due; or

                  (g)  (i)  Any   Person   shall   engage  in  any   "prohibited
transaction"  (as defined in Section  406 of ERISA or Section  4975 of the Code)
involving any Plan,  (ii) any  "accumulated  funding  deficiency" (as defined in
Section 302 of ERISA),  whether or not waived,  shall exist with  respect to any
Plan or any Lien in favor of the PBGC or a Plan shall arise on the assets of any
Borrower or any Commonly Controlled Entity, (iii) a Reportable Event shall occur
with respect to, or proceedings shall commence to have a trustee appointed, or a
trustee shall be appointed,  to administer or to terminate,  any Single Employer
Plan,  which Reportable Event or commencement of proceedings or appointment of a
trustee is, in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders,  likely to result
in the  termination  of such Plan for  purposes  of Title IV of ERISA,  (iv) any
Single Employer Plan shall terminate for purposes of Title IV of ERISA,  (v) any
Borrower or any Commonly  Controlled Entity shall, or in the reasonable  opinion
of the Majority  Lenders is likely to, incur any liability in connection  with a
withdrawal from, or the Insolvency or Reorganization of, a Multiemployer Plan or
(vi) any other adverse event or condition shall occur or exist with respect to a
Plan;  and in each  case in  clauses  (i)  through  (vi)  above,  such  event or
condition,  together  with all other such events or  conditions,  if any,  could
reasonably  be  expected  to involve an  aggregate  amount of  liability  to any
Borrower or any Subsidiary in excess of (a) $500,000; or

                  (h) One or more judgments or decrees shall be entered  against
any Borrower or any  Subsidiaries  involving in the  aggregate a liability  (not
paid or fully covered by  insurance) of $500,000 or more and all such  judgments
or decrees shall not have been  vacated,  discharged,  stayed or bonded  pending
appeal within sixty (60) days from the entry thereof; or

                  (i) of the Security  Documents shall cease,  for any reason to
be in full force and effect,  or any Borrower or any other Loan Party which is a
party to any of the Security  Documents shall so assert or (ii) the Lien created
by any of the Security  Documents  shall cease to be enforceable and of the same
effect and priority  purported to be created thereby except as permitted by this
Agreement or other Loan Documents;


<PAGE>


                  (j) Any change in Control or Management Change shall occur;

                  (k) any  Borrower  is  debarred,  suspended  or  proposed  for
debarment  or  is  declared  ineligible  for  the  award  of  contracts  by  any
Governmental  Authority and such debarment,  suspension or proposed debarment or
declaration  is  reasonably  expected to have a Material  Adverse  Effect on the
business, operations, property, financial condition or prospects of ACS Inc. and
its Subsidiaries taken as a whole;

then, and in any such event, (i) if such event is an Event of Default  specified
in clause (i) or (ii) of  paragraph  (f) of this  Section 9 with  respect to any
Borrower,  automatically  the Commitments  shall  immediately  terminate and the
Loans  hereunder  (with  accrued  interest  thereon) and all other amounts owing
under  this  Agreement  (including,  without  limitation,  all  amounts  of  L/C
Obligations, whether or not the beneficiaries of the then outstanding Letters of
Credit shall have presented the documents required thereunder) shall immediately
become due and  payable,  and (ii) if such event is any other  Event of Default,
either or both of the  following  actions may be taken:  (A) with the consent of
the  Majority  Lenders,  the Agent  may,  or upon the  request  of the  Majority
Lenders,  the Agent shall, by notice to the Borrowers declare the Commitments to
be terminated forthwith,  whereupon the Commitments shall immediately terminate;
and (B) with the  consent of the  Majority  Lenders,  the Agent may, or upon the
request of the Majority  Lenders,  the Agent shall,  by notice to the Borrowers,
declare  the Loans  hereunder  (with  accrued  interest  thereon)  and all other
amounts owing under this Agreement (including,  without limitation,  all amounts
of L/C  Obligations,  whether or not the  beneficiaries  of the then outstanding
Letters of Credit shall have presented the documents required  thereunder) to be
due and payable  forthwith,  whereupon the same shall immediately become due and
payable.  Except as expressly  provided  above in this  Section 9,  presentment,
demand, protest and all other notices of any kind are hereby expressly waived.

         With respect to all Letters of Credit with respect to which presentment
for honor shall not have occurred at the time of an acceleration pursuant to the
preceding  paragraph,  the  Borrowers  shall  at such  time  deposit  in the L/C
Collateral  Account,  opened by the Lenders  hereunder)  an amount  equal to the
aggregate  then undrawn and  unexpired  amount of such  Letters of Credit.  Each
Borrower  hereby  grants to the Agent,  for the  benefit  of the  holders of the
Secured  Obligations,  the Issuing  Banks and the L/C  Participants,  a security
interest in such cash collateral to secure the Secured Obligations and to secure
all other  obligations  of each Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan
Documents.  Amounts held in such cash collateral account shall be applied by the
Agent in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of the  Security  Agreements.  Each
Borrower  shall  execute and  deliver to the Agent such  further  documents  and
instruments  as the Agent may request to evidence the creation and perfection of
its security interest in such cash collateral account.

         SECTION 10.  THE AGENT
                  10.1     Appointment. (a) Each Lender hereby irrevocably 
designates and appoints NationsBank, N.A. as the Agent of such Lender under this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents,  and each such  Lender  irrevocably
<PAGE>


authorizes the Agent, in such capacity,  to take such action on its behalf under
the  provisions of this  Agreement and the other Loan  Documents and to exercise
such powers and perform such duties as are  expressly  delegated to the Agent by
the terms of this  Agreement  and the other Loan  Documents,  together with such
other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Notwithstanding any provision
to the contrary elsewhere in this Agreement, the Agent shall not have any duties
or  responsibilities,  except those expressly set forth herein, or any fiduciary
relationship   with  any   Lender,   and  no   implied   covenants,   functions,
responsibilities,  duties,  obligations or  liabilities  shall be read into this
Agreement or any other Loan Document or otherwise exist against the Agent.

                  10.2  Delegation  of Duties.  The Agent may execute any of its
duties under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents by or through Agents or
attorneys-in-fact  and shall be  entitled  to advice of counsel  concerning  all
matters  pertaining to such duties.  The Agent shall not be responsible  for the
negligence or misconduct of any Agents or attorneys-in-fact  selected by it with
reasonable care.

                  10.3 Exculpatory Provisions.  Neither the Agent nor any of its
officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or Affiliates shall be
(i) liable for any  action  lawfully  taken or omitted to be taken by it or such
Person under or in  connection  with this  Agreement or any other Loan  Document
(except for its or such Person's own gross negligence or willful  misconduct) or
(ii)  responsible  in  any  manner  to  any of the  Lenders  for  any  recitals,
statements,  representations  or warranties  made by any Borrower or any officer
thereof  contained  in this  Agreement  or any  other  Loan  Document  or in any
certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in,
or received by the Agent under or in  connection  with,  this  Agreement  or any
other Loan  Document  or for the value,  validity,  effectiveness,  genuineness,
enforceability  or  sufficiency  of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or
for any  failure  of any  Borrower  to  perform  its  obligations  hereunder  or
thereunder.  The  Agent  shall  not be under  any  obligation  to any  Lender to
ascertain  or to  inquire  as to the  observance  or  performance  of any of the
agreements  contained  in, or  conditions  of, this  Agreement or any other Loan
Document, or to inspect the properties, books or records of the Borrowers.

                  10.4  Reliance by Agent.  The Agent shall be entitled to rely,
and shall be fully  protected in relying,  upon any Note,  writing,  resolution,
notice, consent,  certificate,  affidavit,  letter,  telecopy, telex or teletype
message, statement, order or other document or conversation believed by it to be
genuine and correct and to have been signed,  sent or made by the proper  Person
or Persons and upon advice and statements of legal counsel  (including,  without
limitation, counsel to any Borrower),  independent accountants and other experts
selected by the Agent.  Without limiting the foregoing or the obligation of each
Borrower  to confirm in writing  any  telephonic  notice  permitted  to be given
hereunder,  the Agent may prior to receipt of written  confirmation  act without
liability  upon the basis of such  telephonic  notice,  believed by the Agent in
good faith to be from a Responsible  Officer of any Borrower or any  Subsidiary.
The Agent may deem and treat the payee of any Note as the owner  thereof for all
purposes unless a written notice of assignment,  negotiation or transfer thereof
shall  have been filed with the Agent.  The Agent  shall be fully  justified  in
failing or refusing to take any action  under this  Agreement  or any other Loan
Document

<PAGE>


unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Majority Lenders
as it deems  appropriate or it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by
the Lenders  against any and all  liability and expense which may be incurred by
it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The Agent shall in
all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this
Agreement  and the other  Loan  Documents  in  accordance  with a request of the
Majority  Lenders,  and such  request  and any  action  taken or  failure to act
pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders and all future holders of
the Loans.

                  10.5 Notice of Default.  The Agent shall not be deemed to have
knowledge  or  notice  of the  occurrence  of any  Default  or Event of  Default
hereunder  unless  the Agent has  received  notice  from a Lender or a  Borrower
referring  to this  Agreement,  describing  such Default or Event of Default and
stating that such notice is a "notice of  default".  In the event that the Agent
receives such a notice, the Agent shall give notice thereof to the Lenders.  The
Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default or Event of Default as
shall be reasonably  directed by the Majority Lenders;  provided that unless and
until the Agent shall have  received such  directions,  the Agent may (but shall
not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action,  with
respect to such  Default or Event of Default as it shall deem  advisable  in the
best interests of the Lenders.

                  10.6  Non-Reliance  on Agent and Other  Lenders.  Each  Lender
expressly  acknowledges  that  neither  the  Agent  nor  any  of  its  officers,
directors,  employees,  Agents,  attorneys-in-fact  or  Affiliates  has made any
representations  or  warranties  to it and that no act by the Agent  hereinafter
taken,  including any review of the affairs of any Borrower,  shall be deemed to
constitute  any  representation  or warranty  by the Agent to any  Lender.  Each
Lender  represents to the Agent that it has,  independently and without reliance
upon the Agent or any other Lender,  and based on such documents and information
as it has deemed  appropriate,  made its own appraisal of and investigation into
the  business,   operations,   property,   financial  and  other  condition  and
creditworthiness  of each  Borrower  and made its own decision to make its Loans
hereunder and enter into this  Agreement.  Each Lender also  represents  that it
will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent or any other Lender, and
based on such  documents and  information  as it shall deem  appropriate  at the
time,  continue to make its own credit  analysis,  appraisals  and  decisions in
taking or not taking action under this  Agreement and the other Loan  Documents,
and to make such  investigation as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the
business,   operations,    property,   financial   and   other   condition   and
creditworthiness  of each  Borrower.  Except  for  notices,  reports  and  other
documents  expressly  required  to be  furnished  to the  Lenders  by the  Agent
hereunder,  the Agent shall not have any duty or  responsibility  to provide any
Lender with any credit or other information concerning the business, operations,
property,  condition (financial or otherwise),  prospects or creditworthiness of
each  Borrower  which  may come into the  possession  of the Agent or any of its
officers, directors, employees, Agents, attorneys-in-fact or Affiliates.

                  10.7 Indemnification. The Lenders agree to indemnify the Agent
in its  capacity  as such (to the extent not  reimbursed  by the  Borrowers  and
without limiting the obligation of the Borrowers to do so), ratably according to
their  respective  Commitment  Percentages  in  effect  on  the  date  on  which
indemnification is sought (such Commitment Percentage to be determined as if

<PAGE>


there are not  Defaulting  Lenders),  from and against any and all  liabilities,
obligations,  losses,  damages,  penalties,  actions,  judgments,  suits, costs,
expenses  or  disbursements  of any  kind  whatsoever  which  may  at  any  time
(including,  without limitation, at any time following the payment of the Loans)
be imposed on, incurred by or asserted  against the Agent in any way relating to
or  arising  out of,  the  Commitments,  this  Agreement,  any of the other Loan
Documents or any documents  contemplated  by or referred to herein or therein or
the transactions  contemplated  hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted
by the Agent under or in connection with any of the foregoing;  provided that no
Lender  shall be liable  for the  payment of any  portion  of such  liabilities,
obligations,  losses,  damages,  penalties,  actions,  judgments,  suits, costs,
expenses or disbursements  resulting solely from the Agent's gross negligence or
willful misconduct. To the extent that any Lender would be required to indemnify
the  Agent  pursuant  to this  subsection  10.7  but for the  fact  that it is a
Defaulting  Lender,  such Defaulting Lender shall not be entitled to receive any
portion of any payment or other  distribution  hereunder until each other Lender
shall have been reimbursed for the excess,  if any, of the aggregate amount paid
by such Lender under this  subsection  10.7 over the aggregate  amount that such
Lender  would  have  been  obligated  to pay had such  first  Lender  not been a
Defaulting  Lender.  The  agreements in this  subsection  10.7 shall survive the
payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder.

                  10.8 Agent in its Individual  Capacity.  The Agent and each of
its respective  Affiliates may make loans to, accept deposits from and generally
engage in any kind of  business  with any  Borrower as though the Agent were not
the Agent  hereunder  and under the other Loan  Documents.  With  respect to its
Loans made or renewed  by it and any Note  issued to it and with  respect to any
Letter of Credit issued or  participated in by it, the Agent shall have the same
rights  and powers  under this  Agreement  and the other Loan  Documents  as any
Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Agent,  and the terms
"Lender" and  "Lenders"  shall  include the Agent in its  respective  individual
capacity.

                  10.9 Successor  Agent.  The Agent may resign as Agent upon ten
(10) days' notice to the Lenders and the Borrowers. If the Agent shall resign as
Agent  under this  Agreement  and the other Loan  Documents,  then the  Majority
Lenders shall appoint from among the Lenders a successor  Agent for the Lenders,
which  successor  Agent  (provided  that it  shall  have  been  approved  by the
Borrowers),  shall  succeed  to the  rights,  powers  and  duties  of the  Agent
hereunder.  Effective upon such appointment and approval, the term "Agent" shall
mean such successor Agent,  and the former Agent's rights,  powers and duties as
Agent shall be terminated,  without any other or further act or deed on the part
of such former  Agent or any of the parties to this  Agreement or any holders of
the Loans.  After any retiring  Agent's  resignation as Agent, the provisions of
this Section 10 shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to
be taken by it while it was  Agent  under  this  Agreement  and the  other  Loan
Documents.

         SECTION 11.  MISCELLANEOUS
                  11.1  Amendments  and Waivers.  Neither this Agreement nor any
other  Loan  Document,  nor  any  terms  hereof  or  thereof,  may  be  amended,
supplemented  or  modified  except in  accordance  with the  provisions  of this
subsection 11.1. The Majority Lenders may, or, with the written

<PAGE>


consent of the  Majority  Lenders,  the Agent may,  from time to time,  with the
consent of the Borrowers (a) enter into with the Borrowers  written  amendments,
supplements  or  modifications  hereto and to the other Loan  Documents  for the
purpose of adding any  provisions to this  Agreement or the other Loan Documents
or  changing  in any  manner  the  rights  of the  Lenders  or of the  Borrowers
hereunder  or  thereunder  or (b)  waive,  on such terms and  conditions  as the
Majority  Lenders  or the  Agent,  as the  case  may  be,  may  specify  in such
instrument,  any of the  requirements  of  this  Agreement  or  the  other  Loan
Documents  or any  Default or Event of Default and its  consequences;  provided,
however,  that no such waiver and no such amendment,  supplement or modification
shall:

                           (i) reduce the amount or extend the scheduled date of
         maturity  of any Loan or of any  installment  thereof,  or  reduce  the
         stated  rate of any  interest or fee  payable  hereunder  or extend the
         scheduled date of any payment  thereof or increase the amount or extend
         the expiration  date of any Lender's  Commitment,  in each case without
         the consent of each Non-Defaulting Lender directly affected thereby;

                           (ii)  amend,  modify or waive any  provision  of this
         subsection 11.1 or reduce the percentage specified in the definition of
         Majority  Lenders,  in each case without the written consent of all the
         Non-Defaulting Lenders;

                           (iii)  consent to the  assignment  or transfer by any
         Borrower of any of its rights and obligations  under this Agreement and
         the other Loan  Documents,  in each case without the written consent of
         all the Non-Defaulting Lenders;

                           (iv)  release of any of the  material  collateral  or
         material  guarantee  obligations  provided for in a Security  Document,
         without the written  consent of the  Non-Defaulting  Lenders  except in
         connection with permitted dispositions of Collateral;

                           (v) amend, modify or waive any provision of Section 3
         without the written  consent of each  Issuing  Bank  directly  affected
         thereby (provided that, such Issuing Bank is a Non-Defaulting  Lender);
         or

                           (vi) amend,  modify or waive any provision of Section
11 without the written consent of the
then Agent.

Any such waiver and any such amendment,  supplement or modification  shall apply
equally  to each of the  Lenders  (including  Defaulting  Lenders)  and shall be
binding upon each Borrower,  the Lenders  (including  Defaulting  Lenders),  the
Agent and all  future  holders  of the  Loans.  In the case of any  waiver,  the
Borrowers,  the Lenders  (including  Defaulting  Lenders) and the Agent shall be
restored to their former positions and rights hereunder and under the other Loan
Documents,  and any  Default  or Event of Default  waived  shall be deemed to be
cured and not continuing; no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other
Default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

                  11.2  Releases of Collateral Security. Notwithstanding 
anything to the  contrary  contained  herein or in any Security  Document,  upon
request of the Borrowers, the Agent shall (without  any notice to or vote
<PAGE>


or consent of any Lender) take any action which has the effect of releasing  any
collateral  security  and/or  guarantee  obligations  provided  for in any  Loan
Document to the extent  necessary to permit the consummation of any Net Proceeds
Event or any asset  dispositions  permitted by  subsection  8.6;  provided  that
(unless the Majority  Lenders shall  otherwise  consent) the Net Proceeds of any
Net Proceeds Event are applied in the manner  contemplated by subsection 4.5 (if
so required). 

u                11.3 Notices. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, all
notices,  requests and demands to or upon the  respective  parties  hereto to be
effective shall be in writing (including by facsimile  transmission) and, unless
otherwise expressly provided herein,  shall be deemed to have been duly given or
made (a) in the case of delivery  by hand,  when  delivered,  (b) in the case of
delivery by mail,  three (3) days after being  deposited  in the mails,  postage
prepaid, or (c) in the case of delivery by facsimile transmission, when sent and
receipt has been  confirmed,  addressed as follows in the case of the  Borrowers
and the Agent,  and as set forth in Schedule I in the case of the other  parties
hereto, or to such other address as may be hereafter  notified by the respective
parties hereto:

The Borrowers:


                  Advanced Communication Systems, Inc.
                  10089 Lee Highway
                  Fairfax, VA  22030
                  Attention: Dev Ganesan
                  Telecopy: (703) 369-0698
                  Phone: (703) 934-8130


with a copy to:


                  Venable, Baetjer and Howard, LLP
                  2010 Corporate Ridge, Suite 400
                  McLean, VA  22102-7847
                  Attention:  Joseph C. Schmelter, Esq.
                  Telecopy: (703) 821-8949
                  Phone: (703) 760-1920

<PAGE>



The Agent:


                  NationsBank, N.A.
                  8300 Greensboro Drive
                  McLean, VA  22102
                  Attention:  Jennifer B. Lathrop
                  Telecopy: (703) 761-8246
                  Phone: (703) 761-8022


with a copy to:

                  Shaw Pittman Potts & Trowbridge
                  2300 N Street, N.W.
                  Washington, D.C.  20037
                  Attention: M. David Krohn, Esq.
                  Telecopy: (212) 603-6801
                  Phone:  (212) 603-6824


provided  that any  notice,  request or demand to or upon the Agent  pursuant to
subsection 2.2, 3.2, 4.3, 4.4 or 4.8 shall not be effective until received.


                  11.4 No Waiver;  Cumulative  Remedies.  No failure to exercise
and no delay in  exercising  on the part of the Agent or any Lender,  any right,
remedy,  power or privilege  hereunder or under the other Loan  Documents  shall
operate as a waiver  thereof;  nor shall any single or partial  exercise  of any
right,  remedy,  power or  privilege  hereunder  preclude  any other or  further
exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege.
The rights,  remedies,  powers and privileges herein provided are cumulative and
not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.

                  11.5  Survival  of   Representations   and   Warranties.   All
representations  and warranties made hereunder,  in the other Loan Documents and
in any  document,  certificate  or  statement  delivered  pursuant  hereto or in
connection  herewith  shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement
and the making of the Loans  hereunder and shall continue until the  termination
of this Agreement pursuant to subsection 11.7.

                  11.6 Payment of Expenses and Taxes. The Borrowers, jointly and
severally,  agree (a) to pay or  reimburse  the Agent for all of its  reasonable
out-of-pocket  costs and expenses  incurred in connection with the  development,
preparation and execution of any amendment,  supplement or modification to, this
Agreement  and the other Loan  Documents  and any other  documents  prepared  in
connection herewith or therewith, and the consummation and administration of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including, without limitation, the
reasonable  fees  and  disbursements  of  counsel  to the  Agent,  (b) to pay or
reimburse  each Lender and the Agent for all its costs and expenses  incurred in
connection with the enforcement or with respect to the Agent,  the  preservation
of any rights under this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any

<PAGE>


such other documents,  including,  without  limitation,  the reasonable fees and
disbursements of counsel to each Lender and of counsel to the Agent, (c) to pay,
indemnify,  and hold  each  Lender  and the  Agent  harmless  from,  any and all
recording  and  filing  fees and any and all  liabilities  with  respect  to, or
resulting from any delay in paying, stamp, excise and other taxes, if any, which
may be payable or determined to be payable in connection  with the execution and
delivery  of,  or  consummation  or  administration  of any of the  transactions
contemplated by, or any amendment,  supplement or modification of, or any waiver
or consent under or in respect of, this Agreement,  the other Loan Documents and
any such other documents,  and (d) to pay,  indemnify,  and hold each Lender and
the Agent harmless from and against any and all other liabilities,  obligations,
losses,  damages,  penalties,  actions,  judgments,  suits,  costs,  expenses or
disbursements  of any kind or nature  whatsoever  with respect to any Letters of
Credit or the execution, delivery,  enforcement,  performance and administration
of this  Agreement,  the other Loan  Documents or the use of the proceeds of the
Loans and any such other documents,  including,  without limitation,  any of the
foregoing  relating to the violation of,  noncompliance with or liability under,
any  Environmental  Law  applicable  to  the  operations  of any  Borrower,  any
Subsidiary  or any of the  Properties  (all the  foregoing  in this  clause (d),
collectively, the "indemnified liabilities"),  provided that the Borrowers shall
have no  obligation  hereunder  to the  Agent  or any  Lender  with  respect  to
indemnified  liabilities  to the extent arising from the gross  negligence,  bad
faith or willful  misconduct of the Agent or such Lender. The agreements in this
subsection  11.6  shall  survive  repayment  of the Loans and all other  amounts
payable hereunder.

                  11.7  Termination.  This  Agreement  shall  terminate upon the
termination  of all  Commitments  and the  irrevocable  repayment in full of the
aggregate  outstanding  principal amount of the Loans, accrued interest thereon,
and all fees and expenses  and other  amounts due and payable at such time under
any of the Loan  Documents;  provided  that all  indemnities  set  forth  herein
including,  without limitation,  in subsections 4.14, 4.15, 4.16, 4.17, 10.7 and
11.6 shall survive such termination.

                  11.8   Successors and Assigns; Participations and Assignments.

                  (a) This  Agreement  shall be  binding  upon and  inure to the
benefit of the Borrowers, the Lenders, the Agent and their respective successors
and assigns, except that no Borrower may assign or transfer any of its rights or
obligations  under this  Agreement  without  the prior  written  consent of each
Lender.

                  (b) Any Lender may, in the ordinary  course of its  commercial
banking  business and in accordance with applicable law, at any time sell to one
or more banks or other  financial  institutions  ("Participants")  participating
interests in any Loan owing to such Lender, any Commitment of such Lender or any
other interest of such Lender  hereunder and under the other Loan Documents.  In
the  event  of any  such  sale by a  Lender  of a  participating  interest  to a
Participant,  such  Lender's  obligations  under  this  Agreement  shall  remain
unchanged,  such Lender  shall remain  solely  responsible  for the  performance
thereof,  such Lender  shall remain the holder of any such Loan for all purposes
under this  Agreement  and the other Loan  Documents,  and the Borrowers and the
Agent shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection

<PAGE>


with such Lender's  rights and  obligations  under this  Agreement and the other
Loan  Documents.  No  Lender  shall  be  entitled  to  create  in  favor  of any
Participant, in the participation agreement pursuant to which such Participant's
participating  interest  shall be  created or  otherwise,  any right to vote on,
consent to or approve any matter  relating to this  Agreement  or any other Loan
Document  except for those  specified  in clauses (i) and (ii) of the proviso to
subsection  11.1.  The Borrowers  agree that if amounts  outstanding  under this
Agreement  are due or unpaid,  or shall have been  declared or shall have become
due and payable upon the  occurrence  of an Event of Default,  each  Participant
shall, to the maximum extent  permitted by applicable law, be deemed to have the
right of setoff in respect of its participating  interest in amounts owing under
this Agreement to the same extent as if the amount of its participating interest
were owing  directly to it as a Lender under this  Agreement,  provided that, in
purchasing such participating interest, such Participant shall be deemed to have
agreed to share with the Lenders the  proceeds  thereof as fully as if it were a
Lender  hereunder.  The  Borrowers  also  agree that each  Participant  shall be
entitled to the benefits of subsections  4.14,  4.15, 4.16 and 4.17 with respect
to its  participation in the Commitments and the Loans  outstanding from time to
time as if it was a Lender;  provided that, in the case of subsection 4.16, such
Participant  shall have complied with the  requirements  of said  subsection and
provided,  further, that no Participant shall be entitled to receive any greater
amount pursuant to any such subsection than the Lenders would have been entitled
to receive in respect  of the amount of the  participation  transferred  by such
Lender to such Participant had no such transfer occurred.

                  (c) Any Lender may, in the ordinary  course of its  commercial
banking  business and in accordance  with  applicable  law, at any time and from
time to time assign to any Lender or any affiliate  thereof or, with the consent
of the  Borrowers  and the Agent  (which in each case shall not be  unreasonably
withheld), to an additional bank or financial institution (an "Assignee") all or
any part of its rights and  obligations  under this Agreement and the other Loan
Documents pursuant to an Assignment and Acceptance, substantially in the form of
Exhibit G, executed by such Assignee, such assigning Lender (and, in the case of
an Assignee that is not then a Lender or an affiliate thereof,  by the Borrowers
and the Agent) and  delivered  to the Agent for its  acceptance  and  recording,
provided  that,  in the case of any such  assignment  to an  additional  bank or
financial  institution,  (x)  the  aggregate  amount  of the  Commitments  being
assigned are not less than $1,000,000 (or such lesser amount as may be agreed to
by the Borrowers  and the Agent) and (y) if such  assignment is of less than all
of the rights and obligations of the assigning  Lender,  the aggregate amount of
the  Commitment  remaining  with the  assigning  Lender  are each not less  than
$1,000,000  (or such lesser  amount as may be agreed to by the Borrowers and the
Agent).  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  so  long  as no  event  described  in
subsection  9(f) shall have  occurred and be  continuing,  unless the  Borrowers
shall have otherwise consented,  NationsBank, N.A. shall at all times retain (i)
not less than thirty percent (30%) of the sum of the  Commitments of the Lenders
and (ii) a Commitment Percentage of each Facility greater than that of any other
single Lender hereunder. Upon such execution, delivery, acceptance and recording
(and the payment of the  registration and processing fee described in clause (e)
below), from and after the effective date determined pursuant to such Assignment
and Acceptance,  (x) the Assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the
extent  provided  in  such  Assignment  and  Acceptance,  have  the  rights  and
obligations of a Lender hereunder with a Commitment as set forth therein,

<PAGE>


and (y) the assigning  Lender  thereunder  shall, to the extent provided in such
Assignment and Acceptance, be released from its obligations under this Agreement
(and, in the case of an Assignment and Acceptance  covering all or the remaining
portion of the  Lenders'  rights and  obligations  under  this  Agreement,  such
assigning  Lender  shall  cease  to  be a  party  hereto).  Notwithstanding  any
provision of this paragraph (c) of this subsection, the consent of the Borrowers
shall not be required  for any  assignment  which occurs at any time when any of
the events described in subsection 9(f) shall have occurred and be continuing.

                  (d) The Agent,  on behalf of the Borrowers,  shall maintain at
the  address  of the  Agent  referred  to in  subsection  11.3 a  copy  of  each
Assignment and Acceptance  delivered to it and a register (the  "Register")  for
the  recordation  of the names and addresses of the Lenders and the  Commitments
of, and principal  amounts of the Loans owing to, each Lender from time to time.
The entries in the Register shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be
prima facie evidence of the information  contained  therein,  and the Borrowers,
the Agent and the Lenders may (and, in the case of any Loan or other  obligation
hereunder  not  evidenced  by a Note,  shall)  treat each  Person  whose name is
recorded in the Register as the owner of a Loan or other obligation hereunder as
the  owner  thereof  for all  purposes  of this  Agreement  and the  other  Loan
Documents,  notwithstanding  any notice to the contrary.  Any  assignment of any
Loan or other  obligation  hereunder  not evidenced by a Note shall be effective
only upon  appropriate  entries with respect thereto being made in the Register.
The Register  shall be available for inspection by any Borrower or any Lender at
any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

                  (e) Upon its receipt of an Assignment and Acceptance  executed
by an assigning  Lender and an Assignee (and, in the case of an Assignee that is
not then a Lender or an  affiliate  thereof,  by the  Borrowers  and the Agent),
together  with  payment to the Agent of a  registration  and  processing  fee of
$2,500 by such Assignee, the Agent shall (i) promptly accept such Assignment and
Acceptance and (ii) on the effective date determined pursuant thereto record the
information contained therein in the Register and give notice of such acceptance
and  recordation  to the Lenders and the  Borrowers;  provided  that no such fee
shall be payable with respect to any assignment  from an assigning  Lender to an
affiliate thereof.

                  (f) The  Borrowers  authorize  each  Lender to disclose to any
Participant or Assignee  (each, a "Transferee")  and any prospective  Transferee
any and all financial  information  in such Lenders'  possession  concerning any
Borrower or any Affiliate of a Borrower  which has been delivered to such Lender
by or on behalf of such  Borrower  pursuant to this  Agreement or which has been
delivered to such Lender by or on behalf of any such Borrower in connection with
such Lenders' credit evaluation of any such Borrower and its Affiliates prior to
becoming a party to this Agreement.

                  (g) For  avoidance  of doubt,  the  parties to this  Agreement
acknowledge  that the provisions of this subsection 11.8 concerning  assignments
of Loans and Notes relate only to absolute  assignments and that such provisions
do not prohibit assignments creating security interests,

<PAGE>


including,  without limitation, any pledge or assignment by a Lender of any Loan
or Note to any Federal Reserve Bank in accordance with applicable law.

                  11.9     Adjustments; Set-off.

                  (a) If any  Lender (a  "Benefited  Lender")  at any time shall
receive any payment of all or part of its Loans or the Reimbursement Obligations
owing to it, or interest  thereon,  or receive any collateral in respect thereof
(whether  voluntarily  or  involuntarily,  by  set-off,  pursuant  to  events or
proceedings of the nature  referred to in subsection  9(f), or otherwise),  in a
greater proportion than any such payment to or collateral  received by any other
Lender,  if any, in respect of such other  Lenders'  Loans or the  Reimbursement
Obligations  owing  to it (as the  case  may  be),  or  interest  thereon,  such
benefited  Lender shall purchase for cash from the other Lenders such portion of
each such other Lenders' Loans or the Reimbursement  Obligations owing to it (as
the case may be), or shall  provide such other  Lenders with the benefits of any
such collateral,  or the proceeds  thereof,  as shall be necessary to cause such
benefited  Lender to share the excess payment or benefits of such  collateral or
proceeds ratably with each of the Lenders, and if after taking into account such
sharing the benefited  Lender  continues to have access to addition  funds of or
collateral  granted by any Borrower for application on account of its debt, then
the benefited  Lender shall use such funds or collateral to reduce  Indebtedness
of any such Borrower held by it and share such payments and the benefits of such
collateral with the other Lenders; provided, however, that if all or any portion
of such excess  payment or benefits is thereafter  recovered from such benefited
Lender,  such purchase  shall be rescinded,  and the purchase price and benefits
returned, to the extent of such recovery,  but without interest.  The Borrowers,
jointly and severally, agree that each Lender so purchasing a portion of another
Lenders' Loans or  Reimbursement  Obligations may exercise all rights of payment
(including,  without limitation, rights of set-off) with respect to such portion
as fully as if such Lender were the direct holder of such portion.

                  (b) In  addition  to any rights and  remedies  of the  Lenders
provided by law,  each Lender shall have the right,  without prior notice to any
Borrower,  any such notice being expressly waived by each Borrower to the extent
permitted by  applicable  law,  upon any amount  becoming due and payable by any
Borrower  hereunder  (whether  at  the  stated  maturity,   by  acceleration  or
otherwise) to set-off and  appropriate and apply against such amount any and all
deposits  (general or special,  time or demand,  provisional  or final),  in any
currency,  and any other credits,  indebtedness or claims,  in any currency,  in
each case  whether  direct or  indirect,  absolute  or  contingent,  matured  or
unmatured, at any time held or owing by such Lender or any branch, agency or (to
the extent permitted by applicable law) banking  affiliate thereof to or for the
credit or the account of any Borrower. Each Lender agrees promptly to notify the
Borrowers  and the Agent or any Lender  after any such  set-off and  application
made by such  Lender,  provided  that the failure to give such notice  shall not
affect the validity of the set-off and application.

                  11.10 Joint and Several  Liability.  WHETHER OR NOT  EXPRESSLY
STATED HEREIN OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN  DOCUMENT,  ALL  OBLIGATIONS OF THE BORROWERS
(OR OF ANY BORROWER)  HEREUNDER  AND UNDER EACH OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT  (WHETHER IN
CONNECTION WITH LOANS, LETTERS OF CREDIT OR

<PAGE>


OTHER OBLIGATIONS) ARE JOINT AND SEVERAL OBLIGATIONS OF ALL BORROWERS.

                  11.11 Maximum  Amount of Joint and Several  Liability.  To the
extent that  applicable Law otherwise  would render the full amount of the joint
and several  obligations of any  Subsidiary of ACS Inc.  hereunder and under the
other Loan Documents  invalid or unenforceable,  such  Subsidiary's  obligations
hereunder and under the Loan  Documents  shall be limited to the maximum  amount
which does not result in such invalidity or unenforceability, provided, however,
that each  Borrower's  obligations  hereunder and under the other Loan Documents
shall be  presumptively  valid  and  enforceable  to  their  fullest  extent  in
accordance with the terms hereof or thereof,  as if this  subsection  11.11 were
not a part of this Agreement.

                  11.12  Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed by one or
more of the parties to this  Agreement  on any number of  separate  counterparts
(including  by  facsimile  transmission),  and  all of said  counterparts  taken
together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. A set of the
copies of this Agreement signed by all the parties shall be lodged with ACS Inc.
and the Agent.

                  11.13  Severability.  Any provision of this Agreement which is
prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction  shall, as to such jurisdiction,
be ineffective to the extent of such  prohibition  or  unenforceability  without
invalidating  the  remaining  provisions  hereof,  and any such  prohibition  or
unenforceability   in  any   jurisdiction   shall  not   invalidate   or  render
unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

                  11.14 Integration. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents
represent the agreement of the Borrowers, the Agent and the Lenders with respect
to  the  subject  matter  hereof,  and  there  are  no  promises,  undertakings,
representations  or  warranties  by the Agent or any Lender  relative to subject
matter hereof not expressly set forth or referred to herein or in the other Loan
Documents.  For the avoidance of doubt, the terms and conditions of that certain
commitment  letter  dated as of  January  28,  1998 from  NationsBank,  N.A.  to
Advanced  Communication  Systems,  Inc. shall be deemed to have been  superceded
hereby as of the date hereof and such commitment  letter shall be terminated and
of no further force and effect.

                  11.15  GOVERNING  LAW.  THIS  AGREEMENT  AND  THE  RIGHTS  AND
OBLIGATIONS  OF THE PARTIES  HEREUNDER  SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND  CONSTRUED AND
INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.

                  11.16    Submission To Jurisdiction; Waivers. Each Borrower 
hereby irrevocably and unconditionally:

                  (a) submits for itself and its property in any legal action or
proceeding  relating to this  Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it
is a party,  or for  recognition  and  enforcement  of any  judgment  in respect
thereof, to the non-exclusive general jurisdiction of the Courts

<PAGE>


of the Commonwealth of Virginia,  the courts of the United States of America for
the 4th circuit, and appellate courts from any thereof,

                  (b) consents that any such action or proceeding may be brought
in such courts and waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the
venue of any such action or  proceeding in any such court or that such action or
proceeding was brought in an inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim
the same;

                  (c) agrees  that  service  of  process  in any such  action or
proceeding  may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified
mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), postage prepaid, to a Borrower
at its address set forth in  subsection  11.3 or at such other  address of which
the Lenders shall have been notified pursuant thereto;

                  (d)  agrees  that  nothing  herein  shall  affect the right to
effect  service of process in any other  manner  permitted by law or shall limit
the right to sue in any other jurisdiction; and

                  (e) waives,  except in the case of bad faith (and otherwise to
the maximum  extent not  prohibited  by law),  any right it may have to claim or
recover in any legal action or proceeding  referred to in this subsection  11.16
any special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages.

                  11.17 Acknowledgments. The Borrowers hereby acknowledge that:

                  (a)  each   Borrower  has  been  advised  by  counsel  in  the
negotiation,  execution  and  delivery  of this  Agreement  and the  other  Loan
Documents;

                  (b)  neither  the  Agent  nor any  Lender  has  any  fiduciary
relationship  with or duty to any Borrower  arising out of or in connection with
this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents,  and the relationship between
Agent and Lenders,  on the one hand,  and the  Borrowers,  on the other hand, in
connection herewith is solely that of debtor and creditor; and

                  (c) no joint  venture is  created  hereby or by the other Loan
Documents or otherwise exists by virtue of the transactions  contemplated hereby
among any Borrower and the Lenders.

                  11.18 WAIVERS OF JURY TRIAL.  TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT  PERMITTED
BY APPLICABLE LAW, EACH BORROWER,  THE AGENT AND THE LENDERS HEREBY  IRREVOCABLY
AND  UNCONDITIONALLY  WAIVE  TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY  LEGAL  ACTION  OR  PROCEEDING
RELATING TO THIS  AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY  COUNTERCLAIM
THEREIN.


<PAGE>


         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and delivered by their proper and duly  authorized  officers as of
the day and year first above written.

                                                NATIONSBANK, N.A.
                                                as Agent and a Lender
                                                By:  /s/ Jennifer B. Lathrop
                                                Jennifer B. Lathrop
                                                Assistant Vice President


                                                ADVANCED COMMUNICATION
                                                 SYSTEMS, INC.
                                                INTEGRATED SYSTEMS CONTROL, INC.
                                                RF MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
                                                as Borrowers
                                                By:  /s/ Dev Ganesan
                                                Dev Ganesan
                                                Chief Financial Officer




Exhibit 10.3

                               SECURITY AGREEMENT

         SECURITY  AGREEMENT,  dated as of February 17,  1998,  made by ADVANCED
COMMUNICATIONS   SYSTEMS,   INC.,   INTEGRATED  SYSTEMS  CONTROL,  INC.  and  RF
MICROSYSTEMS,  INC.,  (together  with any other  Person  that has become a party
hereto as provided herein, collectively the "Borrowers" and individually, each a
"Borrower"),  in favor of  NATIONSBANK,  N.A., as agent (in such  capacity,  the
"Agent"),  for  the  benefit  of the  Lenders,  as the  holders  of the  Secured
Obligations and as parties to the Credit Agreement described below.

                                   WITNESSETH:

         WHEREAS, the Borrowers are parties to the Credit Agreement, dated as of
the date hereof (as amended,  supplemented  or otherwise  modified  from time to
time,  the  "Credit  Agreement"),  among  the  Borrowers,  the  banks  and other
financial institutions from time to time parties thereto (the "Lenders") and the
Agent;

         WHEREAS,  pursuant to the Credit Agreement, the Lenders, have agreed to
make certain extensions of credit to the Borrowers upon the terms and subject to
the conditions set forth therein;

         WHEREAS,  it is a condition  precedent to the obligation of the Lenders
to make their respective  extensions of credit to the Borrowers under the Credit
Agreement  that the Borrowers  shall have  executed and delivered  this Security
Agreement to the Agent;

         NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of the  premises and to induce the
Agent and the  Lenders  to enter  into the  Credit  Agreement  and to induce the
Lenders  to  make  their  respective  extensions  of  credit  under  the  Credit
Agreement,  the  Borrowers  hereby agree with the Agent,  for the benefit of the
Lenders as follows:

         1.   Defined Terms

              1.1  Definitions.  (a)  Unless  otherwise  defined  herein,  terms
defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to
them in the Credit  Agreement,  and the following terms which are defined in the
Uniform  Commercial  Code in effect in the  Commonwealth of Virginia on the date
hereof  are used  herein as so  defined:  Accounts,  Chattel  Paper,  Documents,
Equipment, Farm Products, Fixtures, General Intangibles,  Instruments, Inventory
and Proceeds.

                    (b) The following terms shall have the following meanings:

                    "Agreement":  this Security Agreement, as the same may be 
amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

<PAGE>


                    "Code":  the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time in
effect in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

                    "Collateral": as defined in Section 2.

                    "Collateral Account":  the Collateral Account as defined in 
Section 3.

                    "Copyrights"  means all of the  following to the extent that
any Borrower now or hereafter has any right, title or interest therein:  (i) all
United States  copyrights in all Works,  whether  published or unpublished,  now
existing or hereafter created or acquired,  including,  without limitation,  the
copyrights  in the Works  listed in  Schedule 2 hereto,  all  registrations  and
recordings  thereof,  and all applications in connection  therewith,  including,
without  limitation,  registrations,  recordings and  applications in the United
States Copyright Office, and (ii) all renewals thereof.

                    "Copyright Licenses" means any written agreement, naming any
Borrower as  licensor  or  licensee,  granting  any right  under any  Copyright,
including, without limitation, the agreements described in Schedule 2 hereto, as
the same may be amended,  supplemented or otherwise  modified from time to time,
including,  without limitation, (i) all rights of any Borrower to receive moneys
due and to become due to it  thereunder  or in  connection  therewith,  (ii) all
rights of any  Borrower  to damages  arising  out of or for breach or default in
respect  thereof and (iii) all rights of any  Borrower to exercise  all remedies
thereunder.

                    "Government Contract" means all contracts of any Borrower or
any of  its  Subsidiaries  with  respect  to  which  the  United  States  or any
department,  agency or instrumentality  or agent thereof,  or any state or local
government or any department,  agency or  instrumentality  or agent thereof is a
debtor or obligor  (including any  guarantor) in any way in connection  with any
Receivable or obligation to such Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

                    "Patents": means all of the following to the extent that any
Borrower  now or  hereafter  has any right,  title or  interest  therein (a) all
letters  patent of the United  States or any other  country and all reissues and
extensions thereof,  including,  without limitation,  any thereof referred to in
Schedule 3, and (b) all  applications for letters patent of the United States or
any other country and all  divisions,  continuations  and  continuations-in-part
thereof, including, without limitation, any thereof referred to in Schedule 3.

                    "Patent Licenses":  any written agreement providing for the 
grant  by or to any  Borrower  of any  right  to  manufacture,  use or sell  any
invention  covered  by a Patent,  including,  without  limitation,  any  thereof
referred to in Schedule 3.

                    "Receivable":  any right to payment for goods sold or leased
or for  services  rendered,  whether  or  not  such  right  is  evidenced  by an
Instrument or Chattel Paper and whether or not it has been earned by
<PAGE>


performance (including, without limitation, any Account).

                    "Secured Obligations":  shall be the collective reference to
the unpaid principal of and interest on the Notes and all other  obligations and
liabilities  (including,  without  limitation,  interest  accruing  at the  then
applicable rate provided in the Credit Agreement after the maturity of the Loans
and  interest  accruing  at the then  applicable  rate  provided  in the  Credit
Agreement after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of
any insolvency,  reorganization  or like  proceeding,  relating to any Borrower,
whether or not a claim for post-filing or  post-petition  interest is allowed in
such  proceeding),  of such  Borrower to the Agent and the  Lenders  (including,
without  limitation,  any  affiliate  of a Lender with  respect to any Letter of
Credit  issued by such  affiliate)  whether  direct  or  indirect,  absolute  or
contingent,  due or to become due, or now existing or hereafter incurred,  which
may arise under,  out of, or in  connection  with,  the Credit  Agreement,  this
Agreement,  the Notes,  the other Loan  Documents  or any other  document  made,
delivered or given in connection  therewith,  in each case whether on account of
principal,  interest,   reimbursement  obligations,  fees,  indemnities,  costs,
expenses or otherwise  (including,  without limitation,  all reasonable fees and
disbursements  of counsel to the Agent or to the  Lenders as are  required to be
paid by such  Borrower  pursuant  to the  terms of the  Credit  Agreement,  this
Agreement or any other Loan Document);

                    "Termination  Date":  the date on which the  Commitments and
the Credit Agreement have been terminated and the Secured  Obligations have been
irrevocably paid in full other than indemnification obligations not then due and
payable,  including,  without limitation, in subsections 4.14, 4.15, 4.16, 4.17,
10.7 and 11.6 of the Credit Agreement.

                    "Trademarks":  means all of the following to the extent that
any Borrower now or hereafter has any right,  title or interest  therein (a) all
trademarks,  trade  names,  corporate  names,  company  names,  business  names,
fictitious  business names, trade styles,  service marks, logos and other source
or business identifiers,  and the goodwill associated therewith, now existing or
hereafter adopted or acquired, all registrations and recordings thereof, and all
applications  in connection  therewith,  whether in the United States Patent and
Trademark  Office or in any similar office or agency of the United  States,  any
State  thereof or any other  country or any political  subdivision  thereof,  or
otherwise, including, without limitation, any thereof referred to in Schedule 4,
and (b) all renewals thereof.

                    "Trademark Licenses":  means any written agreement providing
for  the  grant  by or to any  Borrower  of any  right  to  use  any  Trademark,
including, without limitation, any thereof referred to in Schedule 4.

                    "Works":  any tangible expression of an idea of any Person.


<PAGE>

              1.2   Other Definitional Provisions.

                    (a) The words "hereof,"  "herein",  "hereto" and "hereunder"
and words of similar  import  when used in this  Agreement  shall  refer to this
Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement,  and
Section,  subsection  and  Schedule  references  are to  this  Agreement  unless
otherwise specified.

                    (b) The  meanings  given to terms  defined  herein  shall be
equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of such terms.

         2. Grant of Security  Interest.  As collateral  security for the prompt
and complete  payment and performance  when due (whether at the stated maturity,
by acceleration or otherwise) of the Secured  Obligations,  each Borrower hereby
grants to the Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders,  a security interest in all
of the following  property now owned or at any time  hereafter  acquired by such
Borrower  or in which  such  Borrower  now has or at any time in the  future may
acquire any right, title or interest (collectively, together with all amounts on
deposit in the Collateral Account from time to time, the "Collateral"):

                    (a)    all Accounts;

                    (b)    all Chattel Paper;

                    (c)    all Copyrights;

                    (d)    all Copyright Licenses;

                    (e)    all Documents;

                    (f)    all Equipment;

                    (g)    all Fixtures;

                    (h)    all General Intangibles;

                    (i)    all Instruments;

                    (j)    all Inventory;

                    (k)    all Patents;

                    (l)    all Patent Licenses;

                    (m)    all Trademarks;



<PAGE>


                    (n)    all Trademark Licenses;

                    (o)    all books and records pertaining to the Collateral; 
and

                    (p) to the extent not otherwise  included,  all Proceeds and
products  of any  and  all of the  foregoing  and all  collateral  security  and
guarantees given by any Person with respect to any of the foregoing.

         3.   Collateral Account

              3.1  Establishment of Collateral  Accounts.  At the request of the
Agent,  there shall be established  and at all times  thereafter  there shall be
maintained by the Borrowers, a non-interest bearing cash collateral account with
NationsBank,  N.A., account number to be determined (the "Collateral  Account"),
subject to the terms of this Agreement.

              3.2 Rights, Title and Interest of Collateral Accounts.  All right,
title and interest in and to the  Collateral  Account shall vest  exclusively in
the Agent,  for the benefit of the Lenders.  The Borrowers  shall have no rights
with respect to the Collateral  Account and the Agent,  shall have sole dominion
and control over the Collateral Account and the monies deposited therein. Monies
deposited in the Collateral  Account shall  constitute  security for the Secured
Obligations.  Each Borrower hereby pledges and assigns to the Agent,  and hereby
grants to the Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, a security interest in, all
right,  title or interest (if any) which any  Borrower now has or may  hereafter
have or purport or claim to have in or to the Collateral  Account and all monies
held therein, any investments made with such monies and any and all certificates
or instruments  from time to time  representing or evidencing  such  investments
(and all proceeds thereof).

              3.3 Maintaining the Collateral  Account. To the extent required by
Section 3.1, until the Termination Date of this Agreement:

                    (a) The Borrowers will maintain the Collateral  Account with
NationsBank, N.A.

                    (b) All monies received by the Agent,  while a Default or an
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, all monies received pursuant to
subsection 4.5(a) and Section 9 of the Credit Agreement, and any monies received
as a result of investments  made as contemplated  by Section 4 hereof,  shall be
deposited in the Collateral Account.

         4. Investment of Monies.  Pending the disbursement  thereof pursuant to
the terms of this Agreement,  all monies in the Collateral Account shall (to the
extent it is  practical  to do so) be invested by the Agent in Cash  Equivalents
(as defined in the Credit  Agreement).  All such investments  shall be evidenced
either (a) by negotiable  certificates  or instruments  which are held by or for
the account of the Agent,  or (b) by book entries  maintained in a Commonwealth,
District  or State in which the Agent may be granted by book  entries a security
interest  in the  securities  relating  thereto.  In the  absence  of its  gross
negligence,  or willful misconduct,  the Agent shall not have any ability out of
or in connection with any investment made in accordance with the


<PAGE>


provisions  herein or for any loss or decline in value of any investment or from
any loss resulting  directly or indirectly  from any investment made pursuant to
and in accordance with the provisions hereof.

         5. Representations and Warranties.  Each Borrower hereby represents and
warrants that:

              5.1  Title;  No Other  Liens.  Except for the  security  interests
granted to the Agent pursuant to this Agreement and the other Liens permitted to
exist on the  Collateral  pursuant to the Credit  Agreement,  such Borrower owns
each  item of the  Collateral  free and  clear of any and all Liens or claims of
others. No financing statement or other public notice with respect to all or any
part of the Collateral is on file or of record in any public office, except such
as have been filed in favor of the Agent  pursuant to this  Agreement  or as are
permitted pursuant to the Credit Agreement.

              5.2 Perfected First Priority Liens. The security interests granted
pursuant to this Agreement (a) constitute  perfected  security  interests in the
Collateral  in favor of the Agent for the  benefit of the Lenders of the Secured
Obligations,  as  collateral  security for the Secured  Obligations  and (b) are
prior to all other Liens on the Collateral in existence on the date hereof.

              5.3   Inventory and Equipment.  The Inventory and the Equipment 
are kept at the locations listed on Schedule 5.

              5.4 Chief Executive  Office.  On the date hereof,  each Borrower's
chief executive office is located is as specified on Schedule 1.

              5.5   Farm Products. None of the Collateral constitutes, or is the
Proceeds of, Farm Products.

         6. Covenants.  Each Borrower  covenants and agrees with the Agent that,
from and after the date of this Agreement until the Termination Date:

              6.1  Delivery  of  Instruments  and Chattel  Paper.  If any amount
payable under or in  connection  with any of the  Collateral  shall be or become
evidenced by any Instrument or Chattel Paper,  such  Instrument or Chattel Paper
shall  be  immediately  delivered  to  the  Agent  duly  endorsed  in  a  manner
satisfactory to the Agent to be held as Collateral pursuant to this Agreement.

              6.2   Maintenance  of  Insurance.   Each  Borrower  will  maintain
insurance in accordance with subsection 7.5 of the Credit Agreement.

              6.3   Maintenance of Perfected Security Interest; Further 
Documentation.

                    (a) Each  Borrower  shall  maintain the  security  interests
created by this Agreement as perfected  security  interests  having at least the
priority  described in subsection  5.2 and shall defend such security  interests
against the claims and demands of all Persons whomsoever.


<PAGE>


                    (b) At any  time and from  time to  time,  upon the  written
request of the Agent and at the sole expense of each Borrower  affected thereby,
each   Borrower  will  promptly  and  duly  execute  and  deliver  such  further
instruments  and  documents  and take  such  further  actions  as the  Agent may
reasonably  request for the purpose of obtaining or preserving the full benefits
of this  Agreement  and of the  rights  and powers  herein  granted,  including,
without limitation, the filing of any financing or continuation statements under
the Uniform  Commercial Code in effect in any  jurisdiction  with respect to the
security interests created hereby.

              6.4 Changes in Locations, Name, etc. Each Borrower will not unless
it shall have given the Agent at least thirty (30) days prior written  notice of
such change (or, in the case of Inventory and Equipment,  at least ten (10) days
prior written notice,  to the extent that such Borrower has taken such action as
reasonably  may be required of it to maintain the  continuous  perfection of the
Agent's security interests in such Inventory or Equipment, as the case may be):

                    (a) permit any of the Inventory (other than goods-in-transit
and immaterial amounts of goods in temporary locations in the ordinary course of
business)  or  Equipment  to be kept at a location  other  than those  listed on
Schedule 5; or

                    (b) change the  location  of their chief  executive  offices
from that specified in subsection 5.4; or

                    (c) change its name, identity or corporate structure to such
an extent that any financing  statement  filed by the Agent in  connection  with
this Agreement would become seriously misleading.

              6.5 Further  Identification  of  Collateral.  Each  Borrower  will
furnish  to the  Agent  from  time  to time  statements  and  schedules  further
identifying  and  describing the Collateral and such other reports in connection
with the  Collateral  as the Agent may  reasonably  request,  all in  reasonable
detail.

              6.6 Notices.  Each  Borrower  will advise the Agent  promptly,  in
reasonable detail of (a) any Lien (other than security  interests created hereby
or Liens permitted under the Credit  Agreement) on any of the Collateral and (b)
the  occurrence of any other event which could  reasonably be expected to have a
material  adverse  effect on the  aggregate  value of the  Collateral  or on the
security interests created hereby.

         7.   Provisions Relating to Receivables.

              7.1 Borrowers Remain Liable under Receivables.  Anything herein to
the contrary  notwithstanding,  each Borrower  shall remain liable under each of
the  Receivables to observe and perform all the conditions and obligations to be
observed and performed by it thereunder, all in accordance with the terms of any
agreement giving rise to each such Receivable.  Neither the Agent nor any Lender
shall have any  obligation or liability  under any  Receivable (or any agreement
giving  rise  thereto)  by reason of or  arising  out of this  Agreement  or the
receipt by the Agent,  or any Lender of any payment  relating to such Receivable
pursuant hereto, nor shall the Agent or any Lender be obligated in any

<PAGE>


manner to perform any of the  obligations  of any Borrower  under or pursuant to
any Receivable (or any agreement giving rise thereto),  to make any payment,  to
make any inquiry as to the nature or the sufficiency of any payment  received by
it or as to the sufficiency of any performance by any party under any Receivable
(or any agreement  giving rise thereto),  to present or file any claim,  to take
any action to enforce any  performance  or to collect the payment of any amounts
which may have been assigned to it or to which it may be entitled at any time or
times.

              7.2  Analysis  of  Receivables.  The Agent shall have the right to
make test  verifications of the Receivables in any manner and through any medium
that it reasonably considers advisable, and each Borrower shall furnish all such
assistance and  information as the Agent,  may reasonably  require in connection
with such test verifications. The Agent in its own name or in the name of others
may during such time as a Default or an Event of Default shall have occurred and
be continuing  communicate  with the obligors on the  Receivables to verify with
them  to the  Agent's  satisfaction  the  existence,  amount  and  terms  of any
Receivables. Collections on Receivables.

              7.3   Collections on Receivables.

                    (a) The Agent hereby authorizes each Borrower to collect the
Receivables  subject to the Agent's  direction  and  control,  and the Agent may
curtail or  terminate  said  authority  at any time when an Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing and may then direct that payments on the  Receivables
be made directly to the Agent,  in accordance  with the provisions of subsection
11.1. If any Borrower is required by the Agent, at any time when a Default or an
Event of Default has occurred and is  continuing,  any payments of  Receivables,
when  collected by such  Borrower,  (1) shall be forthwith  (and,  in any event,
within two Business Days) deposited by such Borrower in the exact form received,
duly  endorsed  by such  Borrower to the Agent,  if  required,  in a  Collateral
Account maintained under the sole dominion and control of the Agent,  subject to
withdrawal  by the Agent only as provided in subsection  10.3,  and (2) until so
turned over,  shall be held by such Borrower in trust for the Agent,  segregated
from other funds of such Borrower.

                    (b) Each such  deposit of Proceeds of  Receivables  shall be
accompanied by a report (in the form  customarily  prepared by such Borrower for
its internal purposes) identifying in reasonable detail the nature and source of
the payments included in the deposit.

                    (c) At the Agent's  request at any time when a Default or an
Event of Default has  occurred  and is  continuing  any or all  Borrowers  shall
deliver to the Agent, all original and other documents evidencing,  and relating
to,  the  agreements  and  transactions  which  gave  rise  to the  Receivables,
including,  without  limitation,  all  original  orders,  invoices  and shipping
receipts.

              7.4   Government Contracts.

                    (a)  The  Borrower   represents   and  warrants   that  each
Government  Contract  set forth on  Schedule 6 (i) does not and will not contain
any  provision  prohibiting  assignment  thereof as  provided  herein,  and (ii)
contains a "no set-off" clause or does not permit any set-off against or

<PAGE>


reduction of the  obligation to make payments  thereunder  for liability of such
Borrower to the government  because of renegotiation,  fine, penalty (other than
as specifically  permitted by the Federal  Assignment of Claims Act with respect
to Government  Contracts with the Federal  government),  taxes,  social security
contributions,  or withholding  or failing to withhold  taxes,  social  security
contributions  or similar  amounts,  whether  arising from or independent of the
Contract  except as indicated on Schedule 6. Each Borrower shall promptly notify
the Agent of any material  claimed  set-off or reduction or the  disallowance of
progress payment requests.  Without limiting the foregoing, with respect to each
Government  Contract  (including,  if required by applicable  law, each purchase
order or delivery order),  each Borrower shall, except as otherwise consented to
by the Agent  concurrently  with the execution of this Agreement with respect to
existing  Government  Contracts  (or  purchase  orders or  delivery  orders,  if
applicable)  and  within  five (5)  Business  Days after  entering  into any new
Government  Contract  (or  purchase  order or  delivery  order,  if  applicable)
complete,  execute and  deliver to or as  directed by the Agent with  respect to
such contract, at such Borrower's expense, a Notice of Assignment  substantially
in the form of Exhibit A hereto and an Instrument of Assignment substantially in
the form of Exhibit B hereto,  or in such other  forms as the Agent may  specify
from  time to  time,  each in form  and  substance  satisfactory  to the  Agent;
provided,  however,  that the  Borrower  shall not be  required  to execute  and
deliver  any   assignments   and/or   notices  of  assignment   and  letters  of
representation  with respect to Receivables  identified in subsection 7.9 of the
Credit  Agreement.  The  provisions of this Section shall not limit or supersede
any other provisions of this Agreement.

                    (b)  All  Government  Contracts  have  been,  or if  arising
hereafter  will be,  legally  awarded  and binding on the  parties  thereto;  no
payment  has  been or will be  made  by any  Borrower  or any of its  respective
affiliates,  or any Person  acting on its behalf,  to any Person that was, is or
will be  contingent  upon the award of any  Government  Contract in violation of
applicable procurement law or that would otherwise be in violation of applicable
procurement  law  (including,  but  not  limited  to,  the  Federal  Acquisition
Regulation,  the  Defense  Acquisition  Regulations,   the  Federal  Procurement
Regulations and the Armed Services Procurement  Regulations);  there is no claim
that has been  asserted by any  government  agency or authority  concerning  the
award or performance of any Government Contract and each Borrower shall promptly
notify the Agent upon  becoming  aware of the assertion of any such claim or the
existence of any basis therefor;  none of the Borrowers or any of its respective
directors,  employees  or  affiliates  have  been  debarred  or  suspended  from
participation in the award of contracts with the Federal government or any state
or local government,  or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or is a party to
or  the  subject  of  any  pending  or to any  Borrower's  knowledge  threatened
proceeding  or  investigation  relating to  debarment  or  suspension  or of any
complaint  issued  by or  before  any such  Person  relating  thereto,  and each
Borrower shall  promptly  notify the Agent upon becoming aware of the occurrence
of any of the foregoing or the existence of any basis therefore; and none of the
Borrowers or any of its respective affiliates, or any of its officers, directors
or employees is permanently  or temporarily  enjoined or barred from engaging in
or continuing any conduct or practice relating to the conduct of their business,
or enjoining or  requiring  any of them to take any action of any kind  relating
thereto,  and each Borrower shall promptly  notify the Agent upon becoming aware
of the  occurrence  of  any of the  foregoing  or  the  existence  of any  basis
therefor.


<PAGE>


                    (c) Each Borrower's cost accounting and procurement  systems
are and at all times have been, and will continue to be, in compliance  with all
requirements relating or applicable to the Government Contracts.

                    (d) No Borrower has assigned any of the Government Contracts
or any rights or proceeds thereunder to any other Person.

              7.5   Additional Representations and Warranties.

                    (a) No amount payable to any Borrower under or in connection
with any  Receivable  is evidenced by any  Instrument or Chattel Paper which has
not been delivered to the Agent.

                    (b) The amounts  represented  by each  Borrower to the Agent
from time to time as owing to such Borrower in respect of the  Receivables  will
at such times be accurate in all material respects.

              7.6   Covenants.

                    (a)  Other  than in the  ordinary  course  of  business,  no
Borrower will (i) grant any extension of the time of payment of any  Receivable,
(ii)  compromise or settle any Receivable for less than the full amount thereof,
(iii)  release,  wholly or  partially,  any Person liable for the payment of any
Receivable,  (iv) allow any credit or discount whatsoever on any Receivable, (v)
amend,  supplement or modify any  Receivable in any manner that could  adversely
affect the value thereof or (vi) fail to exercise  promptly and diligently  each
and every material right which it may have under each agreement giving rise to a
Receivable (other than any right of termination).

                    (b)Each  Borrower  will  deliver to the Agent a copy of each
material demand,  notice or document  received by it that questions the validity
or  enforceability  of  more  than  5% of  the  aggregate  amount  of  the  then
outstanding Receivables.

         8. Provisions Relating to Patents and Trademarks.

              8.1 Representations and Warranties.

                    (a)  Schedule 3 refers to all  Patents and  material  Patent
Licenses owned by each Borrower in its own name on the date hereof.

                    (b)  Schedule  4 refers to all  Trademarks  registered  with
Governmental  Authorities and material Trademark Licenses owned by each Borrower
in its own name on the date hereof.

                    (c) To the best of each  Borrower's  knowledge,  each Patent
and Trademark is on the date hereof valid,  subsisting,  unexpired,  enforceable
and has not been abandoned,  except where such abandonment  would not reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.


<PAGE>


                    (d) Except as set forth in either  Schedule 3 or Schedule 4,
none of such  Patents  and  Trademarks  is on the date hereof the subject of any
exclusive licensing or franchise agreement.

                    (e) No holding,  decision or judgment  has been  rendered by
any Governmental Authority which would limit, cancel or question the validity or
enforceability  of any Patent or Trademark in any respect that could  reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

                    (f) No action or  proceeding  is pending on the date  hereof
seeking to limit,  cancel or question the  validity of any Patent or  Trademark,
which, if adversely determined, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

              8.2   Covenants.

                    (a) Each Borrower (either itself or through  licensees) will
(1) maintain  each  Trademark  which is material to its business (as  reasonably
determined  by such  Borrower) in full force free from any claim of  abandonment
for  non-use,  (2)  maintain as in the past the quality of products and services
offered under such  Trademark,  (3) employ such Trademark  with the  appropriate
notice of  registration  (if deemed  advisable by management  in its  reasonable
discretion) and (4) not (and not permit any licensee or sublicensee  thereof to)
do any act or  knowingly  omit to do any act whereby such  Trademark  may become
invalidated.

                    (b) No Borrower will knowingly do any act, or omit to do any
act,  whereby  any Patent  which is  material to such  Borrower's  business  (as
reasonably determined by such Borrower) may become abandoned or dedicated to the
public.

                    (c) Each Borrower will notify the Agent promptly if it knows
that  any  application  or  registration  relating  to any  material  Patent  or
Trademark  may become  abandoned or  dedicated to the public,  or of any adverse
determination or development (including, without limitation, the institution of,
or any such determination or development in, any proceeding in the United States
Patent and Trademark  Office or any court or tribunal in any country)  regarding
such  Borrower's  ownership of any material  Patent or Trademark or its right to
register the same or to keep and maintain the same.

                    (d) Whenever any  Borrower,  either by itself or through any
agent,  employee,  licensee  or  designee,  shall  file an  application  for the
registration  of any  Patent or  Trademark  with the  United  States  Patent and
Trademark  Office or any  similar  office or agency in any other  country or any
political  subdivision  thereof,  such Borrower  shall report such filing to the
Agent within five (5) Business Days after the last day of the fiscal  quarter in
which such filing occurs. Upon request of the Agent, such Borrower shall execute
and deliver  any and all  additional  agreements,  instruments,  documents,  and
papers as the Agent may  reasonably  request to evidence  the  Agent's  security
interest  in  any  such  Patent  or  Trademark  and  the  goodwill  and  general
intangibles of such Borrower relating thereto or represented thereby.


<PAGE>


                    (e) Each  Borrower  will take all  reasonable  and necessary
steps, including, without limitation, in any proceeding before the United States
Patent  and  Trademark  Office,  or any  similar  office  or agency in any other
country or any  political  subdivision  thereof,  to  maintain  and pursue  each
material  application (and to obtain the relevant  registration) and to maintain
each  registration of the material  Patents and Trademarks,  including,  without
limitation, filing of applications for renewal, affidavits of use and affidavits
of incontestability.

                    (f) In the event that any  Borrower  becomes  aware that any
Patent or Trademark is infringed,  misappropriated  or diluted by a third party,
each  Borrower  affected  thereby  shall (i) take such actions as such  Borrower
shall  deem  appropriate  under the  circumstances  to  protect  such  Patent or
Trademark  and (ii) if such Patent or Trademark is of economic  value,  promptly
notify the Agent after it learns  thereof and where  appropriate  in  accordance
with its business judgment, sue for infringement,  misappropriation or dilution,
to  seek  injunctive  relief,  and to  recover  any  and all  damages  for  such
infringement, misappropriation or dilution.

         9.   Copyrights.

              9.1 Representations and Warranties.

                    (a) Schedule 2 refers to all material Copyrights  registered
with or for which an application  has been filed with a  Governmental  Authority
and  Copyright  Licenses  owned  by each  Borrower  in its own  name on the date
hereof.

                    (b) To the best of each Borrower's knowledge, each Copyright
is on the date hereof valid, subsisting, unexpired, enforceable and has not been
abandoned.

                    (c)  Except  as set  forth  in  Schedule  2,  none  of  such
Copyrights  is on the date  hereof the  subject of any  exclusive  licensing  or
franchise agreement.

                    (d) No holding,  decision or judgment  has been  rendered by
any Governmental Authority which would limit, cancel or question the validity of
any  Copyright  in any  respect  that could  reasonably  be  expected  to have a
Material Adverse Effect.

                    (e) No action or  proceeding  is pending on the date  hereof
seeking to cancel or question the validity of any Copyright  which, if adversely
determined, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

              9.2   Covenants.

                    (a) Each Borrower (either itself or through  licensees) will
(i)  employ  the  appropriate  notice  of  copyright  for each work  subject  to
copyright protection to the extent necessary to protect any registered Copyright
relating to such work and (ii) not (and not permit any  licensee or  sublicensee
thereof to) do any act or knowingly omit to do any act whereby any Copyright may
become invalidated.


<PAGE>


                    (b) No Borrower  will  knowingly  (either  itself or through
licensees)  do any act, or omit to do any act,  whereby any Copyright may become
injected into the public domain; unless in its business judgment, such Copyright
is no longer used or useful in the business of such  Borrower and such  Borrower
decides to do so.

                    (c) Each  Borrower  will  notify  the Agent  promptly  if it
knows,  or has reason to know,  that any Copyright may become  injected into the
public domain or of any adverse determination or development (including, without
limitation, the institution of, or any such determination or development in, any
court or tribunal in the United  States or any  political  subdivision  thereof)
regarding such Borrower's ownership of any such Copyright or its validity.

                    (d) If any  Borrower  owns  any  Copyrights,  such  Borrower
either  itself or through  any agent,  employee,  licensee  or  designee,  shall
provide to the Agent,  a document  confirming the Agent's  security  interest in
each  registered  Copyright  with  respect to which such  Borrower  acquires  an
interest during the two preceding calendar quarters, duly executed and in proper
form for filing in the United States Copyright Office or other applicable United
States  Governmental  Authority.  Upon request of the Agent, each Borrower shall
execute and deliver any and all additional agreements,  instruments,  documents,
and papers as the Agent may reasonably  request to confirm the Agent's  security
interest in such Copyright,  and each Borrower  hereby  constitutes the Agent as
its  attorney-in-fact to file all such writings for the foregoing purposes,  all
lawful acts of such attorney  being hereby  ratified and  confirmed;  such power
being coupled with an interest is  irrevocable  until the  Termination  Date (as
defined herein).

                    (e) Each Borrower will take all necessary steps, as it shall
deem  appropriate  under the  circumstances,  in  accordance  with its  business
judgment,  to  maintain  and pursue  each  application  filed (and to obtain the
relevant  registration)  and to  maintain  to the extent  permitted  by law each
registration  of each  Copyright  owned  by  such  Borrower  including,  without
limitation, filing of applications for renewal, where necessary.

                    (f) Each  Borrower  will  promptly  notify  the Agent of any
material infringement of any Copyright owned by it of which it becomes aware and
will take such actions as it shall deem appropriate  under the  circumstances to
protect such  Copyright,  including,  where  appropriate in accordance  with its
business  judgment,  the bringing of suit or the settling of actual or potential
suits for infringement, seeking injunctive relief and seeking to recover any and
all damages for such infringement.

         10.  Remedies.

              10.1 Notice to Obligors. Upon the request of the Agent at any time
when a Default  or an Event of  Default  has  occurred  and is  continuing  each
Borrower shall notify obligors on the Receivables that the Receivables have been
assigned  to the  Agent  and that  payments  in  respect  thereof  shall be made
directly to the Agent.

              10.2  Proceeds to be Turned Over To The Agent.  In addition to the
rights of the Agent  specified  in  subsection  7.3 with  respect to payments of
Receivables, when a Default or an Event

<PAGE>


of Default has occurred and is continuing all Proceeds  received by any Borrower
consisting  of cash,  checks  and other  near-cash  items  shall be held by such
Borrower in trust for the Agent,  segregated  from other funds of such Borrower,
and shall, forthwith upon receipt by such Borrower, be turned over to the Agent,
in the exact form received by such Borrower  (duly  endorsed by such Borrower to
the Agent,  if required) and held by the Agent in the  Collateral  Account.  All
Proceeds while held by the Agent in the Collateral  Account (or by such Borrower
in trust for the Agent) shall continue to be held as collateral security for all
the Secured  Obligations and shall not constitute  payment thereof until applied
as provided in subsection 10.3.

              10.3  Application of Proceeds.  At such intervals as may be agreed
upon by any  Borrower  and the Agent or, if an Event of Default has occurred and
is  continuing at any time at the Agent's  election,  the Agent may apply all or
any part of Proceeds  held in any  Collateral  Account in payment of the Secured
Obligations  in such  order as the Agent may  elect,  and any part of such funds
which the Agent  elects  not so to apply and deems not  required  as  collateral
security for the Secured Obligations shall be paid over from time to time by the
Agent to each Borrower or to whomsoever may be lawfully  entitled to receive the
same.  Any  balance  of such  Proceeds  when no  Default  or Event of Default is
continuing  shall be paid over to each Borrower or to whomsoever may be lawfully
entitled to receive the same. Any balance of such Proceeds  remaining  after the
Secured  Obligations shall have been paid in full and the Commitments under (and
as  defined  in) the Credit  Agreement  shall have  expired  or  otherwise  been
terminated  shall be paid over to the Borrowers or to whomsoever may be lawfully
entitled to receive the same.

              10.4 Code  Remedies.  If an Event of Default has  occurred  and is
continuing,  the Agent on behalf of the Lenders may exercise, in addition to all
other  rights  and  remedies  granted to it in this  Agreement  and in any other
instrument  or  agreement  securing,  evidencing  or  relating  to  the  Secured
Obligations,  all rights and remedies of a secured party under the Code. Without
limiting the  generality of the  foregoing,  if an Event of Default has occurred
and is  continuing,  the Agent,  without  demand of performance or other demand,
presentment,  protest,  advertisement  or notice of any kind  (except any notice
required by law  referred to below) to or upon any  Borrower or any other Person
(all and each of which demands, defenses,  advertisements and notices are hereby
waived), may in such circumstances forthwith collect,  receive,  appropriate and
realize upon the  Collateral,  or any part thereof,  and/or may forthwith  sell,
lease,  assign, give option or options to purchase,  or otherwise dispose of and
deliver  the  Collateral  or any  part  thereof  (or  contract  to do any of the
foregoing),  in one or more parcels at public or private  sale or sales,  at any
exchange,  broker's board or office of the Agent or any Lender or elsewhere upon
such terms and  conditions as it may deem advisable and at such prices as it may
deem best, for cash or on credit or for future  delivery  without  assumption of
any credit  risk.  The Agent  shall have the right upon any such  public sale or
sales, and, to the extent permitted by law, upon any such private sale or sales,
to purchase the whole or any part of the  Collateral so sold,  free of any right
or equity of redemption in any Borrower,  which right or equity is hereby waived
or released.  Each Borrower further agrees,  if an Event of Default has occurred
and is continuing at the Agent's request, to assemble the Collateral and make it
available  to the Agent,  at places  which the Agent  shall  reasonably  select,
whether at each  Borrower's  premises or elsewhere.  To the extent  permitted by
applicable  law,  each  Borrower  waives all claims,  damages and demands it may
acquire  against the Agent or any Lender  arising out of the exercise by them of
any rights hereunder. If any notice of a

<PAGE>


proposed sale or other  disposition of Collateral shall be required by law, such
notice  shall be deemed  reasonable  and  proper if given at least ten (10) days
before such sale or other disposition.

         11. Agent,  Appointment  as  Attorney-in-Fact;  Agent,  Performance  of
Borrowers' Obligations.

              11.1 Powers.  Each Borrower  hereby  irrevocably  constitutes  and
appoints  the  Agent  and any  officer  or agent,  thereof,  with full  power of
substitution,  as its true and  lawful  attorney-in-fact  with full  irrevocable
power and  authority in the place and stead of such  Borrower and in the name of
such  Borrower or in its own name,  for the purpose of carrying out the terms of
this Agreement,  to take any and all  appropriate  action and to execute any and
all documents and instruments  which may be necessary or desirable to accomplish
the purposes of this  Agreement,  and,  without  limiting the  generality of the
foregoing,  such Borrower hereby gives the Agent, the power and right, on behalf
of such Borrower, without notice to or assent by such Borrower, to do any or all
of the following:

                    (a) at any time when a Default  or an Event of  Default  has
occurred  and is  continuing  in the name of any  Borrower  or its own name,  or
otherwise, take possession of and endorse and collect any checks, drafts, notes,
acceptances  or other  instruments  for the  payment  of  moneys  due  under any
Receivable  or with respect to any other  Collateral  and file any claim or take
any other action or proceeding in any court of law or equity or otherwise deemed
appropriate  by the Agent for the purpose of collecting  any and all such moneys
due under any  Receivable  or with  respect  to any  other  Collateral  whenever
payable;

                    (b) in the  case  of any  Copyright,  Patent  or  Trademark,
execute and deliver any and all agreements, instruments, documents and papers as
the Agent may  request  to  evidence  the  Agent's  security  interests  in such
Copyright,  Patent or Trademark and the goodwill and general  intangibles of any
Borrower relating thereto or represented thereby;

                    (c) pay or discharge  taxes and Liens levied or placed on or
threatened  against the Collateral,  effect any repairs or any insurance  called
for by the  terms  of this  Agreement  and pay all or any  part of the  premiums
therefor and the costs thereof;

                    (d) execute,  in  connection  with any sale  provided for in
subsection  10.4,  any   endorsements,   assignments  or  other  instruments  of
conveyance or transfer with respect to the Collateral; and

                    (e) at any time when a Default  or an Event of  Default  has
occurred and is continuing (1) direct any party liable for any payment under any
of the  Collateral  to make  payment  of any and all moneys due or to become due
thereunder directly to the Agent or as the Agent shall direct; (2) ask or demand
for, collect, receive payment of and receipt for, any and all moneys, claims and
other  amounts  due or to become due at any time in respect of or arising out of
any  Collateral;  (3) sign and endorse any invoices,  freight or express  bills,
bills  of  lading,  storage  or  warehouse  receipts,  drafts  against  debtors,
assignments,  verifications,  notices and other documents in connection with any
of the Collateral; (4) commence and prosecute any suits,

<PAGE>


actions  or  proceedings  at  law  or  in  equity  in  any  court  of  competent
jurisdiction  to collect the  Collateral or any thereof and to enforce any other
right in respect of any  Collateral;  (5) defend any suit,  action or proceeding
brought  against  any  Borrower  with  respect to any  Collateral;  (6)  settle,
compromise  or adjust any such suit,  action or  proceeding  and, in  connection
therewith,   to  give  such  discharges  or  releases  as  the  Agent  may  deem
appropriate;  (7) assign any  Copyright,  Patent or  Trademark  (along  with the
goodwill  of the  business  to which any such  Copyright,  Patent  or  Trademark
pertains),  throughout the world for such term or terms, on such conditions, and
in such manner, as the Agent,  shall in its sole discretion  determine;  and (8)
generally,  sell,  transfer,  pledge and make any  agreement  with respect to or
otherwise  deal with any of the Collateral as fully and completely as though the
Agent were the absolute  owner thereof for all purposes,  and do, at the Agent's
option and at the expense of each  Borrower  affected  thereby , at any time, or
from  time to time,  all acts and  things  which the Agent  deems  necessary  to
protect,  preserve  or realize  upon the  Collateral  and the  Agent's  security
interest  therein and to effect the intent of this  Agreement,  all as fully and
effectively as any Borrower might do.

              11.2  Performance  by  Agent  of  Borrowers'  Obligations.  If any
Borrower fails to perform or comply with any of its agreements contained herein,
the Agent,  at its option,  but without any  obligation so to do, may perform or
comply, or otherwise cause performance or compliance, with such agreement.

              11.3  Borrowers'  Reimbursement  Obligation.  The  expenses of the
Agent  incurred  in  connection  with  actions  undertaken  as  provided in this
Section, together with interest thereon at a rate equal to the rate per annum at
which  interest  would then be  payable  on past due Prime Rate Loans  under the
Credit Agreement,  from the date of payment by the Agent, to the date reimbursed
by each Borrower, shall be payable by such Borrower to the Agent on demand.

              11.4 Ratification;  Power Coupled With An Interest.  Each Borrower
hereby ratifies all that said attorneys shall lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue  hereof in  accordance  with the  terms of this  Agreement.  All  powers,
authorizations  and  agencies  contained in this  Agreement  are coupled with an
interest and are irrevocable until this Agreement is terminated and the security
interests created hereby are released.

         12.  Duty of the  Agent.  The  Agent's  sole duty with  respect  to the
custody,  safekeeping  and  physical  preservation  of  the  Collateral  in  its
possession,  under Section 9-207 of the Code or otherwise, shall be to deal with
it in the same  manner as the Agent,  deals with  similar  property  for its own
account. Neither the Agent, nor any Lender nor any of their respective officers,
directors, employees or agents shall be liable for failure to demand, collect or
realize  upon  any of the  Collateral  or for any  delay in doing so or shall be
under any  obligation to sell or otherwise  dispose of any  Collateral  upon the
request  of any  Borrower  or any  other  Person  or to take  any  other  action
whatsoever  with  regard  to the  Collateral  or any part  thereof.  The  powers
conferred  on the Agent and the  Lenders  hereunder  are solely to  protect  the
Agent's and such Lenders'  interests in the  Collateral and shall not impose any
duty upon the Agent to exercise  any such  powers.  The Agent,  and the Lenders,
shall be accountable  only for amounts that they actually receive as a result of
the  exercise  of such  powers,  and  neither  they nor any of  their  officers,
directors,

<PAGE>


employees or agents shall be  responsible to any Borrower for any act or failure
to act hereunder, except for their own gross negligence or willful misconduct.

         13. Execution of Financing Statements. Pursuant to Section 9-402 of the
Code,  each Borrower  authorizes  the Agent to file  financing  statements  with
respect to the  Collateral  without  the  signature  of each  Borrower  affected
thereby  in such  form  and in such  filing  offices  as the  Agent,  reasonably
determines  appropriate  to perfect the security  interests of the Agent,  under
this Agreement.  A carbon,  photographic or other reproduction of this Agreement
shall be sufficient as a financing statement for filing in any jurisdiction.

         14. Authority of Agent. Each Borrower  acknowledges that the rights and
responsibilities  of the Agent under this  Agreement  with respect to any action
taken by the Agent,  or the exercise or non-exercise by the Agent of any option,
voting right, request,  judgment or other right or remedy provided for herein or
resulting or arising out of this Agreement  shall, as between the Agent, and the
Lenders,  be governed by the Credit  Agreement and by such other agreements with
respect  thereto as may exist from time to time among them,  but, as between the
Agent and such Borrower,  the Agent shall be conclusively  presumed to be acting
as agent, for the Agent, with full and valid authority so to act or refrain from
acting,  and neither such Borrower nor any Issuer shall be under any  obligation
or entitlement, to make any inquiry respecting such authority.

         15. Notices. All notices,  requests and demands to or upon the Agent or
any  Borrower  hereunder  shall  be  effected  in  the  manner  provided  for in
subsection 11.3 of the Credit Agreement.

         16.  Severability.  Any provision of this Agreement which is prohibited
or  unenforceable  in  any  jurisdiction  shall,  as to  such  jurisdiction,  be
ineffective  to the  extent  of such  prohibition  or  unenforceability  without
invalidating  the  remaining  provisions  hereof,  and any such  prohibition  or
unenforceability   in  any   jurisdiction   shall  not   invalidate   or  render
unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

         17. Amendments in Writing; No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies.

              17.1  Amendments  in Writing.  None of the terms or  provisions of
this Agreement may be waived, amended, supplemented or otherwise modified except
by a written instrument  executed by each Borrower and the Agent,  provided that
any  provision of this  Agreement  imposing  obligations  on any Borrower may be
waived by the Agent in a written instrument executed by the Agent.

              17.2 No Waiver by Course  of  Conduct.  Neither  the Agent nor any
Lender shall by any act (except by a written  instrument  pursuant to subsection
17.1)  delay,  indulgence,  omission or  otherwise  be deemed to have waived any
right or remedy  hereunder or to have acquiesced in any Default or in any breach
of any of the terms and conditions hereof. No failure to exercise, nor any delay
in  exercising,  on the part of the Agent or any  Lender,  any  right,  power or
privilege  hereunder  shall  operate as a waiver  thereof.  No single or partial
exercise of any right, power or privilege  hereunder shall preclude any other or
further exercise thereof or the exercise of any

<PAGE>


other  right,  power or  privilege.  A waiver by the Agent or any  Lender of any
right or remedy hereunder on any one occasion shall not be construed as a bar to
any right or remedy which the Agent or such Lender would  otherwise  have on any
future occasion.

              17.3 Remedies Cumulative.  The rights and remedies herein provided
are cumulative, may be exercised singly or concurrently and are not exclusive of
any other rights or remedies provided by law.

         18. Additional Borrowers.  Each Subsidiary of the Borrowers required to
become a party to this  Agreement  pursuant  to  subsection  7.12 of the  Credit
Agreement,  shall  become a Borrower  for all  purposes of this  Agreement  upon
execution and delivery by such Subsidiary of a Joinder  Agreement in the form of
Exhibit D to the Credit Agreement.

         19. Joint and Several Liability. WHETHER OR NOT EXPRESSLY STATED HEREIN
OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN  DOCUMENT,  ALL  OBLIGATIONS  OF THE  BORROWERS  (OR OF ANY
BORROWER)  HEREUNDER AND UNDER EACH OTHER LOAN  DOCUMENT  (WHETHER IN CONNECTION
WITH  LOANS,  LETTERS  OF CREDIT  OR OTHER  OBLIGATIONS)  ARE JOINT AND  SEVERAL
OBLIGATIONS OF ALL BORROWERS.

         20. Maximum Amount of Joint and Several  Liability.  To the extent that
applicable  Law otherwise  would render the full amount of the joint and several
obligations  of any  Subsidiary  of ACS Inc.  hereunder and under the other Loan
Documents invalid or unenforceable,  such Subsidiary's obligations hereunder and
under the Loan  Documents  shall be limited to the maximum amount which does not
result in such  invalidity or  unenforceability,  provided,  however,  that each
Borrower's  obligations  hereunder and under the other Loan  Documents  shall be
presumptively  valid and  enforceable to their fullest extent in accordance with
the  terms  hereof or  thereof,  as if this  Section  20 were not a part of this
Agreement.


         21. Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed by one or more of the
parties to this Agreement on any number of separate  counterparts  (including by
facsimile  transmission),  and all of said counterparts  taken together shall be
deemed to constitute  one and the same  instrument.  A set of the copies of this
Agreement signed by all the parties shall be lodged with ACS Inc. and the Agent.

         22. Section Headings.  The Section and subsection headings used in this
Agreement  are for  convenience  of  reference  only and are not to  affect  the
construction hereof or be taken into consideration in the interpretation hereof.

         23.  Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement  shall be binding upon the
successors  and assigns of each  Borrower  and shall inure to the benefit of the
Agent and its successors and assigns.

<PAGE>


         24.  GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT  SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED
AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.

         25. Release of Collateral and Termination.  The Agent shall release the
Collateral from the Lien created hereby,  and this Agreement and all obligations
of the Agent and each  Borrower  hereunder  shall  terminate on the  Termination
Date.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the undersigned has caused this Security Agreement
to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.

                         ADVANCED COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, INC.
                         INTEGRATED SYSTEMS CONTROL, INC.
                         RF MICROSYSTEMS, INC.


                             By:  /s/  Dev Ganesan
                                  Dev Ganesan
                             Chief Financial Officer

DC1DOCS1.68408



© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission