DUN & BRADSTREET CORP
10-Q, 1997-08-14
ENGINEERING, ACCOUNTING, RESEARCH, MANAGEMENT
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D. C. 20549


                                    FORM 10-Q

(Mark one)

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

                  For the quarterly period ended June 30, 1997

                                       OR

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

                       For the transition period from to
      -------------------------------        -----------------------------

                          Commission file number 1-7155


                        THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           Delaware                                      13-2740040
- - --------------------------------------     -------------------------------------
     (State of Incorporation)              (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

One Diamond Hill Road, Murray Hill, NJ                    07974
- - ----------------------------------------   -------------------------------------
- - ----------------------------------------   -------------------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)                 (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code (908) 665-5000
                                                   --------------

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by  Sections  13 or 15(d)  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934
during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter  period that the  registrant
was  required  to file such  reports),  and (2) has been  subject to such filing
requirements for the past 90 days. Yes X No

Indicate the number of shares  outstanding  of each of the  issuer's  classes of
common stock, as of the latest practicable date:
                                                        Shares Outstanding
                     Title of Class                      at July 31, 1997
                     Common Stock,                        170,479,479
                 par value $1 per share


<PAGE>


                        THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION

                               INDEX TO FORM 10-Q



PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION                                              PAGE

Item 1. Financial Statements

Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)
      Three Months Ended June 30, 1997 and 1996                             3
      Six Months Ended June 30, 1997 and 1996                               4

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)
      June 30, 1997 and December 31, 1996                                   5

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)
      Six Months Ended June 30, 1997 and 1996                               6

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)                    7-10

Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
            Condition and Results of Operations                          11-14



PART II.  OTHER INFORMATION

Item 4.  Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders               15

Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K                                   16

SIGNATURES                                                                 17









                                       -2-


<PAGE>
<TABLE>



The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Operations (unaudited)
<CAPTION>

                                                                                                Three Months Ended
                                                                                                     June 30
                                                                                       ------------------------------------
Dollar amounts in millions, except per share data                                               1997                 1996

- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                                                                    <C>                   <C>    

Operating Revenues                                                                           $  498.3         $      505.1
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Costs                                                                                 132.9                220.1

Selling and Administrative Expenses                                                             232.8                250.4

Depreciation and Amortization                                                                    39.5                 41.2

Reorganization Costs                                                                                -                  7.6
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Operating Income (Loss)                                                                          93.1                (14.2)
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      
Interest Expense                                                                                (11.1)                (6.2)

Other Expense - Net                                                                              (5.5)               (11.2)
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Non-Operating Expense - Net                                                                     (16.6)               (17.4)
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before
      Provision for Income Taxes                                                                 76.5                (31.6)
                                                                                                                                   
Provision for Income Taxes                                                                       26.3                 12.3
                                                                                                                                   
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations                                                         50.2                (43.9)
                                                                                                                                   
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Income from Discontinued Operations, Net of Income
      Tax Benefit of $12.9 million for 1996                                                        -                   0.3
                                                                                                                         
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  

Net Income (Loss)                                                                            $    50.2        $      (43.6)
                                                                                                                                   
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      

Earnings (Loss) Per Share of Common Stock:
      Continuing Operations                                                                  $    0.29        $      (0.26)
                                                                                                                                    
      Discontinued Operations                                                                     0.00                  -
                                                                                                                         
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Net Earnings (Loss) Per Share of Common Stock                                                $    0.29        $      (0.26)
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dividends Paid Per Share of Common Stock                                                     $    0.22        $       0.66
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding                                                    171.0               170.0
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<FN>

The  accompanying  notes  are an  integral  part of the  consolidated  financial
statements.
</FN>

                                      - 3 -

</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>



The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Operations (unaudited)
<CAPTION>

                                                                                                 Six Months Ended
                                                                                                     June 30,
                                                                                     ------------------------------------
Dollar amounts in millions, except per share data                                               1997                 1996
<S>                                                                                  <C>                     <C>   

- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Revenues                                                                           $  957.3         $      955.5
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating Costs                                                                                 270.7                367.0

Selling and Administrative Expenses                                                             432.9                461.1

Depreciation and Amortization                                                                    80.3                 80.3

Reorganization Costs                                                                              -                    9.0
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Operating Income                                                                                173.4                 38.1      
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interest Expense                                                                                (32.3)               (12.5)

Other Expense - Net                                                                              (6.8)               (22.8)
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Non-Operating Expense - Net                                                                     (39.1)               (35.3)
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Income from Continuing Operations before
      Provision for Income Taxes                                                                134.3                  2.8
Provision for Income Taxes                                                                       46.1                 24.8
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Income     (Loss)     from     Continuing     Operations                                    88.2                (22.0)
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Income from Discontinued Operations, Net of Income
      Tax Benefit of $2.7 million for 1996                                                        -                   42.6
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Net Income                                                                                   $   88.2         $       20.6
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Earnings (Loss) Per Share of Common Stock:
      Continuing Operations                                                                  $    0.52        $       (0.13)
      Discontinued Operations                                                                      -                   0.25
                                                                                                                        
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Net Earnings Per Share of Common Stock                                                       $    0.52        $        0.12
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dividends Paid Per Share of Common Stock                                                     $    0.44        $        1.32
                                                                                                                                    
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding                                                    171.1                169.8
- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<FN>

The  accompanying  notes  are an  integral  part of the  consolidated  financial
statements.
</FN>

                                      - 4 -

</TABLE>

<PAGE>
<TABLE>



The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited)
<CAPTION>

                                                                                              June 30,            December 31,
Dollar amounts in millions, except per share data                                              1997                    1996
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ---------------------
<S>                                                                                        <C>                    <C>

Assets

Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents                                                                    $134.6                    $127.9
Accounts Receivable---Net of Allowance of $42.2 in 1997 and $38.1 in 1996                     518.1                     600.7
Other Current Assets                                                                          217.5                     188.8
                                                                                           ----------------   ---------------------
                    Total Current Assets                                                      870.2                     917.4
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ---------------------


Non-Current Assets
Investments and Notes Receivable                                                              234.5                     292.2
Property, Plant and Equipment                                                                 354.9                     373.1
Prepaid Pension Costs                                                                         175.9                     172.1
Computer Software                                                                             154.2                     150.7
Goodwill                                                                                      200.9                     218.4
Other Non-Current Assets                                                                      233.2                     170.3
                                                                                           ----------------   ---------------------
                    Total Non-Current Assets                                                1,353.6                   1,376.8
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ---------------------

                                                                                           ----------------   ---------------------
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ---------------------
Total Assets                                                                               $2,223.8                  $2,294.2
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ---------------------


- - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ---------------------
Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity

Current Liabilities
Notes Payable                                                                                $701.5                  $1,120.7
Accrued and Other Current Liabilities                                                         499.5                     599.9
Unearned Subscription Income                                                                  391.8                     297.0
                                                                                           ----------------   ---------------------
                    Total Current Liabilities                                               1,592.8                   2,017.6

Postretirement and Postemployment Benefits                                                    341.1                     354.1
Other Non-Current Liabilities                                                                 431.7                     354.2
Minority Interest                                                                             301.6                       -

Shareholders' Equity
Preferred Stock, par value $1 per share, authorized---10,000,000 shares;
     outstanding---none
Common Stock, par value $1 per share, authorized---400,000,000 shares;
     issued---188,420,996 shares for 1997 and 1996                                            188.4                     188.4
Capital Surplus                                                                                70.0                      72.6
Retained Earnings                                                                             456.2                     480.3
Treasury Stock, at cost, 17,835,017  and 17,612,776 shares
     for 1997 and 1996, respectively                                                         (991.6)                 (1,019.7)
Cumulative Translation Adjustment                                                            (166.4)                   (153.3)
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ---------------------
Total Shareholders' Equity                                                                   (443.4)                   (431.7)

- - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ---------------------
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity                                                 $2,223.8                  $2,294.2
- - -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ---------------------
<FN>

The  accompanying  notes  are an  integral  part of the  consolidated  financial
statements.
</FN>

                                      - 5 -

</TABLE>

<PAGE>
<TABLE>





The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited)
<CAPTION>

                                                                                                        Six Months Ended
                                                                                                            June 30,
                                                                                               -----------------------------------
Dollar amounts in millions                                                                                 1997              1996
<S>                                                                                                   <C>                  <C>    

- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    --------------
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net Income                                                                                                $88.2             $20.6
Less: Income from Discontinued Operations                                                                     -              42.6
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    --------------
  Income from Continuing Operations                                                                        88.2             (22.0)

Reconciliation of Net Income to Net Cash
  Provided by Operating Activities:
    Depreciation and Amortization                                                                          80.3              80.3

    Losses from Sale of Businesses, Net of Taxes                                                              -              56.4

    Distributions Received in Excess of Equity Earnings                                                    57.8              (4.8)
    
    Restructuring Payments                                                                                    -             (26.3)
    
    Postemployment Benefit Payments                                                                      (18.5)              (5.7)

    Net Decrease in Accounts Receivable                                                                    70.4              13.1

    Accrued Income Taxes                                                                                  (63.9)             40.5

    Increase in Long Term Liabilities                                                                      30.7                -

    Net Decrease in Other Working Capital Items                                                            35.4              93.0

    Other                                                                                                   2.9              (7.6)
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    --------------
Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities                                                                 283.3             216.9
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    --------------

Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Proceeds from Marketable Securities                                                                         0.2              16.2

Payments for Marketable Securities                                                                         (1.5)             (1.7)

Capital Expenditures                                                                                      (30.1)            (26.4)

Additions to Computer Software and Other Intangibles                                                      (36.6)            (29.2)

Other                                                                                                       0.8              (0.6)
                                                                                               
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    --------------
Net Cash Used In Investing Activities                                                                     (67.2)            (41.7)
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    --------------

Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Payment of Dividends                                                                                      (75.3)           (224.2)

Payments for Purchase of Treasury Shares                                                                  (30.9)             (3.3)

Net Proceeds from Exercise of Stock Options                                                                19.1              38.3

Increase/(Decrease) in Commercial Paper Borrowings                                                        649.7              (4.5)

Increase in Minority Interest                                                                             300.0                -

Decrease in Short-term Borrowings                                                                      (1,067.6)             (1.7)

Other                                                                                                      (0.6)             (2.6)
                                                                                               
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    --------------
Net Cash Used in Financing Activities                                                                    (205.6)           (198.0)
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    --------------
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    --------------
Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash and Cash Equivalents                                               (3.8)             (2.4)
                                                                                                                           
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    --------------
Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents                                                            6.7             (25.2)
                                                                                                                           
Net Cash Provided By Discontinued Operations                                                                -                25.6

Cash and Cash Equivalents , Beginning of Year                                                             127.9             147.1
                                                                                                                           
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    --------------
Cash and Cash Equivalents, End of Period                                                                 $134.6            $147.5
- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    --------------
<FN>
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
                                      - 6 -
</FN>
</TABLE>


<PAGE>



THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Unaudited)

Note 1 - Interim Consolidated Financial Statements

These interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance
with the  instructions  to Form 10-Q and should be read in conjunction  with the
consolidated  financial  statements  and related  notes of The Dun &  Bradstreet
Corporation's  (the  "Company")  1996 Annual  Report on Form 10-K, as amended by
Form 10-K/A-1.  The consolidated results for interim periods are not necessarily
indicative of results for the full year or any subsequent period. In the opinion
of  management,  all  adjustments  (consisting  of  normal  recurring  accruals)
considered  necessary for a fair presentation of financial position,  results of
operations  and cash flows at the dates and for the periods  presented have been
included.  Certain prior-year amounts have been reclassified to conform with the
1997 presentation.


Note 2 - Reorganization and Discontinued Operations

On  November  1,  1996,  the  Company  reorganized  into three  publicly  traded
independent  companies by spinning off through a tax-free  distribution  two new
companies, (1) Cognizant Corporation ("Cognizant") and (2) ACNielsen Corporation
("ACNielsen")  to  shareholders.  In conjunction  with the  reorganization,  the
Company also disposed of Dun & Bradstreet  Software  ("DBS") and NCH Promotional
Services  ("NCH").  The  Company's  continuing   operations  consist  of  Dun  &
Bradstreet, the operating company ("D&B"), Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's")
and Reuben H.Donnelley ("RHD").

Pursuant to Accounting  Principles Board Opinion No. 30,  "Reporting the Results
of Operations-Reporting  the Effects of Disposal of a Segment of a Business, and
Extraordinary,  Unusual and Infrequently Occurring Events and Transactions," the
prior  year's  consolidated  financial  statements  of  the  Company  have  been
reclassified  to  reflect  the  reorganization.  Accordingly,  the prior  year's
revenues,  costs  and  expenses,  assets  and  liabilities,  and  cash  flows of
Cognizant,  ACNielsen,  DBS and NCH  have  been  excluded  from  the  respective
captions in the  Consolidated  Statements of  Operations,  Consolidated  Balance
Sheets and Consolidated  Statements of Cash Flows. The net operating  results of
these entities have been reported,  net of applicable  income taxes,  as "Income
from Discontinued Operations" and the net cash flows of these entities have been
reported as "Net Cash Provided by Discontinued Operations."

Summarized financial information for the Discontinued  Operations was as follows
(in millions):
                                               Three Months         Six Months
                                                  Ended               Ended
                                             June 30, 1996         June 30, 1996

Operating Revenue                               $845.7              $1,616.9
(Loss)Income Before Provision for Income 
Taxes                                           $(12.6)             $   39.9
Income from Discontinued Operations,
 net of Income Taxes                            $  0.3              $   42.6

                                       -7-


<PAGE>


Note 3 - Investment Partnership

During 1993, the Company  participated in the formation of a limited partnership
to invest in various  securities  including  those of the  Company.  Third-party
investors held limited partner and special investors  interests  totaling $500.0
million.  Funds raised by the partnership provided a source of financing for the
Company's  repurchase in 1993 of 8.3 million shares of its common stock.  During
the fourth quarter of 1996, the Company  redeemed these  partnership  interests.
This redemption was financed with short-term borrowings.

The  partnership  is presently  engaged in the  business of  licensing  database
assets  and  computer  software.  One of the  Company's  subsidiaries  serves as
managing general partner and two subsidiaries hold limited partner interests. In
April 1997, the partnership raised $300.0 million of minority interest financing
from a third-party investor.  The Company's  subsidiaries  contributed assets to
the partnership and the third-party  investor  contributed cash ($300.0 million)
in exchange for a limited partner interest. Funds raised by the partnership were
loaned to the Company and used to repay existing  short-term debt in April 1997.
At June 30, 1997, the third-party investment in this partnership was included in
minority interest.

For  financial  reporting  purposes,  the  results of  operations,  the  assets,
liabilities  and cash flows of the  partnership  described above are included in
the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Note 4 - Financial Instruments with Off-Balance-Sheet Risk

At times, the Company uses forward exchange contracts and interest rate swaps to
hedge  existing   assets,   liabilities,   firm   commitments   and  anticipated
transactions.  For forward exchange contracts, the risk reduction is assessed on
a transaction basis. All hedging  instruments are designated as and effective as
a hedge and are highly correlated as required by generally  accepted  accounting
principles.

Gains and losses on hedges of existing assets or liabilities are included in the
carrying amounts of those assets or liabilities and are ultimately recognized in
income as part of those carrying amounts. Gains and losses related to qualifying
hedges of firm commitments or anticipated transactions are also deferred and are
recognized  in income or as  adjustments  of  carrying  amounts  when the hedged
transaction  occurs.  If a hedging  instrument  is sold or  terminated  prior to
maturity, gains and losses will continue to be deferred until the hedged item is
recognized in income. If a hedging  instrument ceases to qualify as a hedge, any
subsequent gains and losses are recognized currently in income.

The Company uses interest rate swaps to synthetically  change its  variable-rate
debt into  fixed-rate  debt.  Periodic  swap  payments  and  receipts  under the
interest rate swaps are recorded as part of interest  expense.  Neither the swap
contracts  nor the gains or  losses on these  contracts  are  recognized  in the
financial statements.

The Company does not use any derivatives for trading or speculative purposes.  
If a derivative ceases to qualify for hedge accounting, it is accounted for on 
a mark-to-market basis.
                                       -8-


<PAGE>




   
Note 5- Litigation
    

The Company and its subsidiaries are involved in legal  proceedings,  claims and
litigation  arising  in the  ordinary  course of  business.  In the  opinion  of
management, the outcome of such current legal proceedings, claims and litigation
could have a material  effect on quarterly or annual  operating  results or cash
flows when resolved in a future period.  However,  in the opinion of management,
these matters will not materially  affect the Company's  consolidated  financial
position.

In addition to the litigation  referred to above, on July 29, 1996,  Information
Resources,  Inc.  ("IRI") filed a complaint in the United States  District Court
for the Southern  District of New York,  naming as defendants the Company,  A.C.
Nielsen Company (a subsidiary of ACNielsen) and IMS International, Inc.

The  complaint  alleges  various  violations of United  States  antitrust  laws,
including  alleged  violations  of  Section  1 and 2 of  the  Sherman  Act.  The
complaint  also alleges a claim of tortious  interference  with a contract and a
claim of tortious interference with a prospective business  relationship.  These
claims relate to the  acquisition by defendants of Survey Research Group Limited
("SRG").  IRI alleges SRG violated an alleged  agreement with IRI when it agreed
to be acquired by the defendants  and that the defendants  induced SRG to breach
that agreement.

On October 15, 1996,  defendants moved for an order dismissing all claims in the
complaint.  On May 6, 1997,  the United States  District  Court for the Southern
District  of New York  issued a decision  dismissing  IRI's  claim of  attempted
monopolization  in the United  States,  with leave to replead within sixty days.
The Court denied  defendants' motion with respect to the remaining claims in the
complaint.  On June 3, 1997,  defendants  filed an answer  denying the  material
allegations in IRI's complaint,  and A.C. Nielsen filed a counterclaim  alleging
that IRI has made  false  and  misleading  statements  about  its  services  and
commercial  activities.  On July 7,  1997,  IRI filed an  Amended  and  Restated
Complaint  repleading its alleged claim of  monopolization  in the United States
and realleging its other claims.

IRI's  complaint  alleges  damages in excess of $350  million,  which amount IRI
asked to be trebled under antitrust laws. IRI also seeks punitive  damages in an
unspecified amount.

In connection with the IRI action, Cognizant,  ACNielsen and the Company entered
into an Indemnity and Joint Defense  Agreement (the "Indemnity and Joint Defense
Agreement")  pursuant  to which they have  agreed  (i) to  certain  arrangements
allocating potential liabilities ("IRI Liabilities") that may arise out of or in
connection  with the IRI  Action  and (ii) to  conduct a joint  defense  of such
action. In particular,  the Indemnity and Joint Defense Agreement  provides that
ACNielsen will assume  exclusive  liability for IRI  Liabilities up to a maximum
amount to be calculated at such time such  liabilities,  if any,  become payable
(the "ACN  Maximum  Amount"),  and that the  Company  and  Cognizant  will share
liability equally for any amounts in excess of the ACN Maximum Amount.  The ACN 

                                      -9-


<PAGE>


Maximum  Amount will be  determined  by an  investment  banking firm as the
maximum  amount which  ACNielsen  is able to pay after giving  effect to (i) any
plan submitted by such  investment bank which is designed to maximize the claims
paying  ability of ACNielsen  without  impairing the  investment  banking firm's
ability to deliver a  viability  opinion  (but which will not require any action
requiring stockholder approval),  and (ii) payment of related fees and expenses.
For these purposes,  financial  viability means the ability of ACNielsen,  after
giving effect to such plan,  the payment of related fees and  expenses,  and the
payment of the ACN  Maximum  Amount,  to pay its debts as they become due and to
finance the current and  anticipated  operating and capital  requirements of its
business,  as  reconstituted  by such plan, for two years from the date any such
plan is expected to be implemented.
   
Management is unable to predict at this time the final outcome of the IRI Action
or whether the resolution of this matter could  materially  affect the Company's
results of operations, cash flows or financial position.
    

Note 6 - DonTech

The  consolidated  results of the Company  include  the  results of  DonTech,  a
partnership  between RHD and Ameritech  Advertising  Services  formed in 1990 to
serve as the  exclusive  yellow pages  publisher for  Ameritech  directories  in
Illinois and  Northwest  Indiana.  For the quarter ended June 30, 1997 and 1996,
DonTech's operating revenues were $60.5 million and $31.0 million, respectively,
and net income was $13.3 million and $10.6  million,  respectively.  For the six
months ended June 30, 1997 and 1996,  DonTech's  operating  revenues  were $71.4
million and $42.9  million,  respectively,  and net income was $13.6 million and
$11.5 million, respectively.

   
During  July  1997,  RHD  signed  a  series  of new  agreements  with  Ameritech
Advertising  Services  changing the  structure of the  existing  partnership  by
appointing  DonTech as the exclusive  sales agent in perpetuity  for yellow page
directories published by Ameritech in Illinois and Northwest Indiana.  Under the
new sales agency agreement,  DonTech will perform the advertising sales function
for the  directories  and earn a  commission,  while  Ameritech  will become the
directories'  publisher.  As a result of the transfer of publishing  services to
Ameritech, RHD will receive a revenue participation interest from Ameritech.

The Company  formerly  recognized its profits from its  partnership  interest in
DonTech as revenues and operating  income when the  directories  were published.
Under the new exclusive sales agency agreement,  the sales commissions earned by
DonTech and the revenues and  operating  income  earned by RHD under the revenue
participation  agreement  will be  recognized as earned at the time of the
advertising sale.
    

As a result of the change in the partnership  structure,  an  approximately  $30
million timing shift of revenue and operating income into the third quarter from
the fourth quarter of 1997 is expected.  However, the impact of these changes on
the 1997 full year results is not expected to be significant.
                                      -10-


<PAGE>


Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results 
of Operations

Overview
On  November  1,  1996,  The  Dun  &  Bradstreet   Corporation  (the  "Company")
reorganized  into three publicly  traded  independent  companies by spinning off
through a tax-free  distribution  two new companies,  (1) Cognizant  Corporation
("Cognizant") and (2) ACNielsen  Corporation  ("ACNielsen") to shareholders.  In
conjunction  with  the  reorganization,  the  Company  also  disposed  of  Dun &
Bradstreet Software ("DBS") and NCH Promotional  Services ("NCH"). The Company's
continuing  operations  consist  of  Dun &  Bradstreet,  the  operating  company
("D&B"), Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") and Reuben H. Donnelley ("RHD").

Pursuant to Accounting  Principles Board Opinion No. 30,  "Reporting the Results
of Operations-Reporting  the Effects of Disposal of a Segment of a Business, and
Extraordinary,  Unusual and Infrequently Occurring Events and Transactions," the
prior  year's  consolidated  financial  statements  of  the  Company  have  been
reclassified  to  reflect  the  reorganization.  Accordingly,  the prior  year's
revenues,  costs  and  expenses,  assets  and  liabilities,  and  cash  flows of
Cognizant,  ACNielsen,  DBS and NCH  have  been  excluded  from  the  respective
captions in the  Consolidated  Statements of  Operations,  Consolidated  Balance
Sheets and Consolidated  Statements of Cash Flows. The net operating  results of
these entities have been reported,  net of applicable  income taxes,  as "Income
from Discontinued Operations" and the net cash flows of these entities have been
reported as "Net Cash Provided by Discontinued Operations."

Results of Operations

Consolidated Results
The  Company's  second  quarter  1997 net income of $50.2  million  was up $94.1
million from the prior year's second quarter loss from continuing  operations of
$43.9 million which included  impairment  losses  resulting from the decision to
dispose of two businesses and certain transaction-related expenses, as discussed
below.  Earnings per share for the second  quarter of $.29 was up from the prior
year's  loss per share from  continuing  operations  of $.26.  Year-to-date  net
income of $88.2  million in 1997 was up from prior  year's loss from  continuing
operations of $22.0 million and 1997 year-to-date earnings per share of $.52 was
up $.65 from prior year's loss per share from continuing operations of $.13.

Operating  revenues for the second  quarter were down 1.4% to $498.3  million in
1997 from $505.1 million from  continuing  operations in second quarter of 1996.
Excluding the results of American Credit  Indemnity  ("ACI") and the Proprietary
West  Operations of R.H Donnelley  ("P-West"),  which were divested during 1996,
revenues  from  continuing  operations  increased  by 3.7%,  driven by growth at
Moody's and D&B U.S.  Year-to-date  1997 operating  revenues were $957.3 million
compared with $955.5 million in the first half of 1996. Excluding the results of
ACI and P-West, revenues from continuing operations increased by 5.1% from prior
year.
                                      -11-


<PAGE>


Operating  income for the second  quarter  of 1997 of $93.1  million  was $107.3
million  higher than the prior year's  second  quarter  operating  loss of $14.2
million.  Second quarter 1996 operating  results  included losses related to the
sales  of  P-West  of  $25.0  million  and  ACI of  $63.8  million  and  certain
transaction  related  expenses.  Excluding the impact of those  one-time  items,
operating  income  increased by 13.3% reflecting the revenue growth noted above,
strong cost controls, and reduced corporate expenses associated with the Company
after  the  reorganization.  Operating  income  in the  second  quarter  of 1997
included the  write-off of a $5.0 million  minority  investment  in Nets,  Inc.,
which  filed  for  bankruptcy  during  the  quarter.  On a  year-to-date  basis,
operating  income of $173.4  million in 1997 was up from $38.1  million in 1996,
resulting from the factors cited above.

Non-operating  expense-net  was $16.6  million  for the  second  quarter of 1997
compared with non-operating  expense-net of $17.4 million for the second quarter
of 1996. Year-to-date 1997, non-operating expense-net was $39.1 million compared
with $35.3  million in 1996.  The  increase  is largely  attributable  to a loss
recognized  during the first  quarter of $2.9  million as a result of  canceling
$300.0 million of swap agreements.

The effective tax rate was 34.3% for the second quarter of and YTD 1997 compared
to an underlying effective tax rate of 34% for similar periods in 1996.

In the second  quarter of 1996,  the  Company's  consolidated  results  included
income from discontinued  operations of $.3 million.  On a year-to-date basis in
1996,  the Company's  consolidated  results  included  income from  discontinued
operations of $42.6 million or $.25 per share.

Segment Results
The Risk Management Services segment reported  second-quarter  revenue growth of
4.4% to $434.1 million from $415.8 million a year ago,  excluding the results of
ACI which was  divested  during  1996.  D&B,  the  operating  company,  reported
second-quarter  revenue of $324.0  million  compared with $325.0  million a year
ago. D&B U.S.  posted a 2.8%  increase in  second-quarter  revenue,  a result of
strong performance in Receivable  Management Services over the same quarter last
year. D&B Europe's revenue was down 3.9% in the second quarter over the previous
year reflecting  unfavorable foreign exchange movement.  Excluding the impact of
foreign exchange, European revenue grew by 3% in the second quarter of 1997. D&B
Asia Pacific,  Latin America and Canada was down 8.0% in the second quarter from
the previous year primarily as a result of reorganizing  the operations in Latin
America and lower than expected  performance.  Moody's  Investors Service showed
the fastest growth during the second quarter,  driven by double-digit  growth in
its corporate bond ratings business.  A favorable  interest rate environment and
the continuing introduction of new fixed-income instruments throughout the world
also contributed to revenue growth.  Moody's  second-quarter  revenue was $110.2
million in 1997, an increase of 21.3% over the prior year.

On a year-to-date  basis, the Risk Management  Services segment reported revenue
growth  of 6.0% to  $874.2  million  in 1997  from  $824.5  million  a year ago,
excluding the results of ACI which was divested  during 1996. D&B, the operating
company,  reported  revenue of $650.6  million  in 1997,  up 2.4% from the prior
year. D&B U.S.'s  revenue grew 5.1%, a result of strong  performance in both the
Receivable  Management  Services and Marketing  Information  Services divisions.
Europe's results were flat versus the prior year.  However,  after adjusting for
the negative foreign exchange impact,  underlying  growth for Europe was 6%. D&B
Asia Pacific,  Latin America and Canada was down 7.3% from the prior year due to
the factors noted above.  Moody's  Investors  Service reported revenue growth of
18.3% above the prior year due to gains in corporate bonds,  structured  ratings
and commercial paper.

                                      -12-
The Directory  Information Services segment reported  second-quarter  revenue of
$64.1  million  compared  with $64.8  million in the prior year,  excluding  the
second-quarter  1996 results of P-West.  On a year-to-date  basis, the Directory
Information  Services'  revenue of $83.1 million  decreased  3.6% from the prior
year. Lower revenues were experienced at RHD due to the increasingly competitive
environment in the  proprietary  yellow pages business and a delay in the timing
of the publication of certain proprietary revenues.  Higher revenues reported by
DonTech,  the partnership with Ameritech  Advertising Services resulted from the
production  shift of  several  directories,  which  partially  offset  the lower
results of RHD.

   
During  July  1997,  RHD  signed  a  series  of new  agreements  with  Ameritech
Advertising  Services  changing the  structure of the  existing  partnership  by
appointing  DonTech as the exclusive  sales agent in perpetuity  for yellow page
directories published by Ameritech in Illinois and Northwest Indiana.  Under the
new sales agency agreement,  DonTech will perform the advertising sales function
for the  directories  and earn a  commission,  while  Ameritech  will become the
directories'  publisher.  As a result of the transfer of publishing  services to
Ameritech, RHD will receive a revenue participation interest from Ameritech..

The Company  formerly  recognized its profits from its  partnership  interest in
DonTech as revenues and operating  income when the  directories  were published.
Under the new exclusive sales agency agreement,  the sales commissions earned by
DonTech and the revenues and  operating  income  earned by RHD under the revenue
participation  agreement  will be  recognized as earned at the time of
the advertising sale.

As a result of the change in the partnership  structure,  an  approximately  $30
million timing shift of revenue and operating income into the third quarter from
the fourth quarter of 1997 is expected.  However, the impact of these changes on
the 1997 full year results is not expected to be significant.
    

Adoption of Statements of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS")

In February 1997, the Financial  Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued SFAS
No. 128,  "Earnings  per Share"  ("SFAS No.  128"),  which  simplifies  existing
computational  guidelines,  revises  disclosure  requirements  and increases the
comparability  of  earnings  per  share  data on an  international  basis.  This
statement  is  effective  for  financial  statements  for periods  ending  after
December 15, 1997 and requires  restatement of all  prior-period  per share data
presented.  There  would  have  been no  change  in the  earnings  per  share as
reflected in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations had SFAS No.
128 been effective in the periods ended June 30, 1997 and 1996.

In June 1997,  the FASB issued SFAS No. 130,  "Reporting  Comprehensive  Income"
("SFAS No.  130"),  which  establishes  standards  for  reporting and display of
comprehensive  income  and  its  components  in a full  set  of  general-purpose
financial  statements.  This  statement is effective for fiscal years  beginning
after December 15, 1997 and requires  reclassification of prior period financial
statements.  The  Company is  currently  considering  the  various  presentation
options of SFAS No. 130.

                                      -13-

Also in June 1997, the FASB issued SFAS No. 131,  "Disclosures about Segments of
an Enterprise and Related  Information"  ("SFAS 131"),  which revises disclosure
requirements  about  operating  segments and  establishes  standards for related
disclosures  about products and services,  geographic areas and major customers.
SFAS  131  requires  that  public  business  enterprises  report  financial  and
descriptive  information about its reportable operating segments.  The statement
is  effective  for  periods  beginning  after  December  15,  1997 and  requires
restatement of prior years in the initial year of application. SFAS No. 131 will
impact the  Company's  segment  disclosures,  but will not impact the  Company's
results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

Liquidity and Financial Position

At June 30, 1997, cash and cash equivalents  totaled $134.6 million, an increase
of $6.7 million from $127.9  million held at December 31, 1996.  In  comparison,
during the first two quarters of 1996, cash and cash equivalents from continuing
operations decreased by $25.2 million.

Operating  activities generated net cash of $283.3 million during the six months
ended June 30,  1997  compared  to $216.9  million in 1996.  Improved  operating
results  as well as timing  of tax  payments  and  distributions  received  from
unconsolidated subsidiaries in 1997 contributed to the increase in cash provided
by operating activities during the first half of 1997 compared to 1996.

Net cash used in investing activities was $67.2 million for the six months ended
June 30, 1997 compared to $41.7  million in 1996.  In 1997 the Company  invested
$66.7 million for capital  expenditures  and additions to computer  software and
other intangibles compared to $55.6 million in 1996. Additionally,  in 1996, the
Company generated $16.2 million of proceeds from marketable securities.

Net cash used in financing  activities  was $205.6 million during the six months
ended  June 30,  1997  compared  to  $198.0  million  in the 1996.  Payments  of
dividends  accounted for $75.3 million during the first half of 1997 compared to
$224.2  million in 1996,  which  represented  the  dividend  policy prior to the
reorganization. The Company used $30.9 million during the first half of 1997 for
the  repurchase of stock compared to $3.3 million during the first half of 1996.
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options was $19.1 million for the first half
of 1997 compared to $38.3 million in 1996.

On April 1, 1997,  the Company  completed  a $300.0  million  minority  interest
financing.  Funds raised by the minority  interest  financing were loaned to the
Company and used to repay a portion of the outstanding  short-term debt in April
1997.  Also,  during the second  quarter of 1997,  the  Company  re-entered  the
commercial  paper market and used the proceeds to repay the  additional  amounts
outstanding on the short-term debt facility.  Overall,  during the first half of
1997, the Company reduced its total debt outstanding by $117.9 million.

Dividends
On July 16, 1997, the Board of Directors  approved a third quarter 1997 dividend
of $.22 per share,  payable  September 10, 1997 to shareholders of record at the
close of business August 20, 1997.
                                      -14-


<PAGE>



PART II.  OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1.  Legal Proceedings

          Information  required  under this item is  contained  in Note 5 to the
          Financial Statements, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

         The Annual Meeting of Shareholders of The Dun & Bradstreet  Corporation
was held on May 1, 1997.

         The following  nominees for director named in the Proxy Statement dated
         March 27, 1997, were elected at the Meeting by the votes indicated.

                                             For                       Withheld
         Hall Adams Jr.                     146,512,312               2,015,600

         Ronald L. Kuehn                    147,243,306               1,284,606

         Michael R. Quinlan                 147,147,070               1,380,842

         The votes in favor of the election of the  nominees  represent at least
         98.6% of the shares voted for each of the nominees.

         The amendment of The Dun & Bradstreet  Corporation Corporate Management
         Incentive Plan was approved by the following vote:

                                     For               Against          Abstain
         Number of shares            139,238,771       8,386,836        902,305

         The amendment of The Key Employees  Performance Unit Plan for The Dun &
         Bradstreet  Corporation and  Subsidiaries was approved by the following
         vote:

                                     For               Against          Abstain
         Number of shares            140,401,645       7,234,358        891,909

         The appointment of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. as independent public 
         accountants was approved by the following vote:

                                     For               Against          Abstain
         Number of shares            148,114,317       217,272          196,323

         The proposal on implementation  of the MacBride  Principles in Northern
         Ireland was defeated by the following vote:

                            For          Against         Abstain      Non-Votes
         Number of shares   14,555,526   104,845,042     17,128,527   11,998,817

                                      -15-


<PAGE>



Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K.

(a)     Exhibits:

        (10q) Supplemental Executive Benefit Plan, as amended January 15, 1997.

        (10u)  Amended and  Restated  Agreement  of Limited  Partnership  of D&B
Investors L.P., dated as April 1, 1997.

        (11)  Statement Re: Computation of Per Share Earnings

        (27)  Financial Data Schedule


(b)     Reports on Form 8-K:

There were no reports on Form 8-K filed during the quarter ended June 30, 1997.
























                                      -16-



<PAGE>





                                   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 thereunto duly authorized.




                        THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION


Date: August 13, 1997     By:   FRANK S. SOWINSKI
                                ================================================
                                Frank S. Sowinski
                                Senior Vice President - Chief Financial Officer



Date: August 13, 1997     By:   CHESTER J. GEVEDA, JR.
                                ================================================
                                Chester J. Geveda, Jr.
                                Vice President and Controller


















                                      -17-

<PAGE>



                                   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 thereunto duly authorized.




                        THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION


Date: August     , 1997      By:
                                 ===============================================
                                 Frank S. Sowinski
                                 Senior Vice President - Chief Financial Officer



Date: August     , 1997      By:
                                 ===============================================
                                 Chester J. Geveda, Jr.
                                 Vice President and Controller




















                                      -17-




<PAGE>


                                                                    Exhibit 10q 

                       SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE BENEFIT PLAN

                                       OF

                        THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION
                     (as amended effective January 15, 1997)




                                    PREAMBLE

              The principal purpose of this Supplemental  Executive Benefit Plan
is to ensure  the  payment  of a  competitive  level of  retirement  income  and
disability benefits in order to attract, retain and motivate selected executives
of the Corporation and its affiliated companies.

                                    SECTION 1

                                   Definitions

              1.1 "Affiliate"  means any corporation,  partnership,  division or
other organization  controlling,  controlled by or under common control with the
Corporation or any joint venture entered into by the Corporation.
              1.2  "Average  Final  Compensation"  means  the  greater  of (i) a
Participant's  or Vested  Former  Participant's  average final  compensation  as
defined  in  The  Dun  &  Bradstreet  Corporation  Retirement  Account  as if no
provision were set forth therein  incorporating  limitations imposed by Sections
401, 415 or any other applicable  Section of the Internal Revenue Code, or, (ii)
if the Participant is disabled at the time of his Retirement,  the Participant's
Basic Earnings. For purposes of (i), Average Final Compensation will not include
an employee's  compensation while the employee is a Vested Former Participant or
a  Former  Participant  and  will  include  compensation  from  the  date of the
Participant's employment with the Corporation or an Affiliate.

S:\01743\97RET\SEBP97.WPD
              1.3 "Basic Disability Plan" means as to any Participant either (i)
the long-term  disability  plan of the  Corporation or an Affiliate  pursuant to
which long-term  disability benefits are payable to such Participant or, (ii) if
the  Affiliate  which  employs  such  Participant  has not  adopted a  long-term
disability plan, the long-term disability plan of the Corporation.
              1.4 "Basic  Disability  Plan Benefit" means the amount of benefits
actually  payable to a Participant from the Basic Disability Plan or which would
be  payable  if the  Participant  were a member of such Plan.  For  purposes  of
determining a Participant's  Basic Disability Plan Benefit, a disability benefit
shall not be treated as actually payable to a Participant unless the Participant
is actually  covered by a long-term  disability  plan of the  Corporation  or an
Affiliate.
              1.5 "Basic Earnings" means a Participant's total earnings received
as an employee as salary or wages in the twelve months immediately preceding the
onset of the  Participant's  disability,  including any amounts deferred under a
plan  qualified  under  Section  401(k) of the Internal  Revenue  Code,  amounts
contributed on a Participant's behalf on a salary reduction basis to a cafeteria
plan  described in Section 125 of the Internal  Revenue  Code,  cash bonuses and
commissions, but excluding any pension, retainers, severance pay, income derived
from stock options,  stock  appreciation  rights and restricted stock awards and
dispositions  of  stock  acquired   thereunder,   payments  dependent  upon  any
contingency after the period of Credited Service and other special  remuneration
(including performance units).
              1.6 "Basic  Plan"  means as to any  Participant  or Vested  Former
Participant,  the  defined  benefit  pension  plan  of  the  Corporation  or  an
Affiliate, which is intended to meet the requirements of Code Section 401(a) and
pursuant to which retirement  benefits are payable to such Participant or Vested
Former  Participant  or to the Surviving  Spouse or designated  beneficiary of a
deceased Participant or Vested Former Participant.
              1.7 "Basic Plan Benefit" means the amount of benefits payable from
the Basic Plan to a Participant or Vested Former Participant.
              1.8  "Board"  means  the  Board  of  Directors  of  The  Dun  & 
Bradstreet Corporation.
<PAGE>


     1.9 "Change in Control"  means:  (a) Any  "person," as such term is used in
Section 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange  Act")  (other than the  Corporation,  any trustee or other  fiduciary
holding  securities under an employee  benefit plan of the  Corporation,  or any
Corporation  owned,   directly  or  indirectly,   by  the  stockholders  of  the
Corporation in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of
the Corporation), is or becomes the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3
under  the  Exchange  Act),  directly  or  indirectly,   of  securities  of  the
Corporation  representing  30% or  more  of the  combined  voting  power  of the
Corporation's then outstanding securities;
     (b) during  any period of two  consecutive  years,  individuals  who at the
beginning of such period  constitute the Board, and any new director (other than
a director  designated  by a person who has entered into an  agreement  with the
Corporation to effect a transaction  described in clause (a), (c) or (d) of this
Section)  whose  election  by  the  Board  or  nomination  for  election  by the
Corporation's  stockholders  was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3)
of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning
of the period or whose  election or  nomination  for election was  previously so
approved cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof;
     (c) the  stockholders of the Corporation  approve a merger or consolidation
of  the  Corporation  with  any  other  company,  other  than  (1) a  merger  or
consolidation  which would result in the voting  securities  of the  Corporation
outstanding  immediately  prior  thereto  continuing  to  represent  (either  by
remaining  outstanding  or by being  converted  into  voting  securities  of the
surviving  entity)  more than 50% of the  combined  voting  power of the  voting
securities of the Corporation or such surviving entity  outstanding  immediately
after such merger or consolidation or (2) a merger or consolidation  effected to
implement a  recapitalization  of the  Corporation  (or similar  transaction) in
which  no  "person"  (as  hereinabove  defined)  acquires  more  than 50% of the
combined voting power of the Corporation's then outstanding securities; or
     (d)  the  stockholders  of  the  Corporation  approve  a plan  of  complete
liquidation  of the  Corporation  or an agreement for the sale or disposition by
the Corporation of all or substantially all of the Corporation's assets.
     1.10  "Committee"  means  the  Executive   Compensation  and  Stock  Option
Committee of the Board.
     1.11  "Corporation"  means The Dun &  Bradstreet  Corporation,  a  Delaware
corporation, and any successor or assigns thereto.
              1.12   "Credited   Service"   means   a   Participant's,    Former
Participant's or Vested Former Participant's  Credited Service as defined in The
Dun & Bradstreet  Corporation  Retirement Account,  except that Credited Service
will include service while the Participant is receiving  Disability Benefits and
service  from the date the  Participant,  Former  Participant  or Vested  Former
Participant  was  employed  by the  Corporation  or an  Affiliate,  but will not
include  service  while an employee  is a Former  Participant  or Vested  Former
Participant.  However,  in the case of an acquired company,  the  Participant's,
Former  Participant's or Vested Former  Participant's  service with that company
prior to the date of  acquisition  will not be counted  unless  such  service is
recognized for benefit accrual purposes under the relevant Basic Plan.
              1.13   "Disability   Benefit"  means  the  benefits   provided  to
Participants and Vested Former Participants pursuant to Section 5 of the Plan.
              1.14    "Effective Date" means July 1, 1989.
     1.15  "Election"  means an election as to the form of benefit  payment made
pursuant to Section 4.5 of the Plan.
              1.16  "Election  Date"  means the date that a  properly  completed
election  form with respect to an Election or a Special  Election is received by
the Corporation's Treasurer.
              1.17 "Former  Participant" means an employee who has not completed
five or more  years of  Credited  Service  at the time his  employment  with the
Corporation  or an  Affiliate  terminates  or at the time he was  removed,  upon
written notice by the Chief  Executive  Officer of the  Corporation and with the
approval of the Committee, from further participation in the Plan.
              1.18 "Other Disability Income" means (A) the disability  insurance
benefit that the  Participant  is entitled to receive  under the Federal  Social
Security Act while he is receiving the Basic Disability Plan Benefit and (B) the
disability income payable to a Participant from the following sources:
     (a) any supplemental executive disability plan of any Affiliate; and
     (b) any other contract, agreement or other arrangement with the Corporation
or an Affiliate  (excluding any Basic Disability Plan) to the extent it provides
disability  benefits.  1.19 "Other  Retirement  Income"  means (A)(i) the Social
Security retirement benefit that the Participant or Vested Former Participant is
entitled to receive under the Federal Social  Security Act as of the date of his
Retirement  or, (ii) if the  Participant  or Vested  Former  Participant  is not
eligible to receive a Social  Security  retirement  benefit  commencing  on such
date, the Social  Security  retirement  benefit he is entitled to receive at the
earliest  age he is eligible to receive such a benefit,  discounted  to the date
his Benefit under the Plan actually commences,  using the actuarial  assumptions
then in use under the relevant Basic Plan, assuming for purposes of (i) and (ii)
above that for years prior to the Participant's  employment with the Corporation
and for years  following the  Participant's  termination of employment  with the
Corporation  up until the  Participant  attains age 62, the  Participant  earned
compensation so as to accrue the maximum Social Security  benefits,  and (B) the
retirement income payable to a Participant or Vested Former Participant from the
following sources:
     (a) any  retirement  benefits  equalization  plan of the  Corporation or an
Affiliate the
purpose of which is to provide the Participant or Vested Former Participant with
the benefits he is precluded from  receiving  under any relevant Basic Plan as a
result of limitations under the Internal Revenue Code; and
     (b) any supplemental executive retirement plan of any Affiliate; and
     (c) any other contract, agreement or other arrangement with the Corporation
or an  Affiliate  (excluding  any Basic Plan and any defined  contribution  plan
intended to meet the  requirements  of Section 401(a) of the Code) to the extent
it provides retirement or pension benefits.
              1.20  "Participant"  means an  employee of the  Corporation  or an
Affiliate  who becomes a  participant  in the Plan pursuant to Section 2 and has
not been removed pursuant to Section 2.2.

              1.21 "Plan" means this Supplemental  Executive Benefit Plan of The
Dun & Bradstreet Corporation, as amended from time to time.
              1.22    "Potential Change in Control" means:
     (a) the  Corporation  enters into an agreement,  the  consummation of which
would result in the occurrence of a Change in Control of the Corporation;
     (b) any person (including the Corporation)  publicly announces an intention
to take or to consider  taking actions which if consummated  would  constitute a
Change in Control of the  Corporation;  
     (c) any person,  other than a trustee or their fiduciary holding securities
under an employee  benefit  plan of the  Corporation  (or a  Corporation  owned,
directly or indirectly,  by the stockholders of the Corporation in substantially
the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Corporation),  who is or
becomes the  beneficial  owner,  directly or  indirectly,  of  securities of the
Corporation  representing  9.5% or  more of the  combined  voting  power  of the
Corporation's then outstanding securities, increases his beneficial ownership of
such securities by 5% or more over the percentage so owned by such person; or
     (d) the Board adopts a resolution to the effect that,  for purposes of this
Plan, a Potential Change in Control of the Corporation has occurred.
              1.23 "Retirement" means the termination, other than at death, of a
Participant's or Vested Former Participant's  employment with the Corporation or
an  Affiliate  (i) after  reaching  age 55 and  completing  ten years of Vesting
Service,  or  (ii)  immediately  following  the  cessation  of  the  payment  of
Disability  Benefits  under  the  Plan  to such  Participant  or  Vested  Former
Participant while he is still disabled,  as such term is defined under the Basic
Disability Plan.
              1.24   "Retirement   Benefit"  means  the  benefits   provided  to
Participants and Vested Former Participants pursuant to Section 4 of the Plan.
              1.25  "Special  Election"  means  an  election  as to the  form of
benefit payment made pursuant to Section 4.6 of the Plan.
              1.26 "Surviving Spouse" means the spouse of a deceased Participant
or  Vested  Former  Participant  to  whom  such  Participant  or  Vested  Former
Participant is legally married immediately  preceding such Participant or Vested
Former Participant's death.
              1.27 "Surviving Spouse's Benefits" mean the benefits provided to a
Participant's  or Vested  Former  Participant's  Surviving  Spouse  pursuant  to
Section 6 of the Plan.
              1.28 "Vested Former  Participant"  means an employee who completed
five or more  years of  Credited  Service  at the time his  employment  with the
Corporation  or an  Affiliate  terminated  or at the time he was  removed,  upon
written notice by the Chief  Executive  Officer of the  Corporation and with the
approval of the Committee, from further participation in the Plan.
              1.29 The masculine  gender,  where  appearing in the Plan, will be
deemed to include the feminine gender,  and the singular may include the plural,
unless the context clearly indicates to the contrary.

                                    SECTION 2
                          Eligibility and Participation
              2.1  All  key  management  employees  of the  Corporation  and its
Affiliates who are responsible  for the management,  growth or protection of the
business of the Corporation and its Affiliates,  who are designated by the Chief
Executive Officer of the Corporation in writing, are eligible,  upon approval by
the Committee,  for  participation  in the Plan as of the effective date of such
designation.
              2.2 A Participant's participation in the Plan shall terminate upon
termination of his or her  employment.  Prior to  termination  of employment,  a
participant may be removed,  upon written notice by the Chief Executive  Officer
of the  Corporation  and  with  the  approval  of the  Committee,  from  further
participation in the Plan. As of the date of termination or removal,  no further
benefits shall accrue to such individual.


<PAGE>



                                    SECTION 3
                            Eligibility For Benefits
              3.1 Each Participant or Vested Former  Participant is eligible for
an  annual  Retirement  Benefit  under  this  Plan  upon  Retirement,   or  upon
termination  of  employment  with  the  Corporation   before   Retirement  after
completing five or more years of Credited Service.
              3.2  Each   Participant  is  eligible  to  commence   receiving  a
Disability  Benefit  under this Plan upon the actual or deemed  commencement  of
benefits under the relevant Basic Disability Plan.  Notwithstanding the above, a
Participant  may not  receive  a  Disability  Benefit  if he has not  previously
enrolled  for the maximum  disability  insurance  coverage  available  under the
relevant Basic Disability Plan.
              3.3  Notwithstanding  any  other  provision  of  the  Plan  to the
contrary,  no benefits or no further benefits, as the case may be, shall be paid
to a Participant, Vested Former Participant or Surviving Spouse if the Committee
reasonably determines that such Participant or Vested Former Participant has:
     (i) To the  detriment  of the  Corporation  or any  Affiliate,  directly or
indirectly  acquired,  without the prior written  consent of the  Committee,  an
interest in any other company, firm, association, or organization (other than an
investment   interest   of  less  than  1%  in  a   publicly-owned   company  or
organization),  the business of which is in direct competition with any business
of the Corporation or an Affiliate;
     (ii) To the  detriment of the  Corporation  or any  Affiliate,  directly or
indirectly competed with the Corporation or any Affiliate as an owner, employee,
partner,  director or contractor of a business,  in a field of business activity
in which the Participant or Vested Former Participant has been primarily engaged
on behalf of the  Corporation  or any Affiliate or in which he has  considerable
knowledge as a result of his  employment by the  Corporation  or any  Affiliate,
either for his own benefit or with any person other than the  Corporation or any
Affiliate, without the prior written consent of the Committee; or


<PAGE>


     (iii) Been discharged from employment with the Corporation or any Affiliate
for "Cause". "Cause" shall include the occurrence of any of the following events
or such other dishonest or disloyal act or omission as the Committee  reasonably
determines to be "cause":
     (a) The Participant or Vested Former  Participant has  misappropriated  any
funds or property of the Corporation or any Affiliate or committed any other act
of willful  malfeasance  or willful  misconduct  in  connection  with his or her
employment;
     (b) The  Participant or Vested Former  Participant  has,  without the prior
knowledge or written  consent of the Committee,  obtained  personal  profit as a
result  of  any  transaction  by a  third  party  with  the  Corporation  or any
Affiliate; or
     (c) The  Participant  or Vested  Former  Participant  has sold or otherwise
imparted to any person,  firm, or corporation  the names of the customers of the
Corporation  or any  Affiliate  or any  confidential  records,  data,  formulae,
specifications  and other  trade  secrets or other  information  of value to the
Corporation  or  any  Affiliate  derived  by his or  her  association  with  the
Corporation or any Affiliate.
     (d) The  Participant or Vested Former  Participant  fails,  on a continuing
basis,  to perform  such  duties as are  requested  by any  employee to whom the
Participant or Vested Former Participant reports or the Board; or
     (e) The Participant or Vested Former Participant  commits any felony or any
misdemeanor involving moral turpitude.
In any case  described  in this  Section 3.3,  the  Participant,  Vested  Former
Participant  or  Surviving  Spouse shall be given prior  written  notice that no
benefits  or no  further  benefits,  as the  case  may be,  will be paid to such
Participant,  Vested Former Participant or Surviving Spouse. Such written notice
shall specify the particular  act(s),  or failures to act, on the basis of which
the decision to terminate benefits has been made.


              3.4 (a)  Notwithstanding  any other  provision  of the Plan to the
contrary,  a Participant or Vested Former Participant who receives in a lump sum
any  portion  of his  Retirement  Benefit  pursuant  to an  Election  or Special
Election shall receive such lump sum portion of his Retirement  Benefit  subject
to the condition that if such Participant or Vested Former  Participant  engages
in any of the acts  described  in clause (i) or (ii) of Section  3.3,  then such
Participant  or Vested  Former  Participant  shall within 60 days after  written
notice by the  Corporation  repay to the  Corporation  the amount  described  in
Section 3.4(b).
     (b) The amount  described under this Section 3.4(b) shall equal the amount,
as  determined  by  the  Committee,   of  the  Participant's  or  Vested  Former
Participant's lump sum benefit paid under this Plan to which such Participant or
Vested Former Participant would not have been entitled, if such lump sum benefit
had  instead  been  payable in the form of an  annuity  under this Plan and such
annuity payments were subject to the provisions of Section 3.3.
                                    SECTION 4
                     Amount and Form of Retirement Benefits

              4.1 The  Retirement  Benefit  provided  by the Plan is designed to
provide each  Participant and Vested Former  Participant  with an annual pension
from the Plan and  certain  other  sources  equal to his  Retirement  Benefit as
hereinafter  specified.  Thus, the Retirement  Benefits  described  hereunder as
payable  to  Participants  and  Vested  Former  Participants  will be  offset by
retirement benefits payable from sources outside the Plan as specified herein.
              4.2 (a) The  Retirement  Benefit of a Participant or Vested Former
Participant  upon  Retirement  shall  be an  annual  benefit  equal to (i) for a
Participant or Vested Former Participant who had attained age fifty and had been
credited with at least ten years of Vesting  Service as of January 15, 1997 or a
Participant or Vested Former Participant whose age plus years of Vesting Service
is equal to or greater  than 70 as of January  15,  1997,  or other  individuals
designated by the Chief Executive Officer;

50% of his Average  Final  Compensation  with  respect to his first ten years of
Credited  Service,  plus 2% of such Average Final  Compensation for each year of
Credited Service in excess of ten years of Credited  Service,  but not to exceed
fifteen years of Credited Service, offset by his Other Retirement Income and his
Basic Plan  Benefit.  A full month is credited  for each  completed  and partial
month of age and Credited  Service;  (ii) for all other  Participants  or Vested
Former  Participants;  40% of his Average Final Compensation with respect to his
first ten years of credited service,  plus 2% of Average Final  Compensation for
each year of Credited  Service in excess of ten years of Credited  Service,  but
not to exceed twenty years of Credited  Service,  offset by his Other Retirement
Income and his Basic Plan Benefit.  A full month is credited for each  completed
and partial month of Credited  Service.  If such a Participant  or Vested Former
Participant  retires  before  age 60  without  the  Corporation's  consent,  his
Retirement Benefit shall be reduced by 3% for each year or fraction thereof that
Retirement commenced prior to reaching age 60.
     (b) Any portion of the Retirement  Benefit  provided under this Section 4.2
payable in the form of an annuity  pursuant  to Section  4.4 shall be payable in
monthly  installments  and will commence on the first day of the calendar  month
coinciding  with or next  following  the day the  Participant  or Vested  Former
Participant  retires,  and any portion of such  Retirement  Benefit payable in a
lump sum  pursuant  to Section  4.4 shall be paid on the date that is sixty days
after the date when annuity  payments under this Section 4.2 commence,  or would
commence if any portion of the Retirement Benefit were payable in the form of an
annuity,  or as soon as  practicable  thereafter,  provided  the  Committee  has
approved any such lump sum payments.
              4.3 (a) Subject to Section  4.3(c),  the  Retirement  Benefit of a
Participant  or Vested Former  Participant  who terminates  employment  with the
Corporation with five or more years of Credited Service before he is eligible to
retire under the relevant Basic Plan shall be an annual benefit equal to (i) for
a Participant  or Vested Former  Participant  who had attained age fifty and had
been credited with at least ten years of Vesting  Service as of January 15, 1997
or a Participant  or Vested Former  Participant  whose age plus years of Vesting
Service  is  equal  to or  greater  than 70 as of  January  15,  1997,  or other
individuals  designated by the Chief Executive Officer; 25% of his Average Final
Compensation  for his first five years of Credited  Service,  plus 5% of Average
Final  Compensation for each additional year of Credited Service between six and
ten years of Credited  Service,  plus 2% of Average Final  Compensation for each
additional  year of Credited  Service  from 11 to 15 years,  offset by his Other
Retirement Income and his Basic Plan Benefit.  A full month is credited for each
completed  and  partial  month of  Credited  Service,  and  (ii)  for all  other
Participants   or  Vested  Former   Participants;   20%  of  his  Average  Final
Compensation with respect to his first five years of Credited  Service,  plus 4%
of Average  Final  Compensation  for each  additional  year of Credited  Service
between  six and ten  years  of  Credited  Service,  plus  2% of  Average  Final
Compensation  for each additional year of Credited  Service from 11 to 20 years,
offset by his Other Retirement  Income and his Basic Plan Benefit.  A full month
is credited for each completed and partial month of Credited Service.
     (b) Any portion of the Retirement  Benefit  provided under this Section 4.3
payable in the form of an annuity  pursuant  to Section  4.4 shall be payable in
monthly  installments  and will commence on the first day of the calendar  month
coinciding  with or next  following  the day the  Participant  or Vested  Former
Participant  reaches age 55 or the date of his  termination,  if later,  and any
portion of such Retirement Benefit payable in a lump sum pursuant to Section 4.4
shall be paid on the date that is 60 days after the date when  annuity  payments
under  this  Section  4.3  commence,  or would  commence  if any  portion of the
Retirement  Benefit  were  payable  in the  form  of an  annuity,  or as soon as
practicable  thereafter,  provided the  Committee has approved any such lump sum
payments.
     (c) If a Participant  or Vested Former  Participant  terminates  employment
with the Corporation without the Corporation's  consent,  and the payment of his
Retirement Benefit  commences,  or would commence if it were payable in the form
of an annuity, before he reaches age 60, his Retirement Benefit shall be reduced
by 10% for each year or  fraction  thereof  that the  payment of his  Retirement
Benefit  commences,  or  would  commence  if it were  payable  in the form of an
annuity, prior to his reaching age 60.



<PAGE>


              4.4 (a) Except as provided under Section 4.4(b) or Section 4.4(c),
a Retirement Benefit under this Plan shall be payable to a Participant or Vested
Former  Participant in the form of a straight life annuity and without regard to
any optional form of benefits elected under the Basic Plan.
     (b) If a Participant or a Vested Former Participant makes an Election while
he is a Participant  pursuant to Section 4.5 or a Special  Election  pursuant to
Section 4.6 and such Election or Special Election becomes effective (i) prior to
the  date  such  Participant  or  such  Vested  Former  Participant  retires  or
terminates employment with the Corporation or an Affiliate and (ii) while he was
still a  Participant,  a Retirement  Benefit under this Plan shall be payable to
such Participant or such Vested Former Participant in the form or combination of
forms of payment  elected  pursuant to such Election or Special  Election  under
Section  4.5 or  Section  4.6,  as the case may be,  and  without  regard to any
optional form of benefit elected under the Basic Plan. Any lump sum distribution
of a Participant's or Vested Former  Participant's  Retirement Benefit under the
Plan shall fully satisfy all present and future Plan  liability  with respect to
such  Participant or Vested Former  Participant  for such portion or all of such
Retirement Benefit so distributed.
     (c) Notwithstanding any Election or Special Election made under Section 4.5
or 4.6, if the lump sum value,  determined in the same manner as provided  under
Section 4.5(a),  of a Participant's  or Vested Former  Participant's  Retirement
Benefit is $10,000 or less at the time such Retirement  Benefit is payable under
this Plan, such benefit shall be payable as a lump sum.
     (d) If the  Retirement  Benefit under this Plan is payable to a Participant
or Vested Former Participant in a different form and/or at a different time than
his Other Retirement  Income or his Basic Plan Benefits,  the offset provided in
this Plan for such Participant's or Vested Former Participant's Other Retirement
Income and Basic Plan Benefit shall be converted,  using  actuarial  assumptions
that are reasonable and appropriate and in accordance with applicable law at the
time the  benefit  under  this Plan is  determined,  to the extent  required  as
follows, but solely for purposes of calculating the amount of such offset:



<PAGE>


     (i) a percentage  of the benefits to be offset equal to the  percentage  of
such Participant's or Vested Former  Participant's  benefits payable in the form
of an  annuity  under  this Plan shall be  actuarially  converted  to the extent
required into the form of a straight  life annuity,  commencing at the time such
benefits  payable  under this Plan commence or on the date such  Participant  or
Vested Former  Participant  would first become  eligible for the payment of such
benefits under this Plan, if earlier; and
     (ii) the balance, if any, of the benefits to be offset shall be actuarially
converted  to a lump sum payment  payable on the date which is 60 days after the
date described in Section 4.4(d)(i).
              4.5  (a) A  Participant  may  elect,  on a  form  supplied  by the
Committee,  to receive all, none, or a specified portion, as provided in Section
4.5(c),  of his  Retirement  Benefit under the Plan in a lump sum and to receive
any balance of such Retirement Benefit in the form of an annuity;  provided that
any such  Election  shall be  effective  for  purposes  of this Plan only if the
conditions of Section  4.5(b) are satisfied.  A Participant  may elect a payment
form  different  than the  payment  form  previously  elected  by him under this
Section  4.5(a) by filing a revised  election  form;  provided that any such new
Election  shall be  effective  only if the  conditions  of  Section  4.5(b)  are
satisfied  with  respect  to such new  Election.  Any prior  Election  made by a
Participant  that  has  satisfied  the  conditions  of  Section  4.5(b)  remains
effective  for  purposes  of the  Plan  until  such  Participant  has made a new
Election  satisfying the conditions of Section 4.5(b). The amount of any portion
of a Participant's or a Vested Former  Participant's  Retirement Benefit payable
as a lump sum  under  this  Section  4.5 will  equal the  present  value of such
portion of the  Retirement  Benefit,  and such present value shall be determined
(i)  based  on a  discount  rate  equal  to 85% of the  average  of the  15-year
non-callable  U.S.  Treasury bond yields as of the close of business on the last
business  day of each of the three  months  immediately  preceding  the date the
annuity  value is  determined  and (ii) using the 1983 Group  Annuity  Mortality
Table.



     (b) A Participant's Election under Section 4.5(a) becomes effective only if
the following  conditions are  satisfied:  (i) such  Participant  remains in the
employment of the Corporation or an Affiliate,  as the case may be, for the full
twelve calendar months immediately following the Election Date of such Election,
except in case of death or disability of such Participant as provided in Section
4.5(d) and (ii) such Participant complies with the administrative procedures set
forth by the Committee with respect to the making of the Election.
     (c) A Participant  making an election  under Section 4.5(a) may specify the
portion of his Retirement Benefit under the Plan to be received in a lump sum as
follows: 0 percent, 25 percent, 50 percent, 75 percent or 100 percent.
     (d) In the event a Participant who has made an Election pursuant to Section
4.5(a) dies or becomes  totally and  permanently  disabled  for  purposes of the
relevant Basic Disability Plan while employed by the Corporation or an Affiliate
and  such  death  or  total  and   permanent   disability   occurs   during  the
twelve-calendar-month period, as described under Section 4.5(b)(i),  immediately
following  the Election  Date of such  Election,  the  condition  under  Section
4.5(b)(i) shall be deemed satisfied with respect to such Participant.
              4.6 (a) Any  Participant  (except  the  Chairman  of the  Board of
Directors of the  Corporation  on December 21, 1994) who as of December 31, 1994
(i) is age 54 or older  and (ii) has at least 4 years of  Credited  Service  may
elect, on a form supplied by the Committee, to receive all, none, or a specified
portion,  in the  same  percentages  as  described  in  Section  4.5(c),  of his
Retirement  Benefit  under the Plan in a lump sum and to receive  any balance of
such  Retirement  Benefit  in the  form of an  annuity;  provided  that any such
Special  Election  shall be  effective  for  purposes  of this Plan only if such
Participant  remains in employment with the Corporation or an Affiliate,  as the
case may be, for the one calendar month immediately following the Election Date,
except in the case of death or total and  permanent  disability  as  provided in
Section 4.6(b), and complies with the administrative procedures set forth by the
Committee  for making such  Special  Election;  and  provided  further  that the
Election  Date with  respect  to any such  Special  Election  is not later  than
January  31,  1995.  The amount of any  portion of a  Participant's  or a Vested
Former Participant's Retirement Benefit payable as a lump sum under this Section
4.6 will equal the present value of such portion of the Retirement Benefit,  and
such present value shall be determined (i) based on a discount rate equal to the
average of 85% of the 15-year  non-callable  U.S. Treasury bond yields as of the
close  of  business  on the  last  business  day of  each  of the  three  months
immediately  preceding the date the annuity  value is determined  and (ii) using
the 1993 Group Annuity Mortality Table.
     (b) In the event a Participant who has made a Special Election  pursuant to
Section 4.6(a) dies or becomes totally and permanently  disabled for purposes of
the relevant  Basic  Disability  Plan while  employed by the  Corporation  or an
Affiliate  and such death or total and  permanent  disability  occurs during the
one-calendar-month   period,  as  described  under  Section  4.6(a)  immediately
following  the  Election  Date of such Special  Election,  the  condition  under
Section  4.6(a)  requiring  that  such  Participant  remain  employed  with  the
Corporation  or an  Affiliate,  as the case may be,  for the  one-calendar-month
period immediately  following the Election Date of such Election shall be deemed
satisfied.
              4.7  Subject to Section  3.1,  Section  3.3,  Section  3.4 and the
foregoing  limitations  of  this  Section  4,  the  Retirement  Benefit  of each
Participant and Vested Former  Participant  under the Plan shall at all times be
100% vested and nonforfeitable.
              4.8 (a) Subject to Section 4.8(c), the Corporation shall indemnify
each  Participant,  Vested Former  Participant and Surviving Spouse who receives
any portion of a Retirement  Benefit or Surviving  Spouse's  Benefit  under this
Plan in the  form of an  annuity  for any  interest  and  penalties  that may be
assessed by the U.S.  Internal  Revenue  Service (the "Service") with respect to
U.S. Federal income tax on such benefits  (payable under the Plan in the form of
an  annuity)  upon  final  settlement  or  judgment  with  respect  to any  such
assessment  in favor of the Service,  provided the basis for the  assessment  is
that the  amendment  of the Plan to  provide  for the  Election  or the  Special
Election causes the Participant,  Vested Former Participant or Surviving Spouse,
as the case may be,  to be  treated  as being in  constructive  receipt  of such
benefits  prior to the time when such  benefits are actually  payable  under the
Plan.


<PAGE>


     (b) In case any  assessment  shall be made  against a  Participant,  Vested
Former  Participant  or Surviving  Spouse as described in Section  4.8(a),  such
Participant,  Vested Former  Participant or Surviving Spouse, as the case may be
(the "indemnified party"), shall promptly notify the Corporation's  Treasurer in
writing and the  Corporation,  upon  request of such  indemnified  party,  shall
select and retain an accountant or legal counsel reasonably  satisfactory to the
indemnified  party to represent the  indemnified  party in connection  with such
assessment  and shall pay the fees and expenses of such an  accountant  or legal
counsel related to such representation, and the Corporation shall have the right
to  determine  how and when such  assessment  by the Service  should be settled,
litigated or appealed.  In connection with any such assessment,  any indemnified
party shall have the right to retain his own  accountant or legal  counsel,  but
the fees and  expenses  of such  accountant  or  legal  counsel  shall be at the
expense of such  indemnified  party unless the  Corporation  and the indemnified
party shall have mutually  agreed to the  retention of such  accountant or legal
counsel.
     (c) The Corporation shall not be liable for any payments under this Section
4.8 with respect to any assessment described in Section 4.8(a) if a Participant,
Vested Former  Participant or Surviving  Spouse against whom such  assessment is
made has not promptly  notified or allowed the  Corporation to participate  with
respect  to such  assessment  in the  manner  described  in  Section  4.8(b) or,
following  demand  by the  Corporation,  has  not  made  the  deposit  to  avoid
additional  interest or penalties  as described in Section  4.8(d) or has agreed
to, or  otherwise  settled  with the Service  with  respect to, such  assessment
without  the  Corporation's  written  consent,  provided,  however,  (i) if such
assessment is settled with such consent or if there is a final  judgment for the
Service,  (ii) the  Corporation  has been notified and allowed to participate in
the manner as  provided  in Section  4.8(b) and (iii) such  Participant,  Vested
Former  Participant or Surviving  Spouse has made any required  deposit to avoid
additional  interest or penalty as described in Section 4.8(d),  the Corporation
agrees  to  indemnify  the  indemnified  party to the  extent  set forth in this
Section 4.8.

<PAGE>


     (d) In the  event  a  final  settlement  or  judgment  with  respect  to an
assessment as described  under Section 4.8 has been made against a  Participant,
Vested Former Participant or Surviving Spouse,  such Participant,  Vested Former
Participant  or  Surviving  Spouse  may elect to receive a portion or all of his
Retirement Benefit or Surviving Spouse's Benefit that is otherwise payable as an
annuity under the Plan in the form of a lump sum in accordance  with  procedures
as the Committee may set forth, and such lump sum  distribution  will be made as
soon as practicable after any such election. At the time such assessment is made
against such  Participant,  Vested Former  Participant or Surviving  Spouse (the
"assessed  party") and prior to any final settlement or judgment with respect to
such assessment,  if so directed by the Corporation,  such assessed party shall,
as a condition to  receiving  any  indemnity  under this Section 4.8, as soon as
practicable  after  notification  of such  assessment  make a  deposit  with the
Service to avoid any  additional  interest  or  penalties  with  respect to such
assessment and, upon the request of such assessed party,  the Corporation  shall
lend,  or arrange  for the  lending  to,  such  assessed  party a portion of his
remaining  Retirement  Benefit or Surviving Spouse's Benefit under the Plan, not
to exceed the lump sum value of such benefit  under the Plan,  determined  using
the actuarial  assumptions set forth in Section  4.5(a),  solely for purposes of
providing  the  assessed  party with funds to make a deposit with the Service to
avoid any additional interest or penalties with respect to such assessment.

<PAGE>



                                    SECTION 5
                               Disability Benefits
              5.1 The  Disability  Benefit  provided  by the Plan is designed to
provide each  Participant  with a  disability  benefit from the Plan and certain
other sources equal to his Disability  Benefit as hereinafter  specified.  Thus,
Disability  Benefits  described  hereunder  as payable to  Participants  will be
offset by disability  benefits payable from sources outside the Plan (other than
benefits payable under the relevant Basic Disability Plan) as specified herein.
              5.2 In the  event  that  a  Participant  has  become  totally  and
permanently  disabled for the purposes of the relevant Basic Disability Plan, an
annual Disability  Benefit shall be payable in monthly  installments  under this
Plan during the same period as  disability  benefits are actually or deemed paid
by  the  relevant  Basic  Disability  Plan,  in an  amount  equal  to 60% of the
Participant's  Basic Earnings.  Such  Disability  Benefit shall be offset by the
Participant's  Other  Disability  Income,  if any.  A  Participant's  Disability
Benefits shall also be offset by the  Participant's  Basic Plan Benefit,  if the
Participant's  Basic  Disability  Plan Benefit does not already  include such an
offset.

                                    SECTION 6
                           Surviving Spouse's Benefits
              6.1 Upon the death of a Participant or Vested Former  Participant,
while employed by the  Corporation  or an Affiliate,  who has completed at least
ten years of Credited  Service  with the  Corporation  or an  Affiliate  and has
attained age 55, his Surviving  Spouse will be entitled to a Surviving  Spouse's
Benefit under this Plan equal to 50% of the  Retirement  Benefit that would have
been provided  from the Plan had the  Participant  or Vested Former  Participant
retired from the Corporation or an Affiliate with the Corporation's  consent, on
the date of his death.


<PAGE>


              6.2 Upon the death of a Participant or Vested Former  Participant,
while employed by the  Corporation  or an Affiliate,  who has completed at least
five years of Credited  Service with the Corporation or an Affiliate and has not
attained age 55, his Surviving  Spouse will be entitled to a Surviving  Spouse's
Benefit under this Plan equal to 50% of the  Retirement  Benefit that would have
been provided  from the Plan had the  Participant  or Vested Former  Participant
terminated  employment  with the  Corporation or an Affiliate on the date of his
death with the  Corporation's  consent,  and  elected to have the payment of his
Basic Plan Benefit commence at age 55 in the form of a straight life annuity.
              6.3 Upon the death of a Vested Former  Participant while no longer
employed by the  Corporation  or an Affiliate,  who has not attained age 55, his
Surviving  Spouse will be entitled to a Surviving  Spouse's  Benefit  under this
Plan equal to 50% of the  Retirement  Benefit that would have been provided from
the Plan to the Vested Former Participant at age 55, taking into account whether
the Corporation consented to the termination.
              6.4 Upon the death of a Participant or Vested Former  Participant,
while employed by the  Corporation  or an Affiliate,  who has completed at least
five,  but less than ten years of Credited  Service with the  Corporation  or an
Affiliate  and has attained age 55, his  Surviving  Spouse will be entitled to a
Surviving  Spouse's  Benefit  under  this  Plan  equal to 50% of the  Retirement
Benefit  that  would have been  provided  from the Plan had the  Participant  or
Vested Former  Participant  terminated  employment  with the  Corporation  or an
Affiliate on the date of his death with the Corporation's  consent and his Basic
Plan Benefit commenced immediately in the form of a straight life annuity.
              6.5 Upon the  death of a  Vested  Former  Participant  while he is
receiving  Retirement  Benefits,  his Surviving Spouse shall receive a Surviving
Spouse's Benefit equal to 50% of the Retirement  Benefit he was receiving at the
time of his death.
              6.6 Except as  provided in Section  6.8,  the  Surviving  Spouse's
Benefit  provided under Section 6.1, 6.4 and 6.5 will be payable  monthly,  will
commence as of the first day of the month  coincident with or next following the
month in which the  Participant  or Vested  Former  Participant  dies,  and will
continue until the first day of the month in which the Surviving Spouse dies.
              6.7 Except as  provided in Section  6.8,  the  Surviving  Spouse's
Benefit  provided  under  Section  6.2 and 6.3  will be  payable  monthly,  will
commence as of the first day of the month  coincident with or next following the
month in which the Participant or Vested Former  Participant would have attained
age 55,  and will  continue  until  the  first  day of the  month  in which  the
Surviving Spouse dies.
              6.8 (a) If a Participant or a Vested Former  Participant  while he
was a Participant  has made an Election under Section 4.5 or a Special  Election
under Section 4.6 and such Election or Special Election is effective on the date
of such  Participant's  or Vested  Former  Participant's  death,  the  Surviving
Spouse's  Benefit  payable to a Surviving  Spouse of such  Participant or Vested
Former  Participant  will be  payable  in the  form or  combination  of forms of
payment so elected by such Participant or Vested Former Participant  pursuant to
such Election or Special Election. The amount of any lump sum payment under this
Section  6.8  shall  be the  present  value  of the  applicable  portion  of the
Surviving  Spouse's Benefit payable under the Plan, and such present value shall
be determined using the actuarial  assumptions set forth in Section 4.5(a).  Any
lump sum distribution of a Surviving  Spouse's  Surviving Spouse's Benefit under
the Plan shall fully satisfy all present and future Plan  liability with respect
to such  Surviving  Spouse for such  portion or all of such  Surviving  Spouse's
Benefit so distributed.
     (b) Notwithstanding any Election or Special Election made under Section 4.5
or 4.6, if the lump sum value,  determined in the same manner as provided  under
Section 4.5(a),  of a Surviving  Spouse's Benefit is $10,000 or less at the time
such Surviving  Spouse's  Benefit is payable under this Plan, such benefit shall
be payable as a lump sum.
     (c) Any portion of a Surviving Spouse's Benefit provided under Section 6.1,
6.4 and 6.5 which is payable  as an  annuity  shall be paid in the manner and at
such time as set forth in Section 6.6, and any such benefit  which is payable as
a lump sum shall be paid 60 days after the date when annuity payments  commence,
or would commence if any portion of such Surviving Spouse's Benefit were payable
as an annuity as set forth in Section 6.6.


<PAGE>


     (d) Any portion of a Surviving  Spouse's Benefit provided under Section 6.2
and 6.3 which is payable  as an annuity  shall be paid in the manner and at such
time as set forth in Section  6.7,  and any such  benefit  which is payable as a
lump sum shall be paid 60 days after the date when annuity payments commence, or
would commence if any portion of such Surviving Spouse's Benefit were payable as
an annuity, as set forth in Section 6.7.
              6.9  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing  provisions of Section 6, the
amount of a Surviving  Spouse's Benefit shall be reduced by one percentage point
for each year  (including  a half year or more as a full  year) in excess of ten
that the age of the Participant or Vested Former Participant  exceeds the age of
the Surviving Spouse.

                                    SECTION 7
                                    Committee
              7.1 The Committee shall be responsible for the  administration  of
the Plan and may delegate to any  management  committee,  employee,  director or
agent  its  responsibility  to  perform  any act  hereunder,  including  without
limitation  those matters  involving the exercise of  discretion,  provided that
such  delegation  shall be subject to revocation at any time at its  discretion.
The Committee  shall have the authority to interpret the  provisions of the Plan
and  construe  all  of its  terms,  to  adopt,  amend,  and  rescind  rules  and
regulations  for the  administration  of the Plan,  and generally to conduct and
administer the Plan and to make all  determinations  in connection with the Plan
as may be necessary or  advisable.  All such actions of the  Committee  shall be
conclusive and binding upon all Participants, Former Participants, Vested Former
Participants and Surviving Spouses.


<PAGE>



                                    SECTION 8
                                  Miscellaneous
              8.1 The Board may, in its sole discretion,  terminate,  suspend or
amend this Plan at any time or from time to time, in whole or in part.  However,
no  termination,  suspension  or  amendment of the Plan may  adversely  affect a
Participant's or Vested Former Participant's vested benefit under the Plan, or a
retired  Participant's  or Vested Former  Participant's  right or the right of a
Surviving  Spouse to receive or to continue  to receive a benefit in  accordance
with the Plan as in effect on the date  immediately  preceding  the date of such
termination, suspension or amendment.
              8.2 Nothing  contained  herein  will confer upon any  Participant,
Former  Participant or Vested Former Participant the right to be retained in the
service of the  Corporation  or any  Affiliate,  nor will it interfere  with the
right of the  Corporation  or any Affiliate to discharge or otherwise  deal with
Participants,  Former Participants or Vested Former Participants with respect to
matters of employment without regard to the existence of the Plan.
              8.3 Notwithstanding  anything herein to the contrary,  at any time
following  the  termination  of  service  of  a  Participant  or  Vested  Former
Participant,  the Committee may authorize, under uniform rules applicable to all
Participants, Vested Former Participants and Surviving Spouses under the Plan, a
lump sum distribution of a  Participant's,  Vested Former  Participant's  and/or
Surviving  Spouse's  Retirement  Benefit or Surviving Spouse's Benefit under the
Plan in an amount  equal to the  present  value of such  Retirement  Benefit  or
Surviving  Spouse's  Benefit,  using the actuarial  assumptions  then in use for
funding purposes under The Dun & Bradstreet  Corporation  Retirement Account, in
full  satisfaction of all present and future Plan liability with respect to such
Participant, Vested Former Participant and/or Surviving Spouse, if the amount of
such present value is less than $250,000. Such lump sum distribution may be made
without the consent of the Participant,  Vested Former  Participant or Surviving
Spouse.


<PAGE>


              8.4 (a) Notwithstanding  anything in this Plan to the contrary, if
a  Participant  has less than five  years of  Credited  Service at the time of a
Change in  Control,  and as a result of the  Change in  Control,  and  before he
completes five years of Credited Service,  (i) the Plan is terminated,  (ii) the
Participant  is removed from  further  participation  in the Plan,  or (iii) the
Participant is terminated as a result of action initiated directly or indirectly
by the  Corporation or any Affiliate,  such  Participant  shall be entitled to a
Benefit of 20% of his Average Final Compensation and the Corporation will remain
obligated to pay all benefits under the Plan.
     (b)  Notwithstanding  anything  in this  Plan  to the  contrary,  upon  the
occurrence  of a  Change  in  Control,  (i) no  reduction  shall  be  made  in a
Participant's or Vested Former Participant's Retirement Benefit, notwithstanding
his  termination  of  employment  or  Retirement  prior  to age 60  without  the
Corporation's  consent, (ii) the provisions of Section 3.3(i) and (ii) shall not
apply to any Participant,  Vested Former Participant or Surviving Spouse,  (iii)
each Participant and Vested Former  Participant  already  receiving a Retirement
Benefit  under the Plan  shall  receive a lump sum  distribution  of his  unpaid
Retirement  Benefit and, if he is married,  his Surviving Spouse's Benefit under
the Plan  within 30 days of the  Change  of  Control  in an amount  equal to the
present value of such Retirement  Benefit and Surviving Spouse's Benefit in full
satisfaction  of all  present  and future Plan  liability  with  respect to such
Participant,  Vested Former  Participant and Surviving  Spouse, if any, and each
Surviving Spouse already  receiving a Surviving  Spouse's Benefit under the Plan
shall receive a lump sum distribution of his unpaid  Surviving  Spouse's Benefit
at the same  time in an  amount  equal to the  present  value of such  Surviving
Spouse's  Benefit  in full  satisfaction  of Plan  liability  to such  Surviving
Spouse,  (iv) each Vested  Former  Participant  who is not  already  receiving a
Retirement  Benefit under the Plan shall receive a lump sum  distribution of his
unpaid Retirement Benefit and, if he is married,  his Surviving Spouse's Benefit
within 30 days of the Change in Control in an amount equal to the present  value
of such Retirement  Benefit and Surviving  Spouse's Benefit,  and each Surviving
Spouse of either a Vested Former  Participant or a Participant with five or more
years of  Credited  Service who is not  already  receiving a Surviving  Spouse's
Benefit  under the Plan  shall  receive a lump sum  distribution  of his  unpaid
Surviving Spouse's Benefit at the same time in amount equal to the present value
of such Surviving  Spouse's  Benefit,  (v) each  Participant with less than five
years of Credited  Service who is entitled  to a benefit  under  Section  8.4(a)
shall receive a lump sum  distribution  of the present value of such  Retirement
Benefit within 30 days from the earlier of the date the Plan is terminated,  the
date he is  removed  from  further  participation  in the Plan,  or the date his
employment  with the  Corporation is terminated,  and of his Surviving  Spouse's
Benefit based upon the amount of such Retirement Benefit if he is married on the
applicable  date, and (vi) each Participant who is not included in (v) above and
who is not already  receiving a Retirement  Benefit under the Plan shall receive
(a)  within 30 days of the later to occur of the date of such  Change in Control
or the date he completes five years of Credited  Service a lump sum distribution
of the present value of his accrued  Retirement Benefit under the Plan as of the
applicable  date and, if he is married on such date,  the  present  value of his
Surviving Spouse's Benefit, and (b) within 30 days from the earliest of the date
of his Retirement or termination of employment  with the  Corporation,  the date
the Plan is terminated or the date he is removed from further  participation  in
the  Plan,  a lump sum  distribution  of the  present  value  of his  additional
Retirement  Benefit accrued after the applicable event in (a) computed as of the
applicable date herein set forth in (b) and, if he is married on such applicable
date, the present value of his surviving  Spouse's  Benefit.  In determining the
amount of the lump sum  distributions  to be paid under this  Section  8.4,  the
following actuarial  assumptions shall be used: (i) the interest rate used shall
be the  interest  rate used by the  Pension  Benefit  Guaranty  Corporation  for
determining  the value of  immediate  annuities  as of January 1st of either the
year of the occurrence of the Change in Control or the participant's  retirement
or  termination  of  employment,  whichever is  applicable,  (ii) the 1983 Group
Annuity  Mortality  Table shall be used;  and (iii) it shall be assumed that all
participants  retired or terminated  employment with the Corporation on the date
of the  occurrence of the Change in Control and with the  Corporation's  consent
for purposes of determining  the amount of the lump sum  distribution to be paid
upon the occurrence of the Change in Control.

<PAGE>


              8.5 (a) The Plan is unfunded,  and the Corporation  will make Plan
benefit payments solely on a current disbursement basis, provided, however, that
the Corporation reserves the right to purchase insurance contracts, which may or
may  not be in the  name of a  Participant  or  Vested  Former  Participant,  or
establish one or more trusts to provide  alternative sources of benefit payments
under this Plan,  provided,  further,  however,  that upon the  occurrence  of a
"Potential  Change in Control" the  appropriate  officers of the Corporation are
authorized to make such  contributions  to such trust or trusts as are necessary
to fund the lump sum  distributions to Plan  participants  required  pursuant to
Section 8.4 of this Plan in the event of a Change in Control. In determining the
amount of the  necessary  contribution  to the trust or trusts in the event of a
Potential Change in Control, the following actuarial  assumptions shall be used:
(i) the  interest  rate used  shall be the  interest  rate  used by the  Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation for determining the value of immediate annuities as
of January 1st of the year of the occurrence of the Potential Change in Control,
(ii) the 1983 Group Annuity Mortality Table shall be used; and (iii) it shall be
assumed  that all  participants  will retire or  terminate  employment  with the
Corporation as soon as practicable  after the occurrence of the Potential Change
in  Control  and with  the  Corporation's  consent.  The  existence  of any such
insurance  contracts,  trust or trusts shall not relieve the  Corporation of any
liability  to make  benefit  payments  under  this  Plan,  but to the extent any
benefit  payments are made from any such  insurance  contract in the name of the
Corporation  or any  Affiliate or from any such trust,  such payment shall be in
satisfaction of and shall reduce the Corporation's  liabilities under this Plan.
Further,  in the  event  of the  Corporation's  bankruptcy  or  insolvency,  all
benefits accrued under this Plan shall  immediately  become due and payable in a
lump sum and all Participants,  Vested Former Participants and Surviving Spouses
shall be entitled to share in the Corporation's assets in the same manner and to
the same extent as general unsecured creditors of the Corporation.




              8.5 (b) Members and Vested Former Members shall have the status of
general unsecured  creditors of the Corporation and this Plan constitutes a mere
promise  by the  Corporation  to make  benefit  payments  at the  time or  times
required  hereunder.  It is the intention of the  Corporation  that this Plan be
unfunded for tax purposes and for purposes of Title I of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended and any trust created by the Corporation
and any assets held by such trust to assist the  Corporation and any assets held
by such trust to assist the Corporation in meeting it obligations under the Plan
shall meet the requirements necessary to retain such unfunded status.
     8.6 If any dispute  arises  under the Plan  between the  Corporation  and a
Participant,  Former Participant,  Vested Former Participant or Surviving Spouse
(collectively or individually  referred to as "Participant" in this Section 8.6)
as to the amount or timing of any  benefit  payable  under the Plan or as to the
persons entitled thereto,  such dispute shall be resolved by binding arbitration
proceedings  initiated  by either  party to the dispute in  accordance  with the
rules  of  the  American  Arbitration   Association  and  the  results  of  such
proceedings  shall be  conclusive  on both  parties  and shall not be subject to
judicial review.  If the disputed benefits involve the benefits of a Participant
who is no longer employed by the  Corporation or any Affiliate,  the Corporation
shall pay or continue to pay the benefits  claimed by the Participant  until the
results of the  arbitration  proceedings  are  determined  unless  such claim is
patently  without  merit;  provided,   however,  that  if  the  results  of  the
arbitration  proceedings are adverse to the Participant,  then in such event the
recipient of the benefits shall be obligated to repay the excess benefits to the
Corporation.  The Corporation  expressly  acknowledges  that the amounts payable
under the Plan are necessary to the livelihood of Participants  and their family
members  and that any  refusal or neglect to pay  benefits  under the  preceding
sentence prior to the resolution of any dispute shall be prima facie evidence of
bad faith on its part and will be conclusive  grounds for an  arbitration  award
resulting  in  an  immediate  lump  sum  payment  to  the  Participant,  of  the
Participant's  benefits  under the Plan then due and payable to him,  unless the
arbitrator  determines  that the claim for the  disputed  benefits  was  without
merit.

The amount of such lump sum payment shall be equal to the then  actuarial  value
of such benefits  calculated by utilizing the actuarial  assumptions then in use
for funding purposes under The Dun & Bradstreet  Corporation Retirement Account.
In  addition,  in the  event of any  dispute  covered  by this  Section  8.6 the
Corporation  agrees to pay the entire  costs of any  arbitration  proceeding  or
legal proceeding brought  hereunder,  including the fees and expenses of counsel
and pension  experts  engaged by a Participant  and that such expenses  shall be
reimbursed  promptly upon evidence that such expenses have been incurred without
awaiting the outcome of the arbitration  proceedings;  provided,  however,  that
such costs and expenses  shall be repaid to the  Corporation by the recipient of
same if it is finally  determined by the arbitrators  that the position taken by
such person was without merit.
              8.7 To the maximum  extent  permitted by law, no benefit under the
Plan shall be assignable or subject in any manner to alienation, sale, transfer,
claims of creditors, pledge, attachment or encumbrances of any kind.
              8.8 The  Corporation  may withhold from any benefit under the Plan
an amount sufficient to satisfy its tax withholding obligations.
              8.9 The Plan is established under and will be construed according 
to the laws of the State of New York.




<PAGE>


                                                                    Exhibit 10u 

                              AMENDED AND RESTATED
                        AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
                                       OF
                               D&B INVESTORS L.P.,
                         A DELAWARE LIMITED PARTNERSHIP


         This AMENDED AND RESTATED  AGREEMENT OF LIMITED  PARTNERSHIP is entered
into and shall be effective as of the 1st day of April,  1997, by and among Duns
Investing VII Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("Investing"),  as the General
Partner,  Utrecht-America Finance Co., a Delaware corporation  ("Utrecht"),  and
Leiden,  Inc.,  a  Delaware  corporation  ("Leiden"),  as the  Class  A  Limited
Partners,  and Dun & Bradstreet,  Inc., a Delaware corporation ("DBI"), and Duns
Holding,  Inc.,  a  Delaware  corporation  ("Holding"),  as the  Class B Limited
Partners.


                                    ARTICLE I
                                 THE PARTNERSHIP

         SECTION   I.1.    Formation.SECTION    I.1.    Formation.SECTION   I.1.
Formation.SECTION  I.1.  Formation.  The  Partnership  was formed on October 14,
1993.  The  Partners  hereby  agree to  continue  the  Partnership  as a limited
partnership  pursuant  to the  provisions  of the Act and  upon  the  terms  and
conditions  set  forth in this  Agreement.  This  Agreement  completely  amends,
restates and  supersedes  that certain  Agreement of Limited  Partnership of D&B
Investors L.P., a Delaware limited  partnership entered into on October 14, 1993
and amended to date (the "Original Partnership Agreement").  Simultaneously with
the execution of this Agreement,  DBI hereby  withdraws as a general partner and
is  admitted  as a Class B Limited  Partner,  Investing  hereby  withdraws  as a
limited  partner  and is  admitted  as the  General  Partner,  Leiden  is hereby
admitted as a Class A Limited  Partner and Holding is hereby admitted as a Class
B Limited Partner.

         SECTION I.2.  Name.SECTION  I.2.  Name.SECTION  I.2.  Name.SECTION I.2.
Name. The name of the  Partnership  shall  continue to be D&B Investors  L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership, and all business of the Partnership shall continue
to be conducted in such name or, in the discretion of the General Partner, under
any other name;  provided that,  the General  Partner may change the name of the
Partnership only upon ten (10) Business Days notice to the Limited Partners.

         SECTION I.3.  Purpose.SECTION I.3. Purpose.SECTION I.3. Purpose.SECTION
I.3.  Purpose.  The purpose of the  Partnership  is to engage in the business of
owning  certain  investments  in  Permitted  Assets and to manage,  protect  and
conserve  such  investments  in  Permitted  Assets  and to make such  additional
investments  and engage in such additional  business  endeavors as are permitted
under this Agreement,  and engage in activities  related or incidental  thereto.
The  Partnership  shall  have  the  power  to do any  and  all  acts  necessary,
appropriate, proper, advisable, incidental or convenient to or in furtherance of
the purpose of the  Partnership and shall have without  limitation,  any and all
powers that may be exercised on behalf of the Partnership by the General Partner
pursuant to Section 1.09(c) and Article V hereof.

         SECTION I.4. Principal Place of  Business.SECTION  I.4. Principal Place
of  Business.SECTION  I.4.  Principal Place of  Business.SECTION  I.4. Principal
Place of Business.  The  principal  place of business of the  Partnership  shall
continue to be at 911 Washington Street, Suite 100, Wilmington,  Delaware 19801,
Attention:  Kenneth J.  Kubacki.  The General  Partner may change the  principal
place of business of the  Partnership  to any other place  within or without the
State of Delaware upon ten (10)  Business  Days notice to the Limited  Partners.
The registered  office of the Partnership in the State of Delaware is located at
Corporation  Trust  Company,  Corporation  Trust  Center,  1209  Orange  Street,
Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19801.

         SECTION I.5.  Term.SECTION  I.5.  Term.SECTION  I.5.  Term.SECTION I.5.
Term.  The term of the  Partnership  commenced  on the date the  certificate  of
limited  partnership  described in Section 17-201 of the Act (the "Certificate")
was filed in the office of the  Secretary  of State of the State of  Delaware in
accordance  with the Act and shall continue until the winding up and liquidation
of the Partnership and its business is completed  following a Liquidating  Event
as provided in Article XII.

         SECTION  I.6.  Filings;  Agent  for  Service  of  Process.SECTION  I.6.
Filings; Agent for Service of Process.SECTION I.6. Filings; Agent for Service of
Process.SECTION  I.6.  Filings;  Agent for Service of  Process.  (a) The General
Partner has caused the Certificate to be filed in the office of the Secretary of
State of the State of Delaware in accordance with the provisions of the Act. The
General  Partner  shall  take  any  and  all  other  actions  including  without
limitation the filing of amendments to the Certificate  reasonably  necessary to
perfect and  maintain  the status of the  Partnership  as a limited  partnership
under  the laws of the  State of  Delaware  or any  other  states  in which  the
Partnership is engaged in business.  The General Partner shall cause  amendments
to the Certificate to be filed whenever required by the Act. Such amendments may
be  executed  by any  General  Partner  and by  each  Person  designated  in the
amendment as a new General Partner.

         (b) The registered  agent for service of process on the  Partnership in
the State of Delaware shall be  Corporation  Trust  Company,  Corporation  Trust
Center, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware 19801 or any
successor as appointed by the General Partner in accordance with the Act.

         (c)  Upon  the  dissolution  and  completion  of  the  winding  up  and
liquidation of the  Partnership,  the General Partner (or, in the event there is
no remaining  General Partner,  any Person appointed  pursuant to Section 12.09)
shall promptly  execute and cause to be filed  certificates  of  cancellation in
accordance  with the Act and the laws of any other  states or  jurisdictions  in
which the General  Partner or such other appointed  Person,  as the case may be,
deems such filing necessary or advisable.

         SECTION  I.7.  Title  to  Partnership  Property.SECTION  I.7.  Title to
Partnership  Property.SECTION  I.7. Title to Partnership  Property.SECTION  I.7.
Title to Partnership  Property.  All Partnership  Property shall be owned by the
Partnership  as an entity and no Partner  shall have any  ownership  interest in
such property in its individual  name or right,  and each Partner's  interest in
the  Partnership  shall be personal  property for all purposes.  The Partnership
shall hold all of its  property  in the name of the  Partnership  and not in the
name of any Partner.

         SECTION I.8. Payments of Individual  Obligations.SECTION  I.8. Payments
of    Individual     Obligations.SECTION    I.8.    Payments    of    Individual
Obligations.SECTION  I.8. Payments of Individual Obligations.  The Partnership's
credit and assets shall be used solely for the benefit of the  Partnership,  and
no asset of the Partnership shall be Transferred or encumbered for or in payment
of any individual obligation of any Partner.

         SECTION    I.9.    Independent     Activities;     Transactions    with
Affiliates.SECTION    I.9.    Independent    Activities;    Transactions    with
Affiliates.SECTION    I.9.    Independent    Activities;    Transactions    with
Affiliates.SECTION  I.9. Independent  Activities;  Transactions with Affiliates.
(a) The General  Partner and any of its  Affiliates  shall be required to devote
only  such  time  to the  affairs  of the  Partnership  as the  General  Partner
determines  in its sole  discretion  may be  necessary to manage and operate the
Partnership,  and each such  Person,  shall be free to serve any other Person or
enterprise in any capacity that it may deem appropriate in its discretion.

         (b) To the extent  permitted by applicable  law and except as otherwise
provided in this Agreement,  each Partner  acknowledges  that the other Partners
(each  acting  on its own  behalf)  and their  Affiliates  are free to engage or
invest in an unlimited  number of activities or  businesses,  any one or more of
which may be related to the activities or businesses of the Partnership, without
having or incurring any  obligation to offer any interest in such  activities or
businesses to the Partnership or any Partner, and neither this Agreement nor any
activity  undertaken pursuant to this Agreement shall prevent any Partner or its
Affiliates  from engaging in such  activities,  or require any Partner to permit
the  Partnership  or any Partner or its  Affiliates to  participate  in any such
activities,  and as a material  part of the  consideration  for the execution of
this Agreement by each Partner,  each Partner hereby waives,  relinquishes,  and
renounces  any such right or claim of  participation.  The Partners  acknowledge
that  certain  conflicts  of interest  may thus arise and hereby  agree that the
specific rights with respect to the Partners' and their  Affiliates'  freedom of
action  provided  in this  Section  1.09(b)  are  sufficient  to  protect  their
respective  interests in relation to such  possible  conflicts  and are to be in
lieu of all other possible limitations which might otherwise be implied in fact,
in law or in equity.

         (c) To the extent  permitted by applicable  law and except as otherwise
provided in this Agreement,  the General  Partner,  when acting on behalf of the
Partnership, is hereby authorized to purchase property from, sell property to or
otherwise deal with any Partner,  acting on its own behalf,  or any Affiliate of
any Partner; provided that any such purchase, sale or other transaction shall be
in the ordinary course of the Partnership's  business and shall be made on terms
and conditions  which are no less favorable to the Partnership than if the sale,
purchase or other  transaction had been made with an independent  third party on
prevailing market terms. The Partners agree that the Contribution Agreement, D&B
Loans, D&B Guaranteed  Loans,  and the Lease Agreement  satisfy this independent
third-party  standard and the Partners  hereby  authorize the General Partner to
cause the  Partnership  to enter into the  documents  referenced in this Section
1.09(c).

         (d) Each Partner and any Affiliate  thereof may also borrow money from,
and  transact  other  business  with  the  Partnership  and,  subject  to  other
applicable  law, has the same rights and  obligations  with respect thereto as a
Person who is not a Partner.  The existence of these relationships and acting in
such  capacities  will not  result in any  Limited  Partner  being  deemed to be
participating  in the control of the  business of the  Partnership  or otherwise
affect the limited liability of any Limited Partner.

     SECTION   I.10.   Definitions.SECTION   I.10.   Definitions.SECTION   I.10.
Definitions.SECTION  I.10.  Definitions.  Capitalized  words and phrases used in
this Agreement have the following meanings:
     "Act" means the Delaware  Revised Uniform Limited  Partnership  Act, as set
forth in Del. Code Ann. tit. 6, Sections 17-101 to 17-1111, as amended, modified
or supplemented from time to time (or any corresponding provisions of succeeding
law).

                  "Additional Capital Contributions" means, with respect to each
         Partner,  the  Capital  Contributions  made  by  such  Partner  (or its
         predecessors in interest) pursuant to Section 2.03.

                  "Adjusted Capital Account Deficit" means, with respect to each
         Limited Partner, the deficit balance, if any, in such Limited Partner's
         Capital Account as of the end of the relevant  Allocation  Year,  after
         giving effect to the following adjustments:

                           (i) Credit to such Capital  Account any amounts which
                  such  Limited  Partner  is deemed to be  obligated  to restore
                  pursuant to the penultimate  sentences of Regulations Sections
                  1.704-2(g)(1) and 1.704-2(i)(5); and

     (ii)  Debit  to such  Capital  Account  the  items  described  in  Sections
1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4),  1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5) and 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6) of
the Regulations.

               The foregoing  definition of Adjusted  Capital Account Deficit is
               intended   to   comply   with   the    provisions    of   Section
               1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)  of the Regulations and shall be interpreted
               consistently  therewith.  
        
         "Affiliate"  means, with respect to any Person, (i) any Person
         directly  or  indirectly  controlling,  controlled  by or under  common
         control with such Person, (ii) any officer, director or general partner
         of such  Person,  or (iii)  any  Person  who is an  officer,  director,
         general  partner or trustee of any Person  described  in clauses (i) or
         (ii) of this  sentence.  For  purposes  of this  definition,  the  term
         "control,"   (including,   with   correlative   meanings,   the   terms
         "controlling,"  "controlled  by" or "under common  control with") means
         the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the
         direction of the management and policies of a Person,  whether  through
         the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

                  "Agreement"  means this  Amended  and  Restated  Agreement  of
         Limited Partnership,  as amended, modified or supplemented from time to
         time.  All  references in this Agreement to "Section" or "Sections" are
         to a section or sections of this Agreement unless otherwise specified.

                  "Allocation  Year"  means  (i) the  period  commencing  on the
         Closing  Date and ending on  December  31,  1997,  (ii) any  subsequent
         period commencing on January 1 and ending on the following December 31,
         or (iii) any portion of the period  described  in clause (ii) for which
         the Partnership is required to allocate Profits, Losses and other items
         of Partnership income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to Article III.

                  "Alternative  Appraiser" means any of the "Big Six" accounting
         firms (including  appraisal  divisions thereof or successors  thereto),
         Valuation Research Corp.,  Arthur D. Little,  Inc.,  American Appraisal
         Valuation  Research,  American  Appraisal  Associates  Inc.,  Valuation
         Counselors  Inc.,  Software  Productivity  Research,  Stephen C. Gerard
         (including any firm with which he is  associated),  or with the consent
         of  all  Partners,  any  firm  recommended  by  any  of  the  foregoing
         Alternative Appraisers.

                  "Applicable  Margin" means, as of the  determination  date for
         LIBOR with respect to any Loan, the Applicable  Rate for a Eurocurrency
         Revolving  Loan  on such  date,  in  each  case,  as  defined  in,  and
         determined  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of,  the D&B  Credit
         Facility. .
                  "Bankruptcy"  means,  with respect to any Person, a "Voluntary
         Bankruptcy" or an  "Involuntary  Bankruptcy." A "Voluntary  Bankruptcy"
         means, with respect to any Person, (a) (i) the inability of such Person
         generally to pay its debts as such debts  become due,  (ii) the failure
         of such Person  generally to pay its debts as such debts become due, or
         (iii) an  admission  in writing by such Person of its  inability to pay
         its debts  generally  or a general  assignment  by such  Person for the
         benefit of creditors,  (b) the filing of any petition or answer by such
         Person seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking for
         itself  any  liquidation,  winding  up,  reorganization,   arrangement,
         adjustment,  protection,  relief,  or composition of such Person or its
         debts   under  any  law   relating   to   bankruptcy,   insolvency   or
         reorganization  or relief of  debtors,  or seeking,  consenting  to, or
         acquiescing in the entry of an order for relief or the appointment of a
         receiver,  trustee, custodian or other similar official for such Person
         or for any substantial  part of its property,  or (c) corporate  action
         taken by such Person to  authorize  any of the actions set forth above.
         An "Involuntary  Bankruptcy" means, with respect to any Person, without
         the consent or  acquiescence  of such Person,  the entering of an order
         for relief or approving a petition for relief or  reorganization or any
         other petition seeking any  reorganization,  arrangement,  composition,
         readjustment,  liquidation,  dissolution  or other similar relief under
         any present or future bankruptcy, insolvency or similar statute, law or
         regulation,  or the filing of any such  petition  against  such  Person
         which  petition  shall not be  dismissed  within  sixty (60) days,  or,
         without the consent or acquiescence of such Person,  the entering of an
         order appointing a trustee,  custodian,  receiver or liquidator of such
         Person or of all or any substantial part of the property of such Person
         which order shall not be dismissed  within  sixty (60) days.  It is the
         intent of the Partners that these definitions supersede those set forth
         in Section 17-402(d)(4) of the Act.

                  "Business Day" means any day except  Saturday or Sunday or any
         other day on which  commercial  banks are required or authorized by law
         to close in New York  City or on which  dealings  in  deposits  are not
         carried on in the London interbank market.

                  "Capital  Account"  means,  with respect to any  Partner,  the
         Capital  Account  maintained  for such Partner in  accordance  with the
         following provisions:

                           (i) To each Partner's  Capital Account there shall be
                  credited such Partner's Capital Contributions,  such Partner's
                  distributive  share of Profits  and any items in the nature of
                  income  or gain  which are  specially  allocated  pursuant  to
                  Sections 3.03, 3.04 or 3.05.

                           (ii) To each Partner's Capital Account there shall be
                  debited  the amount of cash and the Gross  Asset  Value of any
                  Partnership  Property  distributed to such Partner pursuant to
                  any provision of this Agreement,  such Partner's  distributive
                  share of Losses  and any items in the  nature of  expenses  or
                  losses  which are  specially  allocated  pursuant  to Sections
                  3.03, 3.04 or 3.05.

                           (iii) In the event all or a portion of an Interest in
                  the Partnership is Transferred in accordance with the terms of
                  this  Agreement,  the transferee  shall succeed to the Capital
                  Account  of the  transferor  to the  extent it  relates to the
                  Transferred Interest.

                  The provisions of this Agreement  relating to the  maintenance
         of Capital  Accounts are intended to comply with Section  1.704-1(b) of
         the Regulations,  and they shall be interpreted and applied in a manner
         consistent with such Regulations.

                  "Capital  Contributions"  means,  with respect to any Partner,
         the amount of money and the initial  Gross Asset Value of any  property
         (other than money)  contributed to the  Partnership by such Partner (or
         its  predecessors  in  interest)  with  respect to the  Interest in the
         Partnership held by such Partner.

                  "Cash Available for Distribution" for any Fiscal Quarter means
         the gross cash  proceeds of the  Partnership  less the portion  thereof
         used  to pay or  establish  reasonable  reserves  for  all  Partnership
         expenses (including,  without limitation,  taxes), all as determined by
         the General  Partner.  "Cash  Available for  Distribution"  will not be
         reduced  by  depreciation,   depletion,   amortization,  cost  recovery
         deduction,  or  similar  allowances,  and  will  be  increased  by  any
         reductions  of reserves  previously  established  pursuant to the first
         sentence of this definition.
                  "Cash  Equivalents"  shall mean cash and any of the following:
         (i) readily  marketable  direct  obligations  of the  Government of the
         United States or any agency or  instrumentality  thereof or obligations
         unconditionally  guaranteed  by  the  full  faith  and  credit  of  the
         Government  of the  United  States,  or (ii)  insured  certificates  of
         deposit of or time or demand deposits with (A) any commercial bank that
         is a member of the Federal Reserve  System,  the parent of which issues
         commercial  paper  rated  at least  P-1 (or the  equivalent  grade)  by
         Moody's  or A-1 (or the then  equivalent  grade) by S&P,  is  organized
         under the laws of the United States or any State thereof,  and the long
         term unsecured debt of which is rated A-2 or better by Moody's and A or
         better by S&P or (B) any commercial  bank  organized  under the laws of
         any OECD member  country (as of the effective  date of this  Agreement)
         which is not subject to currency  controls and the long term  unsecured
         debt of which is rated A-2 or better by Moody's and A or better by S&P;
         provided,  however,  that all  Partnership  Property  described in this
         definition  other than cash shall  have a maturity  of not longer  than
         ninety (90) days.

                  "Certificate" has the meaning set forth in Section 1.05.

                  "Class A Limited Partner" means any Person who (i) is referred
         to as such in the  introductory  statement of this Agreement or who has
         become a substituted  Class A Limited Partner  pursuant to the terms of
         this  Agreement,  and  (ii)  has not  ceased  to be a  Class A  Limited
         Partner.

                  "Class B Limited Partner" means any Person who (i) is referred
         to as such in the  introductory  statement of this Agreement or who has
         become a substituted  Class B Limited Partner  pursuant to the terms of
         this  Agreement,  and  (ii)  has not  ceased  to be a  Class B  Limited
         Partner.

                  "Closing Date" means April 1, 1997.

                  "Closing  Date Capital  Account"  means,  with respect to each
         Partner, the Capital Account balance stated for such Partner in Section
         2.01 or 2.02 as the case may be.

                  "Code"  means the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986,  as amended,
         modified  or   supplemented   from  time  to  time,  or  any  successor
         legislation.

     "Computer  Equipment"  has the meaning set forth in paragraph  (vii) of the
      definition of "Permitted Assets."
                  "Contribution  Agreement"  means  the  Contribution  Agreement
         between Holding on the one hand, and the Partnership on the other hand,
         attached hereto as Exhibit A.

           "D&B" means The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation, a Delaware corporation.

                  "D&B Credit Facility" means that certain $1,000,000,000 Credit
         Agreement,  dated as of  August  30,  1996  among  D&B,  the  Borrowing
         Subsidiaries  party  thereto,  the  Lenders  party  thereto,  The Chase
         Manhattan Bank, as Administrative Agent, Citibank, N.A., as Syndication
         Agent,  and Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, as Documentation
         Agent,  as it may be amended,  modified,  supplemented,  substituted or
         refinanced from time to time.

                  "D&B Event" has the  meaning set forth in the D&B  Guaranty of
         even  date  herewith  given  by D&B in  favor  of the  Class A  Limited
         Partners.

                  "D&B Guaranteed  Loan" means a Loan made by the Partnership or
         a Partnership Subsidiary to an Affiliate of D&B in each case guaranteed
         by D&B.

     "D&B Loan" means a Loan made by the Partnership or a Partnership Subsidiary
      to D&B.
                  "D&B Partners" means Investing,  DBI and Holding and any other
         Affiliate of D&B which may from time to time own an Interest hereunder.

                  "Demand Note" means any promissory  note  evidencing a Loan in
         the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.

                  "Depreciation"  means,  for each  Allocation  Year,  an amount
         equal  to  the  depreciation,  amortization,  or  other  cost  recovery
         deduction  allowable for federal income tax purposes with respect to an
         asset for such  Allocation  Year,  except that (x) with  respect to any
         asset whose Gross Value  differs from its adjusted tax basis for United
         States  federal  income  tax  purposes  and which  difference  is being
         eliminated by use of the "remedial method" defined by ss. 1.704-3(d) of
         the  Regulations,  Depreciation  for such  Allocation Year shall be the
         amount of book basis recovered for such Allocation Year under the rules
         prescribed  by ss.  1.704-3(d)(2)  of the  Regulations;  and  (y)  with
         respect to any other asset whose  Gross  Asset Value  differs  from its
         adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes at the beginning of such
         Allocation Year,  Depreciation  shall be an amount which bears the same
         ratio to such  beginning  Gross Asset  Value as the federal  income tax
         depreciation,  amortization,  or other cost recovery deduction for such
         Allocation Year bears to such beginning  adjusted tax basis;  provided,
         however,  that if the adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes of
         an asset at the beginning of such Allocation Year is zero, Depreciation
         shall be determined  with reference to such beginning Gross Asset Value
         using any reasonable method selected by the General Partner.

                  "Early  Liquidation  Date" has the  meaning  set forth in the
         definition  of "Early  Liquidation Premium."

                  "Early Liquidation  Premium" means, with respect to each Class
         A Limited Partner, an amount determined for such Partner as of any date
         occurring prior to the fourth  anniversary of the Closing Date on which
         (w) the  Partnership  is  liquidated  pursuant to Article XII, (x) such
         Partner's  Interest is retired in whole or in part  pursuant to Section
         10.08 or (y) the Interest of such Class A Limited  Partner is purchased
         pursuant to Section 14.03 (the "Early Liquidation Date"),  equal to the
         excess,  if any,  of (i) the  present  value  of the  deemed  quarterly
         distributions  to be made to such  Class A Limited  Partner on the last
         business  day of each  Fiscal  Quarter  equal to 7.47% of such  Class A
         Limited Partner's  Unrecovered Capital as of the Early Liquidation Date
         during the period beginning on the Early Liquidation Date and ending on
         such fourth  anniversary,  minus (ii) the present  value of a series of
         amounts  defined by the  product of (A) such Class A Limited  Partner's
         Unrecovered  Capital as of the Early  Liquidation Date multiplied times
         (B) a percentage  that will be defined by the sum of (1) the sum of (a)
         the bid  side  of the  Treasury  yield  plus  (b)  the bid  side of the
         interbank  swap  spread,  in each case best  approximating  the  period
         between  the  Early   Liquidation   Date  and  ending  on  such  fourth
         anniversary,  plus (2) 50 basis points,  the present  value  determined
         under   subparagraph   (i)  and  the  present  value  determined  under
         subparagraph  (ii) each to be  calculated  using the sum of (X) the bid
         side of the Treasury yield, plus (Y) the bid side of the interbank swap
         spread,  in each case best  approximating  the period between the Early
         Liquidation Date and ending on such fourth  anniversary as the discount
         rate.

              "Electing Partners" has the meaning set forth in Section 14.03(a).

              "Election Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 14.03(a).

              "Election Notice" has the meaning set forth in Section 14.03(a).

                  "Expenses"  means any and all judgments,  damages or penalties
         with respect to, or amounts paid in settlement  of, claims  (including,
         but not limited to negligence, strict or absolute liability,  liability
         in tort and liabilities  arising out of violation of laws or regulatory
         requirements  of any kind),  actions,  or suits;  and any and all taxes
         (including,  without limitation,  taxes on any indemnification payments
         and including interest,  additions to tax and penalties),  liabilities,
         obligations,  costs,  expenses and  disbursements  (including,  without
         limitation, reasonable legal fees and expenses).

                  "Fiscal  Quarter"  means  (i)  the  period  commencing  on the
         Closing  Date and  ending  on June 30,  1997,  and (ii) any  subsequent
         three-month period commencing on each of January 1, April 1, July 1 and
         October 1 and ending on the next of March 31, June 30, September 30 and
         December 31;  provided  that the last fiscal  quarter  shall end on the
         date on which all  Partnership  Property  is  distributed  pursuant  to
         Section 12.02 and the  Certificate  has been  canceled  pursuant to the
         Act.

                  "Fiscal  Year" means (i) the period  commencing on the Closing
         Date and ending on December 31, 1997,  and (ii) any  subsequent  period
         commencing  on January 1 and ending on the  earlier to occur of (A) the
         following  December  31,  or (B) the  date  on  which  all  Partnership
         Property is distributed  pursuant to Section 12.02 and the  Certificate
         has been canceled pursuant to the Act.

                  "Form Confidentiality Agreement" has the meaning set forth in
         Section 10.03(a).

                  "Form Transferee Certificate" has the meaning set forth in 
         Section 10.03(f).

                  "Form Transferor Certificate" has the meaning set forth in 
         Section 10.03(f).

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

                  "General  Partner"  means any Person who (i) is referred to as
         such in the  introductory  statement of this  Agreement or has become a
         General Partner  pursuant to the terms of this Agreement,  and (ii) has
         not  ceased  to be a  General  Partner  pursuant  to the  terms of this
         Agreement.

                  "Gross Asset  Value"  means,  with  respect to any asset,  the
         asset's  adjusted  basis for  federal  income tax  purposes,  except as
         follows:

                           (i)  The  initial  Gross  Asset  Value  of any  asset
                  contributed by a Partner to the Partnership shall be the gross
                  value of such asset as determined pursuant to Section 2.03(b);
                  provided  that the initial  Gross  Asset  Values of the assets
                  contributed to the Partnership  pursuant to Section 2.02 shall
                  be as set forth in such Section;

                           (ii) The Gross Asset Values of all Partnership assets
                  shall be adjusted to equal their  respective  gross  values as
                  determined  in   accordance   with  Section   10.08(b)(i)   in
                  connection with the following  events:  (A) the acquisition of
                  an additional  interest in the  Partnership  by any Partner in
                  exchange for more than a de minimis Capital Contribution;  (B)
                  the  distribution by the Partnership to a Partner of more than
                  a de minimis amount of Partnership  Property as  consideration
                  for an interest in the Partnership; and (C) the liquidation of
                  the  Partnership  within the  meaning of  Regulations  Section
                  1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g);

                           (iii) The Gross Asset Value of any Partnership  asset
                  distributed  to any  Partner  shall be the gross value of such
                  asset as  determined in  accordance  with Section  10.08(b)(i)
                  (or, in the case of cash,  shall be its face amount) as of the
                  date of such distribution; and

                           (iv) The Gross  Asset  Values of  Partnership  assets
                  shall be increased (or  decreased) to reflect any  adjustments
                  to the adjusted basis of such assets  pursuant to Code Section
                  734(b) or Code  Section  743(b),  but only to the extent  that
                  such adjustments are taken into account in determining Capital
                  Accounts pursuant to Regulations Section  1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m)
                  and  subparagraph  (vii) of the  definition  of "Profits"  and
                  "Losses" or Section  3.04(c);  provided,  however,  that Gross
                  Asset   Values   shall  not  be  adjusted   pursuant  to  this
                  subparagraph (iv) to the extent that an adjustment pursuant to
                  subparagraph (ii) is required in connection with a transaction
                  that would otherwise result in an adjustment  pursuant to this
                  subparagraph (iv).

         If the Gross  Asset Value of an asset has been  determined  or adjusted
         pursuant to  subparagraph  (i),  (ii), or (iv),  such Gross Asset Value
         shall  thereafter  be adjusted by the  Depreciation  taken into account
         with  respect  to such  asset  for  purposes  of the  allocations  made
         pursuant to Article III. For purposes of this definition of Gross Asset
         Value, a Capital  Contribution or  distribution  shall be considered de
         minimis if its value is less than $1,000,000.

                  "Guaranty  of  Payment"  means  any  guaranty  given by D&B in
         connection  with a D&B Guaranteed  Loan in the form attached  hereto as
         Exhibit B.

                  "Indebtedness"  of a Person  means  (i) any  indebtedness  for
         borrowed  money or deferred  purchase  price of property or services as
         evidenced by a note, bond, or other instrument, (ii) obligations to pay
         money as lessee under capital  leases,  (iii) to the extent of the fair
         market value of any asset owned or held by such Person,  obligations to
         pay  money  secured  by  any  mortgage,   pledge,   security  interest,
         encumbrance,  lien or charge of any kind existing on such asset whether
         or not such  Person has  assumed or become  liable for the  obligations
         secured thereby,  (iv) obligations in respect of any accounts  payable,
         and (v) obligations  under direct or indirect  guarantees of (including
         obligations (contingent or otherwise) to assure a creditor against loss
         in respect of)  indebtedness or obligations of the kinds referred to in
         clauses (i),  (ii),  (iii) and (iv) above,  provided that  Indebtedness
         shall not include  obligations in respect of any accounts  payable that
         are incurred in the ordinary  course of such Person's  business and are
         not  delinquent  or are being  contested  in good faith by  appropriate
         proceedings.

                  "Indemnitee" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.05(f)(i).

                  "Indemnitor" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.05(f)(i).

                  "Interest" means any interest in the Partnership  representing
         some or all of the Capital  Contributions made by a Partner pursuant to
         Article II,  including any and all benefits to which the holder of such
         an interest  may be entitled  as provided in this  Agreement,  together
         with all  obligations  of such  Person  to  comply  with the  terms and
         provisions of this Agreement.

                  "Involuntary Bankruptcy" has the meaning set forth in the 
         definition of Bankruptcy.

                  "Issuance Items" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.04(d).

                  "Lease  Agreement"  means that  certain  Software and Database
         Lease  Agreement  dated of even date herewith,  between the Partnership
         and DBI,  pursuant to which the Software and  Databases are licensed to
         DBI.

                  "Leiden" means Leiden, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

                  "LIBOR" has the meaning set forth in the form Demand Note.

                  "Lien" means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation,  assignment,
         deposit   arrangement,   encumbrance,   lien   (statutory   or  other),
         preference,  priority or other security agreement of any kind or nature
         whatsoever  (including,  without  limitation,  any conditional  sale or
         other title retention agreement,  any financing or similar statement or
         notice filed under the Uniform  Commercial Code (as in effect from time
         to time in the relevant  jurisdiction),  or any other similar recording
         or notice statute,  and any lease having  substantially the same effect
         as any of the foregoing).

             "Limited Partner" means any Class A Limited Partner or Class B
Limited Partner.

             "Liquidating Event" has the meaning set forth in Section 12.01.

             "Liquidation Notice" has the meaning set forth in Section 14.02(a).

              "Liquidator" has the meaning set forth in Section 12.09.

                  "Loan"  means a loan  that is  made  by the  Partnership  or a
         Partnership Subsidiary to, and at all times the obligor under which is,
         D&B or any Affiliate of D&B and the  obligations of D&B with respect to
         which  rank at all times at least  pari  passu  with all  other  senior
         unsecured  Indebtedness  of D&B,  provided  that  each such loan (i) is
         payable on demand,  (ii) bears  interest  at a floating  rate (based on
         1-month,  3-month,  6-month  or  12-month  LIBOR)  plus the  Applicable
         Margin,  (iii) is denominated in U.S. dollars, and (iv) is evidenced by
         a Demand Note  including a Guaranty of Payment by D&B in the event that
         the loan is made to any Affiliate of D&B.

              "Losses" has the meaning set forth in the definition of "Profits" 
         and "Losses."

               "Mark-to-Market Balance Sheet" has the meaning set forth in
         Section 8.02(d)(i).

               "Mark-to-Market Value" has the meaning set forth in Section 
         10.08(b)(i).

                  "Market Value" means with respect to any Permitted Security as
         to any  date  (i) if a  Permitted  Security  is  registered  under  the
         Exchange Act and listed on a national  securities  exchange or included
         on the National  Association of Securities Dealers Automated  Quotation
         System,  National  Market  ("NASDAQ"),  the closing sales price on such
         date (or in the event such date is not a Business Day, the Business Day
         immediately  preceding such date), and (ii) if a Permitted  Security is
         not traded on a national securities exchange or listed on NASDAQ or the
         value otherwise  cannot be determined  under clause (i), the average of
         the firm  prices  bid for such  date  quoted  by  Morgan  Stanley & Co.
         Incorporated,  Salomon Brothers Inc. and The First Boston  Corporation,
         in each case for the full amount of the specific security for which the
         Market Value is being determined.

                  "Material  Adverse  Effect"  with  respect to each D&B Partner
         shall mean (i) a material  adverse effect on the business,  operations,
         properties,  or condition  (financial or otherwise) of the Partnership,
         (ii) a material  adverse  effect on the ability of the  Partnership  or
         each  of the D&B  Partners  to  perform  their  respective  obligations
         hereunder and under the agreements referred to herein to which they are
         a party, or (iii) the invalidity or  unenforceability of this Agreement
         or such other  agreements  or an assertion by the  Partnership,  or any
         such D&B  Partner,  that this  Agreement  or such  other  agreement  is
         invalid  or  unenforceable  or has an  adverse  effect on the rights or
         remedies of any Class A Limited  Partner  under this  Agreement or such
         other agreements. "Material Adverse Effect" with respect to any Class A
         Limited  Partner  shall  mean  (i) a  material  adverse  effect  on the
         business, operations, properties, or condition (financial or otherwise)
         of such Class A Limited Partner,  (ii) a material adverse effect on the
         ability of such Class A Limited  Partner  to  perform  its  obligations
         hereunder and under the agreements  referred to herein to which it is a
         party or (iii) the invalidity or  unenforceability of this Agreement or
         such other  agreements or an assertion by such Class A Limited  Partner
         that this Agreement or such other agreement is invalid or unenforceable
         or an adverse  effect on the  rights or  remedies  of the D&B  Partners
         under this Agreement or such other agreement.

         "Moody's" means Moody's  Investors  Service,  Inc. or any successor by 
         merger or consolidation to its business.

         "Notice Events" has the meaning set forth in Section 14.01.

         "OECD" means the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

          "Original Partnership Agreement" has the meaning set forth in Section 
         1.01 hereof.

          "Partners"  means the General Partner and the Limited  Partners.   
         "Partner" means any one of the Partners.

                  "Partnership" means the partnership continued pursuant to this
         Agreement  and  the   partnership   continuing  the  business  of  this
         Partnership  pursuant to Section 12.01 in the event of  dissolution  as
         provided in this Agreement.

                  "Partnership  Property"  means all real and personal  property
         (including cash) owned by the Partnership and any improvements thereto,
         and shall include both tangible and intangible property.

                  "Partnership Subsidiary" means either Partnership Subsidiary I
         or Partnership Subsidiary II.

                  "Partnership  Subsidiary  I" has the meaning set forth in 
         paragraph  (ii) of the  definition  of "Permitted Assets."

                  "Partnership  Subsidiary  II" has the meaning set forth in 
         paragraph  (iii) of the  definition of "Permitted Assets."

                  "Partnership  Subsidiary I Stock" has the meaning set forth in
         paragraph  (ii) of the  definition of "Permitted Assets."

                  "Partnership  Subsidiary  II  Stock"  has  the  meaning  set  
         forth  in  paragraph  (iii)  of the definition of "Permitted Assets."

                  "Percentage Interest" means, with respect to any Partner as of
         any date,  the ratio  (expressed  as a  percentage)  of such  Partner's
         Capital Account on such date to the aggregate  Capital  Accounts of all
         Partners on such date,  such Capital  Accounts to be  determined  after
         giving effect to all  contributions,  distributions and allocations for
         all  Allocation  Years  ending on or prior to such  date.  The  initial
         Percentage  Interest of each Partner is set forth in Sections  2.01 and
         2.02.  In the event that it is  necessary  to  determine  the  relative
         Percentage  Interests  of the  Partners  at a  time  when  the  Capital
         Accounts of all Partners are zero or less,  their  relative  Percentage
         Interests  shall be deemed to be the Percentage  Interests set forth in
         Section 2.01 and 2.02.

                  "Permitted Assets" means:

                           (i)      The Software and Databases  contributed to
         the Partnership by Holding  pursuant to Section 2.02;

                           (ii) One  hundred  percent  (100%) of the  issued and
                  outstanding stock  ("Partnership  Subsidiary I Stock") of Duns
                  Investing    Corporation,    a   Delaware   corporation   (the
                  "Partnership Subsidiary I");

                           (iii) One  hundred  percent  (100%) of the issued and
                  outstanding stock  ("Partnership  Subsidiary II Stock") of the
                  corporation  formed by the  Partnership  pursuant  to  Section
                  5.04(i) (the "Partnership Subsidiary II");

                           (iv)     D&B Loans and D&B Guaranteed Loans;

                           (v)      Cash or Cash Equivalents;

                           (vi)     Permitted Securities; and

                           (vii) The  computers and related  equipment  owned by
                  the   Partnership   on  the   Closing   Date  (the   "Computer
                  Equipment").

                  "Permitted Encumbrances" means,  collectively,  (i) "Permitted
         Encumbrances" as defined in the Contribution Agreement,  and (ii) Liens
         and encumbrances of carriers,  warehousemen,  mechanics and materialmen
         incurred in the  ordinary  course of  business  for sums not yet due or
         which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings.

                  "Permitted Securities" means any of the following:

                           (i)  Direct  obligations  of  the  United  States  of
                  America  for the payment of which its full faith and credit is
                  pledged, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation  participation
                  certificates,  Federal National Mortgage  Association mortgage
                  pass-through  certificates  or  Government  National  Mortgage
                  Association mortgage pass-through certificates;

                           (ii)  Short-term   commercial  paper  issued  by  any
                  corporation  organized  under the laws of the United States of
                  America  or any state  thereof,  rated at least  "A-1" by S&P;
                  provided  that the  aggregate  Market Value of all  commercial
                  paper owned by the  Partnership and issued by any Person shall
                  not exceed 10% of the aggregate  Market Value of all Permitted
                  Securities (other than cash) owned by the Partnership;

                           (iii)  Indebtedness of any Person organized under the
                  laws of the United States of America or any state thereof that
                  is not D&B or an Affiliate of D&B, rated at least "AA" by S&P;
                  provided,   that  the  aggregate  Market  Value  of  all  such
                  indebtedness owned by the Partnership and issued by any Person
                  shall not  exceed  10% of the  aggregate  Market  Value of all
                  Permitted   Securities   (other   than  cash)   owned  by  the
                  Partnership;
             
                           (iv)   Unsubordinated   debt   issued   by   D&B   or
                  unsubordinated debt issued by an Affiliate of D&B if (and only
                  if)  such  debt  is  unconditionally  guaranteed  by D&B on an
                  unsubordinated  basis (other than D&B Loans and D&B Guaranteed
                  Loans);  provided,  that D&B has agreed to register  such debt
                  under the  Securities  Act upon the  request  of the holder of
                  such  debt and such  agreement  inures to the  benefit  of any
                  subsequent holder of such debt; or

                           (v) Money market mutual  funds,  provided  that,  any
                  such money market fund invests only in Cash Equivalents and/or
                  Permitted  Securities  described in any of  subparagraphs  (i)
                  through  (iv) above  and/or  repurchase  agreements  backed by
                  securities  described in subparagraph  (i) above, and provided
                  further that, the aggregate value of the Permitted  Securities
                  described in this subparagraph (v) and held by the Partnership
                  at any given time does not exceed $15,000,000.

                "Permitted Transfer" has the meaning set forth in Section 10.02.

              "Permitted Transferee" has the meaning set forth in Section 10.02.

                  "Person" means any individual, partnership (whether general or
         limited and whether domestic or foreign),  limited  liability  company,
         corporation,  trust, estate, association,  custodian,  nominee or other
         entity.

                  "Priority  Return" means, with respect to each Class A Limited
         Partner as of any date of  determination,  an amount  calculated as the
         sum of (x)  7.47%  per  annum,  accruing  daily on a 30/360  basis  and
         cumulative from the Closing Date to such date of determination, of such
         Class A  Limited  Partner's  Unrecovered  Capital  on each  such day of
         accrual,  and (y) 8.47% per annum  accruing daily on a 30/360 basis and
         cumulative  from the Closing  Date to such date of  determination,  and
         compounded  quarterly,  of each amount not  distributed to such Class A
         Limited Partner (or its predecessor in interest) when required pursuant
         to Section  4.02(a)  (without  regard to whether there was on any given
         distribution   date  Cash  Available  for   Distribution)   or  Section
         10.08(b)(ii) during the period from the date such distribution was thus
         required to be made to the date such  distribution  is made, or if such
         distribution  is not yet made,  to the date of  determination.  In each
         instance  where this  Agreement  requires  that the Priority  Return be
         determined  for a period less than the period  beginning on the Closing
         Date and ending on the date of determination,  such determination shall
         be made by  substituting  the first day of such  lesser  period for the
         Closing Date in the preceding sentence. For purposes of calculating the
         Priority  Return,  "30/360 day basis" means a 360-day year comprised of
         twelve 30 day months.

                  "Profits" and "Losses"  means,  for each  Allocation  Year, an
         amount  equal  to the  Partnership's  taxable  income  or loss for such
         Allocation Year, determined in accordance with Code Section 703(a) (for
         this purpose, all items of income, gain, loss, or deduction required to
         be  stated  separately  pursuant  to Code  Section  703(a)(1)  shall be
         included in taxable income or loss), with the following adjustments:

                           (i) Any income of the Partnership that is exempt from
                  federal  income tax and not  otherwise  taken into  account in
                  computing  Profits or Losses  pursuant to this  definition  of
                  "Profits" and "Losses"  shall be added to such taxable  income
                  or loss;

                           (ii) Any expenditures of the Partnership described in
                  Code   Section   705(a)(2)(B)   or  treated  as  Code  Section
                  705(a)(2)(B)  expenditures  pursuant  to  Regulations  Section
                  1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(i),  and not otherwise taken into account in
                  computing  Profits or Losses  pursuant to this  definition  of
                  "Profits" and "Losses"  shall be subtracted  from such taxable
                  income or loss;

                           (iii)  In the  event  the  Gross  Asset  Value of any
                  Partnership asset is adjusted  pursuant to subparagraphs  (ii)
                  or (iii) of the definition of Gross Asset Value, the amount of
                  such  adjustment  shall be taken into  account as gain or loss
                  from the  disposition  of such asset for purposes of computing
                  Profits or Losses;

                           (iv) Gain or loss resulting  from any  disposition of
                  Partnership  Property  with  respect  to which gain or loss is
                  recognized  for federal  income tax purposes shall be computed
                  by reference to the Gross Asset Value of the property disposed
                  of,  notwithstanding  that  the  adjusted  tax  basis  of such
                  property differs from its Gross Asset Value;

                           (v) In lieu of the  depreciation,  amortization,  and
                  other cost recovery deductions taken into account in computing
                  such taxable income or loss, there shall be taken into account
                  Depreciation for such Allocation Year,  computed in accordance
                  with the definition of Depreciation;

                           (vi) To the extent an  adjustment to the adjusted tax
                  basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Code Section 734(b)
                  is    required,     pursuant    to     Regulations     Section
                  1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m)(4),   to  be  taken   into   account   in
                  determining  Capital  Accounts  as a result of a  distribution
                  other than in liquidation of a Partner's Interest,  the amount
                  of such adjustment shall be treated as an item of gain (if the
                  adjustment  increases  the basis of the asset) or loss (if the
                  adjustment  decreases such basis) from the disposition of such
                  asset  and  shall  be  taken  into  account  for  purposes  of
                  computing Profits or Losses; and

                           (vii)  Notwithstanding  anything  to the  contrary in
                  subparagraphs  (i)  through  (vi)  above,  any items which are
                  described in Section 3.03 or specially  allocated  pursuant to
                  Sections  3.04 or 3.05  shall  not be taken  into  account  in
                  computing Profits or Losses.
         The amounts of the items of Partnership income, gain, loss or deduction
         available to be specially allocated pursuant to Sections 3.03, 3.04 and
         3.05 shall be determined by applying rules analogous to those set forth
         in subparagraphs (i) through (vi) above.

                "Purchase Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.02(e).

                "Purchase Option" has the meaning set forth in Section 14.03(a).

                "Purchase Price" has the meaning set forth in Section 14.03(b).

                  "Regulations"  means the  Income  Tax  Regulations,  including
         Temporary Regulations,  promulgated under the Code, as such regulations
         are amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

             "Regulatory Allocations" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.05.

            "Responsible Officers" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.04(b).

           "Retirement Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 10.08(b)(iii).

          "Retirement Notice" has the meaning set forth in Section 10.08(a)(ii).

                  "S&P" means Standard & Poor's  Corporation or any successor by
         merger or consolidation to its business.

                  "Secondary  Return" means, with respect to the General Partner
         and each Class B Limited  Partner as of any date of  determination,  an
         amount  equal to 10% per annum,  accruing  daily on a 30/360  basis and
         cumulative and compounded  quarterly from the Closing Date to such date
         of determination,  of such Partner's  Unrecovered  Capital on each such
         day of accrual. In each instance where this Agreement requires that the
         Secondary  Return  be  determined  for a period  less  than the  period
         beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the date of  determination,
         such determination  shall be made by substituting the first day of such
         lesser  period for the  Closing  Date in the  preceding  sentence.  For
         purposes of calculating the Secondary Return,  "30/360 day basis" means
         a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30 day months.

                  "Software and Databases"  means the assets  contributed to the
         Partnership by Holding pursuant to Section 2.02.

             "Tax Matters Partner" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.03(a).

                  "Transfer"  means,  with  respect to all or any  portion of an
         Interest,  as a noun,  any  voluntary or  involuntary  transfer,  sale,
         pledge  or  other   disposition   and,  as  a  verb,   voluntarily   or
         involuntarily to transfer, sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of.

                  "Unrecovered  Capital" means,  for any Partner as of any date,
         the remainder,  if any, of (i) the sum of the balance in such Partner's
         Closing Date Capital  Account as set forth in Section 2.01 or 2.02,  as
         the case may be, plus all Additional Capital Contributions made by such
         Partner,  minus (ii) the cumulative amount of money and the Gross Asset
         Value of any  Partnership  Property  (other than money)  distributed to
         such  Partner (or its  predecessors  in  interest)  pursuant to Section
         10.08(b) (other than pursuant to Section 10.08(b)(ii)) as of such date.

                 "Voluntary Bankruptcy" has the meaning set forth in the 
         definition of Bankruptcy.

                  "Wholly Owned  Affiliate" of any Person means (i) an Affiliate
         of such Person 100% of the capital stock (or its equivalent in the case
         of entities other than  corporations) of which is owned beneficially by
         such Person,  directly,  or indirectly through one or more Wholly Owned
         Affiliates,  or  by  any  Person  who,  directly  or  indirectly,  owns
         beneficially  100% of the capital stock (or its  equivalent in the case
         of  entities  other  than  corporations)  of such  Person,  and (ii) an
         Affiliate of such Person who, directly or indirectly, owns beneficially
         100% of the capital  stock (or its  equivalent  in the case of entities
         other than corporations) of such Person; provided that, for purposes of
         determining  the  ownership  of the  capital  stock of any  Person,  de
         minimis  amounts  of stock  held by  directors,  nominees  and  similar
         persons pursuant to statutory or regulatory  requirements  shall not be
         taken into account.

         SECTION I.11.  Other  Terms.SECTION  I.11.  Other  Terms.SECTION  I.11.
  Other  Terms.SECTION  I.11. Other Terms.

         Unless the content shall require otherwise:

     (a) Words  importing the singular number or plural number shall include the
plural number and singular number respectively;

     (b) Words  importing  the  masculine  gender shall include the feminine and
neuter genders and vice versa;

     (c) Reference to "include,"  "includes," and "including" shall be deemed to
be followed by the phrase "without limitation;"

     (d) Reference in this Agreement to "herein,"  "hereby" or  "hereunder",  or
any similar formulation,  shall be deemed to refer to this Agreement as a whole,
including the Exhibits; and

     (e) Reference to "and" and "or" shall be deemed to mean "and/or."

                                   ARTICLE II
                         PARTNERS'CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS
                   

     SECTION II.1. General Partner. SECTION II.1. General Partner. SECTION II.1.
General  Partner.  SECTION  II.1.  General  Partner.   Simultaneously  with  the
execution  and delivery of this  Agreement,  the General  Partner shall make the
Capital Contribution listed below,  provided that, all Capital  Contributions to
be made in cash shall be made on the first  Business Day after the Closing Date.
The name,  address,  the initial Percentage  Interest and balance in the General
Partner's  Capital  Account  immediately  after making its Capital  Contribution
pursuant to this Section 2.01 are as follows:
- - ------------------------------ ----------------------------   ------------------

  Name and Address              Capital Contribution/                   Initial
                                  Capital Account                     Percentage
                                                                        Interest

- - ------------------------------ -------------------------------------- ----------
- - ------------------------------ -------------------------------------- ----------

Duns Investing VII Corporation  Cash in an amount equal to $8,519,792,    1%
911 Washington Street           resulting in a Closing Date Capital
Suite 100                        Account equal to $8,551,713.
Wilmington, Delaware 19801
Attention: Kenneth J. Kubacki

- - ----------------------------------------------------- --------------------------
         SECTION II.2. Limited  Partners.SECTION II.2. Limited  Partners.SECTION
II.2. Limited  Partners.SECTION II.2. Limited Partners.  Simultaneously with the
execution and delivery of this  Agreement,  the Limited  Partners shall make the
Capital  Contributions listed below, provided that, all Capital Contributions to
be made in cash shall be made on the first  Business Day after the Closing Date.
The name,  address,  the  initial  Percentage  Interest  of each of the  Limited
Partners and the balance in each Limited Partner's  Capital Account  immediately
after  making its  Capital  Contribution  pursuant to this  Section  2.02 are as
follows:
- - ----------------------------------------------------- --------------------------

<TABLE>

Name and Address                                             Capital Contribution/                    Initial

<CAPTION>
<S>                                                   <C>                                         <C>    
                                                               Capital Account                       Percentage
                                                                                                     Interest

- - ----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- ------------------
- - ----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- ------------------

Duns Holding, Inc.                                    Software and Databases with an aggregate         62.92%
911 Washington Street                                 initial Gross Asset Value equal to
Suite 250                                             $523,458,000; Partnership Subsidiary I
Wilmington, Delaware 19801                            Stock with an initial Gross Asset Value
Attention: Kenneth J. Kubacki                         equal to $1,000, and cash in an amount
Facsimile: (302) 428-1410                             equal to $14,577,000, each contributed to
                                                      the Partnership pursuant to the
                                                      Contribution Agreement, resulting in a
                                                      Closing Date Capital Account balance
                                                      equal to $538,036,000
- - ----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- ------------------
- - ----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- ------------------

Dun & Bradstreet, Inc.                                Cash in an amount equal to $5,423,469,             1%
One Diamond Hill Road                                 resulting in a Closing Date Capital
Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974                         Account equal to $8,551,713
Attention: Robert J. Levin
Facsimile: (908) 665-1409
- - ----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- ------------------
- - ----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- ------------------

Utrecht-America Finance Co.                           Cash in an amount equal to $8,519,792,             1%
c/o Utrecht-America Financial                         resulting in a Closing Date Capital
   Services Corp.                                     Account equal to $8,551,713
245 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10167
Attention: Treasurer
- - ----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- ------------------
- - ----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- ------------------

Leiden, Inc.                                          Cash in an amount equal to $291,480,208,         34.08%
c/o Utrecht-America Financial                         resulting in a Closing Date Capital
   Services Corp.                                     Account equal to $291,480,208
245 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10167
Attention: Treasurer
- - ----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- ------------------
</TABLE>
<PAGE>


         SECTION II.3. Additional Capital Contributions.SECTION II.3. Additional
Capital  Contributions.SECTION  II.3.  Additional Capital  Contributions.SECTION
II.3.  Additional Capital  Contributions.  (a) In general.  Each D&B Partner may
contribute  from time to time such  additional  cash or other property as it may
determine;  provided  that,  any Capital  Contribution  of property made by such
Partner  pursuant to this Section 2.03 shall  consist of Permitted  Assets.  The
Partners  agree that any  additional  payment  required  to be made,  or expense
incurred,  by Holding pursuant to the  Contribution  Agreement after the Closing
Date, including any expense incurred in complying with Section 5.06 thereof, has
been taken into  account in  determining  the  initial  Gross Asset Value of the
Software  and  Databases  and  shall  not   constitute  an  additional   Capital
Contribution to the Partnership.

     (b)  Initial  Gross  Asset  Value.  The  initial  Gross  Asset Value of any
Partnership Property (other than cash) contributed pursuant to this Section 2.03
shall be determined as follows:

     (i) Loans.  The initial Gross Asset Value of any Loan shall be equal to its
par value;
     (ii) Cash Equivalents. The initial Gross Asset Value of any Cash Equivalent
shall be equal to its face value, less unamortized discount and plus unamortized
premium, if any; and
     (iii) Permitted Securities.  The initial Gross Asset Value of any Permitted
Security shall be equal to its Market Value.

         SECTION II.4. Other  Matters.SECTION  II.4. Other Matters.SECTION II.4.
Other  Matters.SECTION  II.4. Other Matters. (a) Except as otherwise provided in
Section  10.08,  Articles XII and XIV or in the Act, no Partner  shall demand or
receive a return of its Capital  Contributions  or withdraw from the Partnership
without the consent of all Partners.  Under circumstances  requiring a return of
any Capital  Contributions,  no Partner shall have the right to receive property
other than cash except as may be specifically provided in this Agreement.

         (b) No Partner  shall  receive any interest or draw with respect to its
Capital  Contributions or its Capital Account,  except as otherwise  provided in
this Agreement.

         (c)  The  Limited   Partners   shall  not  be  liable  for  the  debts,
liabilities,  contracts or any other  obligations of the Partnership.  Except as
otherwise  provided by mandatory  provisions of applicable  state law and except
with  respect  to the  obligation  of  any  Limited  Partner  to  return  to the
Partnership a distribution  made to such Limited Partner in violation of the Act
at a time when such Limited Partner knew the distribution would violate the Act,
such Limited  Partner shall be liable only to make its Capital  Contribution  as
set forth in  Section  2.02 and shall not be  required  to lend any funds to the
Partnership  or,  after its  Capital  Contribution  has been  made,  to make any
additional Capital  Contributions to the Partnership.  The General Partner shall
not have any personal  liability for any repayment of any Capital  Contributions
of any Limited Partner.


                                   ARTICLE III
                                   ALLOCATIONS

     SECTION    III.1.    Profits.SECTION    III.1.    Profits.SECTION    III.1.
Profits.SECTION  III.1. Profits.  After giving effect to the special allocations
set forth in Sections  3.04 and 3.05,  but before  giving  effect to the special
allocations set forth in Section 3.03,  Profits for any Allocation Year shall be
allocated in the following order and priority:

         (a) First, 100% to the Class A Limited Partners in proportion to and to
the extent of an amount equal to the  remainder,  if any, of (i) the  cumulative
Priority  Return of each Class A Limited  Partner  from the Closing  Date to the
last day of such Allocation Year, minus (ii) the cumulative Profits allocated to
such Class A Limited  Partner  pursuant  to this  Section  3.01(a) for all prior
Allocation Years;

         (b) Second,  100% to the Class A Limited  Partners in proportion to and
to the extent of an amount equal to the remainder, if any, of (i) the sum of (A)
the  cumulative  Losses  allocated to each Class A Limited  Partner  pursuant to
Section 3.02(d) for all prior Allocation  Years, and (B) the cumulative items of
loss allocated to such Class A Limited  Partner  pursuant to Section 3.03(d) for
all prior Allocation Years,  minus (ii) the cumulative Profits allocated to such
Class  A  Limited  Partner  pursuant  to this  Section  3.01(b)  for  all  prior
Allocation Years;

         (c)  Third,  100% to the  General  Partner  in an  amount  equal to the
remainder,  if any, of (i) the sum of (A) the cumulative Losses allocated to the
General Partner pursuant to Section 3.02(e) for all prior Allocation  Years, and
(B) the cumulative  items of loss allocated to the General  Partner  pursuant to
Section  3.03(e)  for all prior  Allocation  Years,  minus  (ii) the  cumulative
Profits  allocated to the General  Partner  pursuant to this Section 3.01(c) for
all prior Allocation Years;

         (d) Fourth,  to the Partners in  proportion  to and to the extent of an
amount  equal to the  remainder,  if any,  of (i) the sum of (A) the  cumulative
Losses  allocated  to each  Partner  pursuant  to Section  3.02(c) for all prior
Allocation Years, and (B) the cumulative items of loss allocated to such Partner
pursuant  to Section  3.03(c)  for all prior  Allocation  Years,  minus (ii) the
cumulative  Profits  allocated to such Partner  pursuant to this Section 3.01(d)
for all prior Allocation Years;

         (e) Fifth, to the General  Partner and the Class B Limited  Partners in
proportion to and to the extent of an amount equal to the remainder,  if any, of
(i) the sum of (A) the cumulative Secondary Return of each such Partner from the
Closing Date to the last day of such  Allocation  Year,  and (B) the  cumulative
Losses  allocated  to such  Partner  pursuant  to Section  3.02(b) for all prior
Allocation Years, and (C) the cumulative items of loss allocated to such Partner
pursuant  to Section  3.03(b)  for all prior  Allocation  Years,  minus (ii) the
cumulative  Profits  allocated to such Partner  pursuant to this Section 3.01(e)
for all prior Allocation Years; and

         (f) Sixth,  the  balance,  if any,  99% to the General  Partner and the
Class B Limited Partners in proportion to their  Percentage  Interests and 1% to
the Class A Limited Partners in proportion to their Percentage Interests.

         SECTION   III.2.    Losses.SECTION    III.2.    Losses.SECTION   III.2.
Losses.SECTION III.2. Losses. After giving effect to the special allocations set
forth in  Sections  3.04 and 3.05,  but  before  giving  effect  to the  special
allocations  set forth in Section 3.03,  Losses for any Allocation Year shall be
allocated in the following  order and priority,  subject to the  limitations  in
Section 3.06:

         (a) First,  to the Partners in  proportion  to and to the extent of the
remainder,  if any, of (i) the  cumulative  Profits  allocated  to each  Partner
pursuant to Section 3.01(f) for all prior Allocation  Years,  minus (ii) the sum
of (A) the  cumulative  items of loss  allocated  to such  Partner  pursuant  to
Section 3.03(a) for all prior Allocation  Years,  and (B) the cumulative  Losses
allocated  to such  Partner  pursuant  to this  Section  3.02(a)  for all  prior
Allocation Years;

         (b) Second,  to the General Partner and the Class B Limited Partners in
proportion to and to the extent of the remainder,  if any, of (i) the cumulative
Profits allocated to each such Partner pursuant to Section 3.01(e) for all prior
Allocation  Years,  minus  (ii)  the sum of (A)  the  cumulative  items  of loss
allocated to such Partner  pursuant to Section 3.03(b) for all prior  Allocation
Years, and (B) the cumulative  Losses allocated to such Partner pursuant to this
Section 3.02(b) for all prior Allocation Years;

         (c) Third,  99% to the General Partner and the Class B Limited Partners
in  proportion  to their  Percentage  Interests  and 1% to the  Class A  Limited
Partners in proportion to their  Percentage  Interests until the Capital Account
of the General Partner and each Class B Limited Partner is equal to zero;

         (d) Fourth, 100% to the Class A Limited Partners in proportion to their
Percentage  Interests  until the Capital Account of each Class A Limited Partner
is equal to zero; and

         (e)      Fifth, the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.

         SECTION  III.3.  Special Loss  Allocation.SECTION  III.3.  Special Loss
Allocation.SECTION  III.3. Special Loss  Allocation.SECTION  III.3. Special Loss
Allocation. After giving effect to the special allocations set forth in Sections
3.04 and 3.05 and the  allocations  of Profits  or Losses set forth in  Sections
3.01 or 3.02, as the case maybe,  in the event that in any  Allocation  Year the
aggregate  items of loss  realized or deemed to be  realized by the  Partnership
from the sale,  disposition or adjustment to the Gross Asset Values of Permitted
Assets is greater  than the  aggregate  items of gain  realized  or deemed to be
realized by the  Partnership  from the sale,  disposition  or  adjustment to the
Gross Asset Values of Permitted Assets, items of loss equal to such excess shall
be specially allocated as follows:

         (a) First,  to the Partners in  proportion  to and to the extent of the
remainder,  if any, of (i) the  cumulative  Profits  allocated  to each  Partner
pursuant to Section  3.01(f) for the  current  and all prior  Allocation  Years,
minus  (ii)  the sum of (A) the  cumulative  Losses  allocated  to such  Partner
pursuant to Section 3.02(a) for the current and all prior Allocation  Years, and
(B) the  cumulative  items of loss  allocated to such  Partner  pursuant to this
Section 3.03(a) for all prior Allocation Years;

         (b) Second,  to the General Partner and the Class B Limited Partners in
proportion to and to the extent of the remainder,  if any, of (i) the cumulative
Profits  allocated  to each such  Partner  pursuant  to Section  3.01(e) for the
current and all prior Allocation Years, minus (ii) the sum of (A) the cumulative
Losses allocated to such Partner pursuant to Section 3.02(b) for the current and
all prior  Allocation  Years,  and (B) the cumulative items of loss allocated to
such Partner pursuant to this Section 3.03(b) for all prior Allocation Years;

         (c) Third,  99% to the General Partner and the Class B Limited Partners
in  proportion  to their  Percentage  Interests  and 1% to the  Class A  Limited
Partners in proportion to their  Percentage  Interests until the Capital Account
of the General Partner and each Class B Limited Partner is equal to zero;

         (d) Fourth, 100% to the Class A Limited Partners in proportion to their
Percentage  Interests  until each Class A Limited  Partner's  Capital Account is
equal to zero; and

         (e)      Fifth, the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.

     SECTION  III.4.  Other  Special  Allocations.SECTION  III.4.  Other Special
Allocations.SECTION  III.4.  Other  Special   Allocations.SECTION  III.4.  Other
Special  Allocations.  The following  special  allocations  shall be made in the
following order:

         (a)  Qualified  Income  Offset.   In  the  event  any  Limited  Partner
unexpectedly receives any adjustments,  allocations,  or distributions described
in     Sections     1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4),      1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5)     or
1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6) of the Regulations, items of Partnership income and gain
shall be specially  allocated  to such  Limited  Partner in an amount and manner
sufficient to eliminate, to the extent required by the Regulations, the Adjusted
Capital Account Deficit of such Limited Partner as quickly as possible; provided
that an allocation pursuant to this Section 3.04(a) shall be made only if and to
the extent that such  Limited  Partner  would have an Adjusted  Capital  Account
Deficit after all other  allocations  provided for in this Article III have been
tentatively made as if this Section 3.04(a) were not in the Agreement.

         (b) Gross  Income  Allocation.  In the event any Limited  Partner has a
deficit Capital Account at the end of any Allocation  Year, such Limited Partner
shall be specially  allocated items of Partnership income and gain in the amount
of such deficit as quickly as possible;  provided that an allocation pursuant to
this Section  3.04(b)  shall be made only if and to the extent that such Limited
Partner  would  have a deficit  Capital  Account  after  all  other  allocations
provided for in this  Article III have been made as if Section  3.04(a) and this
Section 3.04(b) were not in the Agreement.

         (c)  Section  754  Adjustments.  To the  extent  an  adjustment  to the
adjusted tax basis of any  Partnership  asset pursuant to Code Section 734(b) or
Code   Section   743(b)   is   required   pursuant   to   Regulations    Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m)(2)  or  1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m)(4) to be taken into account in
determining  Capital  Accounts as the result of a  distribution  to a Partner in
complete  liquidation of its Interest,  the amount of such adjustment to Capital
Accounts  shall be treated as an item of gain (if the  adjustment  increases the
basis of the asset) or loss (if the  adjustment  decreases  such basis) and such
gain or loss shall be specially  allocated to the  Partners in  accordance  with
their   interests  in  the   Partnership  in  the  event   Regulations   Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m)(2) applies, or to the Partner to whom such distribution was
made in the event Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m)(4) applies.

         (d) Allocations Relating to Taxable Issuance of Partnership  Interests.
Any income,  gain, loss or deduction  realized as a direct or indirect result of
the issuance of an Interest by the  Partnership to a Partner other than pursuant
to Section 707(a)(2) of the Code (the "Issuance Items") shall be allocated among
the Partners so that,  to the extent  possible,  the net amount of such Issuance
Items, together with all other allocations under this Agreement to each Partner,
shall be equal to the net amount  that would  have been  allocated  to each such
Partner if the Issuance Items had not been realized.

         SECTION   III.5.   Curative    Allocations.SECTION    III.5.   Curative
Allocations.SECTION   III.5.   Curative   Allocations.SECTION   III.5.  Curative
Allocations. The allocations set forth in Sections 3.04(a), 3.04(b), 3.04(c) and
3.06  (the  "Regulatory  Allocations")  are  intended  to  comply  with  certain
requirements of the  Regulations.  It is the intent of the Partners that, to the
extent possible,  all Regulatory  Allocations  shall be offset either with other
Regulatory Allocations or with special allocations of other items of Partnership
income,  gain,  loss or  deduction  pursuant to this  Section  3.05.  Therefore,
notwithstanding  any  other  provision  of this  Article  III  (other  than  the
Regulatory Allocations),  the General Partner shall make such offsetting special
allocations of Partnership income, gain, loss or deduction in whatever manner it
determines appropriate so that, after such offsetting allocations are made, each
Partner's  Capital  Account  balance  is, to the extent  possible,  equal to the
Capital   Account  balance  such  Partner  would  have  had  if  the  Regulatory
Allocations  were not  part of the  Agreement  and all  Partnership  items  were
allocated  pursuant  to  this  Article  III  without  regard  to the  Regulatory
Allocations.

         SECTION III.6. Loss  Limitation.SECTION  III.6. Loss Limitation.SECTION
III.6.  Loss  Limitation.SECTION  III.6.  Loss Limitation.  The Losses allocated
pursuant to Section 3.02 and the items of loss or deduction  allocated  pursuant
to Sections  3.03,  3.04 and 3.05 shall not exceed the maximum  amount of Losses
and items of loss or  deduction  that can be so  allocated  without  causing any
Limited  Partner to have an Adjusted  Capital  Account Deficit at the end of any
Allocation  Year.  All  Losses and items of loss or  deduction  in excess of the
limitation  set forth in this  Section  3.06 shall be  allocated  to the General
Partner.

         SECTION III.7. Other Allocation  Rules.SECTION  III.7. Other Allocation
Rules.SECTION  III.7.  Other Allocation  Rules.SECTION  III.7.  Other Allocation
Rules.  (a)  Profits,  Losses  and any  other  items of  income,  gain,  loss or
deduction shall be allocated to the Partners  pursuant to this Article III as of
the last day of each Fiscal Year;  provided that Profits,  Losses and such other
items shall also be allocated at such times as are required by Section  10.08(b)
and at such other times as the Gross Asset  Values of  Partnership  Property are
adjusted pursuant to subparagraph (ii) of the definition of Gross Asset Value in
Section 1.10.

         (b) In any cases in which it is  necessary  to  determine  the Profits,
Losses,  or any other items allocable to any period,  Profits,  Losses,  and any
such other items shall be determined  on a daily,  monthly,  or other basis,  as
determined  by the  General  Partner  using any  permissible  method  under Code
Section 706 and the Regulations thereunder.

         (c) The  Partners  hereby agree to be bound by the  provisions  of this
Article III in reporting their shares of Partnership  income and loss for income
tax purposes, except to the extent otherwise required by law.

         SECTION III.8. Tax Allocations:  Code Section 704(c).SECTION III.8. Tax
Allocations  Code Section  704(c).SECTION  III.8.  Tax Allocations  Code Section
704(c).SECTION  III.8. Tax Allocations:  Code Section 704(c). In accordance with
Code Section 704(c) and the applicable  Regulations  thereunder,  income,  gain,
loss, and deduction  with respect to any property  contributed to the capital of
the Partnership shall, solely for tax purposes,  be allocated among the Partners
so as to take  account  of any  variation  between  the  adjusted  basis of such
property to the  Partnership  for federal  income tax  purposes  and its initial
Gross Asset Value  (computed in  accordance  with the  definition of Gross Asset
Value in Section 1.10).

                  In the event the Gross Asset Value of any Partnership asset is
adjusted pursuant to subparagraph (iv) of the definition of Gross Asset Value in
Section 1.10,  subsequent  allocations of income, gain, loss, and deduction with
respect to such asset shall take account of any  variation  between the adjusted
basis of such asset for federal income tax purposes and its Gross Asset Value in
the same  manner as under Code  Section  704(c) and the  applicable  Regulations
thereunder.

                  Any elections or other decisions  relating to such allocations
shall be made by the General Partner in any manner that reasonably  reflects the
purpose and intention of this Agreement, including the election of an allocation
method  permitted  by the  Regulations  under Code Section  704(c).  Allocations
pursuant to this  Section 3.08 are solely for  purposes of federal,  state,  and
local  taxes  and shall  not  affect,  or in any way be taken  into  account  in
computing,  any Partner's  Capital  Account or share of Profits,  Losses,  other
items, or distributions pursuant to any provision of this Agreement.

                  Except as otherwise  provided in this Agreement,  all items of
Partnership  income,  gain,  loss,  deduction,  and any  other  allocations  not
otherwise  provided  for  shall  be  divided  among  the  Partners  in the  same
proportions  as they  share  Profits  or  Losses,  as the case  may be,  for the
Allocation Year.


                                   ARTICLE IV
                                  DISTRIBUTIONS

         SECTION IV.1.  Cash  Flow.SECTION  IV.1. Cash  Flow.SECTION  IV.1. Cash
Flow.SECTION  IV.1. Cash Flow.  Except as otherwise  provided in Article XII and
Section  4.02(a),  Cash Available for  Distribution  shall be distributed on the
last Business Day of each Fiscal Quarter  commencing with June 30, 1997, 100% to
the Class A Limited  Partners  in  proportion  to and to the extent of an amount
equal to the remainder,  if any, of (i) the cumulative  Priority  Return of each
Class A Limited  Partner from the Closing  Date to the last  Business Day of the
Fiscal  Quarter  during which such  distribution  is made,  minus (ii) all prior
distributions to such Class A Limited Partner pursuant to this Section 4.01(a).

         SECTION IV.2. Amounts  Withheld.SECTION IV.2. Amounts  Withheld.SECTION
IV.2. Amounts  Withheld.SECTION  IV.2. Amounts Withheld. All amounts withheld or
required to be  withheld  pursuant  to the Code or any  provision  of any state,
local or foreign tax law with respect to any payment, distribution or allocation
to the  Partnership  or the  Partners  and  treated by the Code  (whether or not
withheld  pursuant to the Code) or any such tax law as amounts  payable by or in
respect  of  the  Partners  or  any  Person  owning  an  interest,  directly  or
indirectly,  in such Partner shall be treated as amounts paid or  distributed to
the Partners  with  respect to which such amount was  withheld  pursuant to this
Article IV for all purposes under this Agreement.


                                    ARTICLE V
                                   MANAGEMENT

         SECTION V.1. Authority of the General Partner.SECTION V.1. Authority of
the General  Partner.SECTION V.1. Authority of the General  Partner.SECTION V.1.
Authority of the General  Partner.  Subject to the limitations and  restrictions
set forth in this Agreement including without limitation those set forth in this
Article V, the General  Partner  shall  direct the  business  and affairs of the
Partnership and in so doing shall manage, control and have all of the rights and
powers which may be possessed by general partners under the Act.

         SECTION V.2. Right to Rely on the General Partner.SECTION V.2. Right to
Rely  on  the  General  Partner.SECTION  V.2.  Right  to  Rely  on  the  General
Partner.SECTION  V.2.  Right  to Rely on the  General  Partner.  (a) Any  Person
dealing with the Partnership  may rely (without duty of further  inquiry) upon a
certificate signed by the General Partner as to:

                 (i)The identity of the General Partner or any Limited Partner;

                 (ii) The existence or  nonexistence of any fact or facts which
         constitute  a condition  precedent  to acts by the  General  Partner or
         which  are  in  any  other  manner   germane  to  the  affairs  of  the
         Partnership;

                 (iii)The Persons who are  authorized  to execute  and deliver 
         any  instrument  or document of the Partnership; or

                  (iv)     Any act or failure to act by the  Partnership or any 
         other matter  whatsoever  involving the Partnership or any Partner.

         (b) The signature of the General  Partner shall be sufficient to convey
title to any property  owned by the  Partnership,  and all of the Partners agree
that a copy of this Agreement may be shown to the  appropriate  parties in order
to confirm the same, and further agree that the signature of the General Partner
shall be sufficient to execute any "statement of partnership" or other documents
necessary to effectuate this or any other  provision of this  Agreement.  All of
the Partners do hereby appoint the General Partner as their attorney-in-fact for
the execution of any or all of the documents described in this Section 5.02(b).

         SECTION V.3.  Restrictions on Authority of the General  Partner.SECTION
V.3. Restrictions on Authority of the General  Partner.SECTION V.3. Restrictions
on Authority of the General  Partner.SECTION  V.3.  Restrictions on Authority of
the General Partner. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, without the
consent of all of the Limited  Partners,  the General Partner shall not have the
authority to, and covenants and agrees that it shall not:

     (a)  Knowingly,  do any act in  contravention  of this  Agreement  or, when
acting on behalf of the Partnership,  engage in activities inconsistent with the
purposes of the Partnership;
     (b) Do any act which would,  to the General  Partner's  knowledge,  make it
impossible to carry on the ordinary business of the Partnership;

     (c) Possess Partnership  Property, or assign rights in specific Partnership
Property, for other than a Partnership purpose;

     (d) Perform any act that would, to the General Partner's knowledge, subject
any Limited Partner to liability as a general partner in any jurisdiction;

     (e)  Cause or permit  the  Partnership  or any  Partnership  Subsidiary  to
voluntarily take any action with respect to the Partnership described in clauses
(a)(iii), (b) or (c) of the definition of Bankruptcy in Section 1.10;

     (f) Cause or permit the Partnership or any Partnership Subsidiary to incur,
assume or obligate itself by contract for any Indebtedness or to create,  incur,
assume or permit to exist any Lien  upon any  Partnership  Property  other  than
Permitted Encumbrances, provided that, in the event that the General Partner has
elected  pursuant to Section 10.08(a) to cause the entire Interests of the Class
A Limited Partners to be retired,  the General Partner may cause the Partnership
to borrow the funds necessary to make the  distributions  to the Class A Limited
Partners required by Section  10.08(b),  and provided further that, in the event
that the General Partner has elected  pursuant to Section  10.08(a) to cause all
or any portion of the  Interests of the Class A Limited  Partners to be retired,
the General  Partner may cause the  Partnership  to borrow from any  Partnership
Subsidiary the funds necessary to make the  distributions to the Class A Limited
Partners required by Section 10.08(b);

         (g) Cause or permit the  Partnership or any  Partnership  Subsidiary to
acquire,  by purchase,  lease or  contribution  any assets other than  Permitted
Assets or any Permitted  Asset that is in default at the time of its acquisition
by the Partnership;

         (h) Cause or permit the  Partnership or any  Partnership  Subsidiary to
make or acquire by contribution  any Loan unless (i) the borrowing  evidenced by
such Loan has been duly authorized by all required corporate action, such action
has been duly  certified  by the  secretary  or an  assistant  secretary  of the
borrower,  and such certification has been delivered to the Partnership together
with  certificates as to incumbency and due authorization of the officers of the
borrower authorized to execute and deliver such Loan (which certified action may
be  one  so  taken  and  certification  may be  one  so  delivered  before  that
acquisition  if the  certified  action  remains in effect at the time of, and is
applicable to, that acquisition),  (ii) such Loan is legal,  valid,  binding and
enforceable  in  accordance  with its  terms  against  the  borrower,  (iii) the
guaranty by D&B with respect to such Loan, if any, (A) has been duly  authorized
by all required  corporate  action,  such action has been duly  certified by the
secretary or an assistant  secretary  of D&B,  and such  certification  has been
delivered to the Partnership together with certificates as to incumbency and due
authorization  of the  officers of D&B  authorized  to execute and deliver  such
guaranty (which  certified action may be one so taken and  certification  may be
one so delivered  before that  acquisition  if the certified  action  remains in
effect at the time of,  and is  applicable  to,  that  acquisition),  and (B) is
legal,  valid,  binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms against D&B
and (iv)  D&B's  obligations  thereunder  or under  any  guaranty  with  respect
thereto,  as the case may be, rank at least pari passu with all other  unsecured
senior Indebtedness of D&B;

         (i) Cause or permit the admission of any Limited  Partner to the 
Partnership  other than pursuant to Article X or Section 14.03;

         (j) Cause or permit the  Partnership or any  Partnership  Subsidiary to
legally merge or consolidate  with or into any  corporation,  limited  liability
company, business trust or association, real estate investment trust, common law
trust, or unincorporated  business (including a partnership,  whether general or
limited);

         (k)      Cause the  Partnership  to  distribute  any asset other than 
as  provided in Article IV,  Section 10.08 and Article XII;

         (l) Cause or permit the  Partnership or any  Partnership  Subsidiary to
utilize  the  Software  and  Databases  or grant to any  Person  other  than DBI
pursuant to the Lease  Agreement the right to access the Software and Databases,
in each case in order to  develop,  distribute  or market  products,  other than
Minor Permitted Uses (as defined in the Lease Agreement); and

         (m) Cause or permit the  Partnership or any  Partnership  Subsidiary to
enter into, permit or consent to any amendment or modification of, or supplement
to, or terminate or waive compliance with any provision of, the Lease Agreement,
any Demand Note evidencing any Loan or the Contribution Agreement.

         SECTION V.4. Duties and Obligations of the General Partner.SECTION V.4.
Duties  and  Obligations  of  the  General   Partner.SECTION   V.4.  Duties  and
Obligations of the General  Partner.SECTION  V.4.  Duties and Obligations of the
General Partner.  (a) The General Partner shall cause the Partnership to conduct
its business and  operations  separate and apart from that of any D&B Partner or
any  of  its  Affiliates,   including,   without  limitation,   (i)  segregating
Partnership  assets and not allowing funds or other assets of the Partnership to
be  commingled  with the funds or other assets of, held by, or registered in the
name of, any D&B Partner or any of its Affiliates,  (ii)  maintaining  books and
financial  records  of the  Partnership  separate  from the books and  financial
records of any D&B Partner and its Affiliates  (although the  Partnership may be
consolidated  with D&B and its  Affiliates  for  financial  reporting  statement
purposes), and observing all Partnership procedures and formalities,  including,
without limitation,  maintaining  minutes of Partnership  meetings and acting on
behalf of the Partnership  only pursuant to due  authorization  of the Partners,
(iii)  causing  the  Partnership  to pay  its  liabilities  from  assets  of the
Partnership, and (iv) causing the Partnership to conduct its dealings with third
parties in its own name and as a separate and independent entity.

         (b) On the Closing  Date,  the  General  Partner  shall  provide to the
Partnership a written  statement  naming those  officers of the General  Partner
that will be responsible for the management and operations of the Partnership in
accordance with this Article V (such individuals,  the "Responsible  Officers"),
until such time as the General Partner has provided to the  Partnership  another
written statement naming other officers as Responsible Officers, and the General
Partner hereby covenants and agrees that its Responsible Officers shall maintain
the separateness of the  Partnership's  operations and otherwise comply with all
of the terms of this Agreement.

         (c) The General  Partner shall notify the Partners of the occurrence of
any Notice Event described in Section 14.01 or any  Liquidating  Event described
in Section  12.01 or any event  which with notice or lapse of time or both would
constitute a Notice Event or Liquidating  Event (other than the events described
in Sections  12.01(a) and 14.01(a)) and the action which the General Partner has
taken or proposes to take with respect thereto, promptly, but no later than five
(5) Business Days,  after any Responsible  Officer has actual  knowledge of such
occurrence.

         (d) The General  Partner  shall take all actions which may be necessary
or appropriate (i) for the continuation of the Partnership's  valid existence as
a limited partnership and its qualification to do business under the laws of the
State of Delaware  and of each other  jurisdiction  in which such  existence  or
qualification  is  necessary  to protect  the limited  liability  of the Limited
<PAGE>

Partners or to enable the  Partnership  to conduct  the  business in which it is
engaged or to  perform  its  obligations  under any  agreement  to which it is a
party, and (ii) for the accomplishment of the Partnership's purposes,  including
the  acquisition,  management,  maintenance,   preservation,  and  operation  of
Permitted  Assets  in  accordance  with the  provisions  of this  Agreement  and
applicable  laws and  regulations.  Without  limitation  of the  foregoing,  the
General Partner shall cause the Partnership and each  Partnership  Subsidiary to
maintain all licenses, permits, registrations,  authorizations,  use agreements,
consents, orders or approvals of governmental or quasi-governmental agencies and
authorities (whether Federal,  state, local,  municipal or foreign) necessary to
own their respective  properties and to conduct their  respective  activities in
accordance with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders, except where
any failure to do so would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

         (e) The General  Partner shall devote to the  Partnership  such time as
may be necessary for the proper performance of all duties under this Agreement.

         (f) Except as otherwise  provided in Section  1.09 hereof,  the General
Partner  shall  be  under  a  fiduciary  duty  to  conduct  the  affairs  of the
Partnership  in the  best  interests  of  the  Partnership,  including,  without
limitation,  the safekeeping and use of all of the Partnership  Property and the
use thereof for the exclusive  benefit of the  Partnership  and will not conduct
the affairs of the  Partnership so as to benefit any other business now owned or
hereafter  acquired by any Partner if such conduct also  produces a detriment to
the Partnership.

         (g) All  distributions  or  payments  to the  Partners  pursuant to any
provision  of this  Agreement  shall be made no later than 11:00  a.m.,  Eastern
Standard Time, on the day of  distribution  or payment,  and, at the time of any
such distribution or payment,  the General Partner shall provide to the Partners
a notice  identifying the nature of the distribution or payment,  the Section or
Sections  of this  Agreement  pursuant  to which it is being made and the amount
being distributed or paid pursuant to each such Section.

         (h) On the first  Business  Day after the  Closing  Date,  the  General
Partner shall cause the  Partnership to contribute  $330,712,330  to Partnership
Subsidiary I and shall cause  Partnership  Subsidiary I to loan  $320,712,330 to
D&B or an Affiliate of D&B pursuant to a D&B Loan or a D&B  Guaranteed  Loan, as
the case may be, and invest $10,000,000 in Permitted Securities.

         (i) As soon as practicable  after the Closing Date, the General Partner
shall cause the  Partnership  to contribute  all of the Computer  Equipment to a
newly  formed  Delaware  corporation  in  exchange  for 100% of its  issued  and
outstanding stock.

         (j) As soon as practicable  after the end of each Fiscal  Quarter,  the
General  Partner  shall  cause the  Partnership  to  contribute  to  Partnership
Subsidiary I cash in an amount equal to Cash Available for Distribution for such
Fiscal Quarter  reduced by  distributions  made by the  Partnership  during such
Fiscal Quarter.

         SECTION   V.5.    Indemnification   of   the   Partners.SECTION    V.5.
Indemnification   of   the   Partners.SECTION   V.5.   Indemnification   of  the
Partners.SECTION  V.5.  Indemnification  of the Partners.  (a) Unless  otherwise
provided in Section 5.05(e) and subject to Section 5.05(f), the Partnership, its
receiver or its trustee (in the case of its  receiver or trustee,  to the extent
of Partnership Property) shall indemnify, save harmless, and pay all Expenses of
any Partner,  any  Partner's  partner,  any  partners,  stockholders,  officers,
directors,  employees or agents of any of them relating to any Expenses incurred
by reason of any act  performed or omitted to be  performed  by any Partner,  or
officer,  director,  employee  or agent of any  Partner in  connection  with the
business of the Partnership.

         (b) Unless otherwise provided in Section 5.05(e) and subject to Section
5.05(f),  in the event of any action by any Limited  Partner against the General
Partner or officer or director of the General  Partner,  including a Partnership
derivative suit, the Partnership,  its receiver or its trustee (in the case of a
receiver or trustee,  to the extent of Partnership  Property)  shall  indemnify,
save harmless, and pay all Expenses of the General Partner,  officer or director
incurred  in the defense of such  action;  provided  that the  General  Partner,
officer or director  obtains a favorable  final  nonappealable  judgment in such
action.

         (c) All  indemnities  provided  for in this  Agreement  shall  survive
the  transfer  of a Partner's Interest.

         (d) The  Partnership  and the General  Partner,  jointly and severally,
covenant and agree,  unconditionally,  absolutely and irrevocably,  to indemnify
and hold  harmless  each Class A Limited  Partner  from and  against any and all
Expenses  arising  out of or in  connection  with or by reason  of any  Person's
assertion that the  liabilities,  debts or other  obligations of the Partnership
are  liabilities,  debts or other  obligations of such Class A Limited  Partner;
provided,  however, that no such indemnification shall be required hereunder for
any such  Expenses  resulting  from any  action  taken by such  Class A  Limited
Partner  which  exposes  such Class A Limited  Partner to liability as a general
partner under Delaware law.

         (e) Sections  5.05(a),  5.05(b),  5.05(c) and 5.05(d) shall be enforced
only to the maximum extent  permitted by law and no Partner shall be indemnified
from any  liability  for the fraud,  willful  misconduct,  bad  faith,  or gross
negligence of itself or any of its Affiliates.

         (f)      Indemnification Procedures.

                  (i) In the event any  claim is made by a third  party  against
         the General Partner,  any Limited Partner,  or any affiliate,  officer,
         director, agent, employee,  successor or assign of any of them (each of
         them being referred to as an  "Indemnitee"),  with respect to an actual
         or potential  liability for which any such Person is otherwise entitled
         to be indemnified  under any provisions of Sections  5.05(a),  5.05(b),
         5.05(c) and 5.05(d),  and any such Person wishes to be indemnified with
         respect  thereto,  such Person shall  promptly  notify the  appropriate
         indemnitor(s)  as provided  in each such  section  (the  "Indemnitor");
         provided  that the failure of any such Person to notify any  Indemnitor
         shall not relieve such Indemnitor from any liability which it otherwise
         may have to such Person hereunder.

                  (ii) Each  Indemnitee  may by notice  to the  Indemnitor  take
         control of all aspects of the  investigation  and defense of all claims
         asserted  against  it and may  employ  counsel of its choice and at the
         expense  of  the  Indemnitor;  provided  that  (A)  the  amount  of any
         settlement  such  Indemnitee may enter into must be consented to by the
         Indemnitor  and  no  Indemnitee   may  in  connection   with  any  such
         investigation,  defense  or  settlement,  without  the  consent  of the
         Indemnitor,  require the Indemnitor or any of its  subsidiaries to take
         or  refrain  from  taking  any  action  (other  than  payment of such a
         settlement  amount) or to make any public statement,  which such Person
         reasonably considers to materially  adversely affect its interest,  and
         (B) such Indemnitee may not take control of any investigation,  defense
         or  settlement  which could entail a risk of criminal  liability to the
         Indemnitor  or  any  of  its  subsidiaries.  Upon  the  request  of the
         Indemnitor,  each  Indemnitee  shall use its best  efforts  to keep the
         Indemnitor  reasonably  apprised of the status of those aspects of such
         investigation  and  defense  controlled  by such  Indemnitee  and shall
         provide such  information  with respect  thereto as the  Indemnitor may
         reasonably request.  The Indemnitor shall cooperate with the Indemnitee
         in all reasonable respects with respect thereto.

                  (iii) Any Indemnitor may, by notice to the  Indemnitees,  take
         control of all aspects of the  investigation  and defense of all claims
         asserted  against  it, and may employ  counsel of its choice and at its
         expense; provided that (A) no Indemnitor may without the consent of any
         Indemnitee  agree to any  settlement  that requires such  Indemnitee to
         make any payment that is not indemnified hereunder, or does not grant a
         general  release to such  Indemnitee,  and in any event such Indemnitor
         may  not  in  connection  with  any  such  investigation,   defense  or
         settlement, without the consent of any Indemnitee, take or refrain from
         taking any action  which would  reasonably  be  expected to  materially
         impair  the  indemnification  of such  Indemnitee  hereunder  or  would
         require such Indemnitee to take or refrain from taking any action or to
         make any public statement,  which such Person  reasonably  considers to
         materially  adversely affect its interests,  (B) no Indemnitor may take
         control  of any  investigation,  defense  or  settlement,  without  the
         consent  of  any  Indemnitee,  if  the  liabilities  involved  in  such
         proceedings  involve any material risk of the sale,  forfeiture or loss
         of, or the creation of any Lien on, any property of such Indemnitee and
         (C) no  Indemnitor  may take control of any  investigation,  defense or
         settlement  which  could  entail a risk of  criminal  liability  to any
         Indemnitee.  Upon the request of any Indemnitee,  the Indemnitor  shall
         use its best efforts to keep such Indemnitee reasonably apprised of the
         status of those aspects of such investigation and defense controlled by
         such Indemnitor and shall provide such information with respect thereto
         as such  Indemnitee  may  reasonably  request.  The  Indemnitees  shall
         cooperate with the  Indemnitor in all reasonable  respects with respect
         thereto.

         SECTION V.6.  Compensation and Expenses.SECTION  V.6.  Compensation and
Expenses.SECTION  V.6.  Compensation and Expenses.SECTION  V.6. Compensation and
Expenses.  (a) Compensation and  Reimbursement.  Except as otherwise provided in
Sections  1.09(c) and this Section  5.06, no Partner or Affiliate of any Partner
shall receive any salary,  fee, or draw for services rendered to or on behalf of
the Partnership or otherwise in its capacity as a Partner, nor shall any Partner
or Affiliate  of any Partner be  reimbursed  for any  expenses  incurred by such
Partner or Affiliate on behalf of the  Partnership  or otherwise in its capacity
as a Partner.

         (b)  Management  Fee.  For  services  rendered  to or on  behalf of the
Partnership in satisfaction of its duties and obligations  under this Agreement,
the General Partner shall be paid $500,000 per annum,  quarterly in arrears, pro
rata for any partial Fiscal Quarter.

         (c) Expenses.  The  General  Partner may charge the  Partnership,  
and shall be  reimbursed,  for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in
connection with the Partnership's business.


                                   ARTICLE VI
                            ROLE OF LIMITED PARTNERS

         SECTION VI.1. Rights or  Powers.SECTION  VI.1. Rights or Powers.SECTION
VI.1.  Rights or  Powers.SECTION  VI.1.  Rights or Powers.  The Limited Partners
shall not have any right or power to take part in the  management  or control of
the  Partnership  or its  business  and  affairs  or to  act  for  or  bind  the
Partnership  in any way.  Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  the Limited  Partners
shall have all the rights and powers specifically set forth in this Agreement. A
Limited  Partner,  any  Affiliate  thereof or an employee,  stockholder,  agent,
director or officer of a Limited Partner or any Affiliate  thereof,  may also be
an employee or agent of the Partnership or a stockholder, director or officer of
the General  Partner.  The existence of these  relationships  and acting in such
capacities will not result in a Limited Partner being deemed to be participating
in the  control of the  business  of the  Partnership  or  otherwise  affect the
limited liability of any Limited Partner.

         SECTION VI.2. Voting  Rights.SECTION VI.2. Voting  Rights.SECTION VI.2.
Voting  Rights.SECTION  VI.2. Voting Rights. The Limited Partners shall have the
right to vote only on those  matters  specifically  reserved  for its vote (or a
vote of the Partners)  which are set forth in this  Agreement and as required by
the Act.

         SECTION  VI.3.  Procedure  for  Consent.SECTION   VI.3.  Procedure  for
Consent.SECTION VI.3. Procedure for Consent.SECTION VI.3. Procedure for Consent.
In any  circumstances  requiring the approval or consent of any Limited  Partner
specified in this  Agreement,  such approval or consent may, except as expressly
provided to the contrary in this Agreement, be given or withheld in the sole and
absolute discretion of such Limited Partner. If the General Partner receives the
necessary  approval  or consent of the  Limited  Partners  to such  action,  the
General  Partner  shall be  authorized  and  empowered to implement  such action
without further authorization by any Limited Partner.


                                   ARTICLE VII
                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

         SECTION VII.1. In General.SECTION  VII.1. In General.SECTION  VII.1. In
General.SECTION  VII.1. In General. As of the Closing Date, each of the Partners
hereby  makes each of the  representations  and  warranties  applicable  to such
Partner as set forth in Section 7.02,  and such  representations  and warranties
shall survive the execution of this Agreement.

         SECTION   VII.2.    Representations   and   Warranties.SECTION   VII.2.
Representations    and    Warranties.SECTION    VII.2.    Representations    and
Warranties.SECTION VII.2.  Representations and Warranties.  (a) Due Formation or
Incorporation;  Authorization of Agreement.  Each Partner hereby  represents and
warrants that such Partner is a corporation  or a  partnership,  as the case may
be, duly organized,  validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation as a partnership, as the case may
be, and has the partnership or corporate power and authority to own its property
and carry on its business as owned and carried on at the Closing Date.  Each D&B
Partner  hereby  represents  and warrants  that such Partner is duly licensed or
qualified to do business and is in good standing in each of the jurisdictions in
which the failure to be so licensed or qualified  would have a Material  Adverse
Effect.  Each Class A Limited  Partner hereby  represents and warrants that such
Partner is duly  licensed or qualified  to do business  and in good  standing in
each of the  jurisdictions  in which it would be  required  to be so licensed or
qualified  without regard to its being a Limited  Partner in the Partnership and
in which the failure to so qualify would have a Material  Adverse  Effect.  Each
Partner  hereby  represents  and warrants that such Partner has the corporate or
partnership  power and  authority to execute and deliver this  Agreement  and to
perform its obligations  hereunder.  Each Partner hereby represents and warrants
that the execution,  delivery and  performance by such Partner of this Agreement
has been duly authorized by all necessary  corporate or partnership action. Each
Partner  hereby  represents  and warrants that this  Agreement  constitutes  the
legal, valid and binding  obligation of such Partner and is enforceable  against
such Partner in accordance with its terms.

         (b) No Conflict  with  Restrictions;  No Default.  Each Partner  hereby
represents  and warrants that neither the execution and delivery by such Partner
of this Agreement nor such Partner's  performance  and compliance with the terms
and provisions  hereof (i) will conflict with,  violate or result in a breach of
any of the terms, covenants, conditions or provisions of any law or governmental
regulation  in effect on the date  hereof  applicable  to, or any  order,  writ,
injunction,   decree,   determination  or  award  of  any  court,   governmental
department, board, agency or instrumentality, domestic or foreign, or arbitrator
directed to or binding on such Partner which conflict, violation or breach would
have a Material Adverse Effect,  (ii) will conflict with,  violate,  result in a
breach of or  constitute a default  under any  agreement or  instrument to which
such  Partner is a party or by which such Partner is or may be bound or to which
any of its properties or assets is subject which conflict,  violation, breach or
default would have a Material Adverse Effect,  or any of the terms or provisions
of the organizational  documents or by-laws of such Partner, (iii) will conflict
with,  violate,  result in a breach of, constitute a default under (whether with
notice or lapse of time or both),  accelerate or permit the  acceleration of the
performance required by, or require any consent, authorization or approval under
any of the terms or  provisions  of any  material  indenture,  mortgage,  lease,
agreement  or  instrument  to which  such  Partner  is a party or by which  such
Partner or such  Partner's  property or assets is or may be bound,  or (iv) will
result  in the  creation  or  imposition  of any  material  lien upon any of the
properties or assets of such Partner.

         (c)  Governmental  Authorizations.  Each Partner hereby  represents and
warrants that no material registration,  declaration or filing with, or consent,
approval,  license,  permit or other authorization or order by, any governmental
or regulatory authority, domestic or foreign, is required in connection with the
valid execution, delivery and performance by such Partner of this Agreement.

         (d)      Litigation.

                  (i) Each D&B Partner  hereby  represents and warrants that (A)
         there are no actions, suits,  proceedings or investigations pending or,
         to the knowledge of such Partner,  threatened against or affecting such
         Partner  or  any  of  its  respective  properties,  assets,  rights  or
         businesses,  in any court or before or by any governmental  department,
         board,  agency  or   instrumentality,   domestic  or  foreign,  or  any
         arbitrator which would (or, in the case of an investigation, could lead
         to any action, suit or proceeding,  which would) reasonably be expected
         to impair such Partner's  ability to perform its obligations under this
         Agreement or to have a Material  Adverse  Effect or bring into question
         the validity of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby;
         and (B) such D&B  Partner  has not  received  any  currently  effective
         notice of any default,  and such  Partner is not in default,  under any
         applicable order, writ, injunction,  decree,  permit,  determination or
         award of any  court,  any  governmental  department,  board,  agency or
         instrumentality,  domestic or foreign,  or any  arbitrator  which would
         reasonably be expected to impair its ability to perform its obligations
         under this Agreement or to have a Material Adverse Effect.

                  (ii)  Each  Class A  Limited  Partner  hereby  represents  and
         warrants that there is no action,  suit,  proceeding  or  investigation
         pending or, to the  knowledge of such  Partner,  threatened  against or
         affecting  such Partner  which seeks to question,  delay or prevent the
         consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

         (e) Investment  Company Act;  Public Utility  Holding Company Act. Each
Partner  hereby  represents and warrants that (i) neither such Partner nor, as a
result  of the  Partner's  ownership  of its  Interest,  is the  Partnership  an
"investment  company," within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended and (ii) such Partner is not a "holding  company," an "affiliate of a
holding  company,"  or a  "subsidiary  of a holding  company"  as defined in, or
subject to regulation  under, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as
amended.

         (f) Subsidiary.  Each of Investing,  DBI and Holding hereby  represents
and warrants that 100% of the capital  stock of such Partner is owned,  directly
or indirectly, by D&B.

         (g) Investigation;  Intent. Each Partner hereby represents and warrants
that (i) such Partner is acquiring its  Partnership  Interest based upon its own
investigation,  and  the  exercise  by  such  Partner  of  its  rights  and  the
performance of its  obligations  under this Agreement will be based upon its own
investigation,  analysis and expertise,  (ii) its acquisition of its Partnership
Interest is being made for its own account for  investment,  and not with a view
to the sale or distribution  thereof, and (iii) it intends to form a partnership
for the purpose of making an economic profit from the  transactions  proposed to
be entered into by the Partnership.

         (h)  Capitalization of Class A Limited  Partners.  Each Class A Limited
Partner  hereby  represents  and warrants that at all times that it is a Partner
such Class A Limited Partner shall satisfy each of the following requirements:

                  (i)      It shall not be an Affiliate of D&B;

                  (ii) It shall be capitalized with not less than three percent
                  (3%) equity and:

                           (A)      Such  equity  shall be  subordinate  to all
                  outstanding  debt of such  Class A Limited Partner;

                           (B)      Such equity shall not be funded with  
                  non-recourse  debt that is collateralized by a pledge of such 
                  equity;

                           (C) If funded with recourse  debt,  the owner of such
                  equity  shall have other  assets whose value is at least equal
                  to the value of such equity;

                           (D)      Such equity shall not be backed by a letter 
                  of credit; and

                           (E) Such equity  shall not be the subject of residual
                  insurance or a residual guaranty,  in either case that ensures
                  recovery of such equity; and

                  (iii)   Such   Class  A   Limited   Partner   shall  not  make
         distributions  in excess of its earnings  determined in accordance with
         GAAP or pay fees in  respect  of the  structuring  of the  transactions
         contemplated by this Agreement or pay costs incurred in connection with
         such transactions, in each case to the owners of its equity.

         (i) Transaction  Fees. Each D&B Partner hereby  represents and warrants
that neither it nor any of its Affiliates shall pay any fees or other amounts to
any Class A Limited Partner in respect of the transactions  contemplated by this
Agreement  other than a fee to be paid by D&B to  Utrecht on the first  Business
Day after the  Closing  Date and any  amounts to be paid or  distributed  to the
Class A Limited Partners pursuant to this Agreement.


                                  ARTICLE VIII
                          ACCOUNTING; BOOKS AND RECORDS


         SECTION  VIII.1.   Accounting;   Books  and   Records.SECTION   VIII.1.
Accounting;   Books   and   Records.SECTION   VIII.1.   Accounting;   Books  and
Records.SECTION VIII.1. Accounting;  Books and Records. (a) Maintenance of Books
and Records.  The Partnership  shall maintain at its principal place of business
or, upon  notice to the  Partners,  at such other  place as the General  Partner
shall  determine,  separate  books of account  for the  Partnership  which shall
include a record of all costs and  expenses  incurred,  all  charges  made,  all
credits made and received, and all income derived in connection with the conduct
of the  Partnership  and the operation of its business in  accordance  with this
Agreement.

         (b)      Accounting Methods.

                  (i) The Partnership shall use the accrual method of accounting
         in  preparation  of its annual  reports and for tax  purposes and shall
         keep its books and records accordingly.

                  (ii) All  amounts  payable  under any  agreement  between  the
         Partnership on the one hand and the Partners or their Affiliates on the
         other hand shall be treated as occurring  between the Partnership and a
         Person who is not a Partner within the meaning of Section  707(a)(1) of
         the Code and such amounts  payable by the Partnership to any Partner or
         its  Affiliates  shall be considered an expense or capital cost, as the
         case may be, of the Partnership for income tax and financial  reporting
         purposes,  and shall not be considered a  distribution  to such Partner
         including,  without  limitation,  in maintaining such Partner's Capital
         Account,  and any such amounts payable by any Partner or its Affiliates
         to the  Partnership  shall  not be  considered  a  contribution  to the
         Partnership,   including,   without  limitation,  in  maintaining  such
         Partner's Capital Account.

         (c) Access to Books, Records, etc. Subject to Section 8.04, any Partner
or any agents or representatives  of such Partner,  at the Partner's own expense
and upon  reasonable  notice and with  reasonable  frequency,  may  examine  any
information it may reasonably  request and make copies of and abstracts from the
financial and  operating  records and books of account of the  Partnership,  and
discuss the affairs,  finances and accounts of the Partnership  with the General
Partner  and its  Responsible  Officers,  directors,  officers  and  independent
accountants of the  Partnership,  all at such  reasonable  times and as often as
such Partner or any agents or  representatives  of such  Partner may  reasonably
request.  The rights  granted to a Partner  pursuant  to this  Section  8.01 are
expressly  subject  to  compliance  by such  Partner  with  the  confidentiality
procedures and guidelines of the Partnership,  as such procedures and guidelines
may be established from time to time.

         SECTION  VIII.2.   Reports.SECTION   VIII.2.   Reports.SECTION  VIII.2.
Reports.SECTION  VIII.2.  Reports.  (a) In General. The General Partner shall be
responsible for the preparation of financial  reports of the Partnership and the
coordination  of financial  matters of the  Partnership  with the  Partnership's
accountants.  Each report delivered by the Partnership to the Partners  pursuant
to this Article VIII shall be accompanied by a  representation  of a Responsible
Officer of the General Partner familiar with the affairs of the Partnership that
(x) such report has been prepared and fairly stated in all material  respects in
accordance  with GAAP, or to the extent  inconsistent  therewith,  in accordance
with this  Agreement,  and (y) no  Liquidating  Event or Notice Event,  or event
which with notice or lapse of time or both would constitute a Liquidating  Event
or Notice Event (other than the Liquidating  Event described in Section 12.01(a)
or  the  Notice  Event  described  in  Section  14.01(a))  has  occurred  and is
continuing or if any such event has occurred and is continuing,  the action that
the General Partner has taken or proposes to take with respect thereto.

         (b) Annual Reports.  Within 120 days after the end of each Fiscal Year,
the General  Partner shall cause to be prepared and each Partner to be furnished
with the following:
                  (i) A balance sheet as of the last day of such Fiscal Year and
         an income statement and statement of cash flows for the Partnership for
         such Fiscal Year and notes associated with each; and

                  (ii) A statement of the Partners' Capital Accounts and changes
 therein for such Fiscal Year.

         (c) Quarterly  Reports.  Within sixty (60) days after the close of each
Fiscal  Quarter  beginning  with the Fiscal  Quarter  ending June 30, 1997,  the
General  Partner  shall cause to be prepared and each Partner shall be furnished
with a balance  sheet as of the last day of such  Fiscal  Quarter  and an income
statement  and a  statement  of cash flows for the  Partnership  for such Fiscal
Quarter and the notes associated with each.

         (d)  Retirement/Liquidation  Date  Reports.  On the date on  which  any
distribution  is made  pursuant to Section  10.08(b) in retirement of all or any
portion of any Class A Limited Partner's Interest and on the date on which final
distributions  are made to the Partners  pursuant to Section 12.02,  the General
Partner shall cause to be prepared and each Partner  furnished  with each of the
following statements:

                  (i) A  balance  sheet  as of the  date  of  such  distribution
         setting  forth  the  aggregate  Mark-to-Market  Values  for each of the
         following as individual  line items:  the Software and  Databases,  all
         Loans held by the  Partnership  and each  Partnership  Subsidiary,  all
         Permitted  Securities  held by the  Partnership  and  each  Partnership
         Subsidiary and all Cash Equivalents (a "Mark-to-Market Balance Sheet");
         and

                  (ii) A statement of the Partners' Capital Accounts as adjusted
         immediately  prior to such distribution (x) in the case of distribution
         pursuant  to Section  10.08(b),  pursuant  to Section  3.07 and Section
         10.08(b),  and (y) in the case of a  distribution  pursuant  to Section
         12.02, pursuant to Section 3.07 and Section 12.02.

         (e) Purchase  Option  Reports.  The General  Partner  shall cause to be
prepared and all Partners  furnished  with a statement of the Partners'  Capital
Accounts and a  Mark-to-Market  Balance Sheet (x) in the case of the exercise of
the Purchase  Option after  delivery of a Liquidation  Notice as a result of the
occurrence  of the Notice  Event  described in Section  14.01(a),  on the fourth
anniversary of the Closing Date, and setting forth the Mark-to-Market  Values of
the Permitted Assets as of such fourth anniversary,  and (y) in all other cases,
not later than the  sixtieth  (60th) day after the  Election  Date,  and setting
forth  the  Mark-to-Market  Values  of the  Permitted  Assets  as of the date of
delivery  of such  Mark-to-Market  Balance  Sheet (the date of  delivery  of the
Mark-to-Market  Balance  Sheet  pursuant  to clause  (x) or (y),  the  "Purchase
Date").

         For purposes of this Section  8.02(e),  the Partners'  Capital Accounts
shall be  determined  in  accordance  with Section 3.07 as of the Purchase  Date
taking  into  account  (x) the  adjustments  to the  Gross  Asset  Values of the
Partnership's  Property that would result from a  determination  of the value of
the  Partnership's  Property in accordance  with Section  10.08(b)(i)  as of the
Purchase  Date, and (y) the  allocation to the Partners'  Capital  Accounts that
would result from an allocation  pursuant to Article III of the Profits,  Losses
and other items of Partnership  income,  gain,  loss or deduction for the period
beginning on the first day of the Allocation Year during which the Purchase Date
occurs and ending on the Purchase Date.

         SECTION VIII.3. Tax Matters.

         (a) (i) The General Partner is authorized to make any and all elections
for federal,  state, and local tax purposes including,  without limitation,  any
election, if permitted by applicable law: (i) to adjust the basis of Partnership
Property  pursuant  to Code  Sections  754,  734(b) and  743(b),  or  comparable
provisions of state or local law, in connection  with  Transfers of  Partnership
Interests  and  Partnership  distributions;   (ii)  to  extend  the  statute  of
limitations for assessment of tax deficiencies against the Partners with respect
to adjustments to the Partnership's  federal,  state, or local tax returns;  and
(iii) to the extent  provided in Code  Sections  6221 through 6231, to represent
the  Partnership  and the  Partners  before  taxing  authorities  or  courts  of
competent  jurisdiction in tax matters affecting the Partnership or the Partners
in their  capacities  as  Partners,  and to file any tax returns and execute any
agreements  or other  documents  relating  to or  affecting  such  tax  matters,
including  agreements or other  documents that bind the Partners with respect to
such tax  matters or  otherwise  affect the  rights of the  Partnership  and the
Partners.  The General  Partner is  specifically  authorized  to act as the "Tax
Matters Partner" under the Code and in any similar capacity under state or local
law.

                  (ii) The  General  Partner  shall give  prompt  notice to each
         Partner  upon the  receipt  of (A)  written  notice  that the  Internal
         Revenue  Service  or any state or local  taxing  authority  intends  to
         examine the Partnership's  income tax returns for any year; (B) written
         notice  of  commencement  of  an   administrative   proceeding  at  the
         Partnership  level related to the Partnership under Section 6223 of the
         Code;  (C)  written  notice  or any  final  partnership  administrative
         adjustment  relating to the Partnership  pursuant to a proceeding under
         Section 6223 of the Code;  (D) any request  from the  Internal  Revenue
         Service  or any  comparable  state or local  agency  for  waiver of any
         applicable  statute of limitation with respect to the filing of any tax
         return by the Partnership; and (E) any Form 5701 or comparable state or
         local audit adjustment notices as soon as received, with copies of such
         notices  provided to each  Partner.  In addition,  each Partner will be
         notified of and  allowed to attend any opening and closing  conferences
         regarding  any  administrative  proceeding  at  the  Partnership  level
         relating to the  Partnership  under  Section 6223 of the Code,  and the
         General   Partner   will   provide   copies  to  each  Partner  of  any
         correspondence with the Internal Revenue Service or comparable state or
         local agency  regarding  legal  positions  taken on audit issues by the
         General  Partner.  Within ninety (90) days after receipt of notice of a
         final partnership  administrative adjustment, the General Partner shall
         notify each Partner if it does not intend to file for  judicial  review
         with respect to such adjustment.

         (b)  Necessary  tax  information  shall be delivered to each Partner as
soon as practicable after the end of each Fiscal Year of the Partnership but not
later than  ninety  (90) days after the end of each  Fiscal  Year.  The  General
Partner shall file tax returns for the  Partnership  prepared in accordance with
the Code and the  Regulations.  Each  Partner  agrees  that it will  report  all
Partnership  taxable income,  gain,  loss,  deduction and credit for each Fiscal
Year in the manner reflected on the  Partnership's  U.S.  Partnership  Return of
Income (Form 1065) and related  Schedule K-1  furnished to such Partner for such
year.

         SECTION VIII.4.  Proprietary  Information.SECTION  VIII.4.  Proprietary
Information.SECTION VIII.4. Proprietary  Information.SECTION VIII.4. Proprietary
Information. The Limited Partners shall not have access to (i) information which
the General Partner reasonably  believes to be in the nature of trade secrets or
proprietary  information,  (ii)  information the disclosure of which the General
Partner in good faith believes is not in the best interest of the Partnership or
could damage the Partnership or its business,  (iii) any information  subject to
the attorney-client  privilege and (iv) any information which is required by law
or contract to be kept  confidential;  provided,  however,  nothing set forth in
this Section 8.04 shall  prevent any appraiser  doing an appraisal  performed in
accordance  with this Agreement  from having access to  proprietary  information
described in this Section 8.04 to the extent  necessary to properly perform such
appraisal and the General  Partner shall  provide such  information  to any such
appraiser;  provided,  further,  that  such  appraiser  signs a  confidentiality
agreement reasonably acceptable to the General Partner.


                                   ARTICLE IX
                              AMENDMENTS; MEETINGS


         SECTION  IX.1.   Amendments.SECTION   IX.1.   Amendments.SECTION  IX.1.
Amendments.SECTION  IX.1.  Amendments.  Amendments  to  this  Agreement  may  be
proposed  by the  General  Partner or by any  Limited  Partner.  Following  such
proposal,  the General Partner shall submit to the Partners a verbatim statement
of any proposed  amendment if counsel for the Partnership shall have approved of
the same in writing as to form,  and the General  Partner  shall  include in any
such  submission  a  recommendation  as to the proposed  amendment.  The General
Partner shall seek the written vote of the Partners on the proposed amendment or
shall call a meeting to vote thereon and to transact any other  business that it
may deem appropriate.  A proposed amendment shall be adopted and be effective as
an amendment to this Agreement only if it receives the  affirmative  vote of the
General Partner and a majority of the Class B Limited  Partners,  provided that,
if any amendment would  adversely  affect any Class A Limited  Partner,  it must
also receive the affirmative vote of such Class A Limited Partner.

         SECTION IX.2.  Meetings of the  Partners.SECTION  IX.2. Meetings of the
Partners.SECTION  IX.2. Meetings of the  Partners.SECTION  IX.2. Meetings of the
Partners.  (a) Meetings of the Partners may be called by the General Partner and
shall be called upon the written  request of any other  Partner.  The call shall
state the nature of the  business to be  transacted.  Notice of any such meeting
shall be given to all Partners  not less than seven (7)  Business  Days nor more
than thirty (30) days prior to the date of such  meeting.  Partners  may vote in
person,  by proxy or by telephone at such meeting.  Whenever the vote or consent
of Partners is permitted or required under the  Agreement,  such vote or consent
may be given at a meeting of  Partners  or may be given in  accordance  with the
procedure prescribed in Section 9.03.

         (b) For the purpose of determining the Partners entitled to vote on, or
to vote at, any meeting of the Partners or any adjournment  thereof, the General
Partner or the Partner  requesting  such meeting may fix, in advance,  a date as
the  record  date for any such  determination.  Such date shall not be more than
thirty (30) days nor less than ten (10) days before any such meeting.

         (c) Each Partner may  authorize  any Person or Persons to act for it by
proxy on all matters in which the Partner is entitled to participate,  including
waiving notice of any meeting,  or voting or participating  at a meeting.  Every
proxy must be signed by the Partner or its  attorney-in-fact.  No proxy shall be
valid after the  expiration  of eleven (11) months from the date thereof  unless
otherwise  provided in the proxy. Every proxy shall be revocable at the pleasure
of the Partner executing it.

         (d) Each meeting of Partners shall be conducted by the General  Partner
or such other Person as the General  Partner may appoint  pursuant to such rules
for the conduct of the meeting as the General Partner or such other Person deems
appropriate.

         SECTION IX.3. Unanimous Consent.SECTION IX.3. Unanimous Consent.SECTION
IX.3.  Unanimous  Consent.SECTION  IX.3.  Unanimous  Consent.  In the  event the
consent  of  the  Partners  is  required  for  any  action  to be  taken  by the
Partnership,  such consent may be given at a meeting,  which may be conducted by
conference telephone call, or provided in writing executed by all the Partners.


                                    ARTICLE X
                             TRANSFERS OF INTERESTS

         SECTION X.1.  Restriction  on  Transfers.SECTION  X.1.  Restriction  on
Transfers.SECTION  X.1.  Restriction on  Transfers.SECTION  X.1.  Restriction on
Transfers.  Except as otherwise  permitted by this  Agreement,  no Partner shall
Transfer all or any portion of its Interest.  Each Partner  hereby  acknowledges
the  reasonableness of the restrictions on Transfer imposed by this Agreement in
view  of  the  Partnership  purposes  and  the  relationship  of  the  Partners.
Accordingly, the restrictions on Transfer contained herein shall be specifically
enforceable.

         SECTION    X.2.    Permitted     Transfers.SECTION    X.2.    Permitted
Transfers.SECTION  X.2. Permitted  Transfers.SECTION  X.2. Permitted  Transfers.
Subject to the conditions and restrictions set forth in Section 10.03, a Partner
may at any time  Transfer  all or any  portion of its  Interest to (i) any other
Partner,  (ii) any Wholly Owned Affiliate of a Partner including the transferor,
(iii) any Person approved by all the Partners,  or (iv) in the case of any Class
A Limited  Partner,  (A) any Person pursuant to Section 14.03, or (B) any Person
to whom such Class A Limited Partner's  Interest is Transferred as a result of a
foreclosure  under that certain Credit Agreement dated as of April 1, 1997 among
Leiden,  as Borrower,  Utrecht,  as Initial Lender and  Coopereratieve  Centrale
Raiffeisen-Boerenleenbank B.A., "Rabobank Nederland", New York Branch, as Agent.

         Any Transfer  permitted  by this Section  10.02 shall be referred to in
this  Agreement as a "Permitted  Transfer," and the Person to which the Interest
is transferred shall be a "Permitted Transferee."

     SECTION X.3. Conditions to Permitted  Transfers.SECTION  X.3. Conditions to
Permitted  Transfers.SECTION X.3. Conditions to Permitted Transfers.SECTION X.3.
Conditions  to  Permitted  Transfers.  A  Transfer  shall  not be  treated  as a
Permitted Transfer under Section 10.02 unless and until the following conditions
are satisfied:
         (a) The  transferor  and  transferee  shall  execute and deliver to the
Partnership (i) such documents and instruments of conveyance as may be necessary
or  appropriate  in the  opinion of counsel to the  Partnership  to effect  such
Transfer  and to confirm  the  agreement  of the  transferee  to be bound by the
provisions  of this  Article X, and (ii)  except in the case of a Transfer  to a
Wholly  Owned  Affiliate  of a D&B  Partner,  in the case of the  transferee,  a
confidentiality  agreement  substantially  in the  form  of the  confidentiality
agreement attached hereto as Exhibit C (the "Form  Confidentiality  Agreement").
In addition,  unless the  requirements  of this sentence have been waived by the
General Partner,  the Partnership  shall be reimbursed by the transferor  and/or
transferee  for all costs and expenses that it  reasonably  incurs in connection
with such Transfer.

         (b) The  Transfer  will not  cause the  Partnership  to  terminate  for
federal income tax purposes, and the transferor shall provide the Partnership an
opinion of counsel to such effect.  Such counsel and opinion shall be reasonably
satisfactory  to the  General  Partner,  and the  General  Partner and the other
Partners shall provide to such counsel any information  available to the General
Partner or to such other  Partners,  as the case may be,  and  relevant  to such
opinion.

         (c) The transferor and transferee  shall furnish the  Partnership  with
the  transferee's  taxpayer  identification  number,  sufficient  information to
determine the transferee's initial tax basis in the Interests  Transferred,  and
any other information reasonably necessary to permit the Partnership to file all
required  federal and state tax returns and other legally  required  information
statements or returns.  Without  limiting the generality of the  foregoing,  the
Partnership  shall not be required to make any distribution  otherwise  provided
for in this Agreement  with respect to any  Transferred  Interests  until it has
received such information.

         (d) Such  Transfer  will be  exempt  from all  applicable  registration
requirements and will not violate any applicable laws regulating the Transfer of
securities,  and,  except in the case of a  Transfer  of  Interests  to  another
Partner or to a Wholly Owned Affiliate of any Partner, including the transferor,
the transferor shall provide an opinion of counsel to such effect.  Such counsel
and opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to the General Partner.

         (e) Such Transfer will not cause the  Partnership to be deemed to be an
"investment  company" under the  Investment  Company Act of 1940, as amended and
the transferor shall provide an opinion of counsel to such effect.  Such counsel
and opinion shall be reasonably  satisfactory  to the General  Partner,  and the
General  Partner  and the other  Partners  shall  provide  to such  counsel  any
information  available to the General Partner or to such other Partners,  as the
case may be, and relevant to such opinion.

         (f) Except in the case of a Transfer to a Wholly  Owned  Affiliate of a
D&B Partner,  each Class A Limited  Partner and the  transferee  of such Class A
Limited  Partner  shall  execute  certificates   substantially  similar  to  the
certificates  (the  "Form  Transferor  Certificate"  and  the  "Form  Transferee
Certificate") attached hereto as Exhibit D-1 and Exhibit D-2, respectively.

         SECTION   X.4.    Prohibited    Transfers.SECTION    X.4.    Prohibited
Transfers.SECTION  X.4. Prohibited  Transfers.SECTION X.4. Prohibited Transfers.
Any purported  Transfer of Interests  that is not a Permitted  Transfer shall be
null and void and of no effect  whatever;  provided that, if the  Partnership is
required to  recognize a Transfer  that is not a Permitted  Transfer  (or if the
General Partner, in its sole discretion,  elects to recognize a Transfer that is
not a Permitted Transfer), the Interest Transferred shall be strictly limited to
the  transferor's  rights to allocations and  distributions  as provided by this
Agreement  with respect to the  Transferred  Interests,  which  allocations  and
distributions  may be applied  (without  limiting  any other legal or  equitable
rights of the Partnership) to satisfy any debts, obligations, or liabilities for
damages that the  transferor  or  transferee  of such  Interests may have to the
Partnership.

         In the case of a Transfer or attempted  Transfer of  Interests  that is
not a Permitted  Transfer,  the parties engaging or attempting to engage in such
Transfer shall be liable to indemnify and hold harmless the  Partnership and the
other Partners from all cost, liability, and damage that any of such indemnified
Persons may incur (including, without limitation,  incremental tax liability and
lawyers' fees and  expenses) as a result of such Transfer or attempted  Transfer
and efforts to enforce the indemnity granted hereby.

         SECTION X.5.  Rights of  Unadmitted  Assignees.SECTION  X.5.  Rights of
Unadmitted  Assignees.SECTION  X.5. Rights of Unadmitted  Assignees.SECTION X.5.
Rights of  Unadmitted  Assignees.  (a) In General.  A Person who acquires one or
more  Interests  but who is not admitted as a  substituted  Partner  pursuant to
Section  10.06 shall be entitled  only to  allocations  and  distributions  with
respect to such Interests in accordance with this  Agreement,  but shall have no
right to any information or accounting of the affairs of the Partnership,  shall
not be entitled to inspect  the books or records of the  Partnership,  and shall
not have any of the rights of a General  Partner or a Limited  Partner under the
Act or this Agreement.

         (b) General Partner.  A transferee who acquires a Partnership  Interest
from a General  Partner  under this  Agreement  by means of a  Transfer  that is
permitted  under this Article X, but who is not  admitted as a General  Partner,
shall have no  authority  to act for or bind the  Partnership,  to  inspect  the
Partnership's books, or otherwise to be treated as a General Partner.  Following
such a Transfer,  the transferor  shall not cease to be a General Partner of the
Partnership  and shall  continue to be a General  Partner until such time as the
transferee is admitted as a General Partner.

         SECTION X.6. Admission as Substituted  Partners.SECTION  X.6. Admission
as Substituted  Partners.SECTION X.6. Admission as Substituted  Partners.SECTION
X.6. Admission as Substituted Partners.  Subject to the other provisions of this
Article X, a transferee  of Interests  may be admitted to the  Partnership  as a
substituted  Partner only upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth below in
this Section 10.06:

         (a)      The Interests  with respect to which the  transferee is being 
admitted were acquired by means of a Permitted Transfer;

         (b) The  transferee  becomes a party to this Agreement as a Partner and
executes such documents and  instruments  as the General  Partner may reasonably
request (including, without limitation, amendments to the Certificate) as may be
necessary  or  appropriate  to  confirm  such  transferee  as a  Partner  in the
Partnership  and  such  transferee's  agreement  to be bound  by the  terms  and
conditions of this Agreement;

         (c)  The  transferee   pays  or  reimburses  the  Partnership  for  all
reasonable legal,  filing,  and publication costs that the Partnership incurs in
connection with the admission of the transferee as a Partner with respect to the
Transferred Interests;

         (d) If the transferee is a partnership or a corporation, the transferee
provides  the  Partnership  with  evidence   satisfactory  to  counsel  for  the
Partnership  that  such  transferee  has made  each of the  representations  and
undertaken  each of the  warranties  described in Section 7.02 as of the date of
the Transfer; and

         (e) In the event that the transferee of a Partnership Interest from any
Partner  is  admitted  under this  Agreement,  such  transferee  shall be deemed
admitted to the Partnership as a substituted  Partner  immediately  prior to the
Transfer,  and  with  respect  to the  transferee  of a  General  Partner,  such
transferee shall continue the business of the Partnership without dissolution.

         SECTION    X.7.    Distributions    with    Respect   to    Transferred
Interests.SECTION    X.7.    Distributions    with   Respect   to    Transferred
Interests.SECTION    X.7.    Distributions    with   Respect   to    Transferred
Interests.SECTION X.7.  Distributions with Respect to Transferred Interests.  If
any Partnership  Interest is sold,  assigned,  or Transferred in compliance with
the  provisions  of this Article X, all  distributions  on or before the date of
such Transfer shall be made to the transferor,  and all distributions thereafter
shall  be  made  to  the   transferee.   Solely  for  purposes  of  making  such
distributions,  the Partnership shall recognize such Transfer not later than the
end of the calendar  month  during  which it is given  notice of such  Transfer;
provided,  however,  that if the  Partnership  is given  notice of a Transfer at
least fourteen (14) days prior to the Transfer,  the Partnership shall recognize
such Transfer as of the date of such Transfer; and provided further, that if the
Partnership  does not  receive  a notice  stating  the date  such  Interest  was
Transferred  and such other  information  as the General  Partner may reasonably
require  within thirty (30) days after the end of the  accounting  period during
which the Transfer occurs,  all  distributions  shall be made to the Person who,
according  to the books and records of the  Partnership,  on the last day of the
accounting  period  during  which  the  Transfer  occurs,  was the  owner of the
Interest.  Neither  the  Partnership  nor the  General  Partner  shall incur any
liability for making  distributions  in accordance  with the  provisions of this
Section  10.07,  whether  or not the  General  Partner  or the  Partnership  has
knowledge of any Transfer of ownership of any Interest.

         SECTION X.8.  Retirement of Class A Limited Partners'  Interests in the
Partnership;   Determination   of   Mark-to-Market   Values   and  Gross   Asset
Values.SECTION  X.8.  Retirement of Class A Limited  Partners'  Interests in the
Partnership;   Determination   of   Mark-to-Market   Values   and  Gross   Asset
Values.SECTION  X.8.  Retirement of Class A Limited  Partners'  Interests in the
Partnership;   Determination   of   Mark-to-Market   Values   and  Gross   Asset
Values.SECTION  X.8.  Retirement of Class A Limited  Partners'  Interests in the
Partnership; Determination of Mark-to-Market Values and Gross Asset Values.

         (a)      In General.

                  (i) The General  Partner may, at any time,  elect to cause all
         or any  portion  of the  Class A  Limited  Partners'  Interests  in the
         Partnership  to be retired in  accordance  with this  Section  10.08 by
         giving  written  notice of its election to the  Partnership  and to all
         other Partners; provided that:

                           (A) Any single distribution made to a Class A Limited
                  Partner in retirement of its Interest in accordance  with this
                  Section  10.08 shall not be less than the lesser of the amount
                  necessary  to  retire  the  entire  Interest  of such  Class A
                  Limited  Partner or  $10,000,000  plus  integral  multiples of
                  $1,000,000; and

                           (B) No  Liquidating  Event or Notice  Event (or event
                  which, with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute
                  a  Liquidating  Event or Notice  Event,  other than the events
                  described in Section 12.01(a) and Section 14.01(a)) shall have
                  occurred and be continuing, immediately before or after giving
                  effect to such retirement.

                  (ii)     Any notice  given  pursuant  to this  Section 10.08
                  (a)  (a  "Retirement  Notice")  shall include the following:

                           (A) Either a statement  that the entire  Interests of
                  the Class A Limited  Partners are to be retired or a statement
                  of the amount to be  distributed in retirement of each Class A
                  Limited Partner's Interest; and

                           (B) The  Retirement  Date (as defined in and selected
                  in accordance with Section  10.08(b)(iii)) on which retirement
                  distributions shall be made to the Class A Limited Partners.



<PAGE>


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- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         (b) Distributions Upon Retirement. In the event that any portion of the
Class A Limited  Partner's  Interests in the Partnership are retired pursuant to
this  Section  10.08,  (x)  the  value  of the  Partnership's  assets  shall  be
determined in accordance with Section  10.08(b)(i) and the Gross Asset Values of
all Partnership  assets shall be adjusted  pursuant to subparagraph  (ii) of the
definition of Gross Asset Value in Section 1.10 as of the applicable  Retirement
Date, and (y) Profits,  Losses and other items of Partnership income, gain, loss
or deduction for the period  beginning on the first day of the  Allocation  Year
during which the Retirement  Date occurs and ending on the Retirement Date shall
be allocated  pursuant to Article III. On the  applicable  Retirement  Date, the
Partnership  shall distribute to each Class A Limited Partner an amount of cash,
(A) in the event that the entire  Interest of such Class A Limited Partner is to
be  retired,  equal to the  balance  in such Class A Limited  Partner's  Capital
Account  immediately  after giving  effect to the  adjustments  and  allocations
required by the first sentence of this Section  10.08(b) and as reflected on the
statement  of Capital  Accounts  provided  to the  Partners  pursuant to Section
8.02(d)(ii),  or (B) in all  other  cases,  equal to the  amount  stated  in the
applicable Retirement Notice.

                  (i) For purposes of  determining  the amount of any adjustment
         to  the  Gross  Asset  Values  of   Partnership   assets   pursuant  to
         subparagraph  (ii) of the  definition  of Gross  Asset Value in Section
         1.10,  the value of each of the Permitted  Assets will be determined in
         accordance with this Section 10.08(b)(i) (the "Mark-to-Market Value").

                           (A) The  Mark-to-Market  Value of any  Loan  shall be
                  equal to the par value of such  Loan;  provided  that if there
                  has occurred and is continuing  any payment or other  material
                  default  with  respect to any such Loan at the time such value
                  is being  determined,  the  Mark-to-Market  Value of such Loan
                  shall be determined  by an  investment  or commercial  bank of
                  national  recognition selected by the General Partner with the
                  consent of the Class A Limited  Partner  (which  consent shall
                  not be unreasonably withheld).

                           (B) The  Mark-to-Market  Value  of the  Software  and
                  Databases  shall be  determined  by  appraisal  by  Coopers  &
                  Lybrand or, if Coopers & Lybrand is  unavailable  or unwilling
                  to do such appraisal,  the Alternative Appraiser, in each case
                  using substantially the same valuation methodology as was used
                  in  determining  the initial Gross Asset Value of the Software
                  and Databases.

                           (C)  The  Mark-to-Market  Value  of any  Cash or Cash
                  Equivalents   shall  be  valued  at  their   face  value  less
                  unamortized discounts and plus unamortized premium, if any.

                           (D)  The   Mark-to-Market   Value  of  any  Permitted
                  Security shall be equal to its Market Value.

                           (E)   The   Mark-to-Market   Value   of   Partnership
                  Subsidiary I Stock or Partnership Subsidiary II Stock shall be
                  equal to the aggregate  Mark-to-Market Values of all Permitted
                  Assets  held  by  Partnership   Subsidiary  I  or  Partnership
                  Subsidiary II, as the case may be.

                           (F)  The   Mark-to-Market   Value  of  the   Computer
                  Equipment  shall be  determined  by  appraisal  by  Coopers  &
                  Lybrand or, if Coopers & Lybrand is  unavailable  or unwilling
                  to do such appraisal,  the Alternative Appraiser, in each case
                  using substantially the same valuation methodology as was used
                  in  determining  the initial Gross Asset Value of the Computer
                  Equipment.

                  (ii) If all or any  portion  of the Class A Limited  Partners'
         Interests  in  the   Partnership   are  retired  prior  to  the  fourth
         anniversary  of the Closing  Date,  the  Partnership  shall pay to each
         Class A Limited  Partner on the applicable  Retirement  Date cash in an
         amount  equal  to such  Class A  Limited  Partner's  Early  Liquidation
         Premium, if any. Amounts payable under this Section  10.08(b)(ii) shall
         be treated as  guaranteed  payments  within the meaning of Code Section
         707(c),  shall be considered an expense of the  Partnership  for income
         tax  purposes and an expense or capital  item for  financial  reporting
         purposes,   as  the  case  may  be,  and  shall  not  be  considered  a
         distribution  of money to any Class A Limited Partner that would reduce
         its Capital Account.

                  (iii) In the event that the  General  Partner  has  elected to
         retire all or any portion of the Class A Limited Partners' Interests in
         the Partnership  pursuant to Section 10.08(a),  distributions  shall be
         made to each Class A Limited Partner,  and such portion of each Class A
         Limited  Partner's  Interest in the  Partnership  shall be retired,  at
         11:00  a.m.  on the  date  (the  "Retirement  Date")  specified  in the
         Retirement Notice,  which date shall not be less than five (5) Business
         Days or more than  fifteen (15)  Business  Days after the date on which
         the Retirement Notice was given pursuant to Section 10.08(a).


                                   ARTICLE XI
               GENERAL PARTNER ARTICLE XI GENERAL PARTNER ARTICLE
                   ARTICLE XI GENERAL PARTNERGENERAL PARTNER

         SECTION XI.1. Covenant Not to Withdraw,  Transfer,  or Dissolve.SECTION
XI.1. Covenant Not to Withdraw, Transfer, or Dissolve.SECTION XI.1. Covenant Not
to  Withdraw,  Transfer,  or  Dissolve.SECTION  XI.1.  Covenant Not to Withdraw,
Transfer,  or Dissolve.  Except as otherwise  permitted by this  Agreement,  the
General Partner hereby covenants and agrees not to (i) take any action to file a
certificate  of  dissolution  or its  equivalent  with  respect to itself,  (ii)
withdraw or attempt to withdraw from the  Partnership,  (iii) exercise any power
under the Act to dissolve the  Partnership,  (iv) Transfer all or any portion of
its  Interest in the  Partnership  as a General  Partner,  or (v)  petition  for
judicial  dissolution of the  Partnership.  Further,  the General Partner hereby
covenants and agrees to continue to carry out the duties of the General  Partner
under this Agreement until the Partnership is dissolved and liquidated  pursuant
to Article XII.

         SECTION XI.2.  Termination of Status as General  Partner.SECTION  XI.2.
Termination of Status as General  Partner.SECTION XI.2. Termination of Status as
General  Partner.SECTION XI.2. Termination of Status as General Partner. (a) The
General  Partner shall cease to be a General  Partner upon the first to occur of
(i) the Bankruptcy of such Partner,  (ii) the Transfer of the General  Partner's
entire Interest as a General  Partner,  provided that the transferee is admitted
as a substituted  General  Partner  pursuant to Section 10.06 hereof,  (iii) the
involuntary  Transfer by operation of law of the General  Partner's  Interest in
the Partnership, or (iv) the vote of all of the Partners to approve a request by
the General Partner to withdraw. In the event the General Partner ceases to be a
General  Partner  without having  Transferred  its entire  Interest as a General
Partner,  such  Person  shall  be  treated  as  an  unadmitted  transferee  of a
Partnership Interest as a result of a Transfer (other than a Permitted Transfer)
of an Interest pursuant to Section 10.04.

         If the General Partner ceases to be a Partner for any reason under this
Agreement,  such Person  shall  continue to be liable as a Partner for all debts
and obligations of the Partnership existing at the time such Person ceases to be
a  General  Partner,  regardless  of  whether,  at  such  time,  such  debts  or
liabilities were known or unknown, actual or contingent provided,  however, that
the  assets  of such  Person  shall be  subject  to the  protection  of  Section
17-403(d)  of the Act.  A Person  shall not be liable as a General  Partner  for
Partnership  debts and  obligations  arising  after such  Person  ceases to be a
General  Partner.  Any  debts,  obligations,  or  liabilities  in damages to the
Partnership  of  any  Person  who  ceases  to  be a  General  Partner  shall  be
collectible by any legal means and the Partnership is authorized, in addition to
any  other  remedies  at  law or in  equity,  to  apply  any  amounts  otherwise
distributable  or  payable by the  Partnership  to such  Person to satisfy  such
debts, obligations, or liabilities.

         (b) If at the time a Person ceases to be a General Partner, such Person
is also a Limited Partner with respect to Interests other than its Interest as a
General  Partner,  such  cessation  shall not affect  such  Person's  rights and
obligations with respect to such Limited Partner Interests.

         SECTION XI.3. Election of New General  Partners.SECTION  XI.3. Election
of New General  Partners.SECTION XI.3. Election of New General  Partners.SECTION
XI.3. Election of New General Partners. Provided the Partnership has one General
Partner, any Partner may nominate one or more Persons described in Section 10.02
for  election as  additional  General  Partners;  provided  that any such Person
satisfies  the  requirements  in  Sections  10.03  and 10.06  applicable  to the
transferee  in a Permitted  Transfer  and the  admission  of a  transferee  as a
substituted General Partner. The election of an additional General Partner shall
require an affirmative vote of all of the Partners.


                                   ARTICLE XII
             DISSOLUTION AND WINDING UP ARTICLE XII DISSOLUTION AND
  ARTICLE XII ARTICLE XII DISSOLUTION AND WINDING UPDISSOLUTION AND WINDING UP

     SECTION XII.1. Liquidating Events.SECTION XII.1. Liquidating Events.SECTION
XII.1.  Liquidating  Events.SECTION  XII.1.  Liquidating Events. The Partnership
shall dissolve and commence  winding up and liquidating  upon the first to occur
of any of the following ("Liquidating Events"):

                  (a)      The twentieth anniversary of the Closing Date;

                  (b)      The date on which,  pursuant to  Section 14.02,  a 
         Liquidation  Notice becomes effective to cause a Notice Event to become
         a Liquidating Event;

                  (c) In the  event  any one or more  of the  D&B  Partners  has
         elected  pursuant  to  Section  14.03 to  purchase  any Class A Limited
         Partner's Interest,  the failure of any of such D&B Partners,  or their
         designees,  to pay the  Purchase  Price as  required  pursuant  to such
         Section 14.03;

                  (d)      The unanimous vote of the Partners to dissolve, wind
         up, and liquidate the Partnership;

                  (e) The  happening  of any other event that makes it unlawful,
         impossible,  or impractical to carry on the business of the Partnership
         or the  Delaware  Court of Chancery  has  entered a decree  pursuant to
         Section 17-802 of the Act, and such decree has become final; or

                  (f) The  withdrawal  or removal of the  General  Partner,  the
         assignment  by the  General  Partner  of  its  entire  Interest  in the
         Partnership or any other event that causes the General Partner to cease
         to be a general  partner  under the Act;  provided  that any such event
         shall  not  constitute  a  Liquidating  Event  if  the  Partnership  is
         continued pursuant to this Section 12.01.

The Partners hereby agree that,  notwithstanding any provision of the Act or the
Delaware Uniform  Partnership  Act, the Partnership  shall not dissolve prior to
the  occurrence of a  Liquidating  Event.  Upon the  occurrence of any event set
forth in Section 12.01(f) (so long as no other  Liquidating Event has occurred),
the Partnership shall not be dissolved or required to be wound up if at the time
of such event there is at least one remaining  General  Partner and that General
Partner carries on the business of the Partnership  (any such remaining  General
Partner being hereby authorized to carry on the business of the Partnership). If
at such  time  there  is not at  least  one  remaining  General  Partner  or the
remaining General Partner does not carry on the business of the Partnership, the
Partnership shall be liquidated in accordance with this Article XII.

         SECTION XII.2.  Winding  Up.SECTION  XII.2.  Winding  Up.SECTION XII.2.
Winding  Up.SECTION  XII.2.  Winding Up. Upon the  occurrence  of a  Liquidating
Event, the Partnership  shall continue solely for the purposes of winding up its
affairs in an orderly manner,  liquidating its assets, and satisfying the claims
of its creditors and Partners, and no Partner shall take any action with respect
to the Partnership that is inconsistent with the winding up of the Partnership's
business and affairs;  provided that all covenants  contained in this  Agreement
and  obligations  provided  for in this  Agreement  shall  continue  to be fully
binding upon the Partners until such time as the  Partnership  Property has been
distributed pursuant to this Section 12.02 and the Certificate has been canceled
pursuant to the Act. The  Liquidator  shall be  responsible  for  overseeing the
winding up and dissolution of the  Partnership.  The Liquidator  shall take full
account of the Partnership's liabilities and Partnership Property and, except as
otherwise  provided  in  Section  12.03,  shall,  within  sixty (60) days of the
occurrence of a Liquidating Event cause the Partnership Property or the proceeds
from the sale or disposition  thereof (as determined pursuant to Section 12.10),
to the extent sufficient therefor, to be applied and distributed, to the maximum
extent  permitted by law and  notwithstanding  anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, in the following order:

                  (a)  First,  to  creditors  (including  the  Class  A  Limited
         Partners  to the extent  such  Partners  are  creditors,  to the extent
         otherwise  permitted  by law)  other  than the D&B  Partners  and their
         Affiliates,  in  satisfaction  of all of the  Partnership's  debts  and
         liabilities  (including  claims and  obligations as required by Section
         17-804(b)  of the Act)  other  than  liabilities  for which  reasonable
         provision for payment has been made and liabilities  for  distributions
         to Partners under Section 17-601 or 17-604 of the Act;

                  (b)      Second,  to the Class A Limited  Partners in an 
         amount  equal to the amount of any Early Liquidation Premium that is 
         then due and unpaid;

                  (c)      Third,  to the payment and discharge of all of the  
         Partnership's  debts and liabilities to the D&B Partners and their 
         Affiliates to the extent adequate provision therefor has not been made;
         and

                  (d) The balance,  if any, to the Partners in  accordance  with
         their   positive   Capital   Accounts,   after  giving  effect  to  all
         contributions, distributions, and allocations for all periods.

In the event that any payment or  distribution  made under this Section 12.02 is
made  in-kind,  the amount of the payment or  distribution  will be equal to the
Mark-to-Market Value of the Partnership Property paid or distributed at the time
of such payment or distribution.

The  General  Partner  shall not  receive any  additional  compensation  for any
services performed pursuant to this Article XII.

The D&B Partners  understand  and agree that by accepting the provisions of this
Section 12.02 setting  forth the priority of the  distribution  of the assets of
the  Partnership  to be made upon its  liquidation,  the D&B Partners  expressly
waive any right which they,  as creditors of the  Partnership,  might  otherwise
have under the Act to receive  distributions of assets pari passu with the other
creditors of the  Partnership in connection with a distribution of assets of the
Partnership  in  satisfaction  of any liability of the  Partnership,  and hereby
subordinate to said creditors any such right.

         SECTION XII.3. Restoration of Deficit Capital Accounts; Compliance With
Timing Requirements of Regulations.SECTION XII.3. Restoration of Deficit Capital
Accounts;  Compliance  With Timing  Requirements of  Regulations.SECTION  XII.3.
Restoration of Deficit Capital Accounts;  Compliance With Timing Requirements of
Regulations.SECTION  XII.3. Restoration of Deficit Capital Accounts;  Compliance
With  Timing  Requirements  of  Regulations.  In the  event the  Partnership  is
"liquidated" within the meaning of Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g), (x)
distributions  shall be made  pursuant to this  Article XII to the  Partners who
have  positive  Capital   Accounts  in  compliance  with   Regulations   Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(b)(2),  and (y) if the General Partner's Capital Account has a
deficit balance (after giving effect to all  contributions,  distributions,  and
allocations for all taxable years,  including the taxable year during which such
liquidation  occurs), the General Partner shall contribute to the capital of the
Partnership  the amount  necessary to restore  such  deficit  balance to zero in
compliance  with  Regulations  Section  1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(b)(3).  If any Limited
Partner has a deficit balance in its Capital Account (after giving effect to all
contributions,  distributions  and allocations for all taxable years,  including
the taxable year during which such  liquidation  occurs),  such Limited  Partner
shall  have no  obligation  to  make  any  contribution  to the  capital  of the
Partnership  with  respect  to such  deficit,  and  such  deficit  shall  not be
considered a debt owed to the Partnership or to any other Person for any purpose
whatsoever. In the discretion of the Liquidator, with the consent of the Class A
Limited  Partners,  a portion  (determined in the manner  provided below) of the
distributions  that  may  otherwise  be made to the  Partners  pursuant  to this
Article XII may be:

                  (a) Distributed to a trust  established for the benefit of the
         Partners solely for the purposes of liquidating  Partnership  Property,
         collecting  amounts owed to the Partnership,  and paying any contingent
         or unforeseen  liabilities or obligations of the  Partnership or of the
         General Partner  arising out of or in connection with the  Partnership.
         The assets of any such trust shall be  distributed to the Partners from
         time to time, in the reasonable  discretion of the  Liquidator,  in the
         same  proportions  (as determined  below) as the amount  distributed to
         such trust by the Partnership  would otherwise have been distributed to
         the Partners pursuant to Section 12.02; or

                  (b) Withheld to provide a reasonable  reserve for  Partnership
         liabilities  (contingent  or otherwise) and to allow for the collection
         of the unrealized  portion of any installment  obligations  owed to the
         Partnership,  provided that such withheld  amounts shall be distributed
         to the Partners as soon as practicable.

The portion of the distributions  that would otherwise have been made to each of
the Partners that is instead distributed to a trust pursuant to Section 12.03(a)
or  withheld  to  provide  a  reserve  pursuant  to  Section  12.03(b)  shall be
determined  in the same  manner as the  expense  or  deduction  would  have been
allocated  if the  Partnership  had  realized an expense  equal to such  amounts
immediately prior to distributions being made pursuant to Section 12.02.

         SECTION XII.4.  Deemed Distribution and  Recontribution.SECTION  XII.4.
Deemed  Distribution and  Recontribution.SECTION  XII.4. Deemed Distribution and
Recontribution.SECTION  XII.4. Deemed  Distribution and  Recontribution.  In the
event the  Partnership is liquidated  within the meaning of Regulations  Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g)  but no  Liquidating  Event has occurred,  the  Partnership
Property shall not be liquidated,  the  Partnership's  liabilities  shall not be
paid or  discharged,  and the  Partnership's  affairs  shall  not be  wound  up.
Instead, solely for federal income tax purposes, the Partnership shall be deemed
to have distributed the Partnership Property in-kind to the Partners,  who shall
be  deemed  to  have  taken  subject  to  all  Partnership  liabilities,  all in
accordance with their respective Capital Accounts.  Immediately thereafter,  the
Partners shall be deemed to have recontributed the Partnership  Property in-kind
to the  Partnership,  which  shall be deemed to have  taken  subject to all such
liabilities.

         SECTION   XII.5.   Rights   of   Partners.SECTION   XII.5.   Rights  of
Partners.SECTION  XII.5. Rights of  Partners.SECTION  XII.5. Rights of Partners.
Each Partner shall look solely to the Partnership Property for the return of its
Capital  Contribution and, except as otherwise  provided in Section 12.10, shall
have no right or power to demand or  receive  property  other than cash from the
Partnership.

         SECTION  XII.6.   Notice  of   Dissolution.SECTION   XII.6.  Notice  of
Dissolution.SECTION  XII.6.  Notice  of  Dissolution.SECTION  XII.6.  Notice  of
Dissolution.  In the event a  Liquidating  Event  occurs or an event occurs that
would,  but for  provisions of Section  12.01,  result in a  dissolution  of the
Partnership,  the General  Partner  shall,  within thirty (30) days  thereafter,
provide  written notice thereof to each of the Partners and to all other parties
with whom the  Partnership  regularly  conducts  business (as  determined in the
discretion  of the  General  Partner)  and shall  publish  notice  thereof  in a
newspaper  of  general  circulation  in each  place  in  which  the  Partnership
regularly  conducts  business (as  determined  in the  discretion of the General
Partner).

         SECTION   XII.7.   Liquidation   Guaranteed    Payment.SECTION   XII.7.
Liquidation   Guaranteed    Payment.SECTION   XII.7.    Liquidation   Guaranteed
Payment.SECTION XII.7.  Liquidation Guaranteed Payment. On the date on which all
of the assets of the  Partnership  are  distributed to the Partners  pursuant to
Section  12.02,  the  Partnership  shall pay to each Class A Limited  Partner an
amount equal to such Class A Limited  Partner's Early  Liquidation  Premium,  if
any. Amounts payable under this Section 12.07 shall be paid in cash,  unless, at
such time as the Partnership has failed to pay all or any portion of such amount
then due and payable,  the Class A Limited  Partners  elect to have such amounts
paid  in-kind.  In the  event the  Class A  Limited  Partners  have made such an
election,  such  payments  shall  be  made  in the  form of  Loans  and/or  Cash
Equivalents  (as  determined  by the  Class A  Limited  Partners  in their  sole
discretion subject only to the Partnership holding any such asset in the amounts
requested)  with an aggregate  Mark-to-Market  Value equal to the amount due and
payable. In addition,  amounts payable under this Section 12.07 shall be treated
as  guaranteed  payments  within the meaning of Code  Section  707(c),  shall be
considered an expense of the  Partnership for income tax purposes and an expense
or capital item for financial reporting purposes,  as the case may be, and shall
not be considered a distribution to any Class A Limited Partner for all purposes
of this Agreement,  including,  without  limitation,  in maintaining any Class A
Limited Partner's Capital Account.

         SECTION XII.8.  Character of Liquidating  Distributions.SECTION  XII.8.
Character of Liquidating  Distributions.SECTION  XII.8. Character of Liquidating
Distributions.SECTION   XII.8.  Character  of  Liquidating  Distributions.   All
payments  made in  liquidation  of the Interest of a retiring  Partner  (whether
pursuant to Article X or Article XII) shall be made in exchange for the interest
of such Partner in  Partnership  Property  pursuant to Section  736(b)(1) of the
Code, including the interest of such Partner in Partnership goodwill.

         SECTION XII.9. The  Liquidator.SECTION  XII.9.  The  Liquidator.SECTION
XII.9. The Liquidator.SECTION XII.9. The Liquidator. The "Liquidator" shall mean
the General  Partner,  provided  that,  if at the time a  Liquidating  Event has
occurred  there is no  remaining  General  Partner,  the  "Liquidator"  shall be
appointed by the Class A Limited Partners.
         SECTION XII.10. Form of Liquidating  Distributions.SECTION XII.10. Form
of    Liquidating    Distributions.SECTION    XII.10.    Form   of   Liquidating
Distributions.SECTION XII.10. Form of Liquidating Distributions. (a) In general.
Except as provided in this Section 12.10,  for purposes of making  distributions
required by Section 12.02,  the  Liquidator may determine  whether to distribute
all or any  portion of the  Partnership  Property  in-kind or to sell all or any
portion of the  Partnership  Property and  distribute  the  proceeds  therefrom,
provided that the  Liquidator  shall not distribute  Partnership  Property other
than cash to any Class A Limited Partner without its consent, and the Liquidator
shall be  required  to reduce  the  Partnership  Property  to cash to the extent
necessary  to make  distributions  to the Class A Limited  Partners  pursuant to
Section 12.02 in cash.

         (b) Class A Limited  Partner In-Kind  Election.  At the election of the
Class A Limited  Partners,  the  Liquidator may be required to distribute all of
the Partnership  Property in-kind. In such event, the Property to be distributed
to each Partner shall be determined by the Liquidator; provided that, subject to
Section  12.10(c),  distribution  of any  Partnership  Property  to any  Class A
Limited Partner other than Loans or Cash  Equivalents  shall require the consent
of all of the Partners.

         (c)      Other  Permitted  Assets.  In no event shall the Software and
Databases  be  distributed  to the Class A Limited Partners in kind.


                                  ARTICLE XIII
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         SECTION  XIII.1.  General Partner as  Attorney-In-Fact.SECTION  XIII.1.
General  Partner  as   Attorney-In-Fact.SECTION   XIII.1.   General  Partner  as
Attorney-In-Fact.SECTION  XIII.1.  General  Partner  as  Attorney-In-Fact.  Each
Partner  hereby  makes,  constitutes,  and  appoints the General  Partner,  each
successor  General Partner,  and the Liquidator,  severally,  with full power of
substitution and resubstitution, its true and lawful attorney-in-fact for it and
in its name,  place,  and stead and for its use and benefit,  to sign,  execute,
certify, acknowledge, swear to, file, publish and record (i) all certificates of
limited   partnership,   amended  name  or  similar   certificates,   and  other
certificates  and instruments  (including  counterparts of this Agreement) which
the  General  Partner  or  Liquidator  may  deem  necessary  to be  filed by the
Partnership  under  the laws of the  State of  Delaware  or any  other  state or
jurisdiction in which the  Partnership is doing or intends to do business,  (ii)
any and all  amendments,  restatements  or  changes  to this  Agreement  and the
instruments  described  in (i), as now or hereafter  amended,  which the General
Partner may deem necessary to effect a change or modification of the Partnership
approved  by the  Partners  in  accordance  with the  terms  of this  Agreement,
including,  without limitation,  amendments,  restatements or changes to reflect
(A) the  exercise by the General  Partner of any power  granted to it under this
Agreement,  (B) any  amendments  adopted by the Partners in accordance  with the
terms of this Agreement;  (C) the admission of any substituted  Partner, and (D)
the  disposition  by any Partner of its Interest in the  Partnership,  (iii) all
certificates of cancellation and other  instruments which the General Partner or
Liquidator   deem  necessary  or  appropriate  to  effect  the  dissolution  and
termination of the Partnership pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and (iv)
any other  instrument  which is now or may  hereafter  be  required by law to be
filed on behalf of the Partnership or is deemed necessary by the General Partner
or Liquidator to carry out fully the  provisions of this Agreement in accordance
with its terms. Each Partner authorizes each such  attorney-in-fact  to take any
further  action  which  such   attorney-in-fact   shall  consider  necessary  in
connection with any of the foregoing,  hereby giving each such  attorney-in-fact
full  power  and  authority  to do and  perform  each  and  every  act or  thing
whatsoever  requisite to be done in  connection  with the  foregoing as fully as
such Partner might or could do personally,  and hereby  ratifying and confirming
all that  any such  attorney-in-fact  shall  lawfully  do or cause to be done by
virtue thereof or hereof.

     SECTION XIII.2.  Nature of Special  Power.SECTION XIII.2. Nature of Special
Power.SECTION  XIII.2. Nature of Special Power.SECTION XIII.2. Nature of Special
Power. The power of attorney granted pursuant to this Article XIII:

                  (a) Is a special power of attorney coupled with an interest 
         and is irrevocable;

                  (b) May be exercised by any such  attorney-in-fact  by listing
         the Partners executing any agreement, certificate, instrument, or other
         document with the single signature of any such attorney-in-fact  acting
         as attorney-in-fact for such Partners; and

                  (c)  Shall  survive  and  not be  affected  by the  subsequent
         Bankruptcy,  insolvency,  dissolution,  or  cessation of existence of a
         Partner and shall survive the delivery of an assignment by a Partner of
         the whole or a portion of its Interest in the Partnership  (except that
         where  the  assignment  is of such  Partner's  entire  Interest  in the
         Partnership and the assignee is admitted as a substituted  Partner, the
         power of attorney shall survive the delivery of such assignment for the
         sole  purpose of  enabling  any such  attorney-in-fact  to effect  such
         substitution)   and  shall  extend  to  such  Partner's  or  assignee's
         successors and assigns.


                                   ARTICLE XIV
                              NOTICE EVENTS ARTICLE

     SECTION XIV.1. Notice  Events.SECTION  XIV.1. Notice  Events.SECTION XIV.1.
Notice  Events.SECTION  XIV.1.  Notice  Events.  In the  event  that  any of the
following  events  ("Notice  Events")  shall occur,  the Partners shall have the
rights described in Section 14.02:

                  (a) The occurrence of the 110th day prior to the fourth 
         anniversary of the Closing Date;

                  (b) The General  Partner,  DBI or D&B shall (i) fail to remain
         in substantial  compliance  with the terms,  covenants and  obligations
         required on its part to be performed or observed under Sections 5.04(a)
         and  5.04(b),  or (ii) fail to perform or observe  any  material  term,
         covenant or obligation on its part to be performed or observed  (except
         such terms,  covenants or  obligations  as are  described in clause (i)
         above) under (A) this  Agreement  (except for specific  violations  the
         cure periods for which are  specifically  provided for as Notice Events
         hereunder),  (B) the Lease Agreement,  or (C) the D&B Guaranty, in each
         case if such  failure  under  either  clause (i) or clause (ii) of this
         Section  14.01(b) is not cured within thirty (30) days of a Responsible
         Officer obtaining actual knowledge of such failure;

                  (c) The failure of the Partnership to distribute to each Class
         A Limited  Partner in immediately  available funds on the last Business
         Day of each Fiscal Quarter an amount equal to the remainder, if any, of
         (i) the cumulative Priority Return of such Class A Limited Partner from
         the Closing Date to the last Business Day of the Fiscal  Quarter during
         which such distribution is made, minus (ii) all prior  distributions to
         such Class A Limited Partner  pursuant to Section 4.01, if such failure
         is not cured  within ten (10)  Business  Days of receipt by the General
         Partner of notice thereof;

                  (d)      The Bankruptcy of the Partnership, the General 
         Partner, DBI or D&B; and

                  (e)      A D&B Event shall occur.

         SECTION   XIV.2.   Liquidation    Notice.SECTION   XIV.2.   Liquidation
Notice.SECTION XIV.2. Liquidation  Notice.SECTION XIV.2. Liquidation Notice. (a)
Liquidation  Notice.  At any time on or after the  occurrence of a Notice Event,
each Class A Limited Partner may elect to cause such Notice Event to result in a
Liquidating  Event by delivering to the General Partner a notice (a "Liquidation
Notice") of such election; provided that: (i) such Notice Event shall not result
in a Liquidating  Event until the expiration of ten (10) Business Days following
such delivery,  (ii) such Class A Limited  Partner may rescind such  Liquidation
Notice by delivering to the General  Partner a notice prior to such tenth (10th)
Business  Day,  and  (iii) a  Liquidation  Notice  automatically  will be deemed
rescinded upon the election  within such ten (10) Business Day period by any one
or more of the D&B  Partners  pursuant to the  Purchase  Option to purchase  all
Class A Limited Partners' Interests.

         SECTION  XIV.3.  Electing  Partners'  Purchase   Option.SECTION  XIV.3.
Electing Partners' Purchase  Option.SECTION  XIV.3.  Electing Partners' Purchase
Option.SECTION  XIV.3.  Electing  Partners'  Purchase  Option.  (a)  Election of
Purchase  Option.  Any  one or  more  of the D&B  Partners  or  their  designees
(referred  to in this  Section  14.03  as the  "Electing  Partners")  may  elect
pursuant to a purchase  option (the  "Purchase  Option") to purchase the Class A
Limited  Partners'  entire Interests in such proportions as they shall agree (i)
within  the ten (10)  Business  Day  period  prior to the  effectiveness  of any
Liquidation  Notice  delivered to the General Partner pursuant to Section 14.02,
or (ii) at any time after the fourth  anniversary  of the Closing  Date upon ten
(10) Business  Days' prior notice (the  "Election  Notice").  The day on which a
Liquidation  Notice is delivered to the General  Partner  shall be the "Election
Date," provided that, if no Liquidation  Notice has been  delivered,  the day on
which the  Election  Notice is given shall be the  "Election  Date." An Election
Notice given pursuant to this Section 14.03 shall be irrevocable  and binding on
the Electing Partners.

         (b) Purchase Price.  The purchase price (the "Purchase  Price") of each
Class A Limited  Partner's  Interest  shall  equal the sum of (A) the balance in
such Class A Limited  Partner's  Capital  Account as stated on the  statement of
Capital  Accounts  determined in accordance  with this Agreement and provided to
the Partners pursuant to Section 8.02(e);  and (B) an amount equal to such Class
A Limited Partner's Early Liquidation Premium, if any.

         (c)      Purchase.  (i) The  Purchase  Price  shall be payable in  
immediately  available  funds,  and the closing of the purchase and sale of each
Class A Limited Partner's Interest shall occur, on the Purchase Date.

                  (ii) The  closing  shall  occur at such  place as is  mutually
         agreeable  to the  Partners,  or upon  the  failure  to  agree,  at the
         principal place of business of the  Partnership.  On the Purchase Date,
         each Class A Limited  Partner  shall  deliver to the Electing  Partners
         good title, free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances, security
         interests or options,  to its  Interest  thus  purchased.  The Electing
         Partners  shall  remain   obligated  to  pay  any  and  all  reasonable
         out-of-pocket   expenses  (including   attorneys'  fees  and  expenses)
         incurred by each Class A Limited  Partner in enforcing any rights under
         this Section 14.03.

                  (iii) On the Purchase  Date,  the Partners  shall execute such
         documents  and  instruments  of  conveyance  as  may  be  necessary  or
         appropriate  to  effectuate  the   transaction   contemplated   hereby,
         including,  without  limitation,  the Transfer of the  Interests of the
         Class A Limited  Partners.  The  reasonable  costs of such Transfer and
         closing,  including,  without  limitation,  attorneys'  fees and filing
         fees, shall be paid by the Electing Partners.

         (d)  Treatment as Purchase  Under  Section  741. The Partners  agree to
treat the  Transfer of the Class A Limited  Partners'  Interests to the Electing
Partners pursuant to this Section 14.03 as a purchase and sale under Section 741
of the Code and not as a retirement under Section 736 of the Code.


                                   ARTICLE XV
                                  MISCELLANEOUS

         SECTION   XV.1.    Notices.SECTION    XV.1.    Notices.SECTION    XV.1.
Notices.SECTION  XV.1. Notices.  Any notice,  payment,  demand, or communication
required or permitted to be given by any provision of this Agreement shall be in
writing or by facsimile and shall be deemed to have been delivered,  given,  and
received for all purposes  (i) if  delivered  personally  to the Person or to an
officer  of the  Person to whom the same is  directed,  or (ii) when the same is
actually  received,  if sent either by registered or certified mail, postage and
charges prepaid,  or by facsimile,  if such facsimile is followed by a hard copy
of the facsimiled  communication  sent by registered or certified mail,  postage
and charges  prepaid,  addressed  as follows,  or to such other  address as such
Person may from time to time specify by notice to the Partners:

     (a) If to the  Partnership,  to the address set forth in the first sentence
of Section  1.04,  with a copy sent to the  General  Partner at its  address set
forth in Section 2.01;
     (b) If to the General Partner,  to the addresses set forth in Section 2.01;
and
     (c) If to any Limited Partner, to its address set forth in Section 2.02.

Any such notice  shall be deemed to be  delivered,  given,  and received for all
purposes as of the date so delivered,  if delivered personally,  or otherwise as
of the date on which the same was  received.  Any  Person  may from time to time
specify a different address by notice to the Partnership and the Partners.

         SECTION XV.2. Binding Effect.SECTION XV.2. Binding Effect.SECTION XV.2.
Binding  Effect.SECTION  XV.2.  Binding Effect.  Except as otherwise provided in
this Agreement,  every covenant,  term, and provision of this Agreement shall be
binding  upon and inure to the  benefit  of the  Partners  and their  respective
successors, transferees and assigns.

     SECTION  XV.3.   Construction.SECTION   XV.3.   Construction.SECTION  XV.3.
Construction.SECTION XV.3. Construction.  Every covenant, term, and provision of
this Agreement shall be construed  simply  according to its fair meaning and not
strictly for or against any Partner.
     SECTION    XV.4.     Headings.SECTION    XV.4.    Headings.SECTION    XV.4.
Headings.SECTION  XV.4.  Headings.  Section and other headings contained in this
Agreement  are for  reference  purposes  only and are not  intended to describe,
interpret,  define,  or limit the scope,  extent, or intent of this Agreement or
any provision of this Agreement.

         SECTION XV.5.  Severability.SECTION  XV.5.  Severability.SECTION  XV.5.
Severability.SECTION  XV.5.  Severability.  Except as otherwise  provided in the
succeeding  sentence,  every  provision  of this  Agreement  is  intended  to be
severable, and, if any term or provision of this Agreement is illegal or invalid
for any reason  whatsoever,  such illegality or invalidity  shall not affect the
validity or legality of the remainder of this Agreement.  The preceding sentence
of this  Section  15.05  shall be of no force or  effect if the  consequence  of
enforcing the remainder of this  Agreement  without such illegal or invalid term
or  provision  would be to cause any Partner to lose the benefit of its economic
bargain.

     SECTION   XV.6.   Variation   of   Pronouns.SECTION   XV.6.   Variation  of
Pronouns.SECTION   XV.6.  Variation  of  Pronouns.SECTION   XV.6.  Variation  of
Pronouns.  All pronouns and any  variations  thereof shall be deemed to refer to
masculine,  feminine,  or neuter,  singular  or plural,  as the  identity of the
Person or Persons may require.

     SECTION XV.7.  Governing  Law.SECTION  XV.7.  Governing  Law.SECTION  XV.7.
Governing  Law.SECTION  XV.7.  Governing  Law. The laws of the State of Delaware
shall govern the validity of this Agreement,  the construction of its terms, and
the interpretation of the rights and duties of the Partners.

         SECTION XV.8.  Waiver of Action for  Partition.SECTION  XV.8. Waiver of
Action for Partition.SECTION  XV.8. Waiver of Action for Partition.SECTION XV.8.
Waiver of Action for  Partition.  Each of the  Partners  irrevocably  waives any
right that it may have to maintain any action for partition  with respect to any
of the Partnership Property.

         SECTION  XV.9.  Waiver  of  Jury  Trial.SECTION  XV.9.  Waiver  of Jury
Trial.SECTION  XV.9.  Waiver of Jury  Trial.SECTION  XV.9. Waiver of Jury Trial.
Each of the  Partners  irrevocably  waives to the  extent  permitted  by law all
rights to trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim arising out of
or relating to this Agreement.

         SECTION  XV.10.  Consent  to  Jurisdiction.SECTION  XV.10.  Consent  to
Jurisdiction.SECTION  XV.10. Consent to  Jurisdiction.SECTION  XV.10. Consent to
Jurisdiction.  Each Partner (i) irrevocably  submits to the  jurisdiction of any
New York State or  Delaware  State  court or Federal  court  sitting in New York
County or Wilmington, Delaware in any action arising out of this Agreement, (ii)
agrees  that all  claims in such  action may be  decided  in such  court,  (iii)
waives,  to the  fullest  extent it may  effectively  do so,  the  defense of an
inconvenient forum, and (iv) consents to the service of process by mail. A final
judgment in any such  action  shall be  conclusive  and may be enforced in other
jurisdictions. Nothing herein shall affect the right of any party to serve legal
process in any manner  permitted  by law or affect its right to bring any action
in any other court.

     SECTION   XV.11.    Counterpart    Execution.SECTION   XV.11.   Counterpart
Execution.SECTION  XV.11.   Counterpart   Execution.SECTION  XV.11.  Counterpart
Execution. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts with the
same  effect  as if all of the  Partners  had  signed  the  same  document.  All
counterparts shall be construed together and shall constitute one agreement.

         SECTION XV.12.  Sole and Absolute  Discretion.SECTION  XV.12.  Sole and
Absolute  Discretion.SECTION XV.12. Sole and Absolute  Discretion.SECTION XV.12.
Sole and Absolute  Discretion.  Except as otherwise  provided in this Agreement,
all actions which the General Partner may take and all determinations  which the
General Partner may make pursuant to this Agreement may be taken and made at the
sole and absolute discretion of the General Partner.

         SECTION   XV.13.   Specific    Performance.SECTION    XV.13.   Specific
Performance.SECTION   XV.13.   Specific   Performance.SECTION   XV.13.  Specific
Performance. Each Partner agrees with the other Partners that the other Partners
would be irreparably  damaged if any of the provisions of this Agreement are not
performed in accordance  with their  specific  terms and that  monetary  damages
would not provide an adequate  remedy in such event.  Accordingly,  it is agreed
that, in addition to any other remedy to which the nonbreaching  Partners may be
entitled,  at law or in equity,  the nonbreaching  Partners shall be entitled to
injunctive  relief to prevent  breaches of the  provisions of this Agreement and
specifically to enforce the terms and provisions of this Agreement in any action
instituted in any court of the United States or any state thereof having subject
matter jurisdiction thereof.


                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have entered into this Amended
and  Restated  Agreement  of Limited  Partnership  as of the day first above set
forth.


                                        [signatures follow on separate pages]


<PAGE>


- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                 GENERAL PARTNER:


                                                 DUNS INVESTING VII CORPORATION



                                                   By:
                                                          Name:
                                                          Title:





























              THIS IS A SIGNATURE PAGE TO THE AMENDED AND RESTATED
                       AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF
                               D&B INVESTORS L.P.
                    AND IS EXECUTED BY THE PARTY NAMED ABOVE.


<PAGE>


                                                     LIMITED PARTNERS:

                                                     DUN & BRADSTREET, INC.



                                                     By:
                                                          Name:
                                                          Title:






























              THIS IS A SIGNATURE PAGE TO THE AMENDED AND RESTATED
                       AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF
                               D&B INVESTORS L.P.
                    AND IS EXECUTED BY THE PARTY NAMED ABOVE.


<PAGE>


                                                     DUNS HOLDING, INC.



                                                     By:
                                                          Name:
                                                          Title:































              THIS IS A SIGNATURE PAGE TO THE AMENDED AND RESTATED
                       AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF
                               D&B INVESTORS L.P.
                    AND IS EXECUTED BY THE PARTY NAMED ABOVE.


<PAGE>


                                                     UTRECHT-AMERICA FINANCE CO.



                                                     By:
                                                          Name:
                                                          Title:
































              THIS IS A SIGNATURE PAGE TO THE AMENDED AND RESTATED
                       AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF
                               D&B INVESTORS L.P.
                    AND IS EXECUTED BY THE PARTY NAMED ABOVE.
                                  LEIDEN, INC.



                                                     By:
                                                          Name:
                                                          Title:
































              THIS IS A SIGNATURE PAGE TO THE AMENDED AND RESTATED
                       AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF
                               D&B INVESTORS L.P.
                    AND IS EXECUTED BY THE PARTY NAMED ABOVE.


<PAGE>


- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                                 EXECUTION COPY









                              AMENDED AND RESTATED
                                  AGREEMENT OF
                               LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

                                       Of

                               D&B INVESTORS L.P.,

                         A Delaware Limited Partnership

                                  By and Among


                         DUNS INVESTING VII CORPORATION
                             DUN & BRADSTREET, INC.
                               DUNS HOLDING, INC.
                           UTRECHT-AMERICA FINANCE CO.
                                       AND
                                  LEIDEN, INC.



<PAGE>



                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                                        Page


ARTICLE I THE PARTNERSHIP...................................................1

SECTION 1.01. Formation.....................................................1
SECTION 1.02. Name..........................................................1
SECTION 1.03. Purpose.......................................................1
SECTION 1.04. Principal Place of Business...................................2
SECTION 1.05. Term..........................................................2
SECTION 1.06. Filings; Agent for Service of Process.........................2
SECTION 1.07. Title to Partnership Property.................................2
SECTION 1.08. Payments of Individual Obligations............................3
SECTION 1.09. Independent Activities; Transactions with Affiliates..........3
SECTION 1.10. Definitions...................................................4
SECTION 1.11. Other Terms...................................................19

ARTICLE II PARTNERS' CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS..................................20

SECTION 2.01. General Partner. .............................................20
SECTION 2.02. Limited Partners..............................................20
SECTION 2.03. Additional Capital Contributions..............................21
SECTION 2.04. Other Matters.................................................22

ARTICLE III ALLOCATIONS.....................................................23

SECTION 3.01. Profits.......................................................23
SECTION 3.02. Losses........................................................24
SECTION 3.03. Special Loss Allocation.......................................24
SECTION 3.04. Other Special Allocations.....................................25
SECTION 3.05. Curative Allocations..........................................26
SECTION 3.06. Loss Limitation...............................................26
SECTION 3.07. Other Allocation Rules........................................26
SECTION 3.08. Tax Allocations: Code Section 704(c)..........................27

ARTICLE IV DISTRIBUTIONS....................................................28

SECTION 4.01. Cash Flow.....................................................28
SECTION 4.02. Amounts Withheld..............................................28

ARTICLE V MANAGEMENT........................................................28

SECTION 5.01. Authority of the General Partner..............................28
SECTION 5.02. Right to Rely on the General Partner..........................28
SECTION 5.03. Restrictions on Authority of the General Partner..............29
SECTION 5.04. Duties and Obligations of the General Partner.................31
SECTION 5.05. Indemnification of the Partners...............................32
SECTION 5.06. Compensation and Expenses.....................................34

_ ARTICLE VI
ROLE OF LIMITED PARTNERS....................................................35

SECTION 6.01. Rights or Powers..............................................35
SECTION 6.02. Voting Rights.................................................35
SECTION 6.03. Procedure for Consent.........................................35

ARTICLE VII REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES..................................35

SECTION 7.01. In General....................................................35
SECTION 7.02. Representations and Warranties................................35

_ ARTICLE VIII
ACCOUNTING; BOOKS AND RECORDS...............................................38

SECTION 8.01. Accounting; Books and Records.................................38
SECTION 8.02. Reports.......................................................39
SECTION 8.03. Tax Matters...................................................41
SECTION 8.04. Proprietary Information.......................................42

_ ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS; MEETINGS........................................................42

SECTION 9.01. Amendments....................................................42
SECTION 9.02. Meetings of the Partners......................................42
SECTION 9.03. Unanimous Consent.............................................43

ARTICLE X TRANSFERS OF INTERESTS............................................43

SECTION 10.01. Restriction on Transfers.....................................43
SECTION 10.02. Permitted Transfers..........................................43
SECTION 10.03. Conditions to Permitted Transfers............................44
SECTION 10.04. Prohibited Transfers.........................................45
SECTION 10.05. Rights of Unadmitted Assignees...............................45
SECTION 10.06. Admission as Substituted Partners............................46
SECTION 10.07. Distributions with Respect to Transferred Interests..........46
SECTION 10.08. Retirement of Class A Limited Partners' Interests in the
Partnership; Determination of Mark-to-Market Values
and Gross Asset Values......................................................47

_ ARTICLE XI
GENERAL PARTNER.............................................................49

SECTION 11.01. Covenant Not to Withdraw, Transfer, or Dissolve..............49
SECTION 11.02. Termination of Status as General Partner.....................49
SECTION 11.03. Election of New General Partners.............................50

ARTICLE XII DISSOLUTION AND WINDING UP......................................50

SECTION 12.01. Liquidating Events...........................................50
SECTION 12.02. Winding Up...................................................51
SECTION 12.03. Restoration of Deficit Capital Accounts; Compliance
With Timing Requirements of Regulations.....................................52
SECTION 12.04. Deemed Distribution and Recontribution.......................53
SECTION 12.05. Rights of Partners...........................................54
SECTION 12.06. Notice of Dissolution........................................54
SECTION 12.07. Liquidation Guaranteed Payment...............................54
SECTION 12.08. Character of Liquidating Distributions.......................54
SECTION 12.09. The Liquidator...............................................54
SECTION 12.10. Form of Liquidating Distributions............................55

ARTICLE XIII POWER OF ATTORNEY..............................................55

SECTION 13.01. General Partner as Attorney-In-Fact..........................55
SECTION 13.02. Nature of Special Power......................................56

ARTICLE XIV NOTICE EVENTS...................................................56

SECTION 14.01. Notice Events................................................56
SECTION 14.02. Liquidation Notice...........................................57
SECTION 14.03. Electing Partners' Purchase Option...........................57

_ ARTICLE XV
MISCELLANEOUS...............................................................58

SECTION 15.01. Notices......................................................58
SECTION 15.02. Binding Effect...............................................59
SECTION 15.03. Construction.................................................59
SECTION 15.04. Headings.....................................................59
SECTION 15.05. Severability.................................................59
SECTION 15.06. Variation of Pronouns........................................59
SECTION 15.07. Governing Law................................................60
SECTION 15.08. Waiver of Action for Partition...............................60
SECTION 15.09. Waiver of Jury Trial.........................................60
SECTION 15.10. Consent to Jurisdiction......................................60
SECTION 15.11. Counterpart Execution........................................60
SECTION 15.12. Sole and Absolute Discretion.................................60
SECTION 15.13. Specific Performance.........................................60


                                    EXHIBITS
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


EXHIBIT A            -   Contribution Agreement
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EXHIBIT B            -   Form Demand Note and Guaranty of Payment
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EXHIBIT C            -   Form Confidentiality Certificate
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EXHIBIT D-1          -   Form Transferor Certificate
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EXHIBIT D-2          -   Form Transferee Certificate
- - --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



<TABLE>


                                                                                                         Exhibit 11

                          THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

                          COMPUTATION OF EARNINGS PER SHARE OF COMMON STOCK
                        ON A FULLY DILUTED BASIS FOR THE QUARTER ENDED JUNE 30,

Amounts in Millions, Except Per Share Data                                             1997           1996
<CAPTION>
<S>                                                                             <C>                 <C>    
                                                                                       ----           ----
                                                                                (Average share data in thousands)
Weighted average number of shares. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  170,994            169,955

Dilutive effect of shares issuable as of year-end under stock option
   plans, stock appreciation rights and restricted stock plan. . . . . . . . . . .    2,474                842

Adjustment of shares applicable to stock options and stock
   appreciation rights exercised during the year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     (148)                 91

                                                                                  ---------        -----------
                                                                                  =========        ===========
Weighted average number of shares on a fully diluted basis  . . . . . . . . . . .   173,320            170,888

                                                                                  =========        ===========
                                                                                  =========        ===========

Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .    $50.2            $(43.9)

Income from Discontinued Operations. .. . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        -                .3

                                                                                  ========= ====== =========== =====
Net Income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     $50.2              $43.6

                                                                                  ========= ====== =========== =====

Earnings (Loss) Per Share of Common Stock on a Fully Diluted Basis:
 Continuing Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     $0.29             $(.26)

 Discontinued Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     -                   0.0


                                                                                  ========= ====== =========== =====
Earnings Per Share of Common Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    $0.29             $(.26)
                                                                                  ========= ====== =========== =====

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1997
<CASH>                                          134607
<SECURITIES>                                      2614
<RECEIVABLES>                                   518075
<ALLOWANCES>                                         0
<INVENTORY>                                          0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                214918
<PP&E>                                          820374
<DEPRECIATION>                                  465487
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 2223826
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          1984503
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                          0
<COMMON>                                        188421
<OTHER-SE>                                    (631784)
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   2223826
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                957267
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                   783896
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                (1575)
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               31134
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 134268
<INCOME-TAX>                                     46074
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                              88194
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                     88194
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                      .52
<EPS-DILUTED>                                      .52
        

</TABLE>


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