PAYCO AMERICAN CORP
10-K, 1998-03-31
CONSUMER CREDIT REPORTING, COLLECTION AGENCIES
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20429

                                    FORM 10-K

[X]               ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
                     OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                   For the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997

 [   ]          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 333-16867

                           Outsourcing Solutions Inc.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

               Delaware                                58-2197161
    (State or other jurisdiction of      (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
    incorporation or organization)
 390 South Woods Mill Road, Suite 350
        Chesterfield, Missouri                            63017
(Address of principal executive office)                (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (314) 576-0022

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

      Title of each Class        Name of each exchange on which registered
              None                                 None

Securities registered pursuant to Section (g) of the Act:

                                      None
                              (Title of each class)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 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 by check mark if disclosure of delinquent  filers  pursuant to Item 405
of Regulation S-K (Section 229.405 if this chapter) is not contained herein, and
will not be  contained,  to the best of  registrant's  knowledge,  in definitive
proxy or information  statements  incorporated  by reference in Part III of this
Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. [X]

The  aggregate  market value of the voting stock held by  non-affiliates  of the
registrant is not determinable, as the stock is not publicly traded.

APPLICABLE  ONLY TO CORPORATE  REGISTRANTS:  As of March 17, 1998, the following
shares of the Registrant's common stock were issued and outstanding:

  Voting common stock                                               3,425,126.01
  Class A convertible nonvoting common stock                          391,740.58
  Class B convertible nonvoting common stock                          400,000.00
  Class C convertible nonvoting common stock                        1,040,000.00
                                                                    ------------
                                                                    5,256,866.59
                                                                    ============

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE:  None


<PAGE>


PART I

ITEM 1.  BUSINESS

General

Outsourcing  Solutions Inc., a Delaware Corporation (the "Company" or "OSI") was
formed on September 21, 1995 to build, through a combination of acquisitions and
sustained internal growth,  one of the leading providers of accounts  receivable
management services.

In  September  1995,  OSI  initiated  this  strategy  with  the  acquisition  of
Atlanta-based  Accounts Portfolios,  L.P. ("API"), one of the largest purchasers
and managers of non-performing accounts receivable portfolios.  In January 1996,
OSI acquired Continental Credit Services, Inc. ("Continental") and A.M. Miller &
Associates  ("Miller"),  two industry  leaders in the  contingent  fee business.
Continental,  which is  headquartered  in Seattle and operates in eight  western
states,  provides  contingent fee services to a wide range of end markets,  with
particular emphasis on public utilities and regional telecommunications. Miller,
based in Minneapolis,  provides  contingent fee services to the student loan and
bank credit card end markets.

In November  1996,  OSI  acquired  Payco  American  Corporation  ("Payco")  with
corporate offices in Brookfield,  Wisconsin.  Originally founded as a contingent
fee service company,  Payco has diversified into other outsourcing services such
as student loan billing, health care accounts receivable billing and management,
contract management of accounts receivable and teleservicing. Upon completion of
the Payco  acquisition,  the  Company  became one of the  largest  providers  of
accounts receivable management services in the United States.

In October 1997, OSI acquired North Shore Agency,  Inc.  ("NSA"),  a fee service
company  headquartered  in Long Island,  New York.  NSA  specializes  in "letter
series"  collection  services for direct marketers  targeted at collecting small
balance debts.  The majority of NSA's  revenues are generated  from  traditional
contingent  collections  utilizing  letters with the remaining  revenues derived
from fixed fee letter services.

In November 1997, OSI acquired Accelerated Bureau of Collections,  Inc. ("ABC").
ABC is a Denver-based  national fee service  company.  ABC specializes in credit
card  collections and derives  approximately  25% of its revenues from early-out
programs with the remaining 75% of revenues derived from standard contingent fee
collections.

In December 1997, the Company  entered into a Share Purchase  Agreement and Plan
of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") with The Union Corporation ("Union") pursuant
to which Union will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. The Company
expects to complete the transaction by April 1998.

Industry

As a  result  of the  rapid  growth  of  outstanding  consumer  credit  and  the
corresponding  increase in  delinquencies,  credit  grantors  have  increasingly
looked to third party  service  providers in managing  the  accounts  receivable
process.  In  addition,  rapid  consolidation  in the  largest  credit  granting
industries,  including banking,  health care,  telecommunications and utilities,
has forced  companies  to focus on core  business  activities  and to  outsource
ancillary  functions,  including some or all aspects of the accounts  receivable
management  process.  Contingent fee companies dominate the accounts  receivable
management industry, with the American Collectors Association estimating that in
1996 there were  approximately  6,000  contingent fee agencies.  The industry is
currently  characterized by a high degree of fragmentation  with a corresponding
trend in recent  years  toward  consolidation.  Over the past  twenty  years the
number of contingent fee providers has decreased by approximately twenty percent
and, between 1992 and 1995, the ten largest  contingent fee providers  increased
their market share from 15% to over 42%.

The accounts receivable  management industry has undergone rapid growth over the
past fifteen  years.  According to the  industry  research  firm of M. Kaulkin &
Associates,  account  placements to servicers  increased at a compounded  annual
growth rate of 13.1% from 1980 to 1994 and are  projected to continue to grow at
8.5% from 1994 to 2000.  New placements in 1994, the last year for which data is
available,  totaled  $84.2  billion and are  expected to grow to $137 billion in
2000.  According to the Nilson Report, a leading expert in payment systems,  the
total  amount  of  revenues  generated  by  all  contingent  fee  companies  was
approximately  $5.0  billion in 1995.  Two  significant  trends in the  consumer
credit  industry are  primarily  responsible  for this industry  growth.  First,
consumer debt (a leading  indicator of current and future  business for accounts
receivable  management  companies) has increased  dramatically  in recent years.
Between 1990 and 1995,  total  consumer debt increased 37% from $3.6 trillion to
almost $5.0 trillion.  Second, in an effort to focus on core business activities
and to take advantage of the economies of scale,  better  performance  and lower
cost structure offered by accounts receivable management companies,  many credit
grantors have chosen to outsource some or all aspects of the accounts receivable
management process.

The customer base for the accounts  receivable  management industry is dominated
by credit issuers in four end-markets:  banks/bankcard,  health care,  utilities
and telecommunications.  According to the American Collectors Association, these
four  industries  accounted for $66.7 billion in account  placements in 1994, or
nearly 80% of the total placement volume.  Other significant  sources of account
placements  for the  industry  include  retail,  student  loan  agencies and oil
companies.  The Company believes that the ongoing  consolidation in the banking,
utilities,  telecommunications  and health care  industries  will create  larger
national customers seeking to place accounts with accounts receivable management
companies  that have the  resources  to offer  national  rather  than  local and
regional coverage.

The accounts receivable management industry is closely regulated by federal laws
such as the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ("FDCPA") and similar state laws.

Contingent fee services are the  traditional  services  provided in the accounts
receivable   management  industry.   Creditors  typically  place  non-performing
accounts  after they have been deemed  non-collectible,  usually  when 90 to 120
days past due. The commission rate is generally based on the  collectability  of
the asset in terms of the costs, which the contingent fee servicer must incur to
effect repayment. The earlier the placement (i.e., the less elapsed time between
the past due date of the  receivable  and the date on which  the debt is  placed
with the contingent fee servicer),  the higher the probability of recovering the
debt,  and therefore the lower the cost to collect and the lower the  commission
rate. Creditors typically assign their charged-off receivables to contingent fee
servicers for a six to twelve month cycle,  and then reassign the receivables to
other  servicers as the accounts  become  further past due. There are three main
types  of  placements  in the  contingent  fee  business,  each  representing  a
different  stage in the cycle of  account  collection.  Primary  placements  are
accounts,  typically  120 to 270 days  past  due,  that are  being  placed  with
agencies for the first time and usually receive the lowest commission. Secondary
placements,  accounts 270 to 360 days past due,  have already been placed with a
contingent  fee  servicer  and  usually  require a process  including  obtaining
judgments,  asset  searches,  and other more rigorous  legal  remedies to ensure
repayment and,  therefore,  receive a higher  commission.  Tertiary  placements,
accounts  usually  over  360 days  past  due,  involve  legal  judgments,  and a
successful   collection   receives  the  highest   commission.   Customers   are
increasingly  placing  accounts with accounts  receivable  management  companies
earlier in the collection cycle, often prior to the 120 days past due typical in
primary placements, either under a contingent fee or fixed fee arrangement.

While contingent fee servicing  remains the most widely used method by creditors
in recovering  non-performing  accounts,  portfolio  purchasing has increasingly
become a popular  alternative.  Beginning in the 1980's,  the  Resolution  Trust
Company and the Federal Deposit Insurance  Company,  under government mandate to
do so,  began to sell  portfolios  of  non-performing  loans.  Spurred on by the
success of these  organizations in a selling  charged-off  debt, other creditors
likewise began to sell portfolios of non-performing  debt.  Management estimates
the total  principal  value of  purchased  portfolios  at between  $2.5 and $5.5
billion per year, and based on the Company's experience,  the annual growth rate
of the  portfolio  purchasing  market  segment  for the period  1990 to 1995 was
between 50% and 80%. The largest  percentage of purchased  portfolios  originate
from the bank card receivable and retail markets and are typically  purchased at
a deep  discount  from the aggregate  principal  value of the accounts,  with an
inverse correlation  between purchase price and age of the delinquent  accounts.
Once purchased, traditional collection techniques are employed to obtain payment
of non-performing accounts.

Accounts receivable  management  companies have responded to the increasing need
of credit granting companies to outsource other related services as well. Due to
the rapid growth in consumer credit, credit grantors need assistance in managing
increasingly large and complex call centers and accounts  receivable  management
companies  have  stepped  in to provide a variety of  services.  These  services
include, among others,  third-party billing services and customer teleservicing.
Accounts  receivable  management  companies  have found  that their  traditional
experience in managing a large staff in a telephone-based environment provides a
solid base for entering into these  relatively  new and rapidly  growing  market
segments.

The accounts  receivable  management  industry has  progressed in  technological
sophistication  over  the  past  several  years  with  the  advancement  of  new
technology. Today, leading companies in this industry use proprietary databases,
automated predictive dialers,  automatic call distributors and computerized skip
tracing   capabilities   to   significantly   increase  the  number  of  quality
interactions  with  debtors.  This  technological   advancement  is  helping  to
accelerate  industry  consolidation  and facilitates  providing related accounts
receivable  management  outsourcing  services.  The  firms  which  have the most
efficient operating system and can best use credit information typically collect
more funds per account dollar and thus are awarded  disproportionately  more new
accounts.

Business Strategy

The Company's market position and breadth of services distinguishes it as one of
the leading providers of accounts  receivable  management services in the United
States.  The Company's  business strategy is to expand this position through the
following initiatives:

     FULL SERVICE  PROVIDERS/CROSS-SELLING  SERVICES TO EXISTING CUSTOMERS.  The
Company is a full service firm which currently offers its customers a wide array
of accounts  receivable  management  options beyond  traditional  contingent fee
services,  including  letter  series and  higher  margin  portfolio  purchasing,
contract  management of accounts  receivable,  billing and  teleservicing.  This
range of services  allows the Company to  cross-sell  its  offerings  within its
existing  customer  base,  as well as to  potential  customers  in  specifically
targeted industries.

     EXPANSION  OF CUSTOMER  BASE.  Two of the most  important  determinants  in
selecting an accounts receivable  management service provider are reputation and
experience.  As the Company develops expertise and recognition with customers in
a particular industry, it markets that expertise to other credit grantors in the
industry. In addition, consolidation in the bank, retail, utility, student loan,
health care and telecommunications industries has created national customers who
are  moving  part or all of  their  accounts  receivable  collection  management
business to national service  providers.  With the ability to offer its services
in all 50 states  and  experience  in  successfully  managing  a high  volume of
placements on a national  basis,  the Company is well positioned to benefit from
this consolidation trend. The Company is also focused on increasing its business
with government  agencies at the federal,  state and local levels, many of which
have begun to outsource  accounts  receivable  functions for items such as taxes
and student loans to private companies.

     LEVERAGING   TECHNOLOGY.   The  Company  has   invested   aggressively   in
technological  innovations to enhance its  competitive  advantages  over smaller
competitors.  The Company  has  hardware  and  proprietary  software,  including
debtor-scoring models and debtor databases, which the Company believes, provides
it with a competitive  advantage in pricing  portfolios and  collecting  amounts
from debtors. In addition, the Company utilizes automated predictive dialers and
skip  tracing  databases  in  order  to allow  account  representatives  to work
accounts more efficiently. Through interface with creditor computer systems, the
Company can efficiently  receive new account placements from customers daily and
provide frequent updates to customers on the status of accounts collections.  As
the Company  begins to provide  more  comprehensive  outsourcing  services,  the
Company becomes more integrated with its customers'  systems,  making  switching
vendors both costly and inefficient.

     GROWTH  THROUGH  ACQUISITIONS.  The Company has built its position  through
strategic  acquisitions of accounts  receivable service providers in each of the
markets  in which it  participates.  The  Company  plans to  selectively  pursue
additional  acquisitions  which complement its existing services or increase its
customer base.

Services

The Company is one of the largest  providers of accounts  receivable  management
services in the United States.  The Company offers its customers  contingent fee
services, portfolio purchasing services and related outsourcing services.

     CONTINGENT  FEE  SERVICES.  The Company is one of the largest  providers of
contingent fee services in the United States. The Company offers a full range of
contingent fee services,  including early-out programs and letter series, to all
consumer credit end-markets.  The Company utilizes it sophisticated MIS and vast
experience  with  locating,  contacting  and effecting  payment from  delinquent
account  holders in providing its core  contingent  fee  services.  With 53 call
centers  in 25 states  and  approximately  4,100  account  representatives,  the
Company  has the  ability to service  large  volume of  accounts  with  national
coverage.  In addition to  traditional  contingent  fee services  involving  the
placement of accounts over 120 days  delinquent,  creditors have begun to demand
services in which accounts are outsourced  earlier in the collection  cycle. The
Company has responded to this trend by developing "early-out" programs,  whereby
the Company  receives  placed  accounts that are less than 120 days past due and
earns a fixed fee per  placed  account  rather  than a  percentage  of  realized
collections.   These  programs   require  a  greater  degree  of   technological
integration between the Company and it's customers,  leading to higher switching
costs. The Company primarily  services consumer  creditors  although the Company
has  a  growing  presence  in  the  commercial  collection  business,   offering
contingent fee services to commercial creditors as well.

     PORTFOLIO  PURCHASING  SERVICES.  The Company offers  portfolio  purchasing
services to a wide range of educational  institutions,  financial  institutions,
government  agencies  and  retailers.  The Company  purchases  large and diverse
portfolios  of  non-performing  consumer  receivables  both  on an  individually
negotiated basis as well as through "forward flow" agreements. Most individually
negotiated  transactions involve tertiary paper (i.e., accounts that are between
180 to 360 days past due). Under forward flow agreements,  the Company agrees to
purchase  charged off  receivables  on a monthly  basis as they become past due.
Creditors  selling  portfolios  to the  Company  realize a number  of  benefits,
including  increased  predictability  of cash flow,  reduction in monitoring and
administrative  expenses  and  reallocation  of assets  from  non-core  business
functions to core business functions.

The  Company's  purchased  portfolios  consist  primarily of consumer  loans and
credit card  receivables,  student loan receivables and health club receivables,
including  portfolios  purchased under forward flow  agreements.  Consumer loans
purchased include automobile receivables, mobile home receivables and commercial
real estate receivables.  The Company's most recent portfolio  acquisitions have
been  primarily  purchases  pursuant to the Company's  health club and bank card
forward  flow  agreements.  The  Company  continues  to pursue  acquisitions  of
portfolios in various industries for individually negotiated purchases.

The  Company has  recently  established  a sourcing  relationship  with  Sherman
Financial Group, L.L.C. ("Sherman"). Sherman's focus is singularly on developing
a  distressed  debt  business on behalf of the Company.  The Company  expects to
benefit  from  Sherman's  existing  client  relationships,   industry  marketing
expertise,  pricing technology and negotiating  expertise with illiquid products
in "one-off" transactions.

     RELATED OUTSOURCING SERVICES. As the volume of consumer credit has expanded
across a number of  industries,  credit  grantors  have begun  demanding a wider
range of outsourcing services.  In response,  the Company has developed a number
of other accounts  receivable  management  services.  The Company  leverages its
operational  expertise and call and data  management  technology by offering the
following services: (1) contract management,  through which the Company performs
a range of accounts receivable  management services at the customer's  location,
(2) student loan billing,  whereby the Company provides  billing,  due diligence
and customer service services,  (3) health care accounts receivable  management,
whereby the Company assumes  responsibility  for managing  third-party  billing,
patient pay resolution,  inbound and outbound patient communication services and
cash application  functions,  and (4) teleservicing,  whereby the company offers
inbound and  outbound  calling  programs to perform  sales,  customer  retention
programs, market research and customer service.

Sales and Marketing

The  Company  has a sales  force  of  approximately  130  sales  representatives
providing  comprehensive  geographic  coverage of the United  States on a local,
regional  and  national  basis.  The Company also markets its services in Puerto
Rico and Mexico.  Each of the operating  companies  maintain its own sales force
and have a marketing  strategy closely tailored to the  credit-granting  markets
that it serves. The Company's primary sales and marketing objective is to expand
its  customer  base in those  customer  industries  in which it has a particular
expertise and to target new  customers in high growth end markets.  The Company,
through its established  operating company brand names,  emphasizes its industry
experience  and   reputation--two  key  factors  considered  by  creditors  when
selecting an accounts  receivable  service provider.  Increasingly,  the Company
will  focus on  cross-selling  its full  range of  outsourcing  services  to its
existing  customers  and will use its product  breadth as a key selling point in
creating new business.  The Company's overall sales and marketing strategies are
coordinated  by the  corporate  office  Chesterfield,  Missouri,  which  is also
responsible  for  monitoring  the  sales  performance  of each of the  operating
entities.

Customers

The  Company's  customer  base  includes  a full  range of local,  regional  and
national creditors. The company's customers include American Express,  Citicorp,
Bally's,  Time Warner,  Discover  Card,  Ameritech,  US West,  AT&T,  First USA,
Columbia  House,  New Jersey  Department of Treasury,  and various  student loan
guaranty agencies  (including the California  Student Aid Commission,  USA Group
Guaranty  Services Inc. and the Great Lakes Higher Education  Corporation).  The
Company's largest customer accounted for less than 10% of 1997 revenues.

Employees

The  company  employs  approximately  5,000  people,  of which 4,100 are account
representatives,    130   are   sales    representative    and   770   work   in
corporate/supervisory  and  administrative  functions.  None  of  the  Company's
employees are unionized,  and the Company  believes its relations with employees
are satisfactory.

The Company is  committed  to  providing  continuous  training  and  performance
improvement  plans to increase the productivity of its account  representatives.
Account  representatives  receive extensive training in a classroom  environment
for several  days on Company  procedures,  information  systems and  regulations
regarding contact with debtors.  The training includes technical topics, such as
use of on-line collection systems and skip-tracing techniques and tools, as well
as instruction  regarding the Company's  approach to the collection  process and
listening, negotiation and problem-solving skills, all of which are essential to
efficient and effective collections.

Account  representatives are then assigned to work groups for a training period.
Initially, the trainees only screen incoming calls. This allows less experienced
account  representatives  to communicate with debtors in a less  confrontational
environment  than may be  experienced  with outgoing  calls.  Additionally,  the
trainees  are  assigned  accounts,  which  based upon  scoring by the  Company's
information systems, have a higher likelihood of collection.  After the training
period, the account representatives begin working accounts directly.

Competition

The  accounts   receivable   management   industry  is  highly   fragmented  and
competitive.  According  to  the  American  Collectors  Association,  there  are
approximately  6,000 contingent fee service companies in the United States, with
the 15 largest  agencies  currently  receiving  33% of all accounts  placed with
outside  collection  agencies.  Competition is based largely on recovery  rates,
industry  experience  and reputation  and service fees.  Large volume  creditors
typically  employ more than one accounts  receivable  management  company at one
time,  and often  compare  performance  rate and  rebalance  account  placements
towards higher  performing  servicers.  The largest  competitors  include Deluxe
Corporation, Equifax Corporation, FCA International and G.C. Services.

Governmental Regulatory Matters

Certain of the Company's operations are subject to compliance with the FDCPA and
comparable  statutes in many states.  Under the FDCPA, a third-party  collection
agency is  restricted  in the  methods it uses to  collect  consumer  debt.  For
example,  a  third-party  collection  agency is  limited in  communicating  with
persons other than the consumer about the consumer's request. Requirements under
state collection agency statutes vary, with most requiring compliance similar to
that  required   under  the  FDCPA.   In  addition,   most  states  and  certain
municipalities  require collection  agencies to be licensed with the appropriate
authorities before collecting debts from debtors within those jurisdictions.  It
is the Company's  policy to comply with the provisions of the FDCPA,  comparable
state statues and applicable licensing requirements. The Company has established
policies and  procedures to reduce the likelihood of violations of the FDCPA and
related state statutes. All account  representatives  receive extensive training
on  these   policies   and  must  pass  a  test  on  the  FDCPA.   Each  account
representative's  desk has a list of suggested  and  prohibited  language by the
telephone.  The agents  work in an open  environment  which  allows  managers to
monitor interaction with debtors,  and the system  automatically alerts managers
of potential problems if calls extend beyond a certain duration.

There have been no further  developments in the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC")
inquiry at API. The FTC is  conducting  an informal  inquiry to determine if API
has violated any provision of the FDCPA.  The Company is fully  cooperating with
the FTC and responding to any and all inquiries.  The Company  believes that the
ultimate resolution of the FTC's inquiry will not have a material adverse effect
on the financial position or results of operations of the Company.

Subsequent Event

On January 23, 1998, the Company acquired  approximately  77% of the outstanding
shares of Union  common  stock for  $31.50  per  share.  Pursuant  to the Merger
Agreement, the Company agreed to acquire any of the remaining outstanding shares
of Union  pursuant to a second-step  merger in which holders of such shares will
receive  $31.50 per share.  The Company  expects to complete the merger by April
1998.  The aggregate  purchase  price of the common stock will be  approximately
$192.0  million.  The  acquisition  will be  accounted  for under  the  purchase
accounting method.

Union  was  originally  a  conglomerate  involved  in  businesses  ranging  from
electronic and industrial  components to financial  services.  Today, Union is a
leading  provider  of a range of  outsourcing  services  to both large and small
clients.  Union provides  contingent and fixed fee collection services and other
related outsourcing services.

Union  provides fee services  through the following  wholly-owned  subsidiaries:
Allied Bond & Collection  Agency,  Inc.  ("Allied"),  Capital Credit Corporation
("Capital  Credit"),  and  Transworld  Systems,  Inc.  ("Transworld").   Allied,
headquartered  in  Trevose,  Pennsylvania,  provides  contingent  and  fixed fee
collection  services for large clients  across a broad  spectrum of  industries.
Capital Credit, headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, also provides contingent
and fixed fee collection  services for large national clients  primarily serving
the  bankcard,  telecommunications,  travel  and  entertainment  and  government
sectors.  Transworld,  headquartered in Rohnert Park, California, is the largest
prepaid,  fixed  fee  outsourcer  of  delinquent  account  management  services.
Transworld's  clients are primarily small companies with low balance  delinquent
accounts.  Transworld  provides  clients with a two phase  system.  Phase I is a
fixed  fee,  computer  generated  "letter  series".  Phase  II is a  traditional
contingent fee collection system designed to collect those accounts that are not
collected  during Phase I. Union provides related  outsourcing  services through
its Interactive  Performance,  Inc. ("IPI") and High Performance Services,  Inc.
("HPSI") subsidiaries.  IPI, headquartered in North Charleston,  South Carolina,
provides a range of credit and receivables  management  outsourcing  services to
telecommunications  companies  primarily  in the  form of  teleservicing.  IPI's
services include inbound and outbound calling programs for credit authorization,
customer   service,   usage   management  and  receivables   management.   HPSI,
headquartered in  Jacksonville,  Florida,  provides  services similar to IPI for
clients in the financial services industry.

Environmental Matters

Current  operations  of OSI  and  its  subsidiaries  do not  involve  activities
affecting  the  environment.   However,   Union  is  party  to  several  pending
environmental  proceedings involving the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA")
and comparable state environmental agencies in Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts,
New Jersey,  Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  South  Carolina,  and Virginia.  All of these
matters relate to discontinued operations of former divisions or subsidiaries of
Union for which it has potential continuing  responsibility.  Upon completion of
the Union  acquisition,  OSI will  establish  reserves  that it believes will be
adequate for the ultimate settlement of these environmental proceedings.

One group of Union's  known  environmental  proceedings  relates to Superfund or
other sites where Union's  liability  arises from  arranging for the disposal of
allegedly  hazardous  substances  in  the  ordinary  course  of  prior  business
operations. In most of these "generator" liability cases, Union's involvement is
considered to be de minimus (i.e.,  a volumetric  share of  approximately  1% or
less)  and in  each of  these  cases  Union  is  only  one of  many  potentially
responsible  parties.  From the  information  currently  available,  there are a
sufficient number of other  economically  viable  participating  parties so that
Union's  projected  liability,   although  potentially  joint  and  several,  is
consistent with its allocable share of liability.  At one "generator"  liability
site, Union's  involvement is potentially more significant because of the volume
of  waste  contributed  in  past  years  by  a  currently  inactive  subsidiary.
Insufficient information is available regarding the need for or extent and scope
of any remedial actions which may be required.
Union has recorded what it believes to be a reasonable  estimate of its ultimate
liability, based on current information, for this site.

The  second  group of  matters  relates to  environmental  issues on  properties
currently or formerly  owned or operated by a  subsidiary  or division of Union.
These cases generally involve matters for which Union or an inactive  subsidiary
is the sole or primary  responsible party. In one such case,  however,  although
the  affected   subsidiary   fully  performed  a  settlement  with  the  federal
government,  the government  has  subsequently  reopened the matter.  A group of
financially solvent responsible parties has completed an extensive investigation
of this Superfund site under a consent order with the EPA and submitted Remedial
Investigation  and  Feasibility  Study Reports (the "Reports") to the EPA, which
outline a range of various remedial  alternatives for the site. The EPA issued a
proposed  plan  which was  subject  to public  comments.  Union's  environmental
counsel retained several reputable environmental  consulting firms to review and
evaluate the Reports and proposed plan. The findings of these experts  indicated
that many of the assumptions,  purported facts and conclusions  contained in the
Reports  and  proposed  plan  are  significantly  flawed.  These  findings  were
submitted to the EPA to challenge the  perceived  need for and the extent of the
proposed  additional  remediation.  As  previously  reported by Union,  a better
estimate of costs  associated  with any further  remediation  to be taken at the
site could not be made until a Record of Decision was issued by the EPA. The EPA
issued  such  Record  of  Decision  for  this  site on  February  6,  1998  and,
notwithstanding  the information  contained in the findings  submitted by Union,
the  cost to  perform  the  remediation  selected  by the  EPA  for the  site is
estimated by the EPA to be  approximately  $17.3  million.  Notwithstanding  the
foregoing and Union's denial of liability  because of the prior  settlement with
the government,  the aggregate  amounts reserved by Union for this site is $13.8
million,  which  represents  Union's  best  estimate of the  ultimate  legal and
consulting  costs for this site, costs to defend its  aforementioned  settlement
with the  government  regarding  this site,  and its portion of the  remediation
costs that will ultimately be incurred by them, based on current information, if
Union's prior  settlement  with the government is not upheld in court.  However,
Union  may be  exposed  to  additional  substantial  liability  for this site as
additional information becomes available over the long-term.  Actual remediation
costs cannot be computed  until such remedial  action is completed.  Some of the
other sites  involving  Union or an inactive  subsidiary are at a state where an
assessment  of ultimate  liability,  if any,  cannot  reasonably be made at this
time.

It is  Union's  policy  to  comply  fully  with all laws  regulating  activities
affecting  the  environment  and to meet its  obligations  in this area. In many
"generator" liability cases, reasonable cost estimates are available on which to
base reserves on Union's  likely  allocated  share among viable  parties.  Where
insufficient  information is available  regarding projected remedial actions for
these  "generator"  liability  cases,  Union has recorded what it believes to be
reasonable  estimates of its potential  liabilities.  Reserves for liability for
sites on which former  operations  were conducted are based on cost estimates of
remedial actions projected for these sites. All known  environmental  claims are
periodically  reviewed by Union,  where  information  is  available,  to provide
reasonable  assurance that adequate  reserves are maintained.  Reserves recorded
for  environmental  liabilities  are  not net of  insurance  or  other  expected
recoveries.


ITEM 2.  PROPERTIES

As of December 31, 1997, the Company and its subsidiaries operated 65 facilities
in the U.S., all of which are leased.  The Company believes that such facilities
are suitable  and  adequate  for its  business.  The  Company's  facilities  are
strategically  located  across  the  U.S.  to give  effective  broad  geographic
coverage for customers.


ITEM 3.  LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

At December 31, 1997, the Company was involved in a number of legal  proceedings
and claims that were in the normal  course of business and routine to the nature
of the Company's business.  The Company has provided for the estimated uninsured
amounts and costs of defense  for pending  suits and  management  believes  that
reserves  established for the ultimate  settlement of such suits are adequate at
December 31, 1997.

Payco and its wholly owned subsidiary  Payco-General American Credits, Inc. were
party to a  class-action  lawsuit  filed in July  1995 in the  Circuit  Court of
Etowah County,  Alabama.  The suit alleged that Payco-General  American Credits,
Inc.,  which was performing  contingent  fee services on behalf of  co-defendant
Transamerica Business Credit Corporation ("Transamerica"),  committed violations
of the federal FDCPA and Alabama state law. In January 1996,  Transamerica filed
a cross-claim  against  Payco-General  American Credits,  Inc., seeking judgment
against Payco-General  American Credits,  Inc., for any liability,  loss cost or
expense Transamerica has or will incur.  Payco-General  American Credits,  Inc.,
has, in turn,  filed a similar claim against  Transamerica.  Payco  negotiated a
settlement with the plaintiff class, and on November 18, 1997, the Circuit Court
approved the class settlement.  Under the class settlement,  Payco agreed to pay
$1.3 million in cash to fund attorneys' fees to class counsel and to make credit
counseling services available to individual class members.

The Company believes that it has meritorious  defenses to the cross-claim in the
Transamerica suit and believes that the outcome of that litigation will not have
a material  adverse effect on the  operations or the financial  condition of the
Company.

In addition, Union is party to various legal proceedings and claims that were in
the normal  course of business and routine to the nature of its  business.  Upon
completion  of the  Union  acquisition,  OSI  will  establish  reserves  that it
believes   will  be  adequate  for  the  ultimate   settlement  of  these  legal
proceedings.


ITEM 4.  SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

There were no matters  submitted to a vote of security holders during the fourth
quarter of the year ended December 31, 1997.




<PAGE>

PART II.

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT'S COMMON STOCK AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

No public market currently exists for the Common Stock.

As of March 17,  1998,  there  were  approximately  21  holders of record of the
Common Stock.

The Company has not  declared  any cash  dividends on its Common Stock since the
Company's formation in September 1995. The Indenture (the "Indenture"), dated as
of  November  6, 1996,  by and among the  Company,  the  Guarantors  (as defined
therein)  and  Wilmington  Trust  Company,  as Trustee,  with respect to the 11%
Series  B  Senior  Subordinated  Notes  due 2006  contains  restrictions  on the
Company's   ability  to  declare  or  pay   dividends  on  its  capital   stock.
Additionally,  the Second  Amended and Restated  Credit  Agreement,  dated as of
January 26, 1998 by and among the Company,  the Lenders listed therein,  Goldman
Sachs Credit Partners L.P. and the Chase  Manhattan  Bank, as  Co-Administrative
Agents,  Goldman  Sachs Credit  Partners  L.P. and Chase  Securities,  Inc.,  as
Arranging  Agents and SunTrust Bank,  Atlanta,  as Collateral Agent (the "Credit
Agreement") contains certain restrictions on the Company's ability to declare or
pay dividends on its capital stock.  Both the Indenture and the Credit Agreement
prohibit  the  declaration  or  payment  of any  dividends  or the making of any
distribution  by  the  Company  or  any  subsidiary  (other  than  dividends  or
distributions payable in stock of the Company under certain  circumstances) or a
subsidiary and other than dividends or distributions payable to the Company.


ITEM 6.  SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

The  following  selected  historical  financial  data set forth  below have been
derived  from,  and are  qualified by reference to (i) the audited  Consolidated
Financial  Statements of OSI for the period from  September 21, 1995 to December
31,  1995 and the two  years  ended  December  31,  1997  and  (ii) the  audited
consolidated  financial  statements of API (as  predecessor)  for the year ended
December  31, 1994 and the period  January 1, 1995 to September  20,  1995.  The
audited  financial  statements  of OSI and API  referred  to above are  included
elsewhere herein. The selected  historical  financial data set forth below as of
December  31, 1994 and for the year ended  December  31, 1993 have been  derived
from the audited financial  statements of API not included herein.  The selected
financial  data set forth  below  should be read in  conjunction  with,  and are
qualified by reference to,  "Management's  Discussion  and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations" and the Consolidated  Financial  Statements
and accompanying notes thereto of API and OSI included elsewhere herein.








<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>



                                                     API (as predecessor)                          OSI (as successor)
                                           -----------------------------------------    --------------------------------------
                                                                                            From
                                                                           From         September 21
                                                                        January 1 to         To
                                           Year Ended December 31,     September 20,    December 31,   Year Ended December 31,
                                           -----------------------     -------------    ------------   -----------------------
                                               1993         1994            1995            1995          1996          1997
<S>                                          <C>          <C>              <C>            <C>           <C>           <C>
Income Statement Data:
Operating revenue (a)....................    $23,696      $39,292          $21,293         $ 8,311      $106,331      $271,683
Salaries and benefits....................      1,596        2,646            4,471           2,079        46,997       133,364
Other operating expenses (b)(c)..........     10,692        8,790            7,343           8,953        80,357       156,738
                                             -------      -------          -------         -------      --------      --------
Operating income (loss)..................     11,408       27,856            9,479          (2,721)      (21,023)      (18,419)
Interest expense, net....................      1,301        2,599              495           1,361        12,131        28,791
Other expense............................         --          166               --              --            --            --
                                             -------      -------          -------         -------      --------      --------
Income (loss) before taxes...............     10,107       25,091            8,894          (4,082)      (33,154)      (47,210)
Provision for income taxes (benefit).....         --           --               --          (1,605)      (11,757)       11,127
                                             -------      -------          -------         -------      --------      --------
Net income (loss) (c)....................    $10,107      $25,091          $ 8,984         $(2,477)     $(21,397)     $(58,337)
                                             =======      =======          =======         =======      ========      ========
Balance Sheet Data (at end of period):
Working capital..........................     $5,622      $16,897           $3,809         $22,438       $38,080       $18,558
Total assets.............................      8,945       22,941           11,272          85,652       355,207       381,690
Total debt...............................      3,544           --               --          36,462       247,616       324,966
Partners' capital/Stockholders equity
     (deficit)...........................      4,582       22,162           10,559          42,448        51,598        (5,478)
Other Financial Data:
Amortization of purchased portfolios (c).     $6,013       $2,667           $2,308          $5,390       $27,317       $52,042 (e)
Other depreciation and amortization......         57          102              167             331        18,281        33,574
Cash capital expenditures................        222          463              574              97         2,606         9,489
Portfolio purchases......................      7,088        6,800            5,502             903        10,373 (f)    46,494
Cash flows provided by (used in):
     Operating activities................      4,759       21,074            5,887           2,902        10,667        32,825
     Investing activities................     (2,222)        (463)           1,259         (31,007)     (200,435)     (119,499)
     Financing activities................     (3,775)     (11,055)         (20,587)         29,574       202,796        75,394
EBITDA (d)...............................     17,478       30,625           11,954           3,000        24,575        67,197
Adjusted EBITDA (d)......................     15,609       18,465           11,954           3,000        25,775        67,197

<FN>
(a)  1993 and 1994  operating  revenues  include  proceeds on sales of purchased
     portfolios of $1,869 and $13,325, respectively. The related amortization on
     the  portfolios  sold  included  in other  operating  expenses  was $54 and
     $1,155,  respectively.  In  addition,  transaction  costs  of  $1,165  were
     incurred  in  connection  with the  1994  sale  and are  included  in other
     operating expenses.
(b)  Other operating expenses include telephone,  postage,  supplies,  occupancy
     costs, data processing costs, depreciation,  amortization and miscellaneous
     operating expenses.
(c)  Effective January 1, 1994, API began amortizing on an individual  portfolio
     basis  the cost of  purchased  receivables  based on the  ratio of  current
     collections to current  anticipated  future  collections for that portfolio
     over a  maximum  period  of  three  years.  Prior to  1994,  API  amortized
     purchased  receivables under the cost recovery method. The change in method
     was a result of API's improved historical collection experience for similar
     types of loan  portfolios  and its ability to estimate  expected cash flow.
     The effect of this change was  accounted for  prospectively  as a change in
     estimate and reduced  amortization expense and increased net income by $962
     in 1994.
(d)  EBITDA is defined as income from  continuing  operations  before  interest,
     other  expense,  taxes,  depreciation  and  amortization.  Adjusted  EBITDA
     reflects  EBITDA as defined  above  adjusted  for proceeds  from  portfolio
     sales,  net of transaction  costs,  of $1,869 and $12,160 in 1993 and 1994,
     respectively,  and the  non-recurring  write-off of acquired  technology in
     process in connection with the Payco  acquisition  and relocation  expenses
     incurred by Continental of $1,000 and $200, respectively, in the year ended
     December  31, 1996.  EBITDA and  Adjusted  EBITDA are  presented  here,  as
     management believes they provide useful information regarding the Company's
     ability to service and/or incur debt. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not
     be considered  in isolation or as  substitutes  for net income,  cash flows
     from continuing operations,  or other consolidated income or cash flow data
     prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting  principles or as
     measures of a company's profitability or liquidity.
(e)  In the fourth quarter of 1997, the Company  completed an in-depth  analysis
     of the carrying  value of the purchased  portfolios  acquired and valued in
     conjunction  with the Company's  September  1995  acquisition  of API. As a
     result  of this  analysis,  the  Company  recorded  $10,000  of  additional
     amortization related to these purchased portfolios to reduce their carrying
     value to their  estimated net realizable  value.  This amount  includes the
     $10,000.
(f)  In May 1996, a subsidiary of the Company acquired  participation  interests
     in certain loan portfolios,  representing the undivided ownership interests
     in  such  portfolios  which  were  originally  sold  pursuant  to  existing
     Participation  Agreements (the "MLQ Interests") for aggregate consideration
     of $14,772. This amount excludes the $14,772.
</FN>
</TABLE>


ITEM 7.  MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS
         OF OPERATIONS

Results of Operations

YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997 COMPARED TO YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996

Revenues for the year ended December 31, 1997 were $271.7  million,  compared to
$106.3 million for the year ended December 31, 1996.  Revenues from fee services
(including outsourcing) were $203.9 million for the year ended December 31, 1997
compared to $60.8 million in the comparable  period in 1996. The increase in fee
revenues  was a  result  of the  acquisition  of  Payco in  November  1996,  the
acquisition of NSA in October 1997 and the  acquisition of ABC in November 1997.
Revenues  generated  from the  collection of purchased  portfolios  increased to
$67.8 million for the year ended December 31, 1997 compared to $45.5 million for
the  comparable  period in 1996.  The  increase in  collections  from  purchased
portfolios results from primarily an increase in purchased  portfolio levels and
related collection efforts and to a lesser extent from the Payco acquisition.

Operating  Expenses  for the year ended  December  31, 1997 were $290.1  million
compared to $127.4  million for the  comparable  period in 1996,  an increase of
$162.7 million.  Operating expenses,  exclusive of amortization and depreciation
charges,  were  $204.5  million for the year ended  December  31, 1997 and $80.8
million for the comparable  period in 1996.  Operating  expenses  increased as a
result  of the  Payco  acquisition  as  well as the  use of  outside  collection
agencies to service a portion of purchased portfolios.  Of the $290.1 million in
expenses for the year ended December 31, 1997,  $52.0 million  (including  $10.0
million of additional  amortization to reduce a portion of purchased  portfolios
to  their  estimated  fair  value - See  Note 12 to the  Consolidated  Financial
Statements) was  attributable to amortization of the purchase price of purchased
portfolios  (compared to $27.3 million in 1996),  $16.7 million was attributable
to amortization of account  inventory  (compared to $12.3 million in 1996), $8.0
million  was  attributable  to  amortization  of  goodwill  associated  with the
acquisitions of API, Miller,  Continental,  Payco, NSA and ABC (compared to $3.2
million in 1996) and $8.8 million was attributable to depreciation  (compared to
$2.8 million in 1996). The increase in amortization and depreciation expense was
the result of additional  goodwill and step-up in basis of fixed assets recorded
in connection with the Payco acquisition.

Operating Loss for the year ended  December 31, 1997 was $18.4 million  compared
to $21.0 million for the  comparable  period in 1996.  The operating  loss was a
result of  increased  amortization  related to the step-up in basis of purchased
portfolios  related  to the API  acquisition,  goodwill  and  account  placement
inventory related to the acquisition of Payco.

Operating earnings before interest expense, taxes, depreciation and amortization
(EBITDA)  for the year ended  December  31, 1997 was $67.2  million  compared to
$24.6 million for the  comparable  period in 1996. The increase of $42.6 million
in EBITDA reflects additional revenues associated with the acquisition of Payco,
NSA and ABC and  additional  portfolios  at API,  partially  offset by the costs
associated  with the use of outside  collection  agencies  to service  purchased
portfolios.

Interest  Expense,  net for the year ended  December 31, 1997 was $28.8  million
compared to $12.1 million for the  comparable  period in 1996.  The increase was
primarily due to increased  debt incurred in 1997 to finance the  acquisition of
Payco, NSA and ABC and to finance additional purchased portfolio purchases.

Net Loss for the year ended  December  31,  1997 was $58.3  million  compared to
$21.4 million for the  comparable  period in 1996.  The increase in net loss was
attributable  to  increased  amortization  expense  from the step-up in basis of
acquired  portfolios  related  to the  API  acquisition,  goodwill  and  account
placement  inventory  recorded in connection with the acquisition of Payco,  the
increase in interest expense related to the indebtedness incurred to finance the
Payco,  NSA and ABC  acquisitions  and  portfolio  purchases and a provision for
income  taxes of  $11.1  million  as a result  of the  Company  recording  a net
valuation allowance of $32.4 million to reflect management's  assessment,  based
on the weight of the  available  evidence of current and  projected  future book
taxable income,  that there is significant  uncertainty that any of the benefits
from the net deferred tax assets will be realized.

YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996 COMPARED TO YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1995

Revenues  for the twelve  months ended  December  31, 1996 were $106.3  million,
compared  to $29.6  million in the  comparable  period for 1995.  Revenues  from
contingent fee services including  outsourcing were $51.2 million for the twelve
months ended  December  31, 1996  compared to $0.0 in the  comparable  period in
1995. The increase in contingent  fee revenues was a result of the  acquisitions
of Miller,  Continental and Payco. OSI is experiencing  competitive  pressure on
prices of contingent fee services.  Revenues from purchased portfolios increased
to $45.5 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 1996 compared to $29.6
million  for  the  comparable  period  in  1995.  Purchased  portfolio  revenues
increased  as  a  result  of  additional  portfolio  purchases,  the  hiring  of
additional  account  representatives  at API,  facilitating  the  servicing of a
higher volume of accounts,  as well as from the acquisition of the MLQ Interests
and Payco.  Revenues from the outsourcing services increased to $9.5 million for
the twelve  months ended  December 31, 1996  compared to $0.0 in the  comparable
period in 1995. The increase was due to the acquisition of Payco.

Operating  Expenses for the twelve  months  ended  December 31, 1996 were $127.4
million compared to $22.8 million for the comparable period in 1995, an increase
of $104.6  million.  Cash  operating  expenses were $81.8 million for the twelve
months ended  December 31, 1996 and $14.7 million for the  comparable  period in
1995. Cash expenses  increased as a result of the Miller,  Continental and Payco
acquisitions,  the hiring of  additional  account  representatives  at API,  the
opening of an API  collection  facility in St. Louis,  Missouri,  one-time costs
associated with the relocation of Continental's  headquarters,  and the addition
of corporate  overhead of OSI. Of the $127.4  million in expenses for the twelve
months ended December 31, 1996,  $27.3 million was  attributable to amortization
of the  purchase  price of  purchased  portfolios  (compared  to $7.7 million in
1995),  $12.3 million was  attributable  to  amortization  of account  inventory
(compared to $0.0 in 1995),  $2.7 million was  attributable  to  amortization of
goodwill associated with the acquisitions of API, Miller,  Continental and Payco
(compared  to  $0.3  million  in  1995),   $0.5  million  was   attributable  to
amortization  in  non-compete  agreements  (compared  to $0.0 in 1995)  and $2.8
million was attributable to depreciation (compared to $0.2 million in 1995). The
increase in amortization  expense was the result of additional goodwill recorded
in  connection  with the  Miller,  Continental  and Payco  acquisitions  and the
step-up in basis of purchased portfolios related to the acquisition of API.

Operating  (Loss)  Income for the twelve  months  ended  December  31,  1996 was
$(21.0) million compared to $6.8 million for the comparable  period in 1995. The
operating loss was a result of increased  amortization related to the step-up in
basis of purchased  portfolios,  goodwill and account  inventory  related to the
acquisitions of Miller, Continental and Payco.

EBITDA for the twelve months ended December 31, 1996 was $24.6 million  compared
to $15.0 million for the comparable period in 1995. The increase of $9.6 million
in EBITDA  reflects  additional  revenues  associated  with the  acquisitions of
Miller, Continental,  the MLQ Interests and Payco, partially offset by the costs
associated with hiring additional account representatives at API.

Interest  Expense,  net for the twelve months ended  December 31, 1996 was $12.1
million compared to $1.9 million for the comparable period in 1995. The increase
was  primarily  due to  indebtedness  incurred  to finance the  acquisitions  of
Miller, Continental, the MLQ Interests and Payco during 1996 and the acquisition
of API in September 1995.

Net (Loss)  Income for the twelve  months  ended  December  31, 1996 was ($21.4)
million compared to $6.5 million for the comparable period in 1995. The decrease
in net income results  primarily from  increased  amortization  expense from the
step-up in the basis of acquired  portfolios,  goodwill  and  account  inventory
recorded in connection  with the  acquisition of API,  Miller,  Continental  and
Payco and the increase in interest due to the  indebtedness  incurred to finance
those acquisitions.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

At December 31, 1997, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $3.2 million.
At year end, the Company had a $58.0 million  revolving credit  facility,  which
allows the Company to borrow for working capital, general corporate purposes and
acquisitions,  subject to certain  conditions.  As of  December  31,  1997,  the
Company had  outstanding  $31.9  million  under the  revolving  credit  facility
leaving $26.1 million available under the revolving credit facility.

Cash and Cash  Equivalents  decreased from $14.5 million at December 31, 1996 to
$3.2 million at December 31, 1997  principally  due to the use of $119.5 million
for investing  activities  primarily for the  acquisition of NSA and ABC and the
purchase of  portfolios,  offset by cash  provided by  operations  and financing
activities of $32.8 million and $75.4  million,  respectively.  The Company also
held $20.8 million of cash for clients in restricted  trust accounts at December
31, 1997.

Purchased Loans and Accounts Receivable  Portfolios decreased from $68.0 million
at December 31, 1996 to $62.5  million at December 31, 1997 due to new portfolio
purchases  of $46.5  million  during  the year which  were  partially  offset by
amortization of purchased portfolios of $52.0 million including $10.0 million of
additional  amortization as previously mentioned.  The amount of purchased loans
and accounts receivable  portfolios which are projected to be collectible within
one year  increased  slightly  from $42.5  million at December 31, 1996 to $42.9
million at December 31, 1997.

The purchased  loans and accounts  receivable  portfolios  consist  primarily of
consumer  loans and credit card  receivables,  commercial  loans,  student  loan
receivables  and health club  receivables.  Consumer loans  purchased  primarily
consist of  unsecured  term  debt.  A summary of  purchased  loans and  accounts
receivable  portfolios  at December  31, 1997 and  December  31, 1996 by type of
receivable is shown below:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                     December 31, 1997                         December 31, 1996
                                          ---------------------------------------    -------------------------------------
                                          Original Gross                             Original Gross
                                          Principal Value   Current     Long-term    Principal Value   Current   Long-term
                                           (in millions)       (in thousands)         (in millions)       (in thousands)

<S>                                            <C>            <C>        <C>              <C>          <C>        <C>   
Consumer loans............................     $2,039         $ 8,978    $ 4,948          $1,770       $ 7,445    $ 4,592
Student loans.............................        322           4,629         --             322         7,456      4,699
Credit cards..............................        509          12,575     10,765             101         2,359      1,453
Health clubs..............................      1,309          15,307      2,248             954        23,364     13,865
Commercial................................         41           1,426      1,576              41         1,857        910
                                               ------         -------    -------          ------       -------    -------
                                               $4,220         $42,915    $19,537          $3,188       $42,481    $25,519
                                               ======         =======    =======          ======       =======    =======
</TABLE>

Most of the portfolio purchases involve tertiary paper (i.e., accounts more than
360 days past due which  have  been  previously  placed  with a  contingent  fee
servicer)  with  the  exception  of  portfolios  purchased  under  forward  flow
agreements  under which the Company agrees to purchase  subject to due diligence
charged off credit card and health club  receivables  on a monthly basis as they
become available.

Deferred  taxes  decreased from an asset of $5.8 million at December 31, 1996 to
an asset of $0.4  million at December  31,  1997.  The net deferred tax asset at
December 31, 1997 and December 31, 1996  relates  principally  to net  operating
loss  carryforwards.  The  realization  of this asset is dependent on generating
sufficient taxable income prior to expiration of the loss carryforwards in years
through 2012.  During 1997,  the Company  recorded a net valuation  allowance of
$32.4  million to reflect  management's  assessment,  based on the weight of the
available  evidence of current and projected  future book taxable  income,  that
there is significant  uncertainty that any of the benefits from the net deferred
tax assets will be  realized.  For all  federal  tax years  since the  Company's
formation in September  1995,  the Company has  incurred net  operating  losses.
During 1997, the Company has significantly  increased its total debt from $247.6
million at  December  31,  1996 to $325.0  million at December  31,  1997.  This
increase in debt  primarily  resulted from the  acquisitions  in 1997 of the net
assets of NSA and ABC. In addition,  on January 26, 1998,  the Company  incurred
significant  additional  borrowings to finance its acquisition of  approximately
77% of the shares of common  stock of Union.  Since the Company has a history of
generating  net  operating  losses  and has  significantly  increased  its total
interest  expense to be  incurred,  management  does not  expect the  Company to
generate  taxable  income in the  foreseeable  future  sufficient to realize tax
benefits from the net operating loss carryforwards or the future reversal of the
net  deductible  temporary  differences.  The amount of the  deferred tax assets
considered realizable,  however, could be increased in future years if estimates
of future taxable income during the carryforward period change.

The Company's  debt  structure at December 31, 1997 consists of a $219.3 million
bank credit facility, $100.0 million 11% Senior Subordinated Notes ("Notes") and
other  indebtedness of $5.7 million.  See Note 14 of the Consolidated  Financial
Statements of OSI included  elsewhere  herein for a  description  of the amended
bank  credit  agreement,  effective  January  1998,  which  provides  additional
financing for the Union acquisition.  Currently, the Company has borrowed $187.5
million to acquire  approximately 80% of the shares of common stock of Union and
plans to borrow an additional $37.5 million to complete the Union acquisition.

The Notes and the bank credit facility contain financial and operating covenants
and  restrictions  on the  ability of the  Company to incur  indebtedness,  make
investments  and  take  certain  other  corporate  actions.   The  debt  service
requirements  associated  with the  borrowings  under the facility and the Notes
significantly   impact  the  Company's  liquidity   requirements.   The  Company
anticipates  that its operating cash flow together with  availability  under the
bank credit facility will be sufficient to fund its anticipated future operating
expense  and  to  meet  its  debt  service  requirements  as  they  become  due.
Additionally,  future portfolio purchases may require signifi-cant  financing or
investment.  However, actual capital requirements may change,  particularly as a
result of acquisitions  the Company may make. The ability of the Company to meet
its debt  service  obligations  and  reduce  its total  debt will be  dependent,
however,  upon the future performance of the Company and its subsidiaries which,
in turn,  will be subject  to  general  economic  conditions  and to  financial,
business and other factors including factors beyond the Company's control.

Capital expenditures for the year ended December 31, 1997 were $9.5 million. The
Company  expects to spend  approximately  $17.0 million on capital  expenditures
(exclusive  of any  expenditures  in  connection  with  acquisitions)  in  1998.
Historical expenditures have been, and future expenditures are anticipated to be
primarily  for  replacement  and/or  upgrading  of  telecommunications  and data
processing  equipment,  leasehold  improvements  and continued  expansion of the
Company's   information  services  systems.   Subject  to  compliance  with  the
provisions of its debt agreements, the Company expects to finance future capital
expenditures with cash flow from operations,  borrowings and capital leases. The
Company will reduce its future capital  expenditures  to the extent it is unable
to fund its capital plan. The Company  believes that its facilities will provide
sufficient  capacity  for  increased  revenues  and  will not  require  material
additional capital expenditures in the next several years.

Inflation

The Company believes that inflation has not had a material impact on its results
of operations for the years ended December 31, 1996 and 1997.

Year 2000

The company has numerous computer-based systems and collection applications. The
Company has evaluated its systems and  applications to determine  whether or not
those systems were Year 2000 compliant.  Based upon its review,  the Company has
identified  those systems which are not compliant and has  implemented  plans to
update those  systems.  The cost of the effort is  currently  not expected to be
material and will be expensed as incurred over the next two years.

Derivative Financial Instruments

From time to time, the Company may employ derivative financial instruments as of
its risk  management  program.  The  Company's  objective is to manage risks and
exposures and not to trade such instruments for profit or loss.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except  for  the  historical   statements  and  discussions   contained  herein,
statements contained in this report constitute  "forward-looking  statements" as
defined in the Securities  Act of 1933 and the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.  These  forward-looking  statements  rely on a number of assumptions
concerning future events, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties
and other  factors,  many of which are outside the control of the Company,  that
could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements.

Readers  are  cautioned  not to  put  undue  reliance  on  such  forward-looking
statements,  each of  which  speaks  only as of the  date  hereof.  Factors  and
uncertainties that could affect the outcome of such  forward-looking  statements
include,  among others, market and industry conditions,  increased  competition,
changes  in  governmental  regulations,  general  economic  conditions,  pricing
pressures,  and  the  Company's  ability  to  continue  its  growth  and  expand
successfully into new markets and services.  The Company disclaims any intention
or  obligation  to update  publicly  or revise any  forward-looking  statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.


ITEM 8.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Reference  is  made  to the  Financial  Statements  and  Supplementary  Schedule
contained in Part IV hereof.


ITEM 9.  CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND 
         FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

None


<PAGE>


PART III

ITEM 10.  DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

Directors  of the  Company are elected  annually  by its  shareholders  to serve
during the ensuing  year or until a  successor  is duly  elected and  qualified.
Executive  officers of the Company are duly elected by its Board of Directors to
serve until their respective successors are elected and qualified. The following
table sets forth certain information with respect to the directors and executive
officers of the Company.

       Name                    Age                     Position or Office
       ----                    ---                     ------------------
Jeffrey E. Stiefler            52             Chairman of the Board of Directors
Timothy G. Beffa               47             Director, President and
                                                    Chief Executive Officer
David E. De Leeuw              53             Director
David E. King                  39             Director, Secretary and Treasurer
Tyler T. Zachem                32             Director and Vice President
David G. Hanna                 34             Director
Frank J. Hanna, III            36             Director
Dennis G. Punches              62             Director
Nathan W. Pearson, Jr.         46             Director
Daniel J. Dolan                45             Executive Vice President and
                                                    Chief Financial Officer

JEFFREY E. STIEFLER (52),  Chairman of the Board of Directors  since January 10,
1996.  Previously,  Mr. Stiefler was President and Director of American  Express
Company,  where he had  previously  served in  various  capacities  since  1983,
including President and Chief Executive Officer of IDS Financial Services. Prior
to joining the Company,  Mr.  Stiefler held various  positions  with the Meritor
Financial Group,  including Chairman of the Meritor Savings Bank Florida and the
Meritor Savings Bank Washington D.C., and Citicorp, including Vice President and
Regional  Business  Manager of the New York  Banking  Division  and Senior  Vice
President and Regional Business Manager of Nationwide  Financial  Services.  Mr.
Stiefler  currently  serves as a  director  of  National  Computer  Systems  and
chairman of International Data Response Corporation.

TIMOTHY G. BEFFA  (47),  President,  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  Director of
Outsourcing  Solutions  Inc.  since August  1996.  From August 1995 until August
1996,  Mr.  Beffa  served as  President  and Chief  Operating  Officer  of DIMAC
Corporation  ("DIMAC")  and DIMAC DIRECT Inc.  ("DDI") and as a director of DDI.
From 1989 until August 1995,  Mr. Beffa served as a Vice  President of DIMAC and
as Senior Vice  President and Chief  Financial  Officer of DDI. Prior to joining
DIMAC,  Mr. Beffa was Vice  President of  Administration  and Controller for the
International  Division  of Pet  Incorporated,  a  food  and  consumer  products
company, where he previously had been manager of Financial Analysis.

DAVID E. DE LEEUW (53), Director of the Company since September 21, 1995. Mr. De
Leeuw is a managing  general partner of MDC Management  Company III, L.P., which
is the general  partner of McCown De Leeuw & Co. III, L.P. and McCown De Leeuw &
Co. III (Europe),  L.P., a managing  general  partner of MDC Management  company
IIA,  L.P.,  which is the  general  partner of McCown De Leeuw & Co. III (Asia),
L.P. and a member of Gamma Fund,  LLC.  Prior to founding  McCown De Leeuw & Co.
with  George E.  McCown  in 1984,  Mr. De Leeuw  was  Manager  of the  Leveraged
Acquisition  Unit and Vice  President in the Capital  Markets Group at Citibank,
N.A.  Mr. De Leeuw also  worked  with W.R.  Grace & Co.  where he was  Assistant
Treasurer and manager of Corporate Finance.  Mr. De Leeuw began his career as an
investment  banker with Paine  Webber  Incorporated.  He  currently  serves as a
director of Vans, Inc., AmeriComm Holdings, Inc., Nimbus CD International, Inc.,
Aurora Foods Inc. and American Residential Inventory Trust.

DAVID E. KING (39),  Secretary,  Treasurer  and  Director of the  Company  since
September 21, 1995. Mr. King is a general partner of MDC management Company III,
L.P.,  which is the  general  partner of McCown De Leeuw & Co.  III,  L.P.,  and
McCown De Leeuw & Co.  Offshore  (Europe)  III,  L.P.  a general  partner of MDC
Management Company IIIA, L.P., which is the general partner of McCown De Leeuw &
Co.  III  (Asia),  L.P.  and a member  of Gamma  Fund,  LLC.  Mr.  King has been
associated  with McCown De Leeuw & Co.  since  1990.  He  currently  serves as a
director of AmeriComm Holdings,  Inc.,  International Data Response Corporation,
Fitness Holdings Inc., RSP Manufacturing Corporation and Sarcom.

TYLER T. ZACHEM (32), Vice President and Director of the Company since September
21, 1995. Mr. Zachem is a principal of MDC Management  Company III, which is the
general  partner  of McCown De Leeuw & Co.  III;  and  McCown De Leeuw & Co. III
(Europe),  L.P., and a principal of MDC Management  Company IIIA, L.P., which is
the general  partner of McCown De Leeuw & Co. III (Asia),  L.P.  Mr.  Zachem has
been  associated  with  McCown  De  Leeuw & Co.  since  July  1993.  Mr.  Zachem
previously  worked as a  consultant  with  McKinsey & Co.  and as an  investment
banker  with  McDonald  & Company.  He  currently  serves as a  director  of RSP
Manufacturing  Corporation,  The Brown Schools, Inc., Aurora Foods Inc. and Papa
Gino's Inc.

DAVID G. HANNA (34),  Director of the Company  since  September  21, 1995.  From
November  1992 to  September  1995,  Mr.  Hanna  served as  President of Account
Portfolios,  L.P. From 1988 to November  1992,  Mr. Hanna served as President of
the Governmental  Division of Nationwide Credit, Inc.,  administering  contracts
for  government  agencies  including the  Department of Education  Student Loans
program. David G. Hanna is the brother of Frank J. Hanna, III.

FRANK J. HANNA, III (36),  Director of the Company since September 21, 1995. Mr.
Hanna founded  Account  Portfolios,  L.P. in July 1990,  and served as its Chief
Executive  Officer until its acquisition by OSI in September 1995. From February
1988 to January  1990,  Mr. Hanna served as Group Vice  President of  Nationwide
Credit, Inc., a large accounts receivable management company. Frank J. Hanna III
is the brother of David G. Hanna.  Mr. Hanna  currently  serves as a director of
Cerulean Companies, Inc.

DENNIS G. PUNCHES (62),  Director of the Company since November  1996.  From May
1988 to October 1988 and from January 1990 to November  1996, Mr. Punches served
as  Chairman  of the Board of  Directors  of Payco  American  Corporation.  From
October 1988 to January 1990,  Mr. Punches served as Co-Chairman of the Board of
Directors of Payco American Corporation.  From 1969 to January 1990, Mr. Punches
served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Payco American Corporation.

NATHAN W.  PEARSON,  JR.  (46),  Director  of the Company  since July 1997.  Mr.
Pearson is an operating  affiliate of McCown De Leeuw & Co. Mr. Pearson has been
affiliated  with McCown De Leeuw since 1997.  Since 1996,  Mr.  Pearson has been
Managing Director of Commonwealth Holdings, a private investment firm. From 1988
to 1995, Mr. Pearson was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of
Broadcasting   Partners,   L.L.C.,   a  radio   broadcasting   leveraged  buyout
organization  and since 1995, Mr. Pearson has been a principal of investment and
management  of  Broadcasting  Partners,  L.L.C.  Prior to  joining  Broadcasting
Partners,  L.L.C.,  Mr.  Pearson was a management  consultant  with McKinsey and
Company from 1982 to 1988.

DANIEL J. DOLAN (45),  Executive Vice President and Chief  Financial  Officer of
the Company  since  October  1997.  Mr. Dolan has 23 years  experience in public
accounting, the last 11 years as a partner of Ernst & Young LLP.


ITEM 11.      EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The following table sets forth  information  concerning the compensation paid or
accrued for by the Company  for 1995,  1996 and 1997 on behalf of the  Company's
Chief  Executive  Officer and the four other most highly  compensated  executive
officers of the Company for the year ended December 31, 1997.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                       Summary Compensation Table

                                            ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
                                                                                           Long Term  
                                                                       Other Annual       Compensation         All Other
Name and                     Fiscal         Salary        Bonus        Compensation          Awards          Compensation
Principal Position            Year            ($)          ($)              ($)               (#)                 ($)
- ------------------           ------         ------        ------       ------------       ------------       ------------
<S>                          <C>            <C>          <C>           <C>                <C>                <C>     
Timothy G. Beffa(1)
President and CEO            1997           320,110      457,500
                             1996           103,846      200,000

Daniel J. Dolan (2)
Executive Vice               1997            56,571      130,000
  President and CFO

Patrick Carroll
Executive Vice               1997           186,875       60,000
   President, Sales          1996           120,000      200,000                                              267,000(4)

Michael Meyer (3)
Vice President, Chief        1997           159,812      142,000
   Information Officer

James F. Whalen (5)
Senior Vice President,       1997           192,044      100,000
  Business Operations        1996            20,533      100,000
  Analysts

<FN>
(1)  1996 compensation based on an annual salary of $300,000.

(2)  Based on an annual salary of $260,000. Mr. Dolan was hired in October 1997.

(3)  Based on an annual  salary of $190,000.  Mr. Meyer was hired in early March
     1997.

(4)  Represents  value of stock acquired in connection  with the  acquisition of
     Payco by the Company.

(5)  1996  compensation  based on an  annual  salary  of  $200,000.  Mr.  Whalen
     resigned effective November 30, 1997.
</FN>
</TABLE>

Employment Agreement

On September 1, 1997, OSI entered into an amendment to the employment  agreement
with Timothy G. Beffa. Pursuant to the employment agreement, Mr. Beffa serves as
Chief Executive  Officer of the Company.  Mr. Beffa receives an annual salary of
$350,000 and  received a bonus of $457,500 for fiscal year 1997.  In fiscal year
1998, Mr. Beffa is eligible for an annual bonus of up to 150% of his annual base
salary.  Effective  October 9, 1996,  Mr.  Beffa  received  options to  purchase
131,421.66  shares of common stock of the Company,  which  options vest upon the
satisfaction  of certain  performance  targets  and/or the occurrence of certain
liquidity  events.  Effective  March 14,  1997,  Mr. Beffa  received  additional
options to purchase up to 41,555  shares of common stock of the  Company,  which
also vest upon the  satisfaction  of  certain  performance  targets  and/or  the
occurrence of certain liquidity events.

On October 16, 1997,  OSI entered into an  employment  agreement  with Daniel J.
Dolan. Pursuant to the employment agreement, Mr. Dolan serves as Chief Financial
Officer of the  Company.  Mr.  Dolan  receives an annual  salary of $260,000 and
received a bonus of  $130,000  for fiscal year 1997.  Commencing  in fiscal year
1998,  Mr.  Dolan is eligible for an annual bonus of up to 66-2/3% of his annual
base salary.  Effective December 2, 1997, Mr. Dolan received options to purchase
75,000  shares  of  common  stock of the  Company,  such  options  vest upon the
satisfaction  of certain  performance  targets  and/or the occurrence of certain
liquidity events.

Director Compensation

Non-employee  directors of OSI receive $2,000 per regularly scheduled meeting of
the Board of Directors, $1,000 per special meeting of the Board of Directors and
$500 per  committee  meeting plus,  in each case,  reimbursement  for travel and
out-of-pocket  expenses  incurred  in  connection  with  attendance  at all such
meetings.  Except as  described  below,  no director of OSI  receives  any other
compensation  from OSI for  performance  of services as a director of OSI (other
than reimbursement for travel and out-of-pocket  expenses incurred in connection
with attendance at Board of Director meetings). Effective February 16, 1996, Mr.
Stiefler  received  options to  purchase  23,044  shares of common  stock of the
Company, which options vest upon the satisfaction of certain performance targets
and/or the occurrence of certain liquidity events.

Option Plans

The  Company  maintains  a 1995 Stock  Option and Stock  Award Plan (the  "Stock
Option  Plan").  The  Stock  Option  Plan is  administered  by the  Compensation
Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company. Under the Stock Option Plan,
the  Compensation  Committee may grant or award (a) options to purchase stock of
the Company (which may either be incentive  stock options  ("ISOs"),  within the
meaning of Section 422 of the  Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986,  as amended,  or
stock  options  other  than  ISOs),  (b) stock  appreciation  rights  granted in
conjunction with stock options,  (c) restricted stock, or (d) bonuses payable in
stock, to key salaried employees of the Company,  including officers, as well as
to consultants of the Company, and non-employee directors.

A total of  750,000  shares of common  stock of the  Company  are  reserved  for
issuance under the Stock Option Plan. As of March 17, 1998,  options to purchase
up to 568,520.66  shares of the Company's common stock are outstanding under the
Stock Option Plan.

As of March 17, 1998, the following table sets forth options held by the current
executive officers:
                             # of Options       Exercisable       Unexercisable
                             ------------       -----------       -------------
Timothy G. Beffa              172,976.66          13,142            159,834.66
President and CEO

Daniel J. Dolan                   75,000           7,500                67,500
Executive Vice President
  and CFO

Patrick Carroll                   25,000           2,500                22,500
Executive Vice President,
  Sales

Michael Meyer                     25,000           2,500                22,500
Vice President, Chief
  Information Officer

As of the date of this Report,  the potential  realizable value of each grant of
options is not  applicable  due to the lack of a public  trading  market for the
Company's common stock.

Committee Report on Executive Compensation

The Compensation Committee currently consists of Mr. David E. DeLeeuw, Mr. David
E. King and Mr. Tyler T. Zachem.

The  Compensation  Committee  recommends   compensation   arrangements  for  the
Company's  executive  officers and  administers the Company's Stock Option Plan.
The Company's  compensation program is designed to be competitive with companies
similar in structure and business to the Company.

The Company's executive  compensation  program is structured to help the Company
achieve its business objectives by:

o    Setting  levels of  compensation  designed to attract  and retain  superior
     executives in a highly competitive environment.

o    Designing equity-related and other performance-based incentive compensation
     programs to align the interests of management with the ongoing interests of
     shareholders; and

o    Providing  incentive  compensation  that varies  directly with both Company
     financial performance and individual contributions to that performance.

The  Company  has used a  combination  of  salary  and  incentive  compensation,
including cash bonuses and  equity-based  incentives to achieve its compensation
goals.


ITEM 12.  SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The authorized  capital stock of the Company consists of (i) 1,000,000 shares of
Preferred  Stock,  no par value (the  "Preferred  Stock"),  of which  935,886.85
shares are issued and outstanding, (ii) 7,500,000 shares of Voting Common Stock,
par value $.01 per share (the "Voting Common Stock"),  of which 3,477,126.01 are
issued and  outstanding,  (iii)  7,500,000  shares of Class A Non-Voting  Common
Stock,  par value $.01 per share (the "Class A  Non-Voting  Common  Stock"),  of
which  391,740.58  are issued and  outstanding,  (iv) 500,000  shares of Class B
Non-Voting  Stock,  par value $.01 per share  (the  "Class B  Non-Voting  Common
Stock"),  of which 400,000 are issued and outstanding,  and (v) 1,500,000 shares
of Class C  Non-Voting  Common  Stock,  par value $.01 per share  (the  "Class C
Non-Voting  Common Stock" and together with the Class A Non-Voting  Common Stock
and the Class B Non-Voting  Common Stock,  the  "Non-Voting  Common  Stock," and
together with the Voting Common Stock, the "Common  Stock"),  of which 1,040,000
are issued and outstanding.  In addition,  a total of 46,088.67 shares of Voting
Common Stock were issuable  upon  exercise of warrants  held by certain  warrant
holders,  and up to 246,021.20  shares of Voting Common Stock were issuable upon
the exercise of certain management options.

Each Holder of Voting  Common Stock has one vote for each share of Voting Common
Stock held by such holder on all matters to be voted upon by the stockholders of
the Company.  The holders of  Preferred  Stock have no voting  rights  except as
expressly  provided by law and the holders of  Non-Voting  Common  Stock have no
voting  rights  other  than the  right to vote as a  separate  class on  certain
matters that would adversely the rights of such holders. Each share of Preferred
Stock is  convertible  into one share of Common Stock at the holder's  option at
any time after  September  20, 1996.  The Company may, at its sole option,  upon
written  notice to the  holders  of  Preferred  Stock,  redeem any or all of the
shares of Preferred  Stock  outstanding  for $12.50 per share plus cash equal to
all accrued and unpaid  dividends  through the redemption  date,  whether or not
such  dividends  have been  authorized or declared.  Each share of Voting Common
Stock is  convertible  into one share of Class A Non-Voting  Common Stock at the
holder's  option,  and  each  share  of  Class  A  Non-Voting  Common  Stock  is
convertible into one share of Voting Common Stock at the holder's  option.  Each
share of Class B Non-Voting  Common Stock and Class C Non-Voting Common Stock is
convertible into one share of Voting Common Stock, at the holder's option,  upon
the  occurrence  of certain  "Conversion  Events,"  as defined in the  Company's
certificate of incorporation.

The following table sets forth the number and percentage of shares of each class
of the Company's capital stock beneficially owned as of December 31, 1997 by (i)
each person known to the Company to be the  beneficial  owner of more than 5% of
any  class  of the  Company's  equity  securities,  (ii)  each of the  Company's
directors  and nominees,  and (iii) all directors and executive  officers of the
Company as a group.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                          Amount and
                                                                                          Nature of       Percent
                                                                                          Beneficial         of
Title of Class               Name and Address Beneficial Owner                            Ownership       Class(1)
- --------------               ---------------------------------                            ----------      --------
<S>                          <C>                                                          <C>                <C>
Preferred Stock              McCown De Leeuw & Co. III, L.P.(2)                           623,924.21         66.6%
                             McCown De Leeuw & Co. III
                                 (Europe), L.P.(2)                                        623,924.21         66.6%
                             McCown De Leeuw & Co. III (Asia), L.P.(2)                    623,924.21         66.6%
                             Gamma Fund LLC(2)                                            623,924.21         66.6%
                             Rainbow Trust One(3)                                         155,981.86         16.7%
                             Rainbow Trust Two(4)                                         155,980.78         16.7%
                             David E. De Leeuw(2)                                         623,924.21         66.6%
                             David E. King(2)                                             623,924.21         66.6%
                             Frank J. Hanna, III(3)                                       155,981.86         16.7%
                             David G. Hanna(4)                                            155,980.78         16.7%
                             All directors and officers as a group(2)(3)(4)               935,886.85        100.0%

Voting Common Stock          McCown De Leeuw & Co. III, L.P.(5)                         1,897,793.01         54.6%
                             McCown De Leeuw & Co. Offshore III
                                 (Europe), L.P.(5)                                      1,897,793.01         54.6%
                             McCown De Leeuw & Co. III (Asia), L.P.(5)                  1.897,793.01         54.6%
                             Gamma Fund LLC(5)                                          1,897,793.01         54.6%
                             Rainbow Trust One(3)                                         466,667.00         13.4%
                             Rainbow Trust Two(4)                                         466,666.00         13.4%
                             Peter C. Rosvall                                             383,600.00         11.0%
                             David E. De Leeuw(5)                                       1,897,793.01         54.6%
                             David E. King(5)                                           1,897,793.01         54.6%
                             Frank J. Hanna, III(3)                                       466,667.00         13.4%
                             David G. Hanna(4)                                            466,666.00         13.4%
                             Nathan W. Pearson                                             12,000.00           *
                             All directors and officers as a group(3)(4)(5)             3,238,726.01         92.8%

Class A Non-Voting           McCown De Leeuw & Co. III, L.P.(6)                           391,740.58        100.0%
Common Stock                 David E. De Leeuw(6)                                         391,740.58        100.0%
                             David E. King(6)                                             391,740.58        100.0%
                             All directors and officers as a group(6)                     391,740.58        100.0%

Class B Non-Voting           Chase Equity Associates, L.P.(7)                             400,000.00        100.0%
Common Stock                 All directors and officers as a group                              0.00          0.0%

Class C. Non-Voting          MLQ Investors, L.P.(8)                                       640,000.00         61.5%
Common Stock                 The Clipper Group(9)                                         400,000.00         38.5%
                             All directors and officers as a group                              0.00          0.0%

*  Less than one percent.
<FN>
(1)  The information as to beneficial ownership is based on statements furnished
     to the Company by the beneficial owners. As used in this table, "beneficial
     ownership"  means the sole or shared power to vote, or direct the voting of
     a  security,  or the sole or shared  investment  power  with  respect  to a
     security  (i.e.,  the power to dispose of, or direct the  disposition  of a
     security). A person is deemed as of any date to have "beneficial ownership"
     of any  security  that such person has the right to acquire  within 60 days
     after such date.  For purposes of computing the  percentage of  outstanding
     shares held by each person named above,  any security  that such person has
     the right to acquire within 60 days of the date of calculation is deemed to
     be  outstanding,  but is not  deemed  to be  outstanding  for  purposes  of
     computing the percentage ownership of any other person.
(2)  Shares of Preferred Stock are convertible,  at the holder's option, into an
     identical  number of shares of Common Stock at anytime after  September 20,
     1996.  Includes 553,732.69 shares owned by McCown De Leeuw & Co. III, L.P.,
     an investment  partnership whose general partner is MDC Management  Company
     III, L.P. ("MDC III"),  46,794.35  shares held by McCown De Leeuw & Co. III
     (Europe), L.P., an investment partnership whose general partner is MDC III,
     10,918.75  shares held by McCown De Leeuw & Co. III (Asia),  an  investment
     partnership  whose general  partner is MDC  Management  Company IIIA,  L.P.
     ("MDC  IIIA"),and  12,478.42  shares  owned by Gamma Fund LLC, a California
     limited liability company.  The voting members of Gamma Fund LLC are George
     E. McCown,  David De Leeuw, David E. King, Robert B. Hellman,  Jr., Charles
     Ayres and Steven  Zuckerman,  who are also the only general partners of MDC
     III and MDC IIIA.  Dispositive  decisions regarding the Preferred Stock are
     made by Mr. McCown and Mr. De Leeuw, as Managing  General  Partners of each
     of MDC  III and  MDC  IIIA,  who  together  have  more  than  the  required
     two-thirds-in-interest  vote of the Managing General Partners  necessary to
     effect such  decision on behalf of any such entity.  Dispositive  decisions
     regarding the Preferred Stock owned by Gamma Fund LLC are made by a vote or
     consent  of a  majority  in  number of voting  members  of Gamma  Fund LLC.
     Messrs. McCown, De Leeuw, King, Hellman, Ayres and Zuckerman have no direct
     ownership  of  any  shares  of  Preferred  Stock  and  disclaim  beneficial
     ownership  of any shares of  Preferred  Stock except to the extent of their
     proportionate partnership interests or membership interests (in the case of
     Gamma Fund LLC).  The  address of all the  above-mentioned  entities is c/o
     McCown De Leeuw & Co.,  3000 Sand Hill Road,  Building 3, Suite 290,  Menlo
     Park, California 94025.
(3)  Shares of Preferred Stock are convertible,  at the holder's option, into an
     identical  number of shares of Common Stock at any time after September 20,
     1996. Frank J. Hanna, III, a director of the Company, is trustee of Rainbow
     Trust One. The address of Rainbow Trust One is c/o HBR Capital, Two Ravinia
     Drive, Suite 1750, Atlanta, Georgia 30346.
(4)  Shares of Preferred Stock are convertible,  at the holder's option, into an
     identical  number of shares of Common Stock at any time after September 20,
     1996.  David G.  Hanna,  a director of the  Company,  is trustee of Rainbow
     Trust Two. The address of Rainbow Trust Two is c/o HBR Capital, Two Ravinia
     Drive, Suite 1750, Atlanta, Georgia 30346.
(5)  Includes  1,640,220.48  shares owned by McCown De Leeuw & Co. III, L.P., an
     investment  partnership whose general partner is MDC III, 171,715.02 shares
     held by McCown De Leeuw & Co. III (Europe), L.P., an investment partnership
     whose general partner is MDC III,  40,066.84 shares held by McCown De Leeuw
     & Co. III (Asia), L.P., an investment  partnership whose general partner is
     MDC IIIA,  and  45,790.67  shares  owned by Gamma  Fund LLC,  a  California
     limited liability company.  The voting members of Gamma Fund LLC are George
     E. McCown,  David De Leeuw, David E. King, Robert B. Hellman,  Jr., Charles
     Ayres and Steven  Zuckerman,  who are also the only general partners of MDC
     III and MDC IIIA.  Voting and  dispositive  decisions  regarding the Voting
     Common Stock are made by Mr. McCown and Mr. De Leeuw,  as Managing  General
     Partners of each of MDC III and MDC IIIA,  who together  have more than the
     required  two-thirds-in-interest  vote  of the  Managing  General  Partners
     necessary to effect such decision on behalf of any such entity.  Voting and
     dispositive decisions regarding the Voting Common Stock owned by Gamma Fund
     LLC are made by a vote or consent of a majority in number of voting members
     of Gamma Fund LLC.  Messrs.  McCown,  De Leeuw,  King,  Hellman,  Ayres and
     Zuckerman have no direct ownership of any shares of Voting Common Stock and
     disclaim  beneficial  ownership of any shares of Voting Common Stock except
     to the extent of their  proportionate  partnership  interests or membership
     interests (in the case of Gamma Fund LLC).
(6)  Shares of Class A Non-Voting Common Stock are convertible,  at the holder's
     option,  into an identical  number of shares of Voting  Common Stock at the
     holder's option. See "Security Ownership". The general partner of McCown De
     Leeuw & Co. III, L.P. is MDC III. The only general  partners of MDC III are
     George E. McCown,  David De Leeuw,  David E. King, Robert B. Hellman,  Jr.,
     Charles  Ayres and  Steven  Zuckerman.  Voting  and  dispositive  decisions
     regarding  the Voting Common Stock are made by Mr. McCown and Mr. De Leeuw,
     as Managing  General Partners of each of MDC III and MDC IIIA, who together
     have more than the  required  two-thirds-in-interest  vote of the  Managing
     General  Partners  necessary to effect such  decision on behalf of any such
     entity.  Voting and dispositive decisions regarding the Voting Common Stock
     owned by Gamma  Fund LLC are made by a vote or  consent  of a  majority  in
     number of voting members of Gamma Fund LLC. Messrs. McCown, De Leeuw, King,
     Hellman,  Ayres and  Zuckerman  have no direct  ownership  of any shares of
     Class A Non-Voting Common Stock except to the extent of their proportionate
     partnership.  The  address of each of the above  mentioned  entities is c/o
     McCown De Leeuw & Co., 3000 Sand Hill Road, Build 3, Suite 290, Menlo Park,
     California 94025.
(7)  Shares of Class B Non-Voting Common Stock are convertible,  at the holder's
     option,  into an identical number of shares of Voting Common Stock upon the
     occurrence  of certain  "Conversion  Events,"  as defined in the  Company's
     certificate of incorporation. See "Security Ownership." The general partner
     of Chase Equity Associates, L.P., is Chase Capital Partners. The address of
     each of these  entities is c/o Chase  Capital  Partners,  380 Madison Ave.,
     12th Floor, New York, New York 10017.
(8)  Shares of Class C Non-Voting Common Stock are convertible,  at the holder's
     option,  into an identical number of shares of Voting Common Stock upon the
     occurrence  of certain  "Conversion  Events,"  as defined in the  Company's
     certificate of incorporation. See "Security Ownership." The general partner
     of MLQ  Investors,  L.P. is MLQ, Inc. The address of each of these entities
     is c/o Goldman Sachs & Co., 85 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004.
(9)  Shares of Class C Non-Voting Common Stock are convertible,  at the holder's
     option,  into an identical number of shares of Voting Common Stock upon the
     occurrence  of certain  "Conversion  Events",  as defined in the  Company's
     certificate of incorporation.  See "Security Ownership." Consists of shares
     held as follows: Clipper Capital Associates, L.P. ("CCA"), 9,268.50 shares;
     Clipper/Merchant Partners, L.P., 102,642.16 shares; Clipper Equity Partners
     I, L.P.,  90,168.81 shares;  Clipper/Merban,  L.P.  ("Merban"),  120,225.07
     shares;  Clipper/European  Re, L.P.,  60,112.54 shares; and CS First Boston
     Merchant Investments 1995/96, L.P.  ("Merchant"),  17,582.92 shares. CCA is
     the general  partner of all of the Clipper  Group  partnerships  other than
     Merchant.  The general partner of CCA is Clipper Capital  Associates,  Inc.
     ("CCI"),  and Mr.  Robert B.  Calhoun,  Jr. is the sole  stockholder  and a
     director of CCI. Clipper Capital Partners, an affiliate of Mr. Calhoun, has
     sole  investment  power with  respect to the shares  beneficially  owned by
     Merchant.  As a  result,  each of Mr.  Calhoun,  CCA and CCI is  deemed  to
     beneficially own all shares of Class C Non-Voting Common Stock beneficially
     owned by the Clipper Group (other than Merchant), and Mr. Calhoun is deemed
     to  beneficially  own  the  shares  of  Class  C  Non-Voting  Common  Stock
     beneficially  owned  by  Merchant.   Merchant  Capital,   Inc.   ("Merchant
     Capital"),  an  affiliate of CS First  Boston  Corporation,  is the general
     partner  of  Merchant  and  the 99%  limited  partner  of  Clipper/Merchant
     Partners, L.P. CS Holding, an affiliate of CS First Boston Corporation,  is
     the 99% limited partner of Merban.  None of Merchant,  Merchant Capital, CS
     First Boston  Corporation and CS Holding is an affiliate of Clipper or CCA.
     The address for Merchant is 11 Madison  Avenue,  26th Floor,  New York,  NY
     10010, the address for  Clipper/European  Re, L.P. and Merban is c/o CITCO,
     De Ruyterkade,  62, P.O. Box 812, Curacao,  Netherlands  Antilles,  and the
     address for all other Clipper  Group  entities is 11 Madison  Avenue,  26th
     Floor, New York, NY 10010.
</FN>
</TABLE>


ITEM 13.      CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

Acquisition Arrangements

OSI  invested  $5  million  for  a  minority  interest  in a  limited  liability
corporation  ("LLC") formed for the purpose of acquiring an accounts  receivable
portfolio.  The  majority  interest in the LLC is held by an affiliate of one of
the Company's stockholders.

Advisory Services Agreement

On September 21, 1995 the Company  entered into an Advisory  Services  Agreement
(the "Advisory Services  Agreement") with MDC Management Company III, L.P. ("MDC
Management"),   an  affiliate.   Under  the  Advisory  Services  Agreement,  MDC
Management  provides  consulting,  financial,  and  managerial  functions  for a
$300,000 annual fee. The Advisory Services  Agreement expires September 21, 2005
and is renewable  annually  thereafter,  unless  terminated by the Company.  The
Company may terminate the Advisory  Services  Agreement at any time for cause by
written notice to MDC Management authorized by a majority of the directors other
than those who are partners, principals or employees of MDC Management or any of
its  affiliates.  The  Advisory  Services  Agreement  may be  amended by written
agreement of MDC Management and the Company. The Company believes that the terms
of and  fees  paid  for the  professional  services  rendered  are at  least  as
favorable to the Company as those which could be negotiated with a third party.

In 1996 upon closing of the acquisition of Payco, the offering by OSI of the 11%
Senior  Subordinated Notes and the $200 million credit facility,  MDC Management
received a one-time fee of $3 million for financial  advisory  services provided
to OSI in  connection  therewith.  In 1998 upon  closing of the  acquisition  of
Union,  MDC  Management  received a one-time fee of $2.5  million for  financial
advisory services provided to OSI in connection therewith.

Certain Interests of Initial Purchasers

Goldman  Sachs and its  affiliates  have  certain  interests  in the  Company in
addition to being an initial  purchaser  of the 11% Senior  Subordinated  Notes.
Goldman  Sachs also served as financial  advisor to OSI in  connection  with the
acquisitions of Payco and Union and received  certain fees and  reimbursement of
expenses in connection therewith.  Moreover,  Goldman Sachs acted as co-arranger
and Goldman Sachs Credit Partners,  L.P., an affiliate of Goldman Sachs, acts as
co-administrative  agent and lender in connection  with its credit  facility and
receives certain fees and reimbursement of expenses in connection therewith. MLQ
Investors,  L.P.,  an  affiliate  of Goldman  Sachs,  owns a  non-voting  equity
interest in the Company.

In addition  to acting as an initial  purchaser  of the 11% Senior  Subordinated
Notes,  Chase  Securities  Inc.  ("Chase  Securities")  and its affiliates  have
certain  other  relationships  with  the  Company.  Chase  Securities  acted  as
co-arranging  agent  and  The  Chase  Manhattan  Bank,  an  affiliate  of  Chase
Securities,  acts as  co-administrative  agent  and a lender  under  the  credit
facility  and each  receives  customary  fees and  reimbursement  of expenses in
connection therewith.  Additionally,  Chase Equity Associates, L.P. an affiliate
of Chase Securities, owns a non-voting equity interest in the Company.

Arrangement with Certain Affiliates

Payco leases its  corporate  headquarters  in  Brookfield,  Wisconsin,  its data
processing center in New Berlin, Wisconsin and the office space for three of its
collection  operations from  partnerships in which certain officers of Payco are
the principal  partners.  The terms of the leases provided for aggregate  annual
payments of  approximately  $1.8  million  and $2.2  million for the years ended
December 31, 1997 and 1996,  respectively.  Such lease amounts are subject to an
escalation adjustment,  not to exceed 5% annually. All operating and maintenance
costs  associated with these buildings are paid by Payco.  The Company  believes
that the terms of these  leases  are at least as  favorable  as could  have been
obtained in arms-length negotiations with an unaffiliated lessor.

ABC leases its  headquarters in Englewood,  Colorado from a partnership in which
certain  officers  of ABC are the  principal  partners.  The  terms of the lease
provided  for  aggregate   annual  payments  of  $336,000.   All  operating  and
maintenance  costs  associated  with this  building are paid by ABC. The Company
believes  that the terms of this lease are at least as  favorable  as could have
been obtained in arms-length negotiations with an unaffiliated lessor.

Master Services Agreement

API  had  entered  into  a  Master  Services  Agreement  (the  "Master  Services
Agreement") with HBR Capital,  Ltd.  ("HBR"),  which is wholly owned by David G.
Hanna and Frank J. Hanna, III. Under the Master Services Agreement, HBR provided
certain management and investment  services to API for a monthly fee of $50,000.
The Master  Services  Agreement  expired on October 1, 1997 and was not renewed.
The  Company  believed  that in terms of and the fees paid for the  professional
services  rendered  were at least as  favorable to API as those which could have
been negotiated with a third party.

In 1997 upon closing of the acquisitions of NSA and ABC, HBR received a one-time
fee of $600,000 for financial  advisory  services  provided to OSI in connection
therewith.




<PAGE>


PART IV.

ITEM 14.  EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

(a)   1.  Financial Statements

          See  index  on  page  38  for  a  listing  of  consolidated  financial
          statements filed with this report.

      2.  Financial Statement Schedule

          See  index  on  page  38  for  a  listing  of  consolidated  financial
          statements schedule required to be filed by Item 8 of this Form 10-K.

      3.  Exhibits

Exhibit No.
- -----------
*2.1      Agreement  and Plan of Merger dated as of August 13, 1996 by and among
          the Company, Boxer Acquisition Corp. and Payco American Corporation.
*2.2      Purchase  Agreement  dated as of  September  21, 1995 by and among the
          Company,  Account Portfolios,  Inc., Account Portfolios G.P., Inc., AP
          Management,  Inc., GSC management,  Inc.,  Perimeter Credit Management
          Corporation, Account Portfolios Trust One and Account Portfolios Trust
          Two.
*2.3      Stock Purchase Agreement dated as of January 10, 1996 by and among the
          Company, The Continental Alliance, Inc. and Peter C. Rosvall.
*2.4      Stock  Purchase  Agreement  dated as of December 13, 1995 by and among
          the Company,  Outsourcing  Solutions  Inc.,  A.M. Miller & Associates,
          Inc. and Alan M. Miller.
*2.5      Purchase  and  Inducement  Agreement  dated as of May 17,  1996 by and
          among the Company, Account Portfolios, Inc., Account Portfolios, L.P.,
          Gulf State Credit, L.P.,  Perimeter Credit, L.P., MLQ Investors,  L.P.
          and Goldman, Sachs & Co.
2.6       Asset  Purchase  Agreement  dated  October  8,  1997 by and  among NSA
          Acquisition  Corporation,  Outsourcing  Solutions  Inc.,  North  Shore
          Agency,  Inc.,  Automated Mailing Services,  Inc.,  Mailguard Security
          System, Inc., DMM Consultants and Certain Stockholders.
2.7       Asset  Purchase  Agreement  dated  November  10,  1997  by  and  among
          Outsourcing  Solutions  Inc.,  ABC  Acquisition  Company,  Accelerated
          Bureau of Collections Inc., Accelerated Bureau of Collections of Ohio,
          Inc.,  Accelerated Bureau of Collections of Virginia Inc., Accelerated
          Bureau of Collections of Massachusetts,  Inc.,  Travis J. Justus,  and
          Linda Brown.
2.8       Share  Purchase  Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of December 22,
          1997 by and among  Outsourcing  Solutions  Inc.,  Sherman  Acquisition
          Corporation and The Union Corporation.
*3.1      Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended to date, filed
          with the  Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on September 21,
          1995.
*3.2      By-laws of the Company
*4.1      Indenture  dated as of November 6, 1996 by and among the Company,  the
          Guarantors and Wilmington Trust Company (the "Indenture").
*4.2      Specimen   Certificate  of  11%  Senior  Subordinated  Note  due  2006
          (included in Exhibit 4.1 hereto).
*4.3      Specimen Certificate of 11% Series B Senior Subordinated Note due 2006
          (the "New Notes") (included in Exhibit 4.1 hereto).
*4.4      Form of  Guarantee  of  securities  issued  pursuant to the  Indenture
          (included in Exhibit 4.1 hereto).
*10.1     Amended and Restated  Stockholders  Agreement dated as of February 16,
          1996 by and among the Company and various stockholders of the Company.
*10.2     Advisory  Services  Agreement  dated  September  21, 1995  between the
          Company and MDC Management Company III, L.P.
*10.3     Lease Agreement between Payco American  Corporation and the Brookfield
          Investment Company dated July 12, 1979, as amended to the date hereof.
*10.4     Lease  Agreement  between Payco American  Corporation  and the Perncom
          Investment  Company  dated  April 27,  1984,  as  amended  to the date
          hereof.
*10.5     Lease  Agreement  between Payco American  Corporation and the Westlake
          Investment  Corporation  dated  June 1,  1984,  as amended to the date
          hereof.
*10.6     Lease  Agreement  between Payco  American  Corporation  and the Dublin
          Investment Company dated July 14, 1986, as amended to the date hereof.
*10.7     Lease  Agreement  between Payco American  Corporation and the Hacienda
          Investment  Company  dated  October 14,  1986,  as amended to the date
          hereof.
**10.8    Amended  Employment  Agreement dated as of August 27, 1997 between the
          Company and Timothy G. Beffa.
*10.9     Consulting  Agreement  dated  as of  August  13,  1996  between  Payco
          American Corporation and Dennis G. Punches.
10.10     Employment  Agreement  dated  October  16,  1997  between  Outsourcing
          Solutions Inc. and Daniel J. Dolan.
*10.11    9%  Non-Negotiable  Junior  Subordinated  Note dated  January 10, 1996
          issued by the Company to Alan M. Miller.
*10.12    1995 Stock Option and Stock Award Plan of the Company.
10.13     First Amendment to  1995  Stock  Option  and  Stock  Award Plan of the
          Company
*10.14    Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Award Agreement [A]
*10.15    Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Award Agreement [B]
 10.16    Lease  Agreement  dated June 1, 1997  between  Justus  Realty  Limited
          Partnership and Accelerated Bureau of Collections Inc.
 10.17    Earn-out  Agreement dated October 8, 1997 by and among NSA Acquisition
          Corporation,  Outsourcing  Solutions Inc.,  North Shore Agency,  Inc.,
          Automated Mailing Services,  Inc.,  Mailguard Security Systems,  Inc.,
          and DMM Consultants.
 10.18    Second Amended and Restated  Credit  Agreement dated as of January 26,
          1998 by and among the Company,  the Lenders  listed  therein,  Goldman
          Sachs  Credit   Partners  L.P.  and  The  Chase   Manhattan  Bank,  as
          Co-Administrative Agents, Goldman Sachs Credit Partners L.P. and Chase
          Securities,  Inc., as Arranging Agents and Suntrust Bank,  Atlanta, as
          Collateral Agent.
21        Subsidiaries of registrant.
27        Financial Data Schedule.

_________________  

*    Previously filed with OSI's  Registration  Statement on Form S-4 filed with
     Securities and Exchange Commission on November 26, 1996.

**   Previously  filed with OSI's Form 10-Q for the period ended  September  30,
     1997 with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 14, 1997.

(b)  Reports on Form 8-K

     During the quarter, the following report on Form 8-K was filed:

          Report on Form 8-K under Item 5 dated December 22, 1997 announcing the
          Company's tender offer for The Union Corporation.




<PAGE>


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the  requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) 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.

                                         OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC.


                                         /s/Timothy G. Beffa
                                         -------------------
                                         Timothy G. Beffa
                                         President and Chief Executive Officer


                                         /s/Daniel J. Dolan
                                         ------------------
                                         Daniel J. Dolan
                                         Executive Vice President and
                                         Chief Financial Officer

DATE:  March 31, 1998

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report
has been signed below by the following  persons on behalf of the  registrant and
in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

         Signature                                      Title                                      Date
         ---------                                      -----                                      ---- 
<S>                                     <C>                                                  <C>
 /s/ Jeffrey E. Stiefler                Chairman of the Board of Directors                   March 30, 1998
- ------------------------------------
Jeffrey E. Stiefler

 /s/ Timothy G. Beffa                   President and Chief Executive                        March 30, 1998
- ------------------------------------
Timothy G. Beffa                        Officer, Director

 /s/ David E. De Leeuw                  Director                                             March 23, 1998
- ------------------------------------
David E. De Leeuw

 /s/ David E. King                      Secretary and Treasurer, Director                    March 30, 1998
- ------------------------------------
David E. King

 /s/ Tyler T. Zachem                    Vice President and Director                          March 30, 1998
- ------------------------------------
Tyler T. Zachem

 /s/ David G. Hanna                     Director                                             March 30, 1998
- ------------------------------------
David G. Hanna

 /s/ Frank J. Hanna, III                Director                                             March 24, 1998
- ------------------------------------
Frank J. Hanna, III

 /s/ Dennis G. Punches                  Director                                             March 26, 1998
- ------------------------------------
Dennis G. Punches

 /s/ Nathan W. Pearson, Jr              Director                                             March 23, 1998
- ------------------------------------
Nathan W. Pearson, Jr.
</TABLE>


<PAGE>


INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND CONSOLIDATED  FINANCIAL STATEMENT
SCHEDULE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                                           Page
                                                                                                           ----
<S>                                                                                                        <C>
Consolidated Financial Statements

Outsourcing Solutions Inc. and Subsidiaries
     Independent Auditors' Report.................................................................          F-1
     Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 1997 and 1996....................................          F-2
     Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 1997
         and 1996 and for the period September 21, 1995 to December 31, 1995......................          F-3
     Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity (Deficit) for the years ended
         December 31, 1997 and 1996 and for the period September 21, 1995 to
         December 31, 1995........................................................................          F-4
     Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 1997
         and 1996 and for the period September 21, 1995 to December 31, 1995......................          F-5
     Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements...................................................          F-6

Account Portfolios, L.P. and Subsidiaries
     Independent Auditors' Report.................................................................         F-21
     Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 1994 and September 20, 1995......................         F-22
     Consolidated Statements of Operations for the year ended December 31, 1994
         and for the period from January 1, 1995 to September 20, 1995............................         F-23
     Consolidated Statements of Partners' Capital for the year ended December 31,
         1994 and for the period for January 1, 1995 to September 20, 1995........................         F-24
     Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the year ended December 31,1994
         and for the period from January 1, 1995 to September 20, 1995............................         F-25
     Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements...................................................         F-26

Consolidated Financial Statement Schedule

Independent Auditors' Report.....................................................................          F-31
Schedule II - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts and Reserves......................................         F-32
</TABLE>



<PAGE>


















INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT


To the Stockholders of Outsourcing Solutions Inc.:

We have audited the  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheets of  Outsourcing
Solutions Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 1997 and 1996 and the related
consolidated  statements of operations,  stockholders' equity (deficit) and cash
flows for each of the two years in the period  ended  December  31, 1997 and for
the period from  September  21, 1995 (date of  inception)  to December 31, 1995.
These financial  statements are the responsibility of the Company's  management.
Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial  statements based
on our audits.

We  conducted  our  audits  in  accordance  with  generally   accepted  auditing
standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.  An audit also includes
assessing the  accounting  principles  used and  significant  estimates  made by
management,  as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion,  such consolidated  financial  statements present fairly, in all
material  respects,  the financial  position of  Outsourcing  Solutions Inc. and
subsidiaries  as of  December  31,  1997  and  1996  and the  results  of  their
operations  and their cash  flows for each of the two years in the period  ended
December  31, 1997 and for the period from  September  21, 1995 to December  31,
1995 in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.





/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
- -------------------------
Deloitte & Touche LLP



St. Louis, Missouri
February 13, 1998

<PAGE>



OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
DECEMBER 31, 1997 AND 1996
(IN THOUSANDS EXCEPT SHARE AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

ASSETS                                                                                               1997          1996
                                                                                                     ----          ----         

<S>                                                                                               <C>           <C>
CURRENT ASSETS
  Cash and cash equivalents                                                                       $  3,217      $ 14,497
  Cash and cash equivalents held for clients                                                        20,762        20,255
  Current portion of purchased loans and accounts receivable portfolios                             42,915        42,481
  Accounts receivable - trade, less allowance for doubtful receivables of $538 and $641             27,192        20,738
  Deferred income taxes                                                                               -            2,617
  Other current assets                                                                               2,119         3,453
                                                                                                  --------      --------
    Total current assets                                                                            96,205       104,041
PURCHASED LOANS AND ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE PORTFOLIOS                                                  19,537        25,519
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net                                                                         32,563        36,451
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net                                                                             219,795       173,470
DEFERRED FINANCING COSTS, less accumulated amortization of $2,376 and $337                          12,517        12,563
OTHER ASSETS                                                                                           693          -
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES                                                                                  380         3,163
                                                                                                  --------      --------
TOTAL                                                                                             $381,690      $355,207
                                                                                                  ========      ========
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)

CURRENT LIABILITIES:
  Accounts payable - trade                                                                        $  6,977      $  6,495
  Collections due to clients                                                                        20,762        20,255
  Accrued severance and office closing costs                                                         6,487         7,558
  Accrued compensation                                                                               8,332         9,574
  Other current liabilities                                                                         19,644        12,047
  Current portion of long-term debt                                                                 15,445        10,032
                                                                                                  --------      --------
         Total current liabilities                                                                  77,647        65,961
LONG-TERM DEBT                                                                                     309,521       237,584
OTHER LONG-TERM LIABILITIES                                                                          -                64
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES                                                                        -              -
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT):
  8% nonvoting cumulative redeemable exchangeable preferred stock, authorized 1,000,000             11,699        10,816
    shares, 935,886.85 and 865,280.01 shares, respectively, issued and outstanding, at
    liquidation value of $12.50 per share
  Voting common stock; $.01 par value; authorized 7,500,000 shares, 3,477,126.01 and                    35            35
    3,425,126.01 shares, respectively, issued and outstanding
  Class A convertible nonvoting common stock; $.01 par value; authorized 7,500,000                       4             4
    shares, 391,740.58 shares issued and outstanding
  Class B convertible nonvoting common stock; $.01 par value; authorized 500,000                         4             4
    shares, 40,000 shares issued and outstanding
  Class C convertible nonvoting common stock; $.01 par value; authorized 1,500,000                      10            10
    shares, 1,040,000 shares issued and outstanding
  Paid-in capital                                                                                   66,958        65,658
  Retained capital                                                                                 (84,188)      (24,929)
                                                                                                  --------      --------
      Total Stockholders' equity (deficit)                                                          (5,478)       51,598
                                                                                                  --------      --------
TOTAL                                                                                             $381,690      $355,207
                                                                                                  ========      ========
See notes to consolidated financial statements.
</TABLE>


<PAGE>


OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED  STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997 AND
1996 AND FOR THE PERIOD  SEPTEMBER  21, 1995 (DATE OF INCEPTION) TO DECEMBER 31,
1995 (IN THOUSANDS)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                               1997             1996              1995
                                                                               ----             ----              ----
<S>                                                                           <C>              <C>               <C>
REVENUES                                                                     $271,683         $106,331          $ 8,311

EXPENSES:
  Salaries and benefits                                                       133,364           46,997            2,079
  Service fees and other operating and administrative expenses                 71,122           33,759            3,232
  Amortization of purchased loans and accounts receivable                      52,042           27,317            5,390
    portfolios
  Amortization of goodwill and other intangibles                               24,749           15,452              250
  Depreciation expense                                                          8,825            2,829               81
  Purchased in-process research and development                                   -              1,000              -
                                                                             ---------        ---------         -------- 

      Total expenses                                                          290,102          127,354           11,032
                                                                             ---------        ---------         -------- 

OPERATING LOSS                                                                (18,419)         (21,023)          (2,721)

INTEREST EXPENSE - Net                                                         28,791           12,131            1,361
                                                                             ---------        ---------         -------- 

LOSS BEFORE INCOME TAXES                                                      (47,210)         (33,154)          (4,082)

PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES (BENEFIT)                                            11,127         (11,757)          (1,605)
                                                                             ---------        ---------         -------- 

NET LOSS                                                                      (58,337)         (21,397)          (2,477)

PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDEND REQUIREMENTS                                             922              830              225
                                                                             ---------        ---------         -------- 

NET LOSS TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS                                              $(59,259)        $(22,227)         $(2,702)
                                                                             =========        =========         ========
</TABLE>

See notes to consolidated financial statements.






<PAGE>


OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC.  AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED  STATEMENTS OF  STOCKHOLDERS'  EQUITY (DEFICIT) FOR THE YEARS ENDED
DECEMBER  31,1997  AND  1996  AND FOR THE  PERIOD  SEPTEMBER  21,1995  (DATE  OF
INCEPTION) TO DECEMBER 31,1995 (IN THOUSANDS EXCEPT SHARE AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                      NON-VOTING
                                      CUMULATIVE
                                      REDEEMABLE
                                     EXCHANGEABLE             COMMON      STOCK
                                       PREFERRED    VOT-       CLASS      CLASS      CLASS     PAID-IN    RETAINED
                                         STOCK       ING         A          B          C       CAPITAL     DEFICIT   TOTAL

<S>                                   <C>         <C>         <C>        <C>       <C>         <C>        <C>       <C>
BALANCE, SEPTEMBER 21,1995            $    -      $    -      $   -      $   -    $    -      $    -     $    -    $    -

Issuance of 800,000.01 shares
   of preferred stock                     10,000       -          -          -         -           -          -       10,000

Issuance of 2,812,000 shares
   of common stock                         -          28          -          -         -         35,122       -       35,150

Preferred stock dividend
  requirements of
  $0.28 per share                          -           -          -          -         -           -         (225)      (225)

Net loss                                   -           -          -          -         -           -       (2,477)    (2,477)
                                       ---------   ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------

BALANCE, DECEMBER 31, 1995            $   10,000     $28          -          -          -       $ 35,122  $(2,702)    $42,448

Issuance of 118,866.59 shares of
   common stock in exchange for
    notes payable to stockholders          -           2          -          -          -          1,484      -         1,486

Issuance of 2,326,000 shares
   of common stock                         -           7           10        -              6     29,052      -        29,075

Conversion of common stock                 -          (2)          (6)          4           4      -          -          -

Payment of preferred stock dividends
   through issuance of 65,290
   shares of preferred stock and
   recorded preferred stock dividend 
   requirements of $1 per share              816       -          -          -          -          -         (830)        (14)

Net loss                                   -           -          -          -          -          -      (21,397)    (21,397)
                                       ---------   ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  --------    --------

BALANCE, DECEMBER 31, 1996                10,816      35            4           4          10     65,658  (24,929)     51,598

Issuance of 52,000 shares
of common stock                            -           -          -          -          -          1,300      -         1,300

Payment of preferred stock dividends
   through issuance of 70,606.84
  shares of preferred stock and
  recorded preferred stock dividend
  requirements of $1 per share              883                                                               (922)       (39)

Net loss                                   -           -          -          -          -          -       (58,337)   (58,337)
                                       ---------   ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------

BALANCE, DECEMBER 31,1997               $ 11,699         $35        $ 4       $ 4        $ 10   $ 66,958  $(84,188)  $ (5,479)
                                       =========   =========  =========  =========  =========  =========  =========  =========
</TABLE>

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

<PAGE>


OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC.  AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED  STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997 AND
1996 AND FOR THE PERIOD  SEPTEMBER  21, 1995 (DATE OF INCEPTION) TO DECEMBER 31,
1995 (In thousands)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                               1997              1996            1995
<S>                                                                     <C>               <C>                 <C>
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
 Net loss                                                               $    (58,337)     $    (21,397)       $ (2,477)
 Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash
  provided by (used in) operating activities:
  Depreciation and amortization                                                35,613            18,618             331
  Amortization of purchased loans and accounts receivable portfolios           52,042            27,317           5,390
  Deferred taxes                                                               10,877          (11,757)         (1,605)
  Other                                                                            48             -               -
  Change in assets and liabilities:
    Other current assets                                                          147             (578)           (233)
    Accounts payable and other current liabilities                             (7,565)          (1,536)           1,496
                                                                        --------------   --------------  --------------

      Net cash provided by operating activities                                32,825            10,667           2,902
                                                                        --------------   --------------  --------------
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
  Purchase of loans and accounts receivable portfolios                       (46,494)          (13,645)           (903)
  Payments for acquisitions, net of cash acquired                            (62,913)         (184,184)        (30,007)
  Acquisition of property and equipment                                       (9,489)           (2,606)            (97)
  Other                                                                         (603)           -               -
                                                                        --------------   --------------  --------------
      Net cash used in investing activities                                 (119,499)         (200,435)        (31,007)
                                                                        --------------   --------------  --------------
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
  Proceeds from term loans                                                     55,000           337,000         -
  Borrowings under revolving credit agreement                                  66,150           -               -
  Repayments under revolving credit agreement                                (34,300)           -               -
  Repayments of debt                                                          (9,763)         (136,615)           (576)
  Deferred financing fees                                                     (1,993)          (12,563)         -
  Proceeds from issuance of common stock                                          300            14,974          30,150
                                                                        --------------   --------------  --------------

      Net cash provided by financing activities                                75,394           202,796          29,574
                                                                        --------------   --------------  --------------

NET (DECREASE) INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS                         (11,280)            13,028           1,469

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF PERIOD                                 14,497             1,469         -
                                                                        --------------   --------------  --------------

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF PERIOD                                $        3,217   $       14,497  $        1,469
                                                                        ==============   ==============  ==============

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION -
  Cash paid during period for interest                                  $       26,372   $        7,655  $          543
                                                                        ==============   ==============  ==============
</TABLE>

See notes to consolidated financial statements.





<PAGE>


OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(IN THOUSANDS EXCEPT SHARE AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


1.   SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

     CONSOLIDATION  POLICY - The consolidated  financial  statements include the
     accounts   of   Outsourcing   Solutions   Inc.   ("OSI")  and  all  of  its
     majority-owned  subsidiaries  (collectively,  the "Company").  Ownership in
     entities  of less than 50% are  accounted  for  either  under the equity or
     proportionate  consolidation method. All significant  intercompany accounts
     and transactions have been eliminated.

     CASH AND CASH  EQUIVALENTS  - Cash and cash  equivalents  consist  of cash,
     money market  investments,  and overnight  deposits.  Cash  equivalents are
     valued at cost, which approximates market. Cash held for clients consist of
     certain  restricted  accounts which are used to maintain cash collected and
     held on behalf of the Company's clients.

     PURCHASED  LOANS AND ACCOUNTS  RECEIVABLE  PORTFOLIOS - Purchased loans and
     accounts receivable portfolios  ("Receivables") acquired in connection with
     acquisitions  in  September  1995 and  November  1996 were  recorded at the
     present value of estimated future net cash flows.  Receivables purchased in
     the  normal   course  of  business  are  recorded  at  cost.   The  Company
     periodically reviews all Receivables to assess recoverability.  Impairments
     are  recognized  in  operations  if  the  expected  discounted  future  net
     operating cash flows derived from the  individual  portfolios are less than
     their respective carrying value (see Note 12).

     The Company  amortizes  on an  individual  portfolio  basis the cost of the
     Receivables  based on the ratio of current  collections  for a portfolio to
     current and anticipated future collections including any terminal value for
     that  portfolio.  Such  portfolio  cost  is  amortized  over  the  expected
     collection  period as  collections  are  received  which,  depending on the
     individual portfolio, generally ranges from 3 to 5 years.

     REVENUE  RECOGNITION - Collections on Receivables are generally recorded as
     revenue  when  received.  Revenue  from loan  servicing is recorded as such
     services are provided.

     PROPERTY  AND  EQUIPMENT - Property  and  equipment  are  recorded at cost.
     Depreciation is computed on the straight-line method based on the estimated
     useful  lives  (3 years  to 10  years)  of the  related  assets.  Leasehold
     improvements are amortized over the term of the related lease.

     INTANGIBLE ASSETS - The excess of cost over the fair value of net assets of
     businesses  acquired is  amortized on a  straight-line  basis over 20 to 30
     years. Other identifiable  intangible assets are primarily comprised of the
     fair value of  existing  account  placements  acquired in  connection  with
     business  combinations  and  non-compete   agreements.   These  assets  are
     short-lived   and  are  being   amortized  over  the  assets'   periods  of
     recoverability,  which  are  estimated  to  be 1 to 3  years.  The  Company
     periodically   reviews   goodwill   and   other   intangibles   to   assess
     recoverability.  Impairments  will  be  recognized  in  operations  if  the
     expected future  operating cash flows  (undiscounted  and without  interest
     charges)  derived  from such  intangible  assets are less than its carrying
     value.

     INCOME  TAXES - The Company  accounts  for income  taxes using an asset and
     liability  approach.  The Company recognizes the amount of taxes payable or
     refundable for the current year and deferred tax liabilities and assets for
     expected future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in the
     consolidated financial statements.

     DEFERRED   FINANCING  COSTS  -  Costs  incurred  to  obtain  financing  are
     capitalized  and amortized over the term of the  underlying  debt using the
     straight line method.

     STOCK-BASED  COMPENSATION  -  The  Company  accounts  for  its  stock-based
     compensation plan using the intrinsic value method prescribed by Accounting
     Principles Board Opinion No. 25,  Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees.
     Statement of Financial  Accounting  Standard (SFAS) No. 123, Accounting for
     Stock-Based Compensation, requires that companies using the intrinsic value
     method make pro forma  disclosures of net income as if the fair value-based
     method  of  accounting  had been  applied.  See  Note 9 for the fair  value
     disclosures required under SFAS No. 123.

     ACCOUNTING   ESTIMATES  -  The  preparation  of  financial   statements  in
     conformity  with  generally   accepted   accounting   principles   requires
     management  to make  estimates  and  assumptions  that affect the  reported
     amounts of assets and liabilities  and disclosure of contingent  assets and
     liabilities  at the  date of the  financial  statements  and  the  reported
     amounts of  revenues  and  expenses  during the  reporting  period.  Actual
     results could differ from those estimates.

     NEW ACCOUNTING  PRONOUNCEMENTS - In February 1997, the Financial Accounting
     Standards  Board ("FASB")  issued SFAS No. 128,  Earnings per Share,  which
     requires  adoption in the quarter  ended  December 31, 1997,  and prohibits
     early  compliance.  SFAS No. 128 simplifies the calculation of earnings per
     share and is applicable only to public companies.  Under generally accepted
     accounting principles' and Securities and Exchange Commission's  disclosure
     requirements,  SFAS No. 128 is not currently applicable to the Company and,
     accordingly, earnings per share is not presented.

     In June 1997, the FASB issued SFAS No. 130, Reporting Comprehensive Income,
     which is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 1997. SFAS
     No. 130  establishes  standards for reporting and display of  comprehensive
     income and its components in financial statements.

     In June 1997, the FASB issued SFAS No. 131,  Disclosures  About Segments of
     an Enterprise and Related Information,  which is effective for fiscal years
     beginning  after  December 15, 1997.  The  statement  changes the method of
     determining   segments  from  that  currently  required  and  requires  the
     reporting  of certain  information  about  segments.  The  Company  has not
     determined how its segments will be reported, or whether and to what extent
     segment information will be presented.

     RECLASSIFICATIONS - Certain amounts in prior periods have been reclassified
     to conform to the current year presentation.


2.   ORGANIZATION & ACQUISITIONS

     OSI was formed on September  21, 1995 to build,  through a  combination  of
     acquisitions and sustained internal growth, one of the leading providers of
     accounts receivable management services. The Company purchases and collects
     portfolios  of  non-performing   loans  and  accounts  receivable  for  the
     Company's  own  account,  services  accounts  receivable  placements  on  a
     contingent and fixed fee basis and provides contract management of accounts
     receivable.   The  Company's  customers  are  mainly  in  the  educational,
     utilities,  telecommunications,  retail,  healthcare and financial services
     industries. The markets for the Company's services currently are the United
     States, Puerto Rico and Mexico.

     In September 1995, the Company acquired Account Portfolios, L.P. ("API"), a
     partnership in the business of purchasing and managing large  portfolios of
     non-performing consumer loans and accounts receivable, for cash of $30,000,
     common stock of $15,000 and notes of $35,000,  which were subsequently paid
     in March 1996.

     In  January  1996,  the  Company  acquired  A.M.  Miller &  Associates  and
     Continental  Credit Services,  Inc.,  accounts  receivable and fee services
     companies,  for total cash  consideration of $38,500 including  transaction
     costs of $3,600, common stock of $6,000, a 9% unsecured,  subordinated note
     of $5,000  and a 10%  unsecured,  subordinated  note of  $3,000,  which was
     subsequently paid in November 1996.

     In November 1996, the Company acquired all of the outstanding  common stock
     of Payco American Corporation ("Payco"),  an accounts receivable management
     company primarily focused on healthcare,  education and bank/credit  cards,
     in a  merger  transaction  for  cash of  approximately  $154,800  including
     transaction costs of $4,600. The Company allocated the total purchase price
     including  additional  liabilities  reserves  to the fair  value of the net
     assets  acquired  resulting  in  goodwill  of  approximately  $123,000.  In
     addition,  the Company allocated $1,000 of the purchase price to in-process
     research and development that had not reached technological feasibility and
     had no alternative  future uses, which accordingly was expensed at the date
     of the acquisition.

     In October and November 1997, the Company  acquired The North Shore Agency,
     Inc.  ("NSA"),  a  fee  service  company   specializing  in  letter  series
     collection services, and Accelerated Bureau of Collections, Inc. ("ABC"), a
     fee service company specializing in credit card collections, for total cash
     consideration  of  approximately  $53,800  including  transaction  costs of
     $1,173 and common stock of $1,000. One of the acquisitions contains certain
     contingent payment obligations,  $1,520 through December 31, 1997, based on
     the  attainment  by  the  newly  formed  subsidiary  of  certain  financial
     performance  targets over each of the next three years.  Future  contingent
     payment  obligations,  if any, will be accounted for as additional goodwill
     as the payments are made.

     The above acquisitions were accounted for as purchases.  The excess of cost
     over the fair value of net assets of businesses  acquired is amortized on a
     straight-line  basis  over  20 to 30  years.  Results  of  operations  were
     included in the  consolidated  financial  statements from their  respective
     acquisition dates.

     In May 1996, a subsidiary of the Company acquired  participation  interests
     in certain loan  portfolios  for cash of $3,300,  Class C Nonvoting  common
     stock of $8,000 and a 10% unsecured  promissory  note of $3,500,  which was
     subsequently paid in November 1996.

     The  unaudited  pro  forma  consolidated  financial  data  presented  below
     provides pro forma effect of the  acquisitions as if such  acquisitions had
     occurred as of January 1, 1996.  The  unaudited  results have been prepared
     for comparative purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the results of
     operations  of the  Company  that  actually  would  have  occurred  had the
     acquisitions been consummated as of January 1, 1996, nor does the data give
     effect to any transactions other than the acquisitions.

                                                       PRO FORMA
                                                   1997         1996 

                         Net revenues           $313,219     $299,542
                                                =========    =========

                         Net loss               $(58,005)    $(39,945)
                                                =========    =========



3.   PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT

     Property  and  equipment,  which  is  recorded  at  cost,  consists  of the
     following at December 31:


                                                          1997           1996

                  Furniture and fixtures                 $ 4,478       $ 3,591
                  Machinery and equipment                    716          -
                  Data processing equipment               21,452        19,647
                  Telephone equipment                      5,956         3,670
                  Leasehold improvements                   1,599         1,090
                  Computer software                       10,494        11,310
                                                         --------      --------
                                                          44,695        39,308
                  Less accumulated depreciation          (12,132)       (2,857)
                                                         --------      --------

                                                         $32,563       $36,451
                                                         ========      ========


4.   INTANGIBLE ASSETS

     Intangible assets consist of the following at December 31:

                                                          1997           1996

     Goodwill                                           $226,770       $155,693
     Value of favorable contracts and placements          29,000         29,000
     Covenants not to compete                              4,498          4,514
                                                        ---------      ---------
                                                         260,268        189,207
                                                         (40,473)       (15,737)
                                                        ---------      ---------
Less accumulated amortization                           $219,795       $173,470
                                                        ========        ========

5.   DEBT

     Long-term debt consists of the following at December 31:

                                                           1997            1996

         Term Loan A Credit Facility                    $ 62,500        $ 71,000
         Term Loan B Credit Facility                     124,922          71,000
         Revolving Credit Facility                        31,850            -
         11% Senior Subordinated Notes                       -           100,000
         11% Series B Senior Subordinated Notes          100,000            -
         Note payable to stockholder                       4,429           5,000
         Other                                             1,265             616
                                                        --------        --------
                  Total debt                             324,966         247,616
         Less current portion of long-term debt           15,445          10,032
                                                        --------        --------
                  Long-term debt                        $309,521        $237,584
                                                        ========        ========




     In November 1996, the Company issued  $100,000 of 11%  unregistered  Senior
     Subordinated  Notes (the "Notes") in  conjunction  with the  acquisition of
     Payco. Interest on the Notes is payable semi-annually on May 1 and November
     1 of each year. The Notes are general unsecured  obligations of the Company
     and are  subordinated in right of payment to all senior debt of the Company
     presently outstanding and incurred in the future. The Notes contain certain
     restrictive  covenants the more  significant  of which are  limitations  on
     asset  sales,  additional  indebtedness,  mergers  and  certain  restricted
     payments.

     On April 28, 1997, the Company  registered  $100,000 of 11% Series B Senior
     Subordinated  Notes (Senior Notes),  with no material  alteration in terms,
     with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission to exchange for the existing
     Notes. The exchange offer was completed by May 29, 1997.

     In  November  1996,  the  Company  entered  into a new  $200,000  financing
     commitment  ("Credit  Facility") from a group of banks to finance a portion
     of the Payco acquisition and refinance existing  outstanding  indebtedness.
     The Credit Facility was subsequently  amended with the Amended and Restated
     Credit  Agreement  ("Amended  Facility") in October 1997 to finance the NSA
     and ABC acquisitions (see Note 4).

     The  Amended  Facility  consists  of a $189,877  term loan  facility  and a
     $58,000 Revolving Credit Facility (the "Revolving Facility"). The term loan
     facility consists of a term loan of $64,627 ("Term Loan A") and a term loan
     of  $125,250  ("Term Loan B"),  which  mature on October 15, 2001 and 2003,
     respectively.   The  Company  is  required  to  make  quarterly   principal
     repayments on each term loan. Term Loan A bears interest,  at the Company's
     option,  (a) at a base rate equal to the greater of the federal  funds rate
     plus 0.5% or the  lender's  customary  base  rate,  plus 1.5% or (b) at the
     reserve adjusted Eurodollar rate plus 2.5%. Term Loan B bears interest,  at
     the  Company's  option,  (a) at a base  rate  equal to the  greater  of the
     federal funds rate plus 0.5% or the lender's customary base rate, plus 2.0%
     or (b) at the reserve adjusted Eurodollar rate plus 3.0%.

     The  Revolving  Facility  has a term of five  years and is fully  revolving
     until  October 15, 2001.  The Revolving  Facility  bears  interest,  at the
     Company's  option,  (a) at a base rate equal to the  greater of the federal
     funds rate plus 0.5% or the lender's  customary base rate, plus 1.5% or (b)
     at the reserve adjusted Eurodollar rate plus 2.5%.

     The Amended Facility is guaranteed by all of the Company's present domestic
     subsidiaries  and is secured by all of the stock of the  Company's  present
     domestic  subsidiaries and by substantially  all of the Company's  domestic
     property assets.  The Amended Facility  contains certain covenants the more
     significant  of  which  limit  dividends,  asset  sales,  acquisitions  and
     additional indebtedness, as well as requires the Company to satisfy certain
     financial performance ratios.

     The Senior Notes are fully and  unconditionally  guaranteed  on a joint and
     several basis by each of the Company's  current  domestic  subsidiaries and
     any  additional  domestic  subsidiaries  formed by the Company  that become
     guarantors under the Amended Facility (the "Restricted Subsidiaries").

     The Restricted  Subsidiaries are wholly-owned by the Company and constitute
     all of the direct and indirect subsidiaries of the Company except for three
     subsidiaries that are individually,  and in the aggregate  inconsequential.
     The Company is a holding company with no separate  operations,  although it
     incurs some expenses on behalf of its operating  subsidiaries.  The Company
     has no significant assets or liabilities other than the common stock of its
     subsidiaries,  debt,  related deferred financing costs and accrued expenses
     relating  to expenses  paid on behalf of its  operating  subsidiaries.  The
     aggregate  assets,  liabilities,  results of operations  and  stockholders'
     equity of the Restricted Subsidiaries are substantially equivalent to those
     of  the  Company  on  a  consolidated  basis  and  the  separate  financial
     statements of each of the Restricted Subsidiaries are not presented because
     management has determined that they would not be material to investors.

     Summarized combined financial information of the Restricted Subsidiaries is
     shown below:

                                                1997            1996

           Current assets                    $  96,133       $  96,146
                                             ==========      ==========
           Noncurrent assets                 $ 272,730       $ 238,003
                                             ==========      ==========
           Current liabilities               $  57,169       $  47,909
                                             ==========      ==========
           Noncurrent liabilities            $   5,284       $   5,461
                                             ==========      ==========
           Operating revenue                 $ 271,683       $ 106,331
                                             ==========      ==========
           Loss from operations              $ (14,679)      $ (15,325)
                                             ==========      ==========
           Net loss                          $ (23,857)      $ (15,143)
                                             ==========      ==========


     Maturities of long-term debt and capital leases at December 31, 1997 are as
     follows:

                                                           Debt         Capital
                                                                        Leases
                                                         ---------     ---------
         1998                                            $ 15,035      $    504
         1999                                              15,117           463
         2000                                              18,783           333
         2001                                              57,062            13
         2002                                              49,922             -
         Thereafter                                       167,867             -
                                                         ---------     ---------
         Total payments                                   323,786         1,313
         Less amounts representing interest                                 133
                                                                       ---------
         Present value of minimum lease payments                          1,180
         Less current portion                              15,035           410
                                                         =========     =========
                                                         $308,751      $    770
                                                         =========     =========

     During 1997,  the Company  entered into  interest  rate cap  agreements  to
     reduce the  impact of  increases  in  interest  rates on its  floating-rate
     long-term  debt. At December 31, 1997,  the Company had three interest rate
     cap agreements outstanding.  The agreements effectively entitle the Company
     to receive from a bank the amount, if any, by which the Company's  interest
     payments  on  specified  principal  of its  floating-rate  term loans for a
     specified  period exceed 10%. The amounts paid for these agreements of $243
     are  included  in  deferred  financing  costs  and are being  amortized  to
     interest expense over the terms of the various  agreements through November
     1999.


6.   STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

     On September 21, 1995, the Company issued 800,000.01 shares of 8% Nonvoting
     Cumulative  Redeemable  Exchangeable  Preferred Stock ("Preferred Shares").
     The  liquidation  value of each Preferred  Share is $12.50 plus accrued and
     unpaid dividends.  Dividends,  as may be declared by the Company's Board of
     Directors,  are cumulative at an annual rate of 8% of the liquidation value
     and are payable in equal  semi-annual  installments  of $.50 per  preferred
     share on the  dividend  payment  date,  as  defined in the  Certificate  of
     Incorporation.  The Company may, at its sole option and upon written notice
     to  preferred  shareholders,  redeem all or any portion of the  outstanding
     Preferred  Shares for $12.50 per share plus cash equal to all  accrued  and
     unpaid  dividends,  through  the  redemption  date,  whether  or  not  such
     dividends  have been  authorized  or  declared.  Pursuant to the  Company's
     financing  arrangements,  the payment of dividends and/or the repurchase of
     Preferred Shares is prohibited until the Company attains certain covenants.
     The  Company  may,  at its  sole  option,  pay  dividends  in the  form  of
     additional Preferred Shares. Each holder of Preferred Shares has the right,
     at their option,  to exchange any or all of their Preferred  Shares for the
     same number of shares of Voting Common Stock ("Voting Common Shares").  The
     Company must  reserve,  out of its  authorized  but unissued  Voting Common
     Shares,  the  appropriate  number of  Voting  Common  Shares to affect  the
     exchange of all  outstanding  Preferred  Shares.  Upon the  exchange of any
     Preferred Shares, such Preferred Shares are to be retired and not reissued.


7.   INCOME TAXES

     Major  components  of the Company's  income tax provision  (benefit) are as
     follows:

                                                     1997       1996       1995
     Current:
       Federal                                   $    -     $    -      $    -
       State                                          250        -           -
                                                  --------   --------   --------
          Total current                               250        -           -
                                                  --------   --------   --------
     Deferred:
       Federal                                      9,513    (10,250)    (1,437)
       State                                        1,364     (1,507)      (168)
                                                 --------   ---------   --------
          Total deferred                           10,877    (11,757)    (1,605)
                                                 --------   ---------   --------

          Provision for income taxes (benefit)   $ 11,127   $(11,757)   $(1,605)
                                                 ========   =========   ========

     Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary  differences
     between  the  carrying  amounts of assets  and  liabilities  for  financial
     reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax reporting  purposes.
     The Company's  deferred income taxes result  primarily from  differences in
     loans and  accounts  receivable  purchased,  amortization  methods on other
     intangible assets and depreciation methods on fixed assets. The tax effects
     of the temporary  differences that give rise to significant portions of the
     deferred  tax assets and  liabilities  at December 31, 1997 and 1996 are as
     follows:

                                                             1997         1996  
     Deferred tax assets:
            Net operating loss carryforwards              $ 12,759     $  6,302
            Accrued liabilities                              5,882        5,957
            Other                                            2,153          747
                                                          ---------    ---------
                   Gross deferred tax assets                20,794       13,006

     Deferred tax liabilities:
            Loans and account receivable                     6,737       (4,087)
            Property and equipment                             724       (2,375)
            Intangible assets                                4,557         (764)
                                                         ----------    ---------
                   Gross deferred tax liabilities           12,018       (7,226)

     Total deferred tax assets                              32,812        5,780
     Less valuation allowance                              (32,432)        -
                                                         ==========    =========
     Net deferred tax assets                             $     380     $  5,780
                                                         ==========    =========

     During 1997, the Company  recorded a net valuation  allowance of $32,432 to
     reflect  management's  assessment,  based on the  weight  of the  available
     evidence of current and projected of future book taxable income, that there
     is significant  uncertainty  that any of the benefits from the net deferred
     tax assets will be realized.  For all federal tax years since the Company's
     formation  in September  of 1995,  the Company has  incurred net  operating
     losses.

     At December 31, 1997 for income tax purposes, the Company has the following
     net operating loss carryforwards:

                                        Amount                    Expiration
                                        ------                    ----------
                    1997               $19,600                       2012
                    1996                 3,950                       2011
                    1995                 9,200                       2010

     During 1997,  the Company has  significantly  increased its total debt from
     $247,616 at December  31, 1996 to  $324,966  at  December  31,  1997.  This
     increase in debt primarily  resulted from the  acquisitions  in 1997 of the
     net assets of NSA and ABC.  In  addition,  on January  26, 1998 and as more
     fully  described in Note 14, the Company  incurred  significant  additional
     borrowings to finance the acquisition of The Union  Corporation.  Since the
     Company  has  a  history  of  generating  net  operating   losses  and  has
     significantly   increased  its  total  interest  expense  to  be  incurred,
     management  does not expect the Company to generate  taxable  income in the
     foreseeable  future  sufficient  to  realize  tax  benefits  from  the  net
     operating loss  carryforwards  or the future reversal of the net deductible
     temporary  differences.  The amount of the deferred  tax assets  considered
     realizable,  however,  could be  increased  in future years if estimates of
     future taxable income during the carryforward period change.

     Net deferred  tax assets are  reflected  in the  accompanying  consolidated
     financial statements as follows:

                                                         1997          1996
        Current assets:
        Deferred tax assets                           $ 11,698      $
        Less valuation allowance                       (11,698)         -
                                                      ---------     ---------
        Net current deferred tax assets                  -             2,617
                                                      ---------     ---------
        Long-term assets:
        Deferred tax assets                             21,114         3,163
        Less valuation allowance                       (20,734)         -
                                                      ---------     ---------
        Net long-term deferred tax assets                  380         3,163
                                                      ---------     ---------

        Net deferred tax assets                       $    380      $
                                                      =========     =========


     A reconciliation of the Company's reported income tax provision to the U.S.
     federal statutory rate is as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                        1997         1996         1995

     <S>                                                             <C>          <C>          <C>
     Federal taxes at statutory rate                                 $(16,052)    $(11,272)    $ (1,388)

     State income taxes (net of federal tax benefits)                  (2,092)      (1,521)        (111)

     Nondeductible amortization                                         1,406          879           85

     Other                                                             (4,567)         157         (191)

     Deferred tax valuation allowance                                  32,432          -           -
                                                                     ---------    ---------    ---------

     Provision for income taxes (benefit)                            $ 11,127     $(11,757)    $ (1,605)
                                                                     =========    =========    =========
</TABLE>

8.   RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

     The  Company  had  an  agreement  with  an  affiliate  of  certain  Company
     stockholders  to provide  management and investment  services for a monthly
     fee of $50. The Company  recorded  management  fees to this entity of $450,
     $600,  and $150 for the years ended  December 31, 1997 and 1996 and for the
     period September 21, 1995 to December 31, 1995, respectively. The agreement
     was terminated September 30, 1997.

     Subject to the agreements  executed in connection with the acquisitions and
     the private placement  discussed in Note 2, the Company has paid to certain
     Company  stockholders  transaction costs and advisory fees. Such costs were
     $1,600,  $9,100 and $1,500 for the years ended  December  31, 1997 and 1996
     and for the period September 21, 1995 to December 31, 1995, respectively.

     Under  various  financing   arrangements   associated  with  the  Company's
     acquisitions and Amended Facility, the Company incurred interest expense of
     $3,317  and  $2,900  for the  years  ended  December  31,  1997  and  1996,
     respectively,  to certain Company  stockholders of which one is a financial
     institution  and  is  co-administrative  agent  of  the  Company's  Amended
     Facility.

     During December 1997, the Company  invested $5,000 for a minority  interest
     in a limited  liability  corporation  ("LLC")  formed  for the  purpose  of
     acquiring an accounts  receivable  portfolio.  The majority interest in the
     LLC is held by an affiliate of one of the Company's  stockholders.  The LLC
     is managed by the Company and had insignificant activity for 1997.


9.   STOCK OPTION AND AWARD PLAN

     The Company has  established  the  Outsourcing  Solutions  Inc.  1995 Stock
     Option and Stock  Award Plan (the  "Plan").  The Plan is a stock  award and
     incentive  plan which permits the issuance of options,  stock  appreciation
     rights ("SARs") in tandem with such options,  restricted  stock,  and other
     stock-based awards to selected employees of and consultants to the Company.
     The Plan reserved 304,255 Voting Common Shares for grants and provides that
     the term of each  award,  not to exceed ten  years,  be  determined  by the
     Compensation  Committee of the Board of Directors (the "Committee") charged
     with  administering  the Plan.  In February  1997,  the Board of  Directors
     approved an increase to the reserve of Voting Common Shares to 500,000 with
     an additional approval to 750,000 in December 1997.

     Under the terms of the Plan, options granted may be either  nonqualified or
     incentive  stock  options and the  exercise  price may not be less than the
     fair market value of a Voting Common Share, as determined by the Committee,
     on the date of  grant.  SARs  granted  in tandem  with an  option  shall be
     exercisable only to the extent the underlying option is exercisable and the
     grant price shall be equal to the exercise price of the underlying  option.
     The awarded  stock  options  vest over  various  periods and vesting may be
     accelerated upon the satisfaction of certain performance targets and/or the
     occurrence of certain liquidity events.  The options shall expire ten years
     after date of grant.


     A summary of the 1995 Stock Option and Stock Award Plan is as follows:

                                                 Number      Weighted Average
                                                   of         Exercise Price
                                                 Shares         Per Share
                                               ----------    ----------------

       Outstanding at December 31, 1995            -            $   -
       Granted                                   395,809          13.57
       Forfeited                                (149,788)         12.50
                                               ----------
       Outstanding at December 31, 1996          246,021          14.23
       Granted                                   397,500          27.99
       Forfeited                                 (75,000)         22.33
                                               ==========
       Outstanding at December 31, 1997          568,521          22.78
                                               ==========

       Reserved for future option grants         181,479
                                               ==========

     At December 31, 1997, 49,647 shares were exercisable with an exercise price
     range of $12.50 to $25.00 and the weighted  average  remaining  contractual
     life for the options outstanding was 9.0 years.

     The Company accounts for the Plan in accordance with Accounting  Principles
     Board Opinion No. 25, under which no compensation  cost has been recognized
     for stock  option  awards.  As required  by SFAS No.  123,  the Company has
     estimated the fair value of its option  grants since  January 1, 1996.  The
     fair value for these  options was  estimated at the date of the grant based
     on the following weighted average assumptions:

                                                       1997            1996

          Risk free rate                               5.44%           6.33%
          Expected dividend yield of stock                0%              0%
          Expected volatility of stock                    0%              0%
          Expected life of option (years)              10.0            10.0

     Given that the Company is not publicly  traded,  the  expected  stock price
     volatility  is  assumed to be zero.  The  weighted  fair  values of options
     granted  during  1997 and 1996 were  $12.29  and $6.67,  respectively.  The
     Company's pro forma information is as follows:

                                                      1997             1996  
          Net loss:
                As reported                        $(58,337)        $(21,397)
                Pro forma                           (59,570)         (21,758)
          -------------------------------------------------------------------

     In addition,  the Committee may grant  restricted  stock to participants of
     the Plan at no cost. Other than the  restrictions  which limit the sale and
     transfer  of these  shares,  recipients  of  restricted  stock  awards  are
     entitled  to vote shares of  restricted  stock and  dividends  paid on such
     stock. No restricted stock has been granted at December 31, 1997.


10.  COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

     From time to time,  the  Company  enters  into  servicing  agreements  with
     companies  which  service  loans  for  others.  The  servicers  handle  the
     collection efforts on certain  nonperforming  loans and accounts receivable
     on the Company's  behalf.  Payments to the servicers  vary depending on the
     servicing  contract.  Current  contracts  expire on the anniversary date of
     such  contracts  but  are  automatically  renewable  at the  option  of the
     Company.

     The Company has a business  alliance  agreement  with a  partnership  which
     provides for the payment of fees for services  performed in connection with
     the acquisition of loan  portfolios.  Such fees include a monthly  retainer
     and commission  based on the Company's  ultimate  financial  return on each
     purchased  portfolio.  The Company recorded fee expense to this partnership
     of $170 for 1997.

     A subsidiary  of the Company has two  Portfolio  Flow  Purchase  Agreements
     whereby the subsidiary has a monthly  commitment to purchase  nonperforming
     loans  meeting  certain  criteria  for an agreed upon price  subject to due
     diligence.  The purchases under the Portfolio Flow Purchase Agreements were
     $20,661, $5,986 and $903 for the years ended December 31, 1997 and 1996 and
     for the period September 21, 1995 to December 31, 1995, respectively.

     The Company  leases  certain  office  space and  computer  equipment  under
     operating leases. These operating leases, with terms in excess of one year,
     are due in approximate amounts as follows:

                                                            Amount
                                                            ------
                1998                                       $ 8,744
                1999                                         8,019
                2000                                         5,971
                2001                                         4,322
                2002                                         2,903
                Thereafter                                   4,849
                                                            ------

                         Total lease payments              $34,808


     Rent expense  under  operating  leases was $8,100,  $3,600 and $150 for the
     years ended  December  31, 1997 and 1996 and for the period  September  21,
     1995 to December 31, 1995, respectively.


11.  LITIGATION

     At  December  31,  1997,  the  Company  was  involved  in a number of legal
     proceedings  and claims  that were in the  normal  course of  business  and
     routine to the nature of the Company's  business.  The Company has provided
     for the estimated  uninsured amounts and costs of defense for pending suits
     and management  believes that reserves  established for ultimate settlement
     are adequate at December 31, 1997.


12.  FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

     The estimated fair values and the methods and assumptions  used to estimate
     the fair values of the financial  instruments of the Company as of December
     31,  1997 and 1996 are as  follows.  The  carrying  amount of cash and cash
     equivalents and long-term debt  approximate the fair value.  The fair value
     of the long-term debt was determined  based on current market rates offered
     on notes and debt with  similar  terms and  maturities.  The fair  value of
     Receivables  was determined  based on discounted  expected cash flows.  The
     discount  rate was based on an acceptable  rate of return  adjusted for the
     risk inherent in the  Receivable  portfolios.  The estimated  fair value of
     Receivables approximated its carrying value at December 31, 1997 and 1996.

     In  December  1997,  the  Company  completed  an  in-depth  analysis of the
     carrying  value of the purchased  portfolios  acquired in September 1995 in
     conjunction with the Company's  acquisition of API. This analysis  included
     an evaluation of achieved  portfolio  amortization  rates,  historical  and
     estimated  future  costs to  collect,  as well as  projected  total  future
     collection  levels.  As a result of this  analysis,  the  Company  recorded
     $10,000 of additional  amortization  relating to these purchased portfolios
     to reduce their carrying value to estimated fair value.


13.  EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN

     The Company has five defined  contribution  plans which provide  retirement
     benefits to the majority of all full time employees.  The Company matches a
     portion of employee  contributions to the plans.  Company  contributions to
     these  plans,  charged to  expense,  were $276 and $98 for the years  ended
     December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively.

     Effective January 1, 1998, three of these defined  contribution  plans were
     combined into a new defined contribution plan sponsored by the Company. The
     Company also  anticipates to combine the other defined  contribution  plans
     into the new defined contribution plan during 1998.


14.  SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

     On  January  23,  1998,  the  Company  acquired  approximately  77%  of the
     outstanding  shares of The Union  Corporation's  ("Union") common stock for
     $31.50 per  share.  The  Company  agreed to  acquire  any of the  remaining
     outstanding  shares  of Union  pursuant  to a  second-step  merger in which
     holders of such shares will receive $31.50 per share.  The Company  expects
     to complete the merger by April 1998.  The aggregate  purchase price of the
     common stock will be approximately $192,000.

     Also in January  1998,  the Company  finalized an amended  $470,422  credit
     agreement   ("Agreement")   with  a  group  of  banks  to  fund  the  Union
     acquisition.  The  Agreement  consists of $412,422 of Term Loans A, B and C
     due  through  October  2004 and a $58,000  Revolving  Credit  Facility  due
     October 2001. Interest rates on borrowings under the Agreement are based on
     the Eurodollar rate or other  alternatives  plus a margin of 3.0% or lower.
     The Agreement amended the Amended Facility.

     Union  reported  revenues  of  $121,709  and net income of $8,096 for their
     fiscal  year  ended June 30,  1997.  Union also  reported  total  assets of
     $126,019 and stockholders' equity of $71,612 at June 30, 1997.



<PAGE>














INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT


Partners of Account Portfolios, L.P.:

We  have  audited  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheets  of  Account
Portfolios,  L.P (a Georgia  Limited  Partnership,  the  "Partnership")  and its
subsidiaries  as of  September  20, 1995 and  December  31, 1994 and the related
consolidated statements of operations, partners' capital, and cash flows for the
period  from  January  1,  1995 to  September  20,  1995 and for the year  ended
December 31, 1994.  These  financial  statements are the  responsibility  of the
Partnership's  management.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these
financial statements based on our audits.

We  conducted  our  audits  in  accordance  with  generally   accepted  auditing
standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.  An audit also includes
assessing the  accounting  principles  used and  significant  estimates  made by
management,  as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion,  such consolidated  financial  statements present fairly, in all
material   respects,   the  financial   position  of  the  Partnership  and  its
subsidiaries  as of September  20, 1995 and December 31, 1994 and the results of
their  operations  and their cash flows for the period  from  January 1, 1995 to
September 20, 1995 and for the year ended  December 31, 1994 in conformity  with
generally accepted accounting principles.



/s/Deloitte & Touche LLP
- ------------------------------
Deloitte & Touche LLP

Atlanta, Georgia

August 9, 1996

(November 26, 1996 as to Note 7)




<PAGE>


ACCOUNT PORTFOLIOS, L.P.
(A GEORGIA LIMITED PARTNERSHIP)
AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS)



                                                   SEPTEMBER 20,    DECEMBER 31,
ASSETS                                                 1995             1994

CURRENT ASSETS:
  Cash and cash equivalents                         $    557          $ 13,998
  Loans and accounts receivable purchased              3,788             1,672
  Accounts receivable - trade                              3                93
  Investment in partnership                                              1,833
  Other current assets                                   174                80
                                                    --------          --------
      Total current assets                             4,522            17,676

LOANS AND ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE PURCHASED                5,667             4,589

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT - Net                           1,083               676
                                                    --------          --------
      Total assets                                  $ 11,272          $ 22,941
                                                    ========          ========

LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS' CAPITAL

CURRENT LIABILITIES:
  Accounts payable - trade                             $ 164          $    331
  Accrued consulting fees                                145               289
  Accrued salaries and wages                             304                51
  Accrued vacation                                        57                31
  Other current liabilities                               43                77
                                                    --------          --------
      Total current liabilities                          713               779

PARTNERS' CAPITAL                                     10,559            22,162
                                                    --------          --------
      Total liabilities and partners' capital       $ 11,272          $ 22,941
                                                    ========          ========

See notes to consolidated financial statements.


<PAGE>



ACCOUNT PORTFOLIOS, L.P.
(A GEORGIA LIMITED PARTNERSHIP)
AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS)



                                                     PERIOD FROM       
                                                   JANUARY 1, 1995   YEAR ENDED
                                                  TO SEPTEMBER 20,  DECEMBER 31,
                                                        1995            1994

REVENUES                                             $ 21,293         $ 39,292

EXPENSES:
  Amortization of loans and accounts receivable         2,308            2,667
  Service fees and other operating and
    administrative expenses                             8,595            6,131
  Professional fees                                       911            2,638
                                                     --------         -------- 

OPERATING INCOME                                        9,479           27,856

OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
  Interest expense                                       (955)          (2,941)
  Interest income                                         460              342
  Other expense                                                           (166)
                                                     --------         --------

NET INCOME                                           $  8,984         $ 25,091
                                                     ========         ======== 


See notes to consolidated financial statements.


<PAGE>


ACCOUNT PORTFOLIOS, L.P.
(A GEORGIA LIMITED PARTNERSHIP)
AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF PARTNERS' CAPITAL
(IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS)



                                         GENERAL      LIMITED     
                                         PARTNER      PARTNERS         TOTAL

BALANCE - January 1, 1994                $   46       $  4,536       $  4,582

  Distributions to partners                 (75)        (7,436)        (7,511)

  Net income                                251         24,840         25,091
                                         ------       --------       --------

BALANCE - December 31, 1994                 222         21,940         22,162

  Contributions by partners                   1            134            135

  Distributions to partners                (207)       (20,515)       (20,722)

  Net income                                 90          8,894          8,984
                                         ------       --------       --------

BALANCE - September 20, 1995             $  106       $ 10,453       $ 10,559
                                         ======       ========       ========


See notes to consolidated financial statements.


<PAGE>

ACCOUNT PORTFOLIOS, L.P.
(A GEORGIA LIMITED PARTNERSHIP)
AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS)



                                                    PERIOD FROM     
                                                  JANUARY 1, 1995    YEAR ENDED
                                                  TO SEPTEMBER 20,  DECEMBER 31,
                                                       1995             1994
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
  Net income                                         $ 8,984          $ 25,091
  Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash
   provided by operating activities:
   Depreciation expense                                  167               102
   Amortization of loans and accounts receivable       2,308             2,667
   Loss on withdrawal from long-term investment                            166
   Change in assets and liabilities: 
     Accounts receivable - trade                          90               (93)
     Loans and accounts receivable purchased          (5,502)           (6,800)
     Other current assets                                (94)              (19)
     Accounts payable, accrued expenses, and 
       other current liabilities                         (66)              (40)
                                                     --------         --------
       Net cash provided by operating activities       5,887            21,074

INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
  Acquisition of fixed assets                           (574)             (463)
  Proceeds from sale of long-term investment           1,833
                                                     --------       
       Net cash provided by (used in) investing        1,259              (463)
         activities

 FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
  Payments on debt                                                      (3,544)
  Contributions from partners                            135   
  Distributions to partners                           (20,722)          (7,511)
                                                     --------         --------
       Net cash used in financing activities          (20,587)         (11,055)
                                                     --------         --------
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND
  CASH EQUIVALENTS                                    (13,441)           9,556

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS:
  Beginning of period                                  13,998            4,442
                                                     --------         --------
  End of period                                      $    557         $ 13,998
                                                     ========         ========
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW
  INFORMATION:
  Cash paid during period for interest               $    967         $  2,920
                                                     ========         ========

See notes to consolidated financial statements.


<PAGE>



ACCOUNT PORTFOLIOS, L.P.
(A GEORGIA LIMITED PARTNERSHIP)

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
AS OF SEPTEMBER 20, 1995 AND DECEMBER 31, 1994 AND
FOR THE PERIOD FROM JANUARY 1, 1995 TO SEPTEMBER 20, 1995
AND YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1994


1.   ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

     ORGANIZATION - Account Portfolios, L.P. (a Georgia Limited Partnership, the
     "Partnership")  is a  limited  partnership  organized  for the  purpose  of
     purchasing  portfolios  of  nonperforming  loans  and  accounts  receivable
     ("Receivables").  The Receivables are purchased by the Partnership  without
     recourse to the seller. The Partnership  Agreement  ("Agreement")  provides
     that the  Partnership  shall continue in existence  until December 31, 2050
     unless  sooner  terminated,  liquidated,  or  dissolved  by law or by terms
     within the  Agreement.  The  shareholders  of the General  Partner are also
     trustees of the Limited Partners.

     Use of Estimates - The  preparation  of financial  statements in conformity
     with generally accepted  accounting  principles requires management to make
     estimates and  assumptions  that affect the reported  amounts of assets and
     liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date
     of the  financial  statements  and the  reported  amounts of  revenues  and
     expenses  during the  reporting  period.  Actual  results could differ from
     those estimates.

     Consolidation  Policy - During 1995 and 1994, the  Partnership  invested in
     various   subsidiaries   which   purchased   portfolios  of   nonperforming
     Receivables.  The consolidated financial statements include the Partnership
     and all of its  subsidiaries.  All  significant  intercompany  accounts and
     transactions have been eliminated.

     Revenue  Recognition  - Collection on  Receivables  are recorded as revenue
     when received. Revenue from loan servicing is recorded as such services are
     provided.  Fees,  paid  on the  closing  of  each  portfolio  of  purchased
     Receivables,  are  capitalized  and  included  in the  amortization  of the
     portfolio.  Effective  January 1, 1994, the Partnership began amortizing on
     an  individual  portfolio  basis the cost of the  Receivables  based on the
     ratio of current  collections  for a portfolio  to current and  anticipated
     future  collections  for  that  portfolio.  If  not  amortized  earlier,  a
     Receivable  portfolio's  loan cost  becomes  fully  amortized by the end of
     three years from date of purchase. Prior to 1994, the Partnership amortized
     purchased loan costs under the cost recovery  method.  The change in method
     was a result of the Partnership's improved historical collection experience
     for similar types of loan  portfolios and its ability to estimate  expected
     cash flow.  This  change was  accounted  for  prospectively  as a change in
     estimate and the effect was to reduce amortization expense and increase net
     income by $962,000 in 1994.

     Allocation of Net Earnings (Loss) - Income,  losses,  and the net cash from
     operations of the  Partnership  are allocated 1% to the General Partner and
     99% to the Limited  Partners.  Net cash from  operations is defined as cash
     flow from operations less amounts used to pay or establish reserves for all
     Partnership expenses,  debt payments,  capital improvements,  replacements,
     and contingencies as determined by the General Partner.

     In the event of the sale of  Partnership  property,  profits  or losses are
     allocated to the Partners as follows:

     o    First, to the Partners so as to take account of any variation  between
          the adjusted basis of the property and its initial gross asset value.

     o    Second,  to any Partner who has a negative capital account at the time
          of disposition.

     o    Third,  to all  Partners in  accordance  with their  interests  in the
          income and losses of the Partnership as set forth in the Agreement.

     Cash and Cash  Equivalents  - Cash and cash  equivalents  consist  of cash,
     money market investments, and overnight deposits. The Partnership considers
     all other highly liquid  temporary cash  investments with low interest rate
     risk to be cash  equivalents.  Cash  equivalents are valued at cost,  which
     approximates market.

     Fixed Assets - Fixed assets are recorded at cost.  Depreciation is computed
     on the  straight-line  method  based on the  estimated  useful lives of the
     related assets.

     Income  Taxes - No  provision  for  income  taxes is made in the  financial
     statements of the Partnership. Taxable income or loss of the Partnership is
     reported in the income tax returns of its partners.


2.   PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT

     Property  and  equipment,  which  is  recorded  at  cost,  consists  of the
     following at September 20, 1995 and December 31, 1994 (in thousands):

                                                        1995        1994     

        Furniture and fixtures                        $  201      $  111
        Data processing equipment                        688         377
        Telephone equipment                              496         347
        Leasehold improvements                            30          13
        Computer software                                  7          
                                                      ------
                                                       1,422         848
        Less accumulated depreciation                   (339)       (172)
                                                      ------      ------
        Fixed assets, net                             $1,083      $  676
                                                      ======      ======


3.   INVESTMENT IN PARTNERSHIP

     At December  31,  1994,  the  investment  in  partnership  consisted of the
     Partnership's  limited partner  investment in a private  investment limited
     partnership whose emphasis is on capital  appreciation through investments.
     A $2.0 million capital  contribution  was made on December 30, 1993 and was
     recorded at cost. The Partnership  withdrew its investment  during the year
     ended  December  31,  1994  and  received  80%  of  the  total  anticipated
     distribution  in January 1995.  The remaining  20% was  distributed  to the
     Partnership in 1995 upon completion of the audit of the private  investment
     limited  partnership.  Estimated losses of $166,473 on this investment were
     included in 1994 other expense.


4.   NOTE PAYABLE

     The Partnership  entered into a two-year Master Loan Agreement with Cargill
     Financial  Services  Corporation  ("Cargill")  on May 14,  1992  ("the Loan
     Agreement") which allowed it to borrow up to $50.0 million for the purchase
     of portfolios of nonperforming  loans and accounts  receivable  approved by
     both parties. Under the terms of the Loan Agreement,  interest accrues at a
     rate of prime plus 7% and all  borrowings  are payable in 24 months.  There
     were no  principal  amounts  outstanding  under  the Loan  Agreement  as of
     September 20, 1995 and December 31, 1994. Borrowings were collateralized by
     current and future loans purchased under the Loan Agreement.

     Under  the  terms  of the  Loan  Agreement,  after  payment  of  principal,
     noncontingent  interest,  and return of the Partnership's  investment,  the
     Partnership is required to pay an additional 20% of all future  collections
     less service fees (as defined) as  contingent  interest to the lender.  The
     Partnership  paid contingent  interest of $955,290 and $2,940,593 under the
     Loan  Agreement  for the period from January 1, 1995 to September  20, 1995
     and for the year ended December 31, 1994,  respectively,  which was charged
     to interest expense.

     The  Partnership  was obligated to pay a fee to an  investment  bank on all
     amounts  borrowed  from Cargill up to total  borrowings  of $50.0  million.
     There are no outstanding  borrowings  from Cargill as of September 20, 1995
     and December 31, 1994 and all related  consulting  fees have been paid. The
     Partnership  recorded  consulting fees relating to the Cargill borrowing of
     $198,730 for the year ended December 31, 1994. No consulting fees were paid
     during the period from January 1, 1995 to September 20, 1995.

5.   RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

     On  October  1,  1992,  the  Partnership  entered  into  a  management  and
     investment  services agreement with a related party. The agreement provides
     for the payment by the  Partnership of monthly  management  fees of $75,000
     through March 1993 and monthly fees of $50,000 thereafter.  The Partnership
     recorded  management  fees to this entity of $450,000  and $600,000 for the
     period  from  January  1, 1995 to  September  20,  1995 and the year  ended
     December 31, 1994, respectively.


6.   EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN

     The Partnership adopted a 401(k) profit sharing plan and trust (the "Plan")
     on March 1, 1994 which covers all full-time  employees  who have  completed
     three months of service. Employees may contribute up to 15% of their annual
     compensation and employer contributions are discretionary.  The Partnership
     did not make any  contributions  to the Plan during the period from January
     1, 1995 to  September  20, 1995 and for the year ended  December  31, 1994,
     respectively.  Effective December 22, 1995, the Partnership  terminated the
     Plan.  Participants  in the Plan were  given the  option to roll over their
     account  balance  into  another  qualified  plan or to  receive a  lump-sum
     distribution to the Plan.


7.   COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

     From time to time, the  Partnership  enters into servicing  agreements with
     companies  which  service  loans  for  others.  The  servicers  handle  the
     collection efforts on certain  nonperforming  loans and accounts receivable
     on the  Partnership's  behalf.  Payments to the servicers vary depending on
     the  servicing   contract.   Current  contracts  expire  in  1995  but  are
     automatically renewable at the option of the Partnership.

     The  Partnership  has a  consulting  agreement  with  an  individual  which
     provides for the payment of fees for services  performed in connection with
     the  acquisition of loan  portfolios.  Such fees are based on the portfolio
     purchase price and future collections.  The Partnership recorded consulting
     expenses of $556,000 and $2,279,000  during the period from January 1, 1995
     to  September  20,  1995  and  for  the  year  ended   December  31,  1994,
     respectively.

     The  Partnership  has a three-year  employment  agreement  with an employee
     which provides for the payment of additional  compensation  based on future
     collections of loan  portfolios  identified by the employee.  No additional
     compensation was paid to this individual  during the period from January 1,
     1995 to  September  20,  1995 and for the year  ended  December  31,  1994,
     respectively.

     During August 1994, a subsidiary of the Partnership entered into a two-year
     Portfolio  Flow Purchase  Agreement  whereby the  subsidiary  has a monthly
     commitment to purchase  nonperforming loans meeting certain criteria for an
     agreed upon price up to a total  purchase  price of $1,000,000  per month .
     The purchases  under the Portfolio Flow Purchase  Agreement were $2,515,480
     and  $1,156,485  for the period from January 1, 1995 to September  20, 1995
     and for the year ended December 31, 1994, respectively. The subsidiary also
     entered into certain Participation  Agreements whereby from time to time it
     may  sell  (at  its  sole  discretion)  undivided  interests  in  the  loan
     portfolios  purchased  under the  Portfolio  Flow Purchase  Agreement.  The
     subsidiary  records the loan portfolios  purchased net of the participation
     interests sold.

     The Partnership is obligated under operating lease agreements with terms in
     excess of one year as follows (in thousands):

        1995                                     $   108
        1996                                         422
        1997                                         316
        1998                                         251
        1999 and thereafter                          349
                                                 -------
                                                 $ 1,446
                                                 =======      


     Rent  expense  under  operating  leases was  $200,680  and $118,806 for the
     period from  January 1, 1995 to  September  20, 1995 and for the year ended
     December 31, 1994, respectively.

     The Partnership is a party to certain legal matters arising in the ordinary
     course of business. In the opinion of management, none of these matters are
     expected to have a material effect on the financial  position or results of
     operations of the Partnership.


8.   SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

     Pursuant to a Purchase  Agreement  dated  September 21, 1995 (the "Purchase
     Agreement"),  OSI Holdings Corp. (the "Company"),  a Delaware  corporation,
     acquired the Class A limited  partnership  interests in Account Portfolios,
     L.P. for 933,333  shares of the Company  common stock and 266,667 shares of
     the Company 8%  Non-Voting  Cumulative  Redeemable  Exchangeable  Preferred
     Stock. The Company contributed the Class A partnership interests, valued at
     $15.0 million,  to Account  Portfolios,  Inc. ("AP, Inc."), a subsidiary of
     the Company. AP, Inc. acquired the Class B limited partnership interests in
     the Partnership for cash of approximately  $28.8 million and notes of $35.0
     million. Account Portfolios,  G.P., Inc. ("APGP, Inc."), another subsidiary
     of  the  Company,   acquired  the  general  partnership  interests  of  the
     Partnership and its subsidiaries  for cash of  approximately  $1.2 million.
     The total value of this transaction was $80.0 million.


<PAGE>






INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT

To the Stockholders of Outsourcing Solutions Inc.:

We have audited the consolidated  financial statements of Outsourcing  Solutions
Inc. and its  subsidiaries as of December 31, 1997 and 1996, and for each of the
two  years  in the  period  ended  December  31,  1997 and for the  period  from
September 21, 1995 (date of inception) to December 31, 1995, and have issued our
report  thereon dated  February 13, 1998;  such report is included  elsewhere in
this Form 10-K. Our audits also included the  consolidated  financial  statement
schedule of  Outsourcing  Solutions  Inc.  and its  subsidiaries,  listed in the
accompanying  index at Item 14(a)2.  This  financial  statement  schedule is the
responsibility of the Company's management.  Our responsibility is to express an
opinion  based  on our  audits.  In our  opinion,  such  consolidated  financial
statement  schedule,  when  considered  in  relation  to the basic  consolidated
financial statements taken as a whole,  presents fairly in all material respects
the information set forth therein.

/s/  Deloitte & Touche LLP
- --------------------------
Deloitte & Touche LLP

St. Louis, Missouri
February 13, 1998


<PAGE>




Outsourcing Solutions Inc. and Subsidiaries                          Schedule II
 Valuation and Qualifying Accounts and Reserves
 For the year ended December 31, 1997 and 1996
   and the period ended December 31, 1995
 (in thousands)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

               Column A                Column B                  Column C                 Column D           Column E
               --------                ---------        ----------------------------      --------           --------
                                                                 Additions                  (B)
                                                        ----------------------------
                                        Balance                         Charged to        Deductions         Balance
                                       @ beg. of        Charged to         Other           (Please           @ end of
             Description                Period           Expense        Accounts (A)       explain)           Period
             -----------               ---------        ----------      ------------      ----------         --------
 <S>                                   <C>              <C>             <C>               <C>                <C>    
 Allowance for doubtful accounts:

                 1997                       641           367                 -             470                 538
                                           ====          ====               ====           ====                ====  
                 1996                        -            117                671            147                 641
                                           ====          ====               ====           ====                ====  
                 1995                        -             -                  -              -                   -
                                           ====          ====               ====           ====                ====  


<FN>
 (A) Payco balance at date of acquisition.
 (B) Accounts receivable write-offs and adjustments, net of recoveries.
</FN>
</TABLE>


                            ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT



                                  by and among


                           Outsourcing Solutions Inc.,

                          NSA Acquisition Corporation,

                            North Shore Agency, Inc.,

                        Automated Mailing Services, Inc.,

                        Mailguard Security Systems, Inc.,

                                DMM Consultants,

                                       and

                              Certain Stockholders
<PAGE>
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                            ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT


SECTION                                                                    PAGE


ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT......................................................1


RECITALS......................................................................1


ARTICLE I.....................................................................1

   DEFINITIONS................................................................1
   AFFILIATE..................................................................1
   ARBITER....................................................................1
   ASSETS.....................................................................1
   ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT........................................2
   ASSUMED LIABILITIES........................................................2
   BALANCE SHEET DATE.........................................................3
   BILL OF SALE...............................................................3
   BUSINESS...................................................................3
   BUYER......................................................................3
   CANADIAN SHARES............................................................3
   CLOSING....................................................................3
   CLOSING CASH CONSIDERATION.................................................3
   CLOSING DATE...............................................................3
   CLOSING DATE BALANCE SHEET.................................................3
   CLOSING DATE STATEMENT.....................................................3
   CLOSING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS...............................................3
   CLOSING STOCK CONSIDERATION................................................3
   CLOSING WORKING CAPITAL....................................................3
   CODE.......................................................................3
   CONTRACT...................................................................4
   COURT......................................................................4
   CURRENT ASSETS.............................................................4
   CURRENT LIABILITIES........................................................4
   DOLLARS....................................................................4
   EARN-OUT AGREEMENT.........................................................4
   EFFECTIVE TIME.............................................................4
   EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS......................................................4
   EXCLUDED ASSETS............................................................4
   FINAL PURCHASE PRICE.......................................................4
   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.......................................................4
   GAAP.......................................................................4
   GOVERNMENT.................................................................4
   INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY......................................................5
   INTERIM BALANCE SHEET......................................................5
   INTERIM STATEMENTS.........................................................5
   LAW........................................................................5
   LIABILITIES................................................................5
   LIEN.......................................................................5
   NORTH SHORE AFFILIATED GROUP...............................................5
   NORTH SHORE CANADA.........................................................5
   NOTICE OF DISPUTE..........................................................5
   ORDINARY COURSE............................................................6
   PARTY......................................................................6
   PERMITTED LIENS............................................................6
   PERSON.....................................................................6
   PLAN.......................................................................6
   PURCHASED ASSETS...........................................................6
   RETURNS....................................................................6
   SELLERS....................................................................6
   SELLERS GROUP..............................................................6
   SELLERS GROUP PERSON.......................................................6
   TAXES......................................................................7

ARTICLE II....................................................................7

   PURCHASE AND SALE OF ASSETS................................................7
   2.1 ASSETS TO BE PURCHASED.................................................7
   2.2 ASSUMED LIABILITIES....................................................7
   2.3 CLOSING CONSIDERATION..................................................7
   2.4 POST-CLOSING ADJUSTMENTS TO CLOSING CONSIDERATION......................8
   2.5 ALLOCATION OF CONSIDERATION............................................8
   2.6 CLOSING................................................................8
   2.7 DELIVERIES OF SELLERS AT CLOSING.......................................8
   2.8 DELIVERIES OF BUYER AT CLOSING.........................................8
   2.9 CLOSING DATE BALANCE SHEET AND STATEMENT...............................9

ARTICLE III..................................................................10

   REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLERS.................................10
   3.1 CORPORATE EXISTENCE AND POWER OF SELLERS..............................10
   3.2 APPROVAL AND ENFORCEABILITY OF AGREEMENT..............................10
   3.3 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS..................................................11
   3.4 EVENTS SUBSEQUENT TO DECEMBER 31, 1996................................12
   3.5 ASSETS IN POSSESSION OF OTHERS........................................13
   3.6 ACCOUNTS AND NOTES RECEIVABLE.........................................13
   3.7 UNDISCLOSED LIABILITIES...............................................13
   3.8 TAXES.................................................................13
   3.9 REAL PROPERTY - OWNED.................................................14
   3.10 PERSONAL PROPERTY - OWNED............................................14
   3.11 REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY - LEASED FROM SELLERS.....................14
   3.12 REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY - LEASED TO SELLERS.......................15
   3.13 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY................................................16
   3.14 NECESSARY PROPERTY AND TRANSFER OF PURCHASED ASSETS..................16
   3.15 USE AND CONDITION OF PROPERTY........................................17
   3.16 LICENSES AND PERMITS.................................................17
   3.17 CONTRACTS--DISCLOSURE................................................17
   3.18 CONTRACTS--VALIDITY, ETC.............................................19
   3.19 NO BREACH OF LAW OR GOVERNING DOCUMENT...............................19
   3.20 LITIGATION AND ARBITRATION...........................................20
   3.21 DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND CONSULTANTS.......................20
   3.22 INDEBTEDNESS TO AND FROM DIRECTORS, OFFICERS AND OTHERS..............20
   3.23 OUTSIDE FINANCIAL INTERESTS..........................................21
   3.24 PAYMENTS, COMPENSATION AND PERQUISITES OF AGENTS AND EMPLOYEES.......21
   3.25 LABOR CONTRACTS, EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS, AND EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS....21
   3.26 ERISA................................................................21
   3.27 TERMINATED PLANS.....................................................22
   3.28 OVERTIME, BACK WAGES, VACATION AND MINIMUM WAGES.....................22
   3.29 DISCRIMINATION AND OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH....................22
   3.30 ALIEN EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY.........................................23
   3.31 LABOR DISPUTES; UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES...............................23
   3.32 INSURANCE POLICIES...................................................23
   3.33 GUARANTEES...........................................................23
   3.34 ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS................................................23
   3.35 BROKER'S FEES........................................................25
   3.36 CAPITALIZATION AND RELATED MATTERS...................................25
   3.37 CANADIAN LAW.........................................................25
   3.38 FOREIGN ASSETS AND OPERATIONS........................................26
   3.39 METER MAIL PROGRAMS..................................................26
   3.40 BOOKS AND RECORDS....................................................26
   3.41 TRUTHFULNESS.........................................................26

ARTICLE IV...................................................................26

   REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER...................................26
   4.1 CORPORATE EXISTENCE OF BUYER..........................................26
   4.2 APPROVAL OF AGREEMENT.................................................27
   4.3 NO BREACH OF ARTICLES OR INDENTURES...................................27
   4.4 INVESTMENT REPRESENTATION.............................................27
   4.5 BROKER'S FEES.........................................................27
   4.6 CAPITAL STOCK ETC.....................................................28

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

   COVENANTS CONCERNING SELLERS..............................................28
   5.1 OPERATION OF THE BUSINESS.............................................28
   5.2 PRESERVATION OF BUSINESS..............................................30
   5.3 INSURANCE AND MAINTENANCE OF PROPERTY.................................30
   5.4 FULL ACCESS...........................................................30
   5.5 BOOKS, RECORDS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS...............................30
   5.6 GOVERNMENTAL FILINGS..................................................30
   5.7 TAX MATTERS...........................................................31

ARTICLE VI...................................................................31

   OTHER AGREEMENTS..........................................................31
   6.1 CHANGE OF NAME........................................................31
   6.2 EMPLOYEES.............................................................31
   6.3 SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE...............................................32

ARTICLE VII..................................................................32

   CONDITIONS TO BUYER'S OBLIGATIONS.........................................32
   7.1 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLERS.............................32
   7.2 PERFORMANCE OF THIS AGREEMENT.........................................32
   7.3 MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGE AND EXTRAORDINARY DISTRIBUTIONS...............32
   7.4 CERTIFICATE OF SELLERS................................................33
   7.5 OPINION OF COUNSEL....................................................33
   7.6 EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS.................................................33
   7.7 EARN-OUT AGREEMENT....................................................33
   7.7 NO LAWSUITS...........................................................33
   7.8 NO RESTRICTIONS.......................................................34
   7.9 CONSENTS..............................................................34
   7.10 RELEASES.............................................................34
   7.11 DOCUMENTS............................................................34
   7.13 LEASE ASSIGNMENT AND OTHER MATTERS...................................34
   7.14 FURTHER ASSURANCES...................................................35

ARTICLE VIII.................................................................35

   CONDITIONS TO SELLERS' OBLIGATIONS........................................35
   8.1 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER...............................35
   8.2 PERFORMANCE OF THIS AGREEMENT.........................................35
   8.3 CERTIFICATE OF BUYER..................................................35
   8.4 EARN-OUT AGREEMENT....................................................35
   8.5 EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS.................................................35
   8.6 PAYMENT OF CLOSING CONSIDERATION AND ASSUMPTION OF ASSUMED LIABILITIES36
   8.7 NO LAWSUITS...........................................................36
   8.8 OPINION OF COUNSEL....................................................36
   8.9 BANK LOAN.............................................................36
   8.10 FURTHER ASSURANCES...................................................36

ARTICLE IX...................................................................37

   INDEMNIFICATION...........................................................37
   9.1 SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES............................37
   9.2 SELLERS' INDEMNIFICATION..............................................37
   9.3 BUYER'S INDEMNIFICATION...............................................37
   9.4 NOTICE OF CLAIM.......................................................37
   9.5 RIGHT TO CONTEST CLAIMS OF THIRD PERSONS..............................38
   9.6 SOURCES OF INDEMNIFICATION............................................39
   9.7 LIMITATIONS...........................................................39

ARTICLE X....................................................................40

   MISCELLANEOUS.............................................................40
   10.1 ASSIGNMENT; BINDING AGREEMENT........................................40
   10.2 TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT.............................................40
   10.3 MANNER AND EFFECT OF TERMINATION.....................................40
   10.4 NON-DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION........................................41
   10.5 TRANSFER TAXES AND EXPENSES..........................................41
   10.6 BULK SALES...........................................................41
   10.7 REMEDIES.............................................................41
   10.8 ENTIRE AGREEMENT AND MODIFICATION....................................42
   10.9 SEVERABILITY.........................................................42
   10.10 COUNTERPARTS........................................................42
   10.11 HEADINGS; INTERPRETATION............................................42
   10.12 GOVERNING LAW.......................................................42
   10.13 PAYMENT OF FEES AND EXPENSES........................................42
   10.14 SELLERS GROUP REPRESENTATIVE........................................42
   10.15 NOTICES.............................................................43
<PAGE>
                            ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT


     THIS ASSET PURCHASE  AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is made as of this 8th day
of October  1997,  by and among,  on one hand,  Outsourcing  Solutions  Inc.,  a
Delaware  corporation  ("OSI"),  and NSA  Acquisition  Corporation,  a New  York
corporation  and a subsidiary  of OSI  ("Buyer"),  and on the other hand,  North
Shore Agency,  Inc., a New York corporation  ("North Shore"),  Automated Mailing
Services,  Inc., a New York corporation  ("AMS"),  Mailguard  Security  Systems,
Inc., a New York corporation ("Mailguard"),  and David Klein, in connection with
his sole proprietorship operated as DMM Consultants("DMM  Consultants") (each, a
"Seller" and together, the "Sellers") and those certain individual  stockholders
listed and identified on Exhibit 1 attached hereto (the "Stockholders"). Certain
defined terms are set forth in Article I.

                                    RECITALS

     Buyer  desires  to  purchase  from  Sellers  the  Purchased  Assets  on the
following terms and conditions; and

     Sellers desire to sell to Buyer the Purchased Assets on the following terms
and conditions.

     NOW,  THEREFORE,  in consideration of the foregoing recitals and the mutual
covenants,  representations,  warranties,  conditions and agreements hereinafter
expressed, the Parties agree as follows:

                                    ARTICLE I
                                   DEFINITIONS

     "Affiliate" means a Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the
Person referred to. In this definition,  "control" 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 ownership of securities,  by contract, or
otherwise.

     "Arbiter" means the individual appointed under Section
2.9(d).

     "Assets" means all assets and property and associated rights and interests,
real,  personal and mixed,  tangible and intangible,  of whatever kind, owned or
used by Sellers;  provided,  however, with respect to the assets of David Klein,
Assets  shall only mean  those used in  connection  with the  Business.  Without
limiting the  generality  of the  foregoing,  the Assets  include the  following
items:

            (a) all assets  reflected  and/or  described on the Interim  Balance
Sheet, except any such assets which have been disposed of in the Ordinary Course
since the Balance Sheet Date;

            (b) all  assets  owned or used by  Sellers  which  have  been  fully
depreciated or written off;

            (c) all assets acquired by Sellers since the Balance Sheet Date;

            (d)  all accounts receivable of Sellers;

            (e)  all inventories of Sellers, including but not limited to all
supplies;

            (f) all Intellectual  Property of Sellers and documentation  thereof
and the right and power to assert,  defend and  recover  title  thereto  and the
right to recover for past  damages on account of the  infringement,  misuse,  or
theft thereof;

            (g) all records, including business, computer, engineering and other
records,  and all  associated  documents,  discs,  tapes  and other  storage  or
recordkeeping  media of  Sellers,  including  but not limited to all sales data,
customer lists, accounts,  bids, contracts,  supplier records and other data and
information of the Business;

            (h)  the Canadian Shares;

            (i)  all  of  Sellers'   rights  and  claims  against  others  under
Contracts; and

            (j) all other claims  against  others,  rights and choses in action,
liquidated or  unliquidated,  of Sellers  arising from the  Business,  including
those  arising  under  insurance  policies  and  those  related  to the  Assumed
Liabilities.

       "Assignment and Assumption Agreement" means the form of
instrument set forth as Exhibit 1.1(a).

       "Assumed Liabilities" means Liabilities of Sellers to the
extent they are:

            (a) Current  Liabilities that are (i) quantified on the Closing Date
Balance Sheet and the Closing Date  Statement,  and if incurred on or before the
Balance Sheet Date,  quantified thereon, (ii) included in the calculation of the
Final  Purchase  Price or (iii) if  incurred  after the date of this  Agreement,
incurred in compliance with this Agreement; or

            (b) executory  obligations  arising from the Business  which are not
required under GAAP to be quantified and included in the financial statements of
the Business and which (i) if required to be set forth on a Schedule, are so set
forth,  (ii) are  incurred  under a Contract  with a Person other than a Sellers
Group  Person  for the sale of goods or  services  by  Sellers,  (iii) are to be
performed  after the Effective  Time or (iv) if incurred  after the date of this
Agreement, are incurred in compliance with this Agreement.

       "Balance Sheet Date" means May 31, 1997.

       "Bill of Sale" means the form of instrument set forth as
Exhibit 1.1(b).

       "Business" means the business and operations of Sellers including without
limitation the business  generally  conducted under the trade names "North Shore
Agency, Inc.," "Automated Mailing Services,  Inc.," "Mailguard Security Systems,
Inc." and/or "DMM Consultants."

       "Buyer" means NSA Acquisition Corporation, a New York
corporation.

       "Canadian  Shares " means all of the capital  stock of North Shore Canada
owned by North Shore.

       "Closing" means the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.

       "Closing Cash Consideration" means Nineteen Million Five
Hundred Thousand Dollars ($19,500,000) in cash.

       "Closing Date" means October 8, 1997 or, if the conditions to Closing are
not by then  satisfied,  on such  Closing  Date as the  Parties  may agree to in
writing.

       "Closing Date Balance Sheet" means the balance sheet prepared pursuant to
Section 2.9.

       "Closing Date Statement" means the statement prepared
pursuant to Section 2.9.

       "Closing Financial Statements" means the Closing Date
Balance Sheet and the Closing Date Statement prepared pursuant to
Section 2.9.

       "Closing Stock  Consideration" means 40,000 shares of voting common stock
of OSI ($25.00 per share for $1 million).

       "Closing  Working Capital" means total Current Assets minus total Current
Liabilities,  as  determined on the Closing Date  Statement  pursuant to Section
2.9.

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

       "Contract"  means  any  contract,   agreement,   binding   commitment  or
instrument, purchase order or offer, written or oral, entered into or made by or
on behalf of Sellers.

       "Court" means any court or judicial body of any
Government.

       "Current  Assets" shall be  determined in accordance  with GAAP and shall
mean (a) cash, (b) accounts receivable (less an allowance for doubtful accounts)
and (c) prepaid expenses and supplies.

       "Current  Liabilities"  shall be determined  in accordance  with GAAP and
shall mean (a) accounts payable and accrued  expenses,  (b) current  obligations
under capital leases and (c) bank loans payable.

       "Dollars" or "$" means United States Dollars.

       "Earn-out  Agreement"  means  the form of  earn-out  agreement  set forth
hereto as Exhibit 2.3.

       "Effective Time" means the effective time of the Closing,
which shall be as of 12:01 a.m. on October 1, 1997.

       "Employment Agreements" means the forms of employment and non-competition
agreements set forth as Exhibits 7.6(a), 7.6(b) and 7.6(c).

       "Excluded Assets" means the Assets identified in
Schedule 1.1(a).

       "Final Purchase Price" means the Closing Cash  Consideration  as adjusted
pursuant to Section 2.4.

       "Financial  Statements" means the 1996 Financial  Statements and the 1995
Financial  Statements.   "1996  Financial  Statements"  means  the  North  Shore
Affiliated  Group's audited  combined balance sheet at December 31, 1996 and the
related  statements of income and retained  earnings and combined  statements of
cash  flows  for the 12 month  period  then  ended,  together  with any notes or
schedules thereto.  "1995 Financial Statements" means the North Shore Affiliated
Group's  reviewed  combined  balance  sheet at December 31, 1995 and the related
statements of income and retained earnings and combined statements of cash flows
for the 12  month  period  then  ended,  together  with any  notes or  schedules
thereto.

       "GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles.

       "Government"  means the United  States of  America,  any other  nation or
state, and any federal,  bilateral or multilateral  governmental authority;  and
any  possession,  territory,  county,  district,  municipality,  city  or  other
governmental unit or subdivision of any of the foregoing.

       "Intellectual  Property" means trademarks,  trade names, corporate names,
service marks and registrations thereof and applications therefor, together with
that  part  of the  goodwill  of the  Business  connected  with  the  use of and
symbolized by such marks; patents, copyrights and computer software, both source
code and  executable  code  (but  excluding  any  non-transferable  licenses  of
commercially available software not created or customized for the Business), and
registrations  thereof  and  applications  therefor;  inventions,   discoveries,
processes,  ideas,  designs,  methods,  formulae,  trade  secrets,  unregistered
copyrights,  proprietary  technical  information,  know-how and data;  licenses,
sublicenses,  assignments and agreements with respect to the foregoing;  and all
manuals, records and documentation with respect to the foregoing.

       "Interim  Balance Sheet" means the balance sheet at May 31, 1997 included
in the Interim Statements.

       "Interim  Statements"  means the  Interim  Balance  Sheet and the related
statements of income and retained earnings and combined statements of cash flows
of the North  Shore  Affiliated  Group for the five  month  period  then  ended,
together with any notes or schedules thereto.

       "Law"  means any  statute,  law,  treaty,  ordinance,  rule,  regulation,
instrument,   directive,   decree,   order  or  injunction  of  any  Government,
quasi-governmental  authority or Court, and includes rules or regulations of any
regulatory or  self-regulatory  authority  compliance  with which is required by
Law.

       "Liabilities"  means all liabilities and/or  obligations,  whether or not
required to be reflected on the financial statements of a business.

       "Lien" means any security interest,  mortgage,  pledge,  charge,  adverse
claim or other encumbrance.

       "North Shore  Affiliated  Group" means North Shore,  AMS,  Mailguard  and
North Shore Canada and for purposes of Article III (other than  Sections  3.1(a)
and (b) and 3.3) and  Article V, the term North  Shore  Affiliated  Group  shall
include DMM Consultants.

      "North Shore Canada" means North Shore Agency Collection
Corporation, Canada.

      "Notice of Dispute" means a notice  to Buyer delivered pursuant to Section
2.9, specifying in reasonable detail all points of disagreement with the Closing
Date Balance Sheet and Closing Date Statement.

       "Ordinary Course" means, with respect to the Business,  only the ordinary
course of  commercial  operations  customarily  engaged in by such  business and
specifically does not include (a) activity (i) involving the purchase or sale of
such  business  or  of  any  product  line  or  business  unit,  (ii)  involving
modification  or adoption of any Plan or (iii)  which  requires  approval by the
board of directors or  shareholders of an entity engaged in such business or (b)
the incurrence of any liability for any breach or violation of any Law.

       "Party" means any of Buyer, OSI, Sellers or Stockholders,
and "Parties" means all of them.

       "Permitted Liens" means liens set forth on Schedule
1.1(b).

       "Person" means any natural person; any corporation,  partnership, company
or other corporate entity; and any Government.

       "Plan" means any  agreement,  arrangement,  plan or policy,  qualified or
non-qualified,  whether or not considered legally binding, that involves (a) any
pension, retirement, profit sharing, deferred compensation, bonus, stock option,
stock purchase, phantom stock, health, welfare or incentive plan; or (b) welfare
or "fringe"  benefits,  including  without  limitation any voluntary  employees'
beneficiary  associations or related trusts,  vacation,  severance,  disability,
medical,  hospitalization,  dental, life and other insurance,  tuition,  company
car, club dues,  income tax  preparation,  sick leave,  maternity,  paternity or
family leave, child care or other benefits.

       "Purchased  Assets" means the Assets  excluding the Excluded  Assets.  In
addition, for purposes of Article III and Article V of this Agreement, Purchased
Assets shall include all assets of North Shore Canada.

       "Returns"  means  returns,  reports,   estimated  tax  and  informational
statements and returns  relating to Taxes which are, were or will be required by
Law to be filed by Sellers,  and all information  returns (e.g.,  Form W-2, Form
1099) and reports relating to Taxes or Plans.  Any one of the foregoing  Returns
may be referred to sometimes as a "Return."

       "Sellers" means North Shore, AMS, Mailguard, and David
Klein.

       "Sellers Group" means Sellers and Stockholders.

       "Sellers Group Person" means a Person included in the
Sellers Group.

       "Taxes" means all taxes, charges,  fees, levies or other like assessments
imposed or assessed by any  Government,  including  without  limitation  income,
gross receipts, profits, windfall profit, employment (including Social Security,
state  pension  plans  and  unemployment   insurance),   withholding,   payroll,
franchise,  gross receipts,  sales, use, transfer,  stamp,  occupation,  real or
personal property,  ad valorem,  value added,  premium and excise taxes; Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation premiums and any other like Government charges; and
shall include all penalties,  fines, assessments,  additions to tax and interest
resulting  from,  attributable  to, or incurred in connection with such Taxes or
any contest or dispute  thereof.  Any one of the foregoing Taxes may be referred
to sometimes as a "Tax."


                                   ARTICLE II
                           PURCHASE AND SALE OF ASSETS

     2.1 Assets to be Purchased.  Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, on
the Closing Date and as of the Effective  Time,  Sellers agree to sell to Buyer,
free and clear of all Liens other than  Permitted  Liens,  all right,  title and
interest of Sellers to and in all of the Purchased Assets.


     2.2 Assumed Liabilities

          (a) Subject to the terms and  conditions  hereof,  on the Closing Date
and  as of  the  Effective  Time,  Buyer  agrees  to  assume  only  the  Assumed
Liabilities.

          (b)  Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  if the assignment or transfer of
any  obligation  or  instrument  would cause a breach  thereof and if a required
consent to such  assignment or transfer has not been obtained,  then, at Buyer's
election  and in its sole  discretion,  and subject to Buyer's  right to require
strict compliance with Section 7.10 hereof,  such obligation or instrument shall
not be  assigned  or  transferred  to Buyer,  but  Buyer  shall act as agent for
Sellers  in order to obtain for Buyer the  benefits  under  such  obligation  or
instrument.

          (c) EXCEPT AS  EXPRESSLY  AND  UNAMBIGUOUSLY  PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION
2.2, NEITHER BUYER NOR ANY AFFILIATE OF BUYER ASSUMES OR AGREES TO BECOME LIABLE
FOR OR SUCCESSOR TO ANY  LIABILITIES  OR OBLIGATIONS  WHATSOEVER,  LIQUIDATED OR
UNLIQUIDATED, KNOWN OR UNKNOWN, CONTINGENT OR OTHERWISE, WHETHER OF SELLERS, ANY
AFFILIATE OF SELLERS,  ANY PREDECESSOR  THEREOF,  OR ANY OTHER PERSON, OR OF THE
BUSINESS.  NO OTHER  STATEMENT IN OR PROVISION  OF THIS  AGREEMENT  AND NO OTHER
STATEMENT, WRITTEN OR ORAL, ACTION OR FAILURE TO ACT INCLUDES OR CONSTITUTES ANY
SUCH ASSUMPTION OR AGREEMENT, AND ANY STATEMENT TO THE CONTRARY BY ANY PERSON IS
UNAUTHORIZED AND HEREBY DISCLAIMED.

     2.3 Closing Consideration. The consideration for the Purchased Assets shall
consist of (i) the Closing  Cash  Consideration  payable on the Closing  Date by
wire  transfer  of  immediately  available  funds  to the  account  or  accounts
specified in writing by the Sellers two business  days prior to the Closing Date
(subject to  adjustment  as described in Section  2.4),  (ii) the Closing  Stock
Consideration, (iii) the earn-out consideration provided for in Section 2 of the
Earn-out  Agreement,  the form of which is set forth  hereto as Exhibit 2.3, and
(iv) the assumption by Buyer of the Assumed Liabilities.

     2.4 Post-Closing Adjustments to Closing Consideration

          (a) To the extent the Closing Working Capital is greater than $750,000
(the  "Working  Capital  Target"),  the Closing Cash  Consideration  shall (on a
post-closing   basis   pursuant   to   Section   2.4(b))  be   increased   on  a
dollar-for-dollar  basis by an amount  equal to such  excess.  To the extent the
Closing Working  Capital is less than the Working  Capital  Target,  the Closing
Cash Consideration shall (on a post-closing basis pursuant to Section 2.4(b)) be
decreased on a dollar-for-dollar  basis by an amount equal to such deficit.  The
Closing  Cash  Consideration  as so adjusted is  hereinafter  referred to as the
"Final Purchase Price." The Closing Working Capital and the Final Purchase Price
shall be  determined  based on the Closing Date  Balance  Sheet and Closing Date
Statement (as finally determined under Section 2.9).

          (b) Not more than 5 business  days after  final  determination  of the
Final  Purchase  Price,  (i) Buyer shall pay to Sellers  the amount,  if any, by
which the Final Purchase Price exceeds the Closing Cash  Consideration  and (ii)
Sellers shall pay to Buyer the amount, if any, by which the Final Purchase Price
is less than the Closing Cash  Consideration.  Any payment or distribution  from
Buyer or Sellers so required to be made shall be by wire transfer of immediately
available  funds and shall bear  interest from the Closing Date through the date
of  payment  at the  prime  lending  rate of  Citibank,  N.A.  from time to time
prevailing.

     2.5 Allocation of Consideration.  The consideration provided for in Section
2.4 shall be allocated among the Sellers and the Purchased Assets as provided in
Schedule 2.5 hereto,  or as mutually  agreed to in writing by the Parties  after
the determination of the Final Purchase Price. Such allocation shall be prepared
in accordance with Section 1060 of the Code.

     2.6 Closing. The Closing shall take place at 10:00 a.m. on the Closing Date
at the offices of Pryor, Cashman, Sherman & Flynn, New York, New York. --------

     2.7 Deliveries of Sellers at Closing. At Closing, subject to the conditions
to the Sellers'  obligations in Article VIII,  Sellers shall execute and deliver
or cause to be delivered the documents identified in Article VII.

     2.8 Deliveries of Buyer at Closing.  At Closing,  subject to the conditions
to the Buyer's  obligations  in Article VII, Buyer shall (a) execute and deliver
or cause to be delivered the documents  identified in Article VIII, (b) transfer
the Closing Cash Consideration by wire transfer of  immediately-available  funds
to an account or accounts  designated  by Sellers and (c)  transfer  the Closing
Stock  Consideration  to the  Stockholders,  as  assignees  of Sellers and David
Klein.

     2.9 Closing Date Balance Sheet and Statement.

          (a) Buyer, in cooperation  with Sellers,  shall prepare a closing date
balance sheet of the North Shore Affiliated Group ("Closing Date Balance Sheet")
and a closing date  statement  (the  "Closing Date  Statement"),  each as of the
Effective Time and each prepared in accordance with Section 2.9(b).  The Closing
Date Balance Sheet shall also be prepared in accordance with Section 5.7(a). The
Closing  Date  Statement  shall  reflect  Closing  Working  Capital,  as of  the
Effective  Time.  The Closing Date Balance Sheet and the Closing Date  Statement
are herein  referred  to as the  "Closing  Financial  Statements."  Buyer  shall
deliver the Closing  Financial  Statements to Sellers Group  Representative  not
later than 60 calendar days after the Closing Date. After such delivery and upon
request of the Seller Group Representative,  Buyer will provide the Seller Group
Representative with reasonable access to its records relating to the preparation
of the Closing Date Balance Sheet and the Closing Date Statement.

          (b) The Closing  Date  Balance  Sheet shall be prepared in  accordance
with  GAAP with all  appropriate  accruals  and  reserves  consistent  with past
practice.

          (c) If Sellers dispute the Closing  Financial  Statements as delivered
by  Buyer,  Sellers  Group  Representative  shall  deliver  to Buyer a Notice of
Dispute  within 30 calendar  days after the date  Sellers  Group  Representative
receives the Closing Financial  Statements(the  "Dispute Period"). If during the
Dispute  Period  Sellers  Group  Representative  fails to  deliver  a Notice  of
Dispute,  the Closing Financial  Statements shall be deemed final and binding at
the end of the Dispute Period.

          (d) Upon receipt of the Notice of Dispute  within the Dispute  Period,
Buyer shall promptly consult with Sellers Group  Representative  with respect to
Sellers'  specified  points of disagreement in an effort to resolve the dispute.
If any such dispute cannot be resolved by Buyer and Sellers Group Representative
within 20 calendar days after Buyer  receives the Notice of Dispute,  they shall
refer the  dispute  to a  partner  in Price  Waterhouse  LLP,  certified  public
accountants (the "Arbiter"),  as an arbitrator to finally determine,  as soon as
practicable,  and in any event within 30 calendar days after such reference, all
points of disagreement  with respect to the Closing  Financial  Statements.  For
purposes of such arbitration, each Party shall submit proposed Closing Financial
Statements.  The  Arbiter  shall  apply  the  terms of  Section  2.9(b)  of this
Agreement and shall otherwise  conduct the arbitration  under such procedures as
the Parties may agree or, failing such agreement,  under the Commercial Rules of
the American Arbitration  Association.  The fees and expenses of the arbitration
and the  Arbiter  incurred in  connection  with the  arbitration  of the Closing
Financial  Statements shall be allocated,  to the extent practical,  between the
Parties by the Arbiter in  proportion to the extent either Party did not prevail
on items in dispute in the Closing  Financial  Statements;  provided,  that such
fees and  expenses  shall not  include  the other  Party's  outside  counsel  or
accounting fees. All  determinations  by the Arbiter shall be final,  conclusive
and binding with respect to the Closing Financial  Statements and the allocation
of arbitration fees and expenses.


                                   ARTICLE III
                    REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLERS

     Sellers and Stockholders,  jointly and severally, hereby make the following
representations and warranties, each of which Sellers and Stockholders represent
and  warrant  is true and  correct on the date  hereof  and each of which  shall
survive the Closing Date and the  transactions  contemplated  hereby pursuant to
Section 9.1.

     3.1 Corporate Existence and Power of Sellers.

          (a) Each member of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group has delivered to
Buyer a copy of its certificate of incorporation. Each member of the North Shore
Affiliated Group is a corporation  duly organized,  validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of the state of its incorporation.

          (b) Each member of the North Shore  Affiliated Group has the corporate
power and  authority  to own and use its assets and to transact  the business in
which it is engaged, is duly licensed (other than as set forth in Schedule 3.16)
or qualified to do business as a foreign  corporation and is in good standing in
each jurisdiction  where such license or qualification is required except to the
extent such failure to qualify or be  authorized  would have a material  adverse
effect on the business,  condition (financial or otherwise) or operations of the
North Shore Affiliated  Group,  taken as a whole (a "Material  Adverse Effect").
Each  Seller  has the  power  to enter  into  this  Agreement,  to  perform  its
obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

          (c) North  Shore is,  and will at  Closing  be, a holder of record and
beneficial owner of the Canadian Shares. The Canadian Shares consist of 10 Class
A shares and  10,000,000  Class B shares of North Shore  Canada and are owned by
North Shore free and clear of all security interests, claims and restrictions.

     3.2 Approval and Enforceability of Agreement.

          (a) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the  consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized,  approved and
ratified  by all  necessary  action  on the part of the  Sellers  Group.  At the
Closing,  each Seller will deliver to Buyer  correct and complete  copies of the
resolutions of such Seller, certified by its secretary, giving authorization and
approval of the transactions  contemplated  hereby.  Such resolutions  shall not
have been altered,  amended or revoked.  Each Seller has full authority to enter
into and deliver  this  Agreement  and the  Earn-out  Agreement,  to perform its
obligations   hereunder  and  thereunder  and  to  consummate  the  transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby.

          (b)  Assuming  due  execution  and  delivery  hereof  by  Buyer,  this
Agreement  is the legal,  valid and binding  obligation  of each  Sellers  Group
Person,  enforceable  against  each  according to its terms except that (i) such
enforcement  may  be  limited  by or  subject  to  any  bankruptcy,  insolvency,
reorganization,  moratorium or similar laws now or hereafter in effect  relating
to or  limiting  creditors'  rights  generally  and (ii) the remedy of  specific
performance  and injunctive  and other forms of equitable  relief are subject to
certain  equitable  defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any
proceeding therefor may be brought.

          (c) Sellers are acquiring the shares of common stock consisting of the
Closing Stock  Consideration for their own account,  for investment purposes and
without any view to resale or distribution of such shares or any portion thereof
except that such shares may be distributed to the  Stockholders and David Klein.
Jerome Goodman and David Klein are "accredited investors" as defined in Rule 501
of Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.  The  Stockholders
and  Sellers  acknowledge  receipt  of  Amendment  No. 5 to  OSI's  Registration
Statement on Form S-4, as filed with the Securities  and Exchange  Commission on
April 24, 1997, and OSI's quarterly  reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ending
March 31 and June 30, 1997 (collectively,  "OSI SEC Reports").  Each Stockholder
and Seller  represents  that he has had a reasonable time prior to the execution
of this  Agreement to review the OSI SEC Reports and has had the  opportunity of
ask an officer of OSI questions related to the OSI SEC Reports.


     3.3 Financial Statements.

          (a) Sellers have delivered to Buyer correct and complete copies of the
Financial  Statements and Interim Statements.  The 1996 Financial Statements are
audited by Weisberg,  Polonsky,  Kulberg,  Einhorn & Mole, LLP, certified public
accountants, and their report is appended thereto. The 1995 Financial Statements
are reviewed by Weisberg,  Polonsky,  Kulberg,  Einhorn & Mole,  LLP,  certified
public accountants, and their review report is appended thereto.

          (b) The Financial  Statements and Interim Statements were derived from
the books and  records  of the North  Shore  Affiliated  Group and (i) are true,
complete  and correct in all material  respects,  (ii)  present  fairly,  in all
material respects, the financial position,  results of operations and cash flows
of the Business at the dates and for the periods  indicated  and (iii) have been
prepared in  accordance  with GAAP applied on a basis  consistent  with previous
periods.

     3.4 Events Subsequent to December 31, 1996. Since December 31, 1996, except
as set forth on  Schedule  3.4,  there has been no: (a) change in the  business,
condition  (financial  or  otherwise)  or  operations of any member of the North
Shore  Affiliated  Group  other  than  changes  in the  Ordinary  Course,  which
individually or in the aggregate has been materially adverse to the Business;

          (b) material damage, destruction or loss, whether covered by insurance
or not, affecting any Purchased Assets;

          (c) declaration, setting aside or payment of any distribution (in cash
or in kind) with  respect to any  securities  of Sellers or with  respect to any
securities  of North Shore Canada,  including  without  limitation  the Canadian
Shares;

          (d) increase in or  commitment to increase  compensation,  benefits or
other  remuneration  to or for the benefit of any officer,  employee or agent of
any member of the North  Shore  Affiliated  Group,  or, in  connection  with the
Business,  any other Person or any benefits  granted  under any Plan with or for
the benefit of any such officer, employee, agent or Person;

          (e) transaction entered into or carried out by any member of the North
Shore Affiliated Group other than in the Ordinary Course;

          (f) borrowing or incurrence of any indebtedness,  contingent or other,
by or on  behalf  of any  member of the North  Shore  Affiliated  Group,  or any
endorsement,   assumption  or  guarantee  of  payment  or   performance  of  any
Indebtedness  or  Liability  of any other  Person or entity by any member of the
North Shore Affiliated Group;

          (g) change made by any member of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group in
its Tax or financial accounting or any Tax election including without limitation
the  election  to be treated as an S  Corporation  within the meaning of Section
1361 of the Code;

          (h) grant of any Lien with respect to the Purchased Assets;

          (i) transfer of any Assets other than arm's  length  sales,  leases or
dispositions in the Ordinary Course;

          (j)  modification  or  termination  (other than a  termination  due to
expiration) of any material Contract or any material term thereof;

          (k)  lease  or  acquisition  of any  capital  assets  included  in the
Purchased Assets with a value greater than $25,000 per item;

          (l) loan or advance to any Person; or

          (m)  commitment  or  agreement  by  any  member  of  the  North  Shore
Affiliated Group to do any of the foregoing items (c) through (l).

     3.5 Assets in Possession of Others. No member of the North Shore Affiliated
Group holds title to or  ownership  of any Assets in the  possession  of Persons
others than members of the North Shore Affiliated Group.

     3.6  Accounts  and Notes  Receivable.  All  accounts  and notes  receivable
reflected on the Interim  Balance Sheet,  and all accounts and notes  receivable
accruing  subsequently  to the Balance  Sheet Date (except those which have been
collected  since the Balance  Sheet Date and except with  respect to  applicable
reserves),  are (a) valid,  genuine and subsisting,  (b) subject to no defenses,
set-offs,  counterclaims,  security  interests  or other  encumbrances,  and (c)
current and collectible.  All accounts receivable of Sellers in existence on the
Closing Date will be paid in full, net of applicable reserves,  on or before 240
calendar days after the Closing Date.

     3.7 Undisclosed Liabilities.  No member of the North Shore Affiliated Group
has any  Liabilities  whatsoever,  known or  unknown,  asserted  or  unasserted,
liquidated or unliquidated,  accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise, and, to
the best knowledge of any Sellers Group Person,  there is no basis for any claim
against any member of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group for any such  Liability
except (a) to the extent  reflected  on the Interim  Balance  Sheet,  (b) to the
extent set forth on  Schedule  3.4 and 3.7, or (c)  Liabilities  incurred in the
Ordinary  Course of the  Business  since the Balance  Sheet Date,  none of which
will, or could,  have a material  adverse  effect upon the  business,  condition
(financial or otherwise) or operations of the Business.

     3.8 Taxes.

          (a) Each member of the North Shore Affiliated Group has paid all Taxes
due and payable prior to the Closing and filed all Returns  required to be filed
prior to the Closing with respect to each North Shore  Affiliated  Group and the
Business  for which the Buyer could be held  liable or a claim made  against the
Purchased  Assets.  Except as set forth on Schedule 3.20, there are no audits or
other proceedings by any Government  pending or, to the knowledge of any Sellers
Group Person,  threatened,  with respect to Taxes of any North Shore  Affiliated
Group or the  Business  for which the Buyer could be held liable or a claim made
against the  Purchased  Assets.  No  assessment  of Taxes is currently  proposed
against any North Shore  Affiliated  Group or the  Purchased  Assets.  Since the
Balance  Sheet Date, no member of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group has assumed
any liabilities that would otherwise  constitute Assumed  Liabilities to pay any
Taxes. No member of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group is a party to, and has no
liability  under any  indemnification,  allocation  or  sharing  agreement  with
respect to Taxes.

          (b) (i) All  Returns  of the North  Shore  Affiliated  Group are true,
correct  and  complete  in all  material  respects;  (ii)  there is no waiver or
extension  of any statute of  limitations  in effect with  respect to any of the
Returns;  and (iii) any  unpaid  Taxes  which  relate to any  period or  portion
thereof prior to the Effective  Time will be properly  reflected as a reserve on
the Closing Date  Balance  Sheet in an amount  sufficient  to fully pay the same
("Reserved Taxes").

          (c) Each member of the North Shore Affiliated Group and/or each Seller
is not and has not been a member of an "affiliated  group" within the meaning of
Section 1504 of the Code.

     3.9 Real Property - Owned.  No member of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group
has any interest in, or any right or  obligation to acquire any interest in, any
parcel of real property.

     3.10 Personal Property - Owned.  Except for Permitted Liens or as set forth
on Schedule  3.10 hereto,  each member of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group has
good  and  marketable  title to all of the  personal  property  included  in the
Purchased Assets owned by such member, including all personal property reflected
on the Interim  Balance  Sheet or acquired  after the date  thereof  (except any
personal property  subsequently sold in the Ordinary Course),  free and clear of
all  options,  Liens,  leases,  covenants,  conditions,   agreements  and  other
restrictions  of every  kind  and  there  exists  no  restriction  on the use or
transfer of such property.

     3.11  Real and  Personal  Property  - Leased  from  Sellers.  Set  forth on
Schedule  3.11(a)  hereto is a list of each lease  under which any member of the
North  Shore  Affiliated  Group or Wayne  Street  Associates  is the  lessor  or
sublessor of any real property,  and on Schedule 3.11(b) hereto is a description
of each lease under which any member of the North Shore  Affiliated Group is the
lessor of any personal property. Sellers have delivered to Buyer a true, correct
and  complete  copy of each written  lease  identified  on Schedules  3.11(a) or
3.11(b).  The premises  described in such leases are  presently  occupied by the
respective lessees under the terms of such leases. All rentals or other payments
due under such leases have been paid,  and, to the best knowledge of any Sellers
Group  Person,  there  exists no default  under the terms of any of such leases,
and, to the best  knowledge of any Sellers Group  Person,  no event has occurred
which,  upon passage of time or the giving of notice,  or both,  would result in
any event of default or prevent the  applicable  Sellers or members of the North
Shore  Affiliated Group from exercising and obtaining the benefits of any rights
contained  therein.  No consent is necessary for the assignment or conveyance of
such leases to Buyer,  and upon  Closing,  Buyer will have all right,  title and
interest of the lessor under the terms of such leases, free of all Liens.

     3.12 Real and Personal Property - Leased to Sellers.

          (a) Set forth on Schedule 3.12(a) hereto is a list of each lease under
which any member of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group is the lessee of any real
property,  and on Schedule  3.12(b)  hereto is a description of each lease under
which any  member  of the  North  Shore  Affiliated  Group is the  lessee of any
personal property.  Sellers have delivered to Buyer a true, correct and complete
copy of each lease identified on Schedules  3.12(a) or 3.12(b).  The premises or
property  described in said leases are presently occupied or used by such member
of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group as lessee  under the terms of such leases.
Except as set forth on Schedules 3.12(a) or 3.12(b),  all rentals due under such
leases have been paid,  and, to the best  knowledge of any Seller Group  Person,
there  exists  no  default  under  the terms of such  leases,  and,  to the best
knowledge of any Seller Group Person,  no event has occurred which, upon passage
of time or the giving of notice,  or both,  would result in any event of default
or prevent  Sellers from  exercising and obtaining the benefits of any rights or
options  contained  therein.  Sellers have all right,  title and interest of the
lessee under the terms of said leases, free of all Liens and all such leases are
valid and in full force and effect.

          (b) Except as set forth on Schedules 3.12(a) or 3.12(b), no consent is
necessary for the  assignment of such leases under which any member of the North
Shore  Affiliated  Group or any Seller is lessee to Buyer.  Upon Closing,  Buyer
will have all right,  title and  interest of the lessee  under the terms of such
leases, free of all Liens other than Permitted Liens.

          (c) To the best  knowledge of any Sellers  Group  Person,  there is no
default  or basis  for  acceleration  or  termination  under,  nor has any event
occurred  nor does any  condition  exist  which with the  passage of time or the
giving of notice,  or both, would constitute a default or basis for acceleration
under any underlying lease, agreement,  mortgage or deed of trust, which default
or basis for acceleration would materially  adversely affect any lease described
on Schedules  3.12(a) or 3.12(b) or the property or use of the property  covered
by such lease. There will be no default or basis for acceleration under any such
underlying  lease,  agreement,  mortgage  or deed of trust  as a  result  of the
transactions provided for in this Agreement.

     3.13 Intellectual Property. Set forth on Schedule 3.13 hereto is a complete
list of all licenses, patents, trade names, trademarks,  copyrights, and service
marks included in the Intellectual Property of the Sellers.  Except as set forth
on Schedule 3.13:

          (a)  all  Intellectual  Property  included  in  the  Purchased  Assets
("Sellers' Intellectual Property") is valid and enforceable;

          (b) good and marketable  title to, or the  unrestricted  right to use,
all Sellers' Intellectual  Property,  together with all common law rights to the
subject matter thereof,  is held by Sellers and/or any member of the North Shore
Affiliated Group, free and clear of all Liens;

          (c) the use,  licensing or sale by or to Sellers  and/or any member of
the North Shore  Affiliated Group of any of the Sellers'  Intellectual  Property
does not require the acquiescence,  agreement or consent of any third party, and
there exists no restriction on the use or transfer of any such item;

          (d) to the best knowledge of each Sellers Group Person, the conduct of
the Business does not  contravene,  conflict with,  violate or infringe upon any
Intellectual  Property right of a third party and no proprietary  information or
trade  secret  has  been  misappropriated  by  any  member  of the  North  Shore
Affiliated Group and/or from any other Seller from any third party.

          (e) to the best  knowledge  of each  Sellers  Group  Person,  Sellers'
Intellectual  Property is not subject to a challenge  or claim of  infringement,
interference or unfair  competition or other claim and, to the best knowledge of
each Sellers Group Person, Sellers' Intellectual Property is not being infringed
upon or violated by any third party.

          (f)   there  are  no   interferences,   challenges,   proceedings   or
infringement  suits  pending or, to the best  knowledge  of each  Sellers  Group
Person, threatened with respect to any of Sellers' Intellectual Property; and

          (g) except as set forth on Schedule  3.13, no Sellers Group Person has
granted a license in Sellers'  Intellectual  Property to any other party, and to
the best knowledge of each Sellers Group Person, no license, assignment or other
transfer of Sellers' Intellectual Property has been granted or made by any third
party  having  a right  to do so that  would  materially  adversely  affect  the
Business.

     3.14  Necessary  Property and Transfer of Purchased  Assets.  The Purchased
Assets  constitute all of Sellers' property and property rights now used, useful
or  necessary  for the  conduct of the  Business in the manner and to the extent
presently conducted by Sellers. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.12, 3.14, 3.16
or 3.18 hereto,  no consent is necessary to, and there exists no restriction on,
the transfer of any of the Purchased  Assets to Buyer.  To the best knowledge of
any Sellers Group Person, there exists no condition,  restriction or reservation
affecting the title to or utility of the Purchased Assets or Assumed Liabilities
which would  prevent Buyer from  occupying or utilizing the Purchased  Assets or
enforcing the rights  thereunder,  or any part thereof,  to the same full extent
that  Sellers  might  continue  to do so if the sale and  transfer  contemplated
hereby did not take place.  Upon the Closing,  good and marketable  title to the
Purchased  Assets shall be vested in Buyer free and clear of all taxes and Liens
other than Permitted Liens.

     3.15 Use and Condition of Property.

          (a) All of the Purchased  Assets are in good  operating  condition and
repair (normal wear and tear excepted) as required for their use in the Business
as presently conducted. No notice of any violation of any Law relating to any of
the Purchased Assets has been received by Sellers except such as have been fully
complied with. All improvements  located on, and the use presently being made of
all real property  included in, the Purchased  Assets or leased  pursuant to the
Assumed  Liabilities  comply  with  all  applicable  zoning  and  building  code
ordinances  and all  applicable  fire,  environmental,  occupational  safety and
health  standards  and similar  standards  established  by Law, and the same use
thereof by Buyer will not result in any violation of any such code, ordinance or
standard.  There is no  pending or  proposed  or, to the best  knowledge  of any
Sellers Group Person,  threatened change in any such code, ordinance or standard
which would have a Material Adverse Effect.

          (b) There is no pending or proposed  or, to the best  knowledge of any
Sellers  Group Person,  threatened  condemnation  proceeding  or similar  action
affecting  the  Purchased  Assets  or with  respect  to any  streets  or  public
amenities  appurtenant  thereto or in the  vicinity  thereof  which would have a
Material Adverse Effect.

     3.16  Licenses and  Permits.  To the best  knowledge  of any Sellers  Group
Person,  set forth on Schedule  3.16 hereto is a list of each  license or permit
required for the conduct of the Business and a list of where licenses or permits
may be  required  together  with the name of the  government  agency  or  entity
issuing such  license or permit.  The licenses and permits set forth on Schedule
3.16 (other than those  listed in Section 1b and 1c of Schedule  3.16) are valid
and in full force and  effect.  Except as noted on  Schedule  3.16,  to the best
knowledge  of any Sellers  Group  Person,  such  licenses and permits are freely
transferable by Sellers,  and upon Closing Buyer will have all right,  title and
interest of the holder thereof.

     3.17  Contracts--Disclosure.  Except as set forth in Schedule 3.17 there is
not outstanding:

               (i) Any single  Contract  providing for an  expenditure by any of
Sellers in excess of $25,000 over the  remaining  life of such  Contract for the
purchase of any real property, machinery,  equipment or other items which are in
the nature of capital investment.

               (ii) Any single  Contract  providing for an expenditure by any of
Sellers in excess of $25,000 over the  remaining  life of such  Contract for the
purchase  of raw  materials,  supplies,  component  parts or any other  items or
services.

               (iii) Any  Contract to sell  products  or to provide  services to
third  Persons  which (a) is at a price which would  result in a net loss on the
sale of such  products or providing of such services or (b) is pursuant to terms
or conditions  which any of Sellers or any member of the North Shore  Affiliated
Group cannot reasonably expect to satisfy or fulfill in their entirety.

               (iv) Any Contract for  materials,  supplies,  component  parts or
other items or services  in excess of the  normal,  ordinary,  usual and current
requirements  of the Business or at a price in excess of the current  reasonable
market price.

               (v) Any revocable or irrevocable indemnity or power of attorney.

               (vi) Any evidence of  indebtedness,  loan  agreement,  indenture,
promissory note, letter of credit, foreign exchange contract,  conditional sales
agreement or other similar type of agreement.

               (vii) Any Contract which involves (i) a sharing of profits with a
Person other than a member of the North Shore Affiliated Group or (ii) any joint
venture, partnership or similar arrangement.

               (viii)  Any   Contract   involving   any  sales   agency,   sales
representation, distributorship or franchise.

               (ix) Any Contract  containing  covenants  expressly  limiting the
freedom of any of Sellers to compete in any line of  business or with any Person
or in any area.

               (x) Any Contract not made in the Ordinary Course providing for an
expenditure in excess of $10,000 over the remaining life of such Contract.

               (xi) Any other material Contract which is not cancelable  without
penalty  on 30  calendar  days'  notice  or less and  which is not set  forth on
another Schedule.

     3.18 Contracts--Validity, Etc.

          (a) Each  Contract is a valid and binding  obligation of the member of
the North Shore Affiliated  Group,  enforceable in accordance with its terms and
in full force and effect  and to the best  knowledge  of any member of the North
Shore  Affiliated  Group each Contract is a valid and binding  obligation of the
other party thereto.

          (b) No member  of the  North  Shore  Affiliated  Group is in  material
breach or material violation thereof or material default under any Contract.  To
the best knowledge of any member of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group, no other
party to any such Contract is in material breach or material  violation  thereof
or material default thereunder. No event has occurred which, through the passage
of time or the giving of notice,  or both,  would  constitute,  and  neither the
execution  of this  Agreement  nor the  completion  of the Closing  does or will
constitute or result in, a material breach or material  violation of or material
default under any Contract, or would cause the acceleration of any obligation of
any party thereto or the creation of a Lien upon any Asset.

          (c) Each  Contract  will be duly assigned to Buyer on the Closing Date
and upon such assignment,  subject to obtaining any consents, Buyer will acquire
all right,  title and  interest of Sellers in and to such  Contract  and will be
substituted  for such Sellers  under the terms of such  Contract.  Except as set
forth on Schedule 3.18, no consent is required for such assignment.

     3.19 No Breach of Law or Governing  Document.  No member of the North Shore
Affiliated  Group  is in  default  under or in  violation  of,  in any  material
respect,  (a)  any  applicable  Law  of  any  Government   (including,   without
limitation,  the  Fair  Debt  Collection  Practices  Act and any  state or local
counterpart or equivalent),  (b) any franchise or license,  or (c) any provision
of its  articles or  certificate  of  incorporation  or  association  or bylaws;
provided,  however,  that the  representations  contained in clauses (a) and (b)
shall be without  regard to  whether  any state  license or permit is  required,
which matter is covered by Section 3.16. Neither the execution of this Agreement
nor the completion of the Closing does or will  constitute or result in any such
default, breach or violation. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.19(a), no member
of the North Shore Affiliated Group is required to obtain any Government permits
or consents to effect the transactions  contemplated  hereby.  Based upon and in
reliance upon the  correspondence,  dated August 25, 1997 to Richard B. Smith of
the Federal  Trade  Commission  (the "FTC  Letter")  and the related  voice mail
transcription  from Mr.  Smith,  all attached as Schedule  3.19(b),  no Ultimate
Parent  Entity of Sellers,  together  with all  entities it  controls,  is a $10
million person under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976, or
the rules  relating  thereto (the  "H-S-R").  As used in this Section 3.19,  the
terms  "Ultimate  Parent  Entity,"  "control" and "$10 million  person" shall be
defined by the H-S-R.  The factual matters set forth in the FTC Letter are true,
complete and correct.

     3.20  Litigation  and  Arbitration.  Except as set forth on  Schedule  3.20
hereto,  there is no suit,  claim,  action or proceeding  now pending or, to the
best knowledge of any Sellers Group Person,  threatened before any Court,  grand
jury,  administrative or regulatory body,  governmental  agency,  arbitration or
mediation  panel or similar body,  to which any of Sellers  and/or any member of
the North Shore Affiliated Group is a party or which may result in any judgment,
order,  decree,  liability,  award or other  determination which will, or could,
have any material  adverse effect upon any Purchased Asset or upon the business,
condition  (financial or  otherwise)  or  operations  of the  Business.  No such
judgment,  order,  decree or award has been  entered  against  any of Sellers or
against  any  member  of the  North  Shore  Affiliated  Group,  nor has any such
liability  been  incurred  which has, or could have,  such  effect.  There is no
claim, action or proceeding now pending or, to the best knowledge of any Sellers
Group  Person,  threatened  before  any Court,  grand  jury,  administrative  or
regulatory body, governmental agency,  arbitration or mediation panel or similar
body  which  will,  or  could,  prevent  the  consummation  of the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.

     3.21 Directors,  Officers, Employees and Consultants. Set forth on Schedule
3.21 hereto is a complete list of:


          (a) all directors of each of Sellers;

          (b) all officers (with office held) of each of Sellers;

          (c) all hourly  employees of Sellers who earn $25,000 or more per year
and all salaried employees of Sellers; and

          (d) all  consultants  to  Sellers  who were paid more than  $10,000 by
Sellers during the first six months of 1997;

together,  in the case of officers and  employees  of Sellers,  with the current
rate of compensation payable to each.

     3.22 Indebtedness to and from Directors, Officers and Others. Except as set
forth on Schedule  3.22,  (a) no member of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group or
other  Seller is indebted  to any  director,  officer,  employee or agent of any
member of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group or other Seller  except for amounts
due as normal  salaries,  wages and  bonuses  and in  reimbursement  of ordinary
expenses on a current basis and (b) no officer,  employee or agent of any member
of the North Shore Affiliated Group or other Seller is indebted to any member of
the North Shore Affiliated Group or other Seller.

     3.23 Outside Financial  Interests.  No director or officer of any member of
the North  Shore  Affiliated  Group or other  Seller has any direct or  indirect
financial  interest in any  competitor  with or supplier or customer of any such
member  or  Sellers;  provided,  however,  that for this  purpose  ownership  of
corporate  securities having no more than 5% of the outstanding  voting power of
any  competitor,  supplier or customer  for which  securities  are listed on any
national  securities  exchange or  authorized  for  quotation  on the  Automated
Quotations System of the National Association of Securities Dealers,  Inc. shall
not be deemed to be such a financial  interest provided such Person has no other
connection or relationship with such competitor, supplier or customer.

     3.24 Payments, Compensation and Perquisites of Agents and Employees. To the
best knowledge of any Sellers Group Person, all payments to agents,  consultants
and  others  made by any  member of the North  Shore  Affiliated  Group or other
Seller in  connection  with the Business  have been in payment of bona fide fees
and commissions and not as bribes, illegal or improper payments.  Each member of
the North Shore  Affiliated  Group or other Seller has  properly and  accurately
reflected  on its books and records  all  compensation  paid to and  perquisites
provided  to or on  behalf  of  its  consultants,  agents  and  employees.  Such
compensation and perquisites have been properly and accurately  disclosed in the
Financial Statements and Interim Statements and other public or private reports,
records or filings of any member of the North  Shore  Affiliated  Group or other
Seller, to the extent required by Law.

     3.25 Labor Contracts,  Employee  Benefit Plans,  and Employment  Contracts.
Except as set  forth on  Schedule  3.25  hereto,  no  member of the North  Shore
Affiliated  Group  is a party  to (a) any  union  collective  bargaining,  works
council,  joint or  multi-employer  association,  employee  committee or similar
Contract,  (b) any  Plan or (c)  any  employment  Contract.  True,  correct  and
complete  copies of all documents  creating or  evidencing  any such Contract or
Plan  listed  on  Schedule  3.25  have been  delivered  to  Buyer.  There are no
negotiations,  demands or  proposals  which are  pending or which have been made
since  January 1, 1994  which  concern  matters  now  covered,  or that would be
covered, by the type of Contracts or Plans listed in this Section.

     3.26 ERISA.

          (a) All Plans  disclosed  on  Schedule  3.26  comply  in all  material
respects  with,  and have been operated and  maintained in compliance  with, the
Employee  Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"),  and all
other  applicable  Laws, to the extent  applicable.  No  "reportable  event" (as
defined in Section 4043(b) of ERISA) or "prohibited  transaction" (as defined in
Section  4975(c)(1)  of the Code or  Section  406 of ERISA)  has  occurred  with
respect to any Plan and, except as may result from Closing,  there is no fact or
circumstance  which  may  lead to the  occurrence  of any  reportable  event  or
prohibited  transaction.  Sellers  do not  maintain  and  are  not  required  to
contribute  to, nor have they ever  maintained or been required to contribute to
(i) a defined  benefit  pension plan or (ii) a defined  contribution  plan which
requires minimum contributions.

          (b) No member of the North Shore  Affiliated Group or Sellers has ever
been a party to or  participant  in, or been  required  to  contribute  to,  any
multi-employer plan (as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA).

          (c) All members of the North Shore  Affiliated Group and other Sellers
have  complied  in all  material  respects  with the  health  care  continuation
requirements of the Consolidated  Omnibus Budget  Reconciliation Act of 1985, as
amended ("COBRA").

     3.27  Terminated  Plans.  Except as set  forth on  Schedule  3.27,  none of
Sellers,  nor any member of the North Shore Affiliated  Group, has terminated or
taken action to terminate any employee  benefit plan.  None of Sellers,  nor any
member of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group, has any liability to any Person or
entity,  including without limitation the Pension Benefit Guaranty  Corporation,
any other Government agency or any participant in or beneficiary of any employee
plan of another entity, and none of Sellers is liable for any excise,  income or
other tax or  penalty as a result of the  termination  of any  employee  benefit
plan.

     3.28  Overtime,  Back  Wages,  Vacation  and  Minimum  Wages.  To the  best
knowledge  of any Sellers  Group  Person,  no present or former  employee of any
member of the North  Shore  Affiliated  Group has any claim  against the Sellers
Group  (whether  under  U.S.,  federal,  state or local law,  foreign  law,  any
employment agreement, or otherwise) on account of or for (a) overtime pay, other
than overtime pay for the current payroll period, (b) wages or salary (excluding
current bonus,  accruals and amounts  accruing under pension and  profit-sharing
plans) for any period other than the current payroll period, (c) vacation,  time
off or pay in lieu of vacation or time off, other than that earned in respect of
the current  fiscal  year or (d) any  violation  of any  statute,  ordinance  or
regulation relating to minimum wages or maximum hours of work.

     3.29  Discrimination  and  Occupational  Safety  and  Health.  To the  best
knowledge of any Seller Group  Person,  no Person or party  (including,  but not
limited  to,  any  Government)  has  any  claim,  or  basis  for any  action  or
proceeding,  against  any member of the North  Shore  Affiliated  Group or other
Seller  arising  out  of  any  statute,  ordinance  or  regulation  relating  to
discrimination in employment or employment  practices or occupational safety and
health standards. Since January 1, 1990, no member of the North Shore Affiliated
Group or other  Seller has  received  any notice from any U.S.  federal,  state,
local or foreign  Government  alleging a  violation  of  occupational  safety or
health standards.

     3.30 Alien Employment Eligibility.  With respect to each Person employed by
any member of the North Shore  Affiliated Group or of Sellers on or after May 1,
1987, and who actually  commenced such  employment on or after November 6, 1986,
(a) such member or Seller hired such Person in compliance  with the  Immigration
Reform and Control Act of 1986 and the rules and regulations thereunder ("IRCA")
and (b) each of Sellers and/or each member of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group
has  complied  in  all  material  respects  with  all  recordkeeping  and  other
regulatory requirements under IRCA.

     3.31 Labor Disputes; Unfair Labor Practices.  There is neither pending nor,
to the best  knowledge  of any  Sellers  Group  Person,  threatened,  any  labor
dispute, strike or work stoppage which affects or which may affect the Business,
and no member of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group is currently  covered by any
injunction issued by any Court.  Since January 1, 1994,  neither Sellers nor any
member of the North Shore Affiliated Group, nor the agents,  representatives  or
employees of each of them, has committed any unfair labor practice as defined in
the National Labor  Relations Act of 1947, as amended.  There is not now pending
or  threatened  any charge or  complaint  against  any member of the North Shore
Affiliated  Group or other Seller by the National  Labor  Relations  Board,  any
state or local labor or employment agency or any representative thereof, and the
execution of this  Agreement  and the Closing  hereunder  will not result in any
such charge or complaint,  nor is there  pending or threatened  any grievance or
arbitration under any labor or employment  Contract.  No right of representation
by a labor  organization  exists  respecting  the employees of any member of the
North  Shore  Affiliated  Group  or  other  Seller,   nor  is  there  pending  a
representation  election.  No collective  bargaining Contract is currently being
negotiated and no organizing  effort is currently being made with respect to the
employees of any member of the North Shore Affiliated Group or other Seller.  No
member of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group and none of Sellers has any ongoing
or future  liabilities or obligations  under any settlement  Contract or consent
decree with respect to labor matters.

     3.32 Insurance Policies. Set forth on Schedule 3.32 hereto is a list of all
insurance  policies  and bonds in force  covering or  relating to the  Purchased
Assets or the Business, including without limitation all properties,  operations
or personnel of each of Sellers.

     3.33  Guarantees.  Except as set forth on  Schedule  3.33  hereto,  none of
Sellers is a guarantor,  indemnitor,  surety or accommodation party or otherwise
liable for any indebtedness of any other Person, firm or corporation,  except as
endorser of checks received and deposited in the Ordinary Course.

     3.34 Environmental Matters

          (a) Except as  disclosed on Schedule  3.34(a)  attached  hereto,  each
member of the North Shore Affiliated  Group's use of the real property set forth
on Schedule  3.12(a)  ("Property")  complies in all material  respects  with all
Laws,  including  without  limitation  the codes,  licenses  and  permits of all
Governments  relating to the  protection of health,  safety or the  environment,
including by way of  illustration  and not by way of  limitation:  the Clean Air
Act; the Federal  Water  Pollution  Control Act; the Resource  Conservation  and
Liability Act; the Toxic Substance Control Act; the Comprehensive  Environmental
Response and Liability  Act; the  Hazardous  Materials  Transportation  Act; the
Atomic Energy Act; the Emergency  Planning and Community  Right-to-Know Act; and
the Oil Pollution  Prevention  Act; and all amendments to each thereto,  and all
other applicable environmental Laws (collectively, "Environmental Laws"). Except
as disclosed on Schedule 3.34(a)  attached hereto,  to the best knowledge of any
Sellers Group Person,  each member of the North Shore Affiliated  Group's use of
the  Property  has at all  times  complied  in all  material  respects  with all
Environmental  Laws.  Except as disclosed on Schedule  3.34(a)  attached hereto,
none of Sellers or members of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group is in violation
in any material respect, in connection with the ownership,  use,  maintenance or
operation of the Property and the conduct of the Business,  of any Environmental
Laws.

          (b) Except as set forth on Schedule 3.34(b) attached hereto, there are
no past,  pending  or,  to the  best  knowledge  of any  Sellers  Group  Person,
threatened  investigations,  inquiries,  notices  or  other  proceedings  by any
Government or any foreign  governmental entity with respect to any of Sellers in
connection with the actual or alleged  violation of, or liability arising under,
any Environmental Laws with respect to the Property.

          (c) Except as  disclosed on Schedule  3.34(c)  attached  hereto,  each
member of the North Shore Affiliated Group has all necessary  material  permits,
registrations,  approvals,  certificates and licenses relating to the protection
of health,  safety or the  environment  as required by the  Environmental  Laws,
except for such permits, registration,  approvals, certificates and licenses the
failure of which to obtain  would not have a Material  Adverse  Effect.  Sellers
have previously  delivered to Buyer or its  representatives  true,  accurate and
complete  copies  of  any  and  all  such  permits,  registrations,   approvals,
certificates and licenses.

          (d) Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.34(d)  attached  hereto,  to the
best  knowledge of any Sellers Group  Person,  there are no  Environmental  Laws
which  require any work,  repairs,  construction  or capital  expenditures  with
respect to the Property, nor has any Seller and/or any member of the North Shore
Affiliated Group received any notice of any of the same.

          (e) Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.34(e),  to the best knowledge of
any  Sellers  Group  Person,  during  any member of the North  Shore  Affiliated
Group's  or of  Sellers'  occupancy  of the  Property  there  has been no spill,
discharge,  leak, emission,  injection,  disposal,  dumping,  emptying,  escape,
leaching,  pumping or release of any kind on,  beneath or above the  Property or
into the  environment  surrounding or adjoining the Property of any  pollutants,
contaminants,   hazardous  substances,  hazardous  chemicals,  toxic  chemicals,
extremely hazardous substances,  petroleum products, petroleum substances, toxic
substances, hazardous wastes, infectious wastes, radioactive materials, asbestos
fibers or solid wastes  (collectively as "Hazardous  Materials"),  including but
not limited to those defined in the Environmental Laws.

          (f) Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.34(f),  to the best knowledge of
any  Sellers  Group  Person,  during  any member of the North  Shore  Affiliated
Group's or of Sellers'  period of occupancy  of the  Property  there has been no
past,  and  there  is  no  current  or  anticipated,   storage,  disposal,  use,
generation, manufacture, refinement, transportation,  production or treatment of
any Hazardous Materials at or upon the Property.

          (g) Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.34(g) attached hereto, no member
of the North Shore  Affiliated Group or of Sellers knows of any information that
any  person,  including  any  employee,  may have any  life  threatening  health
condition or long term  disability  as a result of the prior use of the Property
or as a result of the release of any Hazardous Materials on the Property or into
the environment surrounding the Property.

          (h) Except as disclosed on Schedule 3.34(h),  to the best knowledge of
any Sellers Group  Person,  no asbestos  fibers or materials or  polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs) are on the Property.

     3.35 Broker's Fees.  Except as described on Schedule 3.35,  none of Sellers
nor any other member of Sellers  Group has retained any broker,  finder or agent
or agreed to pay any brokerage fees,  finder's fees or commissions  with respect
to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

     3.36  Capitalization  and Related Matters.  The authorized capital of North
Shore Canada consists solely of an unlimited  number of Class A Shares and Class
B Shares.  All of the Canadian Shares were validly issued and are outstanding as
fully paid and  non-assessable  shares.  Except for the  Canadian  Shares and 90
Class A Shares of North Shore Canada  registered in the name of Perry Simardone,
(a) there are no outstanding (i) other securities of North Shore Canada, or (ii)
rights or options to acquire securities of North Shore Canada (excluding Buyer's
rights hereunder) except as set forth in the Unanimous  Shareholders'  Agreement
dated April 27, 1994 between Simardone,  North Shore and North Shore Canada, and
(b)  neither  Sellers  nor North Shore  Canada is subject to any  obligation  to
issue, deliver, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire the Canadian Shares or any
other securities of North Shore Canada.

     3.37  Canadian  Law.North  Shore  Canada is in  compliance  in all material
respects with the Laws of Canada and its provinces  relating to or in connection
with the collection of debts.

     3.38 Foreign Assets and  Operations.  Except as set forth on Schedule 3.38,
none of Sellers has an interest in any real  property or tangible or  intangible
property located outside of the United States,  including any stock,  securities
or investments in, claims against,  or receivables  from any entities or Persons
with  substantially  all their  property or  business so located.  Except as set
forth on Schedule 3.38 and for the  operations of North Shore Canada,  no member
of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group has  conducted  the  Business  outside the
United States.

     3.39  Meter  Mail  Programs  .  As  of  the  date  of  this  Agreement,  no
correspondence is being mailed pursuant to which such correspondence  appears to
be from a member of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group  (whether  because of the
letterhead utilized or otherwise) but such correspondence is not produced by and
delivered to the postal  authorities  by a member of the North Shore  Affiliated
Group (a "Meter Mail Program").  There are no current plans by any member of the
North Shore Affiliated Group to initiate a Meter Mail Program.

     3.40 Books and Records. The books of account, stock record books and minute
books  and  other  corporate  records  of each of  Sellers  are in all  material
respects  complete and correct,  have been  maintained in  accordance  with good
business practices and the matters contained therein are accurately reflected on
the Financial Statements and Interim Statements, to the extent appropriate.

     3.41  Truthfulness.  To the best knowledge of any Sellers Group Person,  no
representation  or warranty of Sellers  herein and no statement  or  certificate
furnished  or to be  furnished  by or on  behalf  of  Sellers  pursuant  to this
Agreement  contains or will contain any untrue  statement of a material  fact or
omits  or will  omit to state a  material  fact  necessary  in order to make the
statements contained herein or therein not misleading.


                                   ARTICLE IV
                     REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER

     Buyer and OSI hereby make the  following  representations  and  warranties,
each of which is true and  correct on the date  hereof  and each of which  shall
survive the Closing Date and the sale  contemplated  hereby  pursuant to Section
9.1.

     4.1 Corporate  Existence of Buyer.  Buyer is a corporation  duly organized,
validly  existing and in good  standing  under the laws of the State of New York
Buyer has the corporate power and authority to own and use its properties and to
transact  the  business  in  which  it is  engaged.  OSI is a  corporation  duly
organized,  validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of
Delaware.  OSI  has  the  corporate  power  and  authority  to own  and  use its
properties and to transact the business in which it is engaged.

     4.2 Approval of Agreement.

          (a) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the  consummation
of the transactions  contemplated  hereby have been duly authorized and approved
by all necessary  corporate action of Buyer and OSI, and such  authorization and
approval have not been  revoked.  Pursuant to such  authorization  and approval,
each of Buyer and OSI has full power and authority to enter into this Agreement,
the  Earn-out  Agreement  and the  Employment  Agreements,  and to  perform  its
obligations  hereunder  and  thereunder,  and  to  consummate  the  transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby.

          (b) Assuming due execution  and delivery  hereof by each Sellers Group
Person,  this Agreement is the legal, valid and binding obligation of each Buyer
and OSI,  enforceable  against each  according to its terms except that (i) such
enforcement  may  be  limited  by or  subject  to  any  bankruptcy,  insolvency,
reorganization,  moratorium or similar laws now or hereafter in effect  relating
to or  limiting  creditors'  rights  generally  and (ii) the remedy of  specific
performance  and injunctive  and other forms of equitable  relief are subject to
certain  equitable  defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any
proceeding therefor may be brought.

          (c)  Neither  Buyer  nor OSI is  required  to obtain  any third  party
contractual consents to effect the transactions contemplated hereby

     4.3 No Breach of Articles or  Indentures.  The execution of this  Agreement
and the consummation of the transactions  contemplated  hereby have not and will
not  constitute  or  result  in the  breach  of any of  the  provisions  of,  or
constitute a default under any material  indenture,  evidence of indebtedness or
other  commitment  to which Buyer or OSI is a party or by which either is bound,
which  breach or default  would have a  material  adverse  effect on OSI and its
subsidiaries,  taken  as a  whole.  The  execution  of  this  Agreement  and the
consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  have  not and will not
constitute  or result in the breach of any of the  provisions of the articles of
incorporation or by-laws of Buyer or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws
of OSI.

     4.4 Investment  Representation.  Buyer is acquiring the Canadian Shares for
its own  account,  for  investment  purposes  and  without any view to resale or
distribution of the Canadian Shares or any portion thereof.

     4.5 Broker's  Fees.  OSI has  retained  Bowles  Hollowell  Conner & Co. and
agreed to pay its fees with  respect to the  transactions  contemplated  by this
Agreement.  Except with respect to its agreement with Bowles  Hollowell Conner &
Co., neither Buyer nor OSI has retained any broker, finder or agent or agreed to
pay any  brokerage  fees,  finder's  fees or  commissions  with  respect  to the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

     4.6 Capital Stock, Capitalization of OSI; SEC Filings

          (a) The shares of common stock of OSI to be received by the Sellers in
accordance  with the terms of this  Agreement will be duly  authorized,  validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

          (b) The  authorized  capital  stock of OSI  consists of (i)  7,500,000
shares  of OSI  voting  common  stock,  of which  3,425,126.01  shares  are duly
authorized and validly issued and outstanding,  fully paid and  nonassessable on
the date hereof, (ii) 7,500,000 shares of OSI Class A nonvoting common stock, of
which 391,740.58  shares are duly authorized and validly issued and outstanding,
fully paid and  nonassessable  on the date hereof,  (iii) 500,000  shares of OSI
Class B nonvoting  common stock, of which 400,000 shares are duly authorized and
validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and nonassessable on the date hereof,
(iv) 1,500,000  shares of OSI Class C nonvoting common stock, of which 1,040,000
shares are duly  authorized and validly issued and  outstanding,  fully paid and
nonassessable  on the date  hereof  and (v)  1,000,000  shares of OSI  preferred
stock,  of which  935,886.85  shares  are duly  authorized  validly  issued  and
outstanding,  fully  paid and  nonassessable  as of the date of this  Agreement.
Except for the OSI  preferred  stock,  OSI nonvoting  common  stock,  for rights
contained in that certain Amended and Restated  Stockholders  Agreement dated as
of February  16,  1996,  by and among OSI and certain  stockholders  of OSI (the
"Stockholders  Agreement")  and for options to be granted under OSI's 1995 Stock
Option and Stock Award Plan,  there are no  outstanding  securities  convertible
into or  exchangeable  for the capital stock of OSI and no outstanding  options,
rights  (preemptive or  otherwise),  or warrants to purchase or to subscribe for
any shares of such stock or other securities of OSI.

          (c) The reports and other  documents filed by OSI under the Securities
Exchange  Act of 1934,  as amended  (the "1934  Act"),  complied  as to form and
content in all material respects with all requirements  under the 1934 Act as of
the respective dates of filing.

          (d) The most recent stock option grants awarded under OSI's 1995 Stock
Option and Stock Award Plan have an exercise price of $25.00 per share.


                                    ARTICLE V
                          COVENANTS CONCERNING SELLERS

     Each of Sellers covenants and agrees with Buyer that:

     5.1 Operation of the Business.  Without the prior written consent of Buyer,
from and after the date of this  Agreement and until the Closing Date, no member
of the North Shore Affiliated Group will:

          (a) Grant  any  increase  in the rate of pay of any of its  employees,
grant any increase in the salaries of any officer, employee or agent, enter into
or increase the benefits  provided  under any bonus,  profit-sharing,  incentive
compensation,  pension, retirement, medical, hospitalization,  life insurance or
other  insurance plan or plans,  or other  contracts or  commitments,  or in any
other way  increase  in any  amount the  benefits  or  compensation  of any such
officer, employee or agent.

          (b)  Enter  into any  employment  Contract  or  collective  bargaining
agreement.

          (c) Enter into any Contract or engage in any transaction  which is not
in the usual and Ordinary Course or which is inconsistent with past practices.

          (d) Sell or  dispose  of or  encumber  any  Assets  other  than in the
Ordinary Course.

          (e) Make, or enter into any Contract for, any capital  expenditure  or
enter into,  modify,  amend,  or cancel any lease of capital  equipment  or real
property other than in the Ordinary Course.

          (f) Enter  into any  Contract,  whether  for the  purchase  or sale of
inventory,  supplies,  other products or services or otherwise other than in the
Ordinary Course.

          (g) Create, assume, incur or guarantee any indebtedness other than (i)
in the usual and Ordinary  Course of the  Business  and with a maturity  date of
less  than  one  year or (ii)  that  incurred  pursuant  to  existing  Contracts
disclosed in the Schedules delivered pursuant to this Agreement.

          (h) Declare or pay any dividend or make any sale of or distribution in
respect of its  capital  stock or  directly or  indirectly  redeem,  purchase or
otherwise acquire any of its capital stock.

          (i) Make or institute any unusual  method of  transacting  business or
change any accounting procedures or practices or its financial structure.

          (j) Make any  amendments to or changes in its articles or  certificate
of incorporation or association or bylaws.

          (k)  Perform  any act,  or attempt to do any act, or permit any act or
omission to act, which will cause a breach of any material Contract.


     5.2 Preservation of Business. From and after the date of this Agreement and
until the Closing Date, each member of the North Shore Affiliated Group shall:

          (a)  Use  reasonable  commercial  efforts  to  carry  on the  Business
substantially in the same manner as heretofore conducted.

          (b)  Use   reasonable   commercial   efforts  to  keep  its   business
organization  intact,  including  keeping  available the services of its present
employees and preserving its present  relationships with suppliers and customers
and others having business relations with it.

          (c) Perform all  obligations  required to be performed by it under any
Contract or lease.

     5.3 Insurance and Maintenance of Property.  From and after the date of this
Agreement and until the Closing Date, Sellers and each member of the North Shore
Affiliated  Group will  maintain all  insurance  policies and bonds set forth on
Schedule  3.32,  and will  maintain the Purchased  Assets in good  condition and
repair.

     5.4 Full Access.  From and after the date of this  Agreement  and until the
Closing Date,  representatives of Buyer shall have full access at all reasonable
times to all premises,  properties,  books, records,  Contracts, tax records and
documents  of Sellers and of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group  relating to the
Business  and/or the  Canadian  Shares,  and Sellers  will  furnish to Buyer any
information  in respect of the Business as Buyer may from time to time  request.
Such examination and  investigation by Buyer shall not affect the warranties and
representations of Sellers contained in this Agreement.

     5.5 Books,  Records and  Financial  Statements.  From and after the date of
this  Agreement and until the Closing Date,  each of Sellers shall  maintain its
books and financial records in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, and on
a basis  consistent  with the past  practices  of such  Seller.  Said  books and
financial  records  shall fairly and  accurately  reflect the  operations of the
Business.  Each of  Sellers  shall  furnish  to Buyer  promptly,  as  available,
financial  statements  and operating  reports  applicable to the Business  since
March  31,  1997,  all of which  shall  be  prepared  in  accordance  with  GAAP
consistently applied and shall present fairly the financial position and results
of operations of the Business at the dates and for the periods indicated.

     5.6  Governmental  Filings.  Each of Sellers will  cooperate  with Buyer in
making,  as soon as  practicable  following  the execution  hereof,  all filings
required by any Government in connection with the  transactions  contemplated by
this  Agreement.  All  information  provided by Sellers in connection  with such
filings  will,  to the best  knowledge  of the Seller  Group  Persons,  be true,
accurate and complete and will comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

     5.7 Tax Matters.

          (a) The  Parties  agree  that the  amount  for  Reserved  Taxes on the
Closing Date Balance Sheet will be broken down on a schedule to the Closing Date
Balance Sheet into its separate components,  with each component identifying the
specific taxable period and specific Tax for which a particular reserve is being
created or continued  (each  separate  component  being  referred to herein as a
"Reserve").

          (b) Each of Sellers  agrees to furnish,  or cause to be furnished,  to
Buyer, upon request, as promptly as practicable, such information and assistance
(including access to books and records) relating to the Purchased Assets and the
Assumed  Liabilities as is reasonably  necessary for the  preparation of any Tax
Return,  claim for refund or audit or prosecution or defense of any claim,  suit
or proceeding relating to any Taxes.

          (c) All real estate, personal property, ad valorem and any other local
or state taxes  relating to the Purchased  Assets or the Business which shall be
accrued but unpaid as of the  Effective  Time,  or which shall be paid as of the
Effective Time but relate in whole or in part to periods after the Closing Date,
shall be prorated to the  Effective  Time and shall be  reflected on the Closing
Date Balance  Sheet.  Any such prorated  taxes which may be ultimately  assessed
after the Effective  Time shall be paid by Sellers to Buyer or Buyer to Sellers,
as the case may be, within 30 calendar days of such determination.



                                   ARTICLE VI
                                OTHER AGREEMENTS

     6.1 Change of Name.  Within ten business days after the Closing Date, North
Shore, AMS, and Mailguard,  in such manner as is reasonably  requested by Buyer,
shall each change its name to some name other than "North Shore Agency,  Inc.,",
"Automated Mailing Services, Inc.," or "Mailguard Security Systems, Inc." or any
variations or abbreviations  thereof,  and file appropriate  notification of its
change of name in all jurisdictions where such notification is required.

     6.2 Employees.  As of 12:01 a.m. on the Closing Date, all employees of each
North Shore  Affiliated  Group shall cease to be  employees  of each North Shore
Affiliated Group and shall become employees of the Buyer,  unless such employees
are listed on Schedule  6.2(a) as individuals  who will not become  employees of
Buyer.  At  Closing,  each  member of the North  Shore  Affiliated  Group  shall
transfer  sponsorship to Buyer of all of the Plans set forth on Schedule  6.2(b)
and Buyer agrees to assume all such Plans pursuant to the terms of the Change of
Sponsorship  and  Assumption  Agreement  attached  as Exhibit  6.2  ("Change  of
Sponsorship Agreement").

     6.3 Supplemental Disclosure.  The Sellers shall have the right from time to
time prior to the Closing to  supplement  or amend their  disclosure  schedules,
with respect to any matter  hereafter  arising which, if existing or known as of
the date of this  Agreement,  would have been required to set forth or described
in such Schedule. Any such supplemental disclosure,  however, will not be deemed
to have  been  disclosed  as of the  date  of this  Agreement  for  purposes  of
determining  whether or not the  conditions set forth in Section 7.1 hereof have
been satisfied. If Buyer determines to consummate the transactions  contemplated
by this Agreement  notwithstanding such supplemental  disclosure,  however, such
supplemental  disclosure  will  be  deemed  to  have  cured  any  breach  of any
representation   or  warranty  made  in  this  Agreement  for  purposes  of  the
indemnification  obligations  set forth in  Article IX hereof  unless  otherwise
agreed to in writing by the parties.



                                   ARTICLE VII
                        CONDITIONS TO BUYER'S OBLIGATIONS

     The  obligations  of Buyer to consummate the  transactions  provided for in
this  Agreement  shall be subject to the  satisfaction  of each of the following
conditions on or before the Closing Date, subject to the right of Buyer to waive
any one or more of such conditions:

     7.1  Representations  and Warranties of Sellers.  The  representations  and
warranties of Sellers and the  Stockholders  contained in this  Agreement and in
the  certificates  and papers to be  delivered to Buyer  pursuant  hereto and in
connection  herewith  shall be true and correct in all material  respects on the
date hereof and on the Closing Date (except for changes  specifically  permitted
hereunder)  as  though  such  representations  and  warranties  were made on the
Closing Date.

     7.2 Performance of this  Agreement.  Each of Sellers and each member of the
North Shore  Affiliated  Group shall have duly performed or complied with all of
the  obligations  to be performed or complied with by it under the terms of this
Agreement on or prior to the Closing Date.

     7.3 Material Adverse Change and  Extraordinary  Distributions.  There shall
have been no material  adverse  change in the Business  (including the Purchased
Assets and Assumed  Liabilities),  whether or not covered by insurance.  Between
the date of this  Agreement  and the  Closing  Date,  there  shall  have been no
extraordinary distribution by any member of the North Shore Affiliated Group, by
the officers of such member, or by any of Sellers, by the officers of Sellers or
by any Stockholders of any assets or dividends of the Business.

     7.4 Certificate of Sellers.  Buyer shall have received a certificate signed
by the  President  and Treasurer of each of Sellers dated as of the Closing Date
and subject to no  qualification  certifying  that the  conditions  set forth in
Sections 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.8, 7.9 and 7.11 hereof have been fully satisfied. Such
certificate  shall be  deemed a  representation  and  warranty  of  Sellers  and
Stockholders under this Agreement.

     7.5 Opinion of  Counsel.  Buyer shall have  received  from Pryor,  Cashman,
Sherman & Flynn counsel to the Sellers Group, an opinion dated the Closing Date,
to the effect that:

          (a) Each member of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group,  other than DMM
Consultants,  is a  corporation  duly  organized,  validly  existing and in good
standing under the laws of the state of its incorporation.

          (b) This  Agreement  and the  Earn-out  Agreement  have  received  all
requisite  approval by the Stockholders and by the Board of Directors of each of
Sellers, have been duly executed and delivered by each Sellers Group Person, and
are binding and enforceable against each Sellers Group Person in accordance with
their terms,  except that (i) such  enforcement  may be limited by or subject to
any bankruptcy,  insolvency,  reorganization,  moratorium or similar laws now or
hereafter in effect relating to or limiting creditors' rights generally and (ii)
the remedy of specific  performance  and injunctive and other forms of equitable
relief are subject to certain  equitable  defenses and to the  discretion of the
court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.

     7.6 Employment Agreements. Jerome Goodman shall have executed and delivered
an Employment  Agreement in  substantially  the form attached  hereto as Exhibit
7.6(a), David M. Klein shall have executed and delivered an Employment Agreement
in  substantially  the form attached  hereto as Exhibit 7.6(b) and the employees
listed on the schedule to Exhibit  7.6(c) shall have  executed and  delivered an
Employment  Agreement  in  substantially  the form  attached  hereto as  Exhibit
7.6(c).

     7.7 Earn-Out  Agreement.  Sellers  shall have  executed and  delivered  the
Earn-out Agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit 2.3.

     7.8 No Lawsuits. No suit, action or other proceeding or investigation shall
be threatened or pending  before or by any Court or Government  concerning  this
Agreement or the consummation of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby,  or in
connection with any claim against any member of the North Shore Affiliated Group
or of Sellers not disclosed on the Schedules  hereto.  No Government  shall have
threatened or directed any request for  information  concerning  this Agreement,
the transactions contemplated hereby or the consequences or implications of such
transaction to Buyer, to the members of the North Shore  Affiliated  Group or to
Sellers, or any officer, director, employee or agent of any of them.

     7.9 No  Restrictions.  Except with  respect to  obtaining  the licenses set
forth on Schedule  3.16 and not  obtaining  the  consents  set forth on Schedule
7.10,  there shall exist no conditions,  restrictions or reservations  affecting
the title to or utility of the  Purchased  Assets which would prevent Buyer from
occupying and utilizing the Purchased Assets,  or any part thereof,  to the same
full  extent  that  Sellers  might  continue  to do so if the sale and  transfer
contemplated hereby did not take place.

     7.10  Consents.  All consents and approvals  necessary to ensure that Buyer
will continue to have the same full rights in respect to the Purchased Assets as
Sellers  had   immediately   prior  to  the   consummation  of  the  transaction
contemplated hereunder shall have been obtained; provided, however, with respect
to the consent to the  assignment of customer  agreements,  Sellers shall not be
required to obtain the consents  required in connection  with the  assignment of
the agreements listed on Schedule 7.10.

     7.11  Releases.  At or  prior  to the  Closing  Date,  Sellers  shall  have
delivered to Buyer the written  release of all Liens other than Permitted  Liens
relating to the  Purchased  Assets  executed by the holder of or parties to each
such Lien. The releases shall be reasonably  satisfactory  in substance and form
to Buyer and its counsel.

     7.12  Documents.  Buyer  shall  have  received  from each of Sellers on the
Closing Date:

          (a) Bills of Sale and other appropriate  documents  conveying to Buyer
good and marketable title to the Purchased Assets.

          (b) The  Assignment  and  Assumption  Agreement and other  appropriate
assignments, with related consents, if any are so required.

          (c) A certificate or certificates evidencing the Canadian Shares, duly
endorsed or accompanied by a duly executed stock power.

          (d) A Change of Sponsorship Agreement.

     7.13 Lease Assignment and Other Matters.

          (a) Wayne  Street  Associates  shall have  assigned  all of its rights
under the Leases with Kermit Enterprises,  dated as of July 12, 1995 and May 15,
1996, to Buyer.

          (b) North Shore shall have  assigned all of its rights under the lease
agreement for 117 Cuttermill Road in  substantially  the form attached hereto as
Exhibit 7.13(a) to Buyer.

          (c)  The   Stockholders  and  David  Klein  shall  have  executed  the
Stockholders Agreement.

          (d) Jerome Goodman and Buyer shall have executed the License Agreement
in  substantially  the form  attached  hereto as Exhibit  7.13(b) (the  "License
Agreement").

     7.14 Further Assurances. Buyer shall have received such further instruments
and  documents  as may  reasonably  be  required  to carry out the  transactions
contemplated  hereby and to evidence the  fulfillment of the  agreements  herein
contained and the  performance  of all  conditions to the  consummation  of such
transactions.



                                  ARTICLE VIII
                       CONDITIONS TO SELLERS' OBLIGATIONS

     The obligations of Sellers to consummate the  transactions  provided for in
this  Agreement  shall be subject to the  satisfaction  of each of the following
conditions  on or before the  Closing  Date,  subject to the right of Sellers to
waive any one or more of such conditions:

     8.1  Representations  and  Warranties  of Buyer.  The  representations  and
warranties  of Buyer  contained in this  Agreement and in the  certificates  and
papers to be delivered to Sellers  pursuant  hereto and in  connection  herewith
shall be true and correct in all material respects on the date hereof and on the
Closing Date (except for changes  specifically  permitted  hereunder)  as though
such representations and warranties were made on the Closing Date.

     8.2  Performance  of this  Agreement.  Buyer shall have duly  performed  or
complied  with all of the  obligations  to be performed  or complied  with by it
under the terms of this Agreement on or prior to the Closing Date.

     8.3 Certificate of Buyer.  Sellers shall have received a certificate signed
by an  officer  of  Buyer  dated  as of  the  Closing  Date  and  subject  to no
qualification certifying that the conditions set forth in Sections 8.1, 8.2, 8.7
and 8.9 hereof have been fully  satisfied.  Such  certificate  shall be deemed a
representation and warranty of Buyer hereunder.

     8.4 Earn-out Agreement.  Buyer and OSI shall have executed and delivered an
Earn-out  Agreement in  substantially  the form attached  hereto as Exhibit 2.3.

     8.5 Employment Agreements.  Buyer and OSI shall have executed and delivered
Employment  Agreements in  substantially  the form  attached  hereto as Exhibits
7.6(a), 7.6(b) and 7.6(c).

     8.6 Payment of Closing Consideration and Assumption of Assumed Liabilities.
On the Closing  Date,  Sellers  shall have  received from Buyer the Closing Cash
Consideration,  the Closing Stock  Consideration,  the Assignment and Assumption
Agreement,  the Change of Sponsorship  Agreement and the License  Agreement.  In
addition,  Jerome  Goodman shall be released from any and all  guarantees he has
made on behalf of the North Shore Affiliated Group.

     8.7 No Lawsuits. No suit, action or other proceeding or investigation shall
be threatened or pending  before or by any Court or Government  concerning  this
Agreement  or the  consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby.  No
Government  shall have  threatened  or  directed  any  request  for  information
concerning  this  Agreement,   the  transactions   contemplated  hereby  or  the
consequences or implications of such transaction to Buyer, to the members of the
North Shore Affiliated Group or to Sellers, or any officer,  director,  employee
or agent of any of them.

     8.8 Opinion of Counsel.  Sellers  shall have  received from Bryan Cave LLP,
counsel to Buyer and OSI, an opinion dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

          (a) Each of Buyer and OSI is a  corporation  duly  organized,  validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of its incorporation.

          (b) This  Agreement  and the  Earn-out  Agreement  have  received  all
requisite approval by the Board of Directors of each of Buyer and OSI, have been
duly  executed  and  delivered  by each of Buyer and OSI,  and are  binding  and
enforceable against each of Buyer and OSI in accordance with their terms, except
that (i) such  enforcement  may be  limited  by or  subject  to any  bankruptcy,
insolvency,  reorganization,  moratorium  or similar  laws now or  hereafter  in
effect relating to or limiting  creditors'  rights generally and (ii) the remedy
of specific  performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable  relief are
subject to certain equitable  defenses and to the discretion of the court before
which any proceeding therefor may be brought.

          (c)  The  shares  of  common  stock  of  OSI  to be  delivered  to the
Stockholders  on the date  hereof  have been duly  authorized  by OSI and,  when
delivered in accordance with the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement,  will be
fully paid and non-assessable.

     8.9 Bank Loan On the Closing Date, the bank loan payable of the North Shore
Affiliated Group included within the Assumed Liabilities shall have been paid in
full by Buyer pursuant to  instructions  contained in a pay-off letter  obtained
from such bank by North Shore.

     8.10  Further   Assurances.   Sellers  shall  have  received  such  further
instruments  and  documents  as may  reasonably  be  required  to carry  out the
transactions  contemplated  hereby  and  to  evidence  the  fulfillment  of  the
agreements  herein  contained  and  the  performance  of all  conditions  to the
consummation of such transactions.


                                   ARTICLE IX
                                 INDEMNIFICATION

     9.1 Survival of Representations  and Warranties.  The  representations  and
warranties   made  in  this  Agreement   shall  survive  the  Closing  and  sale
contemplated  hereby for a period of 18 months from the Closing Date;  provided,
however the foregoing shall not apply to  representations  and warranties  under
Sections 3.2(b), 3.8 and 3.34 and the last sentence of Section 3.14, which shall
survive until the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations.

     9.2  Sellers'  Indemnification.  Each  Sellers  Group  Person,  jointly and
severally,  hereby agrees to hold Buyer,  OSI and the  shareholders,  directors,
officers, successors, assigns and agents of each of them (the "Buyer Indemnified
Persons")  harmless  and  indemnify  each of them from and  against  any and all
claims,  losses,  damages,  liabilities,  expenses  or  costs  ("Losses"),  plus
reasonable  attorneys'  fees and  expenses  incurred in  connection  with Losses
and/or  enforcement  of this  Agreement,  plus  interest  from the date incurred
through the date of payment at the prime lending rate of Citibank N.A. from time
to time prevailing (in all,  "Indemnified Losses") incurred or to be incurred by
any of them (a) to the extent  resulting  from or  arising  out of any breach or
violation of the  representations,  warranties,  covenants or  agreements of any
Sellers Group Person  contained in this  Agreement,  including the provisions of
this Article IX, (b) to the extent  resulting from or arising out of the matters
disclosed on Schedule 3.20 and (c) to the extent  resulting  from or arising out
of any liability or obligation of any Sellers Group Person not expressly assumed
by Buyer  hereunder as an Assumed  Liability  (such  non-assumed  liabilities to
include  without  limitation  any  violation  by any  member of the North  Shore
Affiliated  Group of the Fair  Debt  Collection  Practices  Act and any state or
local counterpart or equivalent prior to the Closing Date).

     9.3 Buyer's Indemnification. Buyer and OSI hereby agree to hold Sellers and
the Stockholders (the "Sellers Indemnified Persons") harmless and indemnify each
of them  from and  against  any and all  Indemnified  Losses  incurred  or to be
incurred by any of them, (a) to the extent  resulting from or arising out of any
breach or violation of the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements
of Buyer and OSI contained in this  Agreement,  including the provisions of this
Article IX and (b) to the extent  resulting from or arising out of any liability
or obligation of Buyer with respect to the Assumed Liabilities.

     9.4  Notice of Claim.  In the event  that Buyer  seeks  indemnification  on
behalf of a Buyer Indemnified Person, or any of Sellers seeks indemnification on
behalf of a Sellers Indemnified Person, such Party seeking  indemnification (the
"Indemnified  Party")  shall  give  written  notice  to the  Indemnifying  Party
specifying the facts  constituting  the basis for such claim and the amount,  to
the extent known, of the claim asserted. With respect to claims other than Third
Person Claims (as defined below),  the Indemnifying Party shall have 20 calendar
days after the Indemnified  Party provides notice to the  Indemnifying  Party to
make such  investigation of the claim as the Indemnifying  Party deems necessary
or desirable.  For purposes of such  investigation,  the claimant agrees to make
available to the  Indemnifying  Party or its  authorized  representative(s)  the
information  relied  upon by the  claimant  to  substantiate  the claim.  If the
claimant and the Indemnifying  Party agree at or prior to the expiration of such
20 day period (or any mutually  agreed upon  extension  thereof) to the validity
and amount of such claim,  the  Indemnifying  Party shall pay the amount of such
claim not more than 10 calendar  days after  agreement.  If the claimant and the
Indemnifying  Party do no agree within such period (or any mutually  agreed upon
extension thereof), the Claimant may seek any available legal remedy.

     9.5 Right to Contest  Claims of Third Persons.  If an Indemnified  Party is
entitled  to  indemnification  hereunder  because  of a  claim  asserted  by any
claimant (other than an indemnified  person  hereunder)  ("Third  Person"),  the
Indemnified  Party shall give the Indemnifying  Party  reasonably  prompt notice
thereof  after  such  assertion  is  actually  known to the  Indemnified  Party;
provided,  however,  that the right of a person to be  indemnified  hereunder in
respect of claims made by a Third Person  shall not be  adversely  affected by a
failure  to give such  notice  unless,  and then  only to the  extent  that,  an
Indemnifying Party is prejudiced thereby.  The Indemnifying Party shall have the
right,  upon  written  notice  to  the  Indemnified  Party,  and  using  counsel
reasonably  satisfactory  to the  Indemnified  Party,  to  investigate,  secure,
contest  or settle  the claim  alleged  by such  Third  Person (a  "Third-Person
Claim"),  provided that the Indemnifying Party has unconditionally  acknowledged
to the  Indemnified  Party in writing his or its  obligation  to  indemnify  the
persons to be indemnified hereunder with respect to such Third-Person Claim; the
Indemnified Party may thereafter participate in (but not control) the defense of
any such  Third-Person  Claim with its own  counsel at its own  expense,  unless
separate  representation is necessary to avoid a conflict of interest,  in which
case such  representation  shall be at the  expense of the  Indemnifying  Party.
Unless and until the Indemnifying Party so acknowledges his or its obligation to
indemnify,  the Indemnified Party shall have the right, at its option, to assume
and control defense of the matter and to look to the Indemnifying  Party for the
full amount of the costs of defense.  The failure of the  Indemnifying  Party to
respond in writing to the aforesaid notice of the Indemnified Party with respect
to such  Third-Person  Claim within 20 calendar days after receipt thereof shall
be deemed an election not to defend the same. If the Indemnifying Party does not
so acknowledge  his or its obligation to indemnify and assume the defense of any
such  Third-Person  Claim,  (a) the  Indemnified  Party may defend  against such
claim, in such manner as it may deem appropriate, including, but not limited to,
settling such claim, after giving notice of the same to the Indemnifying  Party,
on such  terms  as the  Indemnified  Party  may  deem  appropriate,  and (b) the
Indemnifying  Party may  participate  in (but not  control)  the defense of such
action,  with its own  counsel at its own  expense.  If the  Indemnifying  Party
thereafter seeks to question the manner in which the Indemnified  Party defended
such  Third-Person  Claim or the  amount or nature of any such  settlement,  the
Indemnifying  Party  shall  have the  burden  to prove by clear  and  convincing
evidence that conduct of the Indemnified  Party in the defense and/or settlement
of such Third-Person  Claim constituted gross negligence or willful  misconduct.
The Parties shall make available to each other all relevant information in their
possession  relating to any such  Third-Person  Claim and shall cooperate in the
defense thereof.

     9.6 Sources of Indemnification  Subject to complying with the procedures of
Sections  9.4 and/or  9.5,  Buyer or OSI shall have the right to seek,  in their
sole discretion,  satisfaction of Indemnified Losses: subject to the limitations
of  Section  9.7,  (a)  from  any  Sellers  Group  Person  or (b) by  offsetting
Indemnified  Losses  against the payments of additional  earn-out  consideration
otherwise payable to Sellers pursuant to Section 2.3 and Exhibit 2.3.

     9.7 Limitations.

          (a) The Buyer  Indemnified  Persons  shall not be  entitled to recover
Indemnified  Losses to the  extent  such  Indemnified  Losses  exceed the sum of
$10,000,000  (the "Cap"),  once any Sellers Group Person has made payments to or
on behalf of Buyer Indemnified  Persons with respect to such Indemnified  Losses
in such amount.

          (b) The Buyer  Indemnified  Persons  shall not be  entitled to recover
Indemnified  Losses(i) for a breach of a representation  or warranty (other than
those in Section 3.2, Section 3.6 and the last sentence of Section 3.14) or (ii)
pursuant to Section 9.2(b) unless such Indemnified Losses exceed $375,000 in the
aggregate,  and only to the extent such Indemnified Losses exceed such amount.

          (c) Each  Stockholder  (other than Jerome  Goodman,  who shall have no
limitation  pursuant  to this  Section  9.7(c))  and  David  Klein  shall not be
obligated to indemnify the Buyer Indemnified Persons in excess of the amount set
forth  opposite  his name on  Schedule  9.7(c).  Schedule  9.7(c)  reflects  the
proportional  interest of each Stockholder  (other the Jerome Goodman) and David
Klein in the Cap.

          (d) For purposes of Section 9. 2, "Indemnified Losses" for a breach of
Section  3.19 shall not  include or be  recoverable  by any person to the extent
covered by insurance carried by the indemnified  person.

     9.8  Exclusive  Remedy.  The  obligations  of each Seller  Group  Person to
indemnify the Buyer for any breach described in Section 9.2 shall constitute the
Buyer's  sole and  exclusive  remedy  with  respect to any such  breaches to the
exclusion of any statutory, contractual or common law rights. Buyer's obligation
to indemnify Sellers Indemnified Persons for any breach described in Section 9.3
shall  constitute  the sole and  exclusive  remedy  of the  Sellers  Indemnified
Persons with  respect to any such  breaches to the  exclusion of any  statutory,
contractual or common law rights.



                                    ARTICLE X
                                  MISCELLANEOUS

     10.1 Assignment; Binding Agreement.

          (a)  This  Agreement  and  all or  any  part  of  Buyer's  rights  and
obligations  hereunder  may be  assigned by Buyer at any time to any one or more
Affiliates  of Buyer.  Buyer  shall  cause such  Affiliate(s)  to perform any of
Buyer's obligations hereunder which are assigned to such Affiliate(s).

          (b) Neither this  Agreement nor any of the Sellers  Group's  rights or
obligations hereunder may be assigned by any member of the Sellers Group without
Buyer's prior written consent.

          (c) This  Agreement  shall be  binding  upon  and  shall  inure to the
benefit of the parties hereto and to their  respective  successors and permitted
assigns.

     10.2  Termination  of  Agreement.   This  Agreement  and  the  transactions
contemplated hereby may be terminated prior to the Closing Date only as follows:

          (a) By mutual consent of Buyer and Sellers.

          (b) By either Buyer or Sellers if the Closing  shall not have occurred
on or before  October 15, 1997, or such other date, if any, as Buyer and Sellers
shall agree upon.

     10.3 Manner and Effect of Termination.

          (a)  Any  action  by  Sellers  to  terminate  this  Agreement  and the
transactions  contemplated  hereby, as provided in Section 10.2 hereof, shall be
taken by the Sellers Group  Representative  (as defined in Section  10.14).  Any
such action by Buyer shall be taken by its Chairman of the Board,  its President
or any appropriately authorized officer.

          (b) If this  Agreement is  terminated  pursuant to Section 10.2 hereof
without fault of either party or breach of this  Agreement,  all  obligations of
Sellers and Buyer hereunder  shall  terminate,  without  liability of Sellers to
Buyer or of Buyer to Sellers.  In such event,  each party  hereto  shall pay all
legal and other costs and  expenses  incurred by such party in  connection  with
this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

          (c) Subject to Section  9.8,  nothing in this  Section or elsewhere in
this  Agreement  shall impair or restrict the rights of any party to any and all
remedies  at law or in equity in the event of a breach of or default  under this
Agreement.

     10.4  Non-Disclosure  of Information.  Without the prior written consent of
Buyer, Sellers will not disclose or reveal to any third Person any confidential,
non-public or commercially  valuable  information (a) concerning  Buyer to which
Sellers were exposed in connection  with this  Agreement or (b)  concerning  the
Business.  Notwithstanding  anything to the contrary  contained  herein, if this
Agreement  is  terminated  pursuant  to Section  10.2  hereof,  the terms of the
Confidentiality  Agreement  among Sellers and OSI shall remain in full force and
effect.

     10.5 Transfer Taxes and Expenses.

          (a) Sellers  shall pay all  documentary  stamp,  intangible  and other
transfer  taxes  which  arise as a result  of the sale of the  Purchased  Assets
contemplated under this Agreement.

          (b) Buyer and Sellers shall use their respective reasonable efforts to
provide or obtain from any taxing  authority any  certificate  or other document
necessary  to  mitigate,  reduce or  eliminate  any Taxes  (including  additions
thereto or interest and penalties  thereon) that otherwise would be imposed with
respect to the transactions contemplated in this Agreement.

     10.6 Bulk Sales.  Buyer hereby waives  compliance with any applicable State
Uniform  Commercial  Code or other  statutory  provisions  governing bulk sales.
Sellers  agree to  indemnify,  defend and hold  harmless  Buyer from any and all
loss, cost or expenses,  resulting from the assertion of claims made against the
Purchased  Assets sold  hereunder or against Buyer by creditors of Sellers under
any bulk sales law with respect to  liabilities  and  obligations of Sellers not
assumed  by  Buyer  hereunder,  such  indemnity  to be in  accordance  with  the
provisions of Article IX hereof.

     10.7  Remedies.  Except as  expressly  set forth in  Section  9.8,  nothing
contained  herein is intended  to or shall be  construed  to limit the  remedies
which  either  party may have  against  the other in the event of a breach of or
default  under this  Agreement,  it being  intended  that any remedies  shall be
cumulative and not exclusive.

     10.8 Entire  Agreement  and  Modification.  This  Agreement,  including the
Schedules  attached hereto and the documents to be delivered pursuant to Article
VII and Article VIII, and Exhibits, constitutes the entire agreement between the
parties,  subject  to  the  last  sentence  of  Section  10.4.  No  changes  of,
modifications  of, or additions to this Agreement shall be valid unless the same
shall be in writing and signed by all parties hereto.

     10.9  Severability.  If any provision of this Agreement shall be determined
to be  contrary  to law and  unenforceable  by any court of law,  the  remaining
provisions shall be severable and enforceable in accordance with their terms.

     10.10 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more identical
counterparts,  each of  which  shall  be  deemed  an  original  but all of which
together will  constitute  one and the same  instrument.  This  Agreement may be
executed and thereafter  transmitted by telecopier,  and the telecopier  receipt
shall constitute an original.

     10.11  Headings;  Interpretation.  The table of  contents  and  article and
section  headings  contained in this Agreement are inserted for convenience only
and shall not affect in any way the meaning or  interpretation of the Agreement.
Both  parties  have  participated  substantially  in  the  negotiation  of  this
Agreement,  and each party  hereby  disclaims  any defense or  assertion  in any
litigation or arbitration that any ambiguity herein should be construed  against
the draftsman.

     10.12  Governing  Law. This  Agreement  shall be construed and  interpreted
according to the laws of the State of New York without regard to the conflict of
laws rules of such state.

     10.13  Payment of Fees and  Expenses.  Each Party hereto shall pay all fees
and expenses incurred by such Party incident to the negotiation, preparation and
execution of this Agreement and the consummation of the transaction contemplated
hereby,  including  the fees of counsel,  accountants  and other experts of such
Party and any finder's or brokerage fees incurred by such Party.

     10.14  Sellers  Group  Representative  By  execution  and  delivery of this
Agreement,  each Sellers Group Person  hereby  constitutes  and appoints  Jerome
Goodman as the  representative  of such person  hereunder  (the  "Sellers  Group
Representative")  with full  power and  authority  to give or make all  notices,
objections,  directions  and other  communications  to be given or made by or on
behalf of any Sellers Group Person,  to take any actions or give any consents of
waivers which may be taken or given by or on behalf of any Sellers Group Person,
to bind and act on behalf of the Sellers Group with respect to any matters which
may  arise  or in  connection  with  this  Agreement  and  the  exhibits  hereto
(including  without  limitation  the  Earn-out  Agreement,   but  excluding  the
Employment  Agreements)  and to  otherwise  act for and on behalf of the Sellers
Group (except in connection with the Employment  Agreements).  In the event that
the  Sellers  Group  Representative  should  die or  become  incapacitated,  his
successor shall be selected by the estate or personal  representative of Sellers
Group  Representative,  and written notice of such  selection  shall be given to
Buyer and OSI.

     10.15  Notices.  All notices,  requests,  demands and other  communications
hereunder  shall be  deemed  to have  been  duly  given if the same  shall be in
writing and shall be delivered (i)  personally,  (ii) by registered or certified
mail,  postage  prepaid,  (iii) by facsimile  transmission  or (iv) by overnight
delivery service and addressed as set forth below:

          (a) If to Buyer or OSI:

              Outsourcing Solutions, Inc.
              390 South Woods Mill Road, Suite 150
              Chesterfield, MO  63017
              Attention:  Timothy G. Beffa
              Fax: 314-576-1867

              copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

              Bryan Cave LLP
              One Metropolitan Square
              N. Broadway, Suite 3600
              St. Louis, MO  63102
              Attention:  Peter D. Van Cleve
              Fax: 314-259-2020

          (b) If to any member of the Sellers Group:

              Jerome Goodman and Kevin Goodman
              North Shore Agency, Inc.
              117 Cuttermill Road
              Great Neck, NY  11021
              Fax: (516)466-9391

              copies to(which shall not constitute notice):

              Pryor, Cashman, Sherman & Flynn
              410 Park Avenue
              New York, NY 10022
              Attention: Eric B. Woldenberg
              Fax: (212) 326-0806

                            and

                  David Klein
                  2 Richmond Road
                  Lido Beach, NY 11561


     Any such notice shall be effective  upon receipt.  Any party may change the
address to which notices are to be addressed by giving the other parties  notice
in the manner herein set forth.


THIS AGREEMENT  CONTAINS AN ARBITRATION  PROVISION  WHICH MAY BE ENFORCED BY THE
PARTIES HERETO.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement, on the
day and year first above written.


NSA ACQUISITION CORPORATION


By: /s/ Peter D. Waldstein
   -----------------------------------
   Peter D. Waldstein
   Vice President



OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC.


By: /s/ Timothy G. Beffa
   -----------------------------------
   Timothy G. Beffa
   President and Chief Executive Officer



NORTH SHORE AGENCY, INC.


By: /s/ Jerome Goodman
   -----------------------------------
   Jerome Goodman
   President



AUTOMATED MAILING SERVICES, INC.


By: /s/ Jerome Goodman
   -----------------------------------
   Jerome Goodman
   President



MAILGUARD SECURITY SYSTEMS, INC.


By: /s/ Jerome Goodman
   -----------------------------------
   Jerome Goodman
   President


/s/ David Klein
- --------------------------------------
David Klein, as sole proprietor of
DMM Consultants


/s/ Jerome Goodman
- --------------------------------------
Jerome Goodman


/s/ Kevin Goodman
- --------------------------------------
Kevin Goodman


/s/ Abby Goodman
- --------------------------------------
Abby Goodman


/s/ Peter Goodman
- --------------------------------------
Peter Goodman


<PAGE>


                               TABLE OF SCHEDULES


1.1(a)                Excluded Assets
1.1(b)                Permitted Liens
2.5                   Allocation of Consideration
3.4                   Events Subsequent to December 31, 1996
3.7                   Undisclosed Liabilities
3.10                  Personal Property - Owned
3.11(a)               Real Property - Leased from Sellers
3.11(b)               Personal Property - Leased from Sellers
3.12(a)               Real Property - Leased to Sellers
3.12(b)               Personal Property - Leased to Sellers
3.13                  Intellectual Property
3.14                  Necessary Property and Transfer of Purchased Assets
3.16                  Licenses and Permits
3.17                  Contracts--Disclosure
3.18                  Contracts--Validity
3.20                  Litigation and Arbitration
3.21                  Directors, Officers, Employees and Consultants
3.22                  Indebtedness to and from Officers, Directors and Others
3.25                  Labor Agreements, Employee Benefit Plans and Employment
                        Agreements
3.26                  ERISA
3.32                  Insurance Policies
3.33                  Guarantees
3.34(a)-(h)           Environmental Matters
3.35                  Broker's Fees
3.38                  Foreign Assets
7.10                  Consents

                            ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT



                                  by and among


                           Outsourcing Solutions Inc.,

                            ABC Acquisition Company,

                     Accelerated Bureau of Collections Inc.,

                Accelerated Bureau of Collections of Ohio, Inc.,

               Accelerated Bureau of Collections of Virginia Inc.,

             Accelerated Bureau of Collections of Massachusetts Inc.

                                       and

                                Travis L. Justus
<PAGE>
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                            ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT


SECTION                                                                   PAGE


ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT.....................................................1


RECITALS.....................................................................1


ARTICLE I....................................................................1

   DEFINITIONS...............................................................1
   ADS.......................................................................1
   ADS.......................................................................1
   Affiliate.................................................................1
   Arbiter...................................................................1
   Assets....................................................................1
   Assignment and Assumption Agreement.......................................2
   Assumed Liabilities.......................................................2
   Balance Sheet Date........................................................3
   Bill of Sale..............................................................3
   Business..................................................................3
   Buyer.....................................................................3
   Closing...................................................................3
   Closing Consideration.....................................................3
   Closing Date..............................................................3
   Closing Date Balance Sheet................................................3
   Closing Date Statement....................................................3
   Closing Financial Statements..............................................3
   Closing Working Capital...................................................3
   Code......................................................................3
   Contract..................................................................4
   Court.....................................................................4
   Current Assets............................................................4
   Current Liabilities.......................................................4
   Dollars...................................................................4
   Effective Time............................................................4
   Employment Agreements.....................................................4
   Excluded Assets...........................................................4
   Final Purchase Price......................................................4
   Financial Statements......................................................4
   GAAP......................................................................4
   Government................................................................4
   Intellectual Property.....................................................4
   Interim Balance Sheet.....................................................5
   Interim Statements........................................................5
   "Knowledge"...............................................................5
   Law.......................................................................5
   Liabilities...............................................................5
   Lien......................................................................5
   Notice of Dispute.........................................................5
   Ordinary Course...........................................................5
   Party.....................................................................6
   Permitted Liens...........................................................6
   Person....................................................................6
   Plan......................................................................6
   "Premises"................................................................6
   Purchased Assets..........................................................6
   Returns...................................................................6
   Sellers...................................................................6
   Sellers Group.............................................................6
   Sellers Group Person......................................................6
   Taxes.....................................................................6
   "Working Capital Target"..................................................7

ARTICLE II...................................................................7

   PURCHASE AND SALE OF ASSETS...............................................7
   2.1 Assets to be Purchased................................................7
   2.2 Assumed Liabilities...................................................7
   2.3 Closing Consideration.................................................7
   2.4  Post-Closing Adjustments to Closing Consideration....................7
   2.5 Allocation of Consideration...........................................8
   2.6 Closing...............................................................8
   2.7 Deliveries of Sellers at Closing......................................8
   2.8 Deliveries of Buyer at Closing........................................8
   2.9 Closing Date Balance Sheet and Statement..............................8

ARTICLE III.................................................................10

   REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLERS................................10
   3.1 Corporate Existence and Power of Sellers.............................10
   3.2 Approval and Enforceability of Agreement.............................10
   3.3 Financial Statements.................................................10
   3.4 Events Subsequent to December 31, 1996...............................11
   3.5 Assets in Possession of Others.......................................12
   3.6 Accounts and Notes Receivable........................................12
   3.7 Undisclosed Liabilities..............................................12
   3.8 Taxes................................................................12
   3.9 Real Property - Owned................................................14
   3.10 Personal Property - Owned...........................................14
   3.11 Real and Personal Property - Leased from Sellers....................14
   3.12 Real and Personal Property - Leased to Sellers......................14
   3.13 Intellectual Property...............................................15
   3.14 Necessary Property and Transfer of Purchased Assets.................16
   3.15 Use and Condition of Property.......................................16
   3.16 Licenses and Permits................................................16
   3.17 Contracts--Disclosure...............................................17
   3.18 Contracts--Validity, Etc............................................18
   3.19 No Breach of Law or Governing Document..............................18
   3.20 Litigation and Arbitration..........................................19
   3.21 Directors, Officers, Employees and Consultants......................19
   3.22 Indebtedness to and from Directors, Officers and Others.............19
   3.23 Outside Financial Interests.........................................19
   3.24 Payments, Compensation and Perquisites of Agents and Employees......20
   3.25 Labor Contracts, Employee Benefit Plans, and Employment Contracts...20
   3.26 ERISA...............................................................20
   3.27 Terminated Plans....................................................21
   3.28 Overtime, Back Wages, Vacation and Minimum Wages....................21
   3.29 Discrimination and Occupational Safety and Health...................21
   3.30 Alien Employment Eligibility........................................21
   3.31 Labor Disputes; Unfair Labor Practices..............................22
   3.32 Insurance Policies..................................................22
   3.33 Guarantees..........................................................22
   3.34 Environmental Matters...............................................22
   3.35 Broker's Fees.......................................................23
   3.36 Foreign Assets......................................................23
   3.37 Foreign Operations and Export Control...............................24
   3.38 Books and Records...................................................24
   3.39 Truthfulness........................................................24

ARTICLE IV..................................................................24

   REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER..................................24
   4.1 Corporate Existence of Buyer.........................................24
   4.2 Approval of Agreement................................................24
   4.3 No Breach of Articles or Indentures..................................24

ARTICLE V...................................................................25

   COVENANTS CONCERNING SELLERS.............................................25
   5.1 Operation of the Business............................................25
   5.2 Preservation of Business.............................................26
   5.3 Insurance and Maintenance of Property................................26
   5.4 Full Access..........................................................26
   5.5 Books, Records and Financial Statements..............................26
   5.6 Governmental Filings.................................................27
   5.7 Tax Matters..........................................................27
   5.8 Employees............................................................27

ARTICLE VI..................................................................28

   CHANGE OF NAME...........................................................28
   6.1 Change of Name.......................................................28

ARTICLE VII.................................................................28

   CONDITIONS TO BUYER'S OBLIGATIONS........................................28
   7.1 Representations and Warranties of Sellers............................28
   7.2 Performance of this Agreement........................................28
   7.3 Material Adverse Change and Extraordinary Distributions..............28
   7.4 Certificate of Sellers...............................................29
   7.5 Opinion of Counsel...................................................29
   7.6 Employment Agreements................................................29
   7.7 No Lawsuits..........................................................29
   7.8 No Restrictions......................................................30
   7.9 Consents.............................................................30
   7.10 Releases............................................................30
   7.11 Documents...........................................................30
   7.12 Further Assurances..................................................30

ARTICLE VIII................................................................30

   CONDITIONS TO SELLERS' OBLIGATIONS.......................................30
   8.1 Representations and Warranties of Buyer..............................31
   8.2 Performance of this Agreement........................................31
   8.3 Certificate of Buyer.................................................31
   8.5 Employment Agreements................................................31
   8.6 Payment of Closing Consideration and Assumption of 
       Assumed Liabilitie...................................................31
   8.7 Further Assurances...................................................31

ARTICLE IX..................................................................31

   INDEMNIFICATION..........................................................31
   9.1 Survival of Representations and Warranties...........................31
   9.2 Sellers' Indemnification.............................................31
   9.3 Buyer's Indemnification..............................................32
   9.4 Notice of Claim......................................................32
   9.5 Right to Contest Claims of Third Persons.............................32
   9.6 Limitations..........................................................33

ARTICLE X...................................................................33

   MISCELLANEOUS............................................................33
   10.1 Assignment; Binding Agreement.......................................33
   10.2 Termination of Agreement............................................34
   10.3 Manner and Effect of Termination....................................34
   10.4 Non-Disclosure of Information.......................................34
   10.5 Transfer Taxes and Expenses.........................................35
   10.6 Bulk Sales..........................................................35
   10.7 Remedies............................................................35
   10.8 Entire Agreement and Modification...................................35
   10.9 Severability........................................................35
   10.10 Counterparts.......................................................35
   10.11 Headings; Interpretation...........................................36
   10.12 Governing Law......................................................36
   10.13 Payment of Fees and Expenses.......................................36
   10.14 Sellers Group Representative.......................................36
   10.15 Liabilities After Effective Time...................................36
   10.16 Notices............................................................36

<PAGE>
                            ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT


     THIS ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT  (the"Agreement") is made as of this 10th day
of November  1997,  by and among,  on one hand,  Outsourcing  Solutions  Inc., a
Delaware   corporation   ("OSI"),   and  ABC  Acquisition  Company,  a  Colorado
corporation  and a wholly-owned  subsidiary of OSI  ("Buyer"),  and on the other
hand,  Accelerated  Bureau of Collections,  Inc., a Colorado  corporation  ("ABC
Inc."),  Accelerated  Bureau of  Collections of Ohio,  Inc., a Ohio  corporation
("ABC Ohio"),  Accelerated  Bureau of Collections of Virginia,  Inc., a Virginia
corporation   ("ABC   Virginia")  and  Accelerated   Bureau  of  Collections  of
Massachusetts,  Inc., a Massachusetts  corporation ("ABC Massachusetts")  (each,
a"Seller" and together,  the"Sellers") and Travis L. Justus  (the"Stockholder").
Certain defined terms are set forth in Article I.

                                    RECITALS

     Buyer  desires  to  purchase  from  Sellers  the  Purchased  Assets  on the
following terms and conditions; and

     Sellers desire to sell to Buyer the Purchased Assets on the following terms
and conditions.

     NOW,  THEREFORE,  in consideration of the foregoing recitals and the mutual
covenants,  representations,  warranties,  conditions and agreements hereinafter
expressed, the Parties agree as follows:

                                    ARTICLE I
                                   DEFINITIONS
     "ADS" means Accelerated Data Systems, Inc., a Colorado
corporation.

     "ADS  Collection  System"  means  that  collection  of  computer  software,
programs,  source  code and design  documents  which  support  the  business  of
Sellers.

     "Affiliate" means a Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more
intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the
Person referred to. In this definition,"control" 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 ownership of securities,  by contract, or
otherwise.

     "Arbiter" means the individual appointed under Section 2.9(d).

     "Assets" means all assets and property and associated rights and interests,
real,  personal and mixed,  tangible and intangible,  of whatever kind, owned or
used by Sellers.  Without  limiting the generality of the foregoing,  the Assets
include the following items:

          (a) all assets  reflected  and/or  described  on the  Interim  Balance
Sheet, except any such assets which have been disposed of in the Ordinary Course
of the Business since the Balance Sheet Date;

          (b) all  assets  owned  or used  by  Sellers  which  have  been  fully
depreciated or written off;

          (c) all assets acquired by Sellers since the Balance Sheet Date;

          (d) all accounts receivable of Sellers;

          (e) all  inventories  of  Sellers,  including  but not  limited to all
supplies;

          (f) all  Intellectual  Property of Sellers  (and for the  avoidance of
doubt this does not  include  Intellectual  Property  of ADS  including  but not
limited to the ADS Collection System as more specifically  described herein) and
documentation  thereof  and the right and power to assert,  defend  and  recover
title  thereto  and the right to  recover  for past  damages  on  account of the
infringement, misuse, or theft thereof;

          (g) all records, including business,  computer,  engineering and other
records,  and all  associated  documents,  discs,  tapes  and other  storage  or
recordkeeping  media of  Sellers,  including  but not limited to all sales data,
customer lists, accounts,  bids, contracts,  supplier records and other data and
information of the Business;

          (h) all of Sellers' rights and claims against others under  Contracts;
and

          (i) all other  claims  against  others,  rights  and choses in action,
liquidated or  unliquidated,  of Sellers  arising from the  Business,  including
those  arising  under  insurance  policies  and  those  related  to the  Assumed
Liabilities.

       "Assignment and Assumption Agreement" means the form of
instrument set forth as Exhibit 1.1(a).

       "Assumed Liabilities" means Liabilities of Sellers to the
extent they are:

          (a)  Liabilities  that are (i) Current  Liabilities  quantified on the
Closing Financial  Statements,  (ii) the long-term  liabilities reflected on the
Closing  Date  Balance  Sheet  and  (iii),  if  incurred  after the date of this
Agreement, incurred in compliance with this Agreement; or

          (b)  executory  obligations  arising from the  Business  which are not
required under GAAP to be quantified and included in the financial statements of
the Business and which (i) if required to be set forth on a Schedule, are so set
forth,  (ii) are incurred  under a Contract for the sale of goods or services by
Sellers  (other than  Contracts  between any Seller and  another  Sellers  Group
Person),  (iii) are to be  performed  after  the  Effective  Time and  (iv),  if
incurred after the date of this  Agreement and prior to the Effective  Time, are
incurred in compliance with this Agreement.

     "Balance Sheet Date" means September 30, 1997.

     "Bill of Sale" means the form of instrument set forth as Exhibit 1.1(b).

     "Business" means the business and operations of Sellers  including  without
limitation the business  generally  conducted under the trade  names"Accelerated
Bureau of Collections."

     "Buyer" means ABC Acquisition Company, a Colorado corporation.

     "Closing" means the consummation of the  transactions  contemplated by this
Agreement.

     "Closing Consideration" means Thirty Two Million Dollars ($32,000,000).
  
     "Closing Date" means November 10, 1997 or, if the conditions to Closing are
not by then  satisfied,  on such  Closing  Date as the  Parties  may agree to in
writing.

     "Closing Date Balance Sheet" means the balance sheet  prepared  pursuant to
Section 2.9.

     "Closing Date Statement" means the statement  prepared  pursuant to Section
2.9.

     "Closing Financial Statements" means the Closing Date Balance Sheet and the
Closing Date Statement prepared pursuant to Section 2.9.

     "Closing  Working  Capital"  means total Current Assets minus total Current
Liabilities,  as  determined on the Closing Date  Statement  pursuant to Section
2.9.

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

     "Contract" means any contract, agreement, binding commitment or instrument,
purchase order or offer,  written or oral,  entered into or made by or on behalf
of Sellers.
       
     "Court" means any court or judicial body of any Government.
       
     "Current Assets" shall be determined in accordance with GAAP.
       
     "Current Liabilities" shall be determined in accordance with GAAP but shall
not include the current portion of long-term liabilities.

     "Dollars" or"$" means United States Dollars.
       
     "Effective Time" means the effective time of the Closing, which shall be as
of 12:01 A.M. on November 1 1997.

     "Employment  Agreements" means the forms of employment and  non-competition
agreements set forth as Exhibits 7.6(a), 7.6(b) and 7.6(c).

     "Excluded Assets" means the Assets identified in Schedule 1.1(b).

     "Final Purchase Price" means the Closing Consideration as adjusted pursuant
to Section 2.4.

     "Financial  Statements"  means the 1996  Financial  Statements and the 1995
Financial  Statements.  "1996 Financial  Statements" means the Sellers' compiled
combined  statement of assets and liabilities - income tax basis at December 31,
1996 and the related statements of revenues and expenses for the 12 month period
then ended."1995  Financial  Statements"  means the Sellers'  compiled  combined
statement of assets and  liabilities - income tax basis at December 31, 1995 and
the related  statements  of revenues  and  expenses for the 12 month period then
ended.

     "GAAP" means United States generally accepted accounting principles.

     "Government" means the United States of America, any other nation or state,
and any  federal,  bilateral or  multilateral  governmental  authority;  and any
possession,   territory,   county,   district,   municipality,   city  or  other
governmental unit or subdivision of any of the foregoing.

     "Intellectual Property" means, to the extent any of the following are owned
by any Seller,  trademarks,  trade names,  corporate  names,  service  marks and
registrations thereof and applications therefor,  together with that part of the
goodwill of the Business connected with the use of and symbolized by such marks;
patents,  copyrights and computer software, both source code and executable code
(but excluding any non-transferable  licenses of commercially available software
not created or  customized  for the  Business),  and  registrations  thereof and
applications  therefor;  inventions,  discoveries,  processes,  ideas,  designs,
methods, formulae, trade secrets, unregistered copyrights, proprietary technical
information,   know-how  and  data;  licenses,   sublicenses,   assignments  and
agreements  with  respect  to  the  foregoing;  and  all  manuals,  records  and
documentation with respect to the foregoing.

     "Interim  Balance  Sheet" means the statement of assets and  liabilities at
September 30, 1997 included in the Interim Statements.

     "Interim  Statements"  means the  Interim  Balance  Sheet  and the  related
statements  of revenues  and  expenses of the Sellers for the nine month  period
then ended, together with any notes or schedules thereto.

     "Knowledge"  of any Person of or with respect to any matter means that such
Person (if a natural  person) or any of the officers or directors of such Person
(if not a natural  person) has actual  awareness  or knowledge of such matter or
would have  actual  knowledge  or  awareness  after due inquiry of the books and
records of Sellers.
       
     "Law"  means  any  statute,  law,  treaty,  ordinance,   rule,  regulation,
instrument,   directive,   decree,   order  or  injunction  of  any  Government,
quasi-governmental  authority or Court, and includes rules or regulations of any
regulatory or self-  regulatory  authority  compliance with which is required by
Law.

     "Liabilities"  means all  liabilities  and/or  obligations,  whether or not
required to be reflected on the financial statements of a business.

     "Lien" means any security interest, mortgage, pledge, charge, adverse claim
or other encumbrance.

     "Notice of Dispute" means a notice to Buyer  delivered  pursuant to Section
2.9, specifying in reasonable detail all points of disagreement with the Closing
Date Balance Sheet and Closing Date Statement.

     "Ordinary  Course" means,  with respect to the Business,  only the ordinary
course of  commercial  operations  customarily  engaged in by such  business and
specifically does not include (a) activity (i) involving the purchase or sale of
such  business  or  of  any  product  line  or  business  unit,  (ii)  involving
modification  or adoption of any Plan or (iii)  which  requires  approval by the
board of directors or  shareholders of an entity engaged in such business or (b)
the  incurrence  of any  liability for any tort or any breach or violation of or
default under any agreement or Law.

     "Party" means any of Buyer, OSI, Sellers or Stockholder, and"Parties" means
all of them.

     "Permitted Liens" means liens set forth on Schedule 1.1(c).
       
     "Person" means any natural person; any corporation, partnership, company or
other corporate entity; and any Government.

     "Plan"  means any  agreement,  arrangement,  plan or policy,  qualified  or
non-qualified,  whether or not considered legally binding, that involves (a) any
pension, retirement, profit sharing, deferred compensation, bonus, stock option,
stock purchase, phantom stock, health, welfare or incentive plan; or (b) welfare
or"fringe"  benefits,  including  without  limitation  any voluntary  employees'
beneficiary  associations or related trusts,  vacation,  severance,  disability,
medical,  hospitalization,  dental, life and other insurance,  tuition,  company
car, club dues,  income tax  preparation,  sick leave,  maternity,  paternity or
family leave, child care or other benefits;  or (c) any employment,  consulting,
engagement or retainer agreement or arrangement.

     "Premises" means the Business  premises leased by any Seller the lease with
respect to which will be assumed by Buyer.
       
     "Purchased Assets" means the Assets excluding the Excluded Assets.

     "Returns"  means  returns,   reports,   estimated  tax  and   informational
statements and returns  relating to Taxes which are, were or will be required by
Law to be filed by Sellers,  and all information  returns (e.g.,  Form W-2, Form
1099) and reports relating to Taxes or Plans.  Any one of the foregoing  Returns
may be referred to sometimes as a"Return."

     "Sellers" means ABC Inc., ABC Ohio, ABC Virginia and ABC Massachusetts

     "Sellers Group" means Sellers and Stockholder.

     "Sellers Group Person" means a Person included in the Sellers Group.

     "Taxes" means all taxes,  charges,  fees,  levies or other like assessments
imposed or assessed by any  Government,  including  without  limitation  income,
gross receipts, profits, windfall profit, employment (including Social Security,
state  pension  plans  and  unemployment   insurance),   withholding,   payroll,
franchise,  gross receipts,  sales, use, transfer,  stamp,  occupation,  real or
personal property,  ad valorem,  value added,  premium and excise taxes; Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation premiums and any other like Government charges; and
shall include all penalties,  fines, assessments,  additions to tax and interest
resulting  from,  attributable  to, or incurred in connection with such Taxes or
any contest or dispute  thereof.  Any one of the foregoing Taxes may be referred
to sometimes as a"Tax."

     "Working  Capital  Target" shall mean $100,000 plus one- half the aggregate
amount of the long-term  liabilities reflected in the Closing Date Balance Sheet
(including the current portion thereof).




<PAGE>
                                   ARTICLE II
                           PURCHASE AND SALE OF ASSETS

     2.1 Assets to be Purchased.  Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, on
the Closing Date and as of the Effective  Time,  Sellers agree to sell to Buyer,
free and clear of all Liens other than  Permitted  Liens,  all right,  title and
interest of Sellers to and in all of the Purchased Assets.

     2.2 Assumed Liabilities

          (a) Subject to the terms and  conditions  hereof,  on the Closing Date
and  as of  the  Effective  Time,  Buyer  agrees  to  assume  only  the  Assumed
Liabilities.

          (b)  Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  if the assignment or transfer of
any  obligation  or instrument  would cause a breach  thereof and if no required
consent to such  assignment  or transfer  has been  obtained,  then,  at Buyer's
election and in its reasonable  discretion such  obligation or instrument  shall
not be  assigned  or  transferred,  but Buyer  shall act as agent for Sellers in
order to obtain for Buyer the benefits under such obligation or instrument.

          (c) EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY AND UNAMBIGUOUSLY PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION 2.2
OR ELSEWHERE IN WRITING,  NEITHER  BUYER NOR ANY  AFFILIATE OF BUYER  ASSUMES OR
AGREES TO BECOME  LIABLE FOR OR  SUCCESSOR  TO ANY  LIABILITIES  OR  OBLIGATIONS
WHATSOEVER,   LIQUIDATED  OR  UNLIQUIDATED,  KNOWN  OR  UNKNOWN,  CONTINGENT  OR
OTHERWISE,  WHETHER OF  SELLERS,  ANY  AFFILIATE  OF  SELLERS,  ANY  PREDECESSOR
THEREOF, OR ANY OTHER PERSON, OR OF THE BUSINESS.

     2.3 Closing  Consideration.  In consideration for the sale of the Purchased
Assets,  Buyer shall (i) pay to Sellers the Closing  Consideration,  adjusted as
described in Section 2.4 and (ii) assume the Assumed Liabilities.

     2.4 Post-Closing Adjustments to Closing Consideration

          (a) To the  extent the  Closing  Working  Capital is greater  than the
Working Capital Target, the Closing Consideration shall (on a post-closing basis
pursuant to Section  2.4(b)) be  increased  on a  dollar-for-dollar  basis by an
amount equal to such excess.  To the extent the Closing  Working Capital is less
than  the  Working  Capital  Target,  the  Closing  Consideration  shall  (on  a
post-closing   basis   pursuant   to   Section   2.4(b))  be   decreased   on  a
dollar-for-dollar  basis  by an  amount  equal  to  such  deficit.  The  Closing
Consideration  as so adjusted is hereinafter  referred to as the"Final  Purchase
Price."  The  Closing  Working  Capital  and the Final  Purchase  Price shall be
determined  based on the Closing  Financial  Statements  (as finally  determined
under Section 2.9).

          (b) Not more than 5 business  days after  final  determination  of the
Final Purchase Price in the manner specified in Section 2.9, (i) Buyer shall pay
to Sellers the amount,  if any, by which the Final  Purchase  Price  exceeds the
Closing Consideration, or (ii) Sellers shall pay to Buyer the amount, if any, by
which  the Final  Purchase  Price is less than the  Closing  Consideration.  Any
payment or distribution from Buyer or Sellers so required to be made shall be by
wire transfer of  immediately  available  funds and shall bear interest from the
Closing Date through the date of payment at the prime  lending rate of Citibank,
N.A. from time to time prevailing.

     2.5 Allocation of Consideration.  The consideration provided for in Section
2.4 shall be allocated among the Sellers and the Purchased Assets as provided in
Schedule 2.5 hereto,  or as mutually  agreed to in writing by the Parties  after
the determination of the Final Purchase Price. Such allocation shall be prepared
in accordance with Section 1060 of the Code.

     2.6 Closing. The Closing shall take place at 10:00 a.m. on the Closing Date
at the offices of Bryan Cave LLP, St. Louis, Missouri.

     2.7 Deliveries of Sellers at Closing. At Closing, subject to the conditions
to the Sellers'  obligations in Article VIII,  Sellers shall execute and deliver
or cause to be delivered the documents identified in Article VII.

     2.8 Deliveries of Buyer at Closing.  At Closing,  subject to the conditions
to the Buyer's  obligations  in Article VII, Buyer shall (a) execute and deliver
or cause to be  delivered  the  documents  identified  in  Article  VIII and (b)
transfer the Closing  Consideration  by wire  transfer of  immediately-available
funds to an account or accounts designated by Sellers.

     2.9 Closing Date Balance Sheet and Statement.

          (a) Buyer, in cooperation  with Sellers,  shall prepare a closing date
balance sheet of the Sellers  ("Closing Date Balance  Sheet") and a closing date
statement (the"Closing Date Statement"),  each as of the Effective Time and each
prepared in accordance with Section 2.9(b). The Closing Date Balance Sheet shall
also be prepared in accordance with Section  5.7(a).  The Closing Date Statement
shall reflect  Closing  Working  Capital,  as of the Effective Time. The Closing
Date Balance  Sheet and the Closing  Date  Statement  are herein  referred to as
the"Closing  Financial  Statements."  Buyer shall deliver the Closing  Financial
Statements to Sellers Group Representative not later than 60 calendar days after
the Closing Date.

          (b) Notwithstanding that Sellers' historical financial statements have
been prepared with certain  variations from GAAP (as set forth on Schedule 3.3),
the Closing Financial Statements shall be prepared in accordance with GAAP, with
all appropriate accruals and reserves.

          (c)  If  Sellers  dispute  the  Closing  Financial  Statements  or the
resulting  calculation  of the Final  Purchase  Price,  as  delivered  by Buyer,
Sellers Group  Representative  shall deliver to Buyer a Notice of Dispute within
ten  business  days after the date  Sellers  Group  Representative  receives the
Closing Financial  Statements(the"Dispute Period"). If during the Dispute Period
Sellers Group  Representative  fails to deliver a Notice of Dispute, the Closing
Financial Statements shall be deemed final and binding at the end of the Dispute
Period.

          (d) Upon receipt of the Notice of Dispute  within the Dispute  Period,
Buyer shall promptly consult with Sellers Group  Representative  with respect to
Sellers'  specified  points of disagreement in an effort to resolve the dispute.
If any such dispute cannot be resolved by Buyer and Sellers Group Representative
within 20 calendar days after Buyer  receives the Notice of Dispute,  they shall
refer  the  dispute  to  a  partner  in  KPMG  Peat  Marwick,  certified  public
accountants  (the"Arbiter"),  as an arbitrator to finally determine,  as soon as
practicable,  and in any event within 30 calendar days after such reference, all
points of disagreement  with respect to the Closing  Financial  Statements.  For
purposes of such arbitration, each Party shall submit proposed Closing Financial
Statements.  The  Arbiter  shall  apply  the  terms of  Section  2.9(b)  of this
Agreement and shall otherwise  conduct the arbitration  under such procedures as
the Parties may agree or, failing such agreement,  under the Commercial Rules of
the American Arbitration  Association.  The fees and expenses of the arbitration
and the  Arbiter  incurred in  connection  with the  arbitration  of the Closing
Financial  Statements  shall be allocated  between the Parties by the Arbiter in
proportion to the extent either Party did not prevail on items in dispute in the
Closing Financial  Statements;  provided,  that such fees and expenses shall not
include, so long as a Party complies with the procedures of this Section 2.9(d),
the other Party's outside counsel or accounting fees. All  determinations by the
Arbiter  shall be final,  conclusive  and  binding  with  respect to the Closing
Financial Statements and the allocation of arbitration fees and expenses.
<PAGE>
                                   ARTICLE III
                    REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLERS

     Sellers and Stockholder,  jointly and severally,  hereby make the following
representations and warranties,  each of which Sellers and Stockholder represent
and  warrant  is true and  correct on the date  hereof  and each of which  shall
survive the Closing Date and the transactions  contemplated hereby to the extent
provided in Section 9.1.

     3.1 Corporate Existence and Power of Sellers.

          (a) Each Seller has  delivered to Buyer a copy of its  certificate  of
incorporation,  certified by its  secretary.  Each Seller is a corporation  duly
organized,  validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of
its incorporation.

          (b) Each Seller has the  corporate  power and authority to own and use
its  assets and to  transact  the  business  in which it is  engaged,  holds all
franchises,  licenses  and permits  necessary  and  required  therefor,  is duly
licensed or  qualified  to do business as a foreign  corporation  and is in good
standing in each jurisdiction  where failure of such Seller to be so licensed or
qualified  could be  expected  to have a material  adverse  affect on any of the
Assets  or on  any  Seller's  ability  to  perform  its  obligations  under  the
Agreement.  Each Seller has the power to enter into this  Agreement,  to perform
its  obligations  hereunder  and to  consummate  the  transactions  contemplated
hereby.

     3.2 Approval and Enforceability of Agreement.

          (a) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the  consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized,  approved and
ratified by all necessary  action on the part of the Sellers Group.  Each Seller
has delivered to Buyer correct and complete  copies of the  resolutions  of such
Seller,  certified by its secretary,  giving  authorization  and approval of the
transactions  contemplated  hereby.  Such  resolutions  have not  been  altered,
amended or revoked. Pursuant to such resolutions, each Seller has full authority
to enter into and deliver this Agreement,  to perform its obligations  hereunder
and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

          (b)  Assuming  due  execution  and  delivery  hereof  by  Buyer,  this
Agreement  is the legal,  valid and binding  obligation  of each  Sellers  Group
Person, enforceable against each according to its terms.

     3.3 Financial Statements.

          (a) Sellers have delivered to Buyer correct and complete copies of the
Financial  Statements  and Interim  Statements.  The  Financial  Statements  are
compiled by Maxwell Pierce Teague, certified public accountant,  and his reports
are appended thereto.

          (b) The Financial  Statements and Interim Statements were derived from
the books and records of the Sellers and (i) are true,  complete  and correct in
all material  respects and (ii) present fairly,  in all material  respects,  the
financial position,  results of operations and cash flows of the Business at the
dates and for the periods  indicated.  The Interim Statements have been prepared
in accordance with GAAP.

     3.4 Events  Subsequent  to December  31,  1996.  To the  Knowledge  of each
Seller,  since December 31, 1996, except as set forth in the Interim  Statements
and on Schedule 3.4, there has been no:

          (a)  change  in the  business,  condition  (financial  or  otherwise),
operations or prospects of any Seller other than changes in the Ordinary Course,
which individually or in the aggregate has been materially adverse;

          (b) material damage, destruction or loss, whether covered by insurance
or not, affecting any Purchased Assets;

          (c) declaration, setting aside or payment of any distribution (in cash
or in kind) with respect to any securities of Sellers;

          (d) increase in or  commitment to  materially  increase  compensation,
benefits or other remuneration to or for the benefit of any officer, employee or
agent of any Seller,  or, in connection  with the Business,  any other Person or
any benefits granted under any Plan with or for the benefit of any such officer,
employee, agent or Person;

          (e)  transaction  entered into or carried out by any Seller other than
in the Ordinary Course;

          (f) borrowing or incurrence of any indebtedness,  contingent or other,
by or on behalf of any Seller,  or any  endorsement,  assumption or guarantee of
payment or performance of any  Indebtedness  or Liability of any other Person or
entity by any Seller;

          (g) change made by any Seller in its Tax or  financial  accounting  or
any Tax election including without limitation the election to be treated as an S
Corporation within the meaning of Section 1361 of the Code;

          (h) grant of any Lien with respect to the Purchased Assets;

          (i) transfer of any Assets other than arm's  length  sales,  leases or
dispositions in the Ordinary Course of the Business;

          (j)  material  modification  or  termination  of any  Contract  or any
material term thereof;

          (k)  lease  or  acquisition  of any  capital  assets  included  in the
Purchased Assets with a value greater than $10,000 per item;

          (l) loan or advance to any Person; or

          (m)  commitment  or agreement by any Seller to do any of the foregoing
items (c) through (l).

     3.5 Assets in Possession of Others. To the Knowledge of the Sellers, except
as set forth on Schedule  3.5,  no Seller  holds  title to or  ownership  of any
material Assets in the possession of others.

     3.6  Accounts  and Notes  Receivable.  To the  Knowledge  of  Sellers,  all
accounts and notes  receivable  reflected on the Interim Balance Sheet,  and all
accounts and notes  receivable  accruing  subsequently to the Balance Sheet Date
(except those which have been collected  since the Balance Sheet Date),  are (a)
valid,   genuine  and  subsisting,   (b)  subject  to  no  defenses,   set-offs,
counterclaims,  security  interests or other  encumbrances,  and (c) current and
collectible. All accounts receivable of Sellers in existence on the Closing Date
will be paid in full, net of applicable reserves, on or before 270 calendar days
after the Closing Date, less any discounts set forth on Schedule 3.6.

     3.7 Undisclosed Liabilities. To the Knowledge of the Sellers, no Seller has
any Liabilities whatsoever, known or unknown, asserted or unasserted, liquidated
or unliquidated,  accrued,  absolute,  contingent or otherwise,  and there is no
basis for any claim against any Seller for any such Liability  except (a) to the
extent  reflected on the Interim  Balance Sheet,  (b) to the extent set forth on
Schedule 3.4, or (c) Liabilities incurred in the Ordinary Course of the Business
since the Balance  Sheet Date,  none of which  will,  or could,  have a material
adverse effect upon the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations
or prospects of the Business.

     3.8 Taxes.

          (a) All Returns  required to be filed by any Seller on or prior to the
Closing Date with respect to Taxes have been or will be timely filed.

          (b) All amounts  shown on each of such  Returns have been paid or will
be paid when due.

          (c) Any  Taxes  which are to be  assumed  by Buyer in  respect  of the
Purchased  Assets  which at the  Closing  Date are not yet due and owing will be
adequately reflected on the Closing Balance Sheet as a reserve for Taxes.

          (d) There are no grounds for the  assertion or assessment of any Taxes
against Seller,  the Purchased Assets or the Business other than those reflected
or reserved against on the Closing Balance Sheet.

          (e) Neither the Purchased  Assets nor the Business are and will not be
encumbered by any liens arising out of any unpaid Taxes and there are no grounds
for the  assertion or assessment of any liens against the Assets or the Business
in respect of any Taxes.

          (f) The transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not give rise
to (i) the creation of any liens against the Purchased Assets or the Business in
respect of any Taxes or (ii) the assertion of any  additional  Taxes against the
Purchased Assets or the Business.

          (g)  There  is  no  action  or  proceeding  or  unresolved  claim  for
assessment  or  collection,  pending or  threatened,  by, or present or expected
dispute  with,  any  governmental  authority for  assessment or collection  from
Seller  of any  Taxes  of any  nature  affecting  the  Purchased  Assets  or the
Business.

          (h) There is no extension or waiver of the period for assertion of any
Taxes against any Seller affecting the Purchased Assets or the Business.

          (i) No Seller is  a"foreign  person"  within  the  meaning  of Section
1445(f)(3)  of the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986,  as from time to time amended
(the"Code").

          (j) None of the Purchased Assets or Assumed Liabilities is subject to,
or constitutes,  a safe harbor lease within the meaning of Section  168(f)(8) of
the Code.

          (k) None of the Purchased  Assets has been financed  with, or directly
or indirectly  secures,  any  industrial  revenue bonds or debt, the interest on
which is tax exempt under Section 103(a) of the Code.

          (l)  None  of  the  Purchased  Assets  or  Assumed   Liabilities  will
constitute a partnership,  joint venture,  or other arrangement or contract that
could be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.

          (m) None of the Purchased  Assets consists of stock in a subsidiary of
any Seller.

          (n) None of the Purchased Assets is tax-exempt use property within the
meaning of Section 168(h) of the Code.

          (o) None of the Purchased  Assets is subject to a tax  indemnification
agreement.

     3.9 Real  Property - Owned.  No Seller has any interest in, or any right or
obligation to acquire any interest in, any parcel of real property.

     3.10 Personal  Property - Owned.  Each Seller has good and marketable title
to all of the personal  property  included in the Purchased Assets owned by such
Seller,  including all personal property  reflected on the Interim Balance Sheet
or acquired after the date thereof  (except any personal  property  subsequently
sold in the  Ordinary  Course of the  Business),  free and clear of all options,
Liens, leases, covenants, conditions, agreements and other restrictions of every
kind and there exists no  restriction  on the use or transfer of such  property.
Sellers,  as a group, have good and marketable title to all of personal property
included in the Purchased Assets.

     3.11 Real and  Personal  Property  - Leased  from  Sellers.  No Seller is a
lessor of any real or personal property.

     3.12 Real and Personal Property - Leased to Sellers.

          (a) Set forth on  Schedule  3.12(a)  hereto is a  description  of each
lease under which any Seller is the lessee of any real property, and on Schedule
3.12(b)  hereto is a  description  of each lease  under  which any Seller is the
lessee of any personal property. Sellers have delivered to Buyer a true, correct
and complete copy of each lease identified on Schedules 3.12(a) or 3.12(b).  The
premises or property  described in said leases are presently occupied or used by
such  Seller as lessee  under the terms of such  leases.  Except as set forth on
Schedules 3.12(a) or 3.12(b),  all rentals due under such leases have been paid,
and there  exists no default  under the terms of such  leases,  and no event has
occurred  which,  upon passage of time or the giving of notice,  or both,  would
result in any event of default or prevent  Sellers from exercising and obtaining
the benefits of any rights or options contained therein. Sellers have all right,
title and  interest of the lessee  under the terms of said  leases,  free of all
Liens and all such leases are valid and in full force and effect.

          (b) Consent is necessary for the assignment of all leases set forth on
Schedules  3.12(a) or 3.12(b)  under which any Seller or any Seller is lessee to
Buyer.  Upon Closing,  subject to Buyer's  obtaining lessor consent,  Buyer will
have all right, title and interest of the lessee under the terms of such leases,
free of all Liens.

          (c) There is no  default  or basis  for  acceleration  or  termination
under,  nor has any event  occurred nor does any condition  exist which with the
passage of time or the giving of notice,  or both, would constitute a default or
basis for acceleration under any underlying lease,  agreement,  mortgage or deed
of trust,  which default or basis for acceleration  would  materially  adversely
affect any lease  described on  Schedules  3.12(a) or 3.12(b) or the property or
use of the property covered by such lease. There will be no default or basis for
acceleration  under any such underlying  lease,  agreement,  mortgage or deed of
trust as a result of the transactions provided for in this Agreement.

     3.13 Intellectual  Property. Set forth on Schedule 3.13 hereto is a list of
all material  Intellectual Property owned, used, licensed or assigned by or to a
Sellers  Group  Person or by or to any  Seller.  Except as set forth on Schedule
3.13:

          (a) all such Intellectual property is valid and enforceable;

          (b) good and marketable  title to, or the  unrestricted  right to use,
all such  Intellectual  Property,  together  with all  common  law rights to the
subject matter thereof,  is held by Sellers and/or any Seller, free and clear of
all Liens;

          (c) the use,  licensing or sale by or to Sellers  and/or any Seller of
any of the Intellectual Property does not require the acquiescence, agreement or
consent  of any third  party,  and there  exists  no  restriction  on the use or
transfer of any such item;

          (d) the conduct of the Business does not  contravene,  conflict  with,
violate or infringe upon any Intellectual Property right of a third party and no
proprietary  information or trade secret has been  misappropriated by any Seller
and/or from any other Seller from any third party.

          (e) such Intellectual  Property is not subject to a challenge or claim
of infringement,  interference or unfair  competition or other claim and, to the
best knowledge of each Sellers Group Person,  such Intellectual  Property is not
being infringed upon or violated by any third party.

          (f)   there  are  no   interferences,   challenges,   proceedings   or
infringement  suits  pending or, to the best  knowledge  of each  Sellers  Group
Person, threatened with respect to any such Intellectual Property; and

          (g) no Sellers Group Person has granted a license in such Intellectual
Property to any other party,  and to the best  knowledge  of each Sellers  Group
Person, no license,  assignment or other transfer of such Intellectual  Property
has been  granted or made by any third party  having a right to do so that would
materially adversely affect the Business.

     3.14  Necessary  Property and Transfer of Purchased  Assets.  The Purchased
Assets  constitute  all of Sellers'  property and material  property  rights now
used,  useful or necessary in any  material  respect for the conduct,  as of the
Closing  Date,  of the  Business  in the  manner  and  to the  extent  presently
conducted  by Sellers.  Seller  makes no  representation  or warranty  about the
sufficiency  of the Purchased  Assets in  connection  with any future or planned
conduct  of the  Business  by  Buyer.  Except as set  forth in  Section  3.18 or
elsewhere in the Agreement, to the Knowledge of Sellers, no consent is necessary
to, and there exists no  restriction  on, the  transfer of any of the  Purchased
Assets to  Buyer.  To the  knowledge  of  Sellers,  there  exists no  condition,
restriction or reservation affecting the title to or utility of, in any material
respect,  the Purchased Assets or Assumed  Liabilities which would prevent Buyer
from  occupying  or utilizing  the  Purchased  Assets or enforcing  the material
rights  thereunder,  or any part  thereof,  to the same full extent that Sellers
might  continue to do so if the sale and  transfer  contemplated  hereby did not
take place. Upon the Closing,  good and marketable title to the Purchased Assets
shall be vested in Buyer  free and  clear of all  taxes  and  Liens  other  than
Permitted Liens.

    3.15 Use and Condition of Property.

          (a) To the  Knowledge  of each  Seller  owning  the  same,  all of the
Purchased  Assets are in good operating  condition and repair as required in all
material  respects  for their use in the  Business  as  presently  conducted  or
planned and conform to all  applicable  Laws,  and no notice of any violation of
any Law relating to any of such  property or assets has been received by Sellers
except such as have been fully complied with. To the Knowledge of the applicable
Seller, all improvements  leased pursuant to the Assumed Liabilities comply with
all applicable  zoning and building code  ordinances  and all  applicable  fire,
environmental,  occupational  safety and health standards and similar  standards
established  by Law,  and the same use  thereof  by Buyer will not result in any
violation  of any such  code,  ordinance  or  standard  which  would  materially
adversely affect the Business or the Purchased  Assets.  To the Knowledge of any
Sellers Group Person, there is no pending, proposed, or threatened change in any
such code,  ordinance or standard which would  materially  adversely  affect the
Business or the use of the Purchased Assets.

          (b) To the Knowledge of any Sellers Group Person, there is no pending,
proposed, or threatened  condemnation proceeding or similar action affecting the
Purchased Assets or with respect to any streets or public amenities  appurtenant
thereto or in the vicinity thereof which would  materially  adversely affect the
Business or the use of the Purchased Assets.

     3.16  Licenses  and  Permits.  Set  forth  on  Schedule  3.16  hereto  is a
description  of each license or permit which,  to the  Knowledge of Sellers,  is
required  for  the  conduct  of the  Business  together  with  the  name  of the
government  agency or entity  issuing such license or permit.  Such licenses and
permits are valid and in full force and effect.  Such  licenses  and permits are
not transferable by Sellers.

     3.17  Contracts--Disclosure.  Except  as set  forth  in  Schedule  3.17  or
elsewhere  in the  Agreement  and the  Schedules  hereto,  there is not,  to the
Knowledge of Sellers, outstanding:

               (i) Any single  Contract  providing for an  expenditure by any of
Sellers in excess of $5,000,  Contracts  with the same or  affiliated  vendor(s)
providing  for an  expenditure  by any  Seller  in  excess  of  $10,000,  or any
Contracts in the aggregate providing for expenditures by any Seller in excess of
$10,000,  for the purchase of any real property,  machinery,  equipment or other
items which are in the nature of capital investment.

               (ii) Any single  Contract  providing for an expenditure by any of
Sellers  in excess of $5,000,  Contract  with the same or  affiliated  vendor(s)
providing for an expenditure by any Seller in excess of $10,000, or Contracts in
the aggregate providing for expenditures by any Seller in excess of $10,000, for
the purchase of raw materials,  supplies,  component parts or any other items or
services.

               (iii) Any  Contract to sell  products  or to provide  services to
third  Persons  which (i) is at a price which would  result in a net loss on the
sale of such products or providing of such  services,  (ii) is pursuant to terms
or  conditions  which any of Sellers or any Seller cannot  reasonably  expect to
satisfy or fulfill in their  entirety,  or (iii)  involves  more than  $5,000 or
which, together with all other Contracts to or with the same party or affiliated
parties, involves more than $10,000.

               (iv) Any Contract for  materials,  supplies,  component  parts or
other items or services  in excess of the  normal,  ordinary,  usual and current
requirements  of the Business or at a price in excess of the current  reasonable
market price.

               (v) Any revocable or irrevocable indemnity or power of attorney.

               (vi) Any evidence of  indebtedness,  loan  agreement,  indenture,
promissory note, letter of credit, foreign exchange contract,  conditional sales
agreement or other similar type of agreement.

               (vii) Any Contract which involves (i) a sharing of profits,  (ii)
future payments of $10,000 or more per annum to other Persons or (iii) any joint
venture, partnership or similar arrangement.

               (viii)  Any   Contract   involving   any  sales   agency,   sales
representation, distributorship or franchise.

               (ix) Any Contract  containing  covenants  limiting the freedom of
any of Sellers to compete in any line of  business  or with any Person or in any
area.

               (x) Any Contract not made in the Ordinary Course of the Business.

               (xi) Any other material Contract which is not cancelable  without
penalty  on 30  calendar  days'  notice  or less and  which is not set  forth on
another Schedule.

     3.18 Contracts--Validity, Etc.

          (a) Each  Contract  is a valid and binding  obligation  of the parties
thereto, enforceable in accordance with its terms and in full force and effect.

          (b) No Seller is in breach or  violation  of any  Contract  or default
thereunder.  To the Knowledge of the applicable  Seller,  the other party to any
Contract is not in breach or violation thereof or default  thereunder.  No event
has  occurred  which,  through the  passage of time or the giving of notice,  or
both,  would  constitute,  and neither the  execution of this  Agreement nor the
completion  of the  Closing  does or will  constitute  or result  in, a material
breach or  violation  of or  default  under  any  Contract,  or would  cause the
acceleration  of any  obligation  of any party thereto or the creation of a Lien
upon any Asset.

          (c) Each  Contract  will be duly assigned to Buyer on the Closing Date
and upon such  assignment,  subject to Buyer  obtaining the consent of the other
party  thereto,  Buyer will acquire all right,  title and interest of Sellers in
and to such Contract and will be substituted for such Sellers under the terms of
such Contract.

     3.19 No  Breach  of Law or  Governing  Document.  To the  Knowledge  of the
Sellers, no Seller is in default under or in violation of (a) any applicable Law
of any  Government  (including,  without  limitation,  the Fair Debt  Collection
Practices  Act and any  state  or  local  counterpart  or  equivalent),  (b) any
franchise or license,  or (c) any  provision of its articles or  certificate  of
incorporation or association or bylaws.  Neither the execution of this Agreement
nor the  completion  of the Closing does or will,  to the  Knowledge of Sellers,
constitute  or result in any such  default,  breach or  violation.  No Seller is
required to obtain any Government permits or consents to effect the transactions
contemplated  hereby.  No Ultimate  Parent Entity of Sellers,  together with all
entities  it  controls,  is a $10  million  person  under the  Hart-Scott-Rodino
Antitrust  Improvement Act of 1976, or the rules relating thereto  (the"H-S-R").
As  used in this  Section  3.19,  the  terms"Ultimate  Parent  Entity,""control"
and"$10 million person" shall be defined by the H-S-R.

     3.20 Litigation and Arbitration. To the Knowledge of Sellers, except as set
forth on Schedule 3.20 hereto and except with respect to claims from debtors and
employees  arising in the Ordinary Course,  there is no suit,  claim,  action or
proceeding now pending or, to the Knowledge of any Seller, threatened before any
Court,  grand jury,  administrative  or regulatory  body,  governmental  agency,
arbitration  or  mediation  panel or similar  body,  nor except with  respect to
potential  claims from debtors and employees  arising in the Ordinary Course are
there any grounds therefor, to which any of Sellers and/or any Seller is a party
or which may result in any judgment,  order, decree,  liability,  award or other
determination  which will, or could,  have any material  adverse effect upon any
Purchased  Asset or upon  the  business,  condition  (financial  or  otherwise),
operations  or prospects of the Business.  No such  judgment,  order,  decree or
award has been entered against any of Sellers or against any Seller, nor has any
such liability been incurred which has, or could have, such effect.  There is no
claim,  action or  proceeding  now pending or, to the  Knowledge  of any Sellers
Group  Person,  threatened  before  any Court,  grand  jury,  administrative  or
regulatory body, governmental agency,  arbitration or mediation panel or similar
body  which  will,  or  could,   prevent  or  hamper  the  consummation  of  the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

     3.21 Directors,  Officers, Employees and Consultants. Set forth on Schedule
3.21 hereto is a complete list of:

          (a) all directors of each of Sellers;

          (b) all officers (with office held) of each of Sellers;

          (c) all hourly  employees of Sellers who earn $25,000 or more per year
and all salaried employees of Sellers; and

          (d) all consultants or professional  advisors to Sellers who were paid
more than $10,000 by Sellers during the first six months of 1997;

together,  in  the case  of officers and employees of Sellers,  with the current
rate of compensation payable to each.

     3.22 Indebtedness to and from Directors, Officers and Others. Except as set
forth on  Schedule  3.22,  (a) no Seller  or other  Seller  is  indebted  to any
director,  officer,  employee or agent of any Seller or other Seller  except for
amounts  due as normal  salaries,  wages and  bonuses  and in  reimbursement  of
ordinary  expenses on a current  basis and (b) no officer,  employee or agent of
any Seller or other Seller is indebted to any Seller or other Seller.

     3.23 Outside  Financial  Interests.  Except as  identified on Schedule 3.23
hereto,  no  director  or  officer  of any  Seller  has any  direct or  indirect
financial  interest in any  competitor  with or supplier or customer of any such
Seller;  provided,  however,  that  for  this  purpose  ownership  of  corporate
securities  having  no  more  than 2% of the  outstanding  voting  power  of any
competitor, supplier or customer for which securities are listed on any national
securities  exchange or authorized  for  quotation on the  Automated  Quotations
System of the National  Association  of Securities  Dealers,  Inc.  shall not be
deemed  to be such a  financial  interest  provided  such  Person  has no  other
connection or relationship with such competitor, supplier or customer.

     3.24 Payments, Compensation and Perquisites of Agents and Employees. To the
Knowledge of Sellers, (a) all payments to agents, consultants and others made by
any Seller or other Seller in connection  with the Business have been in payment
of bona  fide  fees and  commissions  and not as  bribes,  illegal  or  improper
payments,  (b) each Seller or other Seller has properly and accurately reflected
on its books and records all compensation paid to and perquisites provided to or
on behalf of its consultants,  agents and employees,  and (c) such  compensation
and  perquisites  have been properly and  accurately  disclosed in the Financial
Statements and Interim  Statements and other public or private reports,  records
or filings of any Seller or other Seller, to the extent required by Law.

     3.25 Labor Contracts,  Employee  Benefit Plans,  and Employment  Contracts.
Except as set forth on  Schedule  3.25  hereto,  no Seller is a party to (a) any
union collective bargaining, works council, joint or multi-employer association,
employee  committee  or  similar  Contract,  (b) any Plan or (c) any  employment
Contract.  True,  correct  and  complete  copies of all  documents  creating  or
evidencing any such Contract or Plan listed on Schedule 3.25 have been delivered
to Buyer.  There are no negotiations,  demands or proposals which are pending or
which have been made since January 1, 1994 which concern matters now covered, or
that would be covered, by the type of Contracts or Plans listed in this Section.

     3.26 ERISA.

          (a) All Plans  disclosed  on  Schedule  3.26  comply  in all  material
respects  with,  and have been operated and  maintained in compliance  with, the
Employee  Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"),  and all
other  applicable  Laws,  to the  extent  applicable.  No"reportable  event" (as
defined in Section 4043(b) of ERISA)  or"prohibited  transaction" (as defined in
Section  4975(c)(1)  of the Code or  Section  406 of ERISA)  has  occurred  with
respect to any Plan and, except as may result from Closing,  there is no fact or
circumstance  which  may  lead to the  occurrence  of any  reportable  event  or
prohibited  transaction.  Sellers  do not  maintain  and  are  not  required  to
contribute  to, nor have they ever  maintained or been required to contribute to
(i) a defined  benefit  pension plan or (ii) a defined  contribution  plan which
requires minimum contributions.

          (b) No Seller or Sellers has ever been a party to or  participant  in,
or been  required  to  contribute  to, any  multi-employer  plan (as  defined in
Section 3(37) of ERISA).

          (c) All Sellers have complied in all material respects with the health
care continuation requirements of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation
Act of 1985, as amended ("COBRA").

     3.27  Terminated  Plans.  To their  respective  Knowledge,  no  Seller  has
terminated  or taken action to  terminate  any employee  benefit  plan.  None of
Sellers,  nor any Seller,  has any liability to any Person or entity,  including
without  limitation  the  Pension  Benefit  Guaranty   Corporation,   any  other
Government  agency or any  participant in or beneficiary of any employee plan of
another  entity,  and none of Sellers is liable for any excise,  income or other
tax or penalty as a result of the termination of any employee benefit plan.

     3.28 Overtime,  Back Wages, Vacation and Minimum Wages. To the Knowledge of
each Seller,  no present or former employee of such Seller has any claim against
the Sellers Group (whether under U.S., federal, state or local law, foreign law,
any employment  agreement,  or otherwise) on account of or for (a) overtime pay,
other than  overtime  pay for the current  payroll  period,  (b) wages or salary
(excluding  current  bonus,  accruals  and amounts  accruing  under  pension and
profit-sharing  plans) for any period other than the current payroll period, (c)
vacation,  time off or pay in lieu of  vacation  or time  off,  other  than that
earned  in  respect  of the  current  fiscal  year or (d) any  violation  of any
statute,  ordinance or regulation  relating to minimum wages or maximum hours of
work.

     3.29 Discrimination and Occupational Safety and Health. To the Knowledge of
each  Seller,  except  as set  forth on  Schedule  3.20,  (a) no Person or party
(including,  but not limited to, any Government) has any claim, or basis for any
action or proceeding,  against such Seller arising out of any statute, ordinance
or regulation  relating to discrimination in employment or employment  practices
or occupational safety and health standards,  and (b) since formation, no Seller
or other Seller has received any notice from any U.S. federal,  state,  local or
foreign  Government  alleging  a  violation  of  occupational  safety  or health
standards.

     3.30 Alien Employment  Eligibility.  To the Knowledge of each Seller,  with
respect to each Person  employed by such Seller or of Sellers on or after May 1,
1987, and who actually  commenced such  employment on or after November 6, 1986,
(a) such Seller hired such Person in compliance with the Immigration  Reform and
Control Act of 1986 and the rules and  regulations  thereunder  ("IRCA") and (b)
each of Sellers and/or each Seller has complied with all recordkeeping and other
regulatory requirements under IRCA.

     3.31 Labor Disputes; Unfair Labor Practices.  There is neither pending nor,
to the Knowledge of any Seller,  threatened,  any labor dispute,  strike or work
stoppage  which  affects  or which may  affect  the  Business,  and no Seller is
currently covered by any injunction issued by any Court.  Since January 1, 1994,
to the Knowledge of each Seller,  neither it nor its agents,  representatives or
employees of each of them, has committed any unfair labor practice as defined in
the National Labor  Relations Act of 1947, as amended.  To the Knowledge of each
Seller,  (a) there is not now  pending or  threatened  any  charge or  complaint
against such Seller by the National Labor  Relations  Board,  any state or local
labor or employment agency or any representative  thereof,  and the execution of
this  Agreement and the Closing  hereunder will not result in any such charge or
complaint, nor is there pending or threatened any grievance or arbitration under
any labor or  employment  Contract,  (b) no right of  representation  by a labor
organization  exists  respecting  the  employees  of such  Seller,  nor is there
pending a  representation  election,  (c) no collective  bargaining  Contract is
currently being negotiated and no organizing effort is currently being made with
respect to the employees of such Seller,  and (d) no such Seller has any ongoing
or future  liabilities or obligations  under any settlement  Contract or consent
decree.

     3.32 Insurance Policies. Set forth on Schedule 3.32 hereto is a list of all
insurance  policies  and bonds in force  covering or  relating to the  Purchased
Assets or the Business, including without limitation all properties,  operations
or personnel of each of Sellers.

     3.33  Guarantees.  None of Sellers is a  guarantor,  indemnitor,  surety or
accommodation  party or  otherwise  liable  for any  indebtedness  of any  other
Person, firm or corporation, except as endorser of checks received and deposited
in the Ordinary Course of the Business.

     3.34 Environmental Matters

          (a) To the  Knowledge  of Sellers  and except as set forth on Schedule
3.34,  the Premises and all current uses and any previous  uses by a Seller have
been and are in compliance with all Legal  Requirements.  Except as set forth in
Schedule 3.34,  each Seller has, to its Knowledge,  properly  obtained and is in
compliance with all material and necessary  permits,  registrations,  approvals,
and licenses and has properly made all filings with and any  submissions  to any
Legal Authority required by any Legal Requirement.  To the Knowledge of Sellers,
as applicable,  no deficiencies  have been asserted or alleged by any such Legal
Authority with respect to such items.

          (b) Except as forth on Schedule  3.34,  to the Knowledge of any Seller
Group Person,  there has been no spill,  discharge,  leak,  leaching,  emission,
migration,  injection,  disposal,  escape,  dumping  or  release  of any kind on
beneath,  above,  or into the Premises or into the  environment  surrounding the
Premises  of  any  Hazardous  Materials,   including  without  limitation  those
materials regulated by any Legal Requirement.

          (c) Except as set forth on Schedule  3.34,  there are and have been to
the Knowledge of any Seller Group Person,  no (i)  Hazardous  Materials  stored,
disposed of, generated, manufactured,  refined, transported, produced or treated
at,  upon or from the  Premises;  (ii)  asbestos  fibers on, in or  beneath  the
Premises or (iii) underground storage tanks on or beneath the Premises.

          (d) Each Seller has  delivered to Buyer,  as part of the execution and
delivery of this Agreement, complete copies of any and all documents received by
such Seller from or submitted to any Legal Authority relating to the environment
condition of the Premises and any  reviews,  audits,  reports or other  analyses
concerning the Premises conducted by the Sellers,  any prospective  purchaser or
any other party whether or not such reviews,  audits,  reports or other analyses
were submitted to any Legal Authority.

          (e) Except as set forth in Schedule  3.34,  no Seller has Knowledge of
any  civil,  criminal  or  administrative   action,  suit,  summons,   citation,
complaint,  claim, notice, demand, request,  judgment,  order, lien, proceeding,
hearing,  study,  inquiry  or  investigation  based on or  related  to any Legal
Requirement  related  to  environmental  matters  concerning  the  Premises  and
applicable to such Seller.

          (f) For purposes of this Section 3.34,"Hazardous Materials" shall mean
any flammable, explosive,  radioactive, toxic, infectious,  hazardous substance,
waste,  pollutant,  contaminant,  chemical,  waste,  or other or other material,
including  but not  limited to  petroleum  including  crude oil or any  fraction
thereof,  asbestos  fibers or solid waste,  defined or regulated under any Legal
Requirements; "Legal Authority" shall mean any federal, state, county, municipal
or other governmental department,  commission,  board, bureau, court, agency, or
instrumentality  having  jurisdiction  or  authority  over the  Premises  or its
operations;"Legal   Requirement"  shall  mean  any  law,  statute,  code,  rule,
regulation,  ordinance,  order, judgment,  decree, writ, injunction,  franchise,
permit, certificate, license, authorization, registration, or other direction or
requirement of any Legal Authority, applicable to the Premises.

     3.35 Broker's  Fees.  None of Sellers nor any other member of Sellers Group
has retained any broker,  finder or agent or agreed to pay any  brokerage  fees,
finder's fees or commissions  with respect to the  transactions  contemplated by
this Agreement.

     3.36 Foreign  Assets.  None of Sellers has an interest in any real property
or  tangible  or  intangible  property  located  outside of the  United  States,
including  any  stock,   securities  or  investments  in,  claims  against,   or
receivables from any entities or Persons with  substantially  all their property
or business so located.

     3.37 Foreign  Operations  and Export  Control.  No Seller has conducted the
Business outside the United States.

     3.38 Books and Records. The books of account, stock record books and minute
books  and  other  corporate  records  of each of  Sellers  are in all  material
respects  complete and correct,  have been  maintained in  accordance  with good
business practices and the matters contained therein are accurately reflected on
the Financial Statements and Interim Statements, to the extent appropriate.

     3.39 Truthfulness. The representations and warranties of Sellers herein and
the statements and certificates  furnished or to be furnished by or on behalf of
Sellers pursuant to this Agreement are and will be materially true and correct.

                                   ARTICLE IV
                     REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER

     Buyer and OSI hereby make the  following  representations  and  warranties,
each of which is true and  correct on the date  hereof  and each of which  shall
survive the Closing Date and the sale  contemplated  hereby  pursuant to Section
9.1.

     4.1 Corporate  Existence of Buyer.  Buyer is a corporation  duly organized,
validly  existing and in good standing  under the laws of the State of Colorado.
Buyer has the corporate power and authority to own and use its properties and to
transact  the  business  in  which  it is  engaged.  OSI is a  corporation  duly
organized,  validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of
Delaware.  OSI  has  the  corporate  power  and  authority  to own  and  use its
properties and to transact the business in which it is engaged.

     4.2 Approval of Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and
the  consummation  of  the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  have  been  duly
authorized and approved by all necessary  corporate action of Buyer and OSI, and
such  authorization  and  approval  have  not  been  revoked.  Pursuant  to such
authorization  and approval,  each of Buyer and OSI has full power and authority
to enter into this Agreement and the Employment  Agreements,  and to perform its
obligations hereunder, and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

     4.3 No Breach of Articles or  Indentures.  The execution of this  Agreement
and the consummation of the transactions  contemplated  hereby have not and will
not  constitute  or  result  in the  breach  of any of  the  provisions  of,  or
constitute a default under any material  indenture,  evidence of indebtedness or
other  commitment  to which Buyer or OSI is a party or by which either is bound,
which  breach or default  would have a  material  adverse  effect on OSI and its
subsidiaries,  taken  as a  whole.  The  execution  of  this  Agreement  and the
consummation of the transactions  contemplated  hereby have not and will not (a)
constitute  or result in the breach of any of the  provisions of the articles of
incorporation or by-laws of Buyer or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws
of OSI or (b)  except  with  respect  to H-S-R and any state  license  or permit
requirements related to the collection of debts,  require any consent,  approval
or authorization of, of filing of any certificate, notice application, report or
other document with any Government.

                                    ARTICLE V
                          COVENANTS CONCERNING SELLERS

     Each of Sellers  covenants  and agrees with Buyer that,  from and after the
date of this Agreement and until the Closing Date,  each of Sellers will conduct
the Business  subject to the provisions and  limitations in Sections 5.1 through
5.5:

     5.1 Operation of the Business.  Without the prior written consent of Buyer,
no Seller will:

          (a) Except in the Ordinary  Course,  grant any increase in the rate of
pay of any of its employees,  grant any increase in the salaries of any officer,
employee or agent, enter into or increase the benefits provided under any bonus,
profit-sharing,    incentive   compensation,   pension,   retirement,   medical,
hospitalization,  life  insurance  or other  insurance  plan or plans,  or other
contracts  or  commitments,  or in any  other way  increase  in any  amount  the
benefits or compensation of any such officer, employee or agent.

          (b)  Enter  into any  employment  Contract  or  collective  bargaining
agreement.

          (c) Enter into any Contract or engage in any transaction  which is not
in the usual and Ordinary Course of the Business or which is  inconsistent  with
past practices.

          (d) Sell or dispose of or encumber  any Assets  except in the Ordinary
Course.

          (e) Make, or enter into any Contract for, any capital  expenditure  or
enter into,  modify,  amend,  or cancel any lease of capital  equipment  or real
property.

          (f) Enter  into any  Contract,  whether  for the  purchase  or sale of
inventory,  supplies,  other  products or services  or  otherwise  except in the
Ordinary Course.

          (g) Create, assume, incur or guarantee any indebtedness other than (i)
in the usual and Ordinary  Course of the  Business  and with a maturity  date of
less  than  one  year or (ii)  that  incurred  pursuant  to  existing  Contracts
disclosed in the Schedules delivered pursuant to this Agreement.

          (h) Declare or pay any dividend or make any sale of or distribution in
respect of its  capital  stock or  directly or  indirectly  redeem,  purchase or
otherwise acquire any of its capital stock.

          (i) Make or  institute  any  unusual  or novel  method of  transacting
business or change any  accounting  procedures  or  practices  or its  financial
structure.

          (j) Make any  amendments to or changes in its articles or  certificate
of incorporation or association or bylaws.

          (k)  Perform  any act,  or attempt to do any act, or permit any act or
omission to act, which will cause a breach of any material Contract.

          (l) Take any action or incur any  liability or  obligation  which,  if
taken or incurred prior to the date of this  Agreement,  would be required to be
disclosed on any Schedule hereto.

     5.2 Preservation of Business. Each Seller shall:

          (a)  Carry on the  Business  in the  Ordinary  Course  diligently  and
substantially in the same manner as heretofore conducted.

          (b) Keep its business organization intact, including keeping available
the services of its present  employees and preserving its present  relationships
with suppliers and customers and others having business relations with it.

          (c) Perform all  obligations  required to be performed by it under any
Contract or lease.

     5.3 Insurance  and  Maintenance  of Property.  Sellers and each Seller will
maintain all insurance  policies and bonds set forth on Schedule  3.32, and will
maintain the Purchased Assets in good condition and repair.

     5.4 Full  Access.  Representatives  of Buyer  shall have full access at all
reasonable times to all premises,  properties,  books, records,  Contracts,  tax
records and  documents  of Sellers  relating to the  Business,  and Sellers will
furnish to Buyer any  information  in respect of the  Business as Buyer may from
time to time request.  Such  examination  and  investigation  by Buyer shall not
affect  the  warranties  and   representations  of  Sellers  contained  in  this
Agreement.

     5.5 Books, Records and Financial Statements. Each of Sellers shall maintain
its books and financial  records in accordance  with the past  practices of such
Seller. Said books and financial records shall fairly and accurately reflect the
operations of the Business.  Each of Sellers shall furnish to Buyer promptly, as
available, financial statements and operating reports applicable to the Business
since  September 30 1997, all of which shall be prepared in accordance with past
practices of such Seller and shall  present  fairly the  financial  position and
results  of  operations  of the  Business  at the  dates  and  for  the  periods
indicated.

     5.6  Governmental  Filings.  Each of Sellers will  cooperate  with Buyer in
making,  as soon as  practicable  following  the execution  hereof,  all filings
required by any Government in connection with the  transactions  contemplated by
this  Agreement.  All  information  provided by Sellers in connection  with such
filings will be true,  accurate and complete and will comply with all applicable
laws and regulations.

     5.7 Tax Matters.

          (a) The  Parties  agree  that the  amount  for  reserved  taxes on the
Closing Date Balance Sheet will be broken down on a schedule to the Closing Date
Balance Sheet into its separate components,  with each component identifying the
specific taxable period and specific Tax for which a particular reserve is being
created or  continued  (each  separate  component  being  referred  to herein as
a"Reserve").

          (b) Each of Sellers  agrees to furnish,  or cause to be furnished,  to
Buyer, upon request, as promptly as practicable, such information and assistance
(including access to books and records) relating to the Purchased Assets and the
Assumed  Liabilities as is reasonably  necessary for the  preparation of any Tax
Return,  claim for refund or audit or prosecution or defense of any claim,  suit
or proceeding relating to any Taxes.

          (c) All real estate, personal property, ad valorem and any other local
or state taxes  relating to the Purchased  Assets or the Business which shall be
accrued  but unpaid as of the  Closing  Date,  or which  shall be paid as of the
Closing Date but relate in whole or in part to periods  after the Closing  Date,
shall be prorated to the Closing Date and shall be reflected on the Closing Date
Balance Sheet.  Any such prorated  taxes which may be ultimately  assessed after
the Closing  Date shall be paid by Sellers to Buyer or Buyer to Sellers,  as the
case may be, within 30 calendar days of such determination.

     5.8  Employees.  As of 12:01 a.m. on the Closing  Date,  (but for financial
reporting  purposes as of the Effective Time) all employees of each Seller shall
cease to be employees of each Seller and shall become employees of the Buyer. At
Closing, each Seller shall transfer sponsorship to Buyer of all of the Plans set
forth on Schedule  5.8(b) and Buyer agrees to assume all such Plans  pursuant to
the Change of Sponsorship and Assumption  Agreement,  in the form of Exhibit 5.8
(the"Change  of  Sponsorship  Agreement").  Nothing  in this  Section  5.8 shall
prevent Buyer from  terminating  the employment of any  individual  employee for
cause or for other valid business purposes.


                                   ARTICLE VI
                                 CHANGE OF NAME

     6.1 Change of Name.  Promptly after the Closing Date, each of ABC Inc., ABC
Ohio, ABC Virginia,  ABC  Massachusetts,  and any affiliate of Sellers,  in such
manner as is reasonably  requested by Buyer,  shall each change its name to some
name other than"Accelerated Bureau of Collections, Inc.,","Accelerated Bureau of
Collections of Ohio, Inc.,""Accelerated Bureau of Collections of Virginia, Inc."
or"Accelerated  Bureau of  Collections of  Massachusetts,"  or any variations or
abbreviations  thereof (provided that names including only the term"Accelerated"
shall not be deemed a variation or abbreviation  thereof),  and file appropriate
notification of its change of name in all jurisdictions  where such notification
is required.
<PAGE>



                                   ARTICLE VII
                        CONDITIONS TO BUYER'S OBLIGATIONS

     The  obligations  of Buyer to consummate the  transactions  provided for in
this  Agreement  shall be subject to the  satisfaction  of each of the following
conditions on or before the Closing Date, subject to the right of Buyer to waive
any one or more of such conditions:

     7.1  Representations  and Warranties of Sellers.  The  representations  and
warranties of Sellers and the Stockholder contained in this Agreement and in the
certificates  and  papers  to be  delivered  to  Buyer  pursuant  hereto  and in
connection  herewith  shall be true and correct in all material  respects on the
date hereof and on the Closing Date (except for changes  specifically  permitted
hereunder)  as  though  such  representations  and  warranties  were made on the
Closing Date.

     7.2  Performance of this  Agreement.  Each of Sellers and each Seller shall
have  duly  performed  or  complied  in all  material  respects  with all of the
obligations  to be  performed  or  complied  with by it under  the terms of this
Agreement on or prior to the Closing Date.

     7.3 Material Adverse Change and  Extraordinary  Distributions.  There shall
have been no material  adverse  change,  actual or  threatened,  in the Business
(including the Purchased Assets and Assumed Liabilities), whether or not covered
by  insurance,  as a result of any cause  whatsoever.  There  shall have been no
extraordinary  distribution by any of Sellers,  by the officers of Sellers or by
any stockholders of any assets or dividends of the Business.

     7.4 Certificate of Sellers.  Buyer shall have received a certificate signed
by the  President  and Treasurer of each of Sellers dated as of the Closing Date
and subject to no  qualification  certifying  that the  conditions  set forth in
Sections 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9 and 7.10 hereof have been fully satisfied.
Such certificate  shall be deemed a  representation  and warranty of Sellers and
Stockholder under this Agreement.

     7.5 Opinion of Counsel.  Buyer shall have  received from Holland & Hart LLP
counsel to the Sellers  Group,  an opinion dated the Closing Date, to the effect
that:

          (a) Each Seller is a corporation duly organized,  validly existing and
in good  standing  under  the laws of the  state of its  incorporation.  Each of
Sellers  and  each  Seller  has  full  power  and  authority  to own and use its
properties and carry on its business as it is being conducted  immediately prior
to the Closing Date.

          (b)  This  Agreement  has  received  all  requisite  approval  by  the
stockholders  and by the Board of  Directors  of each of Sellers,  has been duly
executed  and  delivered  by each  Sellers  Group  Person,  and is  binding  and
enforceable  against each Sellers  Group  Person in  accordance  with its terms,
except  as  the  enforceability  thereof  may  be  limited  by  (i)  bankruptcy,
insolvency,  reorganization,  moratorium and other laws of general applicability
relating to or affecting creditors' rights and (ii) general principles of equity
(regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or
at law).

Such opinion  shall be  addressed  to Buyer and OSI and shall  provide that such
opinion may also  delivered  to and relied upon by the agents and lenders  under
OSI's Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 8, 1997.

     7.6  Employment  Agreements.  Travis L.  Justus  shall  have  executed  and
delivered an Employment  Agreement in substantially  the form attached hereto as
Exhibit  7.6(a),  Linda Brown shall have  executed and  delivered an  Employment
Agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7.6(b),  and Jeff
Walter  shall  have   executed  and   delivered  an   Employment   Agreement  in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7.6(c).


     7.7 No Lawsuits. No suit, action or other proceeding or investigation shall
be threatened or pending  before or by any Court or Government  concerning  this
Agreement or the consummation of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby,  or in
connection  with any claim against any Seller or of Sellers not disclosed on the
Schedules  hereto.  No Government  shall have threatened or directed any request
for information concerning this Agreement, the transactions  contemplated hereby
or the  consequences or implications of such transaction to Buyer or to Sellers,
or any officer, director, employee or agent of any of them.

     7.8  No  Restrictions.  There  shall  exist  no  material  restrictions  or
reservations  affecting  the title to or utility of the  Purchased  Assets which
would prevent Buyer from  occupying and utilizing the Purchased  Assets,  or any
part thereof,  to the same full extent that Sellers  might  continue to do so if
the sale and transfer contemplated hereby did not take place.

     7.9  Consents.  All consents and  approvals  necessary to ensure that Buyer
will  continue to have in all material  respects the same full rights in respect
to the Purchased Assets as Sellers had immediately  prior to the consummation of
the  transaction  contemplated  hereunder  shall have been  obtained;  provided,
however,  Sellers  shall not be  required  to obtain the  consents  required  in
customer  agreements,  lease agreements (other than the lease for the Englewood,
Colorado facility), and licenses.

     7.10 Releases.  Prior to the Closing Date,  Sellers shall have delivered to
Buyer the written  release of all Liens other than  Permitted  Liens relating to
the Purchased Assets executed by the holder of or parties to each such Lien. The
releases shall be satisfactory in substance and form to Buyer and its counsel.

     7.11  Documents.  Buyer  shall  have  received  from each of Sellers on the
Closing Date:

          (a) Bills of Sale and other appropriate  documents  conveying to Buyer
good and marketable title to the Purchased Assets.

          (b) The  Assignment  and  Assumption  Agreement and other  appropriate
assignments, with related consents, if any are so required.

          (c) The Change of Sponsorship Agreement.

     7.12 Further Assurances. Buyer shall have received such further instruments
and  documents  as may  reasonably  be  required  to carry out the  transactions
contemplated  hereby and to evidence the  fulfillment of the  agreements  herein
contained and the  performance  of all  conditions to the  consummation  of such
transactions.


                                  ARTICLE VIII
                       CONDITIONS TO SELLERS' OBLIGATIONS

     The obligations of Sellers to consummate the  transactions  provided for in
this  Agreement  shall be subject to the  satisfaction  of each of the following
conditions  on or before the  Closing  Date,  subject to the right of Sellers to
waive any one or more of such conditions:

     8.1  Representations  and  Warranties  of Buyer.  The  representations  and
warranties  of Buyer  contained in this  Agreement and in the  certificates  and
papers to be delivered to Sellers  pursuant  hereto and in  connection  herewith
shall be true and correct in all material respects on the date hereof and on the
Closing Date (except for changes  specifically  permitted  hereunder)  as though
such representations and warranties were made on the Closing Date.

     8.2  Performance  of this  Agreement.  Buyer shall have duly  performed  or
complied in all material respects with all of the obligations to be performed or
complied with by it under the terms of this Agreement on or prior to the Closing
Date.

     8.3 Certificate of Buyer.  Sellers shall have received a certificate signed
by an  officer  of  Buyer  dated  as of  the  Closing  Date  and  subject  to no
qualification  certifying  that the conditions set forth in Sections 8.1 and 8.2
hereof  have  been  fully  satisfied.   Such  certificate   shall  be  deemed  a
representation and warranty of Buyer hereunder.

     8.4 Employment Agreements.  Buyer and OSI shall have executed and delivered
Employment  Agreements in  substantially  the form  attached  hereto as Exhibits
7.6(a), 7.6(b) and 7.6(c).

     8.5 Payment of Closing Consideration and Assumption of Assumed Liabilities.
On the  Closing  Date,  Sellers  shall  have  received  from  Buyer the  Closing
Consideration,  the  Assignment  and  Assumption  Agreement  and the  Change  of
Sponsorship Agreement.

     8.6  Further   Assurances.   Sellers   shall  have  received  such  further
instruments  and  documents  as may  reasonably  be  required  to carry  out the
transactions  contemplated  hereby  and  to  evidence  the  fulfillment  of  the
agreements  herein  contained  and  the  performance  of all  conditions  to the
consummation of such transactions.

                                   ARTICLE IX
                                 INDEMNIFICATION

     9.1 Survival of Representations  and Warranties.  The  representations  and
warranties   made  in  this  Agreement   shall  survive  the  Closing  and  sale
contemplated  hereby for a period of 12 months from the Closing Date;  provided,
however the foregoing shall not apply to  representations  and warranties  under
Section 3.8, which shall survive until the expiration of the applicable  statute
of  limitations,  and Section 3.2 and the last sentence of Section  3.14,  which
shall survive without limitation hereunder.

     9.2  Sellers'  Indemnification.  Each  Sellers  Group  Person,  jointly and
severally,  hereby agrees to hold Buyer,  OSI and the  shareholders,  directors,
officers,  successors, assigns and agents of each of them (the"Buyer Indemnified
Persons")  harmless and indemnify each of them from and against,  and waives any
claim for  contribution  or indemnity  against  Buyer  Indemnified  Persons with
respect to, any and all claims, losses, damages, liabilities,  expenses or costs
("Losses"),  plus reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses incurred in connection
with Losses and/or  enforcement of this  Agreement,  plus interest from the date
incurred  through the date of payment at the prime lending rate of Citibank N.A.
from time to time  prevailing (in  all,"Indemnified  Losses")  incurred or to be
incurred by any of them (a) to the extent  resulting  from or arising out of any
breach or  violation of the  representations,  warranties  of any Sellers  Group
Person contained in this Agreement,  (b) to the extent resulting from or arising
out of any breach or violation of the  covenants  or  agreements  of any Sellers
Group Person  contained in this  Agreement,  including  the  provisions  of this
Article IX, and (c) to the extent resulting from or arising out of any liability
or  obligation  of any  Sellers  Group  Person  not  expressly  assumed by Buyer
hereunder.

     9.3 Buyer's Indemnification. Buyer and OSI hereby agree to hold Sellers and
the Stockholder  (the"Sellers  Indemnified Persons") harmless and indemnify each
of them  from and  against  any and all  Indemnified  Losses  incurred  or to be
incurred by any of them, (a) to the extent  resulting from or arising out of any
breach or violation of the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements
of Buyer and OSI contained in this  Agreement,  including the provisions of this
Article IX and (b) to the extent from or arising out of any Assumed Liability.

     9.4  Notice of Claim.  In the event  that Buyer  seeks  indemnification  on
behalf of a Buyer Indemnified Person, or any of Sellers seeks indemnification on
behalf of a Sellers  Indemnified  Person,  such  Party  seeking  indemnification
(the"Indemnified  Party") shall give written  notice to the  Indemnifying  Party
specifying the facts  constituting  the basis for such claim and the amount,  to
the extent known, of the claim asserted.  The  Indemnifying  Party shall pay the
amount of any valid claim not more than 30 calendar  days after the  Indemnified
Party provides notice to the Indemnifying Party of such amount.

     9.5 Right to Contest  Claims of Third Persons.  If an Indemnified  Party is
entitled  to  indemnification  hereunder  because  of a  claim  asserted  by any
claimant (other than an indemnified  person  hereunder)  ("Third  Person"),  the
Indemnified  Party shall give the Indemnifying  Party  reasonably  prompt notice
thereof  after  such  assertion  is  actually  known to the  Indemnified  Party;
provided,  however,  that the right of a person to be  indemnified  hereunder in
respect of claims made by a Third Person  shall not be  adversely  affected by a
failure  to give such  notice  unless,  and then  only to the  extent  that,  an
Indemnifying Party is prejudiced thereby.  The Indemnifying Party shall have the
right,  upon  written  notice  to  the  Indemnified  Party,  and  using  counsel
reasonably  satisfactory  to the  Indemnified  Party,  to  investigate,  secure,
contest  or settle  the  claim  alleged  by such  Third  Person  (a"Third-Person
Claim"),  provided that the Indemnifying Party has unconditionally  acknowledged
to the  Indemnified  Party in writing his or its  obligation  to  indemnify  the
persons to be indemnified hereunder with respect to such Third-Person Claim; the
Indemnified Party may thereafter participate in (but not control) the defense of
any such  Third-Person  Claim with its own  counsel at its own  expense,  unless
separate  representation is necessary to avoid a conflict of interest,  in which
case such  representation  shall be at the  expense of the  Indemnifying  Party.
Unless and until the Indemnifying Party so acknowledges his or its obligation to
indemnify,  the Indemnified Party shall have the right, at its option, to assume
and control defense of the matter and to look to the Indemnifying  Party for the
full amount of the costs of defense.  The failure of the  Indemnifying  Party to
respond in writing to the aforesaid notice of the Indemnified Party with respect
to such  Third-Person  Claim within 20 calendar days after receipt thereof shall
be deemed an election not to defend the same. If the Indemnifying Party does not
so acknowledge  his or its obligation to indemnify and assume the defense of any
such  Third-Person  Claim,  (a) the  Indemnified  Party may defend  against such
claim, in such manner as it may deem appropriate, including, but not limited to,
settling such claim, after giving notice of the same to the Indemnifying  Party,
on such  terms  as the  Indemnified  Party  may  deem  appropriate,  and (b) the
Indemnifying  Party may  participate  in (but not  control)  the defense of such
action,  with its own  counsel at its own  expense.  If the  Indemnifying  Party
thereafter seeks to question the manner in which the Indemnified  Party defended
such  Third-Person  Claim or the  amount or nature of any such  settlement,  the
Indemnifying  Party  shall  have the  burden  to prove by clear  and  convincing
evidence that conduct of the Indemnified  Party in the defense and/or settlement
of such Third-Person  Claim constituted gross negligence or willful  misconduct.
The Parties shall make available to each other all relevant information in their
possession  relating to any such  Third-Person  Claim and shall cooperate in the
defense thereof.

     9.6  Limitations.  The Buyer  Indemnified  Persons shall not be entitled to
recover or seek to recover Indemnified Losses (a) to the extent such Indemnified
Losses exceed $2,500,000,  once any Sellers Group Person has made payments to or
on behalf of Buyer Indemnified  Persons with respect to such Indemnified  Losses
in such amount;  or (b) for a breach of a representation or warranty (other than
those in Section 3.2,  Section 3.6 and the last sentence of Section 3.14) unless
such Indemnified Losses exceed $250,000 in the aggregate, and only to the extent
such Indemnified Losses exceed such amount.


                                    ARTICLE X
                                  MISCELLANEOUS

     10.1 Assignment; Binding Agreement.

          (a)  This  Agreement  and  all or  any  part  of  Buyer's  rights  and
obligations  hereunder  may be  assigned by Buyer at any time to any one or more
Affiliates  of Buyer.  Buyer  shall  cause such  Affiliate(s)  to perform any of
Buyer's obligations hereunder which are assigned to such Affiliate(s).

          (b) Neither this  Agreement nor any of the Sellers  Group's  rights or
obligations hereunder may be assigned by any member of the Sellers Group without
Buyer's prior written consent.

          (c) This  Agreement  shall be  binding  upon  and  shall  inure to the
benefit of the parties hereto and to their  respective  successors and permitted
assigns.

     10.2  Termination  of  Agreement.   This  Agreement  and  the  transactions
contemplated hereby may be terminated prior to the Closing Date only as follows:

          (a) By mutual consent of Buyer and Sellers.

          (b) By either Buyer or Sellers if the Closing  shall not have occurred
on or before November 30, 1997, or such other date, if any, as Buyer and Sellers
shall agree upon.

     10.3 Manner and Effect of Termination.

          (a)  Any  action  by  Sellers  to  terminate  this  Agreement  and the
transactions  contemplated  hereby, as provided in Section 10.2 hereof, shall be
taken by the Sellers Group  Representative  (as defined in Section  10.14).  Any
such action by Buyer shall be taken by its Chairman of the Board,  its President
or any appropriately authorized officer.

          (b) If this  Agreement is  terminated  pursuant to Section 10.2 hereof
without fault of either party or breach of this  Agreement,  all  obligations of
Sellers and Buyer hereunder  shall  terminate,  without  liability of Sellers to
Buyer or of Buyer to Sellers.  In such event,  each party  hereto  shall pay all
legal and other costs and  expenses  incurred by such party in  connection  with
this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

          (c)  Nothing in this  Section or  elsewhere  in this  Agreement  shall
impair or restrict  the rights of any party to any and all remedies at law or in
equity in the event of a breach of or default under this Agreement.

     10.4  Non-Disclosure  of Information.  Without the prior written consent of
Buyer,  except as required by law,  Sellers  will not  disclose or reveal to any
third Person any confidential,  non-public or commercially  valuable information
(a)  concerning  Buyer to which  Sellers  were exposed in  connection  with this
Agreement,  (b) concerning the Business or (c) the transactions  contemplated by
this   Agreement.   Without  the  prior   written   consent  of  Sellers   Group
Representative,  except as required by law, Buyer will not disclose or reveal to
any  third  Person  any  confidential,   non-public  or  commercially   valuable
information concerning the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement.  Either
party shall have, in addition to other remedies  available in law or equity, the
right to enjoin the other from disclosing or revealing  information in violation
of this section.

     10.5 Transfer Taxes and Expenses.

          (a) Sellers  shall pay all  documentary  stamp,  intangible  and other
transfer  taxes  which  arise as a result  of the sale of the  Purchased  Assets
contemplated under this Agreement.

          (b) Buyer and Sellers shall use their respective reasonable efforts to
provide or obtain from any taxing  authority any  certificate  or other document
necessary  to  mitigate,  reduce or  eliminate  any Taxes  (including  additions
thereto or interest and penalties  thereon) that otherwise would be imposed with
respect to the transactions contemplated in this Agreement.

     10.6 Bulk Sales.  Buyer hereby waives  compliance with any applicable State
Uniform  Commercial  Code or other  statutory  provisions  governing bulk sales.
Sellers  agree to  indemnify,  defend and hold  harmless  Buyer from any and all
loss, cost or expenses,  resulting from the assertion of claims made against the
Purchased  Assets sold  hereunder or against Buyer by creditors of Sellers under
any bulk sales law with respect to  liabilities  and  obligations of Sellers not
assumed  by  Buyer  hereunder,  such  indemnity  to be in  accordance  with  the
provisions of Article IX hereof.

     10.7  Remedies.  Nothing  contained  herein  is  intended  to or  shall  be
construed to limit the remedies which either party may have against the other in
the event of a breach of or default under this Agreement, it being intended that
any remedies shall be cumulative and not exclusive.

     10.8 Entire  Agreement  and  Modification.  This  Agreement,  including the
Schedules  attached hereto and the documents to be delivered pursuant to Article
VII and Article VIII, and Exhibits, constitutes the entire agreement between the
parties.  No changes of,  modifications of, or additions to this Agreement shall
be valid unless the same shall be in writing and signed by all parties hereto.

     10.9  Severability.  If any provision of this Agreement shall be determined
to be  contrary  to law and  unenforceable  by any court of law,  the  remaining
provisions shall be severable and enforceable in accordance with their terms.

     10.10 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more identical
counterparts,  each of  which  shall  be  deemed  an  original  but all of which
together will  constitute  one and the same  instrument.  This  Agreement may be
executed and thereafter  transmitted by telecopier,  and the telecopier  receipt
shall constitute an original.

     10.11  Headings;  Interpretation.  The table of  contents  and  article and
section  headings  contained in this Agreement are inserted for convenience only
and shall not affect in any way the meaning or  interpretation of the Agreement.
Both parties have participated  substantially in the negotiation and drafting of
this Agreement,  and each party hereby disclaims any defense or assertion in any
litigation or arbitration that any ambiguity herein should be construed  against
the draftsman.

     10.12  Governing  Law. This  Agreement  shall be construed and  interpreted
according to the laws of the State of Colorado without regard to the conflict of
laws rules of such state.

     10.13  Payment of Fees and  Expenses.  Each Party hereto shall pay all fees
and expenses incurred by such Party incident to the negotiation, preparation and
execution of this Agreement and the consummation of the transaction contemplated
hereby,  including  the fees of counsel,  accountants  and other experts of such
Party and any finder's or brokerage fees incurred by such Party.

     10.14  Sellers  Group  Representative  By  execution  and  delivery of this
Agreement,  each Sellers Group Person hereby  constitutes and appoints Travis L.
Justus  as the  representative  of  such  person  hereunder  (the"Sellers  Group
Representative")  with full  power and  authority  to give or make all  notices,
objections,  directions  and other  communications  to be given or made by or on
behalf of any Sellers Group Person,  to take any actions or give any consents of
waivers which may be taken or given by or on behalf of any Sellers Group Person,
to bind and act on behalf of the Sellers Group with respect to any matters which
may arise or in  connection  with this  Agreement  and the exhibits  hereto (but
excluding the Employment  Agreements)  and to otherwise act for and on behalf of
the Sellers Group (except in connection with the Employment Agreements).  In the
event that the Sellers Group Representative  should die or become incapacitated,
his  successor  shall be selected by the estate or  personal  representative  of
Sellers Group  Representative,  and written  notice of such  selection  shall be
given to Buyer and OSI.


     10.15  Liabilities  After Effective Time.  Except as otherwise  provided in
this  Agreement,  Liabilities  incurred by Buyer with  respect to the  Purchased
Assets after the Effective Time shall be Liabilities of Buyer.

     10.16  Notices.  All notices,  requests,  demands and other  communications
hereunder  shall be  deemed  to have  been  duly  given if the same  shall be in
writing and shall be delivered (i)  personally,  (ii) by registered or certified
mail,  postage  prepaid,  (iii) by facsimile  transmission  or (iv) by overnight
delivery service and addressed as set forth below:

          (a) If to Buyer or OSI:

                       Outsourcing Solutions, Inc.
                       390 South Woods Mill Road, Suite 150
                       Chesterfield, MO  63017
                       Attention:  Timothy G. Beffa
                       Fax: 314-576-1867

                       copy to:

                       Bryan Cave LLP
                       One Metropolitan Square
                       N. Broadway, Suite 3600
                       St. Louis, MO  63102
                       Attention:  Peter D. Van Cleve
                       Fax: 314-259-2020

          (b) If to any member of the Sellers Group:

                       Travis L. Justus
                       Accelerated Bureau of Collection, Inc.
                       5295 DTC Parkway
                       Englewood, Colorado 80111
                       Fax:  (303) 488-7031

                       copy to:

                       Holland & Hart LLP
                       555 Seventeenth Street, Suite 3200
                       Denver, Colorado 80202-3979
                       Attention: Mark D. Safty
                       Fax: (303) 295-8261

     Any such notice shall be effective  upon receipt.  Any party may change the
address to which notices are to be addressed by giving the other parties  notice
in the manner herein set forth.

THIS AGREEMENT  CONTAINS AN ARBITRATION  PROVISION  WHICH MAY BE ENFORCED BY THE
PARTIES HERETO.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement, on
the day and year first above written.


ABC ACQUISITION COMPANY


By:      /s/ Timothy G. Beffa
         ---------------------



OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC.


By:      /s/ Timothy G. Beffa
         --------------------
         Timothy G. Beffa
         President and Chief Executive Officer


ACCELERATED BUREAU OF COLLECTIONS, INC.


By:      /s/ Travis L. Justus
         --------------------


ACCELERATED BUREAU OF COLLECTIONS OF OHIO, INC.


By:      /s/ Travis L. Justus
         --------------------



ACCELERATED BUREAU OF COLLECTIONS OF VIRGINIA, INC.


By:      /s/ Travis L. Justus
         ---------------------



ACCELERATED BUREAU OF COLLECTIONS OF MASSACHUSETTS, INC.


By:      /s/ Travis L. Justus
         --------------------


         /s/ Travis L. Justus
         --------------------
Travis L. Justus



                               TABLE OF SCHEDULES


1.1(b)                Excluded Assets
1.1(c)                Permitted Liens
2.5                   Allocation of Consideration by Seller
3.4                   Events Subsequent to December 31, 1996
3.5                   Assets in Possession of Others
3.12(a)               Real Property - Leased to Sellers
3.12(b)               Personal Property - Leased to Sellers
3.13                  Intellectual Property
3.16                  Licenses and Permits
3.17                  Contracts--Disclosure
3.20                  Litigation and Arbitration
3.21                  Directors, Officers, Employees and Consultants
3.23                  Outside Financial Interests
3.25                  Employee Benefit Plans and Employment Contracts
3.26                  ERISA
3.32                  Insurance Policies
3.34                  Environmental Matters




                  SHARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

                                  BY AND AMONG

                           OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC.

                        SHERMAN ACQUISITION CORPORATION

                                      AND

                             THE UNION CORPORATION

                           Dated as of December 22, 1997
<PAGE>
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                PAGE
                                                                                                                -----
<S>                   <C>                                                                                    <C>
ARTICLE I--THE TENDER OFFER................................................................................           2
  SECTION 1.1.        The Offer............................................................................           2
  SECTION 1.3.        Composition of the Board of Directors................................................           5
  SECTION 1.4.        Stock Options and Other Plans........................................................           5

ARTICLE II--THE MERGER AND RELATED MATTERS.................................................................           6
  SECTION 2.1.        The Merger...........................................................................           6
  SECTION 2.2.        Conversion of Stock..................................................................           7
  SECTION 2.3.        Dissenting Stock.....................................................................           7
  SECTION 2.4.        Surrender of Certificates............................................................           8
  SECTION 2.5.        Payment..............................................................................           9
  SECTION 2.6.        No Further Rights of Transfers.......................................................          10
  SECTION 2.7.        Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation............................          10
  SECTION 2.9.        Directors and Officers of the Surviving Corporation..................................          10
  SECTION 2.10.       Closing..............................................................................          11
  SECTION 2.11.       Proxy Statement, Schedule 14D-9 and Schedule 14D-1...................................          11

ARTICLE III--REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE CORPORATION.............................................          12
  SECTION 3.1.        Corporate Existence and Power........................................................          12
  SECTION 3.2.        Corporate Authorization..............................................................          12
  SECTION 3.3.        Consents and Approvals; No Violations................................................          13
  SECTION 3.4.        Compliance with Laws.................................................................          13
  SECTION 3.5.        Capitalization.......................................................................          14
  SECTION 3.6.        Subsidiaries.........................................................................          14
  SECTION 3.7.        SEC Filings..........................................................................          15
  SECTION 3.8.        Financial Statements.................................................................          16
  SECTION 3.9.        No Undisclosed Liabilities...........................................................          16
  SECTION 3.10.       Absence of Certain Changes...........................................................          16
  SECTION 3.11.       Title to Properties; Encumbrances....................................................          17
  SECTION 3.12.       Litigation...........................................................................          18
  SECTION 3.13.       Taxes................................................................................          18
  SECTION 3.14.       Employee Benefit Plans...............................................................          20
  SECTION 3.15.       Brokers..............................................................................          22
  SECTION 3.16.       Environmental Matters................................................................          22
  SECTION 3.17.       Proprietary Rights...................................................................          24
  SECTION 3.18.       Material Contracts and Leases........................................................          25
  SECTION 3.19.       Insurance............................................................................          26
  SECTION 3.20.       Labor Relations......................................................................          26
  SECTION 3.21.       Voting Requirements..................................................................          27
  SECTION 3.22.       Rights Agreement.....................................................................          27
  SECTION 3.23.       Customers Relations..................................................................          27

ARTICLE IV--REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND SUB...............................................          28
  SECTION 4.1.        Corporate Existence and Power........................................................          28
  SECTION 4.2.        Corporate Authorization..............................................................          28
  SECTION 4.3.        Consents and Approvals...............................................................          28
  SECTION 4.4.        No Violation.........................................................................          29
  SECTION 4.5.        Financial Statements.................................................................          29
  SECTION 4.6.        Financing............................................................................          29
  SECTION 4.7.        Offer Documents; Other Information...................................................          30
  SECTION 4.8.        Litigation...........................................................................          30

ARTICLE V--CONDUCT OF BUSINESS BY THE CORPORATION PENDING THE
             CLOSING.......................................................................................          30
  SECTION 5.1.        Regular Course of Business...........................................................          30
  SECTION 5.2.        Charter Documents and Capital Changes................................................          32
  SECTION 5.3.        Organization and Good Will...........................................................          33
  SECTION 5.4.        Insurance............................................................................          33
  SECTION 5.5.        Compliance With Laws.................................................................          33
  SECTION 5.6.        SEC Reports..........................................................................          33
  SECTION 5.7.        Proxy Statement......................................................................          33
  SECTION 5.8.        Shareholder Approval.................................................................          33
  SECTION 5.9.        No Solicitation of Other Offers......................................................          34
  SECTION 5.10.       Notification of Certain Matters......................................................          36
  SECTION 5.11.       Rights Agreement.....................................................................          36
  SECTION 5.12.       Properties; Material Contracts.......................................................          37
  SECTION 5.13.       Dividends, Etc.......................................................................          37
  SECTION 5.14.       Full Access..........................................................................          37
ARTICLE VI--COVENANTS OF PARTIES...........................................................................          38
  SECTION 6.1.        Confidentiality......................................................................          38
  SECTION 6.2.        Cooperation..........................................................................          39
  SECTION 6.3.        Filings; Consents; Removal of Objections.............................................          40
  SECTION 6.4.        Public Announcements.................................................................          40
  SECTION 6.5.        Employee Benefits....................................................................          40
  SECTION 6.6.        Indemnification and Insurance........................................................          41
  SECTION 6.7.        Resignation of Directors.............................................................          42
  SECTION 6.8.        Confidentiality Agreement............................................................          42
  SECTION 6.9.        Certain Actions of Parent and Sub....................................................          42

ARTICLE VII--CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER......................................................          43
  SECTION 7.1.        Conditions Precedent to Obligations of Parent, Sub and the Corporation...............          43

ARTICLE VIII--TERMINATION AND ABANDONMENT..................................................................          44
  SECTION 8.1.        Termination..........................................................................          44
  SECTION 8.2.        Effect of Termination................................................................          45

ARTICLE IX--MISCELLANEOUS..................................................................................          46
  SECTION 9.1.        Fees and Expenses....................................................................          46
  SECTION 9.2.        Notices..............................................................................          47
  SECTION 9.3.        Termination of Representations and Warranties........................................          48
  SECTION 9.4.        Amendments...........................................................................          48
  SECTION 9.5.        Waivers..............................................................................          48
  SECTION 9.6.        Successors and Assigns...............................................................          48
  SECTION 9.7.        Governing Law and Forum..............................................................          49
  SECTION 9.8.        Counterparts; Effectiveness..........................................................          49
  SECTION 9.9.        Entire Agreement; Schedules and Exhibits.............................................          49
  SECTION 9.10.       Headings and Table of Contents.......................................................          49

ARTICLE X--DEFINITIONS.....................................................................................          50

ANNEX I to Share Purchase Agreement and Plan of Merger
  Conditions to the Share Purchase.........................................................................         A-I
</TABLE>
                  SHARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

    This Share Purchase Agreement and Plan of Merger (this "Agreement") dated as
of  December  22,  1997 is made by and  among  Outsourcing  Solutions,  Inc.,  a
Delaware corporation  ("Parent"),  Sherman Acquisition  Corporation,  a Delaware
corporation  and a direct  wholly-owned  subsidiary of Parent  ("Sub"),  and The
Union Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"). Capitalized terms
used herein and not  otherwise  defined in the Preamble or in Articles I through
IX of this Agreement shall have the respective  meanings  ascribed to such terms
in Article X hereto.

                                    PREAMBLE

    WHEREAS,  the Boards of Directors of Parent,  Sub and the  Corporation  have
each  determined  that  it  is  in  the  best  interests  of  their   respective
stockholders  for Parent to  acquire  up to all of the  issued  and  outstanding
Common Stock,  par value $.50 per share,  of the Corporation  (the  "Corporation
Stock")  (all  issued  and  outstanding   shares  of  Corporation   Stock  being
hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Shares") upon the terms and subject
to the conditions set forth herein; and

    WHEREAS,  in furtherance  thereof, it is proposed that Sub shall make a cash
tender offer (the "Offer") to acquire all of the issued and  outstanding  Shares
for $31.50 per share (such amount, or any greater amount per Share paid pursuant
to the Offer, being hereinafter  referred to as the "Per Share Amount"),  net to
the seller in cash,  in  accordance  with the terms  provided  herein and in the
Offer; and

    WHEREAS, to complete such acquisition, the respective Boards of Directors of
Parent,  Sub and the  Corporation  have approved the merger of Sub with and into
the  Corporation  (the  "Merger"),  pursuant  to and  subject  to the  terms and
conditions of this Agreement;  and h) 0*0*0*-Registered  Trademark-  -Registered
Trademark- Section(5) WHEREAS, the Directors of the Corporation have unanimously
determined  that each of the Offer and the  Merger  are fair to, and in the best
interests of, the holders of Common Stock, approved the Offer and the Merger and
recommended  the  acceptance  of the Offer and  approval  and  adoption  of this
Agreement by the shareholders of the Corporation; and

    NOW,  THEREFORE,  in consideration of the mutual covenants,  representations
and warranties  herein set forth, and the mode of carrying the same into effect,
the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

                          ARTICLE I--THE TENDER OFFER

     SECTION 1.1. THE OFFER.  (a) Provided  that this  Agreement  shall not have
been  terminated in  accordance  with Article VIII hereof and so long as none of
the events set forth in Annex I hereto (the  "Tender  Offer  Conditions")  shall
have occurred and be continuing and shall not have been waived by Parent, Parent
shall  cause  Sub to  commence  (within  the  meaning  of Rule  14d-2  under the
Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and the rules
and regulations  thereunder) the Offer for all issued and outstanding  Shares as
promptly as reasonably  practicable after the date hereof, but in no event later
than five (5) business  days after the date of this  Agreement.  The Offer shall
remain  open for a period  of not less  than  twenty  (20)  business  days.  The
obligation of Sub to accept for payment  Shares  tendered  pursuant to the Offer
shall be subject to the satisfaction of the Tender Offer Conditions.  Parent and
Sub expressly reserve the right to waive any such condition, to increase the Per
Share Amount payable in the Offer, and to make any other change in the terms and
conditions of the Offer; provided, however, that, without the written consent of
the Corporation,  no change may be made which (A) decreases the Per Share Amount
payable in the Offer,  (B) reduces the number of Shares to be  purchased  in the
Offer,  (C) imposes  conditions  to the Offer in  addition  to the Tender  Offer
Conditions,  (D) amends or changes the terms and  conditions of the Offer in any
manner  materially  adverse to the holders of Shares  (other than Parent and Sub
and its  subsidiaries),  (E) changes the  consideration  payable in the Offer to
anything other than all cash, (F) reduces the time period during which the Offer
shall  remain open or (G) except as provided in the next  sentence,  extends the
time  period  during  which the Offer shall  remain  open.  Notwithstanding  the
foregoing,  Parent and Sub may,  without  the  consent of the  Corporation,  (i)
extend  the  Offer  beyond  the  scheduled  expiration  date and any  subsequent
scheduled expiration date (but not beyond the date referred to in Section 8.1(c)
hereof),  if at such  date  any of the  Tender  Offer  Conditions  shall  not be
satisfied or waived, until such time as such conditions are satisfied or waived,
and (ii)  extend  the Offer for any  period  required  by any rule,  regulation,
interpretation  or position  of the SEC (but not beyond the date  referred to in
Section 8.1(c) hereof). The Per Share Amount shall be net to the seller in cash,
upon the terms  and  subject  to the  Tender  Offer  Conditions.  Following  the
satisfaction  or waiver of the Tender  Offer  Conditions,  Sub shall  accept for
payment  and pay for  (hereinafter  referred  to as the  "Share  Purchase"),  in
accordance with the terms of the Offer, all Shares validly tendered  pursuant to
the Offer and not withdrawn, as soon as it is permitted to do so pursuant to the
Exchange Act or other applicable law or regulation, whichever is later.

    (b) As soon as  practicable  on the date of the  commencement  of the Offer,
Parent  and Sub shall  file  with the  United  States  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission (the "SEC") a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule 14D-1 (together with
all amendments and supplements  thereto,  the "Schedule  14D-1") with respect to
the Offer.  The Schedule  14D-1 will contain an offer to purchase (the "Offer to
Purchase")  and  form of the  related  letter  of  transmittal  and any  summary
advertisement  (which  Schedule  14D-1,  Offer to Purchase and other  documents,
together  with any  supplements  or amendments  thereto,  are referred to herein
collectively as the "Offer Documents"). The Corporation and its counsel shall be
given the  opportunity to review and comment upon the Offer  Documents  prior to
their filing with the SEC.  Parent,  Sub and the  Corporation  agree promptly to
correct any  information  provided by any of them for use in the Offer Documents
that shall have become false or misleading in any material  respect,  and Parent
and Sub further agree to take all steps necessary to cause the Schedule 14D-1 as
so  corrected  to be filed  with the SEC and the  other  Offer  Documents  as so
corrected to be  disseminated  to holders of Shares,  in each case as and to the
extent required by applicable federal securities laws. Parent and Sub each agree
to provide the  Corporation and its counsel with any comments either of them, or
their  counsel,  may receive from the SEC or its staff with respect to the Offer
Documents  promptly  after the receipt of such  comments  and shall  provide the
Corporation and its counsel an opportunity to  participate,  including by way of
discussions with the SEC or its staff, in their response to such comments.

    SECTION 1.2.  CORPORATE  ACTION,CFN.  (a) The Corporation hereby approves of
and  consents to the Offer and the Merger and  represents  that (i) its Board of
Directors,  at a meeting duly called,  has  unanimously (A) determined that this
Agreement and the transactions  contemplated  hereby are fair to and in the best
interests of the holders of Shares,  (B) approved and adopted this Agreement and
the transactions contemplated hereby and recommends that the stockholders of the
Corporation  accept  the  Offer,  and (C)  taken  all  other  applicable  action
necessary to render,  so long as this Agreement  remains in effect,  (x) Section
203 of the General  Corporation  Law of the State of Delaware  (the  "DGCL") and
other  state  takeover   statutes;   (y)  Article  FIFTH  of  the  Corporation's
Certificate  of  Incorporation  (except for the  requirement  that the Merger be
approved by the holders of not less than two-thirds of the outstanding  Shares),
and (z) the Rights Agreement dated as of March 14, 1988, as amended (the "Rights
Agreement"), inapplicable to the Offer and the Merger; and (ii) CIBC Oppenheimer
Corp.  has  delivered to the Board of Directors of the  Corporation  its written
opinion that the  consideration to be received by the holders of Shares pursuant
to the Offer and the Merger is fair to the  holders of Shares  from a  financial
point of view and Corporation has delivered to Parent a copy of said opinion.

     (b) The  Corporation  shall file with the SEC as soon as practicable on the
date of the commencement of the Offer a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on
schedule  14D-9  (together  with all amendments  and  supplements  thereto,  the
"Schedule  14D-9")  containing,  subject  to the  terms of this  Agreement,  the
recommendation  of the  Corporation's  Board of  Directors  described in Section
1.2(a)  and shall  disseminate  the  Schedule  14D-9 as  required  by Rule 14d-9
promulgated  under the Exchange  Act.  Parent and Sub and their counsel shall be
given the opportunity to review and comment upon the Schedule 14D-9 prior to its
filing  with the SEC.  The  Corporation,  Parent and Sub each agree  promptly to
correct any  information  provided by any of them for use in the Schedule  14D-9
that shall have become  false or  misleading  in any material  respect,  and the
Corporation  further  agrees to take all steps  necessary  to cause the Schedule
14D-9 as so corrected to be filed with the SEC and to be disseminated to holders
of Shares,  in each case as and to the extent  required  by  applicable  federal
securities  laws. The Corporation  agrees to provide Parent and its counsel with
any  comments  the  Corporation  or its counsel may receive  from the SEC or its
staff with  respect to the  Schedule  14D-9  promptly  after the receipt of such
comments and shall provide Parent and its counsel an opportunity to participate,
including by way of  discussions  with the SEC or its staff,  in the response of
the Corporation to such comments.

    (c) The  Corporation  has  furnished  Parent with mailing  labels and a list
containing  the names and  addresses  of all record  holders of Shares and will,
upon request, furnish Parent with all other available listings or computer files
containing names, addresses and security position listings of any record holders
or beneficial owners of Shares,  each as of a recent date. The Corporation shall
furnish Parent with such  additional  information,  including  updated lists and
files of stockholders  and security  position  listings,  and such other related
assistance  Parent  or its  agents  may  reasonably  request  to  carry  out the
transactions contemplated hereby. Subject to the requirements of applicable law,
and except for such steps as are necessary to  disseminate  the Offer  Documents
and any other documents necessary to consummate the Share Purchase, Parent shall
hold in  confidence  the  information  contained in any of such lists and files,
shall use such  information  only in connection  with the Offer (and the Merger)
and, if this Agreement shall be terminated, shall deliver to the Corporation all
copies of such  information  then in its  possession.  The  Corporation has been
advised that each of its directors and the executive  officers intends to tender
pursuant  to  the  Offer  all  shares  of  Common  Stock  owned  of  record  and
beneficially by him or her.

    SECTION 1.3. COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.  Promptly upon the Share
Purchase,  Sub shall be entitled to  designate  such number of  directors on the
Board of Directors of the Corporation,  rounded up to the next whole number,  as
will give Sub,  subject to  compliance  with Section  14(f) of the Exchange Act,
representation  on such  Board of  Directors  equal to at least  that  number of
directors which equals the product of the total number of directors on the Board
of Directors  (giving effect to the directors elected pursuant to this sentence)
multiplied  by a fraction,  the numerator of which shall be the number of shares
of Common Stock so accepted  for payment and paid for or  otherwise  acquired or
owned by Sub or  Parent  and the  denominator  of which  shall be the  number of
shares of Common Stock then  outstanding,  and the  Corporation and its Board of
Directors  shall,  at such time,  take any and all such  action  needed to cause
Sub's  designees  to be  appointed  to  the  Corporation's  Board  of  Directors
(including  to cause  directors to resign).  Promptly  upon the Share  Purchase,
Corporation  and its Board of Directors shall take such further action as may be
requested by Sub to cause Sub's  designees to  constitute at least a majority of
the Board of Directors of each direct or indirect  Subsidiary of the Corporation
(other than Allied Bond & Collection Agency,  Inc.).  Subject to applicable law,
the  Corporation  shall take all action  requested by Parent which is reasonably
necessary to effect any such election,  including mailing to its shareholders an
Information  Statement  containing the information  required by Section 14(f) of
the  Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1  promulgated  thereunder,  and the  Corporation
agrees to make such mailing  with the mailing of the  Schedule  14D-9 so long as
Sub shall have  provided to the  Corporation  on a timely basis all  information
required to be  included in such  Information  Statement  with  respect to Sub's
designees. In furtherance thereof, the Corporation will increase the size of the
Corporation's  Board of Directors,  or use its reasonable  efforts to secure the
resignation of directors,  or both, as is necessary to permit Sub's designees to
be elected to the Corporation's Board of Directors.  Upon the Share Purchase (as
defined in Section 1.1  hereof) all  directors  of the  Corporation,  other than
Sub's designees and two directors of Corporation,  and, unless otherwise agreed,
all officers of the Corporation shall resign.

     SECTION  1.4.  STOCK  OPTIONS AND OTHER PLANS.  (a) As soon as  practicable
following the date hereof, the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall adopt
appropriate  resolutions and cause the Corporation to take all actions necessary
to obtain the consent of each holder of an outstanding option to purchase Shares
("Options") to the effect that, upon the Share Purchase, each Option, whether or
not then vested or exercisable,  shall no longer be exercisable for the purchase
of Shares but shall entitle each holder thereof,  in cancellation and settlement
therefor, to a payment in cash (subject to any applicable withholding taxes, the
"Cash  Payment"),  equal to the  product  of (x) the  total  number of shares of
Common  Stock  subject to such  Option as to which such  Option  could have been
exercised and (y) the excess of the Per Share Amount over the exercise price per
share of Common Stock subject to such Option,  each such Cash Payment to be paid
to each holder (or, without duplication, the beneficial owner) of an outstanding
Option on the date of the Share Purchase; and

    (b)  All  stock  option  plans  of the  Corporation  ("Stock  Plans")  shall
terminate as of the  Effective  Time and the  provisions  in any other  Employee
Benefit Plan providing for the issuance,  transfer or grant of any capital stock
of the  Corporation  or any  interest  in  respect of any  capital  stock of the
Corporation shall be deleted as of the Effective Time, and the Corporation shall
ensure  that  following  the  Effective  Time  no  holder  of an  Option  or any
participant  in any Stock Plan shall have any right  thereunder  to acquire  any
capital  stock of the  Corporation,  Parent or the  Surviving  Corporation.  The
Corporation will ensure that neither the Corporation nor any of its Subsidiaries
is or  will  be  bound  by any  Options,  other  options,  warrants,  rights  or
agreements which would entitle any Person,  other than Parent or its affiliates,
to own any capital stock of the Surviving Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries
or to receive any payment in respect thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
holders of Options who did not receive the Cash Payment on the date of the Share
Purchase   shall   thereafter  be  entitled  to  receive  the  Cash  Payment  in
cancellation  and  settlement  of such  Options  as  provided  in the  preceding
paragraph (a).

                   ARTICLE II--THE MERGER AND RELATED MATTERS

    SECTION 2.1.  THE MERGER.  (a) Subject to the terms and  conditions  of this
Agreement,  at the time of the Closing (as defined in Section  2.11  hereof),  a
certificate  of merger (the  "Certificate  of Merger")  shall be duly  prepared,
executed and acknowledged by Sub and the Corporation in accordance with the DGCL
and shall be filed on the Closing Date (as defined in Section 2.11 hereof).  The
Merger shall become  effective upon the filing of the Certificate of Merger with
the  Secretary  of  State  of the  State  of  Delaware  in  accordance  with the
provisions and requirements of the DGCL. The date and time when the Merger shall
become effective is hereinafter referred to as the "Effective Time".

    (b) At the Effective Time, Sub shall be merged with and into the Corporation
and the separate  corporate  existence of Sub shall cease,  and the  Corporation
shall  continue  as the  surviving  corporation  under  the laws of the State of
Delaware   under  the  name  of  "The   Union   Corporation"   (the   "Surviving
Corporation").

    (c) From and after the Effective Time, the Merger shall have the effects set
forth in Section 259 of the DGCL.

    SECTION 2.2. CONVERSION OF STOCK. At the Effective Time:

    (a) Each share of Common  Stock then issued and  outstanding  other than (i)
any shares of Common Stock which are held by any  Subsidiary of the  Corporation
or in  the  treasury  of  the  Corporation,  or  which  are  held,  directly  or
indirectly,  by Parent or any direct or indirect subsidiary of Parent (including
Sub),  all of which  shall be  cancelled  and none of which  shall  receive  any
payment with respect  thereto and (ii) shares of Common Stock held by Dissenting
Shareholders  (as defined in Section 2.3 hereof) shall,  by virtue of the Merger
and without any action on the part of the holder thereof,  be converted into and
represent the right to receive an amount in cash, without interest, equal to the
Per Share Amount (the "Merger Consideration"); and

    (b) Each  share of common  stock,  par value  $0.01 per  share,  of Sub then
issued and outstanding  shall, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on
the part of the holder thereof, become one fully paid and nonassessable share of
common stock, $0.50 par value, of the Surviving Corporation.

     SECTION 2.3. DISSENTING STOCK.  Notwithstanding  anything in this Agreement
to the contrary but only to the extent required by DGCL,  shares of Common Stock
that are issued and outstanding  immediately prior to the Effective Time and are
held by holders of Common Stock who comply with all the  provisions  of Delaware
law  concerning  the right of holders of Common Stock to dissent from the Merger
and  require   appraisal   of  their   shares  of  Common   Stock   ("Dissenting
Shareholders")  shall not be  converted  into the right to  receive  the  Merger
Consideration but shall become the right to receive such consideration as may be
determined  to be due such  Dissenting  Shareholder  pursuant to the laws of the
State of Delaware;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that (i) if any Dissenting  Shareholder
shall  subsequently  deliver  a  written  withdrawal  of his or her  demand  for
appraisal  (with the written  approval  of the  Surviving  Corporation,  if such
withdrawal is not tendered within 60 days after the Effective  Time), or (ii) if
any Dissenting Shareholder fails to establish and perfect his or her entitlement
to  appraisal  rights as  provided  by  applicable  law,  then  such  Dissenting
Shareholder  or  Shareholders,  as the case may be,  shall  forfeit the right to
appraisal of such shares and such shares shall  thereupon be deemed to have been
converted  into the right to  receive,  as of the  Effective  Time,  the  Merger
Consideration,  without interest.  The Corporation shall give Parent and Sub (A)
prompt notice of any written  demands for appraisal,  withdrawals of demands for
appraisal and any other related instruments received by the Corporation, and (B)
the  opportunity  to direct all  negotiations  and  proceedings  with respect to
demands for appraisal.  The Corporation  will not  voluntarily  make any payment
with respect to any demands for  appraisal  and will not,  except with the prior
written consent of Parent, settle or offer to settle any demand.

    SECTION 2.4.  SURRENDER OF CERTIFICATES.  (a) Concurrently  with or prior to
the Effective  Time,  Parent shall  designate a bank or trust company located in
the United  States to act as paying agent (the  "Paying  Agent") for purposes of
making the cash payments  contemplated  hereby. As soon as practicable after the
Effective  Time,  Parent  shall  cause  the  Paying  Agent to mail  and/or  make
available  to each  holder of a  certificate  theretofore  evidencing  shares of
Common  Stock  (other  than  those  which  were  held by any  Subsidiary  of the
Corporation or in the treasury of the  Corporation or which are held directly or
indirectly by Parent or any direct or indirect  subsidiary of Parent  (including
Sub))  a  notice  and  letter  of  transmittal   advising  such  holder  of  the
effectiveness  of the Merger and the  procedure for  surrendering  to the Paying
Agent such certificate or certificates  which immediately prior to the Effective
Time represented  outstanding Common Stock (the  "Certificates") in exchange for
the Merger Consideration deliverable in respect thereof pursuant to this Article
II.  Upon  the  surrender  for   cancellation   to  the  Paying  Agent  of  such
Certificates, together with a letter of transmittal, duly executed and completed
in accordance with the  instructions  thereon,  and any other items specified by
the letter of  transmittal,  the Paying  Agent shall  promptly pay to the Person
entitled thereto the Merger Consideration  deliverable in respect thereto. Until
so surrendered, each Certificate shall be deemed, for all corporate purposes, to
evidence only the right to receive upon such surrender the Merger  Consideration
deliverable in respect thereof to which such Person is entitled pursuant to this
Article  II.  No  interest  shall be paid or  accrued  in  respect  of such cash
payments.

    (b) If the Merger  Consideration (or any portion thereof) is to be delivered
to a Person other than the Person in whose name the  Certificate  surrendered in
exchange therefor are registered,  it shall be a condition to the payment of the
Merger  Consideration  that the  Certificates  so surrendered  shall be properly
endorsed or accompanied by appropriate stock powers and otherwise in proper form
for  transfer,  that  such  transfer  otherwise  be proper  and that the  Person
requesting  such  transfer  pay to the Paying  Agent any transfer or other taxes
payable by reason of the  foregoing  or  establish  to the  satisfaction  of the
Paying Agent that such taxes have been paid or are not required to be paid.

    (c) In the event any Certificate  shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed,
upon the  making  of an  affidavit  of that  fact by the  Person  claiming  such
Certificate  to be lost,  stolen or  destroyed,  the Paying  Agent will issue in
exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate the Merger Consideration
deliverable in respect thereof as determined in accordance with this Article II,
provided that, the Person to whom the Merger  Consideration  is paid shall, as a
condition  precedent to the payment  thereof,  give the Surviving  Corporation a
bond  in  such  sum  as it may  direct  or  otherwise  indemnify  the  Surviving
Corporation  in a manner  satisfactory  to it against any claim that may be made
against the Surviving  Corporation  with respect to the  Certificate  claimed to
have been lost, stolen or destroyed.

    SECTION  2.5.  PAYMENT.  Concurrently  with  or  immediately  prior  to  the
Effective Time,  Parent or Sub shall deposit in trust with the Paying Agent cash
in United States dollars in an aggregate  amount equal to the product of (i) the
number of  shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective
Time (other than shares of Common Stock which are held by any  Subsidiary of the
Corporation or in the treasury of the  Corporation or which are held directly or
indirectly by Parent or any direct or indirect  subsidiary of Parent  (including
Sub)  or a  Person  known  at  the  time  of  such  deposit  to be a  Dissenting
Shareholder) and (ii) the Merger  Consideration  (such amount being  hereinafter
referred to as the  "Payment  Fund").  The Payment Fund shall be invested by the
Paying  Agent as  directed by Parent  only in direct  obligations  of the United
States,  obligations for which the full faith and credit of the United States is
pledged to provide for the payment of principal and interest,  commercial  paper
rated of the highest quality by Moody's Investors  Services,  Inc. or Standard &
Poor's Ratings Group or certificates of deposit,  bank repurchase  agreements or
bankers' acceptances of a commercial bank having at least $100,000,000 in assets
(collectively,  "Permitted  Investments")  or in money  market  funds  which are
invested in Permitted  Investments,  and any net earnings  with respect  thereto
shall be paid to Parent as and when requested by Parent. The Paying Agent shall,
pursuant to irrevocable  instructions,  make the payments referred to in Section
2.2(a)  hereof out of the Payment  Fund.  The Payment Fund shall not be used for
any other purpose except as otherwise  agreed to by Parent.  Promptly  following
the date which is three months after the Effective  Time, the Paying Agent shall
return to Parent all cash,  certificates and other instruments in its possession
that  constitute any portion of the Payment Fund (other than net earnings on the
Payment Fund which shall be paid to Parent), and the Paying Agent's duties shall
terminate.   Thereafter,  each  holder  of  a  Certificate  may  surrender  such
Certificate to the Surviving  Corporation  and (subject to applicable  abandoned
property,  escheat and similar  laws)  receive in exchange  therefor  the Merger
Consideration,  without  interest,  but shall have no greater rights against the
Surviving Corporation or Parent than may be accorded to general creditors of the
Surviving  Corporation  or Parent  under  applicable  law.  Notwithstanding  the
foregoing,  neither the Paying  Agent nor any party  hereto shall be liable to a
holder of shares of Common  Stock for any Merger  Consideration  delivered  to a
public official pursuant to applicable  abandoned property,  escheat and similar
laws.

    SECTION  2.6. NO FURTHER  RIGHTS OF  TRANSFERS.  At and after the  Effective
Time,  each  holder  of a  Certificate  shall  cease  to have  any  rights  as a
shareholder  of the  Corporation,  except  for,  in the  case of a  holder  of a
Certificate (other than shares to be cancelled pursuant to Section 2.2(a) hereof
and other than shares held by Dissenting  Shareholders),  the right to surrender
his or her Certificate in exchange for payment of the Merger  Consideration  or,
in the case of a Dissenting Shareholder,  to perfect his or her right to receive
payment  for his or her  shares  pursuant  to  Delaware  law if such  holder has
validly  perfected and not withdrawn his or her right to receive payment for his
or her shares,  and no  transfer of shares of Common  Stock shall be made on the
stock transfer books of the Surviving Corporation. Certificates presented to the
Surviving  Corporation after the Effective Time shall be cancelled and exchanged
for cash as provided in this  Article II. At the close of business on the day of
the Effective  Time the stock ledger of the  Corporation  with respect to Common
Stock shall be closed.

    SECTION 2.7. CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF THE SURVIVING CORPORATION.  The
Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation,  as in effect immediately prior
to  the  Effective  Time,  shall  be the  Certificate  of  Incorporation  of the
Surviving  Corporation and shall be amended such that it is substantially in the
form of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation attached hereto as
Exhibit 2.7.

    SECTION 2.8. BY-LAWS OF THE SURVIVING CORPORATION. The By-Laws of Sub, as in
effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be the By-Laws of the
Surviving Corporation.

     SECTION 2.9.  DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF THE SURVIVING  CORPORATION.  At the
Effective  Time,  the directors of Sub  immediately  prior to the Effective Time
shall be the directors of the Surviving  Corporation,  each of such directors to
hold  office,  subject  to  the  applicable  provisions  of the  Certificate  of
Incorporation  and By-Laws of the Surviving  Corporation,  until the next annual
shareholders'  meeting of the Surviving  Corporation and until their  respective
successors  shall be duly elected or appointed and  qualified.  At the Effective
Time, the officers of the  Corporation  immediately  prior to the Effective Time
shall, subject to the applicable  provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation
and By-Laws of the  Surviving  Corporation,  be the  officers  of the  Surviving
Corporation until their respective successors shall be duly elected or appointed
and qualified.

    SECTION 2.10. CLOSING.  The closing of the Merger (the "Closing") shall take
place at the offices of White & Case, 1155 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New
York,  as soon as  practicable  after  the last of the  conditions  set forth in
Article VII hereof is fulfilled or waived  (subject to applicable law) but in no
event later than the fifth  business day  thereafter,  or at such other time and
place and on such other date as Parent and the Corporation  shall mutually agree
(the "Closing Date").

    SECTION  2.11.  PROXY  STATEMENT,  SCHEDULE  14D-9 AND SCHEDULE  14D-1.  The
definitive proxy statement and related materials,  if required,  to be furnished
to the holders of Common Stock in connection with the Merger pursuant to Section
5.7 hereof (the "Proxy Statement") will comply in all material respects with the
Exchange Act and the rules and regulations  thereunder and any other  applicable
laws. If at any time prior to the  Effective  Time any event occurs which should
be  described  in an  amendment  or  supplement  to  the  Proxy  Statement,  the
Corporation will file and disseminate,  as required,  an amendment or supplement
which complies in all material  respects with the Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations  thereunder and any other  applicable  laws. None of the information
supplied by the Corporation for inclusion or  incorporation  by reference in (i)
the Offer Documents or (ii) the Proxy Statement,  will, in the case of the Offer
Documents,  at the respective  times the Offer Documents are filed with the SEC,
or, in the case of the Proxy Statement, at the date such information is supplied
and at the Effective  Time,  contain any untrue  statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements  made,
in light of the circumstance under which they are made, not misleading.  None of
the  information in the Schedule  14D-9,  at the  respective  times the Schedule
14D-9 is filed with the SEC,  will  contain any untrue  statement  of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements  made, in
light  of  the  circumstances   under  which  they  are  made,  not  misleading.
Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  no  representation  or  warranty  is  made  by
Corporation with respect to any information with respect to Parent, Sub or their
officers,  directors or affiliates  provided to the Corporation by Parent or Sub
in writing for inclusion in the Schedule  14D-9.  The Schedule 14D-9 will comply
in all material  respects  with the  Exchange Act and the rules and  regulations
thereunder and any other applicable laws. If at any time prior to the expiration
or  termination  of the Offer any event  occurs  which should be described in an
amendment or  supplement  to the Schedule  14D-9 or any  amendment or supplement
thereto, the Corporation will file and disseminate, as required, an amendment or
supplement  which  complies in all material  respects  with the Exchange Act the
rules and regulations  thereunder and any other  applicable  laws.  Prior to its
filing with the SEC, the  amendment or  supplement  shall be delivered to Parent
and Sub and their counsel.


         ARTICLE III--REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE CORPORATION

    The Corporation represents and warrants to Parent and Sub that:

    SECTION 3.1. CORPORATE EXISTENCE AND POWER. The Corporation is a corporation
duly  organized,  validly  existing and in good  standing  under the laws of the
State of Delaware  and has all  corporate  power,  authority  and legal right to
conduct its business as it is now being  conducted and to own the properties and
assets it now owns.  Except as shown in Paragraph 3.1 of the  Disclosure  Letter
("DL") heretofore  prepared by the Corporation and delivered to Parent,  foreign
corporation  and is in good  standing in every  jurisdiction,  both domestic and
foreign, where the character of the property owned or leased by it or the nature
of its activities makes such qualification necessary, except where the continued
failure  to be so  qualified  or  licensed  is not  reasonably  likely to have a
Material  Adverse  Effect on the  Corporation.  The  Corporation  has previously
delivered to Purchaser true and correct copies of the Corporation's  Certificate
of Incorporation and By-Laws, as currently in effect.

    SECTION 3.2.  CORPORATE  AUTHORIZATION.  The  Corporation has full corporate
power and authority to enter into this Agreement  and,  subject to obtaining the
necessary  approval  of the  Merger  by  its  stockholders,  to  carry  out  the
transactions  contemplated hereby. The Board of Directors of the Corporation has
taken  all  actions   required  by  applicable   law  and  its   Certificate  of
Incorporation  and  By-Laws to  authorize  the  execution  and  delivery  by the
Corporation  of this  Agreement  and,  subject to obtaining  the approval of the
Merger by the holders of not less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares, the
performance by the Corporation of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby.  This
Agreement has been duly and validly  executed and  delivered by the  Corporation
and no other corporate  action is necessary in connection  therewith (other than
the  approval of the Merger by the  holders of a two- thirds of the  outstanding
shares of Common Stock entitled to vote),  and this Agreement  (assuming the due
authorization,  execution  and  delivery  hereof by Parent  and Sub) is a legal,
valid and  binding  obligation  of the  Corporation  enforceable  against  it in
accordance with its terms,  except to the extent that enforcement may be limited
by  applicable  bankruptcy,  insolvency,  reorganization  or other  similar laws
affecting  creditors'  rights  generally  and by  general  equitable  principles
(regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law).

    SECTION 3.3. CONSENTS AND APPROVALS; NO VIOLATIONS. Assuming (i) the filings
required under the HSR Act are made and the waiting  period  thereunder has been
terminated or has expired, (ii) the requirements of the Exchange Act relating to
the Proxy Statement (if required) and the Offer are met, (iii) the filing of the
Certificate  of Merger  and  other  appropriate  merger  documents,  if any,  as
required by DGCL are made and (iv) approval of the Merger by holders  two-thirds
of the  outstanding  shares of Common Stock entitled to vote, if required by the
DGCL,  is  received,  the  execution  and  delivery  of  this  Agreement  by the
Corporation  and  the  consummation  by  the  Corporation  of  the  transactions
contemplated  hereby will not: (1) violate any provision of the  Certificate  of
Incorporation  or  By-Laws  of  the  Corporation  or  the  comparable  governing
documents of any of its Subsidiaries,  in each case, as amended; (2) violate any
statue,  ordinance,  rule,  regulation,  order or  decree of any court or of any
governmental  or  regulatory  body,  agency  or  authority   applicable  to  the
Corporation  or any of its  Subsidiaries  or by which  any of  their  respective
properties  or assets may be bound;  (3) except as set forth in DL 3.3,  require
any filing with, or permit,  consent or approval of, or the giving of any notice
to, any governmental or regulatory body,  agency or authority;  or (4) except as
set  forth in DL 3.3,  result  in a  violation  or  breach  of,  conflict  with,
constitute  (with or without  due notice or lapse of time or both) a default (or
give rise to any right of termination,  cancellation,  payment or  acceleration)
under,  or  result in the  creation  of any  mortgage,  pledge,  lien,  security
interest,  encumbrance or charge of any kind (each an "Encumbrance") upon any of
the properties or assets of the  Corporation or any of its  Subsidiaries  under,
any of  the  terms,  conditions  or  provisions  of any  note,  bond,  mortgage,
indenture,  license, franchise, permit, agreement, lease, franchise agreement or
other  instrument  or  obligation  to  which  the  Corporation  or  any  of  its
Subsidiaries is a party, or by which it or any of their respective properties or
assets are bound or subject, except for in the case of clauses (3) and (4) above
for any such filing, permit, consent, approval, violation, breach or Encumbrance
which would not reasonably be expected to (a) have a Material  Adverse Effect on
the  Corporation  and its  Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole,  or (b)  prevent  or
materially  delay   consummation  of  the  transactions   contemplated  by  this
Agreement.

    SECTION 3.4. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS. Subject to Section 3.16 and except as set
forth in DL 3.4, the Corporation and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all
applicable laws, regulations, orders, judgements and decrees (including, but not
limited  to,  the Fair  Debt  Collection  Practices  Act and any  state or local
counterpart  or  equivalent)  except where the failure to so comply would not be
reasonably  likely to (i) have a Material  Adverse Effect on the Corporation and
its  Subsidiaries  taken  as  a  whole  or  (ii)  prevent  or  materially  delay
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

    SECTION 3.5. CAPITALIZATION. The authorized capital stock of the Corporation
consists of  15,000,000  shares of common stock,  par value $.50 per share,  and
500,000 shares of preferred  stock, par value $.50 per share. As of December 22,
1997,  there were issued and outstanding  5,802,641  shares of such common stock
(not including  2,944,837  shares held in the  Corporation's  treasury),  all of
which are of one class,  and no shares of such preferred  stock.  All issued and
outstanding  shares of Corporation  Stock have been duly  authorized and validly
issued and are fully paid and  nonassessable  and are not  subject  to, nor were
they issued in violation  of, any  preemptive  rights.  As of December 22, 1997,
728,548  shares of  Corporation  Stock were issuable upon exercise of Options to
purchase such stock,  which Options were issued  pursuant to the Stock Plans (as
defined  in Section  1.4),  which  plans are listed in DL 3.5(i).  Except as set
forth in this Section,  in DL 3.5(i) or in the Rights Agreement,  as of the date
hereof  there are no,  and at the  Effective  Time  there  will be no, (i) other
outstanding  shares of, (ii) securities of the Corporation  convertible  into or
exchangeable  for,  (iii)  options or other rights  (including  any  pre-emptive
rights)   to  acquire   from  the   Corporation,   or  (iv)   other   contracts,
understandings,   arrangements  or  obligations   (whether  or  not  contingent)
providing for the issuance or sale by the  Corporation,  directly or indirectly,
of, any capital stock or other equity or debt security of the Corporation. As of
the date  hereof,  except as set forth in DL  3.5(i) or in  connection  with the
exercise of any Options,  there are no, and at the Effective  Time there will be
no, outstanding contractual obligations of the Corporation to repurchase, redeem
or  otherwise  acquire  any  outstanding  shares of  Corporation  Stock or other
securities issued by the Corporation.

     SECTION 3.6. SUBSIDIARIES. Attached hereto as DL 3.6 is a true and complete
list of each subsidiary of the Corporation (the  "Subsidiaries"),  and except as
set forth on DL 3.6, each of the  Subsidiaries is duly  incorporated and validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of
incorporation,  with full corporate  power and authority to conduct its business
as it is now conducted and to own the properties and assets it now owns.  Except
as set forth in DL 3.6, each of the  Subsidiaries  is duly qualified or licensed
to do  business  as a  foreign  corporation  and is in good  standing  in  every
jurisdiction,  both  domestic and foreign,  where the  character of the property
owned or leased by it or the nature of its activities  makes such  qualification
necessary,  except  where the  failure to be so  qualified  or  licensed  is not
reasonably  likely to have a Material  Adverse Effect on the Corporation and its
Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole. All Subsidiaries are wholly owned,  directly or
indirectly,  by the Corporation.  Except for the Subsidiaries or as set forth in
DL 3.6, the  Corporation  does not own,  directly or  indirectly,  securities or
other ownership interests in any other entity and except as set forth in DL 3.6,
neither the Corporation nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any obligation
or  requirement to provide funds for or to make any investment (in the form of a
loan,  capital  contribution  or  otherwise)  to or in any  entity  other than a
Subsidiary.  All of the shares of capital  stock of the  Subsidiaries  have been
duly authorized and validly issued,  are fully paid and  nonassessable,  are not
subject to, nor were they issued in violation of, any preemptive rights, and are
owned,  directly  or  indirectly,  by the  Corporation  free  and  clear  of all
Encumbrances, options or claims whatsoever. No shares of capital stock of any of
the  Subsidiaries  are reserved for  issuance  and there are no  outstanding  or
authorized options,  warrants, rights,  subscriptions,  claims of any character,
agreements,  obligations,  rights of  redemption,  convertible  or  exchangeable
securities,  or other  commitments,  contingent  or  otherwise,  relating to the
capital  stock of any  Subsidiary,  pursuant to which such  Subsidiary is or may
become  obligated to issue any shares of capital stock of such Subsidiary or any
securities  convertible  into,  exchangeable  for, or  evidenced in the right to
subscribe for, any shares of such Subsidiary. Except as set forth in DL 3.6(ii),
there are no  restrictions of any kind which prevent the payment of dividends by
any of the Subsidiaries.

    SECTION 3.7. SEC FILINGS.  (a) The Corporation  has previously  delivered to
Parent a true, correct and complete copy of the Corporation's  Annual Reports on
Form 10-K for the years ended June 30, 1996 and June 30, 1997 (the  "Corporation
10-Ks"),  the  Corporation's  proxy statement  relating to its annual meeting of
stockholders  to be held on November 19, 1997, all other reports or registration
statements  filed by the  Corporation  with the SEC since June 30, 1996, and all
amendments and supplements to the foregoing (the "Corporation Filings"). Each of
the  Corporation  Filings  has  been  timely  filed,  subject  to any  allowable
extensions,  and was prepared in all material  respects in  accordance  with the
requirements  of the  Securities  Act or a  material  fact or  omit  to  state a
material fact required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements
therein,  in  light  of the  circumstances  under  which  they  were  made,  not
misleading.  The Corporation Filings constitute all of the documents required to
be filed by the Corporation with the SEC since June 30, 1996.

    (b) None of the  information  supplied  to  Parent  by the  Corporation  for
inclusion  in the Offer  Documents  will,  at the  respective  times  such Offer
Documents or any amendments or supplements thereto are filed with the SEC or are
first published, sent or given to stockholders,  as the case may be, contain any
untrue statement of material fact or omit to state any material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light
of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

    SECTION 3.8. FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS.  The financial statements (including the
notes thereto) (the "Corporation  Financial  Statements") of the Corporation and
its  Subsidiaries  included in the Corporation  Filings fairly  present,  in all
material  respects,  the consolidated  financial position of the Corporation and
its Subsidiaries as of the respective dates thereof and the consolidated results
of its  operations,  cash  flows and  stockholders'  equity  for the  respective
periods  then  ended,  all in  conformity  with  generally  accepted  accounting
principles  applied on a consistent  basis ("GAAP"),  except as indicated in the
notes thereto.

    SECTION 3.9. NO UNDISCLOSED LIABILITIES.  Except as set forth in DL 3.9 (the
"Corporation Disclosed Liabilities"), the Corporation has no liabilities, claims
or other obligations  (absolute,  accrued, or contingent) (herein referred to as
the  "Corporation  Liabilities")  except (a) Corporation  Liabilities  which are
accrued or  otherwise  reflected  on the  Corporation  Financial  Statements  or
disclosed in the notes  thereto,  (b)  Corporation  Liabilities  incurred in the
ordinary course of business since June 30, 1997 (the "Balance Sheet Date"),  (c)
Corporation  Liabilities  which  are  otherwise  disclosed  in  the  Corporation
Filings, (d) Corporation Liabilities otherwise permitted by this Agreement,  and
(e)  Corporation  Liabilities  which would not  reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.

    SECTION 3.10. ABSENCE OF CERTAIN CHANGES. Except as set forth in DL 3.10,
since the Balance Sheet Date, neither the Corporation nor any of the
Subsidiaries has:

    (a) suffered any Material Adverse Effect;

    (b)  except  for  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement,  made  any
declaration, setting aside or payment of any dividend or other distribution with
respect to its capital stock, except dividends from Subsidiaries to Corporation;

    (c) made any change in accounting principles except for the adoption of such
accounting  principles  which  have,  pursuant  to the  rules  of the  Financial
Accounting  Standards Board or the SEC, become  effective for the  Corporation's
fiscal year ending June 30, 1998;

     (d) granted any general  increase  in the  compensation  of its  directors,
officers  or  employees  or any  increase  in  compensation  payable to or to be
payable to any such director,  officer, or employee, except for increases in the
ordinary  course of business and consistent  with past practice or as previously
disclosed to Parent;

    (e) made any capital  expenditures  (other than (i) capital  expenditures in
the  ordinary  course of business and  consistent  with past  practice,  (ii) as
provided in Section 5.1(b)(iii), and (iii) as otherwise provided in any Material
Contracts listed in DL 3.18);

    (f) incurred any material  increase in net borrowings  outstanding under the
Amended and Restated  Credit  Agreement by and between the  Corporation  and The
First  National  Bank of Boston (now,  Bank of Boston  Connecticut)  dated as of
December  31,  1994,  as amended by the  Amendment  dated  October 23, 1996 (the
"Credit  Agreement") or incurred any other indebtedness  (except in each case in
the ordinary course of business);

    (g) taken any action  referred to in Sections  5.1, 5.2 and 5.13,  except as
permitted thereby; or

    (h) agreed, whether in writing or otherwise, to take any action described in
this Section, except as otherwise contemplated herein.

    SECTION 3.11. TITLE TO PROPERTIES; ENCUMBRANCES. Except as set forth in DL
3.11:

    (a) the  Corporation and each of the  Subsidiaries  have good and marketable
title to their  respective  material  properties  and  assets  reflected  on the
Corporation's  balance sheet  included in the  Corporation's  Form 10-K, for the
fiscal  year  ending  June 30,  1997 (the  "1997  10-K"),  except for (i) assets
related to capitalized leases and (ii) properties and assets sold or disposed of
since the Balance Sheet Date in the ordinary course of business;

    (b)  none of the  properties  or  assets  of the  Corporation  or any of the
Subsidiaries  is subject  to any  mortgage,  pledge,  lien,  security  interest,
encumbrance or charge of any kind  (collectively  referred to herein as "Liens")
except the following (herein called "Permitted  Liens"):  (i) Liens reflected on
the Corporation Financial Statements (including the notes thereto),  (ii) public
or  statutory  Liens or liens of  lessors,  carriers,  warehousemen,  mechanics,
suppliers,  materialmen,  repairmen or other like Liens  arising in the ordinary
course of business,  (iii) Liens  incurred or deposits made in  connection  with
workers' compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security
benefits,  (iv) Liens which  individually  or in the aggregate do not materially
detract  from the  value,  use or  enjoyment  of such  properties  or  assets or
otherwise would have a Material Adverse Effect on the business operations of the
Corporation and the  Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole; and (v) Liens with respect
to taxes, assessments and charges not yet due or the validity of which are being
contested in good faith by appropriate actions.

    SECTION 3.12. LITIGATION. Subject to Section 3.16 and except as set forth in
DL 3.12 or as disclosed in the Corporation Filings, there are no actions, suits,
proceedings or  investigations  pending or, to the knowledge of the Corporation,
threatened  against the Corporation or any of the Subsidiaries  before any court
or  arbitrator  or any  governmental  body,  agency  or  official  which (i) are
reasonably likely,  individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse
Effect on the Corporation and the Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole, (ii) question
or challenge  the validity of this  Agreement or the  transactions  contemplated
hereby,  or (iii)  would be  reasonably  likely to prevent or  materially  delay
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

    SECTION 3.13. TAXES. Except as set forth in DL 3.13 or where such failure to
duly file or pay  would not be  reasonably  likely  to have a  Material  Adverse
Effect on the Corporation and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole:

     (i) TAX RETURNS.  The Corporation and each of its  Subsidiaries  has timely
filed or caused to be timely filed with the appropriate  taxing  authorities all
Federal  and  other  returns,  statements,  forms  and  reports  for  Taxes  (as
hereinafter  defined)  ("Returns")  that are  required  to be filed  by, or with
respect  to,  the  Corporation  and  such  Subsidiaries.   The  Returns  reflect
accurately all liability for Taxes of the Corporation and such  Subsidiaries for
the periods  covered  thereby.  "Taxes" means all taxes,  assessments,  charges,
duties,  fees,  levies  or  other  governmental  charges,   including,   without
limitation,  all Federal,  state, local,  foreign, and other income,  franchise,
profits,  capital  gains,  capital  stock,  transfer,  sales,  use,  occupation,
property,   excise,  severance,   windfall  profits,  stamp,  license,  payroll,
withholding and other taxes, assessments, charges, duties, fees, levies or other
governmental  charges of any kind  whatsoever  (whether  payable  directly or by
withholding and whether or not requiring the filing of a Return),  all estimated
taxes,  deficiency  assessments,  additions to tax,  penalties  and interest and
shall  include  any  liability  for such  amounts as a result  either of being a
member  of a  combined,  consolidated,  unitary  or  affiliated  group  or  of a
contractual obligation to indemnify any person or other entity;

    (ii) PAYMENT OF TAXES.  All Taxes and Tax liabilities of the Corporation and
its  Subsidiaries  have  been  timely  paid or  adequately  disclosed  and fully
provided  for as a liability on the  consolidated  financial  statements  of the
Corporation and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP; and

    (iii) OTHER TAX  MATTERS.  (A) DL  3.13(iii)(A)  sets forth (1) each taxable
year or other taxable period of the Corporation or any of its  Subsidiaries  for
which an audit or other  examination of Taxes by the appropriate tax authorities
of any nation,  state or locality is currently in progress (or, to the knowledge
of the  Corporation,  scheduled to be conducted)  together with the names of the
respective tax  authorities  conducting (or scheduled to conduct) such audits or
examinations  and a  description  of  the  subject  matter  of  such  audits  or
examinations, (2) the most recent taxable year or other taxable period for which
an  audit  or  other  examination  relating  to  Federal  income  taxes  of  the
Corporation and its Subsidiaries has been finally  completed and the disposition
of such audit or examination,  (3) the taxable years or other taxable periods of
the  Corporation  or any of its  Subsidiaries  which  will not be subject to the
normally  applicable  statute  of  limitations  by  reason of the  existence  of
circumstances  that would cause any such statute of  limitations  for applicable
Taxes to be  extended,  (4) the  amount  of any  proposed  adjustments  (and the
principal  reason  therefor)  relating to any Returns for Tax  liability  of the
Corporation or any of its  Subsidiaries  which have been proposed or assessed by
any taxing  authority and (5) a list of all notices  received by the Corporation
or any of its Subsidiaries from any taxing authority relating to any issue which
could affect the Tax liability of the  Corporation  or any of its  Subsidiaries,
which issue has not been finally  determined and which, if determined  adversely
to the Corporation or any such subsidiaries, could result in a Tax liability.

    (B) Except as shown in DL  3.13(iii)(B),  neither the Corporation nor any of
its  Subsidiaries  has  been  included  in  any  "consolidated,"   "unitary"  or
"combined" Return (other than Returns which include only the Corporation and any
Subsidiaries  of the  Corporation)  provided  for  under  the law of the  United
States, any foreign  jurisdiction or any state or locality with respect to Taxes
for any taxable period for which the statute of limitations has not expired.

    (C) All Taxes which the  Corporation or any of its  Subsidiaries is (or was)
required by law to withhold or collect have been duly withheld or collected, and
have been  timely  paid over to the  proper  authorities  to the  extent due and
payable.

    (D) Except as previously disclosed to Parent, the Corporation is not a party
to any agreement that would require it to make any payment that would constitute
an "excess  parachute  payment"  for  purposes of Sections  280G and 4999 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code").

    (E)  There  are no  tax  sharing,  allocation,  indemnification  or  similar
agreements or arrangements in effect as between the Corporation, any Subsidiary,
or any predecessor or affiliate  thereof and any other party under which Parent,
Sub or the  Corporation  (or any of its  Subsidiaries)  could be liable  for any
Taxes or other claims of any other party under such agreements or arrangements.

    (F) No indebtedness of the Corporation or any of its  Subsidiaries  consists
of "corporate acquisition indebtedness" within the meaning of Section 279 of the
Code.

    (G) Neither the Corporation nor any of its Subsidiaries  will be required to
include in income any  adjustment  pursuant to Section 481 of the Code by reason
of a voluntary  change in accounting  method initiated by the Corporation or any
of its  Subsidiaries  after the date hereof and during the period  ending at the
time of the Share Purchase,  and the Internal  Revenue Service has not initiated
or proposed any such adjustment or change in accounting method.

    SECTION 3.14.  EMPLOYEE  BENEFIT PLANS.  Set forth in DL 3.14 is an accurate
and complete list of each domestic and foreign employee benefit plan, within the
meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee  Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
as amended, and the rules and regulations  thereunder ("ERISA"),  whether or not
subject to ERISA, and each stock option,  stock appreciation  right,  restricted
stock, incentive, bonus, profit-sharing, savings, deferred compensation, health,
medical, life, disability,  accident,  supplemental  unemployment or retirement,
employment,   severance  or  salary  or  benefits  continuation  plan,  program,
arrangement  or  agreement   maintained  by  the   Corporation  or  any  of  its
Subsidiaries or affiliates  (including,  for this purpose and for the purpose of
all of the  representations  in  this  Section  3.14,  any  predecessors  to the
Corporation or to any such Subsidiaries or affiliates and all employers (whether
or not incorporated)  that would be treated together with the Corporation and/or
any of its  Subsidiaries  as a single employer within the meaning of Section 414
of the Code,  or to which the  Corporation  or any such  Subsidiary or affiliate
contributes  (or has any  obligation to  contribute),  has any liability or is a
party  (collectively,  the "Employee Benefit Plans").  Except to the extent that
any breach of the following  representations could not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on the Corporation or as disclosed in DL 3.14,(i)
each Employee Benefit Plan (and each related trust,  insurance contract or fund)
is in compliance with applicable law (including,  without limitation,  ERISA and
the Code) and has been  administered  and operated in all respects in accordance
with its terms;(ii)  except as set forth in DL 3.14, each Employee  Benefit Plan
which is intended to be "qualified"  within the meaning of Section 401(a) of the
Code has received a favorable  determination  letter from the  Internal  Revenue
Service,  and  no  event  has  occurred  and no  condition  exists  which  could
reasonably   be   expected   to   result   in  the   revocation   of  any   such
determination;(iii)  no complete or partial  termination of any Employee Benefit
Plan  covered by Title IV of ERISA has  occurred  and no  proceedings  have been
instituted  to terminate or appoint a trustee to  administer  any such  Employee
Benefit  Plan,  and no such  Employee  Benefit  Plan has been the  subject  of a
"reportable  event" (as  defined in Section  4043 of ERISA) for which the 30-day
notice  requirement  has  not  been  waived  by  the  Pension  Benefit  Guaranty
Corporation   (the  "PBGC");   (iv)neither   the  Corporation  nor  any  of  its
Subsidiaries has incurred any unsatisfied  liability to the PBGC with respect to
any Employee  Benefit Plan which is an "employee  pension  benefit plan" (within
the  meaning  of Section  3(2) of ERISA),  including,  without  limitation,  any
liability  under Section 4069 of ERISA or any penalty imposed under Section 4071
of ERISA, or otherwise incurred any liability under Title IV of ERISA or Chapter
43 of the Code with respect to any such Employee  Benefit Plan, and no event has
occurred and no condition  or  circumstance  has existed that would give rise to
any such  liability;(v)  no Employee  Benefit Plan subject to Section 412 of the
Code or Section 302 of ERISA has incurred  any  accumulated  funding  deficiency
within the meaning of such  sections of the Code or ERISA or obtained or applied
for  a  waiver  of  any  minimum  funding  standards  or  an  extension  of  any
amortization  period  under  Section  412 of the Code or  Section  303 or 304 of
ERISA;(vi) the actuarial  present value of the  accumulated  plan benefits under
any Employee Benefit Plan that is an "employee pension benefit plan" (within the
meaning of  Section  3(2) of ERISA),  whether  or not vested and  determined  in
accordance with PBGC actuarial  methods,  factors and assumptions  applicable to
such a plan  terminating on the Closing Date,  does not exceed the fair value of
the assets allocable thereto;(vii) no Employee Benefit Plan is a "multi-employer
plan" (as  defined in the Code or Section  4001(a)(3)  of ERISA) or a  "multiple
employer  plan"  (within  the  meaning  of the Code or ERISA)  and  neither  the
Corporation nor any Subsidiary  contributes to or has contributed to, or had any
liability or  obligation  with respect to any  multi-employer  plan;(viii)  full
payment has been timely made of all amounts which the  Corporation or any of its
Subsidiaries is required under applicable law or under any Employee Benefit Plan
or related  agreement to have paid as of the last day of the most recent  fiscal
year, of such Employee Benefit Plan or related agreement ended prior to the date
hereof, and the Corporation and its Subsidiaries have made adequate  provisions,
in accordance with GAAP, in their  financial  statements for all obligations and
liabilities under all Employee Benefit Plans that have accrued but have not been
paid because they are not yet due under the terms of any such  Employee  Benefit
Plan, related agreement,  or applicable law;(ix) neither the Corporation nor any
of its  Subsidiaries  have any  unfunded  liabilities  pursuant to any  Employee
Benefit Plan which is an "employee  pension benefit plan" (within the meaning of
Section 3(2) of ERISA) that is not intended to be qualified under Section 401(a)
of the Code; (x) the applicable  requirements of Part 6 of Subtitle B of Title I
of ERISA  and  Section  4980B of the Code  have  been met with  respect  to each
Employee  Benefit Plan that is a "group health plan" (as such term is defined in
Section  607(1) of ERISA or Section  5000(b)(1)  of the  Code);(xi)  no Employee
Benefit Plan provides for  post-employment or retiree health,  life insurance or
other  welfare  benefits  which  could  result in a  material  liability  of the
Corporation or any Subsidiary;(xii)  neither the Corporation nor any Subsidiary,
nor  any  of  their  respective  directors,   officers  or  employees,   or,  to
Corporation's  knowledge, any other "disqualified person" or "party in interest"
(as  defined  in  Section  4975(e)(2)  of the Code and  Section  3(14) of ERISA,
respectively)  has  engaged  in  any  transaction,  act  or  omission  to act in
connection with any Employee  Benefit Plan that could  reasonably be expected to
result in the  imposition of a penalty or fine pursuant to Section 502 of ERISA,
damages  pursuant to Section 409 of ERISA or a tax  pursuant to Section  4975 of
the  Code;(xiii) no plan or agreement to which the Corporation or any Subsidiary
is a party or by which it may be bound will or may,  by reason of the  execution
of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions  contemplated  hereby
(either  alone or upon the  occurrence of any  additional or subsequent  event),
result in any payment,  "parachute  payment" (as such term is defined in Section
280G of the Code), severance,  bonus, retirement or job security or similar-type
benefit,  or increase any benefits or  accelerate  the payment or vesting of any
benefits to any employee or former  employee or director of the  Corporation  or
any  Subsidiary,  and no  Employee  Benefit  Plan  provides  for the  payment of
severance,  termination, change in control or similar-type payments or benefits;
and (xiv) no  liability,  claim,  action,  audit,  examination  or litigation is
pending  or, to the  Corporation's  knowledge,  threatened  with  respect to any
Employee  Benefit  Plan (other than routine  claims for benefits  payable in the
ordinary course).

    SECTION 3.15. BROKERS. There is no investment banker, broker, finder or
other intermediary other than CIBC Oppenheimer Corp. which or who has been
retained by, or is authorized to act for, the Corporation in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or is otherwise entitled to payment
of any fee or commission.

    SECTION 3.16.  ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS.

    (a) PROVISION CONTROLS. Anything elsewhere in this Agreement to the contrary
notwithstanding,   this  Section  3.16   contains  the  entire   agreement   and
understanding  of the parties  relating  to  environmental  representations  and
warranties concerning the Corporation and the Subsidiaries.

    (b) ENVIRONMENTAL DISCLOSURES.  DL 3.16 sets forth all environmental matters
that are within the scope of the  specific  categories  set forth  below  which,
individually  or in the  aggregate,  could  reasonably  be  expected  to  have a
Materially  Adverse Effect on the  Corporation and the  Subsidiaries  taken as a
whole:

        (1) all  permits,  licenses  and other  authorizations  possessed by the
    Corporation and the Subsidiaries  issued under Federal,  state or local laws
    relating to pollution or  protection of worker or public  health,  safety or
    the environment (collectively,  the "Environmental Permits"),  whether based
    on statute,  regulation,  common law,  equity or any other legal theory (the
    "Environmental  Laws")  including,  but not  limited to,  those  relating to
    emissions,   discharges,   releases  or  threatened  releases  of  hazardous
    substances,  pollutants,  contaminants,  or hazardous  or toxic  material or
    wastes into ambient air,  surface water,  groundwater or land  ("Releases").
    Each of such Releases and violations of an Environmental  Law is referred to
    herein as an "Environmental Incident";

        (2)  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Corporation,  all  violations  by  the
    Corporation   or  any   Subsidiary  of  the  terms  and  conditions  of  any
    Environmental  Permits or  Environmental  Laws or of any other  limitations,
    restrictions,    conditions,    standards,    prohibitions,    requirements,
    obligations,  schedules  and  timetables  contained in  Environmental  Laws;
    applicable  orders,  agreements,  variances,  injunctions,  decrees,  writs,
    judgments,  awards or arbitration  awards relating thereto;  and all past or
    present events, conditions, circumstances, activities, practices, incidents,
    actions or plans concerning the business or operations of the Corporation or
    any of its  Subsidiaries  or any entity that was formerly a subsidiary  or a
    controlled  affiliate  of the  Corporation  which may give rise to any legal
    liability  of  the  Corporation  or  any  of  its  Subsidiaries   under  any
    Environmental  Law or otherwise from any claim,  action,  suit,  proceeding,
    hearing or investigation in connection with any Environmental Incident;

        (3)  all  orders  (including,   without  limitations,   decrees,  writs,
    judgments,  awards  or  notice  or demand  letters)  or  agreements  issued,
    entered,  promulgated or approved by any Person under or in connection  with
    Environmental Laws which bind, restrict, obligate, or otherwise apply to the
    Corporation or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties
    or assets,  which remain in effect or which were issued or effective  during
    the five years prior to the date of this Agreement;

        (4) all actions,  claims, suits, proceedings or investigations under any
    Environmental  Laws either pending or, to the knowledge of the  Corporation,
    threatened  against the  Corporation  or any of the  Subsidiaries  or any of
    their respective  properties or assets before any court or arbitrator or any
    Governmental Authority;

        (5) all  agreements  (including,  but not limited to, consent orders and
    agreements among potentially  responsible  parties) to which the Corporation
    or  any of  the  Subsidiaries  is a  party  and  which  relate  to  benefits
    (including,  but not  limited to,  indemnification)  or  obligations  of the
    Corporation or any of the Subsidiaries in connection with Environmental Laws
    or  any  Environmental  Incident,  and  any  effect  that  the  transactions
    contemplated by this Agreement will have on the benefits (including, without
    limitation,  indemnification)  granted  to  the  Corporation  or  any of the
    Subsidiaries  under  any  such  agreements   including  any  assignments  or
    approvals required in connection with such benefits;

        (6) any Owned Real Property or Leased Real Property,  whether or not set
    forth in DL 3.11,  that is subject to any  applicable  law that  conditions,
    restricts,   prohibits,  or  requires  any  notification  or  disclosure  in
    connection  with the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  for  environmental
    reasons ("Environmental Property Transfer or Disclosure Law"). To the extent
    an  Environmental  Property  Transfer or Disclosure Law is applicable to any
    such Owned Real  Property or Leased Real  Property  in  connection  with the
    transactions  contemplated  hereby,  as and when appropriate the Corporation
    will take (or cooperate with Parent in taking),  such action as is necessary
    to fully comply with the requirements of such laws; and

        (7) any proceeding or investigation  concerning  criminal  violations of
    any  Environmental  Law to which the Corporation and its Subsidiaries or any
    entity  that was  formerly  a  subsidiary  or  controlled  affiliate  of the
    Corporation,  are,  or have  been,  subject  at any time  during the past 10
    years.

    (c) CONDUCT OF BUSINESS BY THE CORPORATION PENDING THE EFFECTIVE TIME.

    Anything  elsewhere in this Agreement to the contrary  notwithstanding,  the
Corporation  retains the right,  with prior  notice to Parent,  to take only the
actions  and make only the  payouts  set forth in DL 3.16A,  if  required,  with
respect to environmental matters.

     SECTION 3.17. PROPRIETARY RIGHTS. Except as set forth in DL 3.17, as of the
date  hereof  the  Corporation  has  received  no  notice  that it or any of its
Subsidiaries has infringed,  and to the knowledge of the Corporation  neither it
nor any of its  Subsidiaries  is now  infringing,  on any  patent,  trade  name,
trademark,  service  mark,  copyright,  trade  secret,  technology,  know-how or
process (collectively,  the "Proprietary Rights") belonging to any other person,
which  infringement,  in the aggregate,  would have a Material Adverse Effect on
the Corporation and its Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole.  Except as set forth in
DL 3.17, (i) the Corporation is not aware of any infringement by any third party
of any  Proprietary  Rights of the Corporation or any of its  Subsidiaries,  and
(ii)  neither  the  Corporation  nor any of its  Subsidiaries  is a party to any
material  license,  agreement or  arrangement  with  respect to any  Proprietary
Rights. DL 3.17 lists all the Proprietary Rights owned by the Corporation or any
of the  Subsidiaries  that are  composed of  registered  patents,  trade  names,
trademarks,  service marks or  copyrights  that are material to its business and
sets forth, if and as applicable, the registration number, country, application,
registration  and expiration  dates,  and class with respect to such Proprietary
Rights.

    SECTION  3.18.  MATERIAL  CONTRACTS AND LEASES.  The list of agreements  set
forth in DL 3.18 includes all the Material Contracts (as defined below) that the
Corporation or any of the Subsidiaries is party to, or is bound by. For purposes
of this Agreement,  a "Material Contract" shall mean (i) any contract,  lease or
other agreement  (except for purchase orders entered into in the ordinary course
of business and contracts and agreements cancelable by the Corporation or any of
its  Subsidiaries  at  will  or on  notice  of 30 days or  less)  to  which  the
Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Corporation or
any of its  Subsidiaries  is bound,  which by its terms calls for the payment by
either  party to such  contract or  agreement  of $250,000 or more in any fiscal
year or is material to the business,  operations  or financial  condition of the
Corporation and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii) any material agreement,
contract  or  commitment  not in the  ordinary  course  of  business,  (iii) any
agreement,  indenture  or other  instrument  which  contains  restrictions  with
respect to  payment of  dividends  or any other  distribution  in respect of its
capital  stock,  (iv) any  agreement,  contract or  commitment  to be  performed
relating to capital  expenditures in excess of $100,000 in any calendar year, or
in the  aggregate  requiring  expenditures  in  excess  of  $1,000,000,  (v) any
material  agreement,  indenture  or  instrument  relating  to  indebtedness  for
borrowed  money or the  deferred  purchase  price of property  (excluding  trade
payables  in  the  ordinary  course  of  business,   intercompany  indebtedness,
intercompany  transfers,  and  operating  leases),  (vi) any loan or  advance to
(other than advances to employees in the ordinary  course of business in amounts
of  $25,000 or less to any  individual  and  $100,000  in the  aggregate  to all
employees),  or  investment in (other than  investments  in  Subsidiaries),  any
Person, or any agreement,  contract or commitment  relating to the making of any
such loan,  advance or  investment  or any  agreement,  contract  or  commitment
involving a sharing of profits (except for bonus or commission arrangements with
employees  entered into in the ordinary course of business  consistent with past
practice),  (vii) any guarantee or other contingent  liability in respect of any
indebtedness  or obligation of any Person (other than in the ordinary  course of
business and other than with respect to any  indebtedness  or  obligation of the
Corporation or any Subsidiary), (viii) any management service, consulting or any
other  similar  type of contract  (other than  contingent  fee  agreements  with
collection attorneys), involving payments of more than $150,000 annually, unless
terminable by the Corporation or Subsidiary on not more than 90 days notice,(ix)
any agreement, contract or commitment limiting the ability of the Corporation or
any of its Subsidiaries to engage in any line of business or to compete with any
Person, (x) any warranty,  guaranty or other similar undertaking with respect to
a contractual performance extended by the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries
other than in the ordinary course of business,  or (xi) any agreement,  contract
or commitment to employ any of its officers or employees, and (xii) any material
amendment,  modification  or  supplement  in  respect  of any of the  foregoing.
Neither the  Corporation  nor any of its  Subsidiaries  is in default  under any
Material Contract,  except for such defaults which will not,  individually or in
the  aggregate,  have a  Material  Adverse  Effect  on the  Corporation  and its
Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole.  Except  as shown in DL 3.18,  no  approval  or
consent of, or notice to, any person is needed in order that each such  Material
Contract  shall  continue in full force and effect in accordance  with its terms
without  penalty,  acceleration or rights of early  termination by reason of the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

    SECTION 3.19. INSURANCE.  DL 3.19 sets forth a list of all material policies
of insurance  maintained on the date hereof by the  Corporation  and each of its
Subsidiaries  with respect to their  respective  businesses,  which policies are
currently in full force and effect.  As of the date hereof,  except as set forth
in DL 3.19,  neither the  Corporation nor any of its  Subsidiaries  has received
notice of cancellation or refusal to renew with respect to any insurance  policy
set forth in DL 3.19.

     SECTION  3.20.  LABOR  RELATIONS.  Neither the  Corporation  nor any of its
Subsidiaries  is currently  party to any  collective  bargaining  agreement with
respect to any of its employees.  The  Corporation  has previously  furnished or
made available to Parent a true,  complete and correct copy of the handbooks and
administrative  policies and practices  relating to employees of the Corporation
and its Subsidiaries and any other material agreement regarding its relationship
with the  Corporation's  employees or those of its  Subsidiaries.  Except as set
forth in DL 3.20 and except for any  violations  which,  individually  or in the
aggregate,  would not reasonably be expected to have a Material  Adverse Effect,
each of the Corporation and its  Subsidiaries is in substantial  compliance with
all federal, state or other applicable laws respecting employment and employment
practices,  terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours,  and has not
and is not engaged in any unfair labor practice.  Except as disclosed in DL 3.20
or in the Corporation Filings, there exist no employment, consulting, severance,
indemnification  agreements  or  deferred  compensation  agreements  between the
Corporation  and any  director,  officer or employee of the  Corporation  or any
agreement  that would give any Person the right to receive any payment  from the
Corporation as a result of the Offer or the Merger.

    SECTION 3.21. VOTING REQUIREMENTS. After the Share Purchase, the affirmative
vote of the  holders of  two-thirds  of the  outstanding  shares of  Corporation
Common Stock  entitled to be cast  approving  this Agreement is the only vote of
the holders of any class or series of the Corporation's  capital stock necessary
to approve this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

    SECTION 3.22. RIGHTS  AGREEMENT.  The Corporation and the Board of Directors
of the  Corporation  have taken and will  maintain in effect  during the term of
this  Agreement  all  necessary  action  to  (i)  render  the  Rights  Agreement
inapplicable  with respect to the Offer,  the Merger and the other  transactions
contemplated  by this Agreement,  and (ii) ensure that (x) neither  Parent,  nor
Sub, nor any of their  Affiliates,  or Associates (each as defined in the Rights
Agreement)  is  considered  to be an Acquiring  Person (as defined in the Rights
Agreement)  and  (y) the  provisions  of the  Rights  Agreement,  including  the
occurrence of a Distribution Date (as defined in the Rights Agreement),  are not
and shall not be triggered by reason of the  announcement or consummation of the
Offer, the Merger or the other transactions  contemplated by this Agreement. The
Corporation  has  delivered  to Parent a complete and correct copy of the Rights
Agreement as amended and  supplemented to the date of this Agreement.  The Board
of Directors of the Corporation, at a meeting duly called and held, has resolved
that the Rights  shall be  redeemed  immediately  prior to, and  subject to, the
acceptance  for  payment  and  purchase  of  not  less  than  two-thirds  of the
outstanding  Shares  pursuant to the Offer in accordance  with the terms of this
Agreement.

    SECTION 3.23. CUSTOMERS  RELATIONS.  Except as disclosed on DL 3.23, none of
the  top  twenty  customers  of the  Corporation  (based  on  the  Corporation's
consolidated  revenues for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1997) has notified the
Corporation or any of its  Subsidiaries  that it intends to either (i) terminate
or  modify  in a manner  materially  adverse  to the  Corporation  or any of its
Subsidiaries  its  contractual  arrangements  with the Corporation or any of its
Subsidiaries or (ii)  substantially  curtail the amount of business it currently
does with the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries.

    SECTION 3.24. OPINION OF FINANCIAL ADVISOR. The Corporation has received the
opinion of CIBC  Oppenheimer  Corp.,  to the effect that, as of the date of this
Agreement,  the  consideration to be received in the Offer and the Merger by the
Corporation's  shareholders  is fair to the  Corporation's  shareholders  form a
financial  point of view, and a complete and correct signed copy of such opinion
has been, or promptly upon receipt thereof will be, delivered to Parent.

          ARTICLE IV--REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND SUB

    Each of Parent and Sub represents and warrants to the Corporation that:

    SECTION  4.1.  CORPORATE  EXISTENCE  AND POWER.  Each of Parent and Sub is a
corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws
of Delaware,  and each has all  corporate  power,  authority  and legal right to
conduct its business as it is now being  conducted and to own the properties and
assets it now owns. Parent and Sub have delivered to Corporation  true,  compete
and  correct  copies  of their  respective  certificates  of  incorporation  and
by-laws.

    SECTION 4.2.  CORPORATE  AUTHORIZATION.  Each of Parent and Sub (a) has full
corporate  power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out the
transactions   contemplated  hereby,  (b)  has  taken  all  action  required  by
applicable law and its Certificate of Incorporation  and By-Laws,  including the
authorization  of this  Agreement and the  transactions  contemplated  hereby by
their  respective  Boards  of  Directors  and  (if  required)  stockholders,  to
authorize the execution and delivery of this  Agreement and the  performance  by
Parent and Sub of the transactions contemplated hereby, (c) has duly and validly
executed and delivered this Agreement and no other corporate action is necessary
in  connection  therewith.  This  Agreement  (assuming  the  due  authorization,
execution and delivery hereof by the Corporation) is a legal,  valid and binding
obligation  of  each  of  Parent  and Sub  enforceable  against  each of them in
accordance with its terms,  except to the extent that enforcement may be limited
by  applicable  bankruptcy,  insolvency,  reorganization  or other  similar laws
affecting  creditors'  rights  generally  and by  general  equitable  principles
(regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law).

    SECTION 4.3.  CONSENTS AND APPROVALS.  Except as contemplated by Section 4.6
hereof and except for the  requirements of the federal and state securities laws
and the HSR Act, and assuming the filing of the  Certificate of Merger and other
appropriate  merger  documents,  if any, as required by the laws of the State of
Delaware,  no consent,  approval or authorization of, or declaration,  filing or
registration  with,  any United  States or foreign  governmental  or  regulatory
authority  or any other  person or entity is  required to be made or obtained by
Parent or any of its affiliates in connection  with the execution,  delivery and
performance  of  this  Agreement  or  the   consummation  of  the   transactions
contemplated hereby.

    SECTION 4.4. NO VIOLATION.  The execution,  delivery and performance of this
Agreement  by  Parent  and  Sub  and  the   consummation  of  the   transactions
contemplated  hereby  (a) will  not  violate  any  provision  of the  respective
Certificates  of  Incorporation  or  By-Laws  of  Parent  or Sub or any of their
affiliates, (b) except as set forth in the Disclosure Letter heretofore prepared
by Parent and delivered to the Corporation,  will not violate, or be in conflict
with,  or  constitute  a  default  under  any  material  contract,  lease,  loan
agreement,  license,  permit or other  agreement  to which  Parent or any of its
affiliates is a party,  or by which Parent or any of its  affiliates is bound or
to  which  it or any of them is  subject  and (c)  will  not  violate  any  law,
judgment,  decree,  order,  regulation  or rule  of any  court  or  governmental
authority  by which  Parent  or any of its  affiliates  is bound or any of their
respective  properties  is subject,  except in any case where the  violation  or
default  would not  materially  adversely  affect  Parent's or Sub's  ability to
consummate the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement (including,  without
limitation, its ability to complete the Share Purchase pursuant to the Offer).

    SECTION  4.5.  FINANCIAL   STATEMENTS.   The  audited  financial  statements
(including the notes thereto,  the "Parent  Audited  Financial  Statements")  of
Parent  for its  most  recently  completed  fiscal  year,  a copy of  which  has
previously been delivered to the  Corporation,  present fairly,  in all material
respects,  the consolidated financial position of Parent and its subsidiaries as
of the date thereof and their consolidated results of operations, cash flows and
stockholders' equity for the period then ended, all in conformity with GAAP. The
unaudited financial  statements  (including the notes thereto) of Parent for the
period ended June 30, 1997, a copy of which has been previously delivered to the
Corporation, were prepared in a manner consistent with the basis of presentation
used in the Parent Audited Financial Statements and in accordance with GAAP, and
fairly present, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of
Parent and its  subsidiaries  as at and for the  periods  indicated,  subject to
normal recurring year-end adjustments.

    SECTION 4.6.  FINANCING.  Parent and Sub have  obtained  letters  (copies of
which  have  been  delivered  to the  Corporation)  from  responsible  financial
institutions  providing  for,  subject to certain  conditions set forth therein,
commitments to provide all funds necessary, together with funds available to the
Parent and Sub, to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.

     SECTION 4.7. OFFER DOCUMENTS;  OTHER  INFORMATION.  None of the information
contained in any of the Offer Documents (excluding information described therein
as being  supplied  by the  Corporation  with  respect to itself)  will,  at the
respective  times such Offer Documents or any amendments or supplements  thereto
are filed with the SEC or are first published, sent or given to stockholders, as
the case may be, contain any untrue  statement of material fact or omit to state
any material  fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary in order to make
the  statements  therein,  in light of the  circumstances  under which they were
made, not misleading.

    SECTION  4.8.  LITIGATION.  There  are no  actions,  suits,  proceedings  or
investigations pending or, to the knowledge of Parent or Sub, threatened against
Parent or Sub or any of their  affiliates  before any court or arbitrator or any
governmental body, agency or official which are reasonably likely,  individually
or in the aggregate, to materially adversely affect Parent's or Sub's ability to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby or which questions or challenges
the validity of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

     ARTICLE V--CONDUCT OF BUSINESS BY THE CORPORATION PENDING THE CLOSING

    From the date hereof until immediately after the Closing (or, if sooner, the
termination of this Agreement), and except as otherwise consented to or approved
by Parent in  writing,  which  consent  or  approval  shall not be  unreasonably
withheld or delayed:

    SECTION 5.1. REGULAR COURSE OF BUSINESS.  (a) The Corporation will, and will
cause its Subsidiaries to, conduct business  substantially in the same manner as
heretofore  conducted and neither the  Corporation  nor any of its  Subsidiaries
will engage in any transaction or activity, enter into any agreement or make any
commitment  (or  materially  amend any  Material  Contract  existing on the date
hereof),  except (i) as set forth on DL 5.1(a),  (ii) in the ordinary  course of
business and consistent with past practices or pursuant to an agreement to which
the  Corporation or any of such  Subsidiaries  is a party on the date hereof (it
being understood that transactions in the call center outsourcing business shall
be deemed to be within the ordinary  course of business of the  Corporation  and
any Subsidiary  which is engaged in such business as of the date hereof),  (iii)
as contemplated by this Agreement,  or (iv) which would not be reasonably likely
to have a  Material  Adverse  Effect.  Except  as  otherwise  permitted  by this
Agreement,  the Corporation  will not, and will cause the  Subsidiaries  not to,
intentionally  take any action that would cause, or  intentionally  omit to take
any  reasonable  action  that  in  all  likelihood  would  prevent,  any  of the
representations  and warranties  contained in Article III which are qualified as
to  materiality  to  fail  to  be  true  and  correct  in  any  respect  or  any
representation  or warranty  not so  qualified to fail to be true and correct in
all material respects,  as if such representations and warranties were deemed to
be made at and as of the Closing  (except to the extent any such  representation
or warranty was expressly made only as of a different date).

     (b) Without limiting the generality of subsection (a) of this Section,  the
Corporation  will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, except pursuant to
this Agreement or as otherwise  permitted by DL 5.1(b):  (i) acquire (by merger,
consolidation or acquisition of stock or assets) any corporation, partnership or
other business organization or division thereof, make any material investment in
any other  entity which is not a wholly owned  affiliate of the  Corporation  or
relinquish any material contract rights;  (ii) acquire  (including by lease) any
material  assets or  properties  or dispose of,  mortgage or encumber any of its
material  assets or  properties  (except in each case in the ordinary  course of
business and consistent  with past practice or pursuant to an agreement to which
the Corporation or any Subsidiary is a party on the date hereof);  (iii) make or
commit to make any capital  expenditures  in excess of  $150,000,  (iv) make any
change in accounting principles (except as may be required by generally accepted
accounting  principles or SEC regulations,  in which event, the Corporation will
fully disclose any such change and the reason(s)  therefor);  (v) sell or pledge
or agree to sell or  pledge  any stock  owned by it in any of its  Subsidiaries;
(vi) except to the extent required under existing  employee and director benefit
plans,  agreements or  arrangements  as in effect on the date of this Agreement,
increase the  compensation or fringe benefits of any of its directors,  officers
or employees,  except for increases in salary, wages or commissions of employees
of the Corporation or its  Subsidiaries  who are not officers of the Corporation
in the ordinary  course of business in accordance  with past practice,  or grant
any  severance  or  termination  pay not  currently  required  to be paid  under
existing severance plans or agreements or enter into any employment,  consulting
or  severance  agreement  or  arrangement  with any present or former  director,
officer or other  employee of the  Corporation  or any of its  subsidiaries,  or
establish,  adopt,  enter into or amend or terminate any collective  bargaining,
bonus, profit sharing,  thrift,  compensation,  stock option,  restricted stock,
pension, retirement, deferred compensation,  employment,  termination, severance
or other plan, agreement,  trust, fund, policy or arrangement for the benefit of
any directors,  officers or employees; (vii) except for transactions between the
Corporation and  Subsidiaries  or in the ordinary course of business,  transfer,
lease,  license,  guarantee,  sell,  mortgage,  pledge,  dispose of, encumber or
subject to any lien, any material assets or incur or modify any  indebtedness or
other liability (other than indebtedness incurred under the Amended and Restated
Credit  Agreement  dated December 31, 1994,  between the Corporation and Bank of
Boston, Connecticut (the "Existing Credit Facility");  PROVIDED that there shall
not be any  material  increase in the  amounts  outstanding  under the  Existing
Credit Facility,  other than in the ordinary course of business, or otherwise as
an  accommodation,  except for  guarantees  by  Corporation  of  obligations  of
Subsidiaries  or guarantees by  Subsidiaries  of  obligations  of  Subsidiaries,
become  responsible  for the  obligations  of any person  or,  other than in the
ordinary  course of business  consistent  with past  practice,  make any loan or
other  extension  of  credit  except  for  intercompany   transactions   between
Corporation  and  Subsidiaries  and between  Subsidiaries;  (viii)  agree to the
settlement of any material claim or litigation  (including,  but not limited to,
any  claim or  litigation  in  respect  of,  related  to or  arising  out of any
Environmental Law,  Environmental Permit or Pollution  Incident);  (ix) make any
material tax election or settle or compromise  any material tax  liability;  (x)
permit any insurance  policy naming it as beneficiary or a loss payable payee to
be cancelled without notice to Parent,  except for the cancellation of insurance
policies  required  to be  maintained  by third  parties  for the benefit of the
Corporation or any Subsidiary of which such cancellation neither the Corporation
nor  any  Subsidiary  has  notice;  (xi)  adopt a plan of  complete  or  partial
liquidation, dissolution, merger, consolidation, restructuring, recapitalization
or  other  reorganization  of the  Corporation  or any of its  Subsidiaries  not
constituting an inactive  Subsidiary (other than the Merger); or (xii) agree, in
writing or otherwise, to take any of the foregoing actions.

    SECTION 5.2.  CHARTER  DOCUMENTS  AND CAPITAL  CHANGES.  Except as expressly
authorized by this Agreement or required by Section 1.2, neither the Corporation
nor any of its  Subsidiaries  will  (a)  change  or  amend  its  Certificate  of
Incorporation,  By-Laws or the Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws of any of
its Subsidiaries,  (b) issue or sell any shares of its capital stock (other than
shares  issuable  upon  exercise of currently  outstanding  options),  nor issue
options  (other  than  automatic  issuances  pursuant  to the terms of a plan in
effect on the date hereof or pursuant  to the terms of any  existing  employment
agreement),  warrants to purchase,  or rights to subscribe to, any shares of its
capital stock, or enter into any  arrangement or contract with respect  thereto,
or (c) make any other  material  changes in its  capital  structure,  other than
dividends and other intercompany transfers,  allocations and transactions in the
ordinary  course  of  business  between  any  wholly-owned  Subsidiary  and  the
Corporation or any other wholly-owned Subsidiary.

    SECTION 5.3.  ORGANIZATION AND GOOD WILL. Except as set forth in DL 5.3, the
Corporation will use all reasonable  efforts to preserve the business,  business
organization and good will of the Corporation and each of its Subsidiaries, keep
in place their present executive officers and key employees,  and preserve their
present relationships with persons having business dealings with them.

    SECTION 5.4. INSURANCE. The Corporation will use all commercially reasonable
efforts to maintain,  and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain,  insurance
substantially at current levels on all property, real, personal and mixed, owned
or leased by them.

    SECTION 5.5. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS. The Corporation will use its best efforts
to duly  comply,  and cause  each of its  Subsidiaries  to duly  comply,  in all
material  respects  with  all  laws  applicable  to them  and  their  respective
properties,  operations,  business and employees, except where the failure to do
so  is  not  reasonably  likely  to  have  a  Material  Adverse  Effect  on  the
Corporation.

    SECTION  5.6.  SEC  REPORTS.  The  Corporation  will duly  file all  reports
required to be filed by it with the SEC  pursuant to the  Exchange  Act and will
submit copies thereof to Parent simultaneously with the time of filing thereof.

     SECTION 5.7.  PROXY  STATEMENT.  If  shareholder  approval of the Merger is
required by law, as promptly as practicable  following the Share  Purchase,  the
Corporation will prepare and file a preliminary Proxy Statement with the SEC and
will use its best  efforts to respond to the  comments of the SEC in  connection
therewith  and to furnish all  information  required  to prepare the  definitive
Proxy  Statement  (including,  without  limitation,   financial  statements  and
supporting   schedules  and  certificates  and  reports  of  independent  public
accountants).  Promptly following the Share Purchase, if required by the DGCL in
order to consummate the Merger,  the Corporation will cause the definitive Proxy
Statement to be mailed to the shareholders of the Corporation and, if necessary,
after  the  definitive  Proxy  Statement  shall  have been so  mailed,  promptly
circulate amended,  supplemental or supplemented proxy material and, if required
in connection therewith, resolicit proxies.

    SECTION  5.8.  SHAREHOLDER  APPROVAL.   (a)  Promptly  following  the  Share
Purchase,   if  required  by  DGCL  in  order  to  consummate  the  Merger,  the
Corporation,  acting through its Board of Directors,  shall,  in accordance with
applicable law, duly call,  convene and hold a special meeting of the holders of
Common  Stock for the purpose of voting upon this  Agreement  and the Merger and
the Corporation  agrees that this Agreement and the Merger shall be submitted at
such special meeting.  The Corporation  shall use its reasonable best efforts to
solicit from its shareholders proxies, and shall take all other action necessary
and advisable,  to secure the vote of shareholders required by applicable law to
obtain the approval for this Agreement and the Merger. Subject to Section 5.9 of
this  Agreement,  the  Corporation  agrees  that it will  include  in the  Proxy
Statement the  recommendation  of its Board of Directors  that holders of Common
Stock approve and adopt this Agreement and approve the Merger. Parent will cause
all shares of Common Stock owned by Parent and its  subsidiaries  to be voted in
favor of the Merger.

    (b)  Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  in the event that Sub shall acquire at
least 90% of the outstanding  Corporation Common Stock, the Corporation  agrees,
subject to Article VII, to take all  necessary and  appropriate  action to cause
the Merger to become  effective  as soon as  reasonably  practicable  after such
acquisition,  without a meeting of the Corporation's shareholders, in accordance
with Section 253 of the DGCL.

     SECTION 5.9. NO SOLICITATION  OF OTHER OFFERS.  (a) The Corporation and its
affiliates  and  each  of  their  respective  officers,  directors,   employees,
representatives   and  agents  shall   immediately   cease  any  discussions  or
negotiations  with any other  parties  that may be ongoing  with  respect to any
Acquisition Proposal (as defined below).  Neither the Corporation nor any of its
affiliates,  shall, directly or indirectly,  take (and the Corporation shall not
authorize  or permit  its or its  affiliates,  officers,  directors,  employees,
representatives,  consultants,  investment  bankers,  attorneys,  accountants or
other agents or affiliates, to so take) any action to (i) encourage,  solicit or
initiate the making of any Acquisition  Proposal,  (ii) enter into any agreement
with  respect to any  Acquisition  Proposal or (iii)  participate  in any way in
discussions or negotiations with, or furnish or disclose any information to, any
Person (other than Parent or Sub or their  representatives)  in connection with,
or take any other  action  to  facilitate  any  inquiries  or the  making of any
proposal  (including without limitation by taking any action (except as required
by Section 1.2) that would make the Rights Agreement, Section 203 of the DGCL or
the   provisions  of  Article  FIFTH  of  the   Corporation's   Certificate   of
Incorporation inapplicable to an Acquisition Proposal) that constitutes,  or may
reasonably be expected to lead to, any Acquisition Proposal,  PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that the Corporation,  in response to an unsolicited Acquisition Proposal and in
compliance with its obligations under Section 5.9(b) hereof,  may participate in
discussions or negotiations with or furnish information to any third party which
proposes  a  transaction  which  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Corporation
reasonably  determines  will  result  in a  Superior  Proposal  if the  Board of
Directors  believes  (and has been  advised in writing  by  independent  outside
counsel)  that  failing to take such  action  would  constitute  a breach of its
fiduciary  duties  under  applicable  law.  In  addition,  neither  the Board of
Directors of the  Corporation  nor any  Committee  thereof shall (x) withdraw or
modify,  or propose to withdraw or modify,  in a manner adverse to Parent or Sub
the approval and  recommendation  of the Offer and this Agreement or (y) approve
or recommend,  or propose to approve or  recommend,  any  Acquisition  Proposal,
provided that the Corporation  may recommend to its  shareholders an Acquisition
Proposal  and in  connection  therewith  withdraw  or  modify  its  approval  or
recommendation  of the Offer or the Merger if (i) the Board of  Directors of the
Corporation has determined that the Acquisition Proposal is a Superior Proposal,
(ii) all the conditions to the  Corporation's  right to terminate this Agreement
in accordance with Section 8.1(e) have been satisfied  (including the expiration
of the three  day  period  described  therein  and the  payment  of all  amounts
required  pursuant to Section 9.1), (iii)  simultaneously  with such withdrawal,
modification or recommendation,  this Agreement is terminated in accordance with
Section  8.1(e)  and (iv) the  Acquisition  Proposal  does not  provide  for any
breakup fee or other inducement to the acquiror other than  reimbursement of out
of pocket expenses  incurred in connection with such Acquisition  Proposal.  Any
actions  permitted  under,  and taken in compliance with, this Section 5.9 shall
not be deemed a breach of any other  covenant  or  agreement  contained  in this
Agreement.

    "Acquisition  Proposal"  shall mean any inquiry,  proposal or offer from any
Person  relating  to  any  direct  or  indirect  acquisition  or  purchase  of a
substantial amount of assets of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries or of
over 10% of any  class of equity  securities  of the  Corporation  or any of its
Subsidiaries,  any tender  offer or  exchange  offer that if  consummated  would
result  in any  person  beneficially  owning  10% or more of any class of equity
securities  of  the  Corporation  or  any  of  its  Subsidiaries,   any  merger,
consolidation,  business  combination,  sale of  substantially  all the  assets,
recapitalization,  liquidation, dissolution or similar transaction involving the
Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, other than the transactions contemplated
by this  Agreement,  or any other  transaction  the  consummation of which could
reasonably be expected to impede,  interfere with,  prevent or materially  delay
the  Offer or the  Merger  or which  would  reasonably  be  expected  to  dilute
materially  the  benefits  to Parent of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby.
"Superior  Proposal"  shall mean a BONA FIDE  proposal  made by a third party to
acquire all of the outstanding  shares of the  Corporation  pursuant to a tender
offer, a merger or a sale of all of the assets of the  Corporation  (x) on terms
which a majority of the  members of the Board of  Directors  of the  Corporation
determines  in its good  faith  reasonable  judgement  (based  on the  advice of
independent  outside  financial and legal  advisors) to be more favorable to the
Corporation and its shareholders than the transactions  contemplated hereby, (y)
for which in the good  faith  reasonable  judgement  of the  Board of  Directors
adequate  financing or other  consideration is then available and (z) which does
not provide for any breakup fee or other  inducement to the acquiror  other than
reimbursement of documented  out-of-pocket  expenses incurred in connection with
the Superior Proposal.

    (b) In addition to the obligations of the Corporation set forth in paragraph
(a), on the date of receipt thereof,  the Corporation shall advise Parent of any
request for information or any Acquisition  Proposal, or any inquiry or proposal
with respect to any Acquisition Proposal,  and the material terms and conditions
of such request or takeover proposal.

    (c) Immediately  following the Share Purchase,  the Corporation will request
each  person  who  has  heretofore  executed  a  confidentiality   agreement  in
connection  with its  consideration  of acquiring the Corporation or any portion
thereof  (the   "Confidentiality   Agreements")   to  return  all   confidential
information  heretofore  furnished  to  such  person  by or  on  behalf  of  the
Corporation.

    SECTION 5.10.  NOTIFICATION OF CERTAIN MATTERS.  The Corporation  shall give
prompt notice to Parent of: (a) any notice of, or other  communication  relating
to, a default or event that, with notice or lapse of time or both,  would become
a default,  received by the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries subsequent to
the date of this Agreement and prior to the Effective  Time,  under any Material
Contract to which the  Corporation or any of its  Subsidiaries  is a party or is
subject;   and  (b)  any  change  or  occurrence  in  the  Corporation  and  its
Subsidiaries  taken as a whole  which has had a Material  Adverse  Effect on the
Corporation  and its  Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole,  or the occurrence of any
event which is reasonably  likely to result in such a Material  Adverse  Effect.
Each of the  Corporation  and Parent shall give prompt notice to the other party
of any notice or other  communication  from any third  party  alleging  that the
consent  of such  third  party  is or may be  required  in  connection  with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

    SECTION 5.11. RIGHTS AGREEMENT.  The Corporation shall not redeem the Rights
or amend (other than to delay the  Distribution  Date (as defined therein) or to
render the Rights  inapplicable  to the Offer and the Merger) or  terminate  the
Rights  Agreement  prior to the Effective Time without the consent of the Parent
unless required to do so by a court of competent jurisdiction.

    SECTION 5.12. PROPERTIES;  MATERIAL CONTRACTS. The Corporation will use, and
will cause its  Subsidiaries to use, all reasonable  efforts to (a) maintain and
keep their  respective  properties  in their  current  condition in all material
respects,  except for ordinary wear and tear and damage due to casualty or other
extraordinary  occurrence,  and  (b)  perform  in all  material  respects  their
respective obligations under the Material Contracts.

    SECTION 5.13. DIVIDENDS, ETC. Prior to the Closing, the Corporation will not
declare, pay or set aside for payment any dividend or distributions, including a
distribution of rights,  in respect of its capital stock or redeem,  purchase or
otherwise  acquire any shares of its capital stock,  except as  contemplated  by
this  Agreement,  in  connection  with the  cancellation  or  exercise  of stock
options,  or any such  dividends,  distributions  or payments  made by or to any
Subsidiary.

    SECTION 5.14. FULL ACCESS. The Corporation will, until the Closing afford to
Parent, its counsel, accountants and other authorized representatives,  full and
complete  access,  upon  reasonable  notice and in a reasonable  manner,  to the
offices,  properties,  books  and  records  of the  Corporation  and each of its
Subsidiaries  in order  that  Parent  may have  full  opportunity  to make  such
reasonable  investigations  as it shall desire as to the business and affairs of
the  Corporation  and its  Subsidiaries.  The  Corporation  will also  cause its
officers,  accountants and attorneys to furnish, upon reasonable notice and in a
reasonable  manner,  such  additional  financial  and  operating  data and other
information as Parent shall from time to time reasonably request.  Parent shall,
and shall cause its directors,  officers, employees,  partners, agents, counsel,
accountants  and  other  authorized  representatives  and any  proposed  lender,
placement  agent or underwriter  to, keep  confidential  any and all information
(whether  in  writing or  otherwise)  obtained  or  developed  pursuant  to this
Agreement in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.1 hereof.

                        ARTICLE VI--COVENANTS OF PARTIES

    The Corporation  hereby covenants and agrees with Parent and Sub, and Parent
and Sub hereby covenant and agree with the Corporation, that:

     SECTION 6.1. CONFIDENTIALITY.  (a) Until the Closing Time, or, in the event
of the  termination of this Agreement  pursuant to Article VIII, for a period of
three years from the date of such termination,  the Corporation,  Parent and Sub
and their respective affiliates,  consultants,  advisors,  officers,  employees,
directors and agents  ("Representatives") shall hold in strictest confidence and
not divulge,  use or make  available to any other person any  information of the
other  obtained  from any  investigation  of the  other in  connection  with the
transactions contemplated hereby (including all data, reports,  interpretations,
electronic images,  computer software,  forecasts and records), or given to them
by the  other or by  others  performing  services  for them or the other or in a
confidential  relationship  with the other (herein  collectively  referred to as
"Information"),  except to the extent (i) such party is  compelled  to  disclose
such Information by judicial or administrative process or, in the opinion of its
counsel,  by other  requirements of law (provided such disclosing party provides
the other parties hereto with prompt notice of such proposed  disclosure so that
such other  parties may seek a protective  order or other  appropriate  remedy),
(ii) such Information  becomes generally available to the public other than as a
result of a breach of this Section or is otherwise  available from third parties
not under a duty to keep such Information  confidential,  (iii) such Information
was at the time of its  disclosure to such person  previously  known to it, (iv)
such  disclosure is permitted by Section 6.4 (relating to public  announcements)
or otherwise pursuant to this Agreement,  or (v) such Information is divulged to
such party's Representatives  (provided that each such person agrees to be bound
by the provisions of this Section). Neither Parent, Sub nor the Corporation, nor
any of their  respective  Representatives,  will misuse to the  detriment of the
other,  any Information  obtained from the other. If the Share Purchase does not
occur,  upon the request of the Corporation or Parent and Sub, the party to whom
such request is made shall as directed by the requesting party destroy or return
to the  requesting  party any and all copies of written  Information  covered by
this Section furnished to such  non-requesting  party or its representatives by,
or on behalf  of,  the  requesting  party or  otherwise  obtained,  prepared  or
developed  by or on behalf of the  non-requesting  party,  and such  destruction
shall be certified in writing to the requesting party.

    (b) For a period of three  years  from the date of the  termination  of this
Agreement,  if the Share  Purchase  does not occur,  Parent  (and any  affiliate
thereof)  will not (i)  solicit  for hire or employ  any  person who on the date
hereof or on the date of such  termination was an employee of the Corporation or
any of its  Subsidiaries or (ii) cause any individual  engaged as an independent
contractor by the Corporation or any of its  Subsidiaries to breach or void such
individual's independent contractor agreement with the Corporation.

    (c) Contemporaneous with the Share Purchase,  Parent shall make or cause the
Corporation and each of its  Subsidiaries to make, by certified or bank check or
other means acceptable to the payee thereof,  all payments which are required to
be made on or after such time under any  agreement  in effect on the date hereof
between the Corporation or any of such Subsidiaries and (i) any officer or other
employee  thereof as a result of a "change of  control"  (as defined in any such
agreement)  having  occurred or as a result of the termination of such officer's
or  employee's  employment,   whether  voluntary  or  otherwise,  and  (ii)  all
non-employee  directors of the Company  with  respect to deferred  compensation,
including,  without limitation the severance, bonus and other payments listed in
DL 6.1, which amounts have been reviewed and approved by Parent and Sub.

    SECTION 6.2.  COOPERATION.  The  Corporation  and Parent will cooperate with
each other and each such party  shall take all  reasonable  actions  that may be
necessary or desirable to consummate the transactions  contemplated  pursuant to
this  Agreement,  including,  but not limited to,  furnishing to each other,  or
reviewing,  the  information  relating to each of them  required  by  applicable
statutes,  rules  and  regulations  for  the  purpose  of  preparing  the  Offer
Documents,  any federal and state  securities  law filings and any filings under
the HSR Act. Prior to the execution of this  Agreement,  Parent will provide the
Corporation  with a copy in draft  form of the  Offer  Documents  and will  make
available a final copy of the Offer Documents prior to filing with the SEC. Each
party covenants that all such information  furnished to the other or reviewed by
it will be true and correct in all  material  respects to the  knowledge of such
party. Parent and the Corporation will promptly notify the other party hereto of
any  comments  or  requests  for  additional  information  from the SEC or state
securities  law  administrators  or  relating  to any  filing  under the HSR Act
relating to the Offer,  and will upon request  supply the other  parties  hereto
with copies of all correspondence  between them or their representatives and the
SEC or members of its staff or state securities law administrators  with respect
to the transaction  contemplated  hereby or relating to any filing under the HSR
Act relating thereto.

    SECTION 6.3.  FILINGS;  CONSENTS;  REMOVAL OF OBJECTIONS.  Each party hereto
agrees to exert all reasonable efforts to consummate the Offer and the Merger at
the earliest practicable time, including,  without limitation, (i) preparing and
filing all requisite applications, documents and notifications (including filing
with the FTC and the DOJ the Notification and Report Forms under the HSR Act and
cooperating  with each  other  with  respect  to the  filing  of any  additional
information   with  respect   thereto)  in  connection   with  the   transaction
contemplated  herein  required by applicable law, (ii) responding as promptly as
practicable  to  all  inquiries  in  connection  therewith,  (iii)  removing  or
satisfying,  if  reasonably  practicable,  any  objections  to the  validity  or
legality  of the Share  Purchase,  and (iv)  satisfying  the  conditions  to the
consummation of the Share Purchase set forth herein.

    SECTION 6.4. PUBLIC  ANNOUNCEMENTS.  Parent,  Sub and the  Corporation  will
consult  with each other before  issuing any press  release or making any public
statement  with  respect to the Offer or this  Agreement  and,  except as may be
required  by  applicable  law or the NYSE  Rules,  will not issue any such press
release or make any such public statement without the prior consent of the other
party hereto, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.

     SECTION 6.5.  EMPLOYEE  BENEFITS.  (a) Until the first  anniversary  of the
Effective  Time,  Parent  shall  ensure that all  employees  and officers of the
Corporation and Subsidiaries  receive compensation and benefits in the aggregate
substantially  comparable  to the  compensation  and  benefits  received by such
individuals immediately prior to the date hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
following the  Effective  Time,  the Parent may terminate the  employment of any
employee  (subject to the payment of severance  benefits payable to the employee
in connection with such termination).

    (b) Until the first  anniversary of the Effective Time, Parent shall keep in
effect all severance  policies that are  applicable to employees and officers of
the Corporation and its Subsidiaries immediately prior to the date hereof.

    (c) Following the Effective  Time,  (i) Parent shall ensure that no employee
welfare benefit plan adopted by the Corporation or the  Subsidiaries  shall have
any preexisting  condition  limitations and (ii) Parent shall honor all premiums
and deductibles paid by the employees, officers and directors of the Corporation
and  Subsidiaries  under all Employee  Benefit Plans up to (and  including)  the
Effective Time.

    (d) Following the Effective  Time, for purposes of eligibility  and vesting,
Parent shall honor all service  credit  accrued by the  employees,  officers and
directors of the Corporation and  Subsidiaries  under all Employee Benefit Plans
up to (and including) the Effective Time.

    SECTION 6.6.  INDEMNIFICATION  AND  INSURANCE.  (a) From and after the Share
Purchase,  Parent shall cause the  Corporation  to (i) maintain in effect in the
Certificate of  Incorporation  of the Corporation the provisions with respect to
the indemnification set forth in Article VII of the Certificate of Incorporation
of the Corporation as in effect at the Share Purchase,  which  provisions  shall
not be amended,  repealed or  otherwise  modified  for a period of six (6) years
from the  Effective  Time in any manner that would  adversely  affect the rights
thereunder of  individuals  (or their estates) who at the date of this Agreement
and/or as of the closing of the Share Purchase are or were directors,  officers,
employees  or  agents  of the  Corporation  or  its  Subsidiaries,  unless  such
modification  is required by law and (ii) maintain in effect for a period of six
(6) years from the Share Purchase each  Indemnification  Agreement in effect (as
of such date) between the  Corporation or any of its  Subsidiaries  and officers
and directors of the Corporation  and its  Subsidiaries,  which  Indemnification
Agreement shall not be amended or modified during such period in any manner that
would adversely affect the rights of the individual who is a party thereto.

    (b) Prior to the Share Purchase,  the Corporation  shall purchase a six year
"tail" insurance policy with its current carrier substantially  identical in all
respects  to  the  Corporation's  current  directors'  and  officers'  liability
insurance  coverage  (and  providing  coverage  for  an  amount  not  less  than
$30,000,000 and providing for two reinstatement options, exercisable at any time
during such six year tail period of $30,000,000)  covering those persons who are
currently covered on the date of this Agreement by the Corporation's  directors'
and officers'  liability  insurance  policy (a copy of which has been heretofore
delivered to Parent) (the "Indemnified Parties").

    (c) In the  event  the  Corporation  or  Parent  or any of their  respective
successors or assigns (i) consolidates  with or merges into any other person and
shall  not  be the  continuing  or  surviving  corporation  or  entity  of  such
consolidation  or  merger  or (ii)  transfers  all or  substantially  all of its
properties  and  assets  to any  person,  then  and in each  such  case,  proper
provisions  shall be made so that the successors and assigns of the  Corporation
or Parent,  as the case may be, shall assume the  obligations  set forth in this
Section.

    (d)  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  nothing  herein shall be construed to
relieve  Parent  or the  Corporation  of  their  respective  obligations  to any
Indemnified Party pursuant to this Section,  and each of the Indemnified Parties
shall  be  entitled  to  enforce  such  obligations   (including  the  right  to
indemnification)  directly  against the Parent or the Corporation  without first
making any claim with  respect  thereto  against  any  applicable  successor  or
assign.

     (e) This Section 6.6 shall survive the  consummation  of the Share Purchase
and the Merger,  if necessary,  is intended to benefit the  Corporation  and the
Indemnified  Parties,  and shall be binding on all successors and assigns of the
Corporation  and the Parent.  Parent  shall cause the  Corporation  to honor its
obligations pursuant to this Section 6.6 from and after the Share Purchase.

    SECTION 6.7.  RESIGNATION OF DIRECTORS.  The Corporation shall cause each of
the persons who are members of the Board of Directors of the  Corporation  or of
the Board of Directors of the Subsidiaries  (other than Allied Bond & Collection
Agency,  Inc.) immediately prior to the Closing to deliver their resignations as
directors of the Corporation and such Subsidiaries,  which resignations shall be
effective as of the Closing.

    SECTION 6.8. CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT. Purchaser and the Corporation hereby
agree that as of the date hereof the Confidentiality  Agreement dated August 18,
1997 between Purchaser and the Corporation shall in all respects be terminated.

    SECTION 6.9. CERTAIN ACTIONS OF PARENT AND SUB. Parent and Sub will not take
any action, or omit to take any reasonable action, which in all likelihood would
(i) have a Material Adverse Effect on the ability of Parent or Sub to consummate
the transactions  contemplated  hereby, or (ii) cause any of the representations
and warranties  contained in Article IV which are qualified as to materiality to
fail to be true  and  correct  in any  respect  or any  such  representation  or
warranty  which  is not so  qualified  to  fail to be true  and  correct  in all
material respects, as if such representations and warranties were made at and as
of the  Closing,  except to the extent any such  representation  or warranty was
expressly made only as of a different date.

             ARTICLE VII--CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER

    SECTION 7.1.  CONDITIONS  PRECEDENT TO  OBLIGATIONS  OF PARENT,  SUB AND THE
CORPORATION.  The respective obligations of Parent and Sub, on the one hand, and
the  Corporation,  on the other  hand,  to effect the Merger are  subject to the
satisfaction  or waiver (subject to applicable law) at or prior to the Effective
Time of each of the following conditions:

        (a) APPROVAL OF  CORPORATION'S  SHAREHOLDERS.  To the extent required by
    applicable  law, this  Agreement and the Merger shall have been approved and
    adopted by  holders of the  requisite  number of  outstanding  shares of the
    Common  Stock  of the  Corporation  entitled  to  vote  in  accordance  with
    applicable  law (if  required  by  applicable  law)  and  the  Corporation's
    Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws;

        (b) HSR ACT. Any waiting  period (and any extension  thereof)  under the
    HSR Act applicable to the Merger shall have expired or been terminated;

        (c)  INJUNCTION.  No preliminary or permanent  injunction or other order
    shall have been  issued by any court or by any  governmental  or  regulatory
    agency, body or authority which prohibits the consummation of the Merger and
    the  transactions  contemplated  by this Agreement and which is in effect at
    the  Effective  Time,  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that,  in the case of a  decree,
    injunction or other order,  each of the parties  shall have used  reasonable
    efforts to prevent  the entry of any such  injunction  or other order and to
    appeal as promptly as possible  any decree,  injunction  or other order that
    may be entered; and

        (d) STATUTES. No statute, rule,  regulation,  executive order, decree or
    order of any kind shall have been enacted, entered,  promulgated or enforced
    by any court or governmental  authority which prohibits the  consummation of
    the  Merger or has the  effect of making the  purchase  of the Common  Stock
    illegal.

                   ARTICLE VIII--TERMINATION AND ABANDONMENT

    SECTION 8.1. TERMINATION. This Agreement may be terminated prior to the
Share Purchase and the Merger may be abandoned after the Share Purchase:

        (a) by mutual written consent of the Corporation, on the one hand, and
    of Parent and Sub, on the other hand;

        (b) by either Parent, on the one hand, or the Corporation,  on the other
    hand, if any  governmental or regulatory  agency shall have issued an order,
    decree  or  ruling  or  taken  any  other  action   permanently   enjoining,
    restraining  or  otherwise  prohibiting  the  acceptance  for payment of, or
    payment  for shares of Common  Stock  pursuant  to the Offer and such order,
    decree or ruling or other action shall have become final and nonappealable;

        (c) by Parent,  on the one hand, or the Corporation,  on the other hand,
    if the  Share  Purchase  shall  not have  occurred  within  120  days  after
    commencement of the Offer, unless the Share Purchase shall not have occurred
    because of a material breach of any  representation,  warranty,  obligation,
    covenant,  agreement or condition set forth in this Agreement on the part of
    the party seeking to terminate this Agreement;

        (d) by the Parent,  in the event of a breach by the  Corporation  of any
    representation,  warranty, covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement
    which  (A)  would  give  rise to the  failure  of a  condition  set forth in
    paragraph (d) or (f) of Annex I to this Agreement, and (B) cannot or has not
    been cured  prior to the  earlier of (i) 15 days after the giving of written
    notice of such breach to the Corporation and (ii) two business days prior to
    the date on which the Offer expires;

        (e) by either Parent, on the one hand, or the Corporation,  on the other
    hand,  if the  Board of  Directors  of the  Corporation  determines  that an
    Acquisition  Proposal constitutes a Superior Proposal and the Board believes
    (and has been  advised by  independent  outside  counsel)  that a failure to
    terminate  this Agreement and enter into an agreement to effect the Superior
    Proposal  would  constitute  a breach  of its  fiduciary  duties;  PROVIDED,
    HOWEVER,  the Corporation may not terminate this Agreement  pursuant to this
    Section 8.1(e) unless and until three days have elapsed  following  delivery
    to  Parent  of a  written  notice  of such  determination  by the  Board  of
    Directors  and  during  such  three day  period  the  Corporation  has fully
    cooperated with the Parent,  including,  without  limitation,  informing the
    Parent of the terms and conditions of such Superior Proposal with the intent
    of  enabling  both  parties  to agree to a  modification  of the  terms  and
    conditions of this Agreement so that the  transactions  contemplated  hereby
    may be  effected;  and  PROVIDED  FURTHER  that at the end of such three day
    period  the  Board  of  Directors  of the  Corporation  determines  that the
    Acquisition Proposal constitutes a Superior Proposal and the Board continues
    to believe (and has again been advised by independent  outside counsel) that
    a failure to terminate  this Agreement and enter into an agreement to effect
    the Superior  Proposal  would  constitute a breach of its fiduciary  duties;
    PROVIDED  FURTHER that this Agreement  shall not terminate  pursuant to this
    Section 8.1(e) unless (i) prior to such termination  Parent has received all
    fees and  expenses  set forth in Section  9.1 by wire  transfer  in same day
    funds and (ii)  simultaneously  with such termination the Corporation enters
    into a  definitive  acquisition,  merger or similar  agreement to effect the
    Superior Proposal which acquisition agreement (x) permits the Corporation to
    terminate the  acquisition  agreement in the event the Board of Directors of
    the Corporation  determines to effect a transaction with Parent and (y) does
    not provide for breakup fee or other  inducement to the acquiror  other than
    reimbursement  of documented out of pocket  expenses  incurred in connection
    with such Superior Proposal;

          (f) by the Corporation,  in the event of a breach by the Parent or Sub
     of any  representation,  warranty,  covenant or agreement contained in this
     Agreement  which  cannot or has not been  cured  within  15 days  after the
     giving of written notice of such breach to the Parent and Sub,  except,  in
     any case where such failure is not  reasonably  likely to affect  adversely
     Parent's or Sub's ability to complete the Offer and/or Merger.

    SECTION 8.2. EFFECT OF TERMINATION.  In the event of the termination of this
Agreement  pursuant to Section 8.1 hereof by Parent or Sub, on the one hand,  or
the  Corporation,  on the other hand,  written notice thereof shall forthwith be
given to the other party or parties  specifying the provision hereof pursuant to
which such termination is made, and this Agreement shall become void and have no
effect, and there shall be no liability  hereunder on the part of Parent, Sub or
the Corporation,  except that Sections 6.1, 6.4, 9.1 and this Section 8.2 hereof
shall survive any  termination  of this  Agreement.  Nothing in this Section 8.2
shall  relieve  any party to this  Agreement  of  liability  for  breach of this
Agreement.

                           ARTICLE IX--MISCELLANEOUS

    SECTION 9.1. FEES AND EXPENSES. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b)
below, all costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party
incurring such costs and expenses.

    (b) If this Agreement is terminated:

        (i) by Parent because of an event set forth in clause (iv)(e) of Annex I
    of this Agreement; or

        (ii) by  Parent  or the  Corporation  in  accordance  with the  terms of
    Section 8.1(e) of this Agreement; or

        (iii) by the Corporation  pursuant to Section 8.1(c),  if, prior to such
    termination,  the Corporation shall have directly or indirectly notified any
    of its stockholders that a third party has made an Acquisition Proposal or a
    third party shall have announced an Acquisition Proposal,  and within twelve
    months after such  termination,  the Corporation or any of its  Subsidiaries
    enters into an agreement  with  respect to any merger or any other  business
    combination,  sale or other  disposition  of any material  amount of assets,
    sale of shares of capital stock which would give the acquirors not less than
    10% of the  issued  Shares,  a tender  offer or  exchange  offer or  similar
    transaction  involving the  Corporation  or one or more of its  Subsidiaries
    accounting for more than 10% of the Corporation's consolidated income in its
    prior  fiscal  year  (a  "Third  Party  Acquisition"),   or  a  Third  Party
    Acquisition occurs within twelve months after the Corporation's  termination
    of this Agreement  pursuant to Section 8.1(c),  involving any such party (or
    any  affiliate or associate  thereof) (x) with whom the  Corporation  or any
    Subsidiary  (or their  respective  representatives)  during the term of this
    Agreement had any discussions with respect to a Third Party Acquisition, (y)
    to whom  the  Corporation  or any  Subsidiary  (or any of  their  respective
    representatives)  during the term of this  Agreement  furnished  information
    with respect to or with a view toward a Third Party Acquisition,  or (z) who
    during the term of this  Agreement had submitted a proposal or expressed any
    interest  publicly  or to  the  Corporation  or  any  Subsidiary  (or  their
    respective representatives) in a Third Party Acquisition,  which Third Party
    Acquisition  contemplates a direct or indirect  consideration  for shares of
    Common Stock in excess of the Merger  Consideration,  in the case of each of
    clauses (x),  (y) and (z) prior to such  termination;  then the  Corporation
    shall  (except as required to be earlier  paid in  accordance  with  Section
    8.1(e)) pay to Parent in same day funds Seven Million Seven Hundred Thousand
    Dollars ($7,700,000.00),  which shall be deemed to include reimbursement for
    all  out-of-pocket  fees and expenses incurred by Parent or on its behalf in
    connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

    SECTION 9.2. NOTICES. All notices,  requests and other communications to any
party  hereunder  shall be in writing and shall be given by  personal  delivery,
reputable  overnight courier service,  certified mail (postage  prepaid,  return
receipt requested), facsimile (with a copy sent via prepaid first class mail) or
first class mail, as follows:

    If to the Corporation, to:

       The Union Corporation
       211 King Street
       Suite 100
       Charleston, South Carolina 29401
       Attention: William B. Hewitt, President
               and Chief Executive Officer

       Fax: (803) 958-3850

    with a copy to:

       Zimet, Haines, Friedman & Kaplan
       460 Park Avenue
       New York, New York 10022
       Attention: Robert H. Haines, Esq.
       Fax: (212) 223-1151

    If to Parent and Sub, to:

       c/o Outsourcing Solutions Inc.
       390 South Woods Mill Road
       Suite 150
       Chesterfield, MO 63017
       Attention: Timothy G. Beffa, President
               and Chief Executive Officer
       Fax: (314) 576-1867

    with a copy to:

       White & Case
       1155 Avenue of the Americas
       New York, New York 10036
       Attention: Frank L. Schiff, Esq.
       Fax: (212) 819-7817

or to such other  address as such party may  hereafter  specify by notice to the
other party hereto delivered in accordance with this Section.  Each such notice,
request or other communication  shall be effective (a) if personally  delivered,
when presented,  (b) if by reputable  overnight  courier,  the next business day
following  the  delivery  thereof  to such  courier  (or such  later  date as is
demonstrated  by a BONA FIDE receipt  therefor),  (c) if given by certified mail
(postage prepaid,  return receipt requested),  three business days after deposit
in the mails,  (d) if given by  facsimile,  when the  appropriate  answerback or
other  confirmation of receipt is received,  or (e) if given by any other means,
when received.

    SECTION  9.3.   TERMINATION   OF   REPRESENTATIONS   AND   WARRANTIES.   The
representations  and warranties  contained  herein shall  terminate at the Share
Purchase  and neither  the  Corporation  nor any  officer,  director,  employee,
stockholder,  fiduciary or agent of the Corporation shall be under any liability
or obligation  whatsoever  with respect to any such  representation  or warranty
after such time.  This Section  shall not limit any covenant or agreement of the
parties  hereto  which by its  terms  contemplates  performance  after the Share
Purchase.

    SECTION 9.4.  AMENDMENTS.  Subject to applicable  law, this Agreement may be
amended,  modified or supplemented  only by the mutual written  agreement of the
parties  hereto at any time prior to the  Effective  Time with respect to any of
the terms contained herein;  except that Sections 6.1(c),  6.5 and 6.6 above may
not be amended or  supplemented  to the  detriment of any  intended  third party
beneficiary thereof without the express written consent of such beneficiary.

    SECTION 9.5. WAIVERS.  At any time prior to the Closing,  Parent, on the one
hand,  and the  Corporation,  on the other hand, may (a) extend the time for the
performance of any agreement of the other party hereto, (b) waive any inaccuracy
in the  representations and warranties of the other party contained herein or in
any  document  delivered  pursuant  hereto  or (c)  waive  compliance  with  any
agreement of the other party or any condition  contained herein (unless pursuant
hereto such  condition  may not be waived) to be  satisfied by such other party.
Any  agreement  on the part of any  party to any  such  extension,  and any such
waiver,  shall be effective  only if set forth in a writing  signed on behalf of
such party and delivered to the other party hereto.

    SECTION 9.6. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.  The provisions of this Agreement shall
be  binding  upon and  inure to the  benefit  of the  parties  hereto  and their
respective  successors  and  assigns;  PROVIDED,  that no party  may  assign  or
otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without
the prior written consent of the other party hereto and any attempt to so assign
such right or obligation shall be void AB INITIO.

    This  Agreement  shall be binding  upon and is solely for the benefit of the
parties  hereto and their  respective  permitted  successors  and  assigns,  and
nothing in this Agreement is intended to confer upon any other person any rights
or  remedies  of any  nature  whatsoever  under or by reason of this  Agreement,
except that (i) in the event that the Share Purchase shall be consummated,  then
from and after the Share Purchase the provisions of Sections 6.1(c), 6.5 and 6.6
shall inure to the benefit of the  employees,  option  holders and other persons
specified therein,  who, as the intended  beneficiaries of such Sections,  shall
each be entitled to enforce his or her rights  under such  Sections and (ii) the
provisions of Section 6.6 shall inure to the benefit of the Indemnified Parties,
who, as the intended  beneficiaries  of such Section 6.6, shall each be entitled
to enforce his or her rights under such Section.

    SECTION 9.7.  GOVERNING LAW AND FORUM.  This Agreement shall be construed in
accordance  with the laws of the State of New York  applicable to contracts made
and to be performed  entirely  therein,  except that, with respect to matters of
corporate law, Delaware law shall apply.

    SECTION 9.8.  COUNTERPARTS;  EFFECTIVENESS.  This Agreement may be signed in
any number of  counterparts,  each of which shall be an original,  with the same
force and effect as if the  signatures  thereto  and  hereto  were upon the same
instrument.  This Agreement shall become  effective when each party hereto shall
have received counterparts hereof signed by the other parties hereto.

    SECTION 9.9.  ENTIRE  AGREEMENT;  SCHEDULES  AND EXHIBITS.  This  Agreement,
including the Schedules and Annex I hereto (which are hereby made a part of this
Agreement),  contains  all of the  terms,  conditions  and  representations  and
warranties  agreed  upon by the parties  relating to the subject  matter of this
Agreement and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, negotiations,
correspondence, undertakings and communications of the parties, oral or written,
respecting such subject matter.

    SECTION 9.10. HEADINGS AND TABLE OF CONTENTS. The headings in this Agreement
and the Table of Contents are included  herein for  reference  purposes only and
shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

                             ARTICLE X--DEFINITIONS

    For  purposes  of  this  Agreement,  the  following  terms  shall  have  the
respective meanings ascribed to such terms in this Article.

    (a)  "Balance  Sheet Date"  shall have the meaning  ascribed to such term in
Section 3.9.

    (b) "Cash Payment"  shall have the meaning  ascribed to such term in Section
1.4.

    (c)  "Certificate of Merger" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in
Section 2.1.

    (d)  "Certificates"  shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section
2.4.

    (e) "Closing" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.10.

    (f) "Closing  Date" shall have the meaning  ascribed to such term in Section
2.10.

    (g) "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

    (h)  "Corporation  Filings" shall have the meaning  ascribed to such term in
Section 3.7.

    (i) "Corporation  Financial  Statements"  shall have the meaning ascribed to
such term in Section 3.8.

    (j) "Corporation  Stock" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the
preamble to this Agreement.

    (k)  "Corporation  10-Ks"  shall have the  meaning  ascribed to such term in
Section 3.7.

    (l)  "Credit  Agreement"  shall have the  meaning  ascribed  to such term in
Section 3.10.

    (m) "DGCL" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1.2.

    (n) "DL" is the Disclosure Letter.

    (o) "DOJ" shall mean the United States Department of Justice.

    (p) "Dissenting  Shareholders"  shall have the meaning ascribed to such term
in Section 2.3.

    (q) "Effective Time" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section
2.1.

    (r) "ERISA" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.14.

    (s) "Exchange  Act" shall have the meaning  ascribed to such term in Section
1.1.

    (t) "FTC" shall mean the Federal Trade Commission.

    (u) "GAAP" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.8.

    (v) "HSR Act" shall mean the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of
1976, as amended.

    (w)  "Material  Adverse  Effect"  shall  mean any change in or effect on the
applicable  corporation that either is, or in all reasonable likelihood will be,
materially adverse to the business, operations,  financial condition, results of
operations,  assets,  liabilities  or  reserves  of  such  corporation  and  its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

    (x)  "Material  Contracts"  shall have the meaning  ascribed to such term in
Section 3.18.

    (y) "Merger" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the preamble of
this Agreement.

    (z) "Merger  Consideration"  shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in
Section 2.2.

    (aa) "NYSE Rules" shall mean the rules and  regulations  promulgated  by the
New York Stock Exchange, Inc.

    (bb) "Offer" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the preamble of
this Agreement.

    (cc)  "Offer  Documents"  shall have the  meaning  ascribed  to such term in
Section 1.1(b).

    (dd) "Options" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1.4.

    (ee) "Parent Audited  Financial  Statements" shall have the meaning ascribed
to such term in Section 4.5.

    (ff) "Paying Agent" shall have the meaning  ascribed to such term in Section
2.4.

    (gg) "Person" shall mean and include an individual,  a partnership,  a joint
venture, a corporation,  a limited liability company, a trust, an unincorporated
organization, a group and a government or other department or agency thereof.

    (hh) "Per Share Amount" shall have the meaning  ascribed to such term in the
preamble to this Agreement.

    (ii)  "Proxy  Statement"  shall have the  meaning  ascribed  to such term in
Section 2.11.

    (jj)  "Rights  Agreement"  shall have the  meaning  ascribed to such term in
Section 1.2.

    (kk)  "Schedule  14D-1"  shall  have the  meaning  ascribed  to such term in
Section 1.1(b).

    (ll)  "Schedule  14D-9"  shall  have the  meaning  ascribed  to such term in
Section 1.2(b).

    (mm) "SEC" shall mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

    (nn) "Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

    (oo)  "Share  Purchase"  shall  have the  meaning  ascribed  to such term in
Section 1.1.

    (pp) "Shares"  shall have the meaning  ascribed to such term in the preamble
to this Agreement.

    (qq) "Subsidiaries"  shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section
3.6.

    (rr) "Surviving Corporation" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in
Section 2.1(b).


    IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  parties  have caused  this  Agreement  to be duly
executed by their  respective  authorized  officers as of the day and year first
above written.

ATTEST:                         THE UNION CORPORATION

                                By:  /s/ MELVIN S. COOPER
/s/ NICHOLAS P. GILL                 ----------------------------------------
- ------------------------------       Name: Melvin S. Cooper
Name: Nicholas P. Gill               Title: Chairman of the Board

ATTEST:
                                OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC.

                                By:  /s/ TYLER T. ZACHEM
/s/ S. WARD ATTERBURY                ----------------------------------------
- ------------------------------       Name: Tyler T. Zachem
Name: S. Ward Atterbury              Title: Vice President

ATTEST:
                                SHERMAN ACQUISITION CORPORATION

                                By:  /s/ TYLER T. ZACHEM
/s/ S. WARD ATTERBURY                ----------------------------------------
- ------------------------------       Name: Tyler T. Zachem
Name: S. Ward Atterbury              Title: Vice President and Treasurer
<PAGE>
                                    ANNEX I
                 TO SHARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

                        CONDITIONS TO THE SHARE PURCHASE

    The capitalized terms used in this Annex I shall have the meanings set forth
in the Agreement to which it is annexed.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of the Offer or the Agreement, Sub shall
not be required to accept for payment or,  subject to any  applicable  rules and
regulations  of the SEC,  including  Rule 14e-1c under the Exchange Act, pay for
any shares of Common Stock tendered  pursuant to the Offer and may terminate the
Offer or amend the Offer as and to the extent  provided  in  Section  1.1 of the
Agreement and may postpone the acceptance of, and payment for,  shares of Common
Stock, if (i) there shall not have been validly tendered and not withdrawn prior
to the  expiration  of the  Offer a number  of  shares  of  Common  Stock  which
represent two-thirds of the total voting power of all shares of capital stock of
the  Corporation  outstanding  on a  fully-diluted  basis,  (ii) any  applicable
waiting  period  under the HSR Act shall not have  expired  or been  terminated,
(iii)  Parent  shall not have  received  financing  necessary  for it and Sub to
consummate the Offer and the other transactions contemplated by the Agreement in
accordance with the terms of the bank commitment letter dated December 22, 1997,
to Parent from The Chase Manhattan Bank, Chase Securities Inc. and Goldman Sachs
Credit  Partners  L.P.  or (iv)  if,  at any  time on or  after  the date of the
Agreement and at or before the Share Purchase any of the following shall occur:

        (a) there shall be instituted or pending any action or proceeding by any
    government or governmental  authority or agency,  domestic or foreign, or by
    any other  Person,  domestic  or foreign,  before any court or  governmental
    authority or agency,  domestic or foreign, (i) challenging or seeking to, or
    which  could  reasonably  be  expected  to make  illegal,  impede,  delay or
    otherwise directly or indirectly materially restrain,  prohibit or make more
    costly the Offer or the Merger or seeking to obtain material  damages,  (ii)
    seeking to prohibit or materially limit the ownership or operation by Parent
    or Sub of all or any  material  portion  of the  business  or  assets of the
    Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries  taken as a whole or to compel Parent
    or Sub to dispose of or hold  separately all or any material  portion of the
    business  or  assets  of  Parent  or Sub or  the  Corporation  or any of its
    Subsidiaries  taken as a whole or seeking to impose any material  limitation
    by reason of the  transactions  contemplated by the Agreement on the ability
    of Parent or Sub to conduct its business or own such assets,  (iii)  seeking
    to  impose  limitations  on the  ability  of Parent  or Sub  effectively  to
    exercise full rights of ownership of the shares of Common Stock,  including,
    without limitation, the right to vote any shares of Common Stock acquired or
    owned  by  Sub  or  Parent  on  all  matters   properly   presented  to  the
    Corporation's shareholders, (iv) seeking to require divestiture by Parent or
    Sub of any shares of Common  Stock,  (v)  otherwise  directly or  indirectly
    relating to the Offer or the Merger and which,  could reasonably be expected
    to materially adversely affect the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries or
    Sub or Parent,  or (vi)  otherwise  having a Material  Adverse Effect on the
    Corporation and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole;

        (b) there shall be any action taken, or any statute,  rule,  regulation,
    legislation,   interpretation,   judgment,  order  or  injunction  proposed,
    enacted, enforced, promulgated,  amended, issued or deemed applicable to (i)
    Parent,  Sub, the  Corporation or any Subsidiary of the  Corporation or (ii)
    the Offer or the Merger,  by any  legislative  body,  court,  government  or
    governmental,  administrative or regulatory authority or agency, domestic or
    foreign, other than the routine application of the waiting period provisions
    of the HSR Act to the Offer or to the  Merger,  which  could  reasonably  be
    expected  to  directly  or  indirectly,  result  in any of the  consequences
    referred to in clauses (i) through (vi) of paragraph (a) above;

        (c) any change (other than as a result of general  economic  conditions)
    shall have occurred,  or Parent shall have become aware of any fact, that is
    reasonably  likely to have a Material  Adverse Effect on the Corporation and
    its Subsidiaries taken as a whole;

        (d) any of the  representations or warranties made by the Corporation in
    the  Agreement  that are  qualified  as to  materiality  shall be  untrue or
    incorrect in any respect or any of such  representations and warranties that
    are not so qualified shall be untrue or incorrect in any material respect as
    of the date of this Agreement or immediately prior to the Share Purchase;

        (e) the Corporation's Board of Directors shall have withdrawn,  modified
    or amended in any respect adverse to Parent or Sub its recommendation of the
    Offer or the Merger, or shall have resolved to do so;

        (f) the Corporation shall have failed to perform in any material respect
    any  material  obligation  or to comply  in any  material  respect  with any
    material  agreement or material  covenant of the Corporation to be performed
    or complied with by it under this Agreement; or

        (g) the Agreement  shall have been  terminated  in  accordance  with its
    terms;

which,  in the reasonable  judgment of Sub, makes it inadvisable to proceed with
such acceptance for payment or payment.

    The  foregoing  conditions  (including  those set forth in clauses  (i)-(iv)
above) are for the sole benefit of the Parent and Sub and may be asserted by any
of them,  or may be waived by the Parent or Sub, in whole or in part at any time
and from time to time in its sole  discretion.  The failure by the Parent or Sub
at any time to exercise any of the foregoing rights shall not be deemed a waiver
of any such right and each such right shall be deemed an ongoing right which may
be asserted at any time and from time to time.

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT


          This  Agreement  is made as of the 16th day of October,  1997  between
Outsourcing  Solutions Inc., a Delaware  corporation,  with offices at 390 South
Woods Mill Road, Suite 150,  Chesterfield,  Missouri 63017 (the "Company"),  and
Daniel  J.  Dolan,  an  individual  residing  in  the  State  of  Missouri  (the
"Employee").

                                    RECITALS

          WHEREAS,  the Company desires to secure the services and employment of
the  Employee on behalf of the Company,  and the Employee  desires to enter into
employment  with the  Company,  upon the terms and  conditions  hereinafter  set
forth.

          NOW, THEREFORE,  in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises
contained herein, the parties hereto, each intending to be legally bound hereby,
agree as follows:

          1.  Employment.  The  Company  hereby  employs  the  Employee as Chief
Financial  Officer of the Company,  and the Employee accepts such employment for
the term of the employment  specified in Section 3 below.  During the Employment
Term (as defined below), the Employee shall serve as the Chief Financial Officer
of the Company,  performing such duties as shall be reasonably  required of such
an employee of the  Company,  and shall have such other  powers and perform such
other additional executive duties as may from time to time be assigned to him by
the  Board  of  Directors  of the  Company.  The  Employee's  primary  place  of
employment shall be St. Louis, Missouri.

          2. Performance.  The Employee will serve the Company faithfully and to
the best of his ability and will devote  substantially all of his time,  energy,
experience and talents during regular business hours and as otherwise reasonably
necessary to such employment, to the exclusion of all other business activities.

          3.  Employment  Term. The  employment  term shall begin on the date of
this Agreement and continue until December 31, 1998,  unless earlier  terminated
pursuant to Section 7 below (the "Employment Term");  provided, that on December
31,  1998 and on each  anniversary  thereafter,  the  Employment  Term  shall be
automatically  extended for an  additional  twelve  month period  unless 30 days
prior to such  anniversary  date either the Company or the  Employee  shall give
written notice of termination of the Agreement, in which case the Agreement will
terminate at the end of the then existing Employment Term..

          4. Compensation.

          (a) Salary.  During the  Employment  Term,  the Company  shall pay the
Employee a base salary,  payable in equal semimonthly  installments,  subject to
withholding and other  applicable  taxes, at an annual rate of Two Hundred Sixty
Thousand Dollars ($260,000.00).

          (b) Bonus. For the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and
ending on December  31,  1997,  the Company  shall pay the Employee a guaranteed
bonus,  subject to withholding and other applicable taxes, of $130,000,  payable
on or before January 15, 1998. Commencing on January 1, 1998, the Employee shall
be  eligible  for an  annual  bonus of up to 67% of his base  salary  and,  with
respect to the 12 months  ended  December 31,  1998,  the Company  shall pay the
Employee a guaranteed bonus,  subject to withholding and other applicable taxes,
of $70,000,  payable on or before March 15, 1999. The non-guaranteed  portion of
such annual  bonus shall be based on the  satisfaction  of  performance  targets
established by the Board of Directors on or before  December 31 of each year for
the next succeeding year.

          (c) Stock Options.  The Company shall grant to the Employee options to
purchase  75,000  shares of the Company's  common stock at an exercise  price of
$25.00 per share  pursuant to the  Company's  1995 Stock  Option and Stock Award
Plan (the "Plan").  Such options shall vest upon the satisfaction of performance
and liquidity targets as set forth in the Plan and any award agreement  pursuant
to which such options are granted.

          (d) Medical and Dental Health, Life and Disability Insurance Benefits.
During the Employment Term, the Employee shall be entitled to medical and dental
health, life insurance and disability  insurance benefits in accordance with the
Company's established practices with respect to its key employees.

          (e) Vacation;  Sick Leave.  During the  Employment  Term, the Employee
shall be entitled to vacation and sick leave in  accordance  with the  Company's
established practices with respect to its key employees.

          (f) Car Allowance.  During the Employment  Term, the Employee shall be
entitled to a $500 per month automobile  allowance,  payable on the 15th of each
month.  In addition,  parking at the Company's  office shall be provided and the
Company  will pay any parking  fees  charged by any  landlord  at the  Company's
offices.

          (g) Club Dues.  During the Employment  Term, the Company shall pay the
monthly  dues and  assessment  for the Fox Run Golf Club and the St. Louis Club;
provided,  however,  the Company may terminate payment for the St. Louis Club at
any time upon 60 days  notice.  In  addition,  the Company  shall pay the $7,500
corporate transfer fee with regard to the Fox Run Golf Club.

          5.  Expenses.  The Employee shall be reimbursed by the Company for all
reasonable  expenses  incurred by him in connection  with the performance of his
duties hereunder in accordance with policies  established by the Board from time
to time and upon receipt of appropriate documentation.

          6. Secret Processes and Confidential  Information.  For the Employment
Term and  thereafter,  (a) the Employee will not divulge,  transmit or otherwise
disclose  (except  as legally  compelled  by court  order,  and then only to the
extent required, after prompt notice to the Company of any such order), directly
or  indirectly,  other than in the regular and proper  course of business of the
Company,  any  confidential   knowledge  or  information  with  respect  to  the
operations or finances of the Company or with respect to  confidential or secret
processes, services, techniques,  customers or plans with respect to the Company
and (b) the Employee  will not use,  directly or  indirectly,  any  confidential
information for the benefit of anyone other than the Company; provided, however,
that the Employee has no obligation,  express or implied,  to refrain from using
or disclosing to others any such knowledge or information  which is or hereafter
shall  become  available  to the public  other than  through  disclosure  by the
Employee. All new processes,  techniques, know-how, inventions, plans, products,
patents and devices developed,  made or invented by the Employee,  alone or with
others, while an employee of the Company,  shall be and become the sole property
of the  Company,  unless  released in writing by the  Company,  and the Employee
hereby assigns any and all rights therein or thereto to the Company.

          During the term of this Agreement and  thereafter,  Employee shall not
take any  action to  disparage  or  criticize  to any third  parties  any of the
services  of the Company or to commit any other  action that  injures or hinders
the business relationships of the Company.

          During the term of this Agreement and  thereafter,  Employee shall not
employ,  solicit for  employment  or otherwise  contract for the services of any
employee of the Company or any of its  Affiliates (as defined below) at the time
of this Agreement or who shall subsequently become an employee of the Company or
any of its Affiliates.

          All files, records, documents,  memorandums,  notes or other documents
relating to the business of Company,  whether  prepared by Employee or otherwise
coming into his  possession  in the course of the  performance  of his  services
under this  Agreement,  shall be the exclusive  property of Company and shall be
delivered  to Company  and not  retained by Employee  upon  termination  of this
Agreement for any reason whatsoever.

          7.  Termination.  The  employment  of the  Employee  hereunder  may be
terminated at any time by the Company with or without  "cause".  For purposes of
this  Agreement,   "cause"  shall  mean:  (i)   embezzlement,   theft  or  other
misappropriation of any property of the Company or any subsidiary, (ii) gross or
willful  misconduct  resulting  in  substantial  loss  to  the  Company  or  any
subsidiary  or  substantial  damage  to the  reputation  of the  Company  or any
subsidiary,  (iii)  any  act  involving  moral  turpitude  which  results  in  a
conviction for a felony involving moral turpitude,  fraud or  misrepresentation,
(iv) gross neglect of his assigned duties to the Company or any subsidiary,  (v)
gross breach of his fiduciary  obligations to the Company or any subsidiary,  or
(vi) any chemical  dependence  which  materially  affects the performance of his
duties and  responsibilities to the Company or any subsidiary;  provided that in
the case of the  misconduct  set  forth in  clauses  (iv) and (vi)  above,  such
misconduct  shall  continue  for a period of 30 days  following  written  notice
thereof by the Company to the Employee.

          8.  Severance.  If (a) the Employee's  employment is terminated by the
Company  without  "cause"  or (b) the  Company  does  not  agree to  extend  the
Employment Term upon the expiration  thereof,  the Employee shall be entitled to
(i) receive an amount  equal to his total cash  compensation  (base  salary plus
bonus) for the year preceding the date of the Employee's termination or the date
on which the  Employment  Term  expires,  as the case may be,  such amount to be
payable,  at the Company's  option,  in a lump sum on the date of termination or
the date on which the  Employment  Term expires,  as the case may be, or ratably
over the one year period  following the date of termination  or expiration  (the
"Severance  Period") and (ii)  continue to receive the medical and dental health
benefits  referred to in Section  4(d) during the  Severance  Period;  provided,
however,  if either  such event  occurs  prior to the  extension  of the initial
Employment Term,  Employee shall be entitled to (i) $260,000,  payable in a lump
sum on the date of termination,  (ii) the guaranteed bonus payments for 1997 and
1998 referred to in Section 4(b) to the extent not previously  paid to Employee,
payable in a lump sum on the date of termination,  and (iii) continue to receive
the medical and dental  health  benefits  referred to in Section 4(d) during the
Severance Period. If the Employee's employment is terminated by the Company "for
cause",  the  Employee  shall not be entitled  to  severance  compensation.  The
Employee  covenants  and agrees  that he will not,  during  the one year  period
following the  termination of the Employee's  employment by the Company,  within
any jurisdiction or marketing area in which the Company or any of its Affiliates
(as defined below) is doing business or is qualified to do business, directly or
indirectly own, manage,  operate,  control, be employed by or participate in the
ownership,  management,  operation  or control of, or be connected in any manner
with,  any business of the type and character  engaged in and  competitive  with
that  conducted  by the  Company  or any of its  Affiliates  at the time of such
termination;  provided,  however,  that ownership of securities of 2% or less of
any  class of  securities  of a public  company  shall not be  considered  to be
competition with the Company or any of its Affiliates.  For the purposes of this
Section 8, the term  "Affiliate"  shall mean,  with respect to the Company,  any
person or entity which, directly or indirectly, owns or is owned by, or is under
common ownership with, the Company. The term "own" (including,  with correlative
meanings, "owned by" and "under common ownership with") shall mean the ownership
of 50% or more of the voting  securities  (or their  equivalent) of a particular
entity.

          9. Notice.  Any notices  required or permitted  hereunder  shall be in
writing and shall be deemed to have been given when personally delivered or when
mailed,  certified  or  registered  mail,  postage  prepaid,  to  the  following
addresses:

          If to the Employee:

                   Daniel J. Dolan


          If to the Company:

                  Outsourcing Solutions Inc.
                  390 South Woods Mill Road, Suite 150
                  Chesterfield, Missouri 63017
                  Attn:  President

          With a copy to:

                  McCown De Leeuw & Co.
                  101 East 52nd Street
                  31st Floor
                  New York, New York 10022
                  Attention:  David E. King

          10. General.

          (a)  Governing  Law;  Jurisdiction.   The  validity,   interpretation,
construction  and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of
the State of Missouri  applicable  to  contracts  executed  and to be  performed
entirely within said State. Any judicial  proceeding  brought against any of the
parties to this  Agreement or any dispute  arising out of this  Agreement or any
matter  related  hereto may be brought in the courts of the State of Missouri or
in the United States District Court for the Eastern  District of Missouri,  and,
by  execution  and  delivery  of this  Agreement,  each of the  parties  to this
Agreement accepts the jurisdiction of said courts,  and irrevocably agrees to be
bound by any judgment  rendered  thereby in connection with this Agreement.  The
foregoing  consent to  jurisdiction  shall not be deemed to confer rights on any
person other than the respective parties to this Agreement.

          (b)  Assignability.  The  Employee  may not assign his  interest in or
delegate his duties under this Agreement.  Notwithstanding anything else in this
Agreement  to the  contrary,  the Company may assign this  Agreement  to and all
rights  hereunder shall inure to the benefit of any person,  firm or corporation
succeeding to all or substantially  all of the business or assets of the Company
by purchase, merger or consolidation.

          (c)  Enforcement  Costs.  In the event that  either the Company or the
Employee  initiates an action or claim to enforce any  provision or term of this
Agreement,  the costs and expenses (including attorney's fees) of the prevailing
party  shall  be paid by the  other  party,  such  party  to be  deemed  to have
prevailed  if such  action or claim is  concluded  pursuant  to a court order or
final  judgment  which is not  subject  to appeal,  a  settlement  agreement  or
dismissal of the principle claims.

          (d) Binding Effect.  This Agreement is for the employment of Employee,
personally,  and for the  services to be rendered by him must be rendered by him
and no other  person.  This  Agreement  shall be  binding  upon and inure to the
benefit of the Company and its successors and assigns.

          (e) Entire  Agreement;  Modification.  This Agreement  constitutes the
entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof
and may not be  modified  or amended in any way except in writing by the parties
hereto.

          (f) Duration.  Notwithstanding the term of employment hereunder,  this
Agreement  shall  continue  for so long as any  obligations  remain  under  this
Agreement.

          (g)  Survival.  The  covenants  set forth in  Sections 6 and 7 of this
Agreement  shall  survive  and  shall  continue  to  be  binding  upon  Employee
notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement for any reason whatsoever. The
covenants  set forth in Sections 6 and 8 of this  Agreement  shall be deemed and
construed  as separate  agreements  independent  of any other  provision of this
Agreement.  The  existence  of any claim or cause of action by Employee  against
Company, whether predicated on this Agreement or otherwise, shall not constitute
a defense to the enforcement by Company of any or all covenants. It is expressly
agreed that the remedy at law for the breach or any such  covenant is inadequate
and that  injunctive  relief  shall be  available  to prevent  the breach or any
threatened breach thereof.

          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound,
have hereunto executed this Agreement the day and year first written above.

                                      OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC.


                                      By /s/ Timothy G. Beffa
                                         --------------------------------------
                                         Timothy G. Beffa, President and
                                         Chief Executive Officer


                                      EMPLOYEE


                                      /s/ Daniel J. Dolan
                                      -----------------------------------------
                                      Daniel J. Dolan

                  FIRST AMENDMENT TO OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC.
                     1995 STOCK OPTION AND STOCK AWARD PLAN


     This First Amendment (this  "Amendment") to the Outsourcing  Solutions Inc.
1995 Stock Option and Stock Award Plan (the "Plan"),  is made as of the 18th day
of  December,  1997.  Terms  which are  defined  in the Plan shall have the same
meanings when used herein unless otherwise defined

                                    RECITALS


     WHEREAS, the Company has established the Plan to for the purposes set forth
therein;

     WHEREAS,  the  Company  desires  to amend  the  Plan to allow  non-employee
directors to participate  in the Plan upon the terms and conditions  hereinafter
set forth.

     NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS AGREED:

          1. Section 4 of the Plan shall be amended by deleting  that section in
its entirety and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

          "4.  Eligibility.  Key salaried  employees,  including  officers,  and
     consultants of the Company and its  subsidiaries are eligible to be granted
     options  and  awarded  restricted  stock  under the Plan and to have  their
     bonuses  payable in stock.  In  addition,  directors  (whether  or not also
     employees) of the Company shall also be eligible to be granted  options and
     awarded  restricted  stock under the Plan. The employees,  consultants  and
     directors  who shall  receive  awards or  options  under the Plan  shall be
     selected from time to time by the Committee,  in its sole discretion,  from
     among those eligible,  which may be based upon information furnished to the
     Committee by the Company's  management,  and the Committee shall determine,
     in its sole discretion,  the number of shares to be covered by the award or
     awards and by the option or options  granted to each such person  selected.
     Such key salaried employees,  consultants and directors who are selected to
     participate  in the Plan  shall  be  referred  to  collectively  herein  as
     "Participants."

          2. As used in the Plan and any documents  referring thereto,  the term
"Plan" on and  subsequent  to the date  hereof  shall  mean the Plan as  amended
hereby.

          3. This Amendment shall be limited  precisely as written and shall not
be deemed to (i) be a consent to any waiver or  modification  of any other terms
and  conditions  of the Plan or (ii)  prejudice  any right or  rights  which the
Company may now have or may have in the future under or in  connection  with the
Plan. Except as expressly  amended hereby,  the terms and provisions of the Plan
shall remain in full force and effect.

          4. This  Amendment  shall be governed by, and  construed in accordance
with, the law of the State of Delaware.



















                          SINGLE TENANT BUILDING LEASE

                                     BETWEEN

                       JUSTUS REALTY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP,
                        A COLORADO PARTNERSHIP (LANDLORD)

                                       AND

                    ACCELERATED BUREAU OF COLLECTIONS, INC.,
                         A COLORADO CORPORATION (TENANT)

                               DATE: JUNE 1, 1997
<PAGE>
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. AGREEMENT ...............................................................1

2. PREMISES ................................................................1

3. TERM ....................................................................1

    (a) Initial Term .......................................................1

    (b) Option to Extend ...................................................1

4. RENT ....................................................................1

    (a) Base Rent ..........................................................1

    (b) Square Footage .....................................................2

    (c) Adjustment to Base Rent ............................................2

5. TAXES ...................................................................2

    (a) Obligation for Payment .............................................2

    (b) Taxes Payable in Installments ......................................3

    (c) Taxes for Period Other Than Term ...................................3

    (d) Other Impositions ..................................................3

    (e) Right to Contest Taxes .............................................3

    (f) Estimated Payments .................................................4

    (g) Final Settlement ...................................................4

6. UTILITIES ...............................................................4

7. INSURANCE ...............................................................5

    (a) "All-Risk" Coverage ................................................5

    (b) General Liability ..................................................5

    (c) Other Matters ......................................................5

    (d) Additional Insureds ................................................6

    (e) Waiver .............................................................6

8. USE .....................................................................6

9. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS (GENERALLY .........................................6

    (a) Tenant's Obligations ...............................................6

    (b) Tenant's Obligations with Respect to 
        Environmental Laws .................................................7

    (c) Right to Contest Laws ..............................................9

10. ASSIGNMENTS AND SUBLEASES .............................................10

11. SIGNS .................................................................10

12. REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE  ..............................................10

13. ALTERATIONS ...........................................................10

14. END OF TERM ...........................................................11

15. DAMAGE AND DESTRUCTION ................................................11

    (a) General ...........................................................11

    (b) Landlord's Inspection .............................................12

    (c) Landlord's Costs ..................................................13

    (d) No Rent Abatement .................................................13

    (e) Damage During Last Three Years ....................................13

16. CONDEMNATION ..........................................................13

    (a) Total Taking ......................................................13

    (b) Partial Taking ....................................................13

    (c) Tenant's Award ....................................................14

    (d) Allocation of an Award for a Total Taking .........................14

17. SUBORDINATION; ENCUMBRANCES ...........................................15

    (a) General ...........................................................15

    (b) Attornment ........................................................15

    (c) Encumbrances ......................................................15

18. LANDLORD'S ACCESS .....................................................16

19. INDEMNIFICATION, WAIVER AND RELEASE ...................................16

    (a) Indemnification ...................................................16

    (b) Waiver and Release ................................................17

20. COVENANT OF QUIET ENJOYMENT ...........................................17

21. LIMITATION ON TENANT'S RECOURSE .......................................17

22. DEFAULT ...............................................................18

    (a) Cure ..............................................................18

    (b) Events of Default .................................................18

    (c) Remedies ..........................................................19

23. ARBITRATION ...........................................................21

24. MISCELLANEOUS .........................................................22

    (a) Recordation .......................................................22

    (b) Holding Over ......................................................22

    (c) Estoppel Certificates .............................................22

    (d) No Waiver .........................................................23

    (e) Authority .........................................................23

    (f) Notices ...........................................................23

    (g) Attorneys' Fees ...................................................24

    (h) Waiver of Jury Trial ..............................................24

    (i) Restrictions ......................................................24

    (j) Binding Effect ....................................................24
<PAGE>
                          SINGLE TENANT BUILDING LEASE

     THIS SINGLE  TENANT  BUILDING  LEASE is made as of June 1, 1997,  by JUSTUS
REALTY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, a Colorado partnership ("landlord"), and ACCELERATED
BUREAU OF COLLECTIONS, INC., a Colorado corporation ("tenant").

                                  1. AGREEMENT

     Landlord  leases the  premises  (as that term is defined in paragraph 2) to
tenant, and tenant leases the premises from landlord, according to this lease.

                                   2. PREMISES

     The premises are the land and building  commonly known as 5295 DTC Parkway,
City of Englewood,  County of Arapahoe, State of Colorado, and more particularly
described as:

     See Exhibit A attached hereto.

The premises include the heating,  ventilating, and air conditioning systems and
the mechanical,  electrical,  and plumbing systems serving the premises, and the
use of 60 parking spaces located in front of and behind the building.

                                     3. TERM

     (a) Initial Term.  The term of this lease will be five years,  beginning on
June 1, 1997, and expiring on May 31, 2002.

     (b)  Option  to  Extend.  Tenant  may  extend  the  term  until  the  fifth
anniversary  of the  expiration  date by written notice of its election to do so
given to landlord at least one year prior to the expiration  date. The terms and
conditions  of the lease  applicable  at the  expiration  date will  govern  the
extended term; except that, tenant will have no further right to extend the term
and the base rent during the  extended  term will be an amount to be agreed upon
in writing by  landlord  and tenant in  writing  prior to the  expiration  date.
Tenant  will not have any rights  under this  paragraph  3(b) if (1) an event of
default exists on the  expiration  date or on the date on which the tenant gives
its  notice,  or (2) tenant  exercises  its rights less than one year before the
expiration date.

                                     4. RENT

     (a) Base Rent.  Tenant will pay landlord $20.00 annually per square foot of
space in the rented  premises  (the "base  rent") in equal  consecutive  monthly
installments  on or before the first day of each  month  during the term of this
lease.  The base rent  will be paid in  advance  at the  address  specified  for
landlord in paragraph 25(f) or such other place as landlord designates,  without
prior demand and without any abatement, deduction or setoff. If the commencement
date  occurs on a day other  than the first day of a calendar  month,  or if the
expiration  date  occurs on a day other than the last day of a  calendar  month,
then the base rent for the fractional month will be prorated on a daily basis.

     (b) Square Footage. Tenant and landlord agree that for the purposes of this
lease, the premises contain 16,728 square feet.

     (c) Adjustment to Base Rent. On June 1 of each year during the term hereof,
the base rent for the following  year shall be adjusted to reflect  increases or
decreases in the Consumer  Price Index during the period from June 1 through May
31 immediately  preceding the adjustment  month each year, as follows:  the base
rent for the final month of the  preceding  year shall be multiplied by a number
which is  reached by  dividing  the  Consumer  Price  Index for  Denver/Boulder,
Colorado -- All Items,  as  published  by the Bureau of Labor  Statistics,  U.S.
Department  of Labor (the  "CPI")  figure for said final month by the CPI figure
for the initial month of this lease term, which is expressed  formulaically  as:
base rent x last month's CPI/initial month's CPI. If the official monthly CPI is
not available for use as a  cost-of-living  index for the months  provided to be
used as a basis  for such  formula,  it is  agreed  that the CPI as  issued  and
published for the earliest  preceding  months should be used in determining such
formula.  If,  at any time  during  the term  hereof,  the U.S.  Bureau of Labor
Statistics  shall  discontinue  the  issuance of the Bureau of Labor  Statistics
Consumer  Price  Index,  the parties  shall use any other  standard,  nationally
recognized cost-of-living index then issued and available, which is published by
the U.S. government.

                                    5. TAXES

     (a) Obligation  for Payment.  Tenant will pay all taxes  (collectively  the
"tax"), including without limitation real estate and personal property taxes and
assessments  assessed,  levied,  confirmed,  or imposed  during the term of this
lease,  whether or not now customary or within the contemplation of landlord and
tenant:

          (1) upon, measured by, or reasonably attributable to the cost or value
of tenant's equipment,  furniture, fixtures, and other personal property located
in the premises,  or by the cost or value of any leasehold  improvements made in
or to  the  premises  by or for  tenant,  regardless  of  whether  title  to the
improvements is in tenant or landlord;

          (2) upon or measured by the base rent,  including  without  limitation
any gross  receipts  tax or excise tax levied by the federal  government  or any
other governmental body with respect to the receipt of base rent;

          (3)  upon or  with  respect  to the  possession,  leasing,  operation,
management, maintenance,  alteration, repair, use, or occupancy by tenant of the
premises or any portion of the premises;

          (4) upon this  transaction  or any document to which tenant is a party
creating or transferring an interest or an estate in the premises;

          (5) upon the premises and all personal property, furniture,  fixtures,
and equipment, and all replacements, improvements, or additions to them, whether
owned by landlord or tenant; and

          (6) based in whole or in part on a base rent, whether made in addition
to or in substitution for any other tax.

     (b) Taxes Payable in Installments. Unless landlord has exercised its rights
under  paragraph  5(f) and if, by law, any tax may at the option of the taxpayer
be paid in installments  (whether or not interest  accrues on the unpaid balance
of the tax),  tenant may  exercise  the  option to pay the tax (and any  accrued
interest  on the unpaid  balance  of the tax) in  installments;  in that  event,
tenant will pay the  installments  that become due during the term of this lease
as they become due and before any fine, penalty,  further interest,  or cost may
be added to them.

     (c) Taxes for Period Other Than Term.  Any tax,  including  taxes that have
been converted  into  installment  payments,  relating to a fiscal period of the
taxing authority,  a part of which period is included within the term and a part
of which is included in a period of time prior to the  commencement or after the
end of the term,  whether or not such tax or installments are assessed,  levied,
confirmed, imposed upon or in respect of, or become a lien upon the premises, or
become payable, during the term, will be adjusted between landlord and tenant as
of the  commencement or end of the term, so that tenant will pay that portion of
the tax or installment  which the part of the fiscal period included in the term
bears to the fiscal period, and landlord will pay the remainder.

     (d) Other Impositions. Tenant will not be obligated to pay local, state, or
federal net income taxes assessed  against  landlord;  local,  state, or federal
capital levy of landlord; or sales, excise, franchise, gift, estate, succession,
inheritance, or transfer taxes of landlord.

     (e) Right to  Contest  Taxes.  Tenant  will have the right to  contest  the
amount or validity,  in whole or in part, of any tax by appropriate  proceedings
diligently  conducted  in good faith,  only after paying the tax or posting such
security as landlord  may  reasonably  require in order to protect the  premises
against loss or forfeiture.  Upon the termination of those  proceedings,  tenant
will pay the  amount of the tax or part of the tax as  finally  determined,  the
payment  of  which  may  have  been  deferred  during  the  prosecution  of  the
proceedings,  together  with any  costs,  fees,  interest,  penalties,  or other
related  liabilities.  Landlord  will not be  required to join in any contest or
proceedings  unless  the  provisions  of any law or  regulations  then in effect
require that the  proceedings be brought by or in the name of landlord.  In that
event, landlord will join in the proceedings or permit them to be brought in its
name;  however,  landlord will not be subjected to any liability for the payment
of any costs or expenses in  connection  with any  contest or  proceedings,  and
tenant will indemnify  landlord  against and save landlord  harmless from any of
those costs and expenses.

     (f) Estimated Payments.  If any lender requires landlord to do so, then, in
each December during the term or as soon after December as practicable, landlord
will give  tenant  written  notice of its  estimate  of  amounts  payable  under
paragraph 5 for the ensuing  calendar  year.  On or before the first day of each
month during the ensuing calendar year, tenant will pay to landlord  one-twelfth
(1/12th) of the estimated amounts;  however, if notice is not given in December,
tenant will continue to pay on the basis of the prior year's  estimate until the
month after notice is given. If at any time or times it appears to landlord that
the amounts  payable under  paragraph 5 for the current  calendar year will vary
from its  estimate by more than ten percent  (10%),  landlord  will,  by written
notice to tenant,  revise its estimate for the year, and subsequent  payments by
tenant for such year will be based upon the revised estimate.

     (g) Final  Settlement.  Within  ninety  (90)  days  after the close of each
calendar year or as soon after the ninety-day  period as  practicable,  landlord
will deliver to tenant a statement of amounts  payable under paragraph 5 for the
calendar year,  prepared by certified public accountants  designated by landlord
or prepared by landlord and  certified  by one of its  officers.  The  certified
statement  will be final and binding upon landlord and tenant.  If the statement
shows an  amount  owing by  tenant  that is less  than  the  estimated  payments
previously  made  by  tenant  for  the  calendar  year,  the  statement  will be
accompanied  by a refund of the excess by landlord to tenant.  If the  statement
shows an  amount  owing by  tenant  that is more  than  the  estimated  payments
previously made by tenant for the calendar year,  tenant will pay the deficiency
to landlord within thirty (30) days after the delivery of the statement.

                                  6. UTILITIES

     Tenant will pay the appropriate  suppliers for all water, gas, electricity,
light, heat, telephone,  power, and other utilities and communications  services
used by tenant on the premises during the term,  whether or not the services are
billed  directly to tenant.  Tenant will also procure,  or cause to be procured,
without cost to landlord,  any and all  necessary  permits,  licenses,  or other
authorizations  required for the lawful and proper  installation and maintenance
upon the premises of wires,  pipes,  conduits,  tubes,  and other  equipment and
appliances  for use in supplying  any of the services to and upon the  premises.
Landlord,  upon  request of tenant,  and at the sole  expense and  liability  of
tenant,  will join with tenant in any  application  required  for  obtaining  or
continuing any of the services.

                                  7. INSURANCE

     (a) "All-Risk" Coverage.  Tenant will, at its sole expense, obtain and keep
in  force,  during  the  term  of  this  lease,  "all-risk"  coverage  insurance
(including  earthquake and flood insurance)  naming landlord and tenant as their
interests  may appear and other parties that landlord or tenant may designate as
additional insureds in the customary form in the City of Englewood for buildings
and improvements of similar character,  on all buildings and improvements now or
after this date located on the  premises.  The amount of the  insurance  will be
designated  by landlord no more  frequently  than once every twelve (12) months,
will be set forth on an "agreed amount  endorsement" to the policy of insurance,
will  not be less  than  the  agreed  replacement  value  of the  buildings  and
improvements,  and will be subject to  arbitration  pursuant to paragraph 2.4 if
landlord and tenant do not agree with regard to such value.  Landlord and tenant
have  already  agreed by separate  document as to the  replacement  value of the
existing  building on the premises which shall apply from June 1, 1997 until May
31, 1998.

     (b) General Liability. Tenant will, at its sole expense, obtain and keep in
force during the term of this lease commercial general liability  insurance with
a combined  single limit of not less than one million dollars  ($1,000,000)  for
injury to or death of any one person, and three million dollars ($3,000,000) for
injury  to or  death of any  number  of  persons  in one  occurrence  and in the
aggregate, and for damage to property, insuring against any and all liability of
landlord and tenant,  including  without  limitation  coverage  for  contractual
liability,  broad form property  damage,  host liquor  liability,  and non-owned
automobile  liability,  with  respect  to the  premises  or  arising  out of the
maintenance,  use, or occupancy of the premises.  The insurance  will insure the
performance  by tenant of the indemnity  agreement as to liability for injury to
or death of  persons  and  damage to  property  set forth in  paragraph  19. The
insurance  will be  noncontributing  with any  insurance  that may be carried by
landlord  and will  contain a  provision  that  landlord,  although  named as an
insured, will nevertheless be entitled to recover under the policy for any loss,
injury,  or damage to landlord,  its agents,  and employees,  or the property of
such persons.  The limits and coverage of all the insurance  will be adjusted by
agreement of landlord  and tenant  during every third lease year during the term
of this  lease in  conformity  with  the  then  prevailing  custom  of  insuring
liability  in  the  City  of  Englewood,  and  any  disagreement  regarding  the
adjustment  will be submitted to arbitration in the manner provided in paragraph
24.

     (c)  Other  Matters.  All  insurance  required  in this  paragraph  and all
renewals of it will be issued by companies  authorized  to transact  business in
the State of Colorado, and rated at least A+ Class X by Best's Insurance Reports
(property  liability) or approved by landlord.  All  insurance  policies will be
subject to approval by landlord  and any lender as to form and  substance;  will
expressly  provide  that the  policies  will not be canceled or altered  without
thirty (30) days' prior written  notice to landlord and any lender,  in the case
of  "all-risk"  coverage  insurance,  and to  landlord,  in the case of  general
liability insurance; and will, to the extent obtainable,  provide that no act or
omission of tenant which would  otherwise  result in  forfeiture or reduction of
the insurance  will affect or limit the  obligation of the insurance  company to
pay the amount of any loss  sustained.  Tenant may satisfy its obligation  under
this paragraph by appropriate endorsements of its blanket insurance policies.

     (d) Additional Insureds. All policies of liability insurance that tenant is
obligated  to  maintain  according  to this  lease  (other  than any  policy  of
workmen's  compensation  insurance) will name landlord and such other persons or
firms as landlord specifies from time to time as additional  insureds.  Original
or copies of original policies (together with copies of the endorsements  naming
landlord,  and any others  specified by landlord,  as  additional  insureds) and
evidence of the payment of all  premiums of such  policies  will be delivered to
landlord  prior to tenant's  occupancy  of the premises and from time to time at
least thirty (30) days prior to the  expiration of the term of each policy.  All
public liability, property damage liability, and casualty policies maintained by
tenant will be written as primary  policies,  not  contributing  with and not in
excess of  coverage  that  landlord  may  carry.  No  insurance  required  to be
maintained by tenant by this paragraph will be subject to any deductible without
landlord's prior written consent.

     (e) Waiver.  Landlord and tenant  waive all rights to recover  against each
other or against any other  tenant or occupant of the  building,  or against the
officers, directors, shareholders, partners, joint venturers, employees, agents,
customers,  invitees,  or  business  visitors  of each of theirs or of any other
tenant or  occupant of the  building,  for any loss or damage  arising  from any
cause covered by any  insurance  required to be carried by each of them pursuant
to this  paragraph 7 or any other  insurance  actually  carried by each of them.
Landlord and tenant will cause their  respective  insurers to issue  appropriate
waiver of subrogation  rights  endorsements to all policies of insurance carried
in  connection  with the  building or the  premises or the contents of either of
them.  Tenant will cause all other occupants of the premises claiming by, under,
or through  tenant to execute and deliver to landlord a waiver of claims similar
to the waiver in this paragraph and to obtain such waiver of subrogation  rights
endorsements.

                                     8. USE

     The premises will be used only for offices.

                       9. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS (GENERALLY)

     (a)  Tenant's  Obligations.  Tenant  will not use or occupy,  or permit any
portion of the premises to be used or occupied:

          (1) in  violation  of any law,  ordinance,  order,  rule,  regulation,
certificate of occupancy, or other governmental requirement;

          (2) for any disreputable business or purpose; or

          (3) in any manner or for any business or purpose that creates risks of
fire or other  hazards,  or that would in any way  violate,  suspend,  void,  or
increase the rate of fire or liability or any other insurance of any kind at any
time  carried  by  landlord  upon all or any part of the  building  in which the
premises are located or its contents.

Tenant will comply with all laws, ordinances,  orders, rules,  regulations,  and
other governmental  requirements relating to the use, condition, or occupancy of
the premises, and all rules, orders, regulations,  and requirements of the board
of fire  underwriters or insurance  service  office,  or any other similar body,
having jurisdiction over the building in which the premises are located.

     (b) Tenant's Obligations with Respect to Environmental Laws.

          (1)  Tenant  and the  premises  will  remain  in  compliance  with all
applicable  laws,  ordinances,  and regulations  (including  consent decrees and
administrative  orders)  relating to public health and safety and  protection of
the environment,  including those statutes,  laws,  regulations,  and ordinances
identified  in  subparagraph  (7), all as amended and modified from time to time
(collectively,  "environmental  laws"). All governmental permits relating to the
use or operation of the premises required by applicable  environmental  laws are
and will remain in effect, and tenant will comply with them.

          (2)  Tenant  will  not  permit  to  occur  any  release,   generation,
manufacture,  storage,  treatment,  transportation,  or disposal  of  "hazardous
material," as that term is defined in  subparagraph  (7), on, in, under, or from
the premises. Tenant will promptly notify landlord, in writing, if tenant has or
acquires  notice  or  knowledge  that  any  hazardous  material  has  been or is
threatened to be released,  discharged,  disposed of, transported, or stored on,
in, under, or from the premises;  and if any hazardous  material is found on the
premises, tenant, at its own cost and expense, will immediately take such action
as is necessary to detain the spread of and remove the hazardous material to the
complete satisfaction of landlord and the appropriate governmental authorities.

          (3) Tenant will  immediately  notify  landlord and provide copies upon
receipt  of all  written  complaints,  claims,  citations,  demands,  inquiries,
reports, or notices relating to the condition of the premises or compliance with
environmental  laws. Tenant will promptly cure and have dismissed with prejudice
any of those actions and  proceedings to the  satisfaction  of landlord.  Tenant
will keep the premises  free of any lien imposed  pursuant to any  environmental
laws.

          (4) Landlord will have the right at all reasonable times and from time
to time to  conduct  environmental  audits  of the  premises,  and  tenant  will
cooperate  in the conduct of those  audits.  The audits will be  conducted  by a
consultant of landlord's choosing,  and if any hazardous material is detected or
if a violation of any of the warranties, representations, or covenants contained
in this paragraph is discovered,  the fees and expenses of such  consultant will
be borne by tenant  and will be paid as  additional  rent  under  this  lease on
demand by landlord.

          (5) If tenant  fails to comply with any of the  foregoing  warranties,
representations, and covenants, landlord may cause the removal (or other cleanup
acceptable to landlord) of any hazardous  material from the premises.  The costs
of hazardous  material removal and any other cleanup  (including  transportation
and storage  costs) will be additional  rent under this lease,  whether or not a
court has  ordered the  cleanup,  and those costs will become due and payable on
demand by landlord.  Tenant will give landlord, its agents, and employees access
to the  premises  to  remove  or  otherwise  clean  up any  hazardous  material.
Landlord, however, has no affirmative obligation to remove or otherwise clean up
any  hazardous  material,  and this lease will not be  construed as creating any
such obligation.

          (6)  Tenant  agrees to  indemnify,  defend  (with  counsel  reasonably
acceptable  to  landlord  and at  tenant's  sole cost),  and hold  landlord  and
landlord's affiliates, shareholders,  directors, officers, employees, and agents
free and  harmless  from  and  against  all  losses,  liabilities,  obligations,
penalties,  claims,  litigation,  demands,  defenses,  costs, judgments,  suits,
proceedings,  damages  (including  consequential  damages),   disbursements,  or
expenses of any kind  (including  attorneys'  and experts' fees and expenses and
fees and expenses  incurred in  investigating,  defending,  or  prosecuting  any
litigation, claim, or proceeding) that may at any time be imposed upon, incurred
by, or asserted or awarded against landlord or any of them in connection with or
arising from or out of:

          (A) any  hazardous  material on, in,  under,  or affecting  all or any
portion of the premises;

          (B) any  misrepresentation,  inaccuracy,  or breach  of any  warranty,
covenant, or agreement contained or referred to in this paragraph;

          (C) any violation or claim of violation by tenant of any environmental
law; or

          (D) the  imposition  of any lien for the  recovery  of any  costs  for
environmental  cleanup  or other  response  costs  relating  to the  release  or
threatened release of hazardous material.

This  indemnification  is the  personal  obligation  of tenant and will  survive
termination of this lease. Tenant, its successors,  and assigns waive,  release,
and  agree  not to make any  claim or bring  any cost  recovery  action  against
landlord under CERCLA, as that term is defined in subparagraph (7), or any state
equivalent  or any similar law now existing or enacted  after this date.  To the
extent  that  landlord  is  strictly  liable  under  any such  law,  regulation,
ordinance, or requirement,  tenant's obligation to landlord under this indemnity
will also be without  regard to fault on the part of tenant with  respect to the
violation or condition that results in liability to landlord.

          (7) For purposes of this lease, "hazardous material" means:

          (A) "hazardous  substances"  or "toxic  substances" as those terms are
defined by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability
Act  (CERCLA),  42  U.S.C.  ss.  9601,  et  seq.,  or  the  Hazardous  Materials
Transportation  Act,  49 U.S.C.  ss.  1802,  both as amended to this date and as
amended after this date;

          (B)  "hazardous  wastes,"  as that  term is  defined  by the  Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), 42 U.S.C.ss.  6902, et seq., as amended to
this date and as amended after this date;

          (C) any  pollutant,  contaminant,  or hazardous,  dangerous,  or toxic
chemical,  material,  or  substance  within the meaning of any other  applicable
federal,  state, or local law, regulation,  ordinance, or requirement (including
consent decrees and administrative  orders) relating to or imposing liability or
standards  of conduct  concerning  any  hazardous,  toxic,  or  dangerous  waste
substance  or  material,  all as amended  to this date or as amended  after this
date;

          (D)  crude  oil or any  fraction  of it that  is  liquid  at  standard
conditions of  temperature  and pressure (60 degrees  Fahrenheit and 14.7 pounds
per square inch absolute);

          (E) any radioactive material,  including any source,  special nuclear,
or byproduct  material as defined at 42 U.S.C.ss.  2011,  et seq., as amended to
this date or as amended after this date;

          (F) asbestos in any form or condition; and

          (G)  polychlorinated  biphenyls  (PCB's) or  substances  or  compounds
containing PCB'S.

     (c)  Right to  Contest  Laws.  Tenant  will have the  right to  contest  by
appropriate  proceedings  diligently  conducted  in good  faith  in the  name of
tenant, or, with the prior consent of the landlord,  in the name of landlord, or
both,  without cost or expense to landlord,  the validity or  application of any
law, ordinance,  order, rule, regulation, or legal requirement of any nature. If
compliance with any law, ordinance,  order, rule, regulation, or requirement may
legally be delayed pending the prosecution of any proceeding,  without incurring
any lien,  charge,  or liability of any kind against the  premises,  or tenant's
interest  in the  premises,  and  without  subjecting  tenant or landlord to any
liability,  civil or  criminal,  for  failure  so to  comply,  tenant  may delay
compliance  until the final  determination  of the  proceeding.  Even if a lien,
charge, or liability may be incurred by reason of delay,  tenant may contest and
delay, so long as (1) the contest or delay does not subject landlord to criminal
liability and (2) tenant furnishes to landlord security, reasonably satisfactory
to  landlord,  against  any loss or injury by  reason of any  contest  or delay.
Landlord  will not be  required  to join  any  proceedings  referred  to in this
paragraph unless the provision of any applicable law, rule, or regulation at the
time in effect  requires  that the  proceedings  be brought by or in the name of
landlord,  or both. In that event  landlord will join the  proceedings or permit
them to be brought in its name if tenant pays all related expenses.

                          10. ASSIGNMENTS AND SUBLEASES

     Tenant may assign or sublease all or part of the premises  with  landlord's
prior written consent,  which landlord agrees will not be unreasonably  withheld
or delayed.

                                    11. SIGNS

     Tenant may install signs on the premises in accordance with federal, state,
and local statutes, laws, ordinances, and codes.

                           12. REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE

     Tenant  accepts  the  premises  as is.  Tenant  will,  at its sole cost and
expense, maintain the premises and make repairs,  restorations, and replacements
to the premises,  including  without  limitation the heating,  ventilating,  air
conditioning, mechanical, electrical, elevator, and plumbing systems, structural
roof, walls, and foundations, and the fixtures and appurtenances to the premises
as and when needed to preserve  them in good  working  order and  condition  and
regardless of whether the repairs,  restorations,  and replacements are ordinary
or extraordinary,  foreseeable or unforeseeable,  capital or noncapital,  or the
fault or not the fault of tenant, its agents, employees,  invitees, visitors, or
contractors. All repairs,  restorations, and replacements will be in quality and
class  equal to the  original  work or  installations.  If tenant  fails to make
repairs, restorations, or replacements, landlord may make them at the expense of
tenant and the expense  will be  collectible  as  additional  rent to be paid by
tenant within fifteen (15) days after delivery of a statement for the expense.

                                 13. ALTERATIONS

     Tenant will not make any  alterations,  additions,  or  improvements to the
premises without  landlord's prior written  consent;  however,  landlord's prior
written  consent  will  not  be  necessary  for  any  alteration,  addition,  or
improvement which:

     (a) costs  less than two  thousand  dollars  ($2,000)  including  labor and
materials;

     (b) does not change the general  character of the  premises,  or reduce the
fair  market  value of the  premises  below its fair  market  value prior to the
alteration, addition, or improvement;

     (c) is made with due diligence,  in a good and workmanlike  manner,  and in
compliance with the laws, ordinances,  orders, rules, regulations,  certificates
of occupancy, or other governmental requirements described in paragraph 9;

     (d) is promptly and fully paid for by tenant; and

     (e) is made under the  supervision  of an architect or engineer  reasonably
satisfactory  to landlord and in accordance  with plans and  specifications  and
cost estimates approved by landlord.

Landlord may designate a  supervising  architect to assure  compliance  with the
provisions of this  paragraph,  and if it does,  tenant will pay the supervising
architect's   charges.   Subject  to  tenant's   rights  in  paragraph  14,  all
alterations,   additions,  fixtures,  and  improvements,  whether  temporary  or
permanent in character, made in or upon the premises by tenant, will immediately
become landlord's  property and at the end of the term of this lease will remain
on the premises  without  compensation  to tenant.  By notice given to tenant no
less than ninety (90) days prior to the end of this lease,  landlord may require
that any alterations,  additions, fixtures, and improvements made in or upon the
premises  be  removed  by  tenant.  In  that  event,   tenant  will  remove  the
alterations,  additions,  fixtures,  and  improvements at tenant's sole cost and
will  restore  the  premises  to the  condition  in which  they were  before the
alterations,  additions,  improvements, and additions were made, reasonable wear
and tear excepted.

                                 14. END OF TERM

     At the end of this lease,  tenant will surrender the premises in good order
and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted. Tenant will not remove any trade
fixtures or equipment without  landlord's prior written consent.  Whether or not
tenant  is  then  in  default,   tenant  will  remove  alterations,   additions,
improvements,  trade  fixtures,  equipment,  and  furniture  that  landlord  has
requested be removed in accordance  with  paragraph 13. Tenant will fully repair
any  damage  occasioned  by  the  removal  of  any  trade  fixtures,  equipment,
furniture,  alterations,   additions,  and  improvements.  All  trade  fixtures,
equipment,  furniture,  alterations,  additions, and improvements not so removed
will  conclusively  be  deemed  to have  been  abandoned  by  tenant  and may be
appropriated,  sold,  stored,  destroyed,  or otherwise  disposed of by landlord
without  notice to  tenant or to any other  person  and  without  obligation  to
account for them.  Tenant will pay landlord all expenses  incurred in connection
with landlord's  disposition of such property,  including without limitation the
cost of repairing  any damage to the  building or premises  caused by removal of
the  property.  Tenant's  obligation  to observe and perform this  covenant will
survive the end of this lease.

                           15. DAMAGE AND DESTRUCTION

     (a) General.  if the premises are damaged or destroyed by reason of fire or
any other cause,  tenant will  immediately  notify  landlord  and will  promptly
repair or rebuild the building at tenant's  expense,  so as to make the building
at  least  equal  in value to the  building  existing  immediately  prior to the
occurrence  and as nearly  similar  to it in  character  as is  practicable  and
reasonable.  Landlord  will  apply and make  available  to pay to tenant the net
proceeds  of any  fire or  other  casualty  insurance  paid to  landlord,  after
deduction of any costs of collection,  including  attorneys' fees, for repairing
or rebuilding  as the same  progresses.  Payments will be made against  properly
certified  vouchers of a competent  architect in charge of the work and approved
by landlord.  Landlord will contribute,  out of the insurance proceeds,  towards
each  payment  to be  made by or on  behalf  of  tenant  for  the  repairing  or
rebuilding  of the  building,  under a schedule of payments to be made by tenant
and not unreasonably objected to by landlord, an amount in the proportion to the
payment by tenant as the total net amount  received  by landlord  from  insurers
bears to the total  estimated  cost of the  rebuilding or  repairing.  Landlord,
however, may withhold from each amount so to be paid by landlord fifteen percent
(15%) of the amount until the work of repairing or  rebuilding  is completed and
proof has been  furnished to landlord  that no lien or liability has attached or
will attach to the premises or to landlord in  connection  with the repairing or
rebuilding.  Upon the completion of rebuilding and the furnishing of that proof,
the balance of the net proceeds of the insurance will be paid to tenant.  If the
proceeds  of  insurance  are paid to the holder of any  mortgage  on  landlord's
interest in the  premises,  landlord  will make  available  net  proceeds of the
insurance in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph.  Before beginning
repairs or  rebuilding,  or letting any contracts in connection  with repairs or
rebuilding,  tenant will submit for landlord's approval, which approval landlord
will not  unreasonably  withhold  or  delay,  complete  and  detailed  plans and
specifications   for  the  repairs  or  rebuilding.   Promptly  after  receiving
landlord's  approval  of those plans and  specifications,  tenant will begin the
repairs or rebuilding and will prosecute the repairs or rebuilding to completion
with diligence,  subject, however, to strikes, lockouts, acts of God, embargoes,
governmental restrictions,  and other causes beyond tenant's reasonable control.
Tenant will obtain and deliver to landlord a temporary or final  certificate  of
occupancy  before the premises are  reoccupied  for any purpose.  The repairs or
rebuilding will be completed free and clear of mechanics' or other liens, and in
accordance  with  the  building  codes  and  all  applicable  laws,  ordinances,
regulations,  or orders  of any  state,  municipal,  or other  public  authority
affecting  the  repairs  or  rebuilding,   and  also  in  accordance   with  all
requirements of the insurance rating  organization,  or similar body, and of any
liability  insurance  company insuring  landlord against liability for accidents
related  to  the  premises.  Any  remaining  proceeds  of  insurance  after  the
restoration will be tenant's property.

     (b)  Landlord's  Inspection.  During the progress of repairs or rebuilding,
landlord  and its  architects  and  engineers  may from time to time inspect the
building and will be furnished,  if required by them,  with copies of all plans,
shop drawings, and specifications relating to the repairs or rebuilding.  Tenant
will keep all plans,  shop drawings,  and  specifications  at the building,  and
landlord and its  architects  and engineers  may examine them at all  reasonable
times.  If,  during  repairs or  rebuilding,  landlord  and its  architects  and
engineers  determine  that the  repairs  or  rebuilding  are not  being  done in
accordance with the approved plans and specifications, landlord will give prompt
notice in writing to tenant,  specifying  in detail the  particular  deficiency,
omission, or other respect in which landlord claims the repairs or rebuilding do
not accord with the approved plans and specifications.  Upon the receipt of that
notice, tenant will cause corrections to be made to any deficiencies, omissions,
or such other respect.  Tenant's  obligations to supply  insurance  according to
paragraph 7 will be applicable to any repairs or building under this paragraph.

     (c) Landlord's  Costs. The charges of any architect or engineer of landlord
employed to pass upon any plans and  specifications and to supervise and approve
any  construction,  or for any services rendered by the architect or engineer to
landlord as contemplated by any of the provisions of this lease, will be paid by
tenant as a cost of the  repair or  rebuilding.  The fees of such  architect  or
engineer will be those customarily paid for comparable services.

     (d) No Rent Abatement. Base rent and additional rent will not abate pending
the repairs or rebuilding  except to the extent to which landlord receives a net
sum as proceeds of any rent insurance.

     (e) Damage  During Last Three  Years.  If at any time during the last three
years of the term (as  extended  according  to  paragraph  3) the building is so
damaged by fire or otherwise that the cost of restoration  exceeds fifty percent
(50%)  of the  replacement  value of the  building  (exclusive  of  foundations)
immediately  prior to the damage,  either  landlord or tenant may, within thirty
(30) days after such damage, give notice of its election to terminate this lease
and, subject to the further provisions of this paragraph,  this lease will cease
on the tenth  (10th) day after the  delivery of that  notice.  Base rent will be
apportioned and paid to the time of termination. If this lease is so terminated,
tenant will have no  obligation to repair or rebuild,  and the entire  insurance
proceeds will belong to landlord.

                                16. CONDEMNATION

     (a) Total  Taking.  If, by  exercise  of the right of eminent  domain or by
conveyance  made in  response  to the threat of the  exercise  of such right (in
either case a "taking"),  all of the  premises  are taken,  or if so much of the
premises  are taken that the  premises  (even if the  restorations  described in
paragraph  16(b) were to be made)  cannot be used by tenant for the purposes for
which they were used immediately  before the taking,  this lease will end on the
earlier of the vesting of title to the premises in the  condemning  authority or
the taking of possession of the premises by the condemning  authority (in either
case the "ending date").  If this lease ends according to this paragraph  16(a),
prepaid rent will be  appropriately  prorated to the ending date. The award in a
taking subject to this paragraph 16(a) will be allocated  according to paragraph
16(d).

     (b) Partial  Taking.  If, after a taking,  so much of the premises  remains
that the premises can be used for substantially the same purposes for which they
were used immediately before the taking:

          (1)  this  lease  will  end on the  ending  date as to the part of the
premises which is taken;

          (2) prepaid  rent will be  appropriately  allocated to the part of the
premises which is taken and prorated to the ending date;

          (3)  beginning on the day after the ending  date,  rent for so much of
the premises as remains will be reduced in the  proportion  of the floor area of
the building remaining after the taking to the floor area of the building before
the taking;

          (4) at its  cost,  tenant  will  restore  so much of the  premises  as
remains to a sound  architectural unit  substantially  suitable for the purposes
for which it was used immediately before the taking,  using good workmanship and
new first class materials, all according to paragraph 13;

          (5) upon the  completion  of  restoration  according  to  clause  (6),
landlord will pay tenant the lesser of the net award made to landlord on account
of the taking (after deducting from the total award attorneys', appraisers', and
other costs incurred in connection with obtaining the award, and amounts paid to
the  holders  of  mortgages   affecting  the  premises),   or  tenant's   actual
out-of-pocket cost of restoring the premises; and

          (6) landlord will keep the balance of the net award.

     (c) Tenant's  Award.  In  connection  with any taking  subject to paragraph
16(a) or 16(b),  tenant  may  prosecute  its own claim by  separate  proceedings
against the condemning authority for damages legally due to it (such as the loss
of fixtures  which  tenant was entitled to remove and moving  expenses)  only so
long  as  tenant's  award  does  not  diminish  or  otherwise  adversely  affect
landlord's award.

     (d) Allocation of an Award for a Total Taking. If this lease ends according
to paragraph  16(a),  the  condemnation  award will be paid in the order in this
paragraph 16(d) to the extent it is sufficient:

          (1)  First,  landlord  will be  reimbursed  for its  attorneys'  fees,
appraisal fees, and other costs incurred in prosecuting the claim for the award.

          (2) Second,  any lender whose loan is secured by the premises  will be
paid the principal  balance of its loan, plus accrued and unpaid  interest,  and
any other charges due on payment.

          (3) Third, landlord will be paid the value at the time of the award of
lost rent and the  reversion  to the  extent  they  exceed  the  amount  paid to
landlord's lender.

          (4) Fourth, tenant will be paid its adjusted book value as of the date
of the  taking  of its  improvements  (excluding  trade  fixtures)  made  to the
premises.   In  computing  its  adjusted  book  value,   improvements   will  be
conclusively  presumed to have been  depreciated or amortized for federal income
tax purposes over their useful lives with a reasonable salvage value.

          (5) Fifth,  the balance will be divided equally  between  landlord and
tenant.

                         17. SUBORDINATION; ENCUMBRANCES

     (a) General.  This lease and  tenant's  rights under this lease are subject
and subordinate to any ground lease or underlying lease,  first mortgage,  first
deed of trust, or other first lien  encumbrance or indenture,  together with any
renewals, extensions,  modifications,  consolidations, and replacements of them,
which now or at any  subsequent  time  affect  the  premises,  any  interest  of
landlord in the premises,  or  landlord's  interest in this lease and the estate
created by this lease (except to the extent that any such  instrument  expressly
provides  that  this  lease  is  superior  to  it).  This   provision   will  be
self-operative  and no further  instrument of subordination  will be required in
order to effect it. Nevertheless,  tenant will execute,  acknowledge and deliver
to landlord,  at any time and from time to time,  upon demand by  landlord,  any
documents as may be requested by  landlord,  any ground  landlord or  underlying
lessor,  or any mortgagee,  or any holder of a deed of trust or other instrument
described in this paragraph,  to confirm or effect the subordination.  If tenant
fails or refuses to execute,  acknowledge,  and deliver any such document within
twenty (20) days after written demand,  landlord,  its  successors,  and assigns
will be entitled to execute,  acknowledge, and deliver the document on behalf of
tenant as tenant's  as  attorney-in-fact.  Tenant  constitutes  and  irrevocably
appoints landlord, its successors,  and assigns, as tenant's attorney-in-fact to
execute, acknowledge, and deliver on behalf of tenant any documents described in
this paragraph.

     (b) Attornment. If any holder of any mortgage, indenture, deed of trust, or
other similar  instrument  described in subparagraph  (a) succeeds to landlord's
interest in the premises,  tenant will pay to it all rents subsequently  payable
under this lease.  Tenant  will,  upon  request of anyone so  succeeding  to the
interest  of  landlord,  automatically  become the tenant of, and attorn to, the
successor in interest  without  change in this lease.  The successor in interest
will not be bound by (1) any payment of rent for more than one month in advance,
(2) any  amendment  or  modification  of this lease  made  without  its  written
consent,  (3) any claim against  landlord arising prior to the date on which the
successor succeeded to landlord's  interest,  or (4) any claim or offset of rent
against the landlord. Upon request by the successor in interest and without cost
to landlord or the successor in interest, tenant will execute,  acknowledge, and
deliver an instrument or instruments  confirming the attornment.  The instrument
of attornment  will also provide that the successor in interest will not disturb
tenant in its use of the premises in accordance with this lease. If tenant fails
or refuses to execute,  acknowledge,  and deliver the  instrument  within twenty
(20) days after  written  demand,  the successor in interest will be entitled to
execute,  acknowledge,  and deliver the document on behalf of tenant as tenant's
as  attorney-in-fact.  Tenant constitutes and irrevocably appoints the successor
in interest as tenant's attorney-in-fact to execute, acknowledge, and deliver on
behalf of tenant any document described in this paragraph.

     (c) Encumbrances.  Tenant may not mortgage,  pledge, or otherwise  encumber
this lease or the premises.

                              18. LANDLORD'S ACCESS

     Landlord, its agents,  employees, and contractors may enter the premises at
any time in response to an emergency, and at reasonable hours to (a) inspect the
premises,  (b)  exhibit the  premises to  prospective  purchasers,  lenders,  or
tenants,  (c) determine whether tenant is complying with its obligations in this
lease,  (d) supply any other  service  which this  lease  requires  landlord  to
provide,  (e) post notices of  nonresponsibility or similar notices, or (f) make
repairs which this lease requires  landlord to make;  however,  all work will be
done  as  promptly  as  reasonably  possible  and  so  as  to  cause  as  little
interference  to tenant  as  reasonably  possible.  Tenant  waives  any claim on
account of any injury or inconvenience to tenant's  business,  interference with
tenant's business,  loss of occupancy or quiet enjoyment of the premises, or any
other loss  occasioned by the entry.  Landlord will at all times have a key with
which to unlock all of the doors in the  premises  (excluding  tenant's  vaults,
safes,  and similar  areas  designed in writing by tenant in advance).  Landlord
will have the right to use any means  landlord  may deem proper to open doors in
the premises and to the premises in an emergency in order to enter the premises.
No entry to the premises by landlord by any means will be a forcible or unlawful
entry into the premises or a detainer of the premises or an eviction,  actual or
constructive, of tenant from the premises, or any part of the premises, nor will
any entry  entitle  tenant to damages or an abatement  of rent or other  charges
which this lease requires tenant to pay.

                     19. INDEMNIFICATION, WAIVER AND RELEASE

     (a)  Indemnification.  Tenant will  indemnify  landlord,  its  agents,  and
employees against,  and hold landlord,  its agents, and employees harmless from,
any and all  demands,  claims,  causes  of  action,  fines,  penalties,  damages
(including consequential damages), losses, liabilities,  judgments, and expenses
(including  without  limitation  attorneys'  fees and court  costs)  incurred in
connection with or arising from:

          (1) the use or  occupancy  of the  premises  by tenant  or any  person
claiming  under tenant;

          (2) any  activity,  work,  or thing done or  permitted  or suffered by
tenant in or about the premises;

          (3) any acts, omissions,  or negligence of tenant, any person claiming
under tenant, or the employees,  agents,  contractors,  invitees, or visitors of
tenant or any person;

          (4) any breach,  violation,  or nonperformance  by tenant,  any person
claiming  under tenant,  or the employees,  agents,  contractors,  invitees,  or
visitors of tenant,  or any person of any term,  covenant,  or provision of this
lease or any law, ordinance, or governmental requirement of any kind; or

          (5) except for loss of use of all or any  portion of the  premises  or
tenant's  property located within the premises that is proximately  caused by or
results proximately from the negligence of landlord, any injury or damage to the
person, property, or business of tenant or its employees,  agents,  contractors,
invitees,  visitors,  or any other person  entering upon the premises  under the
express or implied invitation of tenant.

If any action or proceeding  is brought  against  landlord,  its  employees,  or
agents by reason of any claim,  tenant,  upon notice from landlord,  will defend
the claim at tenant's expense with counsel reasonably satisfactory to landlord.

     (b) Waiver and  Release.  Tenant  waives and  releases  all claims  against
landlord,  its  employees,  and agents  with  respect to all  matters  for which
landlord has disclaimed  liability  pursuant to the provisions of this lease. In
addition,  tenant agrees that  landlord,  its agents,  and employees will not be
liable for any loss, injury, death, or damage (including  consequential damages)
to persons,  property,  or tenant's  business  occasioned by theft;  act of God;
public  enemy;  injunction;  riot;  strike;  insurrection;   war;  court  order;
requisition;  order of governmental body or authority; fire; explosion;  falling
objects; steam, water, rain or snow; leak or flow of water (including water from
the  elevator  system),  rain or snow from the  premises or into the premises or
from the roof, street,  subsurface,  or from any other place, or by dampness, or
from  the  breakage,  leakage,  obstruction,  or  other  defects  of the  pipes,
sprinklers, wires, appliances,  plumbing, air conditioning, or lighting fixtures
of the building; or from construction,  repair, or alteration of the premises or
from any acts or  omissions  of any visitor of the  premises;  or from any cause
beyond landlord's control.

                         20. COVENANT OF QUIET ENJOYMENT

     So long as tenant pays the rent and performs all of its obligations in this
lease, tenant's possession of the premises will not be disturbed by landlord, or
anyone  claiming  by,  through  or  under  landlord,  or by the  holders  of the
mortgages described in paragraph 17.

                       21. LIMITATION ON TENANT'S RECOURSE

     Tenant's sole recourse against landlord,  and any successor to the interest
of landlord in the premises, is to the interest of landlord,  and any successor,
in the premises. Tenant will not have any right to satisfy any judgment which it
may have against landlord, or any successor,  from any other assets of landlord,
or any successor.

     In  this  paragraph  the  terms  "landlord"  and  "successor"  include  the
shareholders,  venturers,  and  partners  of  landlord  and  successor  and  the
officers,  directors, and employees of landlord and successor. The provisions of
this  paragraph  are not  intended to limit  tenant's  right to seek  injunctive
relief or  specific  performance,  or  tenant's  right to claim the  proceeds of
insurance (if any) specifically maintained by landlord for tenant's benefit.

                                   22. DEFAULT

     (a) Cure. If tenant fails to pay when due amounts  payable under this lease
or to perform  any of its other  obligations  under  this lease  within the time
permitted  for its  performance,  then  landlord,  after ten (10) days'  written
notice to tenant (or, in case of any emergency, upon notice or without notice as
may be reasonable under the circumstances) and without waiving any of its rights
under this lease,  may (but will not be  required  to) pay the amount or perform
the obligation.

     All  amounts so paid by  landlord  and all costs and  expenses  incurred by
landlord in connection with the  performance of any  obligations  (together with
interest at the prime rate from the date of landlord's  payment of the amount or
incurring  of each cost or expense  until the date of full  repayment by tenant)
will be payable by tenant to  landlord  on demand.  In the proof of any  damages
that  landlord  may claim  against  tenant  arising out of  tenant's  failure to
maintain  insurance,  landlord  will not be  limited to the amount of the unpaid
insurance premium but will also be entitled to recover as damages for the breach
the  amount  of any  uninsured  loss (to the  extent  of any  deficiency  in the
insurance required by the provisions of this lease), damages, costs and expenses
of suit, including attorneys' fees, arising out of damage to, or destruction of,
the premises  occurring during any period for which tenant has failed to provide
the insurance.

     (b) Events of Default. The following occurrences are "events of default":

          (1) Tenant  defaults in the due and punctual  payment of rent, and the
default continues for five (5) days after notice from landlord;  however, tenant
will not be  entitled to more than one (1) notice for default in payment of rent
during any  twelve-month  period,  and if,  within  twelve (12) months after any
notice,  any rent is not paid when due, an event of default  will have  occurred
without further notice;

          (2) Tenant vacates or abandons the premises;

          (3) This lease or the  premises  or any part of the  premises is taken
upon execution or by other process of law directed  against tenant,  or is taken
upon or  subjected  to any  attachments  by any  creditor  of tenant or claimant
against  tenant,  and the attachment is not discharged  within fifteen (15) days
after its levy;

          (4)  Tenant  files a  petition  in  bankruptcy  or  insolvency  or for
reorganization  or arrangement under the bankruptcy laws of the United States or
under any insolvency act of any state,  or is dissolved,  or makes an assignment
for the benefit of creditors;

          (5)  Involuntary  proceedings  under any bankruptcy laws or insolvency
act or for the  dissolution  of  tenant  are  instituted  against  tenant,  or a
receiver  or trustee  is  appointed  for all or  substantially  all of  tenant's
property, and the proceeding is not dismissed or the receivership or trusteeship
is not vacated within sixty (60) days after institution or appointment;

          (6)  Tenant  fails  to  take   possession   of  the  premises  on  the
commencement date of the term; or

          (7) Tenant breaches any of the other agreements,  terms, covenants, or
conditions that this lease requires tenant to perform,  and the breach continues
for a period of thirty (30) days after notice by landlord to tenant.

     (c)  Remedies.  If any one or more events of default set forth in paragraph
23(b) occurs, then landlord may, at its election, either:

          (1) give tenant  written  notice of its  intention to  terminate  this
lease on the date of the notice or on any later date  specified  in the  notice,
and, on the date  specified in the notice,  tenant's  right to possession of the
premises  will cease and the lease  will be  terminated,  except as to  tenant's
liability  set forth in this  paragraph  23(c)(1),  as if the date  fixed in the
notice  were  the end of the term of this  lease.  If this  lease is  terminated
pursuant to the provisions of this  subparagraph  (1), tenant will remain liable
to landlord for damages in an amount equal to the rent and other sums that would
have been owing by tenant  under this lease for the  balance of the term if this
lease had not been terminated,  less the net proceeds,  if any, of any reletting
of the premises by landlord  subsequent to the termination,  after deducting all
landlord's  expenses in connection with reletting,  including without limitation
the  expenses  set forth in  paragraph  23(c)(2).  Landlord  will be entitled to
collect  damages  from  tenant  monthly  on the days on which the rent and other
amounts  would  have been  payable  under  this lease if this lease had not been
terminated, and landlord will be entitled to receive damages from tenant on each
day.  Alternatively,  at the option of  landlord,  if this lease is  terminated,
landlord will be entitled to recover from tenant:

          (A) the worth at the time of award of the  unpaid  rent which had been
earned at the time of termination;

          (B) the worth at the time of award of the  amount by which the  unpaid
rent which  would have been  earned  after  termination  until the time of award
exceeds the amount of rent loss that tenant  proves could  reasonably  have been
avoided;

          (C) the worth at the time of award of the  amount by which the  unpaid
rent for the balance of the term of this lease  after the time of award  exceeds
the amount of rent loss that tenant proves could reasonably be avoided; and

          (D) any other  amount  necessary  to  compensate  landlord for all the
detriment  proximately  caused by tenant's  failure to perform  its  obligations
under this lease or which in the  ordinary  course of things  would be likely to
result from the failure.

The "worth at the time of award" of the amount  referred  to in clauses  (A) and
(B) is computed by allowing  interest at the highest rate  permitted by law. The
"worth at the time of award" of the amount referred to in clause (C) is computed
by  discounting  the amount at the discount rate of the Federal  Reserve Bank of
[name] at the time of award.

                                       or

          (2) without  demand or notice,  re-enter  and take  possession  of the
premises  or  any  part  of  the  premises;  repossess  the  premises  as of the
landlord's former estate;  expel the tenant from the premises and those claiming
through or under tenant; and remove the effects of both or either, without being
deemed  guilty of any manner of trespass  and without  prejudice to any remedies
for arrears of rent or preceding breach of covenants or conditions.  If landlord
elects to re-enter as provided in this paragraph 23(c)(2),  or if landlord takes
possession  of the  premises  pursuant to legal  proceedings  or pursuant to any
notice  provided by law,  landlord may, from time to time,  without  terminating
this lease,  relet the premises or any part of the premises,  either alone or in
conjunction  with other  portions of the  building of which the  premises  are a
part, in landlord's or tenant's name but for the account of tenant, for the term
or terms  (which may be greater or less than the period  which  would  otherwise
have  constituted  the  balance of the term of this lease) and on such terms and
conditions  (which may include  concessions of free rent, and the alteration and
repair  of the  premises)  as  landlord,  in its  uncontrolled  discretion,  may
determine. Landlord may collect and receive the rents for the premises. Landlord
will not be responsible or liable for any failure to relet the premises,  or any
part of the  premises,  or for any  failure  to  collect  any  rent due upon the
reletting.  No re-entry or taking possession of the premises by landlord will be
construed as an election on  landlord's  part to  terminate  this lease unless a
written  notice of the  intention  is given to tenant.  No notice from  landlord
under this lease or under a forcible  entry and detainer  statute or similar law
will  constitute  an election by landlord  to  terminate  this lease  unless the
notice  specifically  says so. Landlord reserves the right following any reentry
or reletting,  or both, to exercise its right to terminate  this lease by giving
tenant written  notice,  and in that event the lease will terminate as specified
in the notice.  If landlord elects to take possession of the premises  according
to this  paragraph  23(c)(2)  without  terminating  the lease,  tenant  will pay
landlord the rent and other sums which would be payable  under this lease if the
repossession had not occurred,  less the net proceeds,  if any, of any reletting
of  the  premises  after  deducting  all  of  landlord's  expenses  incurred  in
connection with the reletting,  including  without  limitation all  repossession
costs,  brokerage  commissions,  legal expenses,  attorneys'  fees,  expenses of
employees, alteration,  remodeling and repair costs, and expenses of preparation
for the  reletting.  If, in connection  with any  reletting,  the new lease term
extends  beyond the  existing  term,  or the premises  covered by the  reletting
include areas that are not part of the  premises,  a fair  apportionment  of the
rent received from the  reletting and the expenses  incurred in connection  with
the  reletting  will be made in  determining  the  net  proceeds  received  from
reletting. In addition, in determining the net proceeds from reletting, any rent
concessions will be apportioned over the term of the new lease.  Tenant will pay
the  amounts  to  landlord  monthly  on the days on which the rent and all other
amounts  owing under this lease would have been  payable if  possession  had not
been  retaken,  and  landlord  will be  entitled  to receive  the rent and other
amounts from tenant on each day.

                                 23. ARBITRATION

     These procedures will govern any arbitration according to this lease:

     (a)  Arbitration  will be commenced by a written demand made by landlord or
tenant upon the other.  The  written  demand  will  contain a  statement  of the
question to be arbitrated and the name and address of the  arbitrator  appointed
by the demandant.  Within ten (10) days after its receipt of the written demand,
the other will give the demandant  written notice of the name and address of its
arbitrator. Within ten (10) days after the date of the appointment of the second
arbitrator,  the two arbitrators will meet. If the two arbitrators are unable to
resolve the question in dispute  within ten (10) days after their first meeting,
they will select a third arbitrator.  The third arbitrator will be designated as
chairman and will  immediately  give landlord and tenant  written  notice of its
appointment.  The three  arbitrators  will meet  within  ten (10) days after the
appointment of the third arbitrator.  If they are unable to resolve the question
in dispute within ten (10) days after their first meeting,  the third arbitrator
will select a time,  date,  and place for a hearing and will give  landlord  and
tenant  thirty (30) days' prior  written  notice of it. The date for the hearing
will not be more than sixty (60) days after the date of appointment of the third
arbitrator.  The first two arbitrators may be partial. The third arbitrator must
be neutral.

     (b) At the  hearing,  landlord  and tenant  will each be allowed to present
testimony and tangible evidence and to cross-examine each other's witnesses. The
arbitrators  may make  additional  rules for the  conduct of the  hearing or the
preparation  for it. The  arbitrators  will  render  their  written  decision to
landlord  and  tenant not more than  thirty  (30) days after the last day of the
hearing.

     (c) If the one of  whom  arbitration  is  demanded  fails  to  appoint  its
arbitrator  within the time specified,  or if the two arbitrators  appointed are
unable  to agree on an  appointment  of the  third  arbitrator  within  the time
specified,  either landlord or tenant may petition a justice of the Court of the
State of Colorado to appoint a third  arbitrator.  The petitioner  will give the
other five (5) days' written notice before filing its petition.

     (d) The arbitration will be governed by the Arbitration Law of the State of
Colorado,  and, when not in conflict with that law, by the general procedures in
the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association.

     (e) The arbitrators will not have power to add to, modify, detract from, or
alter in any way the  provisions of this lease or any  amendments or supplements
to this  lease.  The  written  decision  of at  least  two  arbitrators  will be
conclusive and binding upon landlord and tenant.  No arbitrator is authorized to
make an award of punitive or exemplary damages.

     (f) Landlord  and tenant will each pay for the services of its  appointees,
attorneys, and witnesses, plus one-half (1/2) of all other proper costs relating
to the arbitration.

     (g) The decision of the arbitrators will be final and  non-appealable,  and
may be enforced according to the laws of the State of Colorado.

                                24. MISCELLANEOUS

     (a)  Recordation.  Tenant's  recordation of this lease or any memorandum or
short form of it will be void and a default under this lease.

     (b) Holding Over. If tenant remains in possession of the premises after the
end of this lease,  tenant  will  occupy the  premises as a tenant from month to
month, subject to all conditions,  provisions,  and obligations of this lease in
effect on the last day of the term.

     (c)  Estoppel  Certificates.  Within no more than  fifteen  (15) days after
written request by landlord,  tenant will execute,  acknowledge,  and deliver to
landlord a certificate stating:

          (1) that this lease is unmodified and in full force and effect, or, if
the lease is modified,  the way in which it is modified accompanied by a copy of
the modification agreement;

          (2) the date to which rental and other sums  payable  under this lease
have been paid;

          (3) that no notice has been  received by tenant of any  default  which
has not been cured,  or, if the default has not been cured,  what tenant intends
to do in order to effect the cure, and when it will do so;

          (4) that tenant has accepted and occupied the premises;

          (5) that  tenant has no claim or offset  against  landlord,  or, if it
does, stating the date of the assignment and assignee (if known to tenant); and

          (6) other matters as may be reasonably requested by landlord.

Any certificate may be relied upon by any prospective  purchaser of the premises
and any prospective mortgagee or beneficiary under any deed of trust or mortgage
encumbering the premises. If landlord submits a completed certificate to tenant,
and if tenant  fails to object to its  contents  within  ten (10) days after its
receipt of the completed certificate, the matters stated in the certificate will
conclusively be deemed to be correct.  Furthermore,  tenant irrevocably appoints
landlord as tenant's  attorney-in-fact to execute and deliver on tenant's behalf
any completed  certificate  to which tenant does not object within ten (10) days
after its receipt.

     (d) No Waiver.  No waiver of any  condition  or  agreement in this lease by
either  landlord or tenant  will imply or  constitute  a further  waiver by such
party of the same or any other  condition or agreement.  No act or thing done by
landlord or  landlord's  agents  during the term of this lease will be deemed an
acceptance  of a  surrender  of the  premises,  and no  agreement  to accept the
surrender  will be valid unless in writing  signed by landlord.  The delivery of
tenant's  keys to any  employee  or agent of  landlord  will  not  constitute  a
termination of this lease unless  landlord has entered into a written  agreement
to that  effect.  No payment by tenant,  or receipt from  landlord,  of a lesser
amount than the rent or other charges stipulated in this lease will be deemed to
be anything other than a payment on account of the earliest  stipulated rent. No
endorsement  or statement on any check or any letter  accompanying  any check or
payment as rent will be deemed an accord and satisfaction.  Landlord will accept
the check for  payment  without  prejudice  to  landlord's  right to recover the
balance of the rent or to pursue any other remedy available to landlord. If this
lease is assigned,  or if the premises or any part of the premises are sublet or
occupied  by anyone  other  than  tenant,  landlord  may  collect  rent from the
assignee,  subtenant, or occupant and apply the net amount collected to the rent
reserved in this lease. No collection will be deemed a waiver of the covenant in
this lease against  assignment and  subletting;  the acceptance of the assignee,
subtenant,  or  occupant  as tenant;  or a release of tenant  from the  complete
performance by tenant of its covenants in this lease.

     (e)  Authority.  If tenant signs this lease as a  corporation,  each of the
persons  executing  this lease on behalf of tenant  warrants  to  landlord  that
tenant is a duly authorized and existing  corporation,  that tenant is qualified
to do business in the state in which the premises  are located,  that tenant has
full  right and  authority,  to enter into this  lease,  and that each and every
person  signing  on behalf of tenant is  authorized  to do so.  Upon  landlord's
request,  tenant will provide evidence satisfactory to landlord confirming these
representations.

     (f) Notices.  Any notice,  request,  demand,  consent,  approval,  or other
communication required or permitted under this lease will be written and will be
deemed  to have  been  given  (1) when  personally  delivered,  (2) when  served
pursuant to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure,  or (3) on the third day after
it is deposited in any  depository  regularly  maintained  by the United  States
postal service,  postage prepaid,  certified or registered mail,  return receipt
requested, addressed to:

                           Landlord:  Justus Realty Limited Partnership
                                      13111 East Briarwood Avenue
                                      Englewood, CO 80112

                           Tenant:    Accelerated Bureau of Collections, Inc.
                                      5295 DTC Parkway
                                      Englewood, CO 80111

Either  landlord or tenant may change its address or  addressee  for purposes of
this  paragraph  by  giving  ten  (10)  days'  prior  notice  according  to this
paragraph.  Any notice from landlord to tenant will be deemed to have been given
if delivered  to the  premises,  addressed to tenant,  whether or not tenant has
vacated or abandoned the premises.

     (g) Attorneys'  Fees. If landlord and tenant litigate any provision of this
lease or the subject matter of this lease, the unsuccessful litigant will pay to
the successful litigant all costs and expenses,  including reasonable attorneys'
fees and court costs,  incurred by the successful litigation at trial and on any
appeal.  If,  without  fault,  either  landlord or tenant is made a party to any
litigation  instituted  by or against the other,  the other will  indemnify  the
faultless one against all loss,  liability,  and expense,  including  reasonable
attorneys'  fees  and  court  costs,  incurred  by it  in  connection  with  the
litigation.

     (h) Waiver of Jury Trial.  Landlord  and tenant  waive trial by jury in any
action,  proceeding, or counterclaim brought by either of them against the other
on all  matters  arising  out of this  lease  or the use  and  occupancy  of the
premises  (except claims for personal  injury or property  damage).  If landlord
commences  any  summary  proceeding  for  nonpayment  of rent,  tenant  will not
interpose  (and  waives  the  right  to  interpose)  any   counterclaim  in  any
proceeding.

     (i)  Restrictions.  Tenant  shall be subject to any  restrictive  covenants
running  with  the  premises  and  to any  covenants  contained  in  the  Master
Development Plan for the Denver Technological Center.

     (j)  Binding  Effect.  This lease will inure to the benefit of, and will be
binding upon,  landlord's  successors and assigns.  This lease will inure to the
benefit of, and will be binding  upon,  the tenant's  successors  and assigns so
long as the succession or assignment is permitted by paragraph 10.
<PAGE>
     Landlord and tenant have  executed  this lease as of the first date in this
lease.

                             LANDLORD:

                             JUSTUS REALTY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

                             By:      Justus Real Property Management, Inc.,
                                      its sole general partner
ATTEST:

                             By:_______________________________________________
                                ____________________________, President


                             TENANT:

                             ACCELERATED BUREAU OF COLLECTIONS, INC.
ATTEST:


                             By:_______________________________________________


STATE OF COLORADO          )
                           )        ss.
COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE         )

     The foregoing  instrument  was  acknowledged  before me on May 30, 1997, by
__________________,   as   ________________  of   _________________________,   a
______________________.

     Witness my hand and official seal.


                             ---------------------------------------
                             Notary Public

     My commission expires:________________________________



STATE OF COLORADO          )
                           )        ss.
COUNTY OF ARAPAHOE         )

     The foregoing  instrument  was  acknowledged  before me on May 30, 1997, by
__________________,   as   ________________  of   _________________________,   a
______________________.

     Witness my hand and official seal.


                             ---------------------------------------
                             Notary Public

     My commission expires:________________________________
<PAGE>




                                    EXHIBIT A
                                    TO LEASE


                          LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF PREMISES


                              [INSERT DESCRIPTION]







                               EARN-OUT AGREEMENT

          THIS EARN-OUT  AGREEMENT  ("Agreement")  made as of October 8, 1997 by
and  among  NSA  Acquisition  Corporation,  a New  York  corporation  ("Buyer"),
Outsourcing Solutions Inc., a Delaware corporation ("OSI"),  North Shore Agency,
Inc., a New York corporation ("North Shore"),  Automated Mailing Services, Inc.,
a New York corporation  ("AMS"),  Mailguard  Security Systems,  Inc., a New York
Corporation  ("Mailguard"),  and DMM Consultants, a sole proprietorship of David
Klein ("DMM Consultants;" collectively, the "Sellers").

                                    RECITALS

          A. Pursuant to an asset purchase  agreement among OSI, Buyer,  Sellers
and certain other  parties,  dated October 8, 1997 (the  "Purchase  Agreement"),
Buyer acquired the assets of Sellers, effective this date.

          B. Pursuant to Section 2.3 of the Purchase  Agreement,  payments under
this Earn-out Agreement shall be additional purchase price consideration for the
Assets (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) of Sellers.

          C. All capitalized terms used herein which are defined in the Purchase
Agreement  shall have the  meanings  herein as are ascribed to such terms in the
Purchase Agreement unless otherwise expressly provided for herein.

          NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements
hereinafter  set forth,  the parties  hereto,  intending to be legally bound, do
hereby agree as follows:

          1. Definitions and Related Matters.

     (a) "1997 Baseline EBITDA" shall mean $4,011,000.

     (b) "Baseline EBITDA" shall mean $3,761,000.

     (c) "Buyer  Benefit  Package"  shall  mean the  employee  benefits  package
contemplated  by Buyer to be offered to certain  employees  of Buyer on or after
January 1, 1998 in lieu of or in addition to certain employee benefits available
to such employees during their term of employment with Sellers;  such additional
benefits may include the establishment of a bonus plan for certain employees, an
alternative  medical  coverage  plan, a dental  plan,  an  accidental  death and
disability  insurance program, a long term disability  insurance program, a life
insurance program, an alternative 401(k) program, an employee assistance program
and a vision plan. The Buyer Benefit  Package may also include the employment of
a human resources executive.

     (d) "Earnings" shall mean earnings of Buyer for purposes of calculating the
Earn-out  Payments.  Earnings shall be determined for purposes of this Agreement
with the following considerations:  (i) actual moving (non-capitalized) expenses
related to the relocation of Seller's  operations  during 1997 and/or 1998 shall
not be included as expenses for purposes of calculating Earnings up to a maximum
possible aggregate  exclusion of $450,000 and (ii) no overhead expenses from OSI
shall be charged  against the earnings of Buyer other than  expenses  related to
matters for which Buyer receives direct benefits.  In addition,  notwithstanding
the first  sentence of this  subsection  1(d),  Earnings  for the First  Payment
Period (as defined below) shall be Earnings of North Shore,  AMS,  Mailguard and
North Shore Canada  (collectively,  the "North Shore Affiliated  Group") for the
period from January 1, 1997 to the Closing Date (the "NSA  Period") and Earnings
of Buyer for the period from the Closing  Date through  December  31, 1997;  and
provided  further that the Earnings of the North Shore  Affiliated Group for the
NSA Period shall be adjusted as follows:  (i) salary  expense for Jerome Goodman
shall be reduced to an amount  equal to the amount of such expense as if it were
incurred  at the same rate as the salary  expense to be  incurred  by Buyer with
respect  to Jerome  Goodman  following  the date  hereof;  (ii) fees paid to DMM
Consultants shall be reduced to $379,851;  (iii) salary expense for Joan Goodman
shall be  reduced  to zero;  (iv)  automobile  expenses  shall be reduced by the
amount incurred for the Toyota "Four Runner" automobile;  (v) salary expense for
maintenance  personnel  shall be reduced by  $20,000;  (vi)  certain  travel and
entertainment  and other  miscellaneous  expenses  incurred  by  members  of the
Goodman  family shall be reduced by an amount not to exceed  $10,000;  and (vii)
appropriate  FICA and  Medicare  expenses  shall be  reduced as  appropriate  in
connection with the reductions referred to in clauses (i), (iii) and (v) of this
sentence.

     (e) "Earn-out Payments" shall mean the payments made to Sellers pursuant to
Sections 2(a), 2(b) and 2(c).

     (f)  "EBITDA"  shall  mean  Earnings   before  interest   expense,   taxes,
depreciation and amortization, each item determined in accordance with GAAP.


          2. Payments.

     (a) For the 12 month period  ending  December 31, 1997 (the "First  Payment
Period"), Buyer will pay Sellers in cash an amount equal to 50% of the amount by
which EBITDA for the First Payment Period exceeds 1997 Baseline EBITDA.

     (b) For each of the 12 month periods ending  December 31, 1998 (the "Second
Payment Period")  December 31, 1999 (the "Third Payment  Period"),  and December
31, 2000 (the "Fourth Payment Period"), Buyer will pay Sellers in cash an amount
equal to 50% of the  amount by which  EBITDA  for the  relevant  Payment  Period
exceeds Baseline EBITDA.

     (c) In addition to the  payments  contemplated  by Sections  2(a) and 2(b),
Buyer will pay Sellers an amount in cash  depending  on the EBITDA for the First
Payment Period as set forth in the following table:

EBITDA for First Payment Period                           Payment to Sellers
- -------------------------------                           ------------------
Equals or exceeds 1997 EBITDA Baseline                          $1,500,000
$3,961,000 to $4,010,999                                        $1,250,000
$3,911,000 to $3,960,999                                        $1,000,000
$3,861,000 to $3,910,999                                          $750,000
$3,811,000 to $3,860,999                                          $500,000
$3,761,000 to $3,810,999                                          $250,000
$3,760,999 or below                                                     -0-

     (d) With  respect to the payment for each  Payment  Period,  Buyer will pay
(and OSI will  cause  Buyer to pay) to  Sellers  a  preliminary  payment  of the
aggregate  Earn-out  Payment  due  pursuant  to  Sections  2(a)  and (b) for the
applicable   Payment   Period  on  the  date  Buyer   submits  its   preliminary
determination  to the Sellers  pursuant to Section  3(a)  ("Preliminary  Payment
Date").  In addition,  with respect to the First Payment Period,  Buyer will pay
(and OSI will  cause  Buyer to pay) to  Sellers  a  preliminary  payment  of the
Earn-out Payment due pursuant to Section 2(c) on the Preliminary Payment Date to
the extent OSI  determines  such payment is due to Sellers.  Buyer shall pay any
additional  payments  required  pursuant to Section 3(b) promptly  following the
final and binding  determination,  pursuant to this  Agreement,  of the Earn-Out
Payments  for the  applicable  Payment  Period.  To the extent the amount of the
Earn-Out Payment is less than the aggregate of preliminary  payments  previously
paid for the  applicable  Payment  Period,  Sellers  shall  refund the amount in
excess to Buyer promptly following the final and binding determination, pursuant
to this Agreement, of the applicable Earn-Out Payment.

     (e) Payment of the Earn-Out  Payments shall be distributed among Sellers in
accordance with Schedule 2.5 of the Purchase Agreement.

          3. Determination of Earn-out Payments; Arbitration.


     (a) The  determination  of the  amount  of the  Earn-out  Payments  for any
Payment  Period shall be determined by OSI promptly  after the completion of the
applicable  Payment  Period.  The  determinations  of the amount of the Earn-out
Payments  shall be submitted to the Seller Group  Representative  within 75 days
after end of the applicable Payment Period; provided, however, the determination
of the amount of any  Earn-out  Payment for the First  Payment  Period  shall be
submitted  to the Seller  Group  Representative  within 90 days after end of the
First Payment Period. After such submission and upon request of the Seller Group
Representative, OSI will provide the Seller Group Representative with reasonable
access to its records  relating to the  determination  of the amount of Earn-Out
Payments.   If  the  Seller  Group   Representative   does  not  object  to  the
determination  by OSI of the  applicable  Earn-out  Payment by written notice of
objection (the "Notice of  Objection")  delivered to OSI within 20 business days
after receipt by Sellers of such  determination,  the proposed  Earn-out Payment
shall be deemed final and binding.

     (b) If the Seller  Group  Representative  delivers a Notice of Objection to
the  determination of the Earn-out  Payments within the appropriate time period,
such  Notice of  Objection  to describe  in  reasonable  detail each of Sellers'
proposed adjustments to the proposed  determination of the Earn-out Payment, the
Seller Group Representative and OSI shall negotiate in good faith to resolve any
differences.  If after 15 business days following such notice (the  "Negotiation
Period") any of such objections have not been resolved (the "Disputed Matters"),
then such  Disputed  Matters  shall be  submitted  to  arbitration  in  Chicago,
Illinois.  The arbitrator (the "Arbitrator")  shall be Price Waterhouse LLP. Any
reference  herein to the  Arbitrator  shall be deemed to  include  any member or
employee  thereof (who is a certified  public  accountant)  that such firm shall
designate as the Arbitrator on its behalf.  The  Arbitrator  shall consider only
the Disputed Matters,  and the arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with
the Commercial Rules of the American Arbitration Association then in effect. The
Arbitrator  shall act promptly to resolve all Disputed  Matters and its decision
with respect to all Disputed Matters shall be final and binding upon the parties
hereto and shall not be appealable to any court.  The Arbitrator shall render an
opinion in  writing  setting  forth the basis of its  decision  on the  Disputed
Matters.  Each party  shall pay all costs and  expenses  incurred  by such party
incident to the  arbitration,  provided the costs and expenses of the Arbitrator
shall be shared equally by Sellers and OSI. Any portion of the Earn-out  Payment
that is affected  by the  Disputed  Matter  shall not be  distributed  until the
resolution of the Disputed Matter,  and upon such resolution any increase in the
Earn-out Payment shall be distributed to Sellers.

          4.  Outsourcing  Mail Volume.  OSI shall use  commercially  reasonable
efforts to increase the EBITDA of Buyer by outsourcing  mail  processing  volume
generated from OSI  subsidiaries,  taking into account  reasonable  economic and
logistical factors.  Pricing for such outsourced mail volume shall be negotiated
between Sellers and OSI based on reasonably  competitive  alternatives available
to OSI.  If the parties  are unable to agree on  pricing,  performance  or other
relevant  terms,  OSI shall be under no obligation  to outsource  mail volume to
Buyer pursuant to this section.

          5. Management of Buyer.

     (a) The operational  aspects of the business of Buyer shall be conducted in
all material  respects,  taken as a whole,  as Seller  conducted the operational
aspects of the Business prior to the Closing Date; provided, however, that Buyer
(i) may implement the Buyer Benefit  Package and (ii) may alter the  operational
aspects  of the  business  of Buyer if, in the  reasonable  view of the board of
directors of Buyer,  operational  aspects  require  revision in order to operate
such  business  in  compliance  with  law.  Notwithstanding  clause  (i)  of the
preceding sentence, if the marginal expenses of the Buyer Benefit Package (i.e.,
expenses in excess of such category of expenses that would have been incurred by
the  Business  without  implementation  of the  Buyer  Benefit  Package)  exceed
$500,000  in any  calendar  year,  Sellers  shall have the right  consider  such
expenses a "Disputed Management Matter" (as defined in the next section) if such
expenses  are  unreasonable  in light of the  revenues  being  generated  by the
Business in the applicable year.

     (b) In the event Buyer takes  actions  contrary  to  provisions  of Section
5(a), the Seller Group Representative shall promptly notify OSI in writing. Such
notice  shall  describe  in  reasonable  detail the basis for the  Seller  Group
Representative's belief that the Buyer has taken action contrary to Section 5(a)
("Disputed Management Matters"). After delivery of such notice, the Seller Group
Person  and OSI  shall  negotiate  in good  faith  (i) to  revise  the  Earn-Out
Agreement to appropriately  reflect the then current operations of Buyer or (ii)
to agree that no such revisions are necessary or  appropriate.  Revisions to the
Earn-Out  Agreement may include reducing Baseline EBITDA or adjusting the method
of determining EBITDA for any or all payment periods. If, after 15 business days
following such notice (the "Management Negotiation Period"), any of the Disputed
Management Matters have not been resolved,  then the Disputed Management Matters
shall be submitted to arbitration  in Chicago,  Illinois.  The  arbitrator  (the
"Arbiter") shall be a partner, member or employee within the consulting group of
Price  Waterhouse  LLP. The Arbiter shall consider only the Disputed  Management
Matters,  and  the  arbitration  shall  be  conducted  in  accordance  with  the
commercial  rules of the American  Arbitration  Association  then in effect.  In
making its determination, the Arbiter shall take into consideration, among other
factors,  the effects of the amount and timing of any  expenditures  proposed by
Buyer on the Earn-out  Payments.  The Arbiter  shall act promptly to resolve all
Disputed   Management   Matters  (i)  by  revising  the  Earn-Out  Agreement  to
appropriately  adjust for the Disputed Management Matters or (ii) by determining
that no revisions to the Earn-Out  Agreement are necessary or  appropriate.  The
Arbiter's decision with respect to all Disputed  Management Matters and the need
for any revisions to the Earn-Out  Agreement shall be final and binding upon the
parties  hereto and shall not be appealable  to any court.  Each party shall pay
all costs and  expenses  incurred  by such party  incident  to the  arbitration,
provided that the costs and expenses of the Arbiter  shall be shared  equally by
the Sellers  and OSI.  The  provisions  of this  Section  5(b) shall be the sole
remedy of Seller in connection with any action taken by OSI or Buyer contrary to
Section 5(a).

          6. General.

     (a) Captions. The captions herein have been inserted solely for convenience
of reference  and in no way define,  limit or describe the scope or substance of
any provision of this Agreement.

     (b) Amendments and Status as Parties. This Agreement may be amended only by
a writing signed by OSI, Buyer and Sellers

     (c) Waivers.  Neither this  Agreement  nor any term or condition  hereof or
right hereunder may be waived or shall be deemed to have been waived or modified
in whole or in part by any party or by the  forbearance of any party to exercise
any of its rights  hereunder,  except by written  instrument  executed  by or on
behalf of that party.

     (d)  Assignment.  This  Agreement  shall be  binding  upon and inure to the
benefit of the parties  hereto and may not be  assigned  by Sellers  without the
consent of OSI,  except that each  Seller may assign its rights to the  Earn-out
Payments to its shareholders.

     (e) Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts,  each of
which shall be deemed an original,  and all of which together  shall  constitute
one and the same instrument.

     (f) Entire  Agreement.  This Agreement  constitutes the entire agreement of
the parties hereto relating to the subject matter hereof, and the parties hereto
have made no agreements,  representations or warranties  relating to the subject
matter of this Agreement that are not set forth herein.

     (g) Governing Law. The execution,  interpretation  and  performance of this
Agreement  shall  be  governed  by the  internal  laws of the  state of New York
without giving effect to principles of conflicts of law.

     (h) Merger,  Consolidation,  Etc. In the event Buyer merges or consolidates
with another entity,  or all or substantially all of Buyer's assets are acquired
by another corporation, prior to the payment of Earn-out Payments for the Fourth
Payment Period,  OSI and Buyer shall cause the surviving or acquiring  entity to
assume the obligations of Buyer under this Agreement and to account for payments
under  this  Agreement  consistent  with the  practices  of Buyer  prior to such
acquisition, merger or consolidation.

     (i)  Notices.  All  notices,  requests,  demands  and other  communications
hereunder  shall be  deemed  to have  been  duly  given if the same  shall be in
writing and shall be delivered (i)  personally,  (ii) by registered or certified
mail,  postage  prepaid,  (iii) by facsimile  transmission  or (iv) by overnight
delivery service and addressed as set forth below:

              If to Buyer or OSI:

              Outsourcing Solutions Inc.
              390 South Woods Mill Road
              St. Louis, MO  63017
              Attention:  Timothy G. Beffa
              Fax: 314-576-1867

              If to the Seller Group Representative or Sellers:

              Jerome Goodman
              North Shore Agency, Inc.
              117 Cuttermill Road
              Great Neck, NY  11021
              Fax: (516)466-9391

              copy to:

              Pryor, Cashman, Sherman & Flynn
              410 Park Avenue
              New York, NY 10022
              Attention: Eric B. Woldenberg
              Fax: (212) 326-0806

     Any such notice shall be effective  upon receipt.  Any party may change the
address to which notices are to be addressed by giving the other parties  notice
in the manner herein set forth.


THIS  AGREEMENT  CONTAINS  ARBITRATION  PROVISIONS  WHICH MAY BE ENFORCED BY THE
PARTIES HERETO.


          IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be executed as of the day and year first above written.


NSA ACQUISITION CORPORATION


By: /s/ Peter D. Waldstein
   -------------------------------
    Peter D. Waldstein
    Vice President

OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC.


By: /s/ Timothy G. Beffa
    ------------------------------
    Timothy G. Beffa
    President and Chief Executive
      Officer

 North Shore Agency, Inc.


By: /s/ Jerome Goodman
   -------------------------------
    Jerome Goodman
    President

Automated Mailing Services, Inc..


By: /s/ Jerome Goodman
   -------------------------------
    Jerome Goodman
    President



Mailguard Security Systems, Inc.


By: /s/ Jerome Goodman
   -------------------------------
    Jerome Goodman
    President




/s/ David Klein
- ----------------------------------
David Klein, as sole proprietor
of DMM Consultants



                           OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC.

                  SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT



     This SECOND  AMENDED AND RESTATED  CREDIT  AGREEMENT is dated as of January
26, 1998 and entered into by and among  OUTSOURCING  SOLUTIONS  INC., a Delaware
corporation  ("Company"),  THE  FINANCIAL  INSTITUTIONS  LISTED ON THE SIGNATURE
PAGES  HEREOF  (each   individually   referred  to  herein  as  a  "LENDER"  and
collectively  as  "LENDERS"),  GOLDMAN SACHS CREDIT  PARTNERS L.P. and THE CHASE
MANHATTAN  BANK,  as  co-administrative   agents  (each,  in  such  capacity,  a
"CO-ADMINISTRATIVE  AGENT"  and,  collectively,   "CO-ADMINISTRATIVE   AGENTS"),
GOLDMAN  SACHS CREDIT  PARTNERS  L.P. and CHASE  SECURITIES  INC.,  as arranging
agents  (each,  in  such  capacity,   an  "ARRANGING  AGENT"  and  collectively,
"ARRANGING  AGENTS"),  and SUNTRUST BANK,  ATLANTA, as collateral agent (in such
capacity, "COLLATERAL AGENT").


                                 R E C I T A L S
                                 - - - - - - - -

     WHEREAS,   Company  and  certain  financial   institutions  (the  "Existing
Lenders")  are parties to that  certain  Amended and Restated  Credit  Agreement
dated as of October 8, 1997 (as heretofore  amended,  supplemented  or otherwise
modified,  the  "EXISTING  CREDIT  AGREEMENT"),  pursuant to which the  Existing
Lenders  (capitalized terms used in these Recitals without definition shall have
the  respective  meanings  assigned in subsection  1.1 hereof) have extended and
agreed to extend  certain  credit  facilities to Company,  the proceeds of which
were or will be used (i) together  with the proceeds of the  Subordinated  Notes
and  certain  other  funds,  to fund  the  Payco  Acquisition,  the  Accelerated
Acquisition  and the NSA  Acquisition  and  refinance  certain  indebtedness  of
Company,  Payco,  Accelerated  and NSA  and pay  certain  transaction  fees  and
expenses relating thereto, and (ii) to provide working capital and financing for
certain acquisitions by Company and its Subsidiaries;

     WHEREAS,  the domestic  Subsidiaries  of Company have guaranteed all of the
obligations of Company with respect to the credit facilities provided by Lenders
under the Existing Credit Agreement;

     WHEREAS,  Company  has secured all of the  Obligations  under the  Existing
Credit Agreement, and each such Subsidiary of Company has secured its respective
obligations under the Subsidiary Guaranty,  by granting to Collateral Agent, for
the benefit of Agents and Lenders,  (i) a first  priority Lien on  substantially
all of their  respective  real and personal  property and (ii) a first  priority
pledge of all of the capital  stock of their  respective  domestic  Subsidiaries
(65% of the capital stock of their respective foreign subsidiaries);

     WHEREAS, Company has entered into (i) the Accelerated Acquisition Agreement
with   Accelerated   Bureau  of  Collections,   Inc.,  a  Colorado   corporation
("Accelerated"), pursuant to which, among other things, Company has acquired all
or  substantially  all of the assets  (the  "ACCELERATED  ACQUIRED  ASSETS")  of
Accelerated,  and (ii) the NSA  Acquisition  Agreement  with North Shore Agency,
Inc., a New York  corporation  ("NSA"),  and certain other Persons,  pursuant to
which, among other things,  Company has acquired all or substantially all of the
assets (the "NSA ACQUIRED ASSETS") of NSA;

     WHEREAS,  Company,  Sherman Acquisition  Corporation ("Merger Sub") and The
Union Corporation,  a Delaware corporation ("Union") have entered into the Union
Acquisition  Agreement  pursuant  to which (i) Merger Sub will tender for all of
the issued and outstanding  capital stock of Union pursuant to the Tender Offer;
(ii) after  consummation of the Tender Offer,  Merger Sub will merge (the "UNION
MERGER")  with and into Union,  with Union being the surviving  corporation  and
thereby becoming a wholly-owned Subsidiary of Company; and (iii) pursuant to the
Union  Merger any Union  Common  Stock not  tendered in the Tender Offer will be
canceled in exchange for certain cash consideration;

     WHEREAS,  Company  desires that  Existing  Lenders and New Lenders agree to
amend and restate the  Existing  Credit  Agreement in its entirety (i) to extend
additional  credit  facilities  to Company in an aggregate  principal  amount of
$225,000,000  through  the  addition  of a  Tranche C Term  Loan  facility,  the
proceeds of which will be used (a) to finance the purchase of the capital  stock
of Union pursuant to the Tender Offer and the payment of cash  consideration  to
certain  shareholders of Union upon consummation of the Union Merger, (b) to pay
Transaction  Costs,  and (c) to repay  outstanding  Revolving Loans, and (ii) to
make certain other changes as more fully set forth herein,  which  amendment and
restatement shall become effective upon satisfaction of the conditions precedent
set forth herein;

     WHEREAS,  it is the intent of the parties  hereto that this  Agreement  not
constitute a novation of the  obligations  and  liabilities of the parties under
the Existing Credit  Agreement or be deemed to evidence or constitute  repayment
of all or any  portion  of  such  obligations  and  liabilities  and  that  this
Agreement  amend and restate in its entirety the Existing  Credit  Agreement and
re-evidence the Obligations of Company outstanding thereunder; and

     WHEREAS,  it is the intent of Loan Parties to confirm that all  Obligations
of Loan Parties under the other Loan Documents  shall continue in full force and
effect  and that,  from and after the  Effective  Date,  all  references  to the
"CREDIT AGREEMENT" contained therein shall be deemed to refer to this Agreement:

     NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of the  premises  and the  agreements,
provisions and covenants herein contained,  Company, Lenders,  Co-Administrative
Agents,  Arranging  Agents and Collateral Agent agree that on the Effective Date
the Existing  Credit  Agreement shall be amended and restated in its entirety as
follows:

                                   SECTION 1.
                                  DEFINITIONS

1.1  CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS.

     The  following  terms  used in this  Agreement  shall  have  the  following
meanings:

     "Accelerated" has the meaning assigned to that term in the Recitals to this
Agreement.

     "Accelerated  Acquired  Assets" means the assets  acquired  pursuant to the
Accelerated Acquisition.

     "Accelerated  Acquisition"  means  the  transactions  contemplated  by  the
Accelerated Acquisition Agreement.

     "Accelerated  Acquisition  Agreement" means the Asset Purchase Agreement by
and between Company and  Accelerated,  in the form delivered to Arranging Agents
on or prior to the Funding  Date for the  Accelerated  Acquisition  Loans and as
such agreement may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from
time to time to the extent permitted under subsection 7.12A.

     "Accelerated Acquisition Loans" means Additional Tranche B Term Loans in an
aggregate principal amount of $33,000,000 made to Company on November 10, 1997.

     "Acquisition  Loans" means the  Accelerated  Acquisition  Loans and the NSA
Acquisition Loans, collectively.

     "Acquisition Sub" means Boxer Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation.

     "Additional  Tranche  B Term  Loans"  means the Loans  made by  Lenders  to
Company pursuant to subsection 2.1A(ii) of the Existing Credit Agreement.

     "Adjusted Eurodollar Rate" means, for any Interest Rate Determination Date,
the rate per annum  obtained by dividing (i) the London  Interbank  offered rate
for deposits in U.S.  Dollars for maturities  comparable to the Interest  Period
for which such Adjusted  Eurodollar  Rate will apply as of  approximately  11:00
A.M.  (London  time) on such Interest  Rate  Determination  Date as set forth on
Telerate Page 3750 by (ii) a percentage  equal to 100% minus the stated  maximum
rate of all reserve requirements (including,  without limitation,  any marginal,
emergency,  supplemental, special or other reserves) applicable on such Interest
Rate  Determination  Date to any member  bank of the Federal  Reserve  System in
respect  of  "Eurocurrency  liabilities"  as  defined  in  Regulation  D (or any
successor category of liabilities under Regulation D).

     "Affected Lender" has the meaning assigned to that term in subsection 2.6C.

     "Affiliate"  means, as applied to any Person,  any other Person directly or
indirectly  controlling,  controlled  by, or under  common  control  with,  that
Person.  For  the  purposes  of  this  definition,  "control"  (including,  with
correlative meanings, the terms "controlling", "controlled by" and "under common
control  with"),  as applied to any Person,  means the  possession,  directly or
indirectly,  of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and
policies of that Person,  whether through the ownership of voting  securities or
by contract or otherwise;  provided,  however,  that  "Affiliate"  as applied to
Company or its Subsidiaries shall not include Chase, CSI, GSCP, Goldman, Sachs &
Co. or CS First Boston Corporation and their respective Affiliates,  except that
Goldman,  Sachs & Co. and GSCP shall be considered Affiliates of Company and its
Subsidiaries  for purposes of  subsection  7.9 hereof to the extent such Persons
are  acting as agents or  brokers  for  Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  in
connection with any sales of receivables portfolios.

     "Agent" means,  individually,  each of Collateral Agent,  Co-Administrative
Agents  and   Arranging   Agents,   and   "AGENTS"   means   Collateral   Agent,
Co-Administrative Agents and Arranging Agents, collectively.

     "Agreement"  means this Second Amended and Restated Credit  Agreement dated
as of  January  26,  1998,  as it  may be  amended,  restated,  supplemented  or
otherwise modified from time to time.

     "Applicable  Base Rate Margin" means,  with respect to the applicable  Loan
set forth below, the corresponding per annum rate set forth below:

 =========================================== ==================================
                    LOAN                                    APPLICABLE
                                                         BASE RATE MARGIN
 =========================================== ==================================
            Tranche A Term Loans                               1.50%
 =========================================== ==================================
 Tranche B Term Loans                                          2.00%
 =========================================== ==================================
 Tranche C Term Loans                                          2.00%
 =========================================== ==================================
 Revolving Loans                                               1.50%
 =========================================== ==================================

; provided that the Applicable  Base Rate Margin set forth above with respect to
Tranche  A Term  Loans and  Revolving  Loans  shall be  reduced  by the  Pricing
Reduction, if any.

     "Applicable  Eurodollar Rate Margin" means,  with respect to the applicable
Loan set forth below, the corresponding per annum rate set forth below:

 =========================================== ===================================
                    LOAN                               APPLICABLE EURODOLLAR
                                                            RATE MARGIN
 =========================================== ===================================
            Tranche A Term Loans                               2.50%
 =========================================== ===================================
 Tranche B Term Loans                                          3.00%
 =========================================== ===================================
 Tranche C Term Loans                                          3.00%
 =========================================== ===================================
 Revolving Loans                                               2.50%
 =========================================== ===================================

;  provided  that the  Applicable  Eurodollar  Rate  Margin set forth above with
respect  to  Tranche A Term Loans and  Revolving  Loans  shall be reduced by the
Pricing Reduction, if any.

     "Arranging  Agent" and  "Arranging  Agents"  have the  respective  meanings
assigned to such terms in the  introduction  to this  Agreement;  provided  that
after the Effective Date, Arranging Agents shall only mean and include GSCP.

     "Articles  of Merger"  means the Articles of Merger dated as of November 6,
1996 by and between  Acquisition Sub and Payco to be filed with the Secretary of
State of  Wisconsin,  as in effect on the Closing Date and as such  articles may
heretofore  have been or hereafter  may be amended,  restated,  supplemented  or
otherwise  modified from time to time  thereafter to the extent  permitted under
subsection 7.12A.

     "Asset Sale" means the sale (including in any  sale-leaseback  transaction)
by Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  to any Person (other than Company or any
of its Wholly  Owned  Subsidiaries)  of (i) any of the stock of any of Company's
Subsidiaries  (other  than the sale of stock of Union  during such times as such
shares constitute Margin Stock),  (ii) all or substantially all of the assets of
any division or line of business of Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iii)
any other assets  other than sales of assets in the ordinary  course of business
and sales of obsolete  equipment,  excluding any such other assets to the extent
that the  aggregate  value of such  assets  sold in any  single  transaction  or
transactions is equal to $250,000 or less in any one Fiscal Year;  provided that
in no event shall a sale of all or any  portion of a  receivables  portfolio  be
deemed a sale of assets in the ordinary course of business.

     "Assignment  Agreement" means an assignment  agreement in substantially the
form of Exhibit XIII annexed  hereto or in such other form as may be approved by
Co-Administrative Agents.

     "Bankruptcy  Code"  means  Title  11 of the  United  States  Code  entitled
"Bankruptcy", as now and hereafter in effect, or any successor statute.

     "Base Rate" means, at any time, the higher of (x) the Prime Rate or (y) the
rate which is 1/2 of 1% in excess of the Federal Funds Effective Rate.

     "Base Rate Loans"  means Loans  bearing  interest  at rates  determined  by
reference to the Base Rate as provided in subsection 2.2A.

     "Business  Day" means (i) for all purposes  other than as covered by clause
(ii)  below,  any day  excluding  Saturday,  Sunday and any day which is a legal
holiday  under  the laws of the  State of New York or is a day on which  banking
institutions  located in such state are  authorized  or required by law or other
governmental   action  to  close,   and  (ii)  with   respect  to  all  notices,
determinations, fundings, issuances and payments in connection with the Adjusted
Eurodollar  Rate or any  Eurodollar  Rate Loans,  any day that is a Business Day
described  in clause  (i) above  and that is also (a) a day for  trading  by and
between banks in Dollar deposits in the London interbank market and (b) a day on
which banking institutions are open for business in London.

     "Capital Lease" means, as applied to any Person,  any lease of any property
(whether  real,  personal or mixed) by that Person as lessee that, in conformity
with GAAP,  is  accounted  for as a capital  lease on the balance  sheet of that
Person.

     "Cash" means money, currency or a credit balance in a Deposit Account.

     "Cash Equivalents"  means (i) marketable  securities issued or directly and
unconditionally  guaranteed  by the United  States  Government  or issued by any
agency thereof and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States,  in
each case maturing  within one year from the date of acquisition  thereof;  (ii)
marketable  direct  obligations  issued  by any  state of the  United  States of
America  or  any  political   subdivision  of  any  such  state  or  any  public
instrumentality  thereof  maturing  within one year from the date of acquisition
thereof and, at the time of  acquisition,  having the highest rating  obtainable
from  either  Standard & Poor's  Rating  Service  ("S&P")  or Moody's  Investors
Service, Inc. ("MOODY'S"); (iii) commercial paper maturing no more than one year
from the date of  creation  thereof  and, at the time of  acquisition,  having a
rating of at least A-1 from S&P or at least P-1 from Moody's;  (iv) certificates
of deposit or  bankers'  acceptances  maturing  within one year from the date of
acquisition thereof and, at the time of acquisition, having a rating of at least
A-1  from  S&P or at  least  P-1  from  Moody's,  issued  by any  Lender  or any
commercial  bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any
state thereof or the District of Columbia having unimpaired  capital and surplus
of not less than  $250,000,000  (each Lender and each such commercial bank being
herein called a "CASH EQUIVALENT BANK"); and (v) Eurodollar time deposits having
a maturity of less than one year  purchased  directly  from any Cash  Equivalent
Bank (provided such deposit is with such Cash  Equivalent Bank or any other Cash
Equivalent Bank).

     "Cash  Proceeds"  means,  with  respect to any Asset  Sale,  Cash  payments
(including  any  Cash  received  by way of  deferred  payment  pursuant  to,  or
monetization  of,  a note  receivable  or  otherwise,  but  only as and  when so
received) received by Company or any of its Subsidiaries from such Asset Sale.

     "Certificate re Non-Bank  Status" means a certificate  substantially in the
form  of   Exhibit   XV  annexed   hereto   delivered   by  a  Lender  to  Chase
Co-Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection 2.7B(iii).

     "Chase"  means  The Chase  Manhattan  Bank and its  successors,  including,
without limitation, its successors by merger.

     "Chase   Co-Administrative  Agent"  means  Chase,  in  its  capacity  as  a
Co-Administrative  Agent, and any successor to Chase in such capacity  appointed
pursuant to subsection 9.5A.

     "Closing Date" means November 6, 1996.

     "Co-Administrative   Agent"  and   "Co-Administrative   Agents"   have  the
respective meanings assigned to such terms in the introduction to this Agreement
and also  mean and  include  any  successor  Co-Administrative  Agent  appointed
pursuant to subsection 9.5A.

     "Collateral"  means all of the  properties  and assets  (including  capital
stock) in which Liens are purported to be granted by the Collateral Documents.

     "Collateral  Account"  has  the  meaning  assigned  to  that  term  in  the
Collateral Account Agreement.

     "Collateral  Account  Agreement"  means the  Collateral  Account  Agreement
executed  and  delivered  by Company  and Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent on the
Closing Date,  substantially in the form of Exhibit XVI annexed hereto, pursuant
to which Company may pledge cash to Chase  Co-Administrative Agent to secure the
obligations of Company to reimburse  Issuing Lenders for payments made under one
or more Letters of Credit as such  Collateral  Account  Agreement may heretofore
have been or  hereafter  may be amended,  restated,  supplemented  or  otherwise
modified from time to time.

     "Collateral Agent" means SunTrust, in its capacity as Collateral Agent, and
any  successor to SunTrust,  in such capacity  appointed  pursuant to subsection
9.5A.

     "Collateral Documents" means the Pledge Agreement,  the Security Agreement,
the Limited Partnership  Security  Agreement,  the Trademark Security Agreement,
the Collateral  Account  Agreement,  the Mortgages,  the Deeds of Trust, and any
other documents,  instruments or agreements delivered by any Loan Party pursuant
to this  Agreement  or any of the  other  Loan  Documents  in  order to grant or
perfect liens on any assets of such Loan Party as security for the Obligations.

     "Commercial  Letter  of  Credit"  means any  letter  of  credit or  similar
instrument  issued for the purpose of providing the primary payment mechanism in
connection  with the purchase of any materials,  goods or services by Company or
any of its  Subsidiaries  in the ordinary  course of business of Company or such
Subsidiary.

     "Commitments"  means (i) with respect to the period prior to the  Effective
Date, the  commitments of Lenders to make Loans as set forth in subsection  2.1A
of the Existing  Credit  Agreement,  and (ii)  thereafter,  the  commitments  of
Lenders to make Loans as set forth in subsection 2.1A of this Agreement.

     "Company  Common  Stock" means,  collectively,  Company's (i) Voting Common
Stock,  par value $0.01 per share,  (ii) Class A Non-Voting  Common  Stock,  par
value $0.01 per share,  (iii) Class B Non-Voting  Common Stock,  par value $0.01
per share, and (iv) Class C Non-Voting Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share.

     "Company  Preferred  Stock"  means  Company's  8.0%  Non-Voting  Cumulative
Redeemable  Exchangeable  Preferred Stock  outstanding as of the Closing Date in
the  approximate  amount  of  $10,800,000,  together  with  any  shares  of such
preferred  stock issued after the Closing  Date as dividends  thereon  permitted
under subsection 7.5 of the Existing Credit Agreement or under subsection 7.5 of
this Agreement.

     "Compliance  Certificate" means a certificate  substantially in the form of
Exhibit X annexed hereto delivered to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent by Company
pursuant to subsection 6.1(iv).

     "Condemnation Proceeds" has the meaning assigned to that term in subsection
2.4B(iii)(d).

     "Consolidated  Capital  Expenditures" means, for any period, the sum of (i)
the aggregate of all expenditures  (whether paid in cash or other  consideration
or accrued as a liability and including  that portion of Capital Leases which is
capitalized on the consolidated  balance sheet of Company and its  Subsidiaries)
by Company and its  Subsidiaries  during that period that,  in  conformity  with
GAAP, are included in "purchases of property,  plant or equipment" or comparable
items reflected in the  consolidated  statement of cash flows of Company and its
Subsidiaries  plus  (ii)  to the  extent  not  covered  by  clause  (i) of  this
definition,  the aggregate of all  expenditures by Company and its  Subsidiaries
during that period to acquire (by purchase or otherwise) the business,  property
(except inventory, other than any receivables portfolios, in the ordinary course
of  business)  or fixed  assets of any  Person,  or stock or other  evidence  of
beneficial  ownership of any Person that, as a result of the acquisition of such
stock or other evidence, becomes a Subsidiary of Company.

     "Consolidated  Current Assets" means, as at any date of determination,  the
total assets of Company and its  Subsidiaries on a consolidated  basis which may
properly be classified as current assets in conformity with GAAP, excluding Cash
and Cash Equivalents.

     "Consolidated  Current Liabilities" means, as at any date of determination,
the total  liabilities of Company and its  Subsidiaries on a consolidated  basis
which may properly be classified as current liabilities in conformity with GAAP.

     "Consolidated EBITDA" means, for any period, (i) the sum of the amounts for
such period of (a) Consolidated Net Income,  (b) Consolidated  Interest Expense,
(c) provisions for taxes based on income,  (d) total depreciation  expense,  (e)
total amortization  expense, (f) other non-cash items reducing  Consolidated Net
Income,  (g) to the extent  deducted  in  determining  Consolidated  Net Income,
charges  incurred  during 1998 not in excess of  $1,500,000  with respect to the
costs of implementing a new computer  system at Payco and  duplicative  costs of
operating the old system concurrently, (h) to the extent deducted in determining
Consolidated Net Income,  any  non-recurring  charges incurred after the Closing
Date in  connection  with  the  resolution  of  litigation  of  Company  and its
Subsidiaries  disclosed in that certain Offering Circular dated October 31, 1996
prepared in connection with the offering of the  Subordinated  Notes, and (i) to
the extent deducted in determining  Consolidated Net Income for such period, any
non-recurring  charges  not to exceed $20 million in the  aggregate  incurred by
Union and/or its Subsidiaries during the period from January 1, 1998 through the
Union Merger Date to the extent such  charges  were  incurred as a result of the
Union Acquisition (including  approximately $14.5 million of "change of control"
payments to be paid by Union to employees  and  directors of Union in connection
with the Union Acquisition and approximately  $5.5 million of fees and expenses)
less (ii) the sum of the  amounts for such  period of (a) other  non-cash  items
increasing  Consolidated Net Income and (b) to the extent not otherwise deducted
in determining  Consolidated  Net Income,  payments made during such period with
respect to Earn Out Agreements  permitted  hereunder and Management Fees, all of
the  foregoing  as  determined  on a  consolidated  basis  for  Company  and its
Subsidiaries in conformity with GAAP.

     "Consolidated  Excess  Cash  Flow"  means,  for any  period,  an amount (if
positive)  equal to (i) the sum,  without  duplication,  of the amounts for such
period of (a)  Consolidated  EBITDA  and (b) the  Consolidated  Working  Capital
Adjustment  minus (ii) the sum,  without  duplication,  of the  amounts for such
period of (a) voluntary and scheduled cash repayments of Consolidated Total Debt
(excluding repayments of Revolving Loans except to the extent the Revolving Loan
Commitments are permanently  reduced in connection  with such  repayments),  (b)
Consolidated Capital Expenditures (net of any proceeds of any related financings
with respect to such expenditures),  (c) Consolidated  Interest Expense, (d) the
provision for current taxes based on income of Company and its  Subsidiaries and
payable in cash with respect to such period, and (e) to the extent not otherwise
deducted in calculating Consolidated Excess Cash Flow, cash payments made during
such period with respect to non-recurring charges described in subdivisions (g),
(h) and (i) of the definition of Consolidated EBITDA.

     "Consolidated  Fixed Charges" means, for any period, an amount equal to the
sum of the amounts for such period of (i) scheduled cash repayments of principal
of  all   Indebtedness,   as  reduced  by  prepayments   previously  made,  (ii)
Consolidated   Interest  Expense,   (iii)   Consolidated   Maintenance   Capital
Expenditures  and (iv) the  portion of taxes  based on income  actually  paid in
cash.

     "Consolidated  Interest  Expense"  means,  for any period,  total  interest
expense  (including  that portion  attributable  to Capital Leases in accordance
with GAAP)  payable in cash of Company and its  Subsidiaries  on a  consolidated
basis  with  respect  to  all  outstanding   Indebtedness  of  Company  and  its
Subsidiaries,  including,  without  limitation,  all commissions,  discounts and
other fees and  charges  owed with  respect  to  letters of credit and  bankers'
acceptance  financing  and  net  costs  under  Interest  Rate  Agreements,   but
excluding,  however, any amounts referred to in subsection 2.3 of this Agreement
or subsection 2.3 of the Existing Credit Agreement payable to Agents and Lenders
on or before the Effective Date or the Closing Date, respectively.

     "Consolidated  Maintenance Capital Expenditures" means, for any period, all
Consolidated  Capital  Expenditures  for such  period  other  than  Consolidated
Capital  Expenditures  expended  to make  Permitted  Acquisitions  or  Permitted
Portfolio Acquisitions.

     "Consolidated  Net Income" means, for any period,  the net income (or loss)
of Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for such period taken as
a single  accounting  period  determined in conformity with GAAP;  provided that
there  shall be  excluded  (i) the income (or loss) of any Person  (other than a
Subsidiary  of Company) in which any other Person  (other than Company or any of
its  Subsidiaries)  has a joint interest,  except to the extent of the amount of
dividends  or  other  distributions  actually  paid  to  Company  or  any of its
Subsidiaries by such Person during such period, (ii) the income (or loss) of any
Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary of Company or is merged
into or  consolidated  with Company or any of its  Subsidiaries or that Person's
assets are acquired by Company or any of its  Subsidiaries,  (iii) the income of
any  Subsidiary  of  Company to the extent  that the  declaration  or payment of
dividends or similar  distributions  by that Subsidiary of that income is not at
the time  permitted by  operation of the terms of its charter or any  agreement,
instrument,  judgment,  decree, order, statute, rule or governmental  regulation
applicable to that Subsidiary,  (iv) any after-tax gains or losses  attributable
to Asset Sales,  and (v) (to the extent not included in clauses (i) through (iv)
above) any net extraordinary gains or net non-cash extraordinary losses.

     "Consolidated  Total  Debt"  means,  as at any date of  determination,  the
aggregate stated balance sheet amount of all outstanding Indebtedness of Company
and its  Subsidiaries  on a consolidated  basis as determined in conformity with
GAAP.

     "Consolidated Working Capital" means, as at any date of determination,  the
excess of Consolidated Current Assets over Consolidated Current Liabilities.

     "Consolidated  Working  Capital  Adjustment"  means,  for any  period  on a
consolidated  basis,  the  amount  (which  may be a  negative  number)  by which
Consolidated  Working  Capital as of the beginning of such period exceeds (or is
less than) Consolidated Working Capital as of the end of such period.

     "Contingent  Obligation"  means,  as applied to any  Person,  any direct or
indirect liability,  contingent or otherwise, of that Person (i) with respect to
any Indebtedness,  lease, dividend or other obligation of another if the primary
purpose or intent thereof by the Person  incurring the Contingent  Obligation is
to provide  assurance  to the obligee of such  obligation  of another  that such
obligation  of  another  will be  paid or  discharged,  or that  any  agreements
relating  thereto will be complied with, or that the holders of such  obligation
will be protected  (in whole or in part) against loss in respect  thereof,  (ii)
with respect to any letter of credit issued for the account of that Person or as
to which that Person is otherwise liable for reimbursement of drawings, or (iii)
under Interest Rate Agreements.  Contingent  Obligations shall include,  without
limitation, (a) the direct or indirect guaranty, endorsement (otherwise than for
collection  or  deposit  in  the  ordinary   course  of  business),   co-making,
discounting with recourse or sale with recourse by such Person of the obligation
of  another,  (b) the  obligation  to make  take-or-pay  or similar  payments if
required  regardless  of  non-performance  by any other  party or  parties to an
agreement,  and (c) any  liability of such Person for the  obligation of another
through any agreement  (contingent or otherwise) (x) to purchase,  repurchase or
otherwise acquire such obligation or any security therefor,  or to provide funds
for the payment or discharge of such  obligation  (whether in the form of loans,
advances,  stock  purchases,  capital  contributions  or  otherwise)  or  (y) to
maintain  the solvency or any balance  sheet item,  level of income or financial
condition of another if, in the case of any agreement described under subclauses
(x) or (y) of this  sentence,  the  primary  purpose  or  intent  thereof  is as
described in the preceding  sentence.  The amount of any  Contingent  Obligation
shall be equal to the  amount  of the  obligation  so  guaranteed  or  otherwise
supported  or,  if less,  the  amount to which  such  Contingent  Obligation  is
specifically limited.

     "Continuing  Director"  shall mean,  as of any date of  determination,  any
member of the Board of  Directors  of Company who (i) was a member of such Board
of Directors on the Closing Date or (ii) was  nominated  for election or elected
to such Board of Directors with the affirmative vote of the MDC Entities.

     "Contractual  Obligation" means, as applied to any Person, any provision of
any Security issued by that Person or of any material indenture,  mortgage, deed
of trust,  contract,  undertaking,  agreement or other  instrument to which that
Person is a party or by which it or any of its  properties  is bound or to which
it or any of its properties is subject.

     "Corporate Loan Party" means any Loan Party which is a corporation.

     "CSI"  means  Chase   Securities  Inc.  and  its  successors  and  assigns,
including, without limitation, its successors by merger.

     "Custodian" means ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.C.C.

     "Debt Collection Laws" means the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and any
similar state laws relating to the collection of consumer debt.

     "Deed of Trust"  means any deed of trust  granted  by Company or any of its
Subsidiaries in any interest in real property to secure the Obligations, as such
deed of trust may be amended, restated,  supplemented or otherwise modified from
time to time.

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

     "Delayed-Draw  Term Loans" means a portion of the Tranche C Term Loans,  in
an  aggregate  amount equal to the product of (x) $31.50 and (y) those shares of
Union  Common  Stock not  purchased  pursuant to the Tender  Offer,  that may be
borrowed by Company on the Union Merger Date.

     "Deposit Account" means a demand,  time, savings,  passbook or like account
with a bank,  savings and loan association,  credit union or like  organization,
other than an account evidenced by a negotiable certificate of deposit.

     "Dollars"  and the sign "$" mean the lawful  money of the United  States of
America.

     "Earn Out  Agreement"  shall mean (i) the  agreements set forth in Schedule
7.4(iv)(a)  hereto and (ii) any other  agreement  entered into after the Closing
Date by Company to pay the seller or sellers of any Person or assets acquired in
accordance  with the  provisions of subsection  7.7(v) at any time following the
consummation  of such  acquisition by reference to the financial  performance of
Company or the Person or assets acquired.

     "Effective Date" means the date on or before February 15, 1998 on which the
conditions  precedent set forth in subsections 4.2 and 4.4 shall be satisfied or
waived in accordance with the terms hereof.

     "Eligible  Assignee"  means (i) (a) a commercial  bank organized  under the
laws of the United States or any state thereof;  (b) a commercial bank organized
under the laws of any other country or a political subdivision thereof; provided
that (x) such bank is acting  through a branch or agency  located  in the United
States or (y) such  bank is  organized  under  the laws of a  country  that is a
member  of the  Organization  for  Economic  Cooperation  and  Development  or a
political  subdivision  of  such  country;  (c) any  other  entity  which  is an
"accredited  investor"  (as defined in  Regulation D under the  Securities  Act)
which extends credit or buys loans as one of its businesses  including,  but not
limited to, insurance companies, mutual funds and lease financing companies; and
(d) any other financial institution or fund (whether a corporation, partnership,
trust or other  entity)  that is  engaged  in making,  purchasing  or  otherwise
investing in  commercial  loans in the  ordinary  course of its business and has
combined  capital  and surplus or net assets of at least  $100,000,000,  in each
case (under  clauses (a) through  (d) above) that is  reasonably  acceptable  to
Co-Administrative  Agents;  and (ii) any Lender and any Affiliate of any Lender;
provided that no Affiliate of Company shall be an Eligible Assignee.

     "Employee  Benefit  Plan" means any  "employee  benefit plan" as defined in
Section  3(3) of ERISA  which is  subject  to ERISA and which is  maintained  or
contributed to by Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates.

     "Environmental Claim" means any written accusation,  allegation,  notice of
violation,   claim,  demand,   abatement  order  or  other  order  or  direction
(conditional or otherwise) by any  governmental  authority or any Person for any
damage,  including,  without  limitation,  personal injury (including  sickness,
disease  or  death),  tangible  or  intangible  property  damage,  contribution,
indemnity,  indirect  or  consequential  damages,  damage  to  the  environment,
nuisance, pollution,  contamination or other adverse effects on the environment,
or for fines,  penalties or  restrictions,  in each case relating to,  resulting
from or in connection with Hazardous  Materials and relating to Company,  any of
its  Subsidiaries,  any of their  respective  Affiliates  that are  directly  or
indirectly controlled by Company, or any Facility.

     "Environmental Laws" means all laws, statutes,  ordinances,  orders, rules,
regulations,   plans,   policies  or  decrees  and  the  like  relating  to  (i)
environmental matters, including,  without limitation,  those relating to fines,
injunctions,  penalties,  damages,  contribution,  cost  recovery  compensation,
losses or injuries resulting from the Release or threatened Release of Hazardous
Materials,  (ii) the generation,  use,  storage,  transportation  or disposal of
Hazardous Materials,  or (iii) occupational safety and health, public health and
safety,  industrial hygiene or protection of wetlands,  in any manner applicable
to Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  or any of their  respective  properties,
including,   without  limitation,  the  Comprehensive   Environmental  Response,
Compensation,  and  Liability  Act (42 U.S.C.  ss. 9601 et seq.),  the Hazardous
Materials  Transportation  Act (49  U.S.C.  ss.  1801  et  seq.),  the  Resource
Conservation  and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C.  ss. 6901 et seq.),  the Federal Water
Pollution  Control  Act ( 33 U.S.C.  ss.  1251 et  seq.),  the Clean Air Act (42
U.S.C. ss. 7401 et seq.),  the Toxic Substances  Control Act (15 U.S.C. ss. 2601
et seq.),  the Federal  Insecticide,  Fungicide  and  Rodenticide  Act (7 U.S.C.
ss.136 et seq.),  the  Occupational  Safety and Health Act (29 U.S.C. ss. 651 et
seq.) and the Emergency Planning and Community  Right-to-Know Act (42 U.S.C. ss.
11001 et seq.),  each as amended or  supplemented,  and any analogous  future or
present local, state and federal statutes and regulations  promulgated  pursuant
thereto, each as in effect as of the date of determination.

     "Equity  Proceeds" means the cash proceeds (net of  underwriting  discounts
and  commissions  and other  reasonable  costs  associated  therewith)  from the
issuance of any equity Securities of Company after the Effective Date.

     "ERISA"  means the Employee  Retirement  Income  Security  Act of 1974,  as
amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

     "ERISA  Affiliate"  means,  as applied to any Person,  (i) any  corporation
which is a member of a controlled  group of  corporations  within the meaning of
Section  414(b) of the  Internal  Revenue Code of which that Person is a member;
(ii) any trade or business (whether or not incorporated)  which is a member of a
group of trades or businesses under common control within the meaning of Section
414(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of which that Person is a member;  and (iii)
solely for purposes of  obligations  under  Section 412 of the Internal  Revenue
Code or under the  applicable  sections  set forth in Section  414(t)(2)  of the
Internal  Revenue  Code,  any member of an  affiliated  service group within the
meaning  of Section  414(m) or (o) of the  Internal  Revenue  Code of which that
Person,  any corporation  described in clause (i) above or any trade or business
described in clause (ii) above is a member.

     "ERISA Event" means (i) a "reportable  event" within the meaning of Section
4043(c)  of ERISA and the  regulations  issued  thereunder  with  respect to any
Pension Plan  (excluding  those for which the provision for 30-day notice to the
PBGC has been  waived  by  regulation);  (ii) the  failure  to meet the  minimum
funding standard of Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code with respect to any
Pension Plan  (whether or not waived in  accordance  with Section  412(d) of the
Internal  Revenue  Code)  or the  failure  to make by its  due  date a  required
installment  under Section  412(m) of the Internal  Revenue Code with respect to
any  Pension  Plan  or the  failure  to  make  any  required  contribution  to a
Multiemployer Plan; (iii) the provision by the administrator of any Pension Plan
pursuant to Section  4041(a)(2) of ERISA of a notice of intent to terminate such
plan in a distress  termination  described in Section 4041(c) of ERISA; (iv) the
withdrawal by Company or any of its ERISA  Affiliates from any Pension Plan with
two or more  contributing  sponsors or the  termination of any such Pension Plan
resulting,  in either  case,  in  liability  pursuant to Section 4063 or 4064 of
ERISA, respectively; (v) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate
any Pension  Plan  pursuant to Section  4042 of ERISA;  (vi) the  imposition  of
liability on Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates  pursuant to Section 4062(e)
or 4069 of ERISA or by reason of the  application  of Section  4212(c) of ERISA;
(vii) the withdrawal by Company or any of its ERISA  Affiliates in a complete or
partial  withdrawal (within the meaning of Sections 4203 and 4205 of ERISA) from
any  Multiemployer  Plan resulting in withdrawal  liability  pursuant to Section
4201 of ERISA,  or the  receipt  by Company  or any of its ERISA  Affiliates  of
written  notice  from any  Multiemployer  Plan that it is in  reorganization  or
insolvency  pursuant  to  Section  4241 or 4245 of ERISA,  or that it intends to
terminate or has  terminated  under Section 4042 of ERISA or under Section 4041A
of ERISA if such termination  would result in liability to Company or any of its
ERISA  Affiliates;  (viii)  the  imposition  on  Company  or any  of  its  ERISA
Affiliates of fines, penalties or taxes under Chapter 43 of the Internal Revenue
Code or under  Section 409 or 502(c),  (i) or (l) or 4071 of ERISA in respect of
any Employee  Benefit  Plan;  (ix) the failure of any Pension Plan (or any other
Employee  Benefit Plan  intended to be  qualified  under  Section  401(a) of the
Internal  Revenue Code) to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Internal  Revenue
Code,  or the failure of any trust  forming  part of any Pension Plan to qualify
for exemption from taxation  under Section 501(a) of the Internal  Revenue Code;
or (x) the imposition of a Lien pursuant to Section  401(a)(29) or 412(n) of the
Internal Revenue Code or pursuant to ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan.

     "Eurodollar Rate Loans" means Loans bearing interest at rates determined by
reference to the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate as provided in subsection 2.2A.

     "Event of Default" means each of the events set forth in Section 8.

     "Exchange Act" means the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from
time to time, and any successor statute.

     "Existing  Credit  Agreement" has the meaning  assigned to that term in the
Recitals to this Agreement.

     "Existing Lenders" has the meaning assigned to that term in the Recitals to
this Agreement.

     "Existing  Letters  of Credit"  has the  meaning  assigned  to that term in
subsection 3.1.

     "Existing Loan" or "Existing Loans" means, as the context requires,  one or
more of the  Existing  Tranche A Term  Loans,  Existing  Tranche B Term Loans or
Existing Revolving Loans or any combination thereof.

     "Existing  Revolving Loans" means, with respect to any Existing Lender, the
Revolving Loans under, as defined in, the Existing Credit Agreement held by such
Existing Lender, in the principal amount of such Loans  outstanding  immediately
prior to the Effective Date.

     "Existing  Seller Note" means that certain 9%  Non-Negotiable  Subordinated
Note  issued  by  Outsourcing  Solutions  Incorporated  to  Alan  Miller  in the
principal  amount of $5,000,000,  due July 10, 2001, as in effect on the Closing
Date and as such note may  heretofore  have been or  hereafter  may be  amended,
restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time thereafter to the
extent permitted under subsection 7.12B.

     "Existing  Tranche A Term Loan" means, with respect to any Existing Lender,
the Tranche A Term Loan under, as defined in, the Existing Credit Agreement held
by such  Existing  Lender,  in the  principal  amount of such  Loan  outstanding
immediately  prior to the Effective  Date,  and "EXISTING  TRANCHE A TERM LOANS"
means such Loans of all Existing Lenders, collectively.

     "Existing  Tranche B Term Loan" means, with respect to any Existing Lender,
the Tranche B Term Loan under, as defined in, the Existing Credit Agreement held
by such  Existing  Lender,  in the  principal  amount of such  Loan  outstanding
immediately  prior to the Effective  Date,  and "EXISTING  TRANCHE B TERM LOANS"
means such Loans of all Existing Lenders, collectively.

     "Facilities"   means  any  and  all  real  property   (including,   without
limitation, all buildings,  fixtures or other improvements located thereon) now,
hereafter or heretofore owned, leased, operated or used by Company or any of its
Subsidiaries  (but only as to portions of buildings  actually leased or used) or
any of their respective  predecessors or any of their respective Affiliates that
are directly or indirectly controlled by Company.

     "Fair Debt Collection Practices Act" means the Federal Fair Debt Collection
Practices Act, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

     "Federal  Funds  Effective  Rate"  means,  for any  period,  a  fluctuating
interest  rate equal for each day during such period to the weighted  average of
the rates on overnight  Federal funds  transactions  with members of the Federal
Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published for such day (or,
if such day is not a Business Day, for the next  preceding  Business Day) by the
Federal  Reserve Bank of New York,  or, if such rate is not so published for any
day which is a Business Day, the average of the  quotations for such day on such
transactions received by Chase  Co-Administrative Agent from three Federal funds
brokers of recognized standing selected by Chase Co-Administrative Agent.

     "First Amendment Date" means October 8, 1997.

     "Fiscal Quarter" means a fiscal quarter of a Fiscal Year.

     "Fiscal Year" means the fiscal year of Company and its Subsidiaries  ending
on December 31 of each calendar year.

     "Forward Flow Contract"  shall mean (i) the agreement set forth in Schedule
7.4(iv)(b)  hereto and (ii) any other  agreement  entered into after the Closing
Date by Company or any of its  Subsidiaries to purchase  receivables  portfolios
from time to time meeting the criteria enumerated therein.

     "Funding and Payment  Office"  means the office of Chase  Co-Administrative
Agent and Swing Line Lender located at 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017
or  such  offices  of  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  or any  successor  Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent  specified  by  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent or such
successor Chase  Co-Administrative Agent in a written notice to Loan Parties and
Lenders).

     "Funding Date" means the date of the funding of a Loan.

     "GAAP" means,  subject to the  limitations on the  application  thereof set
forth in subsection 1.2, generally accepted  accounting  principles set forth in
opinions and  pronouncements of the Accounting  Principles Board of the American
Institute of Certified Public  Accountants and statements and  pronouncements of
the Financial  Accounting  Standards  Board or in such other  statements by such
other  entity as may be  approved  by a  significant  segment of the  accounting
profession,  in each case as the same are applicable to the  circumstances as of
the date of  determination  and  specifically,  terms used herein  applicable to
Company and its  Subsidiaries  defined by reference to GAAP shall give effect to
the subtraction of minority interests.

     "Governmental  Acts" has the meaning  assigned  to that term in  subsection
3.5.

     "Governmental  Authorization"  means any  permit,  license,  authorization,
plan, directive,  consent order or consent decree of or from any federal,  state
or local governmental authority, agency or court.

     "GSCP"  means  Goldman  Sachs  Credit  Partners  L.P.,  a  Bermuda  limited
partnership.

     "Guaranty"  means the  Subsidiary  Guaranty  and any other  guaranty of the
Obligations.

     "Guarantors" means the Subsidiary Guarantors.

     "Hazardous Materials" means (i) any chemical, material or substance defined
as or included in the definition of "hazardous substances",  "hazardous wastes",
"hazardous  materials",   "extremely  hazardous  waste",  "restricted  hazardous
waste",  "infectious  waste",  "toxic  substances"  or  any  other  formulations
intended  to  define,  list or  classify  substances  by reason  of  deleterious
properties  such  as  ignitability,  corrosivity,  reactivity,  carcinogenicity,
toxicity,  reproductive  toxicity,  "TCLP toxicity" or "EP toxicity" or words of
similar import under any applicable Environmental Laws; (ii) any oil, petroleum,
petroleum  fraction or petroleum derived  substance;  (iii) any drilling fluids,
produced waters and other wastes associated with the exploration, development or
production of crude oil, natural gas or geothermal resources; (iv) any flammable
substances or explosives;  (v) any radioactive  materials;  (vi) asbestos in any
form; (vii) urea formaldehyde foam insulation; (viii) electrical equipment which
contains  any oil or  dielectric  fluid  containing  levels  of  polychlorinated
biphenyls in excess of fifty parts per  million;  (ix)  pesticides;  and (x) any
other chemical, material or substance, exposure to which is prohibited,  limited
or regulated by any governmental authority.

     "Immaterial Subsidiaries" means, with respect to any Person, any Subsidiary
or Subsidiaries of such Person the assets of which  constitute,  individually or
in the  aggregate,  less than 5% of the  total  assets  of such  Person  and its
Subsidiaries.

     "Indebtedness"  means, as applied to any Person,  (i) all  indebtedness for
borrowed money,  (ii) that portion of obligations with respect to Capital Leases
that is properly classified as a liability on a balance sheet in conformity with
GAAP, (iii) notes payable and drafts accepted representing  extensions of credit
whether or not representing  obligations for borrowed money (other than accounts
payable  incurred  in the  ordinary  course of  business  and  accrued  expenses
incurred in the ordinary  course of business),  (iv) any obligation owed for all
or any part of the deferred  purchase  price of property or services  (excluding
any such obligations  incurred under ERISA or under Earn Out Agreements),  which
purchase  price is (a) due more than six months from the date of  incurrence  of
the obligation in respect  thereof or (b) evidenced by a note or similar written
instrument,  and (v) all  indebtedness  secured by any Lien on any  property  or
asset  owned or held by that  Person  regardless  of  whether  the  indebtedness
secured  thereby shall have been assumed by that Person or is nonrecourse to the
credit of that Person.  Obligations  under  Interest Rate  Agreements,  Currency
Agreements and Earn Out Agreements  constitute  Contingent  Obligations  and not
Indebtedness.

     "Indemnitee" has the meaning assigned to that term in subsection 10.3.

     "Insurance  Proceeds"  has the meaning  assigned to that term in subsection
2.4B(iii)(d).

     "Interest Coverage Ratio" means, as of any date of determination, the ratio
of Consolidated EBITDA to Consolidated Interest Expense, in each case calculated
for the 12 consecutive months ending on the last day of the month preceding such
date of determination.

     "Interest  Payment Date" means (i) with respect to any Base Rate Loan, each
January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year, commencing on January
15, 1997 and (ii) with respect to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, the last day of each
Interest  Period  applicable  to such  Loan;  provided  that in the case of each
Interest Period of longer than three months,  "Interest Payment Date" shall also
include the date that is three months after the  commencement  of such  Interest
Period.

     "Interest Period" has the meaning assigned to that term in subsection 2.2B.

     "Interest Rate Agreement" means any interest rate swap agreement,  interest
rate cap agreement, interest rate collar agreement or other similar agreement or
arrangement  designed  to  hedge  Company  or any of  its  Subsidiaries  against
fluctuations in interest rates.

     "Interest  Rate  Determination  Date" means each date for  calculating  the
Adjusted  Eurodollar  Rate,  for purposes of  determining  the interest  rate in
respect of an Interest Period.  The Interest Rate  Determination Date in respect
of calculating  the Adjusted  Eurodollar  Rate shall be the second  Business Day
prior to the first day of the related Interest Period.

     "Internal Revenue Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
to the date hereof and from time to time hereafter.

     "Investment" means (i) any direct or indirect purchase or other acquisition
by Company or any of its Subsidiaries of, or of a beneficial  interest in, stock
or other Securities of any other Person (other than a Person that, prior to such
purchase or acquisition,  was a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Company), or (ii) any
direct or indirect  loan,  advance (other than advances to employees for moving,
entertainment and travel expenses,  drawing accounts and similar expenditures in
the ordinary  course of business) or capital  contribution  by Company or any of
its  Subsidiaries  to any other Person other than a Wholly Owned  Subsidiary  of
Company,  including all indebtedness and accounts  receivable acquired from that
other  Person  that are not  current  assets or did not arise from sales to that
other Person in the ordinary  course of business;  provided,  however,  that the
term  "Investment"  shall not include (a) current  trade and  customer  accounts
receivable for goods  furnished or services  rendered in the ordinary  course of
business and payable in accordance with customary trade terms,  (b) advances and
prepayments  to  suppliers  for goods and  services  in the  ordinary  course of
business,  (c)  stock  or  other  securities  acquired  in  connection  with the
satisfaction or enforcement of Indebtedness or claims due or owing to Company or
any of its Subsidiaries or as security for any such Indebtedness or claims,  (d)
Cash  held in  Deposit  Accounts  with  banks and trust  companies  (other  than
Lenders) not exceeding  $2,000,000 in aggregate amount, (e) Cash held in Deposit
Accounts  with banks and trust  companies  (other than Lenders) in which amounts
received  from credit  card  issuers  are  concentrated  and held to be swept to
Company's  operating  accounts with a Lender on a daily basis,  (f) Cash held in
any Deposit  Account  with a Lender and (g) shares in a mutual fund that invests
solely in Cash  Equivalents.  The amount of any Investment shall be the original
cost of such  Investment  plus the cost of all  additions  thereto,  without any
adjustments  for increases or decreases in value,  or write-ups,  write-downs or
write-offs with respect to such Investment.

     "Issuing  Lender" means,  with respect to any Letter of Credit,  the Lender
which  agrees  or is  otherwise  obligated  to  issue  such  Letter  of  Credit,
determined as provided in subsection 3.1B(ii).

     "Joint  Venture"  means a  joint  venture,  partnership  or  other  similar
arrangement,  whether in corporate,  partnership  or other legal form;  provided
that in no event shall any  corporate  Subsidiary of any Person be considered to
be a Joint Venture to which such Person is a party.

     "Lender" and "Lenders" means the persons identified as "Lenders" and listed
on the signature  pages of this  Agreement,  together with their  successors and
permitted  assigns  pursuant to subsection  10.1, and the term  "Lenders"  shall
include Swing Line Lender unless the context  otherwise  requires  provided that
the term "Lenders",  when used in the context of a particular Commitment,  shall
mean Lenders having that Commitment.  To the extent the context so requires, the
terms "LENDER" and "LENDERS" shall include  "Lenders"  under, and as defined in,
the Existing Credit Agreement.

     "Lender  Default" shall mean (i) the refusal (which has not been retracted)
of a Lender to make available its portion of any Loans  (including any Revolving
Loans  made to pay  Refunded  Swing Line Loans or to  reimburse  drawings  under
Letters of Credit) in accordance with subsection 2.1A(iii) or its portion of any
unreimbursed  drawing or  payment  under a Letter of Credit in  accordance  with
subsection  3.3C  or  (ii)  a  Lender  having  notified   Company  and/or  Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent in writing  that it does not intend to comply  with its
obligations  under subsection 2.1 or subsections 3.1C, 3.3B or 3.3C, in any such
case as a result of any takeover of such Lender by any  regulatory  authority or
agency.

     "Lending  Office"  means,  as to any Lender,  the office or offices of such
Lender  specified as its "Lending  Office" on Schedule 2.1, or such other office
or  offices  as such  Lender  may from  time to time  notify  Company  and Chase
Co-Administrative Agent.

     "Letter of Credit" or  "Letters  of  Credit"  means  Commercial  Letters of
Credit and Standby  Letters of Credit issued or to be issued by Issuing  Lenders
for the account of Company pursuant to subsection 3.1.

     "Letter of Credit Usage" means, as at any date of determination, the sum of
(i) the maximum  aggregate  amount which is or at any time thereafter may become
available for drawing under all Letters of Credit then outstanding plus (ii) the
aggregate  amount of all  drawings  under  Letters of Credit  honored by Issuing
Lenders  and  not  theretofore   reimbursed  by  Company   (including  any  such
reimbursement  out of the proceeds of  Revolving  Loans  pursuant to  subsection
3.3B).

     "Leverage  Ratio"  means,  as of any date of  determination,  the  ratio of
Consolidated  Total  Debt,  as of the  date of  determination,  to  Consolidated
EBITDA,  for the 12 consecutive  months ending on the last day of such month, in
each case,  calculated for Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated  basis
in  accordance  with GAAP and in  accordance  with the  provisions of subsection
7.6E.

     "Lien" means any lien,  mortgage,  pledge,  assignment,  security interest,
fixed or floating  charge or encumbrance of any kind  (including any conditional
sale or other title retention  agreement,  any lease in the nature thereof,  and
any  agreement to give any  security  interest)  and any option,  trust or other
preferential arrangement having the practical effect of any of the foregoing.

     "Limited  Partnership  Security  Agreement"  means the Limited  Partnership
Security  Agreement  entered  into  by and  among  Company,  certain  Subsidiary
Guarantors and Collateral  Agent dated as of the Closing Date,  substantially in
the form of Exhibit IX-B annexed hereto,  as such Limited  Partnership  Security
Agreement  may  heretofore  have been or  hereafter  may be  amended,  restated,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

     "Loan"  or  "Loans"  means,  as the  context  requires,  one or more of the
Tranche A Term  Loans,  Tranche B Term Loans,  Tranche C Term  Loans,  Revolving
Loans and Swing Line Loans or any combination thereof.

     "Loan  Documents"  means this Agreement,  the Notes,  the Letters of Credit
(and any  applications  for, or  reimbursement  agreements or other documents or
certificates executed by Company in favor of an, Issuing Lender relating to, the
Letters of Credit),  the  Guaranty,  the  Collateral  Documents,  and the Second
Acknowledgement and Consent.

     "Loan Parties" means Company and each Subsidiary Guarantor.

     "Management  Fees"  means the fees  payable by Company  pursuant to the MDC
Advisory Services Agreement and the HBR Services Agreement.

     "Margin Stock" has the meaning assigned to that term in Regulation U of the
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as in effect from time to time.

     "Material  Adverse  Effect"  means (i) a material  adverse  effect upon the
business, operations,  properties, assets, condition (financial or otherwise) or
prospects of Company and its  Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole, (ii) the material
impairment of the ability of any Loan Party to perform the Obligations and (iii)
a  material  adverse  effect  upon the  legality,  validity,  binding  effect or
enforceability  against a Loan Party of a Loan  Document to which it is a party;
provided that Company's consummation of the Payco Acquisition in accordance with
the  terms of the  Payco  Acquisition  Agreement  or the  Union  Acquisition  in
accordance with the terms of the Union Acquisition Agreement shall not be deemed
to have a Material Adverse Effect for purposes of subsection 5.4.

     "MDC Advisory  Services  Agreement"  means that certain  Advisory  Services
Agreement  dated as of  September  21,  1995,  by and  between  Company  and MDC
Management  Company  III,  L.P.,  as in effect on the  Closing  Date and as such
agreement  may  heretofore  have been or  hereafter  may be  amended,  restated,
supplemented  or otherwise  modified from time to time  thereafter to the extent
permitted under subsection 7.12A.

     "MDC Entities" means McCown De Leeuw & Co. III, L.P., a California  limited
partnership,  McCown  De Leeuw & Co.  III  (Europe),  L.P.,  a  Bermuda  limited
partnership,  McCown  De  Leeuw  & Co.  III  (Asia),  L.P.,  a  Bermuda  limited
partnership and Gamma Fund LLC, a California limited liability company.

     "Merger Sub" has the meaning  assigned to that term in the Recitals to this
Agreement.

     "Minimum  Union Shares" means  66-2/3% of the  outstanding  shares of Union
Common Stock, on a fully-diluted basis.

     "Mortgage"  means any mortgage or legal charge granted by Company or any of
its Subsidiaries in any interest in real property to secure the Obligations,  as
such mortgage may be amended, restated,  supplemented or otherwise modified from
time to time.

     "Multiemployer  Plan" means a  "multiemployer  plan", as defined in Section
4001(a)(3)  of ERISA which is subject to Title IV of ERISA,  to which Company or
any of its ERISA  Affiliates is  contributing  or to which Company or any of its
ERISA Affiliates has an obligation to contribute.

     "Net Cash Proceeds" means, with respect to any Asset Sale, Cash Proceeds of
such  Asset  Sale  net of bona  fide  direct  costs of sale  including,  without
limitation,  (i) income taxes  reasonably  estimated to be actually payable as a
result of such  Asset  Sale  within one year of the date of receipt of such Cash
Proceeds,  (ii) transfer,  sales, use and other taxes payable in connection with
such Asset Sale,  (iii) payment of the outstanding  principal amount of, premium
or penalty, if any, and interest on any Indebtedness (other than the Loans) that
is secured by a Lien on the stock or assets in question  and that is required to
be repaid  under the terms  thereof  as a result of such  Asset  Sale,  and (iv)
broker's  commissions  and reasonable fees and expenses of counsel and all other
professionals in connection with such Asset Sale.

     "New Lender" means any Lender which is a party to this  Agreement as of the
Effective Date and which is not an Existing Lender.

     "Non-Defaulting  Lender"  means  and  includes  each  Lender  other  than a
Defaulting Lender.

     "Notes" means one or more of the Term Notes,  Revolving Notes or Swing Line
Note or any combination thereof.

     "Notice of  Borrowing"  means (i) with  respect to an  Existing  Loan,  the
Notice of Borrowing  under the Existing  Credit  Agreement  delivered by Company
with  respect to such  Existing  Loan and (ii) with  respect to Loans to be made
under subsection 2.1A(ii),  2.1A(iii) or 2.1A(iv), a notice substantially in the
form of Exhibit I annexed hereto delivered by Company to Chase Co-Administrative
Agent pursuant to subsection 2.1B with respect to a proposed borrowing.

     "Notice of  Conversion/Continuation"  means a notice  substantially  in the
form  of   Exhibit   II   annexed   hereto   delivered   by   Company  to  Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent pursuant to subsection  2.2D with respect to a proposed
conversion or continuation of the applicable  basis for determining the interest
rate with respect to the Loans specified therein.

     "Notice  of  Issuance  of Letter of  Credit"  means a notice in the form of
Exhibit III annexed hereto delivered by Company to Chase Co-Administrative Agent
pursuant to subsection 3.1B(i) with respect to the proposed issuance of a Letter
of Credit.

     "NSA"  has the  meaning  assigned  to that  term  in the  Recitals  to this
Agreement.

     "NSA Acquired Assets" has the meaning assigned to that term in the Recitals
to this Agreement.

     "NSA   Acquisition"   means  the  transactions   contemplated  by  the  NSA
Acquisition Agreement.

     "NSA Acquisition Agreement" means the Asset Purchase Agreement by and among
Company,  NSA, NSA Acquisition  Company,  certain  Subsidiaries of NSA,  certain
stockholders of NSA and other parties  indicated on the signature pages thereof,
in the form  delivered to Arranging  Agents on or prior to November 10, 1997 and
as such agreement may be amended,  restated,  supplemented or otherwise modified
from time to time to the extent permitted under subsection 7.12A.

     "NSA  Acquisition  Loans" means the  Additional  Tranche B Term Loans in an
aggregate principal amount of $22,000,000 made to Company on October 8, 1997.

     "Obligations" means all obligations of every nature of each Loan Party from
time to time owed to Agents,  Lenders  or any of them under the Loan  Documents,
whether for principal, interest, reimbursement of amounts drawn under Letters of
Credit or payments for early  termination  of Interest  Rate  Agreements,  fees,
expenses, indemnification or otherwise.

     "Officer's Certificate" means, as applied to any corporation, a certificate
executed  on  behalf of such  corporation  by its  chairman  of the board (if an
officer),  its  president,  its chief  financial  officer  or a vice  president;
provided that every Officer's  Certificate with respect to the compliance with a
condition  precedent to the making of any Loans  hereunder  shall  include (i) a
statement that the officer making or giving such Officer's  Certificate has read
such  condition  and any  definitions  or  other  provisions  contained  in this
Agreement relating thereto,  (ii) a statement that, in the opinion of the signer
he or she has made or has caused to be made such examination or investigation as
is necessary  to enable him or her to express an informed  opinion as to whether
or not such  condition  has been  complied  with,  and (iii) a  statement  as to
whether, in the opinion of the signer, such condition has been complied with.

     "Operating  Lease" means, as applied to any Person,  any lease  (including,
without limitation,  leases that may be terminated by the lessee at any time) of
any property (whether real, personal or mixed) that is not a Capital Lease other
than any such lease under which that Person is the lessor.

     "Original Credit Agreement" means that certain Credit Agreement dated as of
November 6, 1996 by and among Company, the financial  institutions party thereto
from time to time,  Goldman Sachs Credit  Partners L.P. and The Chase  Manhattan
Bank as Co-Administrative  Agents,  Goldman Sachs Credit Partners L.P. and Chase
Securities  Inc., as Arranging  Agents and SunTrust Bank,  Atlanta as collateral
agent.

     "Partnership   Loan  Party"  means  any  Loan  Party  which  is  a  limited
partnership.

     "Payco" means Payco American Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation.

     "Payco  Acquisition"  means  the  transactions  contemplated  by the  Payco
Acquisition Agreement.

     "Payco  Acquisition  Agreement"  means that certain  Agreement  and Plan of
Merger dated as of August 13, 1996, by and among  Company,  Acquisition  Sub and
Payco,  as in effect on the Closing Date and as such  agreement  may  heretofore
have been or  hereafter  may be amended,  restated,  supplemented  or  otherwise
modified from time to time to the extent permitted under subsection 7.12A.

     "Payco Merger" means the merger of  Acquisition  Sub with and into Payco in
accordance with the terms of the Payco  Acquisition  Agreement,  the Articles of
Merger and the Certificate of Merger, with Payco being the surviving corporation
in such merger.

     "PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation  established pursuant
to Section 4002 of ERISA (or any successor thereto).

     "Pension Plan" means any Employee  Benefit Plan, other than a Multiemployer
Plan, which is subject to Title IV of ERISA.

     "Permitted Acquisition" means an acquisition of assets or a business (other
than Permitted Portfolio  Acquisitions)  effected prior to the Effective Date or
in accordance with the provisions of subsection 7.7(v) or 7.7(vi).

     "Permitted Encumbrances" means the following types of Liens:

          (i) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims the
     payment of which is not, at the time, required by subsection 6.3;

          (ii)  statutory  Liens of  landlords,  statutory  Liens  of  carriers,
     warehousemen,  mechanics  and  materialmen  and other Liens  imposed by law
     (other than any such Lien imposed pursuant to Section  401(a)(29) or 412(n)
     of the Internal  Revenue Code or by ERISA)  incurred in the ordinary course
     of business for sums not yet  delinquent or being  contested in good faith,
     if such  reserve  or  other  appropriate  provision,  if any,  as  shall be
     required by GAAP shall have been made therefor;

          (iii)  Liens  incurred  or  deposits  made in the  ordinary  course of
     business in connection with workers'  compensation,  unemployment insurance
     and  other  types of  social  security,  or to secure  the  performance  of
     tenders,  statutory  obligations,  surety and appeal bonds,  bids,  leases,
     government  contracts,  trade  contracts,  performance and  return-of-money
     bonds and other  similar  obligations  (exclusive  of  obligations  for the
     payment of borrowed money);

          (iv) any  attachment  or judgment  Lien not  constituting  an Event of
     Default under subsection 8.8;

          (v)  leases or  subleases  granted to others  not  interfering  in any
     material  respect with the  ordinary  conduct of the business of Company or
     any of its Subsidiaries;

          (vi)   easements,   rights-of-way,    restrictions,   minor   defects,
     encroachments  or  irregularities  in title and other  similar  charges  or
     encumbrances  not  interfering  in any  material  respect with the ordinary
     conduct of the business of Company or any of its Subsidiaries;

          (vii) any (a)  interest  or title of a lessor or  sublessor  under any
     Capital Lease  permitted by subsection  7.1(iii) or any operating lease not
     prohibited by this  Agreement,  (b)  restriction  or  encumbrance  that the
     interest  or title of such  lessor or  sublessor  may be subject to, or (c)
     subordination  of the interest of the lessee or sublessee  under such lease
     to any restriction or encumbrance referred to in the preceding clause (b);

          (viii) Liens  arising from filing UCC  financing  statements  relating
     solely to leases permitted by this Agreement;

          (ix) Liens in favor of customs  and revenue  authorities  arising as a
     matter of law to secure  payment of customs  duties in connection  with the
     importation of goods;

          (x) deposits in the ordinary course of business to secure  liabilities
     to insurance carriers, lessors, utilities and other service providers; and

          (xi)  bankers  liens and rights of setoff  with  respect to  customary
     depository arrangements entered into in the ordinary course of business.

     "Permitted Joint Venture" means an entity engaged in substantially the same
line of business as Company and its Subsidiaries on the date hereof in which (i)
except  with  respect  to an entity  the only  other  equity  holder of which is
Goldman, Sachs & Co. or one or more of its designated  affiliates,  at least 51%
of the  outstanding  equity  interests  are owned by Company  or a Wholly  Owned
Subsidiary of Company,  (ii) any equity interests (other than Regulatory Shares)
not owned by Company or a Wholly Owned  Subsidiary  of Company are  beneficially
owned  by  non-Affiliates  of  Company  and  (iii)  Company  or a  Wholly  Owned
Subsidiary,  as  a  general  partner  or  otherwise,  controls  the  management,
operations and policies.

     "Permitted  Portfolio  Acquisition"  means an  acquisition of a receivables
portfolio effected in accordance with the provisions of subsection 7.7(v).

     "Permitted  Seller Note" means a promissory note  substantially in the form
of Exhibit XIV annexed hereto  representing any Indebtedness of Company incurred
in connection with any Permitted Acquisition payable to the seller in connection
therewith,  as such note may be amended,  restated,  supplemented  or  otherwise
modified  from time to time to the  extent  permitted  under  subsection  7.12B;
provided that no Permitted Seller Note shall (i) be guaranteed by any Subsidiary
of Company or secured  by any  property  of Company or any of its  Subsidiaries,
(ii) bear cash  interest at a rate in excess of 12% per annum;  or (iii) provide
for any  prepayment or repayment of all or any portion of the principal  thereof
prior to the date of the final scheduled  installment of principal of any of the
Loans;  provided that, up to $10,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Permitted
Seller  Notes  may  provide  for  prepayment  or  repayment  prior to the  final
scheduled installment of principal of the Loans but in no event earlier than the
fifth anniversary of the Effective Date.

     "Person"  means  and  includes  natural  persons,   corporations,   limited
partnerships,  general  partnerships,  joint stock  companies,  Joint  Ventures,
associations,  companies,  trusts, banks, trust companies, land trusts, business
trusts or other  organizations,  whether or not legal entities,  and governments
and agencies and political subdivisions thereof.

     "Pledge  Agreement"  means  that  certain  Pledge  Agreement  by and  among
Company, the Subsidiary  Guarantors and Collateral Agent dated as of the Closing
Date and  substantially  in the form of Exhibit  VIII  annexed  hereto,  as such
Pledge Agreement may heretofore have been or hereafter may be amended, restated,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

     "Portfolio  Purchase  Business"  means  assets  or  operations   generating
revenues  from  collections  on  acquired  or  purchased  portfolios  of  loans,
accounts, chattel paper, general intangibles or instruments.

     "Potential  Event of Default" means a condition or event that, after notice
or after any applicable  grace period has lapsed,  or both,  would constitute an
Event of Default.

     "Pricing  Reduction"  means,  at any time  after June 30,  1998,  a pricing
reduction  determined by reference to the  correlative  Leverage Ratio set forth
below:

============================================== =============================
               LEVERAGE RATIO                       PRICING REDUCTION
============================================== =============================
Greater than or equal to 2.25:1.0,                      .25%
but less than 2.75:1.0
============================================== =============================
Less than 2.25:1.0                                      .50%
============================================== =============================

The Pricing Reduction shall be determined by reference to the Leverage Ratio set
forth in the most recent financial  statements  delivered by Company pursuant to
clause (ii) or (iii) of subsection 6.1 (accompanied by a Compliance  Certificate
delivered by Company  pursuant to clause (iv) of  subsection  6.1).  The Pricing
Reduction  shall be  effective  on the day  following  delivery of the  relevant
Compliance  Certificate  to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent and shall  remain in
effect through the next scheduled date for delivery of a Compliance Certificate.
It is understood  that the Pricing  Reductions  set forth in the table above are
not cumulative.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, at any time an
Event of Default  shall have occurred and be  continuing  the Pricing  Reduction
shall be zero.

     "Prime Rate" means the rate of interest per annum  publicly  announced from
time to time by Chase as its  prime  commercial  lending  rate in  effect at its
principal  office in New York City.  The Prime Rate is a reference rate and does
not  necessarily  represent  the  lowest or best rate  actually  charged  to any
customer.  Chase or any other Lender may make commercial loans or other loans at
rates of interest at, above or below the Prime Rate.

     "Projections" has the meaning assigned thereto in subsection 5.3B.

     "Pro Rata Share" means (i) with respect to all payments,  computations  and
other  matters  relating to the Tranche A Term Loan  Commitment or the Tranche A
Term Loan of any Lender,  the percentage  obtained by dividing (x) the Tranche A
Term  Loan  Exposure  of that  Lender by (y) the  aggregate  Tranche A Term Loan
Exposure of all Lenders;  (ii) with respect to all  payments,  computations  and
other  matters  relating to the Tranche B Term Loan  Commitment or the Tranche B
Term Loan of any Lender,  the percentage  obtained by dividing (x) the Tranche B
Term  Loan  Exposure  of that  Lender by (y) the  aggregate  Tranche B Term Loan
Exposure of all Lenders;  (iii) with respect to all payments,  computations  and
other  matters  relating to the Tranche C Term Loan  Commitment or the Tranche C
Term Loans of any Lender, the percentage  obtained by dividing (x) the Tranche C
Term  Loan  Exposure  of that  Lender by (y) the  aggregate  Tranche C Term Loan
Exposure of all Lenders;  (iv) with respect to all  payments,  computations  and
other matters  relating to the Revolving Loan  Commitment or the Revolving Loans
of  any  Lender  or  any  Letters  of  Credit   issued  by  any  Lender  or  any
participations  purchased by any Lender therein or in any Swing Line Loans,  the
percentage  obtained by dividing (x) the Revolving  Loan Exposure of that Lender
by (y) the aggregate  Revolving  Loan  Exposure of all Lenders;  and (v) for all
other purposes with respect to each Lender, the percentage  obtained by dividing
(x) the sum of the Tranche A Term Loan  Exposure of that Lender plus the Tranche
B Term Loan  Exposure of that  Lender  plus the Tranche C Term Loan  Exposure of
that Lender plus the  Revolving  Loan  Exposure of that Lender by (y) the sum of
the  aggregate  Tranche A Term Loan  Exposure of all Lenders plus the  aggregate
Tranche B Term Loan  Exposure of all Lenders plus the  aggregate  Tranche C Term
Loan Exposure of all Lenders plus the aggregate  Revolving  Loan Exposure of all
Lenders;  in any such  case as the  applicable  percentage  may be  adjusted  by
assignments permitted pursuant to subsection 10.1. The initial Pro Rata Share of
each Lender for purposes of each of clauses (i),  (ii),  (iii),  (iv) and (v) of
the preceding sentence is set forth opposite the name of that Lender in Schedule
2.1 annexed hereto.

     "Qualified Loan Portfolio"  means a portfolio of loans,  accounts,  chattel
paper,  general  intangibles or instruments  acquired or purchased by Company or
one of its  Subsidiaries  from any Person,  where (i) the  portfolio is free and
clear of all Liens, except Liens in favor of Collateral Agent for the benefit of
Agents and Lenders under this Agreement; (ii) no participation or other interest
in the portfolio or the  collections  from the portfolio  exists in favor of any
other Person other than a participation  or other interest which does not exceed
50% of the  portfolio or  collections  from the  portfolio and which is on terms
approved in advance by Co-Administrative Agents and Requisite Lenders; and (iii)
the portfolio consists of loans, accounts, chattel paper, general intangibles or
instruments  similar in type,  characteristics  and  quality  to those  owned or
previously owned by Company and its Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
a Qualified Loan Portfolio may be subject to  participations,  interests  and/or
Liens granted to Goldman,  Sachs & Co. or its designated affiliate or affiliates
pursuant to  arrangements  in effect as of the Effective  Date or  substantially
similar thereto.

     "Refunded  Swing  Line  Loans"  has the  meaning  assigned  to that term in
subsection 2.1A(iv).

     "Register" has the meaning assigned to that term in subsection 2.1D.

     "Regulation D" means  Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System, as in effect from time to time.

     "Regulatory  Shares"  means,  with  respect to any  Person,  shares of such
Person  required  to be issued as  qualifying  shares to  directors  or  persons
similarly  situated or shares  issued to Persons  other than Company or a Wholly
Owned  Subsidiary of Company in response to regulatory  requirements  of foreign
jurisdictions pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors of such Person,
so long as such shares do not exceed one percent of the total outstanding shares
of equity such Person and any owners of such shares  irrevocably  covenant  with
Company to remit to  Company or waive any  dividends  or  distributions  paid or
payable in respect of such shares.

     "Reimbursement  Date" has the meaning  assigned to that term in  subsection
3.3B.

     "Related  Agreements"  means the Subordinated  Notes, the Subordinated Note
Indenture,   the  other  Subordinated  Note  Documents,  the  Payco  Acquisition
Agreement,   the  Articles  of  Merger,  the  Certificate  of  Merger,  the  NSA
Acquisition  Agreement,  the  Accelerated  Acquisition  Agreement  and the Union
Acquisition Documents.

     "Release" means any release, spill, emission,  leaking,  pumping,  pouring,
injection, escaping, deposit, disposal, discharge,  dispersal, dumping, leaching
or  migration  of  Hazardous  Materials  into the indoor or outdoor  environment
(including,  without  limitation,  the  abandonment  or disposal of any barrels,
containers or other closed receptacles  containing any Hazardous Materials),  or
into or out of any Facility,  including  the movement of any Hazardous  Material
through the air, soil, surface water, groundwater or property.

     "Requisite Lenders" means Non-Defaulting Lenders having or holding not less
than  51% of the  sum of the  aggregate  Tranche  A Term  Loan  Exposure  of all
Non-Defaulting  Lenders plus the  aggregate  Tranche B Term Loan Exposure of all
Non-Defaulting  Lenders plus the  aggregate  Tranche C Term Loan Exposure of all
Non-Defaulting  Lenders  plus  the  aggregate  Revolving  Loan  Exposure  of all
Non-Defaulting Lenders.

     "Restricted  Junior Payment" means (i) any dividend or other  distribution,
direct or  indirect,  on  account of any shares of any class of stock of Company
now or hereafter outstanding, except a dividend payable solely in shares of that
class of stock to the holders of that class,  (ii) any  redemption,  retirement,
sinking fund or similar payment, purchase or other acquisition for value, direct
or  indirect,  of any shares of any class of stock of Company  now or  hereafter
outstanding,  (iii) any payment made to retire,  or to obtain the  surrender of,
any outstanding warrants, options or other rights to acquire shares of any class
of stock of  Company  now or  hereafter  outstanding,  and (iv) any  payment  or
prepayment  of principal  of,  premium,  if any, or interest on, or  redemption,
purchase,  retirement,  defeasance (including in-substance or legal defeasance),
sinking fund or similar payment with respect to, any Subordinated Indebtedness.

     "Revolving  Loan  Commitment"  means  the  commitment  of a Lender  to make
Revolving Loans to Company pursuant to subsection  2.1A(iii) and "REVOLVING LOAN
COMMITMENTS" means such commitments of all Lenders in the aggregate.

     "Revolving Loan Commitment Termination Date" means October 15, 2001.

     "Revolving Loan Exposure" means,  with respect to any Lender as of any date
of determination (i) prior to the termination of the Revolving Loan Commitments,
that Lender's  Revolving Loan  Commitment and (ii) after the  termination of the
Revolving Loan Commitments,  the sum of (a) the aggregate  outstanding principal
amount of the  Revolving  Loans of that Lender plus (b) in the event that Lender
is an Issuing  Lender,  the  aggregate  Letter of Credit Usage in respect of all
Letters of Credit issued by that Lender (net of any participations  purchased by
other  Lenders in such Letters of Credit) plus (c) the  aggregate  amount of all
participations  purchased by that Lender in any outstanding Letters of Credit or
any  unreimbursed  drawings  under any Letters of Credit plus (d) the  aggregate
amount of all  participations  purchased by that Lender in any outstanding Swing
Line Loans plus (e) in the case of Swing Line Lender,  the sum of the  aggregate
outstanding  principal  amount of all Swing  Line Loans (in each case net of any
participations therein purchased by other Lenders).

     "Revolving  Loans" means (i) the Loans made by Lenders to Company  pursuant
to  subsection  2.1A(iii)  of the  Original  Credit  Agreement  and  pursuant to
subsection  2.1A(iii) of the Existing Credit Agreement and outstanding after the
Effective  Date and (ii) any  Loans  made by  Lenders  to  Company  pursuant  to
subsection 2.1A(iii) of this Agreement.

     "Revolving Notes" means (i) the promissory notes of Company issued pursuant
to the Original Credit  Agreement and the Existing Credit Agreement and (ii) any
promissory  notes issued by Company  pursuant to the last sentence of subsection
10.1B(i) in connection  with  assignments of the Revolving  Loan  Commitment and
Revolving Loans of any Lender, in each case substantially in the form of Exhibit
V annexed hereto,  as they may be amended,  restated,  supplemented or otherwise
modified from time to time.

     "Second Acknowledgment and Consent" means that certain  Acknowledgement and
Consent  executed  by  Company  and the  Subsidiary  Guarantors  dated as of the
Effective Date and  substantially in the form of Exhibit XII annexed hereto,  as
such  Acknowledgement  and  Consent may be amended,  restated,  supplemented  or
otherwise modified from time to time.

     "Securities" means any stock, shares,  partnership interests,  voting trust
certificates,  certificates of interest or participation  in any  profit-sharing
agreement or arrangement,  options, warrants, bonds, debentures, notes, or other
evidences of indebtedness,  secured or unsecured,  convertible,  subordinated or
otherwise,  or in general any instruments  commonly known as "securities" or any
certificates  of  interest,  shares or  participations  in  temporary or interim
certificates  for the purchase or acquisition  of, or any right to subscribe to,
purchase or acquire, any of the foregoing.

     "Securities  Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to
time, and any successor statute.

     "Security Agreement" means the Security Agreement entered into by and among
Company, the Subsidiary  Guarantors and Collateral Agent dated as of the Closing
Date and  substantially  in the  form of  Exhibit  IX  annexed  hereto,  as such
Security  Agreement  may  heretofore  have  been or  hereafter  may be  amended,
restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

     "Solvent"  means,  with  respect  to any  Person,  that  as of the  date of
determination  both (i) (a) the then fair saleable value of the property of such
Person is (y) greater than the total amount of liabilities (including contingent
liabilities)  of such  Person  and (z) not less  than the  amount  that  will be
required to pay the probable liabilities on such Person's then existing debts as
they become  absolute and matured  considering  all financing  alternatives  and
potential  asset sales  reasonably  available to such Person;  (b) such Person's
capital  is  not  unreasonably   small  in  relation  to  its  business  or  any
contemplated or undertaken  transaction;  and (c) such Person does not intend to
incur, or believe (nor should it reasonably  believe) that it will incur,  debts
beyond its ability to pay such debts as they become due; and (ii) such Person is
"solvent"  within the meaning given that term and similar terms under applicable
laws relating to  fraudulent  transfers  and  conveyances.  For purposes of this
definition, the amount of any contingent liability at any time shall be computed
as the amount that, in light of all of the facts and  circumstances  existing at
such time,  represents  the amount that can  reasonably be expected to become an
actual or matured liability.

     "Standby  Letter of Credit"  means any standby  letter of credit or similar
instrument  issued  for the  purpose of  supporting  (i)  workers'  compensation
liabilities of Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) the obligations of third
party  insurers of Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  arising by virtue of the
laws of any  jurisdiction  requiring  third party insurers,  (iii)  performance,
payment, deposit or surety obligations of Company or any of its Subsidiaries, in
any case if required by law or governmental  rule or regulation or in accordance
with custom and practice in the  industry,  and (iv) such other  obligations  of
Company   and   its   Subsidiaries   as  may   be   reasonably   acceptable   to
Co-Administrative  Agents;  provided  that Standby  Letters of Credit may not be
issued for the purpose of  supporting  (a) trade  payables  or (b)  Indebtedness
constituting  "antecedent  debt"  (as that  term is used in  Section  547 of the
Bankruptcy Code).

     "Stockholders   Agreement"   means  that   certain   Amended  and  Restated
Stockholders  Agreement  dated as of February 16, 1996, by and among Company and
various  stockholders  of Company,  as in effect on the Closing Date and as such
agreement  may  heretofore  have been or  hereafter  may be  amended,  restated,
supplemented  or otherwise  modified from time to time  thereafter to the extent
permitted under subsection 7.12A.

     "Subordinated Indebtedness" means (i) the Indebtedness of Company evidenced
by the Subordinated  Notes,  (ii) the  Indebtedness of Company  evidenced by the
Existing  Seller  Note and any  Permitted  Seller  Notes  and  (iii)  any  other
Indebtedness  of Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  subordinated  in right of
payment to the  Obligations  pursuant to  documentation  containing  maturities,
amortization schedules, covenants, defaults, remedies,  subordination provisions
and other material terms in form and substance satisfactory to Co-Administrative
Agents and Requisite Lenders.

     "Subordinated   Note  Documents"   means  the   Subordinated   Notes,   the
Subordinated  Note  Indenture,  the  Subordinated  Note  Guaranty and each other
document  executed  in  connection  with the  Subordinated  Notes,  as each such
document  may  heretofore  have  been or  hereafter  may be  amended,  restated,
supplemented or otherwise  modified from time to time to the extent permitted by
subsection 7.12B.

     "Subordinated  Note Guaranty" means the guaranty of the Subordinated  Notes
executed by certain  Subsidiaries  of Company and contained in the  Subordinated
Note  Indenture,  as such guaranty may heretofore  have been or hereafter may be
amended,  restated,  supplemented  or  otherwise  modified  from  time  to  time
(including by any supplemental  indenture  thereto executed by any Subsidiary of
Company after the Closing Date) to the extent permitted under subsection 7.12B.

     "Subordinated  Note  Indenture"  means the indenture  pursuant to which the
Subordinated  Notes are  issued,  as in effect on the  Closing  Date and as such
indenture  may  heretofore  have been or  hereafter  may be  amended,  restated,
supplemented  or otherwise  modified  from time to time to the extent  permitted
under subsection 7.12B.

     "Subordinated  Notes" means the $100,000,000 in aggregate  principal amount
of 11% Senior  Subordinated  Notes due 2006 of Company  issued  pursuant  to the
Subordinated Note Indenture.

     "Subsidiary"   means,   with  respect  to  any  Person,   any  corporation,
partnership,  association,  joint venture or other business entity of which more
than 50% of the  total  voting  power  of  shares  of  stock or other  ownership
interests entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote
in the election of the Person or Persons (whether directors,  managers, trustees
or other Persons  performing  similar  functions)  having the power to direct or
cause the direction of the management and policies  thereof is at the time owned
or  controlled,  directly  or  indirectly,  by that Person or one or more of the
other Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination  thereof provided that, prior
to the Union Merger Date,  neither  Union nor any of its  Subsidiaries  shall be
deemed a Subsidiary of Company for purposes of Sections 5.16, 7.1, 7.2 or 7.3.

     "Subsidiary Guarantor" means any Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Company that is
a  party  to the  Subsidiary  Guaranty  on the  Effective  Date  or at any  time
thereafter pursuant to subsection 6.9.

     "Subsidiary  Guaranty" means the Subsidiary Guaranty,  substantially in the
form of Exhibit VII annexed  hereto,  dated as of the Closing Date and delivered
by the existing  Subsidiary  Guarantors on the Effective Date and any additional
Subsidiary Guarantor from time to time thereafter pursuant to subsection 6.9, as
such  Subsidiary  Guaranty may heretofore have been or hereafter may be amended,
restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

     "SunTrust"  means  SunTrust  Bank,  Atlanta and its successors and assigns,
including, without limitation, its successors by merger.

     "Swing Line Lender" means Chase, or any Person serving as a successor Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent  hereunder,  in  its  capacity  as  Swing  Line  Lender
hereunder.

     "Swing Line Loan  Commitment"  means the commitment of Swing Line Lender to
make Swing Line Loans to Company pursuant to subsection 2.1A(iv).

     "Swing  Line Loans"  means the Loans made by Swing Line Lender  pursuant to
subsection 2.1A(iv).

     "Swing Line Note" means (i) the promissory  note of Company issued pursuant
to the Existing Credit  Agreement and the Original Credit Agreement and (ii) any
promissory note issued by Company to any successor Chase Co-Administrative Agent
and Swing Line Lender pursuant to the last sentence of subsection  9.5B, in each
case  substantially  in the form of  Exhibit  VI  annexed  hereto,  as it may be
amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

     "Tax" or "Taxes"  means any  present or future  tax,  levy,  impost,  duty,
charge,  fee,  deduction or  withholding of any nature and whatever  called,  by
whomsoever, on whomsoever and wherever imposed, levied,  collected,  withheld or
assessed;  provided  that "TAX ON THE OVERALL  NET INCOME" of a Person  shall be
construed  as a  reference  to a tax imposed by the  jurisdiction  in which that
Person's principal office (and/or, in the case of a Lender, its relevant Lending
Office) is located or in which that Person is deemed to be doing business on all
or part of the net income,  profits or gains of that Person (whether  worldwide,
or only insofar as such income,  profits or gains are  considered to arise in or
to relate to a particular jurisdiction, or otherwise).

     "Tendered  Union Shares" means all shares of Union Common Stock tendered to
and purchased by Merger Sub pursuant to the Tender Offer.

     "Tender Offer" means the offer to purchase for cash all of the  outstanding
shares  of Union  Common  Stock by  Merger  Sub  pursuant  to the  Tender  Offer
Materials.

     "Tender Offer Materials" means the Tender Offer Statement on Schedule 14D-1
filed by Merger  Sub on  December  24,  1997 with the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission  pursuant to Section 14(d)(1) of the Exchange Act,  together with all
exhibits,  supplements and amendments  thereto and any other amendments prior to
the date hereof that relate only to any extension of time during which the offer
to purchase remains  outstanding or to the results of the Tender Offer and other
amendments that are approved by Arranging Agents.

     "Term Loans" means,  collectively,  the Tranche A Term Loans, the Tranche B
Term Loans and the Tranche C Term Loans.

     "Term Notes" means,  collectively,  the Tranche A Term Notes, the Tranche B
Term Notes and the Tranche C Term Notes.

     "Total Utilization of Revolving Loan Commitments"  means, as at any date of
determination,  the sum of (i) the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding
Revolving Loans (other than Revolving Loans made for the purpose of repaying any
Refunded Swing Line Loans or reimbursing  the applicable  Issuing Lender for any
amount  drawn under any Letter of Credit but not yet so  applied)  plus (ii) the
aggregate  principal  amount of all outstanding  Swing Line Loans plus (iii) the
Letter of Credit Usage.

     "Trademark  Security  Agreement"  means the  Trademark  Security  Agreement
entered into by and among  Company,  the  Subsidiary  Guarantors  and Collateral
Agent dated as of the Closing  Date,  substantially  in the form of Exhibit IX-C
annexed hereto, as such Trademark Security Agreement may heretofore have been or
hereafter may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time
to time.

     "Tranche A Term Loan Commitment" means the commitment of a Lender to make a
Tranche A Term Loan to  Company  on the  Closing  Date  pursuant  to  subsection
2.1A(i) of the Original Credit Agreement and the Existing Credit Agreement,  and
"TRANCHE A TERM LOAN  COMMITMENTS"  means such commitments of all Lenders in the
aggregate.

     "Tranche A Term Loan Exposure" means,  with respect to any Lender as of any
date of  determination,  the outstanding  principal amount of the Tranche A Term
Loan of that Lender.

     "Tranche A Term Loans" means the Existing Tranche A Term Loans.

     "Tranche A Term Notes"  means (i) the  promissory  notes of Company  issued
pursuant to the Original Credit  Agreement and the Existing Credit Agreement and
(ii) any  promissory  notes issued by Company  pursuant to the last  sentence of
subsection  10.1B(i) in connection with  assignments of the Tranche A Term Loans
of any Lenders,  in each case  substantially in the form of Exhibit IV-A annexed
hereto,  as they may be amended,  restated,  supplemented or otherwise  modified
from time to time.

     "Tranche B Term Loan Commitment" means the commitment of a Lender to make a
Tranche B Term Loan to  Company  on the  Closing  Date  pursuant  to  subsection
2.1A(ii) of the Original Credit Agreement and the commitment of a Lender to make
Additional  Tranche B Term Loans to Company  pursuant to subsection  2.1A(ii) of
the Existing Credit Agreement,  and "TRANCHE B TERM LOAN COMMITMENTS" means such
commitments of all Lenders in the aggregate.

     "Tranche B Term Loan Exposure" means,  with respect to any Lender as of any
date of  determination  the outstanding  principal  amount of the Tranche B Term
Loan of that Lender.

     "Tranche B Term Loans" means the Existing Tranche B Term Loans.

     "Tranche  B Term  Note  Allonge"  means the  Allonges  issued  pursuant  to
subsection  2.1E of the Existing  Credit  Agreement on the First  Amendment Date
with  respect to the  Tranche B Term Notes,  as they may be  amended,  restated,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

     "Tranche B Term Notes"  means (i) the  promissory  notes of Company  issued
pursuant to the Original Credit Agreement,  in each case as amended on the First
Amendment Date by the Tranche B Term Note Allonges, (ii) the promissory notes of
Company issued pursuant to subsection  2.1E(ii) of the Existing Credit Agreement
on the First  Amendment  Date, and (iii) any promissory  notes issued by Company
pursuant  to the  last  sentence  of  subsection  10.1B(i)  in  connection  with
assignments  of  the  Tranche  B  Term  Loans  of  any  Lenders,  in  each  case
substantially  in the  form of  Exhibit  IV-B  annexed  hereto,  as they  may be
amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

     "Tranche C Term Loan Commitment" means the commitment of a Lender to make a
Tranche C Term Loan to Company pursuant to subsection  2.1A(ii),  and "Tranche C
Term Loan Commitments" means such commitments of all Lenders in the aggregate.

     "Tranche C Term Loan Exposure" means,  with respect to any Lender as of any
date of determination (i) prior to the funding of the Tranche C Term Loans, that
Lender's Tranche C Term Loan  Commitment,  (ii) after the initial funding of the
Tranche C Term Loans but before  the date (the  "TRANCHE C TERM LOAN  COMMITMENT
TERMINATION DATE") that is 120 days after the Effective Date or (if earlier) the
date on which the  Delayed-Draw  Term Loans are made, the outstanding  principal
amount of the Tranche C Term Loans of that Lender plus the  unfunded  portion of
the  Tranche C Term Loan  Commitment,  and (iii)  after the  Tranche C Term Loan
Commitment  Termination Date, the outstanding  principal amount of the Tranche C
Term Loans of that Lender.

     "Tranche C Term Loans" means the Loans made by Lenders to Company  pursuant
to subsection 2.1A(ii).

     "Tranche C Term Notes"  means (i) the  promissory  notes of Company  issued
pursuant to subsection 2.1E on the Effective Date and (ii) any promissory  notes
issued by Company  pursuant  to the last  sentence  of  subsection  10.1B(i)  in
connection with  assignments of the Tranche C Term Loan Commitments or Tranche C
Term Loans of any  Lenders,  in each case  substantially  in the form of Exhibit
IV-C annexed hereto, as they may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise
modified from time to time.

     "Transaction  Costs" means the fees,  costs and expenses payable by Company
and its Subsidiaries and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby
to occur on the Effective  Date and the Funding Date for the  Delayed-Draw  Term
Loan.

     "Unfunded  Current  Liability" means, with respect to any Pension Plan, the
amount,  if any, by which the actuarial  present value of the  accumulated  plan
benefits  under such  Pension  Plan as of the close of its most recent plan year
exceeds the fair market value of the assets allocable  thereto,  each determined
in accordance  with  Statement of Financial  Accounting  Standards No. 35, based
upon the actuarial  assumptions  used by such Pension Plan's actuary in the most
recent annual valuation of such Pension Plan.

     "Union"  has the  meaning  assigned  to that term in the  recitals  to this
Agreement.

     "Union  Acquisition"  means  the  transactions  contemplated  by the  Union
Acquisition Agreement.

     "Union  Acquisition  Agreement"  that certain Share Purchase  Agreement and
Plan of Merger  dated as of December 22, 1997 by and among  Company,  Merger Sub
and Union.

     "Union Acquisition  Documents" means the Union Acquisition  Agreement,  the
Tender Offer Materials and the Union Certificate of Merger.

     "Union  Certificate  of  Merger"  means  the  Certificate  of Merger by and
between Merger Sub and Union to be filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware
as contemplated by the Union Acquisition  Agreement,  as such certificate may be
amended,  restated,  supplemented  or  otherwise  modified  from  time  to  time
thereafter to the extent permitted under subsection 7.12A.

     "Union  Common  Stock" means the common stock of Union,  par value $.50 per
share, issued and outstanding prior to the Union Merger.

     "Union  Letters  of  Credit"  has the  meaning  assigned  to  that  term in
subsection 3.1A.

     "Union  Merger"  means  the  merger of  Merger  Sub with and into  Union in
accordance  with the  terms of the  Union  Acquisition  Agreement  and the Union
Certificate of Merger, with Union being the surviving corporation.

     "Union Merger Date" means the date that the Union Merger becomes  effective
in accordance with the terms of the Union Acquisition Agreement.

     "Wholly Owned  Subsidiary"  means, with respect to any Person, a Subsidiary
of such Person all of the outstanding capital stock or other ownership interests
of  which  (other  than  Regulatory  Shares)  shall at the time be owned by such
Person or by one or more  Wholly  Owned  Subsidiaries  of such Person or by such
Person and one or more Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

1.2  ACCOUNTING  TERMS; UTILIZATION  OF  GAAP FOR PURPOSES OF CALCULATIONS UNDER
     AGREEMENT.

     Except as otherwise  expressly  provided in this Agreement,  all accounting
terms not otherwise  defined herein shall have the meanings  assigned to them in
conformity with GAAP.  Financial statements and other information required to be
delivered by Company to Lenders  pursuant to clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (xiii)
of  subsection  6.1 shall be  prepared in  accordance  with GAAP  (except,  with
respect to interim financial  statements,  normal year-end audit adjustments and
the  absence  of  explanatory  footnotes)  as in  effect  at the  time  of  such
preparation (and delivered together with the reconciliation  statements provided
for in subsection  6.1(v)).  Calculations  in connection  with the  definitions,
covenants  and other  provisions  of this  Agreement  shall  utilize  accounting
principles  and policies in conformity  with those used to prepare the financial
statements referred to in subsection 5.3A.

1.3  OTHER DEFINITIONAL PROVISIONS.

     References  to  "Sections"  and  "subsections"  shall  be to  Sections  and
subsections,  respectively,  of this  Agreement  unless  otherwise  specifically
provided.  Any of the terms  defined in subsection  1.1 may,  unless the context
otherwise  requires,  be used in the  singular or the plural,  depending  on the
reference. The words "includes",  "including" and similar terms used in any Loan
Document shall be construed as if followed by the words "without limitation".


                                   SECTION 2.
                   AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF COMMITMENTS AND LOANS

2.1  COMMITMENTS; LOANS.

     A.  COMMITMENTS.  Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and
in reliance upon the  representations  and  warranties of Loan Parties set forth
herein and in the other Loan Documents,  each Lender hereby  severally agrees to
make (or  maintain,  as the  case may be) the  Loans  described  in  subsections
2.1A(i),  2.1A(ii) and 2.1A(iii) and Swing Line Lender hereby agrees to make the
Swing Line Loans as described in subsection 2.1A(iv).

          (i)  Existing  Loans.  Company  acknowledges  and  confirms  that each
     Existing  Lender holds Existing Loans in the respective  principal  amounts
     outstanding  as of the  Effective  Date  set  forth  opposite  its  name on
     Schedule 2.1 annexed hereto. Company hereby represents,  warrants,  agrees,
     covenants  and  (1)  reaffirms  that  it has no  (and  it  permanently  and
     irrevocably  waives and releases Agents and Lenders from any, to the extent
     arising  on or prior to the  Effective  Date)  defense,  set off,  claim or
     counterclaim  against any Agent or Lender in regard to its  Obligations  in
     respect of such Existing Loans and (2) reaffirms its obligation to pay such
     Loans in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the
     other Loan Documents.  Based on the foregoing,  (A) Company and each Lender
     agree that (x) the Existing  Tranche A Term Loans, (y) the Existing Tranche
     B Term Loans and (z) the  Existing  Revolving  Loans,  and any amounts owed
     (whether or not  presently  due and  payable,  and  including  all interest
     accrued to the Effective  Date (which shall be payable on the next Interest
     Payment Date with respect to the Loans to which such interest  relates)) by
     Company  to Lenders  thereunder  or in respect  thereof,  shall,  as of the
     Effective  Date, be converted to,  maintained as, and owed by Company under
     or in respect of Tranche A Term Loans,  Tranche B Term Loans and  Revolving
     Loans,  respectively,  hereunder.  Amounts  repaid or prepaid in respect of
     Tranche A Term  Loans  and  Tranche  B Term  Loans  may not be  reborrowed.
     Amounts repaid or prepaid in respect of the foregoing  Revolving  Loans may
     be repaid and  reborrowed to but excluding  the Revolving  Loan  Commitment
     Termination Date.

          (ii) Tranche C Term Loans. Each Lender severally agrees (a) to lend to
     Company on the  Effective  Date (in the case of Tranche C Term Loans  other
     than  Delayed-Draw  Term Loans) and (b) to lend to Company  within 120 days
     after  the  Effective  Date (in the case of  Delayed-Draw  Term  Loans)  an
     aggregate  amount not exceeding its Pro Rata Share of the aggregate  amount
     of the  Tranche  C Term  Loan  Commitments  to be  used  for  the  purposes
     identified in subsection  2.5B. The amount of each Lender's  Tranche C Term
     Loan  Commitment  is set forth  opposite  its name on Schedule  2.1 annexed
     hereto and the aggregate  amount of the Tranche C Term Loan  Commitments is
     $225,000,000;  provided that the Tranche C Term Loan Commitments of Lenders
     shall be adjusted to give effect to any  assignments  of the Tranche C Term
     Loan Commitments pursuant to subsection 10.1B. Each Lender's Tranche C Term
     Loan  Commitment  shall expire  immediately  and without  further action on
     February  15, 1998 if the  initial  Tranche C Term Loans are not made on or
     before  that date,  and each  Lender's  Tranche C Term Loan  Commitment  in
     respect of the Delayed-Draw Term Loans shall expire immediately and without
     further action on the date that is 120 days after the Effective Date in the
     event that the Delayed-Draw Term Loans are not made on or before that date.
     Company  may  make  only two  borrowings  under  the  Tranche  C Term  Loan
     Commitments.   Amounts   borrowed  under  this   subsection   2.1A(ii)  and
     subsequently repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed.

          (iii) Revolving Loans.  Each Lender severally  agrees,  subject to the
     limitations set forth below with respect to the maximum amount of Revolving
     Loans  permitted to be  outstanding  from time to time,  to lend to Company
     from  time to  time  during  the  period  from  the  Effective  Date to but
     excluding  the  Revolving  Loan  Commitment  Termination  Date an aggregate
     amount which,  when aggregated  with any outstanding  Existing Loans of the
     Lender that are Revolving Loans, shall not exceed its Pro Rata Share of the
     aggregate  amount of the  Revolving  Loan  Commitments,  to be used for the
     purposes  identified  in  subsection  2.5C.  The  original  amount  of each
     Lender's  Revolving  Loan  Commitment  is set  forth  opposite  its name on
     Schedule  2.1  annexed  hereto  and the  aggregate  original  amount of the
     Revolving Loan Commitments is $58,000,000; provided that the Revolving Loan
     Commitments of Lenders shall be adjusted to give effect to any  assignments
     of the Revolving Loan Commitments  pursuant to subsection  10.1B;  provided
     further that the amount of the Revolving Loan Commitments  shall be reduced
     from time to time by the amount of any reductions  thereto made pursuant to
     subsection  2.4B. Each Lender's  Revolving Loan Commitment  shall expire on
     the Revolving Loan Commitment  Termination Date and all Revolving Loans and
     all other amounts owed  hereunder  with respect to the Revolving  Loans and
     the  Revolving  Loan  Commitments  shall be paid in full no later than that
     date.  Amounts borrowed under this subsection  2.1A(iii) as Revolving Loans
     may be repaid and reborrowed to but excluding the Revolving Loan Commitment
     Termination Date.

          Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, in no event
     shall the Total  Utilization  of  Revolving  Loan  Commitments  at any time
     exceed the Revolving Loan Commitments then in effect.

          (iv) Swing Line Loans. Swing Line Lender hereby agrees, subject to the
     limitations set forth below with respect to the maximum aggregate amount of
     all Swing Line Loans  outstanding  from time to time,  to make a portion of
     the  Revolving  Loan  Commitments  available  to Company  from time to time
     during the period from the  Effective  Date to but  excluding the Revolving
     Loan  Commitment  Termination  Date by making Base Rate Loans as Swing Line
     Loans to  Company  in an  aggregate  amount not to exceed the amount of the
     Swing  Line Loan  Commitment,  to be used for the  purposes  identified  in
     subsection 2.5B,  notwithstanding the fact that such Swing Line Loans, when
     aggregated with the sum of Swing Line Lender's outstanding  Revolving Loans
     and Swing Line  Lender's  Pro Rata Share of the Letter of Credit Usage then
     in effect,  may exceed Swing Line Lender's  Revolving Loan Commitment.  The
     original amount of the Swing Line Loan  Commitment is $5,000,000;  provided
     that the amounts of the Swing Line Loan Commitment are subject to reduction
     as  provided  in clause  (b) of the next  paragraph.  The  Swing  Line Loan
     Commitment  shall expire on the Revolving Loan Commitment  Termination Date
     and all Swing Line Loans and all other amounts owed  hereunder with respect
     to the Swing  Line  Loans  shall be paid in full no later  than that  date.
     Amounts  borrowed  under  this  subsection   2.1A(iv)  may  be  repaid  and
     reborrowed to but excluding the Revolving Loan Commitment Termination Date.

     Notwithstanding  anything contained herein to the contrary,  the Swing Line
Loans,  and the Swing Line Loan  Commitment  shall be  subject to the  following
limitations in the amounts indicated:

               (a) in no event shall the Total  Utilization  of  Revolving  Loan
          Commitments at any time exceed the Revolving Loan  Commitments then in
          effect;

               (b) any reduction of the Revolving Loan Commitments made pursuant
          to  subsection  2.4B  which  reduces  the  aggregate   Revolving  Loan
          Commitments  to an amount less than the then  current sum of the Swing
          Line Loan Commitment  shall result in an automatic  corresponding  pro
          rata  reduction  of the Swing Line Loan  Commitment  such that the sum
          thereof  equals the amount of the Revolving  Loan  Commitments,  as so
          reduced,  without  any further  action on the part of  Company,  Chase
          Co-Administrative Agent or Swing Line Lender.

          With  respect to any Swing Line Loans which have not been  voluntarily
     prepaid by Company pursuant to subsection  2.4B(i),  Swing Line Lender may,
     at any  time  in  its  sole  and  absolute  discretion,  deliver  to  Chase
     Co-Administrative  Agent (with a copy to Company), no later than 12:00 Noon
     (New York  time) at least  one  Business  Day in  advance  of the  proposed
     Funding  Date, a notice  (which shall be deemed to be a Notice of Borrowing
     given by Company)  requesting Lenders to make Revolving Loans that are Base
     Rate Loans to Company on such Funding Date in an amount equal to the amount
     of such Swing Line Loans (the "REFUNDED  SWING LINE LOANS")  outstanding on
     the date such notice is given which Swing Line Lender  requests  Lenders to
     prepay.   Anything   contained   in   this   Agreement   to  the   contrary
     notwithstanding,  (i) the proceeds of such Revolving  Loans made by Lenders
     other  than  Swing  Line  Lender   shall  be   immediately   delivered   by
     Co-Administrative  Agents to Swing Line  Lender  (and not to  Company)  and
     applied to repay a  corresponding  portion of the Refunded Swing Line Loans
     and (ii) on the day such Revolving Loans are made,  Swing Line Lender's Pro
     Rata Share of the Refunded Swing Line Loans shall be deemed to be paid with
     the proceeds of a Revolving Loan made by Swing Line Lender to Company,  and
     such  portion of the Swing Line Loans  deemed to be so paid shall no longer
     be  outstanding  as Swing  Line  Loans and shall no longer be due under the
     Swing Line Note of Swing Line Lender but shall instead  constitute  part of
     Swing Line Lender's outstanding Revolving Loans to Company and shall be due
     under the  Revolving  Note issued by Company to Swing Line Lender.  Company
     hereby  authorizes  each of Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent and Swing  Line
     Lender to charge Company's accounts with Chase  Co-Administrative Agent and
     Swing Line  Lender (up to the amount  available  in each such  account)  in
     order to immediately pay Swing Line Lender the amount of the Refunded Swing
     Line Loans to the  extent  the  proceeds  of such  Revolving  Loans made by
     Lenders,  including  the  Revolving  Loan  deemed to be made by Swing  Line
     Lender,  are not sufficient to repay in full the Refunded Swing Line Loans.
     If any portion of any such amount paid (or deemed to be paid) to Swing Line
     Lender  should be  recovered  by or on behalf of  Company  from  Swing Line
     Lender in  bankruptcy,  by  assignment  for the  benefit  of  creditors  or
     otherwise,  the loss of the amount so  recovered  shall be  ratably  shared
     among all Lenders in the manner contemplated by subsection 10.5.

          If for any  reason  Revolving  Loans  are not  made  pursuant  to this
     subsection  2.1A(iv) in an amount  sufficient  to repay any amounts owed to
     Swing  Line  Lender in respect  of any  outstanding  Swing Line Loans on or
     before the third  Business  Day after  demand for payment  thereof by Swing
     Line  Lender,  each Lender  shall be deemed to, and hereby  agrees to, have
     purchased a participation in such  outstanding  Swing Line Loans, and in an
     amount equal to its Pro Rata Share of the applicable unpaid amount together
     with accrued  interest  thereon.  Upon one Business Day's notice from Swing
     Line Lender,  each Lender  shall  deliver to Swing Line Lender an amount in
     equal to its respective  participation  in the applicable  unpaid amount in
     same day funds at the Funding and Payment Office. In order to evidence such
     participation each Lender agrees to enter into a participation agreement at
     the  request of Swing Line  Lender in form and  substance  satisfactory  to
     Swing Line Lender. In the event any Lender fails to make available to Swing
     Line Lender the amount of such Lender's  participation  as provided in this
     paragraph,  Swing Line Lender  shall be entitled to recover  such amount on
     demand  from  such  Lender  together  with  interest  thereon  at the  rate
     customarily  used by Swing Line Lender for the  correction  of errors among
     banks  for  three  Business  Days  and  thereafter  at the  Base  Rate,  as
     applicable.

          Notwithstanding  anything  contained herein to the contrary,  (i) each
     Lender's obligation to make Revolving Loans for the purpose of repaying any
     Refunded  Swing Line Loans pursuant to the second  preceding  paragraph and
     each Lender's  obligation to purchase a  participation  in any unpaid Swing
     Line  Loans  pursuant  to the  immediately  preceding  paragraph  shall  be
     absolute and  unconditional  and shall not be affected by any circumstance,
     including, without limitation, (a) any set-off,  counterclaim,  recoupment,
     defense or other  right  which  such  Lender  may have  against  Swing Line
     Lender,  Company or any other  Person for any  reason  whatsoever;  (b) the
     occurrence or  continuation  of an Event of Default or a Potential Event of
     Default;  (c) any adverse change in the business,  operations,  properties,
     assets,  condition  (financial or otherwise) or prospects of Company or any
     of its  Subsidiaries;  (d) any breach of this  Agreement  or any other Loan
     Document by any party thereto; or (e) any other circumstance,  happening or
     event whatsoever,  whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided
     that no Lender shall have any such obligation  unless (x) Swing Line Lender
     believed in good faith that all conditions under Section 4 to the making of
     the applicable  Refunded Swing Line Loans or other unpaid Swing Line Loans,
     were  satisfied at the time such Refunded  Swing Line Loans or unpaid Swing
     Line Loans were made, or (y) such Lender had actual  knowledge,  by receipt
     of any notices  required to be delivered to Lenders  pursuant to subsection
     6.1(ix) or otherwise,  that any such condition under Section 4 had not been
     satisfied  and such  Lender  failed to notify  Swing Line  Lender and Chase
     Co-Administrative  Agent  in  writing  that  it had no  obligation  to make
     Revolving  Loans until such  condition was satisfied (any such notice to be
     effective as of the date of receipt  thereof by Swing Line Lender and Chase
     Co-Administrative  Agent),  or (z) the  satisfaction  of any such condition
     under Section 4 not satisfied had been waived by Requisite Lenders prior to
     or at the time such  Refunded  Swing Line Loans or other  unpaid Swing Line
     Loans were made;  and (ii) Swing Line Lender shall not be obligated to make
     any Swing Line Loans if it has  elected  not to do so after the  occurrence
     and during the  continuation  of a  Potential  Event of Default or Event of
     Default.

     B. BORROWING  MECHANICS.  Term Loans or Revolving Loans (including any such
Loans made as Eurodollar Rate Loans with a particular  Interest  Period) made on
any Funding Date (other than Revolving Loans made pursuant to a request by Swing
Line Lender  pursuant to  subsection  2.1A(iv)  for the purpose of repaying  any
Refunded  Swing Line Loans or Revolving  Loans made pursuant to subsection  3.3B
for the purpose of reimbursing any Issuing Lender for the amount of a drawing or
payment under a Letter of Credit issued by it) shall be in an aggregate  minimum
amount of  $1,000,000  and  integral  multiples  of  $100,000  in excess of that
amount.  Swing  Line  Loans made on any  Funding  Date shall be in an  aggregate
minimum amount of $250,000 and integral  multiples of $100,000 in excess of that
amount. Whenever Company desires that Lenders make Term Loans or Revolving Loans
it shall deliver to Chase  Co-Administrative Agent on behalf of Company a Notice
of Borrowing no later than 12:00 Noon (New York time),  at least three  Business
Days in advance of the proposed  Funding  Date in the case of a Eurodollar  Rate
Loan,  or at least one Business  Day in advance of the proposed  Funding Date in
the case of a Base Rate Loan;  provided,  however,  that  Company may deliver to
Chase  Co-Administrative Agent a Notice of Borrowing no later than 11:00 AM (New
York time) on the proposed  Funding Date of any Tranche C Term Loans (other than
Delayed-Draw  Term  Loans) to be  borrowed  at the Base Rate.  Whenever  Company
desires that Swing Line Lender make a Swing Line Loan, it shall deliver to Chase
Co-Administrative Agent a Notice of Borrowing no later than 12:00 Noon (New York
time) on the proposed  Funding Date.  The Notice of Borrowing  shall specify (i)
the proposed  Funding Date (which shall be a Business Day),  (ii) the amount and
type of Loans requested,  (iii) in the case of Swing Line Loans, that such Loans
shall be Base Rate  Loans,  (iv) in the case of any Loans  other than Swing Line
Loans, whether such Loans shall be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, and
(v) in the case of any Loans requested to be made as Eurodollar Rate Loans,  the
initial Interest Period requested  therefor.  Term Loans and Revolving Loans may
be continued as or converted into Base Rate Loans and  Eurodollar  Rate Loans in
the  manner   provided  in  subsection   2.2D.   In  lieu  of   delivering   the
above-described  Notice of Borrowing,  Company may give Chase  Co-Administrative
Agent  telephonic  notice by the required time of any proposed  borrowing  under
this subsection 2.1B;  provided that such notice shall be promptly  confirmed in
writing by delivery of a Notice of Borrowing to Chase Co-Administrative Agent on
or before the applicable Funding Date.

     Neither  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  nor any  Lender  shall  incur any
liability to Company in acting upon any telephonic notice referred to above that
Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  believes  in good faith to have been given by a
duly  authorized  officer  or other  person  authorized  to  borrow on behalf of
Company or for otherwise  acting in good faith under this  subsection  2.1B, and
upon funding of Loans by Lenders in accordance  with this Agreement  pursuant to
any such telephonic notice Company shall have effected Loans hereunder.

     Company shall notify Chase  Co-Administrative Agent prior to the funding of
any Loans in the event that any of the  matters to which  Company is required to
certify in the applicable  Notice of Borrowing are no longer true and correct as
of the applicable Funding Date, and the acceptance by Company of the proceeds of
any Loans shall constitute a re-certification  by Company,  as of the applicable
Funding  Date,  as to the matters to which Company is required to certify in the
applicable Notice of Borrowing.

     Except as otherwise  provided in subsections  2.6B, 2.6C and 2.6G, a Notice
of Borrowing for a Eurodollar  Rate Loan (or telephonic  notice in lieu thereof)
shall be irrevocable on and after the related Interest Rate Determination  Date,
and Company shall be bound to make a borrowing in accordance therewith.

     C. DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS. All Term Loans and all Revolving Loans under this
Agreement shall be made by Lenders  simultaneously and  proportionately to their
respective  Pro  Rata  Shares,  it  being  understood  that no  Lender  shall be
responsible  for  any  default  by any  other  Lender  in  that  other  Lender's
obligation to make a Loan  requested  hereunder nor shall the  Commitment of any
Lender to make the  particular  type of Loan requested be increased or decreased
as a result of a default by any other Lender in that other  Lender's  obligation
to make a Loan requested hereunder.  Promptly after receipt by Co-Administrative
Agents of a Notice of  Borrowing  pursuant  to  subsection  2.1B (or  telephonic
notice in lieu thereof),  Chase Co-Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender
or Swing Line Lender,  as the case may be, of the proposed  borrowing and of the
amount of such Lender's Pro Rata Share of the applicable Loans.

     Each  Lender  shall  make  the  amount  of  its  Loan  available  to  Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent  not later  than  12:00  Noon  (New  York  time) on the
applicable  Funding  Date,  and Swing Line  Lender  shall make the amount of its
Swing Line Loan available to Chase  Co-Administrative Agent not later than 12:00
Noon (New York time) on the  applicable  Funding  Date, in each case in same day
funds,  at the  Funding  and Payment  Office.  Except as provided in  subsection
2.1A(iv)  or  subsection  3.3B with  respect  to  Revolving  Loans used to repay
Refunded  Swing Line Loans or to reimburse any Issuing  Lender for the amount of
an  honored  drawing  or  payment  under a Letter of Credit  issued by it,  upon
satisfaction or waiver of the conditions  precedent specified in subsections 4.2
(in the  case of  Loans  made on the  Effective  Date),  4.3 (in the case of the
Delayed-Draw   Term  Loans)  and  4.4  (in  the  case  of  all   Loans),   Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent  shall make the  proceeds  of such Loans  available  to
Company on the  applicable  Funding  Date by causing an amount of same day funds
equal to the  proceeds  of all such Loans  received  by Chase  Co-Administrative
Agent from Lenders or Swing Line  Lender,  as the case may be, to be credited to
the account of Company at the Funding and Payment Office.

     Unless Chase Co-Administrative Agent shall have been notified by any Lender
prior to the Funding Date for any Loans that such Lender does not intend to make
available  to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent the amount of such  Lender's  Loan
requested on such Funding Date,  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent may assume that
such Lender has made such amount available to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent on
such Funding Date and Chase Co-Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion,
but shall not be obligated to, make available to Company a corresponding  amount
on such Funding Date. If such corresponding amount is not in fact made available
to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent by such Lender, Chase Co-Administrative Agent
shall be  entitled  to recover  such  corresponding  amount on demand  from such
Lender together with interest thereon, for each day from such Funding Date until
the date such amount is paid to Chase Co-Administrative  Agent, at the customary
rate set by Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent for the  correction  of errors among
banks for three  Business  Days and  thereafter at the Base Rate. If such Lender
does not pay such  corresponding  amount forthwith upon Chase  Co-Administrative
Agent's demand  therefor,  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent shall promptly notify
Company and Company shall  immediately pay such  corresponding  amount in the to
Chase  Co-Administrative Agent together with interest thereon, for each day from
such Funding Date until the date such amount is paid to Chase  Co-Administrative
Agent,  at the rate  applicable to such Loan.  Nothing in this  subsection  2.1C
shall be deemed to  relieve  any  Lender  from its  obligation  to  fulfill  its
Commitments  hereunder or to prejudice  any rights that Company may have against
any Lender as a result of any default by such Lender hereunder.

     D.       THE REGISTER.

          (i) Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  shall  maintain,  at the  address
     referred to in subsection 10.8, a register for the recordation of the names
     and addresses of Lenders and the  Commitments and Loans of each Lender from
     time  to time  (the  "REGISTER").  The  Register  shall  be  available  for
     inspection by Company or any Lender at any reasonable time and from time to
     time upon reasonable prior notice.

          (ii) Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent shall  record in the Register the
     Commitments and the outstanding  Loans from time to time of each Lender and
     each  repayment or  prepayment  in respect of the  principal  amount of the
     outstanding Loans of each Lender.  Any such recordation shall be conclusive
     and binding on Company and each Lender,  absent  manifest  error;  provided
     that  failure  to  make  any  such  recordation,   or  any  error  in  such
     recordation,  shall not  affect  Company's  Obligations  in  respect of the
     applicable Loans.

          (iii) Each Lender  shall record on its  internal  records  (including,
     without limitation,  the Notes held by such Lender) the amount of each Loan
     made by it and each payment in respect thereof.  Any such recordation shall
     be prima facie evidence of the amount of such Loans;  provided that failure
     to make any such recordation,  or any error in such recordation,  shall not
     affect  Company's  Obligations  in respect  of the  applicable  Loans;  and
     provided,  further  that in the  event  of any  inconsistency  between  the
     Register and any Lender's  records,  the recordations in the Register shall
     govern.

          (iv)  Company,  Agents and  Lenders  shall deem and treat the  Persons
     listed  as  Lenders  in the  Register  as the  holders  and  owners  of the
     corresponding Commitments and Loans listed therein for all purposes hereof,
     and no assignment or transfer of any Commitment or Loan shall be effective,
     in each  case  unless  an  until  an  Assignment  Agreement  effecting  the
     assignment   or  transfer   thereof  shall  have  been  accepted  by  Chase
     Co-Administrative  Agent  and  recorded  in the  Register  as  provided  in
     subsection  10.1B(ii).  Prior to such  recordation,  all amounts  owed with
     respect to the  applicable  Commitment  or Loan shall be owed to the Lender
     listed in the Register as the owner thereof, and any request,  authority or
     consent of any Person  who,  at the time of making  such  request or giving
     such  authority or consent,  is listed in the Register as a Lender shall be
     conclusive and binding on any subsequent holder,  assignee or transferee of
     the corresponding Commitments or Loans.

          (v) Company hereby  designates  Chase,  and any financial  institution
     serving as a successor Chase Co-Administrative Agent, to serve as Company's
     agent solely for purposes of  maintaining  the Register as provided in this
     subsection 2.1D, and Company hereby agrees that, to the extent Chase serves
     in such capacity, Chase and its officers, directors,  employees, agents and
     affiliates shall  constitute  Indemnitees for all purposes under subsection
     10.3.

     E. TRANCHE C TERM NOTES. Company shall execute and deliver on the Effective
Date  to  each  Lender  providing  a  Tranche  C  Term  Loan  Commitment  (or to
Co-Administrative  Agents for that Lender) a Tranche C Term Note,  substantially
in the form of Exhibit IV-C annexed hereto,  to evidence that Lender's Tranche C
Term Loans in the  principal  amount of that  Lender's  Tranche C Term Loans and
with  other  appropriate  insertions.  The Notes and the  Obligations  evidenced
thereby  shall be governed by,  subject to and benefit from all of the terms and
conditions  of  this  Agreement  and the  other  Loan  Documents  and  shall  be
guaranteed and/or secured by the Collateral as provided in the Loan Documents.

2.2  INTEREST ON THE LOANS.

     A. RATE OF INTEREST.  Subject to the provisions of subsections 2.6 and 2.7,
each Term  Loan and each  Revolving  Loan  shall  bear  interest  on the  unpaid
principal  amount  thereof  from the date  made  through  maturity  (whether  by
acceleration or otherwise) at a rate determined by reference to the Base Rate or
the Adjusted  Eurodollar  Rate, as the case may be. Subject to the provisions of
subsection 2.7, each Swing Line Loan shall bear interest on the unpaid principal
amount thereof from the date made through  maturity  (whether by acceleration or
otherwise) at a rate  determined by reference to the Base Rate.  The  applicable
basis for  determining  the rate of interest  with  respect to any Loan shall be
selected by Company  initially  at the time a Notice of  Borrowing is given with
respect to such Loan pursuant to subsection  2.1B. The basis for determining the
interest rate with respect to any Term Loan or any Revolving Loan may be changed
from time to time  pursuant to  subsection  2.2D. If on any day any Term Loan or
Revolving  Loan is  outstanding  with  respect  to  which  notice  has not  been
delivered  to  Co-Administrative  Agents  in  accordance  with the terms of this
Agreement  specifying the applicable basis for determining the rate of interest,
then for that day that Loan shall bear  interest  determined by reference to the
Base Rate.

     Subject to the provisions of  subsections  2.2E and 2.7, the Term Loans and
the Revolving Loans shall bear interest through maturity as follows:

               (i) if a Base  Rate  Loan,  then at the sum of the Base Rate plus
          the Applicable Base Rate Margin; or

               (ii) if a Eurodollar  Rate Loan,  then at the sum of the Adjusted
          Eurodollar Rate plus the Applicable Eurodollar Rate Margin.

     Subject to the provisions of subsections 2.2E and 2.7, the Swing Line Loans
shall  bear  interest  through  maturity  at the sum of the Base  Rate  plus the
Applicable Base Rate Margin less 0.50% per annum.

     B. INTEREST PERIODS.  In connection with each Eurodollar Rate Loan, Company
may,   pursuant   to  the   applicable   Notice  of   Borrowing   or  Notice  of
Conversion/Continuation,  as the case may be, select an interest period (each an
"INTEREST  PERIOD") to be applicable to such Loan,  which Interest  Period shall
be, at Company's option, either a one, three or six month period; provided that:

          (i) the initial  Interest  Period for any  Eurodollar  Rate Loan shall
     commence on the Funding Date in respect of such Loan, in the case of a Loan
     initially  made as a Eurodollar  Rate Loan, or on the date specified in the
     applicable  Notice  of  Conversion/Continuation,  in  the  case  of a  Loan
     converted to a Eurodollar Rate Loan;

          (ii) in the case of immediately successive Interest Periods applicable
     to a  Eurodollar  Rate  Loan  continued  as such  pursuant  to a Notice  of
     Conversion/Continuation,  each successive Interest Period shall commence on
     the day on which the next preceding Interest Period expires;

          (iii) if an Interest  Period would  otherwise  expire on a day that is
     not a  Business  Day,  such  Interest  Period  shall  expire  on  the  next
     succeeding  Business  Day;  provided  that,  if any  Interest  Period would
     otherwise  expire on a day that is not a  Business  Day but is a day of the
     month  after  which no  further  Business  Day occurs in such  month,  such
     Interest Period shall expire on the next preceding Business Day;

          (iv) any  Interest  Period that begins on the last  Business  Day of a
     calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding
     day in the  calendar  month  at the end of  such  Interest  Period)  shall,
     subject to clause (v) of this subsection 2.2B, end on the last Business Day
     of a calendar month;

          (v) no Interest  Period  with  respect to any portion of the Tranche A
     Term Loans shall extend beyond  October 15, 2001,  no Interest  Period with
     respect to any  portion of the  Tranche B Term Loans  shall  extend  beyond
     October 15, 2003 and no Interest  Period with respect to any portion of the
     Tranche C Term Loans shall extend  beyond  October 15, 2004 and no Interest
     Period with  respect to any  portion of the  Revolving  Loans shall  extend
     beyond the Revolving Loan Commitment Termination Date;

          (vi) no Interest  Period with  respect to any portion of the Tranche A
     Term  Loans,  Tranche B Term  Loans or Tranche C Term  Loans  shall  extend
     beyond a date on which  Company is required to make a scheduled  payment of
     principal  of the Tranche A Term  Loans,  Tranche B Term Loans or Tranche C
     Term  Loans,  as the  case  may be,  unless  the  sum of (a) the  aggregate
     principal amount of Tranche A Term Loans, Tranche B Term Loans or Tranche C
     Term  Loans,  as the case may be,  that are Base  Rate  Loans  plus (b) the
     aggregate principal amount of Tranche A Term Loans, Tranche B Term Loans or
     Tranche C Term Loans,  as the case may be, that are  Eurodollar  Rate Loans
     with Interest Periods expiring on or before such date equals or exceeds the
     principal amount required to be paid on the Tranche A Term Loans, Tranche B
     Term Loans or Tranche C Term Loans, as the case may be, on such date;

          (vii) no Interest  Period with respect to any portion of the Revolving
     Loans shall  extend  beyond the date on which a permanent  reduction of the
     Revolving Loan  Commitments is scheduled to occur unless the sum of (a) the
     aggregate principal amount of Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans plus
     (b) the aggregate  principal  amount of Revolving Loans that are Eurodollar
     Rate Loans with Interest  Periods  expiring on or before such date plus (c)
     the  excess of the  Revolving  Loan  Commitments  then in  effect  over the
     aggregate  principal amount of Revolving Loans then  outstanding  equals or
     exceeds the permanent  reduction of the Revolving Loan  Commitments that is
     scheduled to occur on such date;

          (viii)  Company  may not select an initial  Interest  Period of longer
     than one month with  respect to Tranche C Term Loans made on the  Effective
     Date.

          (ix) there shall be no more than ten (10) Interest Periods outstanding
     at any time; and

          (x) in the event Company  fails to specify an Interest  Period for any
     Eurodollar  Rate Loan in the  applicable  Notice of  Borrowing or Notice of
     Conversion/Continuation,  Company  shall  be  deemed  to have  selected  an
     Interest Period of one month.

     C.  INTEREST  PAYMENTS.  Subject  to the  provisions  of  subsection  2.2E,
interest  on each Loan  shall be  payable  in  arrears  on and to each  Interest
Payment Date  applicable to that Loan,  upon any prepayment of that Loan (to the
extent  accrued on the amount being  prepaid) and at maturity  (including  final
maturity);  provided that in the event that any Swing Line Loans,  any Revolving
Loans or any Term  Loans  that are Base  Rate  Loans  are  prepaid  pursuant  to
subsection 2.4B(i),  interest accrued on such Swing Line Loans,  Revolving Loans
or Term Loans through the date of such  prepayment  shall be payable on the next
succeeding  Interest Payment Date applicable to Base Rate Loans (or, if earlier,
at final maturity).

     D. CONVERSION OR CONTINUATION. Subject to the provisions of subsection 2.6,
Company  shall have the option (i) to convert at any time all or any part of its
outstanding  Term Loans or  Revolving  Loans equal to  $1,000,000  and  integral
multiples of $100,000 in excess of that amount from Loans bearing  interest at a
rate  determined by reference to one basis to Loans  bearing  interest at a rate
determined by reference to an  alternative  basis or (ii) upon the expiration of
any Interest Period applicable to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, to continue all or any
portion of such Loan equal to $1,000,000  and integral  multiples of $100,000 in
excess of that  amount as a  Eurodollar  Rate Loan;  provided,  however,  that a
Eurodollar  Rate  Loan  may  only  be  converted  into a Base  Rate  Loan on the
expiration date of an Interest Period applicable thereto.

     Company  shall  deliver  a  Notice  of   Conversion/Continuation  to  Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent no later  than  12:00 Noon (New York time) at least one
Business  Day in  advance  of the  proposed  conversion  date  (in the case of a
conversion to a Base Rate Loan),  and at least three Business Days in advance of
the proposed  conversion/continuation date (in the case of a conversion to, or a
continuation  of, a Eurodollar  Rate Loan). A Notice of  Conversion/Continuation
shall  specify (i) the proposed  conversion/continuation  date (which shall be a
Business Day),  (ii) the amount and type of the Loan to be  converted/continued,
(iii) the nature of the proposed conversion/continuation,  (iv) in the case of a
conversion  to, or a  continuation  of, a Eurodollar  Rate Loan,  the  requested
Interest Period, and (v) in the case of a conversion to, or a continuation of, a
Eurodollar Rate Loan, that no Potential Event of Default or Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing.  In lieu of delivering the above-described Notice of
Conversion/Continuation,   Company  may  give  Chase   Co-Administrative   Agent
telephonic  notice by the required time of any proposed  conversion/continuation
under  this  subsection  2.2D;  provided  that  such  notice  shall be  promptly
confirmed in writing by delivery of a Notice of Conversion/Continuation to Chase
Co-Administrative Agent on or before the proposed conversion/continuation date.

     Neither  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  nor any  Lender  shall  incur any
liability to Company in acting upon any telephonic notice referred to above that
Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  believes  in good faith to have been given by a
duly authorized  officer or other person  authorized to act on behalf of Company
or for  otherwise  acting in good faith  under this  subsection  2.2D,  and upon
conversion or continuation of the applicable  basis for determining the interest
rate with respect to any Loans in accordance with this Agreement pursuant to any
such telephonic notice Company shall have effected a conversion or continuation,
as the case may be, hereunder.

     Except as otherwise  provided in subsections  2.6B, 2.6C and 2.6G, a Notice
of  Conversion/Continuation  for conversion to, or continuation of, a Eurodollar
Rate Loan (or  telephonic  notice in lieu thereof)  shall be  irrevocable on and
after the related Interest Rate  Determination  Date, and Company shall be bound
to effect a conversion or continuation in accordance therewith.

     E. POST-DEFAULT  INTEREST.  Upon the occurrence and during the continuation
of any Event of Default,  the outstanding  principal amount of all Loans and, to
the extent  permitted by applicable law, any interest  payments thereon not paid
when due and any fees and other  amounts then due and payable  hereunder,  shall
thereafter  bear interest  (including  post-petition  interest in any proceeding
under the Bankruptcy  Code, or other  applicable  bankruptcy or insolvency laws)
payable  upon  demand at a rate  that is 2% per annum in excess of the  interest
rate otherwise payable under this Agreement with respect to the applicable Loans
(or, in the case of any such fees and other  amounts,  at a rate which is 2% per
annum in excess of the interest rate otherwise  payable under this Agreement for
Revolving  Loans bearing  interest at a rate determined by reference to the Base
Rate);  provided that, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, upon the expiration
of the Interest  Period in effect at the time any such increase in interest rate
is effective such Eurodollar  Rate Loans shall thereupon  become Base Rate Loans
and shall thereafter bear interest payable upon demand at a rate equal to 2% per
annum in excess of the interest rate otherwise  payable under this Agreement for
Base Rate Loans that are Tranche A Term Loans,  Tranche B Term Loans,  Tranche C
Term Loans,  or Revolving  Loans,  as  applicable.  Payment or acceptance of the
increased  rates  of  interest  provided  for in this  subsection  2.2E is not a
permitted alternative to timely payment and shall not constitute a waiver of any
Event of Default or  otherwise  prejudice or limit any rights or remedies of any
Agent or Lender.

     F. COMPUTATION OF INTEREST.  Interest on Loans shall be computed (i) in the
case of Base Rate Loans  based on the Prime  Rate,  on the basis of a 365-day or
366-day  year,  as the case may be,  and (ii) in the case of all other Base Rate
Loans and  Eurodollar  Rate Loans,  on the basis of a 360-day year, in each case
for the actual number of days elapsed in the period during which it accrues.  In
computing interest on any Loan, the date of the making of such Loan or the first
day of an Interest  Period  applicable  to such Loan or, with  respect to a Base
Rate Loan being converted from a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the date of conversion of
such  Eurodollar  Rate Loan to such Base Rate Loan, as the case may be, shall be
included,  and the date of  payment  of such Loan or the  expiration  date of an
Interest  Period  applicable  to such Loan or, with  respect to a Base Rate Loan
being  converted to a Eurodollar  Rate Loan, the date of conversion of such Base
Rate Loan to such  Eurodollar  Rate Loan, as the case may be, shall be excluded;
provided that if a Loan is repaid on the same day on which it is made, one day's
interest shall be paid on that Loan.

2.3  FEES.

     A. COMMITMENT FEES. Company agrees to pay to Chase Co-Administrative Agent,
for  distribution  to each Lender in  proportion to that Lender's Pro Rata Share
with respect to the Revolving Loan Commitments for the period from and including
the Closing Date to and excluding the Revolving Loan Commitment Termination Date
commitment  fees equal to (i) the average of the daily  excess of the  Revolving
Loan Commitments over the sum of (x) the aggregate principal amount of Revolving
Loans outstanding (but not any Swing Line Loans outstanding) plus (y) the Letter
of Credit Usage,  multiplied by (ii) 1/2 of 1% per annum. Company also agrees to
pay to  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent,  for  distribution  to each  Lender  in
proportion  to that  Lender's  Pro Rata Share with respect to the Tranche C Term
Loan  Commitments  for the period from and including  the Effective  Date to and
excluding the earlier of the Funding Date of the Delayed-Draw Term Loans and the
date which is 120 days after the Effective  Date,  commitment  fees equal to (i)
the  average  daily  unfunded  portion of the  Tranche C Term Loan  Commitments,
multiplied  by (ii) 1/2 of 1% per  annum.  All  such  commitment  fees  shall be
calculated  on the basis of a 360-day year and the actual number of days elapsed
and shall be payable  quarterly  in arrears on January 15, April 15, July 15 and
October 15 of each year, commencing on January 15, 1997.

     B. ANNUAL COLLATERAL AGENT'S FEE. Company agrees to pay to Collateral Agent
an annual  Collateral  Agent's fee in such amounts as may be agreed between them
from time to time.

     C.  OTHER  FEES.  Company  agrees to pay to Agents  such  other fees in the
amounts  and at the  times  separately  agreed  upon  between  Company  and  the
applicable Agents.

2.4  REPAYMENTS,  PREPAYMENTS  AND  REDUCTIONS  IN  REVOLVING  LOAN COMMITMENTS;
     GENERAL PROVISIONS REGARDING PAYMENTS.

     A.   SCHEDULED PAYMENTS OF TERM LOANS.

          (i)  Scheduled  Payments of Tranche A Term Loans.  Company  shall make
     principal payments on the Tranche A Term Loans in installments on the dates
     and in the amounts set forth below:

=========================================== ===================================
                                                       SCHEDULED REPAYMENT
                   DATE                                    OF TRANCHE A
                                                            TERM LOANS
=========================================== ===================================
=========================================== ===================================
         April 15, 1998                                     $3,312,500
         July 15, 1998                                      $3,312,500
         October 15, 1998                                   $3,312,500
=========================================== ===================================
         January 15, 1999                                   $3,312,500
         April 15, 1999                                     $3,312,500
         July 15, 1999                                      $3,312,500
         October 15, 1999                                   $3,312,500
=========================================== ===================================
         January 15, 2000                                   $4,250,000
         April 15, 2000                                     $4,250,000
         July 15, 2000                                      $4,250,000
         October 15, 2000                                   $4,250,000
=========================================== ===================================
         January 15, 2001                                   $4,750,000
         April 15, 2001                                     $4,750,000
         July 15, 2001                                      $4,750,000
         October 15, 2001                                   $4,750,000
=========================================== ===================================

     ; provided  that the scheduled  installments  of principal of the Tranche A
     Term  Loans  set  forth  above  shall be  reduced  in  connection  with any
     voluntary  or  mandatory  prepayments  of  the  Tranche  A  Term  Loans  in
     accordance with subsection 2.4C; and provided  further,  that the Tranche A
     Term Loans and all other amounts owed hereunder with respect to the Tranche
     A Term Loans shall be paid in full no later than October 15, 2001,  and the
     final installment payable by Company in respect of the Tranche A Term Loans
     on such date shall be in an amount,  if such amount is different  from that
     specified  above,  sufficient  to repay all amounts  owing by Company under
     this Agreement with respect to the Tranche A Term Loans.

          (ii)  Scheduled  Payments of Tranche B Term Loans.  Company shall make
     principal payments on the Tranche B Term Loans in installments on the dates
     and in the amounts set forth below:


=========================================== ===================================
                   DATE                                SCHEDULED REPAYMENT
                                                           OF TRANCHE B
                                                            TERM LOANS
=========================================== ===================================
=========================================== ===================================
         April 15, 1998                                     $ 446,149
         July 15, 1998                                      $ 446,149
         October 15, 1998                                   $ 446,149
=========================================== ===================================
         January 15, 1999                                   $ 446,149
         April 15, 1999                                     $ 446,149
         July 15, 1999                                      $ 446,149
         October 15, 1999                                   $ 446,149
=========================================== ===================================
         January 15, 2000                                   $ 446,149
         April 15, 2000                                     $ 446,149
         July 15, 2000                                      $ 446,149
         October 15, 2000                                   $ 446,149
=========================================== ===================================
         January 15, 2001                                   $ 446,149
         April 15, 2001                                     $ 446,149
         July 15, 2001                                      $ 446,149
         October 15, 2001                                   $ 446,149
=========================================== ===================================
         January 15, 2002                                 $12,492,171
         April 15, 2002                                   $12,492,171
         July 15, 2002                                    $12,492,171
         October 15, 2002                                 $12,492,171
=========================================== ===================================
         January 15, 2003                                 $16,953,660
         April 15, 2003                                   $16,953,660
         July 15, 2003                                    $16,953,660
         October 15, 2003                                 $16,953,655
=========================================== ===================================

     ; provided  that the scheduled  installments  of principal of the Tranche B
     Term  Loans  set  forth  above  shall be  reduced  in  connection  with any
     voluntary  or  mandatory  prepayments  of  the  Tranche  B  Term  Loans  in
     accordance with subsection  2.4C; and provided,  further that the Tranche B
     Term Loans and all other amounts owed hereunder with respect to the Tranche
     B Term Loans shall be paid in full no later than October 15, 2003,  and the
     final installment payable by Company in respect of the Tranche B Term Loans
     on such date shall be in an amount,  if such amount is different  from that
     specified  above,  sufficient  to repay all amounts  owing by Company under
     this Agreement with respect to the Tranche B Term Loans.

          (iii) Scheduled  Payments of Tranche C Term Loans.  Company shall make
     principal payments on the Tranche C Term Loans in installments on the dates
     and in the amounts set forth below (it being understood and agreed that (a)
     the  amounts set forth below  reflect the  borrowing  of the full amount of
     Tranche C Term  Loans on or prior to April 15,  1998;  (b) in the event the
     Delayed-Draw Term Loans have not been funded on or prior to April 15, 1998,
     the amounts of the  scheduled  installments  of  principal  (including  the
     installment due April 15, 1998) set forth below shall be reduced ratably in
     an  aggregate  amount  equal to the amount of unfunded  Tranche C Term Loan
     Commitments  as of April 15,  1998;  and (c) in the event that the  Funding
     Date of the  Delayed-Draw  Term Loans  occurs  after  April 15,  1998,  the
     amounts of the  scheduled  installments  of  principal  set forth below (as
     adjusted in  accordance  with clause (b) above) for the period  after April
     15,  1998  shall be,  as of such  Funding  Date,  increased  ratably  in an
     aggregate amount equal to the amount of such borrowing of Delayed-Draw Term
     Loans):

  ============================ ===============================
             DATE                        SCHEDULED
                                        REPAYMENT OF
                                       TRANCHE C TERM
                                           LOANS
  ============================ ===============================
        April 15, 1998                   $ 250,000
         July 15, 1998                   $ 250,000
       October 15, 1998                  $ 250,000
  ============================ ===============================
       January 15, 1999                  $ 250,000
        April 15, 1999                   $ 250,000
         July 15, 1999                   $ 250,000
       October 15, 1999                  $ 250,000
  ---------------------------- ===============================
       January 15, 2000                  $ 250,000
        April 15, 2000                   $ 250,000
         July 15, 2000                   $ 250,000
       October 15, 2000                  $ 250,000
  ---------------------------- ===============================
       January 15, 2001                  $ 250,000
        April 15, 2001                   $ 250,000
         July 15, 2001                   $ 250,000
       October 15, 2001                  $ 250,000
  ---------------------------- ===============================
       January 15, 2002                  $ 250,000
        April 15, 2002                   $ 250,000
         July 15, 2002                   $ 250,000
       October 15, 2002                  $ 250,000
  ============================ ===============================
       January 15, 2003                  $ 250,000
        April 15, 2003                   $ 250,000
         July 15, 2003                   $ 250,000
       October 15, 2003                  $ 250,000
  ============================ ===============================
       January 15, 2004                 $ 54,750,000
        April 15, 2004                  $ 54,750,000
         July 15, 2004                  $ 54,750,000
       October 15, 2004                 $ 55,000,000
  ============================ ===============================

     ; provided  that the scheduled  installments  of principal of the Tranche C
     Term  Loans  set  forth  above  shall be  reduced  in  connection  with any
     voluntary  or  mandatory  prepayments  of  the  Tranche  C  Term  Loans  in
     accordance with subsection 2.4C; and provided  further,  that the Tranche C
     Term Loans and all other amounts owed hereunder with respect to the Tranche
     C Term Loans shall be paid in full no later than October 15, 2004,  and the
     final installment payable by Company in respect of the Tranche C Term Loans
     on such date shall be in an amount,  if such amount is different  from that
     specified  above,  sufficient  to repay all amounts  owing by Company under
     this Agreement with respect to the Tranche C Term Loans.

     B.    PREPAYMENTS AND REDUCTIONS IN REVOLVING LOAN COMMITMENTS.

          (i)  Voluntary  Prepayments.  Company may,  upon written or telephonic
     notice to Chase Co-Administrative Agent on or prior to 12:00 Noon (New York
     time) on the date of  prepayment,  which notice,  if  telephonic,  shall be
     promptly  confirmed  in writing,  at any time and from time to time prepay,
     without  premium or  penalty,  any Swing Line Loan on any  Business  Day in
     whole or in part in an  aggregate  minimum  amount of $250,000 and integral
     multiples of $50,000 in excess of that amount.  In addition,  so long as no
     Swing Line Loans are then outstanding,  Company may, upon not less than one
     Business Day's prior written or telephonic notice, in the case of Base Rate
     Loans, and three Business Days' prior written or telephonic  notice, in the
     case of Eurodollar  Rate Loans,  in each case confirmed in writing to Chase
     Co-Administrative  Agent (which notice Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent will
     promptly  transmit by  telefacsimile  or telephone to each Lender),  at any
     time and from time to time prepay,  without  premium or penalty,  the Loans
     other than Swing Line Loans on any  Business  Day in whole or in part in an
     aggregate  minimum amount of $1,000,000 and integral  multiples of $250,000
     in excess of that  amount;  provided,  however,  that in the event  Company
     shall prepay a  Eurodollar  Rate Loan other than on the  expiration  of the
     Interest  Period  applicable  thereto,  Company shall,  at the time of such
     prepayment,  also pay the amount payable under Section 2.6D hereof.  Notice
     of prepayment  having been given as  aforesaid,  the Loans shall become due
     and  payable on the  prepayment  date  specified  in such notice and in the
     aggregate  principal amount specified  therein.  Any voluntary  prepayments
     pursuant  to this  subsection  2.4B(i)  shall be  applied as  specified  in
     subsection 2.4C.

          (ii) Voluntary Reductions of Revolving Loan Commitments.  Company may,
     upon not less than three Business Days' prior written or telephonic  notice
     confirmed in writing to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent (which notice Chase
     Co-Administrative   Agent  will  promptly   transmit  by  telefacsimile  or
     telephone to each Lender),  at any time and from time to time  terminate in
     whole or permanently  reduce in part,  without premium or penalty,  (y) the
     Revolving  Loan  Commitments  in an  amount  up to the  amount by which the
     Revolving Loan Commitments  exceed the Total  Utilization of Revolving Loan
     Commitments at the time of such proposed termination or reduction; provided
     that any such partial  reduction of the Revolving Loan Commitments shall be
     in an aggregate  minimum  amount of  $1,000,000  and integral  multiples of
     $250,000   in   excess   of  that   amount.   Company's   notice  to  Chase
     Co-Administrative Agent shall designate the date (which shall be a Business
     Day)  of such  termination  or  reduction  and the  amount  of any  partial
     reduction,  and  such  termination  or  reduction  of  the  Revolving  Loan
     Commitments  shall be  effective  on the date  specified in such notice and
     shall reduce the Revolving Loan Commitment,  as applicable,  of each Lender
     proportionately to its Pro Rata Share. Any such voluntary  reduction of the
     Revolving  Loan  Commitments  shall be applied as specified  in  subsection
     2.4C.

          (iii) Mandatory Prepayments and Mandatory Reductions of Revolving Loan
     Commitments.

     The Loans  shall be prepaid and the  Revolving  Loan  Commitments  shall be
reduced in the manner  provided in  subsection  2.4C upon the  occurrence of the
following circumstances:

               (a)  Prepayments  and Reductions  from Asset Sales. No later than
          the first Business Day following the date of receipt by Company or any
          of its Subsidiaries of the Cash Proceeds of any Asset Sale (other than
          any portion of such  proceeds  that is  reinvested  (or  scheduled for
          reinvestment)  in a  Qualified  Loan  Portfolio  and/or  assets of the
          general  type used in the  business  of Company  and its  Subsidiaries
          within 270 days from the date of receipt  of such  proceeds),  Company
          shall prepay the Loans (and/or the Revolving Loan Commitments shall be
          reduced)  in  the  amount  of  such  proceeds  not so  reinvested  (or
          scheduled  for  such  reinvestment);  provided,  that if the Net  Cash
          Proceeds of all such Asset Sales exceed $20,000,000 during Fiscal Year
          1998 or $15,000,000 in any Fiscal Year  thereafter,  then in each case
          the amount of such excess Net Cash Proceeds may not be reinvested  (or
          scheduled for  reinvestment);  provided further,  that if the Net Cash
          Proceeds of Asset Sales of businesses in any Fiscal Year exceed 10% of
          Consolidated  EBITDA for the preceding Fiscal Year, then the amount of
          such excess Net Cash Proceeds may not be reinvested  (or scheduled for
          reinvestment); and provided further, that Company may not reinvest (or
          schedule for  reinvestment)  Net Cash Proceeds upon the occurrence and
          during the  continuation  of an Event of Default.  Company  shall,  no
          later than 365 days after  receipt of any such Net Cash  Proceeds that
          have  not  theretofore  been  applied  to  the  Obligations,  make  an
          additional   prepayment  of  the  Loans  (and/or  the  Revolving  Loan
          Commitments  shall be reduced) in the full amount of all such proceeds
          that have not  therefore  been so  reinvested.  Concurrently  with any
          prepayment of the Loans and/or  reduction of the Commitments  pursuant
          to this  subsection  2.4B(iii)(a),  Company  shall  deliver  to  Chase
          Co-Administrative  Agent an Officer's  Certificate  demonstrating  the
          derivation of the Net Cash Proceeds of the correlative Asset Sale from
          the gross sales price thereof. In the event that Company shall, at any
          time after  receipt of Cash  Proceeds  of any Asset Sale  requiring  a
          prepayment or a reduction of the Revolving Loan  Commitments  pursuant
          to this subsection 2.4B(iii)(a), determine that the prepayments and/or
          reductions  of the  Revolving  Loan  Commitments  previously  made  in
          respect of such Asset Sale were in an aggregate  amount less than that
          required by the terms of this subsection  2.4B(iii)(a),  Company shall
          promptly  cause  to be  made an  additional  prepayment  of the  Loans
          (and/or  reduction in the  Revolving  Loan  Commitments)  in an amount
          equal  to  the  amount  of  any  such   deficit,   and  Company  shall
          concurrently   therewith  deliver  to   Co-Administrative   Agents  an
          Officer's  Certificate  demonstrating the derivation of the additional
          Net Cash Proceeds resulting in such deficit.

               (b)  Prepayments  and  Reductions  Due to Issuance of Debt. On or
          prior to the first Business Day after receipt by Company or any of its
          Subsidiaries of any proceeds of any Indebtedness (other than the Loans
          and any other Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement), Company shall
          prepay the Loans  (and/or  the  Revolving  Loan  Commitments  shall be
          reduced) in an amount equal to the amount of such  proceeds;  provided
          that  payment  or  acceptance  of the  amounts  provided  for in  this
          subsection  2.4B(iii)(b) shall not constitute a waiver of any Event of
          Default   resulting  from  the  incurrence  of  such  Indebtedness  or
          otherwise prejudice any rights or remedies of Agents or Lenders.

               (c)   Prepayments  and  Reductions  Due  to  Issuance  of  Equity
          Securities.  On or prior to the first  Business  Day after  receipt by
          Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  of any Equity  Proceeds,  Company
          shall prepay the Loans (and/or the Revolving Loan Commitments shall be
          reduced) in an amount  equal to such Equity  Proceeds;  provided  that
          such Equity  Proceeds shall not be applied to prepay Loans pursuant to
          this  subsection  if (1) such Equity  Proceeds were not derived from a
          public  offering of Securities  and (2) such Equity  Proceeds (y) are,
          upon receipt, designated for reinvestment in the businesses of Company
          and its  Subsidiaries and (z) are within 30 days of receipt thereof by
          Company or any of its  Subsidiaries,  reinvested in the  businesses of
          Company and its Subsidiaries.

               (d) Prepayments  and Reductions  from Insurance and  Condemnation
          Proceeds.  No later than the second Business Day following the date of
          receipt  by Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  of any cash  payments
          under any of the casualty  insurance  policies  covering  damage to or
          loss of property  maintained pursuant to subsection 6.4 resulting from
          damage to or loss of all or any portion of the Collateral or any other
          tangible asset (net of actual and documented reasonable costs incurred
          by Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  in connection  with adjustment
          and  settlement  thereof,   "INSURANCE   PROCEEDS")  or  any  proceeds
          resulting  from the taking of assets by the power of  eminent  domain,
          condemnation  or otherwise  (net of actual and  documented  reasonable
          costs  incurred by Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  in  connection
          with  adjustment  and  settlement  thereof,  "CONDEMNATION  PROCEEDS")
          (other than any portion of any such proceeds  that is  reinvested  (or
          scheduled for  reinvestment) in assets of the general type used in the
          business of Company and its Subsidiaries within 270 days from the date
          of receipt of such  proceeds),  Company shall prepay the Loans (and/or
          the Revolving Loan Commitments shall be reduced) in the amount of such
          proceeds  not so  reinvested  (or  scheduled  for such  reinvestment).
          Company  shall,  no  later  than 270 days  after  receipt  of any such
          Insurance Proceeds or Condemnation  Proceeds that have not theretofore
          been applied to the Obligations,  make an additional prepayment of the
          Loans (and/or the Revolving Loan Commitments  shall be reduced) in the
          full  amount  of all  such  proceeds  that  have  not  therefore  been
          reinvested in such assets.

               (e)  Prepayments  and Reductions  from  Consolidated  Excess Cash
          Flow. In the event that there shall be  Consolidated  Excess Cash Flow
          for any Fiscal Year  (commencing  with the Fiscal Year ending December
          31, 1998), Company shall, no later than 100 days after the end of such
          Fiscal Year,  prepay the Loans (and/or the Revolving Loan  Commitments
          shall  be  reduced)  in an  aggregate  amount  equal  to 50%  of  such
          Consolidated  Excess Cash Flow for such Fiscal Year; provided that, in
          the  event  that,  as of the  last day of any such  Fiscal  Year,  the
          Leverage  Ratio is less than  3.0:1.00,  then for such Fiscal Year the
          amount required to be prepaid pursuant to this subsection 2.4B(iii)(e)
          shall be  reduced  to 25% of  Consolidated  Excess  Cash Flow for such
          Fiscal Year.

               (f)  Prepayments  Due to Reductions or  Restrictions of Revolving
          Loan Commitments. Company shall prepay the Swing Line Loans and/or the
          Revolving Loans from time to time to the extent  necessary so that (y)
          the Total  Utilization of Revolving Loan Commitments  shall not at any
          time exceed the Revolving Loan Commitments then in effect, and (z) the
          aggregate  principal amount of all outstanding  Swing Line Loans shall
          not at any time exceed the Swing Line Loan  Commitment then in effect.
          All Swing Line Loans shall be prepaid in full prior to the  prepayment
          of any Revolving Loans pursuant to this subsection 2.4B(iii)(f).

     C.   APPLICATION OF PREPAYMENTS AND REDUCTIONS OF REVOLVING LOAN 
          COMMITMENTS.

          (i)  Application  of  Voluntary  Prepayments  by  Type of  Loans.  Any
     voluntary  prepayments  pursuant to  subsection  2.4B(i)  shall be applied:
     first to repay  outstanding  Swing Line Loans to the full  extent  thereof,
     second to repay outstanding Revolving Loans to the full extent thereof, and
     third, to repay outstanding Term Loans to the full extent thereof.

          (ii) Application of Mandatory Prepayments by Type of Loans. Any amount
     (the "APPLIED AMOUNT") required to be applied as a mandatory  prepayment of
     the Loans and/or a reduction of the Revolving Loan Commitments  pursuant to
     subsections  2.4B(iii)(a)-(e)  shall be  applied  first to prepay  the Term
     Loans to the full extent  thereof,  second,  to the extent of any remaining
     portion of the Applied  Amount,  to prepay the Swing Line Loans to the full
     extent thereof and to permanently  reduce the Revolving Loan Commitments by
     the  amount of such  prepayment,  third,  to the  extent  of any  remaining
     portion of the Applied  Amount,  to prepay the Revolving  Loans to the full
     extent  thereof  and to  further  permanently  reduce  the  Revolving  Loan
     Commitments by the amount of such prepayment,  and fourth, to the extent of
     any remaining portion of the Applied Amount, to further  permanently reduce
     the Revolving Loan Commitments to the full extent thereof.

          (iii)  Application  of  Prepayments  of Term  Loans to  Tranche A Term
     Loans,  Tranche B Term  Loans and  Tranche C Term  Loans and the  Scheduled
     Installments  of  Principal  Thereof.  Any  prepayments  of the Term  Loans
     pursuant to subsection  2.4B(i) or 2.4B(iii) shall be applied to prepay the
     Tranche A Term Loans, the Tranche B Term Loans and the Tranche C Term Loans
     on a pro rata basis in accordance with the respective outstanding principal
     amounts thereof.  Any mandatory  prepayments  applied to the Tranche A Term
     Loans,  the  Tranche B Term Loans or the  Tranche C Term Loans  pursuant to
     this  subsection  shall be applied on a pro rata basis (in accordance  with
     the respective  outstanding  principal  amounts  thereof) to each scheduled
     installment  of principal  of the Tranche A Term Loans,  the Tranche B Term
     Loans  or the  Tranche  C Term  Loans,  as the case  may be,  set  forth in
     subsection 2.4A(i), 2.4A(ii) or 2.4A(iii),  respectively, that is unpaid at
     the time of such prepayment.

          (iv) Application of Prepayments to Base Rate Loans and Eurodollar Rate
     Loans.  Considering Tranche A Term Loans,  Tranche B Term Loans,  Tranche C
     Term Loans and Revolving  Loans being prepaid  separately,  any  prepayment
     thereof  shall be  applied  first  to Base  Rate  Loans to the full  extent
     thereof  before  application  to Eurodollar  Rate Loans,  in each case in a
     manner which  minimizes  the amount of any payments  required to be made by
     Company pursuant to subsection 2.6D.

     D.   APPLICATION  OF PROCEEDS OF COLLATERAL  AND PAYMENTS  UNDER  
          SUBSIDIARY GUARANTY.

          (i)  Application  of  Proceeds  of  Collateral.  Except as provided in
     subsection  2.4B(iii)(a)  with respect to  prepayments  from Net Asset Sale
     Proceeds,  all proceeds received by Collateral Agent in respect of any sale
     of,  collection  from,  or  other  realization  upon all or any part of the
     Collateral  under  any  Collateral  Document  may,  in  the  discretion  of
     Collateral  Agent,  be held by Collateral  Agent as Collateral  for, and/or
     (then or at any time  thereafter)  applied in full or in part by Collateral
     Agent  against,  the  applicable  Secured  Obligations  (as defined in such
     Collateral Document) in the following order of priority:

               (a) To the  payment  of all  costs  and  expenses  of such  sale,
          collection  or  other   realization,   including  without   limitation
          reasonable  compensation  to  Collateral  Agent  and  its  agents  and
          counsel, and all other reasonable  expenses,  liabilities and advances
          made or incurred by Collateral Agent in connection therewith,  and all
          amounts for which  Collateral  Agent is  entitled  to  indemnification
          under such  Collateral  Document and all advances  made by  Collateral
          Agent  thereunder for the account of the applicable Loan Party, and to
          the payment of all  reasonable  costs and expenses paid or incurred by
          Collateral  Agent in  connection  with the  exercise  of any  right or
          remedy under such  Collateral  Document,  all in  accordance  with the
          terms of this Agreement and such Collateral Document;

               (b) thereafter, to the extent of any excess such proceeds, to the
          payment of all other such Secured  Obligations for the ratable benefit
          of the holders thereof; and

               (c) thereafter, to the extent of any excess such proceeds, to the
          payment to or upon the order of such Loan Party or to whosoever may be
          lawfully  entitled  to  receive  the same or as a court  of  competent
          jurisdiction may direct.

          (ii) Application of Payments Under Subsidiary  Guaranty.  All payments
     received by Collateral Agent under the Subsidiary Guaranty shall be applied
     promptly  from time to time by Collateral  Agent in the following  order of
     priority:

               (a) To the payment of the  reasonable  costs and  expenses of any
          collection  or  other  realization  under  the  Subsidiary   Guaranty,
          including  without  limitation  reasonable  compensation to Collateral
          Agent and its agents and counsel,  and all expenses,  liabilities  and
          advances made or incurred by Collateral Agent in connection therewith,
          all in accordance  with the terms of this Agreement and the Subsidiary
          Guaranty;

               (b) thereafter, to the extent of any excess such payments, to the
          payment  of  all  other  Guaranteed  Obligations  (as  defined  in the
          Subsidiary  Guaranty) for the ratable benefit of the holders  thereof;
          and

               (c) thereafter, to the extent of any excess such payments, to the
          payment to the applicable  Subsidiary Guarantor or to whosoever may be
          lawfully  entitled  to  receive  the same or as a court  of  competent
          jurisdiction may direct.

     E.    GENERAL PROVISIONS REGARDING PAYMENTS.

          (i) Manner and Time of Payment.  All payments by Company of principal,
     interest, fees and other Obligations hereunder and under the Notes shall be
     made in same day funds and without defense, setoff or counterclaim, free of
     any  restriction  or condition,  and  delivered to Chase  Co-Administrative
     Agent  not later  than  12:00  Noon (New York  time) on the date due at the
     Funding and Payment  Office for the account of Lenders;  funds  received by
     Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  after  that time on such due date shall be
     deemed to have been paid by Company on the next  succeeding  Business  Day.
     Company  hereby  authorizes  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent to charge  its
     accounts with such Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent in order to cause timely
     payment  to be made to  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  of all  principal,
     interest,  fees and expenses due  hereunder  (subject to  sufficient  funds
     being available in its accounts for that purpose).

          (ii)  Application  of Payments to Principal  and  Interest.  Except as
     provided in  subsection  2.2C,  all  payments  in respect of the  principal
     amount  of any Loan  shall  include  payment  of  accrued  interest  on the
     principal amount being repaid or prepaid, and all such payments (and in any
     event any payments  made in respect of any Loan on a date when  interest is
     due and payable  with respect to such Loan) shall be applied to the payment
     of interest before application to principal.

          (iii)  Apportionment  of Payments.  Aggregate  principal  and interest
     payments shall be  apportioned  among all  outstanding  Loans to which such
     payments relate, in each case  proportionately  to Lenders'  respective Pro
     Rata Shares.  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent shall promptly  distribute to
     each Lender, at its applicable  Lending Office specified on Schedule 2.1 or
     at such other address as such Lender may request, its Pro Rata Share of all
     such payments received by Chase  Co-Administrative Agent and the commitment
     fees of such Lender when received by Chase Co-Administrative Agent pursuant
     to  subsection  2.3.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing  provisions  of  this
     subsection 2.4E(iii) if, pursuant to the provisions of subsection 2.6C, any
     Notice of Conversion/Continuation is withdrawn as to any Affected Lender or
     if any Affected  Lender makes Base Rate Loans in lieu of its Pro Rata Share
     of any  Eurodollar  Rate Loans,  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent shall give
     effect thereto in apportioning payments received thereafter.

          (iv)  Payments  on  Business  Days.  Whenever  any  payment to be made
     hereunder  shall be stated to be due on a day that is not a  Business  Day,
     such  payment  shall be made on the next  succeeding  Business Day and such
     extension  of time shall be included in the  computation  of the payment of
     interest hereunder or of the commitment fees hereunder, as the case may be.

          (v) Notation of Payment.  Each Lender agrees that before  disposing of
     any  Note  held  by  it,  or any  part  thereof  (other  than  by  granting
     participations  therein),  that Lender will make a notation  thereon of all
     Loans  evidenced by that Note and all principal  payments  previously  made
     thereon and of the date to which interest  thereon has been paid;  provided
     that the  failure to make (or any error in the making of) a notation of any
     Loan  made  under  such  Note  shall  not  limit or  otherwise  affect  the
     obligations  of Company  hereunder  or under such Note with  respect to any
     Loan or any payments of principal or interest on such Note.

2.5  USE OF PROCEEDS.

     A.  TRANCHE A TERM LOANS AND  TRANCHE B TERM  LOANS.  The  proceeds  of the
Tranche A Term Loans and the  Tranche B Term Loans  were  applied in  accordance
with the  provisions of the Original  Credit  Agreement and the Existing  Credit
Agreement.

     B. TRANCHE C TERM LOANS.  The proceeds of the Tranche C Term Loans shall be
applied by Company (a) on the date of the initial  funding of the Tranche C Term
Loans  (x)  to  repay  Existing   Revolving   Loans  and  (y)  to  make  capital
contributions  and/or  loans to Merger  Sub,  which will  utilize  the  proceeds
thereof to pay for Tendered  Union Shares and to pay costs and expenses  arising
from  the  Tender  Offer  and  related  transactions  and  (b)  in the  case  of
Delayed-Draw  Term Loans,  to make cash  payments to the holders of Union Common
Stock pursuant to the Union Merger Agreement.

     C. REVOLVING LOANS; SWING LINE LOANS.  Revolving Loans and Swing Line Loans
in an aggregate amount not to exceed  $10,000,000 at any time outstanding may be
used to finance the general corporate  purposes of Company and its Subsidiaries.
Revolving  Loans and Swing  Line  Loans in an  additional  amount  not to exceed
$48,000,000 at any time  outstanding may be used to finance  expenditures  which
are included in the definition of Consolidated  Capital  Expenditures;  provided
that Revolving  Loans and Swing Line Loans in an aggregate  amount not to exceed
$58,000,000 at any time outstanding may be used to finance such  acquisitions if
at all times such additional amount of Revolving Loans is outstanding the sum of
(i) unrestricted  Cash and Cash Equivalents on the balance sheet of Company plus
(ii) the excess of the Revolving Loan Commitments over the Total  Utilization of
Revolving Loan Commitments equals or exceeds $10,000,000.

     D. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS.  Company hereby  undertakes that no portion of the
proceeds of any Loans or other  extensions of credit under this Agreement  shall
be used by any Loan Party in any manner which would be illegal  under,  or which
would  cause the  invalidity  or  unenforceability  (in each case in whole or in
part) of any Loan Document under, any applicable law.

     E. MARGIN  REGULATIONS.  Without limiting the generality of subsection 2.5,
no portion of the proceeds of any borrowing  under this Agreement  shall be used
by  Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  in any  manner  that  might  cause the
borrowing  or  the  application  of  such  proceeds  to  violate  Regulation  G,
Regulation  U,  Regulation  T or  Regulation  X of the Board of Governors of the
Federal  Reserve System or any other  regulation of such Board or to violate the
Exchange  Act, in each case as in effect on the date or dates of such  borrowing
and such use of proceeds.

2.6  SPECIAL PROVISIONS GOVERNING EURODOLLAR RATE LOANS.

     Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary,  the
following  provisions  shall govern with respect to Eurodollar  Rate Loans as to
the matters covered:

          A.  DETERMINATION OF APPLICABLE  INTEREST RATE. As soon as practicable
     after 11:00 A.M. (New York time) on each Interest Rate Determination  Date,
     Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent shall determine (which determination shall,
     absent manifest  error, be final,  conclusive and binding upon all parties)
     the interest rate that shall apply to the  Eurodollar  Rate Loans for which
     an  interest  rate is then being  determined  for the  applicable  Interest
     Period and shall  promptly give notice  thereof (in writing or by telephone
     confirmed in writing) to Company and each Lender.

          B.  INABILITY TO DETERMINE APPLICABLE INTEREST RATE. In the event that
     Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  shall have  reasonably  determined  (which
     determination  shall be final and  conclusive  and binding upon all parties
     hereto),  on any  Interest  Rate  Determination  Date with  respect  to any
     Eurodollar Rate Loans,  that by reason of  circumstances  arising after the
     date of this Agreement affecting the London interbank market,  adequate and
     fair means do not exist for  ascertaining  the interest rate  applicable to
     such  Loans  on  the  basis  provided  for in the  definition  of  Adjusted
     Eurodollar  Rate  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  shall on such  date give
     notice (by  telecopy or by  telephone  confirmed in writing) to Company and
     each Lender of such  determination,  whereupon (i) no Loans may be made as,
     or  converted  to,  Eurodollar  Rate  Loans,   until  such  time  as  Chase
     Co-Administrative Agent notifies Company and Lenders that the circumstances
     giving rise to such notice no longer  exist  (such  notification  not to be
     unreasonably  withheld  or  delayed)  and (ii) any Notice of  Borrowing  or
     Notice of  Conversion/Continuation  given by  Company  with  respect to the
     Loans in respect of which such determination was made shall be deemed to be
     rescinded by Company.

          C.  ILLEGALITY OR  IMPRACTICABILITY  OF EURODOLLAR  RATE LOANS. In the
     event that on any date any Lender shall have reasonably  determined  (which
     determination  shall be final and  conclusive  and binding upon all parties
     hereto but shall be made only after  consultation  with  Company  and Chase
     Co-Administrative  Agent) that the making,  maintaining or  continuation of
     its Eurodollar Rate Loans (i) has become unlawful as a result of compliance
     by such  Lender in good  faith  with any law,  treaty,  governmental  rule,
     regulation,  guideline  or order (or would  conflict  with any such treaty,
     governmental rule,  regulation,  guideline or order not having the force of
     law even though the failure to comply  therewith  would not be unlawful) or
     (ii)  has  become  impracticable,  or  would  cause  such  Lender  material
     hardship,  as a result of  contingencies  occurring  after the date of this
     Agreement  which  materially  and  adversely  affect the  London  interbank
     market,  then,  and in any such event,  such Lender  shall be an  "AFFECTED
     LENDER" and it shall on that day give notice (by  telecopy or by  telephone
     confirmed in writing) to Company and Chase  Co-Administrative Agent of such
     determination  (which notice Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent shall promptly
     transmit  to each  other  Lender).  Thereafter  (a) the  obligation  of the
     Affected  Lender to make Loans as, or to convert Loans to,  Eurodollar Rate
     Loans,  shall be  suspended  until such notice  shall be  withdrawn  by the
     Affected  Lender,  (b) to the extent  such  determination  by the  Affected
     Lender  relates to a Eurodollar  Rate Loan then being  requested by Company
     pursuant to a Notice of Borrowing  or a Notice of  Conversion/Continuation,
     the  Affected  Lender  shall make such Loan as (or convert such Loan to, as
     the case may be) a Base Rate Loan, (c) the Affected Lender's  obligation to
     maintain its  outstanding  Eurodollar  Rate Loans,  as the case may be (the
     "AFFECTED  LOANS"),  shall be  terminated  at the  earlier  to occur of the
     expiration  of the  Interest  Period  then in effect  with  respect  to the
     Affected  Loans or when  required by law, and (d) the Affected  Loans shall
     automatically convert into Base Rate Loans on the date of such termination.
     Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent a determination by an Affected
     Lender as  described  above  relates to a  Eurodollar  Rate Loan then being
     requested  by  Company  pursuant  to a Notice of  Borrowing  or a Notice of
     Conversion/Continuation,  Company  shall  have the  option,  subject to the
     provisions  of  subsection  2.6D,  to rescind  such Notice of  Borrowing or
     Notice of  Conversion/Continuation  as to all Lenders by giving  notice (by
     telecopy or by telephone  confirmed in writing) to Chase  Co-Administrative
     Agent of such  rescission  on the date on which the  Affected  Lender gives
     notice of its  determination as described above (which notice of rescission
     Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  shall  promptly  transmit  to  each  other
     Lender). Except as provided in the immediately preceding sentence,  nothing
     in this  subsection  2.6C shall affect the  obligation  of any Lender other
     than an Affected  Lender to make or maintain  Loans as, or to convert Loans
     to, Eurodollar Rate Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

          D. COMPENSATION FOR BREAKAGE OR  NON-COMMENCEMENT OF INTEREST PERIODS.
     Company shall  compensate each Lender,  upon written request by that Lender
     (which request shall set forth the basis for requesting such amounts),  for
     all  reasonable  losses,  expenses  and  liabilities  (including,   without
     limitation,  any interest paid by that Lender to lenders of funds  borrowed
     by it to make or carry its Eurodollar  Rate Loans and any loss,  expense or
     liability  sustained by that Lender in connection  with the  liquidation or
     re-employment of such funds) which that Lender may sustain:  (i) if for any
     reason (other than a default by that Lender) a borrowing of any  Eurodollar
     Rate  Loan  does not  occur on a date  specified  therefor  in a Notice  of
     Borrowing  or a telephonic  request for  borrowing,  or a conversion  to or
     continuation of any Eurodollar Rate Loan does not occur on a date specified
     therefor in a Notice of Conversion/Continuation or a telephonic request for
     conversion  or  continuation,  (ii) if any  prepayment  (including  without
     limitation any prepayment  pursuant to subsection 2.4B(i)) or conversion of
     any of its Eurodollar  Rate Loans occurs on a date that is not the last day
     of an Interest Period  applicable to that Loan,  (iii) if any prepayment of
     any of its  Eurodollar  Rate Loans is not made on any date  specified  in a
     notice of  prepayment  given by Company,  or (iv) as a  consequence  of any
     other default by Company in the repayment of its Eurodollar Rate Loans when
     required by the terms of this Agreement.

          E. BOOKING OF  EURODOLLAR  RATE LOANS.  Any Lender may make,  carry or
     transfer  Eurodollar  Rate Loans at,  to, or for the  account of any of its
     branch offices or the office of an Affiliate of that Lender.

          F.   ASSUMPTIONS   CONCERNING   FUNDING  OF  EURODOLLAR   RATE  LOANS.
     Calculation  of all amounts  payable to a Lender under this  subsection 2.6
     and under  subsection 2.7A shall be made as though that Lender had actually
     funded each of its relevant Eurodollar Rate Loans through the purchase of a
     Eurodollar deposit bearing interest at the rate obtained pursuant to clause
     (i) of the definition of Adjusted Eurodollar Rate in an amount equal to the
     amount of such Eurodollar Rate Loan and having a maturity comparable to the
     relevant  Interest  Period and  through  the  transfer  of such  Eurodollar
     deposit from an offshore office of that Lender to a domestic office of that
     Lender in the United States of America; provided, however, that each Lender
     may fund each of its  Eurodollar  Rate  Loans in any manner it sees fit and
     the  foregoing  assumptions  shall be  utilized  only for the  purposes  of
     calculating  amounts payable under this subsection 2.6 and under subsection
     2.7A.

          G.  EURODOLLAR  RATE LOANS AFTER DEFAULT.  After the occurrence of and
     during  the  continuation  of a  Potential  Event of Default or an Event of
     Default, (i) Company may not elect to have a Loan be made or maintained as,
     or  converted  to, a  Eurodollar  Rate  Loan  after the  expiration  of any
     Interest  Period  then in  effect  for that  Loan and (ii)  subject  to the
     provisions  of  subsection  2.6D,  any  Notice  of  Borrowing  or Notice of
     Conversion/Continuation  given  by  Company  with  respect  to a  requested
     borrowing or  conversion/continuation  that has not yet  occurred  shall be
     deemed to be rescinded by Company.

2.7  INCREASED COSTS; TAXES; CAPITAL ADEQUACY.

     A. COMPENSATION FOR INCREASED COSTS AND TAXES. Subject to the provisions of
subsection 2.7B (which shall be controlling  with respect to the matters covered
thereby),  in the event that any law, treaty or governmental rule, regulation or
order,  or any  change  therein  or in  the  interpretation,  administration  or
application  thereof  (including  the  introduction  of any new law,  treaty  or
governmental  rule,  regulation or order),  or any  determination  of a court or
governmental  authority,  in each case that becomes  effective after the Closing
Date,  or  compliance  by such Lender with any  guideline,  request or directive
issued or made after the Closing Date by any central bank or other  governmental
or quasi-governmental authority (whether or not having the force of law):

          (i)  results in a change in the basis of  taxation  of such Lender (or
     its applicable lending office) (other than a change with respect to any Tax
     on the overall net income of such Lender) with respect to this Agreement or
     any of its  obligations  hereunder  or any  payments to such Lender (or its
     applicable lending office) of principal, interest, fees or any other amount
     payable hereunder;

          (ii) imposes,  modifies or holds  applicable  any reserve  (including,
     without limitation, any marginal, emergency, supplemental, special or other
     reserve),  special  deposit,  compulsory  loan,  FDIC  insurance or similar
     requirement  against assets held by, or deposits or other liabilities in or
     for the account of, or advances or loans by, or other  credit  extended by,
     or any other acquisition of funds by, any office of such Lender (other than
     any such  reserve or other  requirements  with respect to  Eurodollar  Rate
     Loans that are reflected in the definition of Adjusted Eurodollar Rate; or

          (iii)  imposes any other  condition  (other than with respect to a Tax
     matter) on or affecting such Lender (or its applicable  lending  office) or
     its obligations hereunder, or the London interbank market;

and the result of any of the foregoing is to increase the cost to such Lender of
agreeing to make,  making or maintaining  Eurodollar  Rate Loans hereunder or to
reduce any amount  received  or  receivable  by such  Lender (or its  applicable
lending  office)  with respect  thereto;  then,  in any such case,  Lender shall
promptly  notify Company and Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent thereof and Company
shall promptly pay to such Lender,  upon receipt of the statement referred to in
the  next  sentence,  such  additional  amount  or  amounts  (in the  form of an
increased rate of, or a different  method of calculating,  interest or otherwise
as such Lender shall  reasonably  determine)  as may be necessary to  compensate
such Lender for any such  increased  cost or  reduction  in amounts  received or
receivable hereunder. Such Lender shall deliver to Company (with a copy to Chase
Co-Administrative Agent) a written statement, setting forth in reasonable detail
the basis for calculating the additional  amounts owed to such Lender under this
subsection  2.7A,  which  statement  shall  be  prima  facie  evidence  of  such
additional amounts.

     B.       WITHHOLDING OF TAXES.

          (i) Payments to Be Free and Clear.  All sums payable by Company  under
     this  Agreement  and the other Loan  Documents  shall (except to the extent
     required by law) be paid free and clear of, and without  any  deduction  or
     withholding  on account  of, any Tax (other  than a Tax on the  overall net
     income of any Lender) imposed, levied,  collected,  withheld or assessed by
     or within the United States of America or any political  subdivision  in or
     of the  United  States of America  or any other  jurisdiction  from which a
     payment is made by or on behalf of Company.

          (ii)  Withholding of Taxes. If Company or any other Person is required
     by law to make any deduction or withholding on account of any such Tax from
     any sum paid or payable by Company to Chase  Co-Administrative Agent or any
     Lender under any of the Loan Documents:

               (a) Company  shall  notify Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent of any
          such  requirement  or any  change in any such  requirement  as soon as
          Company becomes aware of it;

               (b)  Company  shall  pay any  such Tax  before  the date on which
          penalties attach thereto, such payment to be made (if the liability to
          pay is imposed on Company)  for its own account or (if that  liability
          is imposed on Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent or such  Lender,  as the
          case may be) on behalf  of and in the name of Chase  Co-Administrative
          Agent or such Lender;

               (c) the sum  payable by Company in respect of which the  relevant
          deduction,  withholding  or payment is required  shall be increased to
          the  extent  necessary  to  ensure  that,  after  the  making  of that
          deduction,  withholding or payment, Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent or
          such  Lender,  as the case may be,  receives on the due date a net sum
          equal  to  what  it  would  have  received  had  no  such   deduction,
          withholding or payment been required or made; and

               (d) within 30 days after paying any sum from which it is required
          by law to make any deduction or withholding,  and within 30 days after
          the due date of payment of any Tax which it is  required by clause (b)
          above to pay, Company shall deliver to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent
          evidence  of  such  deduction,  withholding  or  payment  and  of  the
          remittance thereof to the relevant taxing or other authority;

provided  that no such  additional  amount  shall be  required to be paid to any
Lender  under  clause (c) above  except to the extent that any change  after the
Closing Date (in the case of each Existing Lender), after the Effective Date (in
the  case of each New  Lender)  or after  the date of the  Assignment  Agreement
pursuant to which such Lender became a Lender (in the case of each other Lender)
in any such requirement for a deduction,  withholding or payment as is mentioned
therein shall result in an increase in the rate of such  deduction,  withholding
or payment  from that in effect at the date of this  Agreement or at the date of
such  Assignment  Agreement,  as the case may be, in respect of payments to such
Lender.

          (iii)    Evidence of Exemption from U.S. Withholding Tax.

               (a)  Each  Lender  that  is  organized  under  the  laws  of  any
          jurisdiction  other  than  the  United  States  or any  state or other
          political   subdivision  thereof  (for  purposes  of  this  subsection
          2.7B(iii),    a   "Non-U.S.    Lender")   shall   deliver   to   Chase
          Co-Administrative  Agent for  transmission to Company,  on or prior to
          the Closing Date (in the case of each Existing Lender), on or prior to
          the Effective  Date (in the case of each New Lender) or on or prior to
          the date of the  Assignment  Agreement  pursuant to which it becomes a
          Lender (in the case of each other Lender),  and at such other times as
          may  be   necessary   in  the   determination   of  Company  or  Chase
          Co-Administrative  Agent  (each  in  the  reasonable  exercise  of its
          discretion),  (1) two original copies of Internal Revenue Service Form
          1001 or 4224 (or any successor forms),  accurately  completed and duly
          executed  by such  Lender,  together  with any  other  certificate  or
          statement of exemption required under the Internal Revenue Code or the
          regulations  issued  thereunder  to establish  that such Lender is not
          subject to deduction or  withholding  of United States  federal income
          tax  with  respect  to any  payments  to  such  Lender  of  principal,
          interest,  fees  or  other  amounts  payable  under  any of  the  Loan
          Documents  or (2) if such  Lender  is not a  "bank"  or  other  Person
          described in Section 881(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and cannot
          deliver  either  Internal  Revenue  Service  Form 1001 or 4224 (or any
          successor  forms)  pursuant  to clause (1)  above,  a  Certificate  re
          Non-Bank Status together with two original copies of Internal  Revenue
          Service Form W-8 (or any successor form),  properly completed and duly
          executed  by such  Lender,  together  with any  other  certificate  or
          statement of exemption required under the Internal Revenue Code or the
          regulations  issued  thereunder  to establish  that such Lender is not
          subject to deduction or  withholding  of United States  federal income
          tax with  respect to any  payments to such Lender of interest  payable
          under any of the Loan Documents.

               (b) Each Lender  required to deliver any forms,  certificates  or
          other  evidence  with  respect  to United  States  federal  income tax
          withholding matters pursuant to subsection 2.7B(iii)(a) hereby agrees,
          from time to time after the  initial  delivery  by such Lender of such
          forms,  certificates  or other  evidence,  whenever a lapse in time or
          change in  circumstances  renders  such forms,  certificates  or other
          evidence obsolete or inaccurate in any material  respect,  such Lender
          shall (1) deliver to Chase Co-Administrative Agent for transmission to
          Company two new original copies of Internal  Revenue Service Form 1001
          or 4224 (or any successor  forms), or a Certificate re Non-Bank Status
          and two original  copies of Internal  Revenue Service Form W-8 (or any
          successor  form),  as the case may be,  accurately  completed and duly
          executed  by such  Lender,  together  with any  other  certificate  or
          statement of exemption  required in order to confirm or establish that
          such  Lender is not  subject to  deduction  or  withholding  of United
          States  federal  income tax with  respect to  payments  to such Lender
          under   the  Loan   Documents   or  (2)   immediately   notify   Chase
          Co-Administrative  Agent and Company of its  inability  to deliver any
          such forms, certificates or other evidence.

               (c) Company shall not be required to pay any additional amount to
          any Non-U.S. Lender under clause (c) of subsection 2.7B(ii) in respect
          of deductions or withholdings of United States federal income taxes if
          such  Lender  shall  have  failed  to  satisfy  the   requirements  of
          subsection 2.7B(iii)(a) or 2.7B(iii)(b);  provided that if such Lender
          shall have  satisfied  such  requirements  on the Closing Date (in the
          case of each Existing  Lender),  on the Effective Date (in the case of
          each New Lender) or on the date of the Assignment  Agreement  pursuant
          to which  it  became a  Lender  (in the  case of each  other  Lender),
          nothing in this subsection  2.7B(iii)(c)  shall relieve Company of its
          obligation  to pay any  additional  amounts  pursuant to clause (c) of
          subsection 2.7B(ii) in the event that, as a result of any change after
          the Closing Date in any applicable law,  treaty or governmental  rule,
          regulation   or  order,   or  any   change   in  the   interpretation,
          administration  or  application  thereof,  such  Lender  is no  longer
          properly entitled to deliver forms,  certificates or other evidence at
          a  subsequent  date  establishing  the fact  that  such  Lender is not
          subject to  withholding  as described in  subsection  2.7B(iii)(a)  or
          2.7B(iii)(b).

     C. CAPITAL  ADEQUACY  ADJUSTMENT.  If any Lender shall have determined that
the adoption, effectiveness, phase-in or applicability after the Closing Date of
any  law,  rule or  regulation  (or any  provision  thereof)  regarding  capital
adequacy,  or any change  therein  or in the  interpretation  or  administration
thereof by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, any governmental
authority,  central bank or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or
administration  thereof,  or compliance by any Lender (or its applicable lending
office) with any  guideline,  request or directive  regarding  capital  adequacy
(whether  or not  having  the  force  of law)  of the  National  Association  of
Insurance  Commissioners,  any  such  governmental  authority,  central  bank or
comparable  agency,  has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return
on the capital of such Lender or any  corporation  controlling  such Lender as a
consequence  of, or with  reference to, such Lender's  Loans or  Commitments  or
Letters of Credit or participations  therein or other obligations hereunder with
respect to the Loans or the  Letters of Credit to a level  below that which such
Lender reasonably  determines such Lender or such controlling  corporation could
have achieved but for such  adoption,  effectiveness,  phase-in,  applicability,
change or compliance  (taking into  consideration the policies of such Lender or
such controlling corporation with regard to capital adequacy), then from time to
time,  within fifteen Business Days after receipt by Company from such Lender of
the statement referred to in the next sentence, Company shall pay to such Lender
such  additional  amount  or  amounts  as will  compensate  such  Lender or such
controlling  corporation on an after-tax basis for such  reduction.  Such Lender
shall  deliver  to  Company  (with a copy to  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent) a
written  statement,  setting  forth  in  reasonable  detail  the  basis  of  the
calculation of such additional amounts,  which statement shall be conclusive and
binding upon all parties hereto absent manifest error.

     D.  SUBSTITUTE  LENDERS.  In  the  event  Company  is  required  under  the
provisions of this  subsection 2.7 to make payments in a material  amount to any
Lender or in the event any Lender  fails to lend to Company in  accordance  with
this  Agreement,  Company may, so long as no Event of Default or Potential Event
of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, elect to terminate such Lender
as a party to this Agreement; provided that, concurrently with such termination,
(i) Company  shall pay that Lender all  principal,  interest  and fees and other
amounts  (including  without  limitation   amounts,  if  any,  owed  under  this
subsection  2.7)  due to be paid to such  Lender  with  respect  to all  periods
through  such  date  of   termination,   (ii)  another   financial   institution
satisfactory  to Company  and  Co-Administrative  Agents  (or,  in the case of a
Co-Administrative Agent that is also the Lender to be terminated,  its successor
Co-Administrative  Agent) shall agree,  as of such date,  to become a Lender for
all purposes  under this  Agreement  (whether by assignment or amendment) and to
assume all obligations of the Lender to be terminated as of such date, and (iii)
all  documents  and  supporting   materials   necessary,   in  the  judgment  of
Co-Administrative  Agents (or, in the case of a Co-Administrative  Agent that is
also the Lender to be  terminated,  its  successor  Co-Administrative  Agent) to
evidence the  substitution  of such Lender shall have been received and approved
by Co-Administrative Agents as of such date.

2.8  OBLIGATION OF LENDERS AND ISSUING LENDERS TO MITIGATE.

     Each Lender and Issuing  Lender  agrees  that,  as promptly as  practicable
after the officer of such Lender or Issuing Lender responsible for administering
the Loans or Letters of Credit of such Lender or Issuing Lender, as the case may
be,  becomes aware of the occurrence of an event or the existence of a condition
that would cause such Lender to become an Affected  Lender or that would entitle
such  Lender or  Issuing  Lender to receive  payments  under  subsection  2.7 or
subsection  3.6,  it will,  to the extent  not  inconsistent  with the  internal
policies of such Lender or Issuing Lender and any applicable legal or regulatory
restrictions,  use reasonable  efforts (i) to make,  issue, fund or maintain the
Commitments  of such Lender or the  affected  Loans or Letters of Credit of such
Lender or Issuing Lender through  another  lending or letter of credit office of
such Lender or Issuing  Lender,  or (ii) take such other measures as such Lender
or Issuing Lender may deem reasonable,  if as a result thereof the circumstances
which would cause such Lender to be an Affected  Lender  would cease to exist or
the  additional  amounts  which would  otherwise  be required to be paid to such
Lender or Issuing  Lender  pursuant to subsection 2.7 or subsection 3.6 would be
materially reduced and if, as determined by such Lender or Issuing Lender in its
sole discretion, the making, issuing, funding or maintaining of such Commitments
or Loans or Letters  of Credit  through  such other  lending or letter of credit
office or in accordance with such other measures,  as the case may be, would not
otherwise  materially  adversely  affect such Commitments or Loans or Letters of
Credit or the  interests of such Lender or Issuing  Lender;  provided  that such
Lender or Issuing  Lender will not be obligated to utilize such other lending or
letter of credit office pursuant to this subsection 2.8 unless Company agrees to
pay all  incremental  expenses  incurred by such  Lender or Issuing  Lender as a
result of utilizing such other lending or letter of credit office. A certificate
as to the  amount of any such  expenses  payable  by  Company  pursuant  to this
subsection 2.8 (setting forth in reasonable detail the basis for requesting such
amount)  submitted by such Lender or Issuing  Lender to Company  (with a copy to
Chase Co-Administrative Agent) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.


                                   SECTION 3.
                                LETTERS OF CREDIT

3.1  ISSUANCE OF LETTERS OF CREDIT AND LENDERS' PURCHASE OF PARTICIPATIONS 
     THEREIN.

     A. LETTERS OF CREDIT.  Company  acknowledges and confirms that Schedule 3.1
annexed hereto sets forth each letter of credit issued under the Existing Credit
Agreement (collectively, the "EXISTING LETTERS OF CREDIT") and outstanding as of
the Effective Date. Company hereby represents,  warrants,  agrees, covenants and
(a) reaffirms  that it has no (and it  permanently  and  irrevocably  waives and
releases  Agents and Lenders from any, to the extent  arising on or prior to the
Effective  Date) defense,  set off, claim or  counterclaim  against any Agent or
Lender in regard to its  Obligations  in  respect  of such  Existing  Letters of
Credit and (b) reaffirms its  obligation  to reimburse  the  applicable  Issuing
Lenders for honored drawings under such Existing Letters of Credit in accordance
with the terms and  conditions of this  Agreement  and the other Loan  Documents
applicable to Letters of Credit issued hereunder.  Based on the foregoing,  each
Lender agrees that (1) each Existing  Letter of Credit which is a Standby Letter
of Credit shall,  as of the  Effective  Date, be deemed for all purposes of this
Agreement  to be a  Standby  Letter  of Credit  issued  hereunder,  and (2) each
Existing  Letter of Credit which is a Commercial  Letter of Credit shall,  as of
the  Effective  Date,  be deemed  for all  purposes  of this  Agreement  to be a
Commercial Letter of Credit issued hereunder. Company also acknowledges that set
forth on  Schedule  3.1 are certain  letters of credit  (the  "UNION  LETTERS OF
CREDIT")  issued  by  BankBoston,  N.A.  for the  account  of Union  and/or  its
Subsidiaries  which are  outstanding  as of the Effective  Date.  Company hereby
requests,  and the Lenders  hereby  agree that,  from and after the Union Merger
Date such letters of credit  shall be deemed to be Letters of Credit  issued and
outstanding  under  this  Agreement  from and after the  Union  Effective  Date;
provided  that, the Company hereby  releases  Agents and Lenders,  to the extent
arising  prior to the Union Merger  Date,  from any  defense,  setoff,  claim or
counterclaim  against Agent or Lender in regard to its Obligations in respect of
such Letters of Credit.  In addition to the foregoing and in addition to Company
requesting that Lenders make Revolving  Loans pursuant to subsection  2.1A(iii),
and that  Swing  Line  Lender  make Swing  Line  Loans  pursuant  to  subsection
2.1A(iv),  Company  may  request,  in  accordance  with the  provisions  of this
subsection  3.1, from time to time during the period from the Effective  Date to
but excluding the Revolving Loan Commitment  Termination  Date, that one or more
Lenders  issue  Letters of Credit for the  account of Company  for the  purposes
specified in the definitions of Commercial Letters of Credit and Standby Letters
of Credit. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and in reliance
upon the  representations and warranties of Company herein set forth, any one or
more Lenders may, but (except as provided in subsection  3.1B(ii))  shall not be
obligated to, issue such Letters of Credit in accordance  with the provisions of
this  subsection  3.1;  provided  that Company shall not request that any Lender
issue (and no Lender shall issue):

          (i) any Letter of Credit if, after giving effect to such issuance, the
     Total  Utilization of Revolving Loan Commitments would exceed the Revolving
     Loan Commitments then in effect;

          (ii) any Letter of Credit if,  after giving  effect to such  issuance,
     the Letter of Credit Usage would exceed $15,000,000;

          (iii) any Standby  Letter of Credit  having an  expiration  date later
     than the earlier of (a) the Revolving Loan Commitment  Termination Date and
     (b) the date which is one year from the date of  issuance  of such  Standby
     Letter of Credit;  provided that the immediately preceding clause (b) shall
     not prevent  any Issuing  Lender  from  agreeing  that a Standby  Letter of
     Credit will  automatically  be extended for one or more successive  periods
     not to exceed one year each unless such Issuing Lender elects not to extend
     for any such additional  period;  provided  further that,  unless Requisite
     Lenders  otherwise  consent,  such Issuing Lender shall give notice that it
     will not extend such Standby  Letter of Credit if it has knowledge  that an
     Event of Default has  occurred and is  continuing  on the last day on which
     such  Issuing  Lender may give notice to the  beneficiary  that it will not
     extend such Standby Letter of Credit;

          (iv) any  Commercial  Letter of Credit (a) having an  expiration  date
     later  than  the  earlier  of (X) 30  days  prior  to  the  Revolving  Loan
     Commitment  Termination  Date and (Y) the date  which is 180 days  from the
     date of  issuance  of such  Commercial  Letter  of  Credit  or (b)  that is
     otherwise  unacceptable to the applicable  Issuing Lender in its reasonable
     discretion;

          (v) any Letter of Credit denominated in a currency other than Dollars;
     or

          (vi) any  Letter of Credit  during any  period  when a Lender  Default
     exists,   unless  each  Issuing   Lender  has  entered  into   arrangements
     satisfactory to it and Company to eliminate such Issuing Lender's risk with
     respect to the Defaulting Lender,  including by cash  collateralizing  such
     Defaulting  Lender's  Pro Rata Share of the Letter of Credit  Usage  (after
     giving effect to the issuance of the proposed Letter of Credit).

     B.       MECHANICS OF ISSUANCE.

          (i) Notice of  Issuance.  Whenever  Company  desires the issuance of a
     Letter of Credit, it shall deliver to Chase Co-Administrative Agent, at the
     Funding  and  Payment  Office,  a Notice of Issuance of Letter of Credit no
     later than 12:00 Noon (New York time) at least five Business  Days, or such
     shorter  period as may be agreed to by the Issuing Lender in any particular
     instance,  in  advance  of the  proposed  date of  issuance.  The Notice of
     Issuance  of  Letter of  Credit  shall  specify  (a) the  proposed  date of
     issuance (which shall be a Business Day), (b) the face amount of or maximum
     aggregate  liability  under, as applicable,  the Letter of Credit,  (c) the
     expiration  date of the Letter of Credit,  (d) the name and  address of the
     beneficiary,  and (e) the verbatim text of the proposed Letter of Credit or
     the proposed terms and conditions thereof,  including a precise description
     of any documents and the verbatim text of any  certificates to be presented
     by the  beneficiary  which,  if presented by the  beneficiary  prior to the
     expiration  date of the Letter of Credit,  would require the Issuing Lender
     to make  payment  under the Letter of  Credit;  provided  that the  Issuing
     Lender,  in its reasonable  discretion,  may require changes in the text of
     the  proposed  Letter  of  Credit or any such  documents  or  certificates;
     provided  further that no Letter of Credit shall require  payment against a
     conforming  draft or other request for payment to be made thereunder on the
     same business day (under the laws of the  jurisdiction  in which the office
     of the Issuing  Lender to which such draft or other  request for payment is
     required to be presented is located)  that such draft or other  request for
     payment is presented if such  presentation is made after 10:00 A.M. (in the
     time zone of such office of the Issuing Lender) on such business day.

          Company  shall  notify  the  applicable   Issuing  Lender  (and  Chase
     Co-Administrative  Agent,  if  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  is not such
     Issuing  Lender) prior to the issuance of any Letter of Credit in the event
     that any of the  matters  to which  Company is  required  to certify in the
     applicable  Notice of  Issuance  of Letter of Credit is no longer  true and
     correct as of the proposed  date of issuance of such Letter of Credit,  and
     upon the issuance of any Letter of Credit,  Company shall be deemed to have
     re-certified,  as of the date of such issuance,  as to the matters to which
     Company is  required  to certify in the  applicable  Notice of  Issuance of
     Letter of Credit.

          (ii)   Determination   of  Issuing  Lender.   Upon  receipt  by  Chase
     Co-Administrative  Agent  of a Notice  of  Issuance  of  Letter  of  Credit
     pursuant  to  subsection  3.1B(i)  requesting  the  issuance of a Letter of
     Credit,  in the event Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  elects to issue such
     Letter of Credit,  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent shall promptly so notify
     Company, and such Chase Co-Administrative Agent shall be the Issuing Lender
     with respect thereto. In the event that Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent, in
     its sole  discretion,  elects  not to issue such  Letter of  Credit,  Chase
     Co-Administrative  Agent shall  promptly so notify the  Company,  whereupon
     Company  may  request  any other  Lender to issue such  Letter of Credit by
     delivering  to such Lender a copy of the  applicable  Notice of Issuance of
     Letter of Credit.  Any Lender so  requested  to issue such Letter of Credit
     shall promptly notify Company and Chase  Co-Administrative Agent whether or
     not, in its sole discretion, it has elected to issue such Letter of Credit,
     and any such Lender which so elects to issue such Letter of Credit shall be
     the  Issuing  Lender  with  respect  thereto.  In the event  that all other
     Lenders shall have declined to issue such Letter of Credit, notwithstanding
     the prior  election  of Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  not to issue  such
     Letter of Credit, Chase Co-Administrative Agent shall be obligated to issue
     such Letter of Credit and shall be the Issuing Lender with respect thereto,
     notwithstanding  the fact that the sum of the  Letter of Credit  Usage with
     respect to such Letter of Credit and with  respect to all other  Letters of
     Credit issued by Chase Co-Administrative  Agent, when aggregated with Chase
     Co-Administrative Agent's outstanding Revolving Loans and Swing Line Loans,
     may exceed Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent's Revolving Loan Commitment then
     in effect.

          (iii) Issuance of Letter of Credit.  Upon  satisfaction  or waiver (in
     accordance with subsection  10.6) of the conditions set forth in subsection
     4.5,  the  Issuing  Lender  shall issue the  requested  Letter of Credit in
     accordance with the Issuing  Lender's  standard  operating  procedures (any
     such issuance by Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent being effected through the
     Funding and Payment Office), and upon its issuance of such Letter of Credit
     the Issuing Lender shall promptly notify Chase  Co-Administrative Agent and
     each Lender of such  issuance,  which notice shall be accompanied by a copy
     of such Letter of Credit.

          (iv) Reports to Lenders. Within 30 days after the end of each calendar
     quarter  ending  after the  Closing  Date,  so long as any Letter of Credit
     shall have been  outstanding  during such  calendar  quarter,  each Issuing
     Lender   shall   deliver  to  Chase   Co-Administrative   Agent  and  Chase
     Co-Administrative Agent shall deliver to each Lender a report setting forth
     for such calendar  quarter the daily maximum  amount  available to be drawn
     under the Letters of Credit  that were  outstanding  during  such  calendar
     quarter.

     C. LENDERS' PURCHASE OF  PARTICIPATIONS  IN LETTERS OF CREDIT.  Immediately
upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit,  each Lender having a Revolving Loan
Commitment shall be deemed to, and hereby agrees to, have irrevocably  purchased
from the  Issuing  Lender a  participation  in such  Letter  of  Credit  and any
drawings honored or payments made thereunder in an amount equal to such Lender's
Pro Rata Share (with respect to the Revolving Loan  Commitments)  of the maximum
amount  which is or at any time may become  available to be drawn or required to
be paid thereunder.

3.2  LETTER OF CREDIT FEES.

     Company  agrees to pay the  following  amounts to each Issuing  Lender with
respect to Letters of Credit issued by it for the account of Company:

          (i) with respect to each Letter of Credit, (a) a fronting fee equal to
     1/4 of 1% per annum of the daily maximum amount available to be drawn under
     such  Letter of Credit and (b) a Letter of Credit fee equal to the  product
     of (x) the  Applicable  Eurodollar  Rate Margin with  respect to  Revolving
     Loans and (y) the daily  maximum  amount  available  to be drawn under such
     Letter of Credit,  in each case  payable in arrears on and to each  January
     15,  April 15,  July 15 and  October 15 of each year,  and  computed on the
     basis of a 360-day year for the actual number of days elapsed; and

          (ii) with  respect to the  issuance,  amendment  or  transfer  of each
     Letter of Credit and each drawing made thereunder  (without  duplication of
     the fees  payable  under  clause (i)  above),  documentary  and  processing
     charges in accordance with such Issuing Lender's standard schedule for such
     charges  in effect at the time of such  issuance,  amendment,  transfer  or
     drawing, as the case may be.

Promptly upon receipt by such Issuing  Lender of any amount  described in clause
(i)(b) of this  subsection  3.2,  such Issuing  Lender shall  distribute to each
other Lender its Pro Rata Share of such amount.

3.3  DRAWINGS AND  PAYMENTS  AND  REIMBURSEMENT  OF AMOUNTS PAID  UNDER  LETTERS
     OF CREDIT.

     A.  RESPONSIBILITY  OF ISSUING LENDER WITH RESPECT TO REQUESTS FOR DRAWINGS
AND PAYMENTS. In determining whether to honor any drawing or request for payment
under any Letter of Credit by the beneficiary  thereof, the Issuing Lender shall
be responsible only to determine that the documents and certificates required to
be  delivered  under such  Letter of Credit  have been  delivered  and that they
comply on their face with the requirements of such Letter of Credit.

     B. REIMBURSEMENT BY COMPANY OF AMOUNTS PAID UNDER LETTERS OF CREDIT. In the
event an Issuing Lender has determined to honor a drawing or request for payment
under a Letter of Credit  issued by it, such Issuing  Lender  shall  immediately
notify Company and Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent,  and Company shall reimburse
such Issuing Lender on or before the Business Day immediately following the date
on which  such  drawing  is  honored  or such  payment  is made (the  applicable
"REIMBURSEMENT  DATE"),  in an amount in same day funds  equal to the  amount of
such  drawing;  provided  that,  anything  contained  in this  Agreement  to the
contrary   notwithstanding,   (i)  unless  Company  shall  have  notified  Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent and such  Issuing  Lender prior to 12:00 Noon (New York
time) on the date of such drawing or request for payment that Company intends to
reimburse such Issuing Lender for the amount of such honored  drawing or payment
with funds other than the proceeds of Revolving  Loans,  Company shall be deemed
to have given a timely  Notice of  Borrowing  to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent
requesting  Lenders to make  Revolving  Loans which are Base Rate Loans,  on the
applicable  Reimbursement  Date in an amount equal to the amount of such honored
drawing or payment and (ii) subject to  satisfaction or waiver of the conditions
specified in subsection  4.4B,  Lenders shall,  on the applicable  Reimbursement
Date, make Revolving Loans and in the amount of such honored drawing or payment,
the proceeds of which shall be applied directly by Chase Co-Administrative Agent
to  reimburse  such  Issuing  Lender for the amount of such  honored  drawing or
payment; provided further that if for any reason proceeds of Revolving Loans are
not received by such Issuing Lender on the applicable  Reimbursement  Date in an
amount equal to the amount of such  honored  drawing or payment,  Company  shall
reimburse such Issuing  Lender,  on demand,  in an amount in Dollars and in same
day funds equal to the excess of the amount of such  honored  drawing or payment
over  the  aggregate  amount  of such  Revolving  Loans,  if any,  which  are so
received.  Nothing in this subsection 3.3B shall be deemed to relieve any Lender
from its  obligation to make  Revolving  Loans on the terms and  conditions  set
forth in this Agreement, and Company shall retain any and all rights it may have
against  any  Lender  resulting  from the  failure  of such  Lender to make such
Revolving Loans under this subsection 3.3B.

     C.   PAYMENT BY LENDERS OF UNREIMBURSED PAYMENTS UNDER LETTERS OF CREDIT.

          (i) Payment by Lenders.  In the event that Company  shall fail for any
     reason to reimburse any Issuing Lender as provided in subsection 3.3B in an
     amount  equal to the amount of any honored  drawing or payment made by such
     Issuing  Lender under a Letter of Credit issued by it, such Issuing  Lender
     shall promptly notify each other Lender of the unreimbursed  amount of such
     honored   drawing  or  payment  and  of  such  other  Lender's   respective
     participation  therein  based  on  such  Lender's  Pro  Rata  Share  of the
     Revolving  Loan  Commitments.  Each  Lender  shall make  available  to such
     Issuing Lender an amount equal to its respective participation, in same day
     funds, at the office of such Issuing Lender  specified in such notice,  not
     later than 12:00 Noon (New York time) on the first  business day (under the
     laws of the  jurisdiction  in which such office of such  Issuing  Lender is
     located) after the date notified by such Issuing Lender.  In the event that
     any Lender fails to make  available to such Issuing Lender on such business
     day the amount of such Lender's  participation  in such Letter of Credit as
     provided in this subsection  3.3C, such Issuing Lender shall be entitled to
     recover  such  amount on demand  from such Lender  together  with  interest
     thereon  at the  rate  customarily  used by  such  Issuing  Lender  for the
     correction of errors among banks for three  Business Days and thereafter at
     the Base Rate. Nothing in this subsection 3.3C shall be deemed to prejudice
     the right of any Lender to recover from any Issuing Lender any amounts made
     available by such Lender to such Issuing Lender pursuant to this subsection
     3.3C in the event that it is determined by the final judgment of a court of
     competent  jurisdiction that the payment with respect to a Letter of Credit
     by such Issuing  Lender in respect of which payment was made by such Lender
     constituted  gross  negligence  or willful  misconduct  on the part of such
     Issuing Lender.

          (ii) Distribution to Lenders of Reimbursements  Received From Company.
     In the event any Issuing Lender shall have been reimbursed by other Lenders
     pursuant  to  subsection  3.3C(i)  for all or any  portion  of any  honored
     drawing or payment  made by such  Issuing  Lender  under a Letter of Credit
     issued by it, such  Issuing  Lender shall  distribute  to each other Lender
     which has paid all  amounts  payable by it under  subsection  3.3C(i)  with
     respect to such  honored  drawing or payment  such other  Lender's Pro Rata
     Share of all payments  subsequently  received by such  Issuing  Lender from
     Company in  reimbursement  of such  honored  drawing  or payment  when such
     payments are received.  Any such distribution  shall be made to a Lender at
     its primary address set forth below its name on the  appropriate  signature
     page hereof or at such other address as such Lender may request.

     D.   INTEREST ON AMOUNTS PAID UNDER LETTERS OF CREDIT.

          (i)  Payment of Interest  by  Company.  Company  agrees to pay to each
     Issuing Lender, with respect to drawings honored or payments made under any
     Letters of Credit issued by it, interest on the amount paid by such Issuing
     Lender  in  respect  of each such  drawing  or  payment  from the date such
     drawing is honored or payment is made to but excluding the date such amount
     is  reimbursed  by Company  (including  any such  reimbursement  out of the
     proceeds of Revolving Loans pursuant to subsection 3.3B) at a rate equal to
     (a) for the period from the date such drawing is honored or payment is made
     to but excluding the applicable  Reimbursement Date, the Base Rate plus the
     Applicable  Base Rate  Margin  with  respect to  Revolving  Loans,  and (b)
     thereafter,  a rate which is 2% per annum in excess of the rate of interest
     described in the foregoing  clause (a).  Interest  payable pursuant to this
     subsection 3.3D(i) shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year for the
     actual  number of days  elapsed in the period  during  which it accrues and
     shall be payable  on demand or, if no demand is made,  on the date on which
     the related  drawing or payment  under a Letter of Credit is  reimbursed in
     full.

          (ii)  Distribution of Interest  Payments by Issuing  Lender.  Promptly
     upon receipt by any Issuing  Lender of any payment of interest  pursuant to
     subsection 3.3D(i),  (a) such Issuing Lender shall distribute to each other
     Lender,  out of the interest  received by such Issuing Lender in respect of
     the period from the date of the applicable honored drawing or payment under
     a Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing  Lender to but excluding the date
     on which such Issuing  Lender is reimbursed  for the amount of such drawing
     or  payment  (including  any  such  reimbursement  out of the  proceeds  of
     Revolving  Loans pursuant to subsection  3.3B),  the amount that such other
     Lender  would  have been  entitled  to  receive in respect of the Letter of
     Credit fee that would have been payable in respect of such Letter of Credit
     for such period  pursuant to subsection  3.2 if no drawing had been honored
     or payment had been made under such Letter of Credit,  and (b) in the event
     such Issuing Lender shall have been reimbursed by other Lenders pursuant to
     subsection 3.3C(i) for all or any portion of such drawing or payment,  such
     Issuing  Lender  shall  distribute  to each other Lender which has paid all
     amounts payable by it under subsection 3.3C(i) with respect to such drawing
     or payment such other  Lender's Pro Rata Share of any interest  received by
     such  Issuing  Lender in respect of that portion of such drawing or payment
     so  reimbursed  by other Lenders for the period from the date on which such
     Issuing Lender was so reimbursed by other Lenders to and including the date
     on which such portion of such drawing or payment is  reimbursed by Company.
     Any such  distribution  shall be made to a Lender at its Lending Office set
     forth on Schedule 2.1 or at such other address as such Lender may request.

3.4  OBLIGATIONS ABSOLUTE.

     The  obligation  of Company to reimburse  each Issuing  Lender for drawings
honored or payments  made under the Letters of Credit  issued by it and to repay
any  Revolving  Loans  made by  Lenders  pursuant  to  subsection  3.3B  and the
obligations  of Lenders  under  subsection  3.3C(i) shall be  unconditional  and
irrevocable  and shall be paid  strictly  in  accordance  with the terms of this
Agreement under all circumstances including,  without limitation,  the following
circumstances:

          (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit;

          (ii) the existence of any claim, set-off, defense or other right which
     Company  or any Lender may have at any time  against a  beneficiary  or any
     transferee  of any  Letter  of  Credit  (or any  Persons  for whom any such
     transferee may be acting),  any Issuing Lender or other Lender or any other
     Person or, in the case of a Lender,  against  Company whether in connection
     with this Agreement, the transactions  contemplated herein or any unrelated
     transaction (including any underlying transaction between Company or one of
     its  Subsidiaries  and the  beneficiary  for which any Letter of Credit was
     procured);

          (iii) any draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under
     any  Letter  of  Credit  proving  to  be  forged,  fraudulent,  invalid  or
     insufficient  in any  respect  or any  statement  therein  being  untrue or
     inaccurate in any respect;

          (iv)  payment by the  applicable  Issuing  Lender  under any Letter of
     Credit  against  presentation  of a demand,  draft or  certificate or other
     document which does not substantially  comply with the terms of such Letter
     of Credit;

          (v)  any  adverse  change  in the  business,  operations,  properties,
     assets,  condition  (financial or otherwise) or prospects of Company or any
     of its Subsidiaries;

          (vi) any breach of this  Agreement  or any other Loan  Document by any
     party thereto;

          (vii) any other circumstance or happening  whatsoever,  whether or not
     similar to any of the foregoing; or

          (viii)  the fact  that an Event of  Default  or a  Potential  Event of
     Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

provided,  in each case, that payment by the applicable Issuing Lender under the
applicable  Letter of Credit  shall not have  constituted  gross  negligence  or
willful  misconduct of such Issuing Lender under the  circumstances  in question
(as determined by a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction).

3.5  INDEMNIFICATION; NATURE OF ISSUING LENDER'S DUTIES.

     A.  INDEMNIFICATION.   In  addition  to  amounts  payable  as  provided  in
subsection  3.6,  Company  hereby  agrees to  protect,  indemnify,  pay and save
harmless  each  Issuing  Lender from and  against  any and all claims,  demands,
liabilities,  damages, losses, costs, charges and expenses (including reasonable
fees,  expenses and  disbursements  of counsel and  allocated  costs of internal
counsel)  which such Issuing Lender may incur or be subject to as a consequence,
direct or indirect,  of (i) the issuance of any Letter of Credit by such Issuing
Lender, other than as a result of (a) the gross negligence or willful misconduct
of such Issuing Lender as determined by a final judgment of a court of competent
jurisdiction or (b) subject to the following clause (ii), the wrongful  dishonor
by such Issuing  Lender of a proper  demand for payment made under any Letter of
Credit  issued  by it or (ii) the  failure  of such  Issuing  Lender  to honor a
drawing or other request for payment under any such Letter of Credit as a result
of any act or omission,  whether rightful or wrongful,  of any present or future
de jure or de facto  government  or  governmental  authority  (all  such acts or
omissions herein called "GOVERNMENTAL ACTS").

     B. NATURE OF ISSUING  LENDERS'  DUTIES.  As between Company and any Issuing
Lender, Company assumes all risks of the acts and omissions of, or misuse of the
Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Lender by, the respective beneficiaries
of  such  Letters  of  Credit.  In  furtherance  and  not in  limitation  of the
foregoing,  such  Issuing  Lender  shall not be  responsible  for: (i) the form,
validity,  sufficiency,  accuracy,  genuineness  or legal effect of any document
submitted by any party in connection  with the  application  for and issuance of
any such  Letter of Credit,  even if it should in fact prove to be in any or all
respects  invalid,  insufficient,  inaccurate,  fraudulent  or forged;  (ii) the
validity  or  sufficiency  of  any  instrument   transferring  or  assigning  or
purporting  to  transfer  or assign  any such  Letter of Credit or the rights or
benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to
be invalid or ineffective  for any reason;  (iii) failure of the  beneficiary of
any such Letter of Credit to comply fully with any conditions  required in order
to draw upon such Letter of Credit;  (iv) errors,  omissions,  interruptions  or
delays in transmission or delivery of any messages,  by mail, cable,  telegraph,
telex  or  otherwise,   whether  or  not  they  be  in  cipher;  (v)  errors  in
interpretation of technical terms; (vi) any loss or delay in the transmission or
otherwise  of any  document  required in order to make a drawing  under any such
Letter of Credit or of the proceeds  thereof;  (vii) the  misapplication  by the
beneficiary  of any such  Letter of Credit of the  proceeds  of any  drawing  or
payment  under such Letter of Credit;  or (viii) any  consequences  arising from
causes beyond the control of such Issuing Lender, including, without limitation,
any Governmental  Acts, and none of the above shall affect or impair, or prevent
the vesting of, any of such Issuing Lender's rights or powers hereunder.

     In  furtherance  and  extension  and  not in  limitation  of  the  specific
provisions set forth in the first paragraph of this subsection  3.5B, any action
taken or omitted by any Issuing  Lender under or in connection  with the Letters
of Credit issued by it or any documents and certificates  delivered  thereunder,
if taken or omitted in good faith,  shall not put such Issuing  Lender under any
resulting liability to Company.

     Notwithstanding  anything to the contrary contained in this subsection 3.5,
Company  shall retain any and all rights it may have against any Issuing  Lender
for  any  liability  arising  solely  out of the  gross  negligence  or  willful
misconduct of such Issuing Lender,  as determined by a final judgment of a court
of competent jurisdiction.

3.6  INCREASED COSTS AND TAXES RELATING TO LETTERS OF CREDIT.

     In the event  that any law,  treaty or  governmental  rule,  regulation  or
order,  or any  change  therein  or in  the  interpretation,  administration  or
application  thereof  (including  the  introduction  of any new law,  treaty  or
governmental  rule,  regulation or order),  or any  determination  of a court or
governmental  authority,  in each case that becomes  effective after the Closing
Date, or compliance by any Issuing Lender or Lender with any guideline,  request
or directive  issued or made after the Closing Date by any central bank or other
governmental or quasi-governmental authority (whether or not having the force of
law):

          (i)  results in any change in the basis of  taxation  of such  Issuing
     Lender or Lender (or its  applicable  lending  or letter of credit  office)
     (other than a change  with  respect to any Tax on the overall net income of
     such Issuing  Lender or Lender) with respect to the issuing or  maintaining
     of  any  Letters  of  Credit  or  the  purchasing  or  maintaining  of  any
     participations  therein  or any other  obligations  under  this  Section 3,
     whether  directly or by such being imposed on or suffered by any particular
     Issuing Lender;

          (ii) imposes,  modifies or holds  applicable  any reserve  (including,
     without limitation, any marginal, emergency, supplemental, special or other
     reserve),  special  deposit,  compulsory  loan,  FDIC  insurance or similar
     requirement  in respect  of any  Letters  of Credit  issued by any  Issuing
     Lender or participations therein purchased by any Lender; or

          (iii) imposes any other  condition on or affecting such Issuing Lender
     or Lender (or its applicable  lending or letter of credit office) regarding
     this Section 3 or any Letter of Credit or any participation therein;

and the result of any of the  foregoing  is to increase the cost to such Issuing
Lender or Lender of  agreeing  to issue,  issuing or  maintaining  any Letter of
Credit or agreeing to purchase,  purchasing  or  maintaining  any  participation
therein or to reduce any amount received or receivable by such Issuing Lender or
Lender (or its  applicable  lending  or letter of credit  office)  with  respect
thereto; then, in any case, Company shall promptly pay to such Issuing Lender or
Lender,  upon receipt of the statement  referred to in the next  sentence,  such
additional  amount or amounts  (reasonably  determined by such Issuing Lender or
Lender) as may be necessary to compensate  such Issuing Lender or Lender for any
such  increased cost or reduction in amounts  received or receivable  hereunder.
Such  Issuing  Lender or Lender  shall  deliver to Company a written  statement,
setting  forth in reasonable  detail the basis for  calculating  the  additional
amounts owed to such Issuing Lender or Lender under this  subsection  3.6, which
statement shall be prima facie evidence of such additional amounts.


                                   SECTION 4.
                    CONDITIONS TO LOANS AND LETTERS OF CREDIT

4.1  CONDITIONS TO EXISTING LOANS AND LETTERS OF CREDIT.

     The  conditions to the making of the Existing Loans and the issuance of the
Existing Letters of Credit have been satisfied.


4.2  CONDITIONS TO TRANCHE C TERM LOANS.

     The obligations of Lenders to make the initial Tranche C Term Loans are, in
addition to the conditions  precedent  specified in subsection  4.4,  subject to
prior or concurrent satisfaction of the following conditions:

     A.  COMPANY  DOCUMENTS.  On or before the  Effective  Date,  Company  shall
deliver or cause to be delivered to Lenders (or to Chase Co-Administrative Agent
for Lenders with sufficient  originally executed copies, where appropriate,  for
each Lender and its counsel) the following,  each, unless otherwise noted, dated
the Effective Date:

          (i) Certified  copies of its  Certificate of  Incorporation,  together
     with a good standing  certificate  from the Secretary of State of the State
     of  Delaware  and each other  state in which it is  qualified  as a foreign
     corporation to do business, each dated a recent date prior to the Effective
     Date;

          (ii) Copies of its Bylaws,  certified as of the Effective  Date by its
     corporate secretary or an assistant secretary;

          (iii) Resolutions of its Board of Directors  approving and authorizing
     the  execution,  delivery and  performance  of this  Agreement,  other Loan
     Documents  and the Union  Acquisition  Documents to which it is a party and
     approving  and  authorizing  the  consummation  of the Tender Offer and the
     Union Merger in the manner contemplated by the Union Acquisition Documents,
     certified  as of the  Effective  Date  by  its  corporate  secretary  or an
     assistant secretary as being in full force and effect without  modification
     or amendment;

          (iv) Signature and incumbency  certificates of its officers  executing
     this Agreement and the other Loan Documents;

          (v)  Executed  originals  of this  Agreement  and (to the  extent  not
     previously  executed and delivered to Lenders) the other Loan  Documents to
     which it is a party; and

          (vi) Such other documents as Agents may reasonably request.

     B. SUBSIDIARY  DOCUMENTS.  On or before the Effective  Date,  Company shall
deliver or cause to be delivered to Lenders (or to Chase Co-Administrative Agent
for Lenders with sufficient  originally executed copies, where appropriate,  for
each Lender and its counsel) the following for such Subsidiary (other than Union
and its  Subsidiaries) as specified,  each,  unless  otherwise noted,  dated the
Effective Date:

          (i)  Certified  copies  of  the  Certificate  of   Incorporation   (or
     equivalent organizational document) of each domestic corporate Wholly Owned
     Subsidiary of Company (or, in lieu thereof,  a certificate of the corporate
     secretary of such  Subsidiary  certifying as of the Effective Date that its
     Certificate of Incorporation previously delivered to Existing Lenders is in
     full force and effect without  modification or amendment),  together with a
     good standing  certificate  from the secretary of state of its jurisdiction
     of incorporation and each other state in which it is qualified as a foreign
     corporation to do business  (except any such other state or states in which
     failure to be so qualified  could not,  individually  or in the  aggregate,
     reasonably  be expected  to have a Material  Adverse  Effect)  (or, in lieu
     thereof, a certificate of the secretary of such Subsidiary certifying as of
     the  Effective  Date that such  Subsidiary  is in good standing in all such
     jurisdictions), each dated a recent date prior to the Effective Date;

          (ii) Copies of the Bylaws of each such domestic corporate Wholly Owned
     Subsidiary of Company,  certified as of the Effective Date by its corporate
     secretary, or an assistant secretary (or, in lieu thereof, a certificate of
     such secretary  certifying as of the Effective Date that the Bylaws of such
     Subsidiary  previously  delivered to Existing Lenders are in full force and
     effect without modification or amendment);

          (iii)  Resolutions  of the Board of  Directors  of each such  domestic
     corporate Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Company  approving and authorizing the
     execution,  delivery  and  performance  of  the  Subsidiary  Guaranty,  the
     Security Agreement, the Pledge Agreement, the Trademark Security Agreement,
     the Limited  Partnership  Security  Agreement (as applicable) and the other
     Loan Documents to which such Subsidiary is party and, in the case of Merger
     Sub, approving and authorizing the consummation of the Tender Offer and the
     Union Merger in the manner contemplated by the Union Acquisition Documents,
     certified  as of the  Effective  Date  by  its  corporate  secretary  or an
     assistant secretary as being in full force and effect without  modification
     or amendment;

          (iv) Conformed  copies of the  partnership  agreement of each domestic
     Subsidiary  of Company  that is a  partnership,  certified  by each general
     partner of such partnership Subsidiary as of the Effective Date as being in
     full  force and effect  without  modification  or  amendment  (or,  in lieu
     thereof,  a  certificate  of  such  general  partner  certifying  as of the
     Effective  Date  that  the  partnership   agreement  of  such   partnership
     Subsidiary  delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to subsection 4.2 of the
     Existing Credit Agreement is in full force and effect without  modification
     or amendment);

          (v) Certificates of limited  partnership or statements of partnership,
     as  applicable,  of each such  Subsidiary of Company that is a partnership,
     certified  by  the  Secretary  of  State  (or  similar   official)  of  its
     jurisdiction  of  formation  (or, in lieu  thereof,  a  certificate  of the
     general  partner  of  such  partnership  Subsidiary  certifying  as of  the
     Effective Date that the certificate of limited  partnership or statement of
     partnership  of such  Subsidiary  delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to
     subsection 4.2 of the Existing Credit Agreement is in full force and effect
     without modification or amendment),  and a certificate of existence or good
     standing,  as the case may be,  from the  Secretary  of State  (or  similar
     official)  of such  jurisdiction,  together  with a  certificate  or  other
     evidence of good  standing  from the secretary of state of each other state
     in which it is authorized as a foreign  limited  partnership to do business
     (except any such other state or states in which  failure to be so qualified
     could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have
     a Material  Adverse  Effect),  each dated as of a recent  date prior to the
     Effective Date;

          (vi)  All  documents  executed  by the  appropriate  partners  of each
     Subsidiary of Company that is a partnership  approving or  authorizing  the
     execution,  delivery  and  performance  of  the  Subsidiary  Guaranty,  the
     Security Agreement, the Pledge Agreement, the Trademark Security Agreement,
     the Limited  Partnership  Security  Agreement (as applicable) and the other
     Loan  Documents to which such  Subsidiary is a party,  each certified as of
     the Effective Date by the general partner of such partnership Subsidiary or
     other Loan Party;

          (vii) Signature and incumbency certificates of its officers,  partners
     or other Persons executing the Subsidiary Guaranty, the Security Agreement,
     the  Pledge  Agreement,  the  Trademark  Security  Agreement,  the  Limited
     Partnership Security Agreement (as applicable) and the other Loan Documents
     to which such Subsidiary is party;

          (viii) Executed  originals (to the extent not previously  executed and
     delivered to Lenders) of the Subsidiary  Guaranty,  the Security Agreement,
     the Pledge Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which any corporate or
     partnership Subsidiary of Company is a party; and

          (ix) Such other documents as Agents may reasonably request.

     C. UNION  DOCUMENTS.  On or before the Effective  Date,  Company shall,  or
shall cause Union to,  deliver to Lenders (or to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent
for Lenders with sufficient  originally executed copies, where appropriate,  for
each Lender and its counsel) the following with respect to Union, each dated the
Effective Date:

          (i) Certified  copies of the  Certificate of  Incorporation  of Union,
     together  with a good standing  certificate  from the Secretary of State of
     Delaware  and each other  state in which  Union is  qualified  as a foreign
     corporation  to do  business  and,  to the extent  generally  available,  a
     certificate  or  other  evidence  of good  standing  as to  payment  of any
     applicable franchise or similar taxes from the appropriate taxing authority
     of each of such  jurisdictions,  each  dated a  recent  date  prior  to the
     Effective Date;

          (ii) Copies of the Bylaws of Union, certified as of the Effective Date
     by its corporate secretary or an assistant secretary;

          (iii)  Resolutions  of the Board of Directors of Union  approving  and
     authorizing   the  execution,   delivery  and   performance  of  the  Union
     Acquisition  Agreement,  and approving and authorizing the  consummation of
     the  Union  Merger in the  manner  contemplated  by the  Union  Acquisition
     Documents,  certified  as of the  Effective  Date  by the  secretary  or an
     assistant  secretary  of Union as being in full  force and  effect  without
     modification or amendment; and

          (iv)  Signature and incumbency  certificates  of the officers of Union
     executing the Union Acquisition Agreement.

     D. TENDERED UNION SHARES.  There shall have been validly tendered to Merger
Sub pursuant to the Tender Offer and not withdrawn  shares of Union Common Stock
which constitute the Minimum Union Shares at the price per share specified to be
paid pursuant to the Tender Offer Materials; the shares of Union Common Stock to
be purchased  shall be free and clear of all Liens and  restrictions to purchase
imposed by  applicable  law or  otherwise  and such shares of Union Common Stock
shall be available for purchase in accordance  with the terms and conditions set
forth  in  the  Tender  Offer   Materials.   Company  shall  have  delivered  to
Co-Administrative  Agents (a) a  certificate  of Custodian  certifying as to the
number  of  tendered  shares  of  Union  Common  Stock,  and  (b)  an  Officers'
Certificate of Company certifying that the tendered shares of Union Common Stock
to be purchased with the proceeds of the initial Tranche C Term Loans represent,
in the aggregate, not less than the Minimum Union Shares.

     E.       UNION ACQUISITION DOCUMENTS.

          (i) Union  Acquisition  Documents.  Agents shall have received a fully
     executed or conformed copy of each Union  Acquisition  Document (other than
     the Union  Certificate  of  Merger)  and any other  documents  executed  in
     connection  therewith,  and the Union  Acquisition  Agreement and the other
     Union  Acquisition  Documents shall be reasonably  satisfactory in form and
     substance to Arranging Agents and Requisite Lenders.  The Union Acquisition
     Documents  (other than the Union  Certificate  of Merger)  shall each be in
     full force and effect and no provision  thereof shall have been modified or
     waived in any respect  determined  by Arranging  Agents to be material,  in
     each case without the consent of Arranging  Agents and  Requisite  Lenders,
     such consent not to be unreasonably withheld.

          (ii) No Material  Litigation.  There  shall be no material  litigation
     pending  which  challenges  the  Tender  Offer or the  Union  Merger in any
     respect  which  is,  in the  reasonable  judgment  of  Arranging  Agents or
     Co-Administrative Agents, material.

     F. NO MATERIAL  ADVERSE  EFFECT.  Since December 31, 1996,  there shall not
have been an adverse change, or any development  involving a prospective adverse
change,  in or affecting the general affairs,  management,  financial  position,
shareholders'  equity or results of  operation  of Company and its  Subsidiaries
which is, in the  reasonable  judgment of  Arranging  Agents,  Co-Administrative
Agents or Requisite Lenders, material. Since June 30, 1997, there shall not have
been an adverse  change,  or any  development  involving a  prospective  adverse
change,  in or affecting the general affairs,  management,  financial  position,
shareholders' equity or results of operation of Union and its Subsidiaries which
is, in the reasonable judgment of Arranging Agents,  Co-Administrative Agents or
Requisite Lenders, material.

     G.  NECESSARY  GOVERNMENTAL  AUTHORIZATIONS  AND  CONSENTS;  EXPIRATION  OF
WAITING   PERIODS,   ETC.   Company   shall  have   obtained  all   Governmental
Authorizations  and all  consents  of  other  Persons,  in each  case  that  are
necessary or advisable in connection with the Tender Offer and the Union Merger,
the  other  transactions  contemplated  by the Loan  Documents  and the  Related
Agreements,  and the continued  operation of the business conducted by Union and
its  Subsidiaries  in  substantially  the same manner as conducted  prior to the
consummation  of the Tender Offer,  and each of the  foregoing  shall be in full
force and effect and in form and  substance  satisfactory  to  Arranging  Agents
(except as  disclosed  to and  approved by  Arranging  Agents).  All  applicable
waiting  periods shall have expired without any action being taken or threatened
by any competent  authority  which would restrain,  prevent or otherwise  impose
adverse  conditions  on the Tender  Offer or the Union  Merger or the  financing
thereof.  No  action,  request  for stay,  petition  for  review  or  rehearing,
reconsideration,  or  appeal  with  respect  to any of the  foregoing  shall  be
pending,  and the time for any applicable agency to take action to set aside its
consent on its own motion shall have expired.

     H. OPINIONS OF LOAN PARTIES' COUNSEL.  Lenders and their respective counsel
shall have received  originally executed copies of one or more favorable written
opinions of White & Case,  counsel for the Loan  Parties,  in form and substance
reasonably  satisfactory to Arranging Agents and their counsel,  dated as of the
Effective  Date and setting  forth  substantially  the  matters in the  opinions
designated  in  Exhibit  XI  annexed  hereto  and as to such  other  matters  as
Arranging  Agents acting on behalf of Lenders may  reasonably  request.  Company
hereby requests that such counsel deliver such opinions on the Effective Date to
Agents and Lenders.

     I.  FEES.   Company  shall  have  paid  to  Agents,  for  distribution  (as
appropriate  hereunder or under the terms of the Existing Credit  Agreement,  as
the case may be) to Agents and Lenders,  the fees payable on the Effective  Date
referred to in subsection 2.3C.

     J. ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS.  Lenders shall have received reports and/or other
information reasonably  satisfactory to Arranging Agents regarding environmental
matters with respect to Union and its Subsidiaries.

     K.  CORPORATE STRUCTURE; MANAGEMENT.

          (i)  Corporate  Structure.  The  corporate  organizational  structure,
     capital  structure  and  ownership of Company and its  Subsidiaries,  after
     giving  effect to the Tender  Offer and the Union  Merger,  shall be as set
     forth on Schedule 4.2J annexed hereto.

          (ii)  Management.  The management  structure of Company,  after giving
     effect to the Tender Offer and the Union  Merger,  shall be as set forth on
     Schedule 4.2J annexed hereto.

     L. BUSINESS PLAN.  Arranging  Agents shall have received a business plan in
form, scope and substance reasonably  satisfactory to Arranging Agents submitted
by management of Company and its Subsidiaries  with respect to the incorporation
of Union and its Subsidiaries into Company's existing business.

     M. REPAYMENT OF SWING LINE LOANS. On the Effective Date, immediately before
and after giving effect to any borrowings  hereunder on such date, no Swing Line
Loans shall be outstanding. N. No Event of Default. Company shall have delivered
to Chase Co-Administrative Agent an Officer's Certificate, in form and substance
satisfactory to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent, to the effect that  immediately
prior to the Effective  Date, no event has occurred and is continuing that would
constitute an Event of Default or Potential  Event of Default under the Existing
Credit Agreement.

     O. COMPLETION OF PROCEEDINGS.  All corporate and other proceedings taken or
to be taken in  connection  with the  transactions  contemplated  hereby and all
documents  incidental  thereto not  previously  found  acceptable  by  Arranging
Agents,  acting on behalf  of  Requisite  Lenders,  and their  counsel  shall be
satisfactory  in form and substance to Arranging  Agents and such  counsel,  and
Arranging  Agents and such  counsel  shall have  received  all such  counterpart
originals  or  certified  copies  of such  documents  as  Arranging  Agents  may
reasonably request.

     P.  FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS;  PRO  FORMA  BALANCE  SHEET.  On or  before  the
Effective  Date,  Lenders shall have received from Company and be satisfied with
(i) audited  financial  statements of Union and its  Subsidiaries for the period
ending June 30, 1997,  consisting  of  consolidated  and  consolidating  balance
sheets and the related  consolidated  and  consolidating  statements  of income,
stockholders'  equity and cash flows for such period,  (ii) unaudited  financial
statements  of Union and its  Subsidiaries  for the  period  from June 30,  1997
through November 30, 1997,  consisting of a consolidated balance sheet (prepared
on a  divisional  basis)  and the  related  consolidated  statements  of income,
stockholders' equity and cash flows for the period ending on each such date, all
in reasonable  detail and certified by the chief financial officer of Union that
they fairly present, in all material respects,  the financial condition of Union
and its  Subsidiaries  as at the  dates  indicated  and  the  results  of  their
operations  and their cash flows for the periods  indicated,  subject to changes
resulting from audit and normal year-end  adjustments,  (iii) audited  financial
statements of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  for the period ending  December
31, 1996,  consisting of consolidated and  consolidating  balance sheets and the
related  consolidated  and  consolidating  statements  of income,  stockholders'
equity and cash flows for such period,  (iv) unaudited  financial  statements of
Company  and its  Subsidiaries  for the  period  from  January  1, 1997  through
December 31, 1997,  consisting of a  consolidated  balance sheet and the related
consolidated  statements of income,  stockholders' equity and cash flows for the
period ending on each such date,  all in reasonable  detail and certified by the
chief financial officer of the Company that they fairly present, in all material
respects,  the financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the
dates indicated and the results of their operations and their cash flows for the
periods  indicated,  subject to changes resulting from audit and normal year-end
adjustments,   (v)  pro  forma  combined  balance  sheets  of  Company  and  its
Subsidiaries  as at November  30,  1997,  prepared in  accordance  with GAAP and
reflecting the consummation of the Merger,  the related financings and the other
transactions  contemplated  by the Loan  Documents  and the Related  Agreements,
which pro forma financial statements shall be in form and substance satisfactory
to Lenders, and (vi) the Projections.

     Q.  SOLVENCY   ASSURANCES.   On  the  Effective  Date,   Arranging  Agents,
Co-Administrative  Agents and  Lenders  shall have  received  (i) a letter  from
Murray Devine & Co. dated the Effective Date and addressed to Arranging  Agents,
Co-Administrative  Agents and Lenders,  in form and  substance  satisfactory  to
Arranging  Agents  and  Lenders  and  with  appropriate  attachments  and (ii) a
certificate  from the chief  financial  officer of Company,  in form,  scope and
substance  satisfactory to Arranging Agents,  with appropriate  attachments,  in
each case  demonstrating  that,  after giving effect to the  consummation of the
Union  Acquisition  and  the  making  of  the  Tranche  C  Term  Loans  and  the
Delayed-Draw Term Loans, Company and its Subsidiaries will be Solvent.

     R. REPAYMENT OF REVOLVING  LOANS. On the Effective Date,  Arranging  Agents
shall have received evidence  reasonably  satisfactory to them that after giving
effect to the payment of  consideration  for the Tendered Union Shares,  and the
payment of Transaction Costs, the remaining proceeds of the Tranche C Term Loans
(other than the amount of the  Delayed-Draw  Term Loans) shall be applied on the
Effective Date to repay Revolving Loans.

     S.  PERFECTION  OF  SECURITY  INTERESTS  IN  PERSONAL  PROPERTY  AND  MIXED
COLLATERAL.  Company shall have taken or caused to be taken such actions in such
a manner so that Collateral Agent has, for the benefit of Agents and Lenders,  a
valid and perfected  first  priority  security  interest in the entire  personal
property and mixed  Collateral  (subject to Liens permitted by this  Agreement);
provided,  however, that prior to the Union Merger, (i) Merger Sub shall only be
required to provide a first priority security interest in any Union Common Stock
acquired through the Tender Offer to the extent  requested by  Co-Administrative
Agents and to the extent such Union  Common  Stock can be pledged in  compliance
with  applicable  law and (ii) Company  shall not be required to provide a first
priority  security  interest in the assets of Union or any of its  Subsidiaries.
Such actions shall include, without limitation: (i) the delivery pursuant to the
applicable Collateral Documents of (a) certificates (which certificates shall be
properly  endorsed in blank for transfer or accompanied  by irrevocable  undated
stock powers duly endorsed in blank,  all in form and substance  satisfactory to
Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent) representing all of the shares of capital stock
required  to be  pledged  pursuant  to the  Collateral  Documents,  and  (b) all
promissory notes or other instruments (duly endorsed,  where  appropriate,  in a
manner reasonably satisfactory to Chase Co-Administrative  Agent) evidencing any
Collateral;  (ii) delivery to Agents of (a) the results of a recent search, by a
Person  satisfactory  to Agents,  of all effective UCC financing  statements and
fixture  filings and all judgment and tax lien filings  which may have been made
with  respect to any personal or mixed  property of Union and its  Subsidiaries,
together  with copies of all such filings  disclosed  by such search;  (iii) the
delivery to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent of UCC financing statements executed
by the applicable  Loan Parties as to all such  Collateral  granted by such Loan
Parties  for all  jurisdictions  as may be  necessary  or  desirable  to perfect
Collateral  Agent's security interest in such Collateral;  and (iv) the delivery
to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent of evidence reasonably  satisfactory to Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent that all other filings (including,  without limitation,
UCC  termination  statements  and  filings  with the  United  States  Patent and
Trademark Office of trademark assignments for all trademarks used by Company and
its Subsidiaries registered in the United States),  recordings and other actions
that either Chase Co-Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent deems necessary or
advisable to establish,  preserve and perfect the first  priority Liens (subject
to Liens  consented  to in writing  by  Co-Administrative  Agents and  Requisite
Lenders or permitted by subsection 7.2 with respect to such Collateral)  granted
to Collateral Agent in personal and mixed property shall have been made.

     T.  TRANSACTION  COSTS.  Company shall have delivered to  Co-Administrative
Agents a schedule, in a form satisfactory to Co-Administrative  Agents,  setting
forth Company's  reasonable  best estimate of the Transaction  Costs (other than
amounts payable to Agents and Lenders) relating to the Union Acquisition.

     U. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES; PERFORMANCE OF AGREEMENTS. Company shall
have delivered to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent an Officer's  Certificate,  in
form and substance satisfactory to Chase Co-Administrative  Agent, to the effect
that the representations and warranties in Section 5 hereof are true and correct
in all material  respects on and as of the Effective  Date to the same extent as
though made on and as of such date and that Company shall have  performed in all
material  respects  all  agreements  and  satisfied  all  conditions  which this
Agreement  provides  shall be  performed  or satisfied by them on or before such
date,  except  as  otherwise  disclosed  to and  agreed to in  writing  by Chase
Co-Administrative Agent.

     Each Lender, by delivering its signature page to this Agreement and, in the
case of Lenders having Tranche C Term Loan Exposure, funding its initial Tranche
C Term Loans on the Effective Date, shall be deemed to have acknowledged receipt
of,  and  consented  to and  approved  (as  long as  substantially  in the  form
delivered to Lenders  including any changed pages thereto delivered to Lenders),
each Loan Document and each other document  required to be approved by Requisite
Lenders or Lenders, as applicable.

4.3  CONDITIONS TO DELAYED-DRAW TERM LOANS.

     The  obligations  of Lenders to make the  Delayed-Draw  Term Loans are,  in
addition to the conditions  precedent  specified in subsection  4.4,  subject to
satisfaction of the following conditions:

     A.   CONSUMMATION OF UNION MERGER.

          (i) The Union Merger shall have been consummated pursuant to the Union
     Acquisition  Agreement  and no provision  of such  thereof  shall have been
     amended, supplemented, waived or otherwise modified in any material respect
     without the prior consent of the Agents.

          (ii) All of the issued and  outstanding  Union  Common  Stock shall be
     owned by the Company.

          (iii) After giving effect to the  consummation of the Union Merger and
     the payment of any  portion of the  aggregate  consideration  for the Union
     Common Stock (and any related  transaction  fees and expenses) that becomes
     due and payable  thereupon,  the aggregate amount of the consideration paid
     for the Union Common  Stock (and all such  transaction  fees and  expenses)
     shall not exceed $207,500,000.

          (iv)  Concurrently  with the  consummation  of the Union  Merger,  all
     existing  Indebtedness of Union and its Subsidiaries in respect of borrowed
     money (other than obligations with respect to industrial development bonds)
     shall be repaid in full, except for the Union Letters of Credit.

          (v) The  execution  by  Union  and  each of its  Subsidiaries  and the
     delivery thereof to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent and Collateral Agent of
     counterparts to the Subsidiary Guaranty.

          (vi) Arranging Agents shall have received an Officer's  Certificate of
     Company to the effect set forth in clauses (i)-(v) above.

     B.  PERFECTION OF SECURITY  INTERESTS IN UNION PERSONAL  PROPERTY AND MIXED
COLLATERAL.  Company shall have taken or caused to be taken such actions in such
a manner so that Collateral Agent has, for the benefit of Agents and Lenders,  a
valid and perfected first priority  security  interest in all of the outstanding
capital stock of Union and in the entire personal  property and mixed Collateral
(subject to Liens  permitted by this  Agreement) of Union and its  Subsidiaries.
Such actions shall include,  without limitation:  (i) the execution by Union and
each of its  Subsidiaries  and the delivery  thereof to Chase  Co-Administrative
Agent and Collateral  Agent of  counterparts to the Pledge  Agreement,  Security
Agreement,  Limited Partnership  Security Agreement and the Patent and Trademark
Security  Agreement;  (ii) the delivery  pursuant to the  applicable  Collateral
Documents of (a) certificates  (which certificates shall be properly endorsed in
blank for  transfer or  accompanied  by  irrevocable  undated  stock powers duly
endorsed  in  blank,   all  in  form  and   substance   satisfactory   to  Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent)  representing  all  of the  shares  of  capital  stock
required  to be  pledged  pursuant  to the  Collateral  Documents,  and  (b) all
promissory notes or other instruments (duly endorsed,  where  appropriate,  in a
manner reasonably satisfactory to Chase Co-Administrative  Agent) evidencing any
Collateral of Union and its  Subsidiaries;  (iii)  delivery to Agents of (a) the
results of a recent search, by a Person satisfactory to Agents, of all effective
UCC  financing  statements  and fixture  filings and all  judgment  and tax lien
filings which may have been made with respect to any personal or mixed  property
of any Loan Party,  together  with copies of all such filings  disclosed by such
search;  (iv) the  delivery to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent of UCC  financing
statements  executed by the  applicable  Loan Parties as to all such  Collateral
granted  by such Loan  Parties  for all  jurisdictions  as may be  necessary  or
desirable to perfect  Collateral  Agent's security  interest in such Collateral;
and (v) the  delivery to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent of evidence  reasonably
satisfactory to Chase Co-Administrative Agent that all other filings (including,
without  limitation,  UCC  termination  statements  and filings  with the United
States Patent and Trademark  Office of trademark  assignments for all trademarks
used  by  Company  and  its  Subsidiaries  registered  in  the  United  States),
recordings  and other  actions  that  either  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent or
Collateral Agent deems necessary or advisable to establish, preserve and perfect
the  first  priority  Liens  (subject  to  Liens  consented  to  in  writing  by
Co-Administrative  Agents and Requisite  Lenders or permitted by subsection  7.2
with respect to such  Collateral)  granted to  Collateral  Agent in personal and
mixed property shall have been made.

4.4  CONDITIONS TO ALL LOANS.

     The  obligations  of Lenders to make Loans on each Funding Date are subject
to the following further conditions precedent:

     A. Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  shall have  received  on or before that
Funding  Date,  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  subsection  2.1B,  an
originally executed Notice of Borrowing,  signed by the chief executive officer,
the chief  financial  officer or the  controller  of Company or by any executive
officer of Company designated by any of the  above-described  officers on behalf
of Company in a writing delivered to Chase Co-Administrative Agent.

     B.       As of that Funding Date:

          (i) The  representations  and warranties  contained  herein and in the
     other Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material  respects on
     and as of that  Funding Date to the same extent as though made on and as of
     that  date,  except  to the  extent  such  representations  and  warranties
     specifically relate to an earlier date, in which case such  representations
     and warranties shall have been true and correct in all material respects on
     and as of such earlier date;

          (ii) No event shall have  occurred and be  continuing  or would result
     from the  consummation  of the  borrowing  contemplated  by such  Notice of
     Borrowing that would constitute an Event of Default or a Potential Event of
     Default;

          (iii) Each Loan Party shall have  performed in all  material  respects
     all agreements  and satisfied all  conditions  which this Agreement and the
     other Loan  Documents  provide  shall be performed or satisfied by it on or
     before that Funding Date;

          (iv)  No  order,  judgment  or  decree  of any  court,  arbitrator  or
     governmental  authority shall purport to enjoin or restrain any Lender from
     making the Loans to be made by it, on that Funding Date;

          (v) The making of the Loans  requested  on such Funding Date shall not
     violate any law including, without limitation,  Regulation G, Regulation T,
     Regulation  U or  Regulation  X of the Board of  Governors  of the  Federal
     Reserve System; and

          (vi)  There  shall not be pending  or, to the  knowledge  of  Company,
     threatened,  any action, suit,  proceeding,  governmental  investigation or
     arbitration  against or affecting Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any
     property of Company or any of its Subsidiaries  that has not been disclosed
     by Company in writing and that is required to be so  disclosed  pursuant to
     subsection  5.6 or 6.1(x) prior to the making of the last  preceding  Loans
     (or,  in the  case  of the  initial  Tranche  C Term  Loans,  prior  to the
     execution of this Agreement),  and there shall have occurred no development
     not so  disclosed  in  any  such  action,  suit,  proceeding,  governmental
     investigation  or  arbitration so disclosed  that, in either event,  in the
     opinion of Chase  Co-Administrative Agent or of Requisite Lenders, would be
     expected to have a Material  Adverse  Effect;  and no  injunction  or other
     restraining  order  shall  have  been  issued  and no  hearing  to cause an
     injunction  or other  restraining  order to be issued  shall be  pending or
     noticed with respect to any action, suit or proceeding seeking to enjoin or
     otherwise  prevent the consummation of, or to recover any damages or obtain
     relief as a result of, the  transactions  contemplated by this Agreement or
     the making of Loans hereunder.

4.5  CONDITIONS TO LETTERS OF CREDIT.

     The  issuance  of any  Letter  of  Credit  hereunder  (whether  or not  the
applicable  Issuing  Lender is  obligated  to issue  such  Letter of  Credit) is
subject to the following conditions precedent:

     A. On or  before  the date of  issuance  of the  initial  Letter  of Credit
pursuant to this Agreement, the initial Loans shall have been made.

     B. On or  before  the date of  issuance  of such  Letter of  Credit,  Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent shall have received,  in accordance with the provisions
of subsection  3.1B(i),  an originally  executed Notice of Issuance of Letter of
Credit,  signed by the chief executive  officer,  the chief financial officer or
the controller of Company or by any executive  officer of Company  designated by
any of the above-described  officers on behalf of Company in a writing delivered
to Chase Co-Administrative  Agent, together with all other information specified
in subsection  3.1B(i) and such other documents or information as the applicable
Issuing  Lender may reasonably  require in connection  with the issuance of such
Letter of Credit.

     C. On the  date of  issuance  of such  Letter  of  Credit,  all  conditions
precedent  described in subsection 4.4B shall be satisfied to the same extent as
if the  issuance of such Letter of Credit were the making of a Loan and the date
of issuance of such Letter of Credit were a Funding Date.


                                   SECTION 5.
                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     In order to induce  Lenders  to enter into this  Agreement  and to make (or
maintain,  as the case may be) the Loans,  to induce Issuing Lender to issue (or
maintain,  as the case may be) Letters of Credit and to induce other  Lenders to
purchase participations therein, Company represents and warrants to each Lender,
on the date of this Agreement,  on the Effective Date, on each Funding Date, and
on the date of issuance of each Letter of Credit, that the following  statements
are true and correct:

5.1  ORGANIZATION, POWERS, QUALIFICATION, GOOD STANDING, BUSINESS AND 
     SUBSIDIARIES.

     A. ORGANIZATION AND POWERS. Each Corporate Loan Party is a corporation duly
organized,  validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its state of
incorporation.  Each  Partnership  Loan Party is a duly  organized  and  validly
existing limited partnership under the laws of its jurisdiction of formation and
is in good  standing  in such  jurisdiction.  Each Loan Party has all  requisite
corporate or partnership (as applicable)  power and authority to own and operate
its properties,  to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be
conducted,  to enter into the Loan  Documents and to carry out the  transactions
contemplated thereby. Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to
issue and pay the Notes.

     B. QUALIFICATION AND GOOD STANDING.  Each Corporate Loan Party is qualified
to do  business  and in good  standing,  and  each  Partnership  Loan  Party  is
authorized  as  a  foreign  limited   partnership  to  do  business,   in  every
jurisdiction  where its assets are located and  wherever  necessary to carry out
its business and operations,  except in jurisdictions where the failure to be so
qualified,  authorized  or in good  standing  has not had and  will  not  have a
Material Adverse Effect.

     C. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS.  Company and its  Subsidiaries  are engaged only in
the businesses permitted to be engaged in pursuant to subsection 7.11.

     D. COMPANY AND  SUBSIDIARIES.  All of the Subsidiaries of Company as of the
Effective  Date after giving effect to the Union  Acquisition  are identified in
Schedule  5.1  annexed  hereto.  The  capital  stock  of  each  of the  domestic
Subsidiaries  of Company  identified  in Schedule  5.1 annexed  hereto which are
corporations is duly authorized,  validly issued,  fully paid and  nonassessable
and,  other than the capital  stock of Union  prior to the Merger,  none of such
capital  stock  constitutes  Margin Stock.  The limited and general  partnership
interests  of each of the  subsidiaries  of Company  identified  in Schedule 5.1
annexed  hereto  which are limited  partnerships  are duly and  validly  issued.
Company and each of the domestic  Subsidiaries of Company identified in Schedule
5.1 annexed  hereto are duly  organized,  validly  existing and in good standing
under the laws of their  respective  jurisdictions of incorporation or formation
set forth therein,  have full corporate or partnership (as applicable) power and
authority to own their assets and  properties  and to operate their  business as
presently owned and conducted and as proposed to be conducted, and are qualified
to do business and in good standing in every jurisdiction where their assets are
located and wherever  necessary to carry out their business and  operations,  in
each case except where  failure to be so qualified or in good standing or a lack
of such  corporate  power and authority has not had and will not have a Material
Adverse Effect.  Schedule 5.1 annexed hereto  correctly sets forth the ownership
interest of Company in each of its Subsidiaries identified therein.

5.2  AUTHORIZATION OF BORROWING, ETC.

     A. AUTHORIZATION OF BORROWING.  The execution,  delivery and performance of
the Loan  Documents and the Related  Agreements  and the issuance,  delivery and
payment of the Notes have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and/or
partnership  (as  applicable)  action  on the part of each of the  Loan  Parties
thereto.

     B. NO CONFLICT. After giving effect to the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby to occur on the Effective Date, the execution,  delivery and
performance  by each of the Loan  Parties of the Loan  Document  and the Related
Agreements to which they are parties, the issuance,  delivery and payment of the
Notes  and  the  consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  by  the  Loan
Documents  do not and  will  not (i)  violate  any  provision  of any law or any
governmental   rule  or   regulation   applicable  to  Company  or  any  of  its
Subsidiaries,  the Certificate or Articles of  Incorporation or Bylaws (or other
analogous  organizational document) of Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any
order,  judgment or decree of any court or other agency of government binding on
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) conflict with, result in a breach of or
constitute  (with  due  notice  or lapse of time or both) a  default  under  any
Contractual Obligation of Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (iii) result in or
require the creation or  imposition  of any Lien upon any of the  properties  or
assets of Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than any Liens created under
any of the Loan Documents in favor of Chase Co-Administrative Agent on behalf of
Lenders),  or (iv)  require  any  approval  of  stockholders  or partners or any
approval or consent of any Person under any Contractual Obligation of Company or
any of its  Subsidiaries,  except for such  approvals or consents  which will be
obtained on or before the Effective Date.

     C. GOVERNMENTAL  CONSENTS.  The execution,  delivery and performance by the
Loan  Parties of the Loan  Documents  and Related  Agreements  to which they are
party,  the issuance,  delivery and payment of the Notes and the consummation of
the transactions  contemplated by the Loan Documents do not and will not require
any registration with, consent or approval of, or notice to, or other action to,
with or by, any federal,  state or other  governmental  authority or  regulatory
body  except  for such  registrations,  consents,  approvals,  notices  or other
actions which will be made, obtained or taken on or before the Effective Date.

     D.  BINDING  OBLIGATION.  Each  of  the  Loan  Documents  and  the  Related
Agreements  has been duly  executed  and  delivered  by each of the Loan Parties
party thereto and is the legally valid and binding  obligation of each such Loan
Party,  enforceable  against such Loan Party in accordance  with its  respective
terms,  except as may be  limited  by  bankruptcy,  insolvency,  reorganization,
moratorium or similar laws relating to or limiting  creditors'  rights generally
or by equitable principles relating to enforceability.

     E. VALID ISSUANCE OF SUBORDINATED  NOTES.  The  Subordinated  Notes are the
legally valid and binding obligations of Company, enforceable against Company in
accordance with their respective terms,  except as may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency,  reorganization,  moratorium or similar laws relating to or limiting
creditors'   rights   generally   or  by   equitable   principles   relating  to
enforceability.  The subordination  provisions of the Subordinated Notes will be
enforceable  against  the holders  thereof and the Loans and all other  monetary
Obligations  hereunder  are and will be within the  definition  of "Senior Debt"
included in such provisions.  The Subordinated Notes, when issued and sold, will
either (a) have been registered or qualified under applicable  federal and state
securities laws or (b) be exempt therefrom.

5.3  FINANCIAL CONDITION; PROJECTIONS.

     A. FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS.  Company has heretofore  delivered to Lenders, at
Lenders' request,  the following financial  statements and information:  (i) the
audited  consolidated  balance sheets of Company and its Subsidiaries  (or, with
respect to years prior to 1995,  Account  Portfolios,  L.P. (as  predecessor  of
Company) and its Subsidiaries) as at December 31 of 1994, 1995 and 1996, and the
related audited consolidated statements of operations,  stockholders' equity and
cash flows of Company and its Subsidiaries for the periods then ended,  together
with the report on such consolidated  financial  statements of Deloitte & Touche
LLP setting forth in each case in comparative form the corresponding figures for
the previous  Fiscal Year (other than the Fiscal Year ending December 31, 1992),
(ii) the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of Company and its Subsidiaries as
at  September  30, 1997 and the related  unaudited  consolidated  statements  of
income,  stockholders' equity and cash flows of Company and its Subsidiaries for
the nine months  then ended,  together  with the  corresponding  figures for the
corresponding   periods  of  the  previous   Fiscal  Year,   (iii)  the  audited
consolidated  balance sheet of Payco and its  subsidiaries  as at December 31 of
1993,  1994 and 1995,  and the audited  consolidated  statement  of  operations,
stockholders'  equity,  and cash  flows of Payco  and its  Subsidiaries  for the
fiscal year then ended, together with the report on such consolidated  financial
statements  of Arthur  Andersen  & Co.  setting  forth in  comparative  form the
corresponding  figures for the previous  fiscal year (other than the fiscal year
ending  December 31,  1992),  (iv) the unaudited  consolidated  balance sheet of
Payco  and its  Subsidiaries  as at June  30,  1996  and the  related  unaudited
consolidated  statements of operations,  stockholders'  equity and cash flows of
Payco and its  Subsidiaries  for the six months  then ended,  together  with the
corresponding  figures for the corresponding  period of the previous fiscal year
(other than the fiscal year ending  December  31,  1992),  (v) the  consolidated
balance sheet of Accelerated  and its  Subsidiaries  as at July 31, 1997 and the
related consolidated  statements of income,  stockholders' equity and cash flows
of Accelerated and its  Subsidiaries  for the seven months then ended,  together
with the corresponding figures for the corresponding period ending on July 31 of
the previous year,  (vi) the audited  consolidated  balance sheet of NSA and its
Subsidiaries  as at December  31,  1996,  and the related  audited  consolidated
statements  of  income,  stockholders'  equity  and  cash  flows  of NSA and its
Subsidiaries  for the  period  then  ended,  together  with the  report  on such
consolidated  financial  statements of Weisberg,  Polansky,  Kulberg,  Einhorn &
Mole, LLP setting forth in comparative  form the  corresponding  figures for the
previous fiscal year of NSA, (vii) the consolidated balance sheet of NSA and its
Subsidiaries  as at December  31,  1995,  and the related  audited  consolidated
statements  of  income,  stockholders'  equity  and  cash  flows  of NSA and its
Subsidiaries  for the fiscal  year of NSA then  ended,  (viii) the  consolidated
balance  sheet of NSA and its  Subsidiaries  as at July 31, 1997 and the related
consolidated  statements of income,  stockholders'  equity and cash flows of NSA
and its  Subsidiaries  for the  seven  months  then  ended,  together  with  the
corresponding  figures for the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year,
and  (ix)  the  financial  statements  required  to  be  delivered  pursuant  to
subsection  4.2P. All such  statements were prepared in conformity with GAAP and
fairly  present,  in  all  material  respects,  the  financial  position  (on  a
consolidated basis) of the entities described in such financial statements as at
the respective  dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows (on a
consolidated  basis) of the entities  described  therein for each of the periods
then ended, subject, in the case of any such unaudited financial statements,  to
changes resulting from audit and normal year-end  adjustments and the absence of
footnote  disclosure  required in accordance with GAAP. Neither Company,  Payco,
Accelerated  nor NSA has (and did not  immediately  following the funding of the
initial Loans under the Existing  Credit  Agreement,  have),  and Union does not
(and will not  immediately  following  the  funding of the Tranche C Term Loans)
have, any Contingent  Obligation,  contingent  liability or liability for taxes,
long-term lease or unusual forward or long-term commitment that is not reflected
in the most recent financial  statements delivered pursuant to subsection 6.1 of
the Existing Credit Agreement,  or subsection  4.2P(ii) of this Agreement in the
case of Union,  the notes  thereto  and  which in any such case is  material  in
relation to the business,  operations,  properties, assets, condition (financial
or  otherwise)  or prospects of Company and its  Subsidiaries  taken as a whole.
Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  Company  shall  not  be  deemed  to  make  any
representation  hereunder with respect to the financial  statements described in
clause (ix) of this subsection prior to consummation of the Union Acquisition.

     B. PROJECTIONS.  On and as of the Effective Date, the financial projections
of Company and its  Subsidiaries  for the period from  December 31, 1996 through
December 31, 2004 (giving effect to the Union Acquisition)  previously delivered
to Lenders (the "PROJECTIONS") are based on good faith estimates and assumptions
made  by  the  management  of  Company,  it  being  recognized,   however,  that
projections  as to  future  events  are not to be  viewed  as facts and that the
actual  results  during  the period or periods  covered by the  Projections  may
differ from the  projected  results and that the  differences  may be  material.
Notwithstanding the foregoing,  as of the Effective Date,  management of Company
believed that the Projections were reasonable and attainable.

5.4  NO MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGE; NO RESTRICTED JUNIOR PAYMENTS.

     Since December 31, 1996, no event or change has occurred that has caused or
evidences,  either in any case or in the aggregate,  a Material  Adverse Effect.
Since the Closing Date, neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has directly
or indirectly declared,  ordered, paid or made, or set apart any sum or property
for,  any  Restricted  Junior  Payment or agreed to do so except as permitted by
subsection 7.5.

5.5  TITLE TO PROPERTIES; LIENS.

     After giving effect to the  transactions  contemplated by this Agreement to
occur on the Effective Date, Company and its Subsidiaries have good,  sufficient
and legal title to all of their  respective  properties and assets  reflected in
the financial  statements referred to in the financial statements referred to in
subsection 5.3 or in the most recent financial  statements delivered pursuant to
subsection 6.1 of the Existing Credit  Agreement,  except for assets disposed of
since the date of such financial  statements in the ordinary  course of business
or as otherwise  permitted  under  subsection  7.7.  Except as permitted by this
Agreement, all such properties and assets are free and clear of Liens.

5.6  LITIGATION; ADVERSE FACTS.

     There  is  no  action,  suit,   proceeding,   arbitration  or  governmental
investigation  (whether  or not  purportedly  on behalf of Company or any of its
Subsidiaries) at law or in equity or before or by any federal,  state, municipal
or  other  governmental  department,   commission,   board,  bureau,  agency  or
instrumentality,  domestic or foreign,  pending or, to the knowledge of Company,
threatened  against  or  affecting  Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  or any
property of Company or any of its Subsidiaries  that, either  individually or in
the  aggregate   together  with  all  other  such   actions,   proceedings   and
investigations,  has had,  or could  reasonably  be  expected  to  result  in, a
Material  Adverse  Effect,  it being  understood,  solely for  purposes  of this
sentence, that any money judgments or settlements the occurrence of which do not
give rise to an Event of  Default  under  subsection  8.8 shall not be deemed to
have a Material  Adverse Effect.  Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is
or has  been  (i) in  violation  of  any  applicable  law  (including  any  Debt
Collection  Laws) that has had, or could  reasonably be expected to result in, a
Material  Adverse  Effect,  it being  understood for purposes of this clause (i)
that any such  violation  which results in money  judgments or  settlements  the
occurrence of which do not give rise to an Event of Default under subsection 8.8
shall not be deemed to have a Material Adverse Effect,  or (ii) subject to or in
default with respect to any final judgment,  writ,  injunction,  decree, rule or
regulation of any court or any federal,  state,  municipal or other governmental
department,  commission,  board, bureau, agency or instrumentality,  domestic or
foreign,  that has had, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material
Adverse Effect.

5.7  PAYMENT OF TAXES.

     Except to the extent  permitted by subsection 6.3, all material tax returns
and reports of Company and its Subsidiaries  required to be filed by any of them
have been timely  filed,  and all material  taxes,  assessments,  fees and other
governmental charges upon Company and its Subsidiaries and upon their respective
properties,  assets, income, businesses and franchises which are due and payable
have been paid when due and  payable.  Company does not know of any proposed tax
assessment against Company or any of its Subsidiaries other than those which are
being  actively  contested  by Company or such  Subsidiary  in good faith and by
appropriate  proceedings and for which reserves or other appropriate provisions,
if any,  as may be  required  in  conformity  with GAAP  shall have been made or
provided therefor.

5.8  PERFORMANCE OF AGREEMENTS; MATERIALLY ADVERSE AGREEMENTS.

     A.  Neither  Company  nor  any of its  Subsidiaries  is in  default  in the
performance,  observance or fulfillment of any of the obligations,  covenants or
conditions  contained in any of its  Contractual  Obligations,  and no condition
exists  that,  with the  giving of  notice  or the lapse of time or both,  would
constitute such a default, except where the consequences, direct or indirect, of
such default or defaults, if any, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

     B.  Neither  Company  nor  any  of its  Subsidiaries  is a  party  to or is
otherwise  subject  to any  agreement  or  instrument  or any  charter  or other
internal  restriction which has had, or could reasonably be expected (based upon
assumptions that are reasonable at the time made) to result in,  individually or
in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

5.9  GOVERNMENTAL REGULATION.

     Neither Company nor any of its  Subsidiaries is subject to regulation under
the Public  Utility  Holding  Company Act of 1935,  the Federal  Power Act,  the
Interstate Commerce Act or the Investment Company Act of 1940 or under any other
federal or state  statute  or  regulation  which may limit its  ability to incur
Indebtedness or which may otherwise render all or any portion of the Obligations
unenforceable.

5.10 SECURITIES ACTIVITIES.

     Neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is engaged  principally,  or as
one of its  important  activities,  in the business of extending  credit for the
purpose of purchasing or carrying any Margin Stock.

5.11 EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS.

     A. Company and each of its ERISA  Affiliates are in substantial  compliance
with all applicable  provisions and  requirements  of ERISA with respect to each
Employee Benefit Plan, and have  substantially  performed all their  obligations
under each Employee Benefit Plan,  except to the extent that any  non-compliance
with ERISA or any such failure to perform would not result in material liability
of Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates.

     B. No ERISA Event has occurred  which has resulted or is reasonably  likely
to result in any material liability to the PBGC or to any other Person.

     C.  Except to the  extent  required  under  Section  4980B of the  Internal
Revenue  Code  and/or  Section  601 of  ERISA,  neither  Company  nor any of its
Subsidiaries  maintains or contributes to any employee  welfare benefit plan (as
defined in  Section  3(1) of ERISA)  that  provides  health or welfare  benefits
(through  the  purchase of  insurance  or  otherwise)  for any retired or former
employees of Company or any of its  Subsidiaries,  except to the extent that the
provision of such benefits would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

     D. No Pension  Plan has an  Unfunded  Current  Liability  in an amount that
would have a Material Adverse Effect.

5.12 CERTAIN FEES.

     No broker's or finder's fee or  commission  will be payable with respect to
this Agreement or any of the loan transactions  contemplated hereby, and Company
hereby  indemnifies  Lenders  against,  and  agrees  that it will  hold  Lenders
harmless from, any claim,  demand or liability for any such broker's or finder's
fees alleged to have been incurred in  connection  herewith or therewith and any
expenses  (including  reasonable  fees,  expenses and  disbursements of counsel)
arising in connection with any such claim, demand or liability.

5.13 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

     Except as set forth on Schedule  5.13 annexed  hereto or as will not result
in a Material Adverse Effect:

          (i) the operations of Company and each of its Subsidiaries (including,
     without limitation,  all operations and conditions at or in the Facilities)
     comply in all material respects with all Environmental Laws;

          (ii) Company and each of its  Subsidiaries  have obtained all material
     Governmental  Authorizations  under  Environmental  Laws necessary to their
     respective operations, and all such Governmental Authorizations are in good
     standing,  and Company and each of its  Subsidiaries are in compliance with
     all material terms and conditions of such Governmental Authorizations;

          (iii) neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received (a) any
     notice or claim to the effect  that it is or may be liable to any Person as
     a result of or in connection with any Hazardous Materials or (b) any letter
     or  request  for  information   under  Section  104  of  the  Comprehensive
     Environmental  Response,  Compensation,  and Liability  Act (42 U.S.C.  ss.
     9604) or comparable state laws, and, to the best knowledge of Company, none
     of the operations of Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  is the subject of
     any federal or state  investigation  relating to or in connection  with any
     Hazardous Materials at any Facility or at any other location;

          (iv) none of the operations of Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  is
     subject to any judicial or administrative proceeding alleging the violation
     of or liability under any Environmental Laws;

          (v) to the  knowledge  of  Company,  neither  Company  nor  any of its
     Subsidiaries  nor any of their  respective  Facilities  or  operations  are
     subject to any outstanding written order or agreement with any governmental
     authority or private party  relating to (a) any  Environmental  Laws or (b)
     any Environmental Claims;

          (vi)  neither  Company nor any of its  Subsidiaries  has any  material
     contingent  liability  in  connection  with any  Release  of any  Hazardous
     Materials by Company or any of its Subsidiaries;

          (vii)  neither  Company  nor  any  of  its  Subsidiaries  nor,  to the
     knowledge of Company, any predecessor of Company or any of its Subsidiaries
     has filed any notice under any Environmental Law indicating past or present
     treatment or Release of Hazardous  Materials at any  Facility,  and none of
     Company's or any of its Subsidiaries'  operations  involves the generation,
     transportation,  treatment,  storage or disposal  of  hazardous  waste,  as
     defined under 40 C.F.R. Parts 260-270 or any state equivalent;

          (viii) to the knowledge of Company, no Hazardous Materials exist on or
     under any Facility in a manner that has a reasonable  possibility of giving
     rise  to an  Environmental  Claim,  and  neither  Company  nor  any  of its
     Subsidiaries  has filed any notice or report of a Release of any  Hazardous
     Materials  that  has  a  reasonable   possibility  of  giving  rise  to  an
     Environmental Claim;

          (ix) neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge
     of  Company,  any of their  respective  predecessors  has  disposed  of any
     Hazardous Materials in a manner that has a reasonable possibility of giving
     rise to an Environmental Claim;

          (x) to the  knowledge  of Company,  no  underground  storage  tanks or
     surface impoundments are on or at any Facility; and

          (xi) to the  knowledge  of  Company,  no Lien in favor  of any  Person
     relating to or in connection with any Environmental Claim has been filed or
     has been attached to any Facility.

5.14 EMPLOYEE MATTERS.

     There is no strike or work  stoppage in existence or  threatened  involving
Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  that could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.

5.15 SOLVENCY.

     Each Loan Party is, and  Company  and its  Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole,
are, and, upon the  incurrence of any  Obligations by any Loan Party on any date
on which this representation is made, will be, Solvent.

5.16 MATTERS RELATING TO COLLATERAL.

     A. CREATION,  PERFECTION AND PRIORITY OF LIENS.  The execution and delivery
of the Collateral Documents by Loan Parties, together with (i) the actions taken
on or prior to the date  hereof  pursuant  to  subsection  4.2J of the  Original
Credit  Agreement,  subsections  4.3H,  4.4H  and  6.9  of the  Existing  Credit
Agreement and subsections  4.2S,  4.3B and 6.9 of this  Agreement,  and (ii) the
delivery  to  Collateral  Agent  of any  Pledged  Collateral  not  delivered  to
Collateral  Agent  at the  time of  execution  and  delivery  of the  applicable
Collateral  Document (all of which Pledged Collateral has been so delivered) are
effective to create in favor of  Collateral  Agent for the benefit of Agents and
Lenders,  as security for the respective Secured  Obligations (as defined in the
applicable  Collateral  Document  in  respect  of any  Collateral),  a valid and
perfected  first  priority  Lien on all of the  Collateral,  and all filings and
other actions  necessary or desirable to perfect and maintain the perfection and
first  priority  status of such Liens have been duly made or taken and remain in
full force and  effect,  other than the filing of any UCC  financing  statements
delivered  to  Collateral  Agent for filing (but not yet filed) and the periodic
filing of UCC  continuation  statements in respect of UCC  financing  statements
filed by or on behalf of Collateral Agent.

     B. GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORIZATIONS. No authorization,  approval or other action
by, and no notice to or filing with,  any  governmental  authority or regulatory
body is  required  for  either  (i) the pledge or grant by any Loan Party of the
Liens purported to be created in favor of Chase Co-Administrative Agent pursuant
to  any  of  the   Collateral   Documents   or  (ii)  the   exercise   by  Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent of any rights or remedies in respect of any  Collateral
(whether  specifically  granted or  created  pursuant  to any of the  Collateral
Documents or created or provided for by applicable  law),  except for filings or
recordings  contemplated by subsection  5.16A and except as may be required,  in
connection  with the  disposition of any Pledged  Collateral,  by laws generally
affecting the offering and sale of securities.

     C. ABSENCE OF  THIRD-PARTY  FILINGS.  Except such as may have been filed in
favor of Chase  Co-Administrative Agent as contemplated by subsection 5.16A, (i)
no effective UCC financing statement, fixture filing or other instrument similar
in effect covering all or any part of the Collateral is on file in any filing or
recording  office and (ii) no effective  filing  covering all or any part of the
intellectual  property  Collateral  is on file in the United  States  Patent and
Trademark Office.

     D. MARGIN REGULATIONS. The pledge of the Pledged Collateral pursuant to the
Collateral  Documents does not violate  Regulation G, Regulation T, Regulation U
or Regulation X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

     E. INFORMATION REGARDING COLLATERAL.  All information supplied to any Agent
by or on behalf of any Loan Party with respect to any of the Collateral (in each
case taken as a whole with respect to any particular Collateral) is accurate and
complete in all material respects.

5.17 RELATED AGREEMENTS.

     A. DELIVERY OF RELATED AGREEMENTS. Company has delivered to Agents complete
and correct  copies of each Related  Agreement and of all exhibits and schedules
thereto.

     B. PAYCO'S  WARRANTIES.  Except to the extent otherwise set forth herein or
in the schedules  hereto,  each of the  representations  and warranties given by
Payco to Company in the Payco Acquisition  Agreement was true and correct in all
material  respects  as of the Closing  Date (or as of any earlier  date to which
such  representation  and  warranty  specifically   relates),   subject  to  the
qualifications set forth in the schedules to the Payco Acquisition Agreement.

     C.  ACCELERATED'S  WARRANTIES  AND NSA'S  WARRANTIES.  Except to the extent
otherwise   set  forth  herein  or  in  the  schedules   hereto,   each  of  the
representations   and  warranties   given  by  Accelerated  to  Company  in  the
Accelerated  Acquisition  Agreement and by NSA to Company in the NSA Acquisition
Agreement  was  true  and  correct  in all  material  respects  as of the  First
Amendment  Date (or as of any  earlier  date to which  such  representation  and
warranty  specifically relates) in the case of the NSA Acquisition Agreement and
as of November 10, 1997 (or as of any earlier date to which such  representation
and warranty specifically  relates), in the case of the Accelerated  Acquisition
Agreement, in each case subject to the qualifications set forth in the schedules
to the Accelerated  Acquisition Agreement or the NSA Acquisition  Agreement,  as
applicable.

     D. UNION'S  WARRANTIES.  Except to the extent otherwise set forth herein or
in the schedules  hereto,  each of the  representations  and warranties given by
Union  to  Company  in the  Union  Acquisition  Agreement  and the  other  Union
Acquisition  Documents  is true and correct in all  material  respects as of the
date hereof (or as of any earlier date to which such representation and warranty
specifically  relates) and will be true and correct in all material  respects as
of the Effective  Date (or as of such earlier date, as the case may be), in each
case  subject  to the  qualifications  set forth in the  schedules  to the Union
Acquisition Agreement or the other Union Acquisition  Documents,  as applicable.
Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  Company  shall  not  be  deemed  to  make  any
representation hereunder with respect to representations and warranties of Union
described in this subsection prior to consummation of the Union Acquisition.

     E. WARRANTIES OF COMPANY.  Subject to the  qualifications and the schedules
set forth  therein,  (i) each of the  representations  and  warranties  given by
Company to Payco in the Payco Acquisition  Agreement was true and correct in all
material respects as of the Closing Date, (ii) each of the  representations  and
warranties  given  by  Company  to  Accelerated  and  its  Subsidiaries  in  the
Accelerated  Acquisition Agreement was true and correct in all material respects
as of the November 10, 1997,  (iii) each of the  representations  and warranties
given by Company to NSA and its  Subsidiaries in the NSA  Acquisition  Agreement
was true and correct in all material respects as of the First Amendment Date and
(iv) each of the  representations and warranties given by Merger Sub to Union in
the Union Acquisition  Agreement is true and correct in all material respects as
of the date hereof (or its later date of execution) and will be true and correct
in  all  material  respects  as  of  the  Effective  Date.  Notwithstanding  the
foregoing, Company shall not be deemed to make any representation hereunder with
respect to  representations  and  warranties  described  in clause  (iv) of this
subsection prior to consummation of the Union Acquisition.

     F. SURVIVAL.  Notwithstanding  anything in the Payco Acquisition Agreement,
the Accelerated  Acquisition  Agreement,  the NSA  Acquisition  Agreement or the
Union  Acquisition  Agreement  to the  contrary,  (i)  the  representations  and
warranties of Company set forth in  subsections  5.17B and 5.17E(i)  shall,  for
purposes of this  Agreement,  survive the Closing Date for the benefit of Agents
and Lenders,  (ii) the  representations  and  warranties of Company set forth in
subsections 5.17C,  5.17E(ii) and 5.17E(iii) shall,  solely for purposes of this
Agreement,  survive  the First  Amendment  Date for the  benefit  of Agents  and
Lenders and (iii) the  representations  and  warranties  of Company set forth in
subsections 5.17D and 5.17(E)(iv) shall,  solely for purposes of this Agreement,
survive the Effective Date for the benefit of Agents and Lenders.

5.18 DISCLOSURE.

     A. LOAN  DOCUMENTS.  The  representations  of Company and its  Subsidiaries
contained in the Loan  Documents,  Related  Documents and in any other document,
certificate or written statement furnished to Lenders by or on behalf of Company
or  any  of  its  Subsidiaries  for  use in  connection  with  the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, when taken as a whole, do not contain any untrue
statement of a material  fact or omit to state a material fact (known to Company
or the  applicable  Subsidiary,  in the case of any  document  not  furnished by
Company or such Subsidiary)  necessary in order to make the statements contained
herein or therein not misleading in light of the circumstances in which the same
were made. Any projections and pro forma financial information contained in such
materials  are based upon good  faith  estimates  and  assumptions  believed  by
Company to be reasonable  at the time made, it being  recognized by Lenders that
such  projections  as to  future  events  are not to be viewed as facts and that
actual results during the period or periods covered by any such  projections may
differ from the projected results.  There is no fact known (or which should upon
the reasonable exercise of diligence be known) to Company (other than matters of
a general  economic  nature)  that has had, or could  reasonably  be expected to
result in, a Material  Adverse Effect and that has not been disclosed  herein or
in such other documents,  certificates  and statements  furnished to Lenders for
use in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

     B. TENDER OFFER  MATERIALS.  The Tender Offer  Materials do not contain any
untrue  statement of a material  fact or omit to state a material fact (known to
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, in the case of any document not furnished by
it) necessary in order to make the  statements  contained  herein or therein not
misleading in light of the circumstances in which the same were made.

5.19 SUBORDINATION OF SELLER NOTES.

     The subordination  provisions of the Existing Seller Note and any Permitted
Seller  Notes are  enforceable  against the holders  thereof,  and the Loans and
other  monetary  Obligations  hereunder are and will be within the definition of
"Senior Indebtedness" included in such provisions.

5.20 MARGIN LENDING MATTERS.

     At the time of the making of the  Delayed-Draw  Term Loans and after giving
effect to the Union Merger,  not more than 25% of the value of the assets of the
Company,  or of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated  basis, shall
constitute Margin Stock.  Neither the making of any Loan hereunder,  nor the use
of the proceeds thereof,  will violate or be inconsistent with the provisions of
Regulation G, T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal  Reserve System
and no part of the  proceeds  of any Loan will be used to  purchase or carry any
Margin Stock in violation of Regulation G, T, U or X or to extend credit for the
purpose of purchasing or carrying any Margin Stock in violation of Regulation G,
T, U or X.


                                   SECTION 6.
                              AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

     Company  covenants  and  agrees  that,  so long  as any of the  Commitments
hereunder  shall remain in effect and until  payment in full of all of the Loans
and other  Obligations  and the  cancellation  or  expiration  of all Letters of
Credit,  unless  Requisite  Lenders shall otherwise give prior written  consent,
Company shall perform,  and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to perform, all
covenants in this Section 6.

6.1  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND OTHER REPORTS.

     Company will maintain,  and cause each of its  Subsidiaries to maintain,  a
system of accounting  established  and  administered  in  accordance  with sound
business practices to permit  preparation of financial  statements in conformity
with GAAP.  Company  will  deliver to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent (and Chase
Co-Administrative Agent will, after receipt thereof, deliver to each Lender):

          (i) Monthly  Financials:  as soon as available and in any event within
     (y) 45 days after each of the first two  calendar  months  ending after the
     Effective  Date,  and (z)  thereafter  within 30 days after the last day of
     each calendar month other than the last month of a Fiscal Quarter,  (a) the
     consolidated  balance sheets of Company and its  Subsidiaries as at the end
     of each  fiscal  month  ending  after the  Effective  Date and the  related
     consolidated  statements of income,  stockholders' equity and cash flows of
     Company  and its  Subsidiaries  for such month and for the period  from the
     beginning of the then current Fiscal Year to the end of such month, setting
     forth in each case in comparative  form the  corresponding  figures for the
     corresponding  periods of the  previous  fiscal year and the  corresponding
     figures from the consolidated  plan and financial  forecast for the current
     Fiscal Year delivered pursuant to subsection  6.1(xiii),  all in reasonable
     detail and  certified by the chief  financial  officer of Company that they
     fairly  present,  in all  material  respects,  the  financial  condition of
     Company and its  Subsidiaries  as at the dates indicated and the results of
     their operations and their cash flows for the periods indicated, subject to
     changes  resulting from audit and normal  year-end  adjustments;  and (b) a
     narrative report  describing the operations of Company and its Subsidiaries
     in the form prepared for  presentation to senior  management for such month
     and for the period from the  beginning of the then  current  Fiscal Year to
     the end of such month;

          (ii)  Quarterly  Financials:  as soon as  available  and in any  event
     within 45 days after the end of each Fiscal Quarter,  (a) the  consolidated
     balance sheets of Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such Fiscal
     Quarter and the related  consolidated  statements of income,  stockholders'
     equity and cash  flows of  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  for such  Fiscal
     Quarter and for the period from the  beginning of the then  current  Fiscal
     Year to the end of such  Fiscal  Quarter,  setting  forth  in each  case in
     comparative form the corresponding figures for the corresponding periods of
     the  previous   fiscal  year  and  the   corresponding   figures  from  the
     consolidated  plan and  financial  forecast  for the  current  Fiscal  Year
     delivered  pursuant to subsection  6.1(xiii),  all in reasonable detail and
     certified  by the chief  financial  officer  of  Company  that they  fairly
     present,  in all material respects,  the financial condition of Company and
     its  Subsidiaries  as at the  dates  indicated  and the  results  of  their
     operations  and their  cash  flows for the  periods  indicated,  subject to
     changes  resulting from audit and normal  year-end  adjustments,  and (b) a
     narrative report  describing the operations of Company and its Subsidiaries
     in the form prepared for presentation to senior  management for such Fiscal
     Quarter and for the period from the  beginning of the then  current  Fiscal
     Year to the end of such Fiscal Quarter;

          (iii)  Year-End  Financials:  as soon as  available  and in any  event
     within 90 days after the end of each Fiscal Year, (a) the  consolidated and
     consolidating  balance sheets of Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end
     of  such  Fiscal  Year  and  the  related  consolidated  and  consolidating
     statements  of income,  stockholders'  equity and cash flows of Company and
     its  Subsidiaries  for such  Fiscal  Year,  setting  forth in each  case in
     comparative form the corresponding figures for the previous fiscal year and
     the corresponding figures from the consolidated plan and financial forecast
     delivered  pursuant to subsection  6.1(xiii) for the Fiscal Year covered by
     such financial  statements,  all in reasonable  detail and certified by the
     chief  financial  officer  of  Company  that they  fairly  present,  in all
     material respects,  the financial condition of Company and its Subsidiaries
     as at the dates  indicated  and the results of their  operations  and their
     cash flows for the periods indicated, (b) a narrative report describing the
     operations  of  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  in the  form  prepared  for
     presentation to senior management for such Fiscal Year, and (c) in the case
     of such consolidated financial statements,  a report thereon of independent
     certified public  accountants of recognized  national  standing selected by
     Company and reasonably satisfactory to Chase Co-Administrative Agent, which
     report  shall  be  unqualified  as  to  the  ability  of  Company  and  its
     Subsidiaries  to continue as a going concern and as to scope of audit,  and
     shall state that such consolidated  financial statements fairly present, in
     all material respects,  the consolidated  financial position of Company and
     its  Subsidiaries  as at the  dates  indicated  and the  results  of  their
     operations  and their cash flows for the periods  indicated  in  conformity
     with GAAP  applied  on a basis  consistent  with  prior  years  (except  as
     otherwise disclosed in such financial  statements) and that the examination
     by  such  accountants  in  connection  with  such  consolidated   financial
     statements  has been made in accordance  with generally  accepted  auditing
     standards;

          (iv)  Officer's  and  Compliance  Certificates:   together  with  each
     delivery of financial  statements of Company and its Subsidiaries  pursuant
     to  subdivisions  (ii) and (iii)  above,  (a) an Officer's  Certificate  of
     Company  stating that the signer has  reviewed the terms of this  Agreement
     and have made,  or caused to be made under their  supervision,  a review in
     reasonable  detail of the  transactions  and  condition  of Company and its
     Subsidiaries  during  the  accounting  period  covered  by  such  financial
     statements  and that such review has not disclosed the existence  during or
     at the end of such  accounting  period,  and that the signer  does not have
     knowledge of the existence as at the date of such Officer's Certificate, of
     any  condition or event that  constitutes  an Event of Default or Potential
     Event of Default,  or, if any such  condition  or event  existed or exists,
     specifying  the nature  and period of  existence  thereof  and what  action
     Company has taken, is taking and proposes to take with respect thereto; and
     (b) a Compliance Certificate  demonstrating in reasonable detail compliance
     during  and  at the  end of the  applicable  accounting  periods  with  the
     restrictions contained in Section 7;

          (v)  Reconciliation  Statements:  if,  as a result  of any  change  in
     accounting  principles  and policies from those used in the  preparation of
     the  audited  financial  statements  referred  to in  subsection  5.3,  the
     consolidated financial statements of Company and its Subsidiaries delivered
     pursuant to subdivisions  (i), (ii), (iii) or (xiii) of this subsection 6.1
     will  differ  in any  material  respect  from  the  consolidated  financial
     statements that would have been delivered pursuant to such subdivisions had
     no such change in accounting  principles  and policies been made,  then (a)
     together  with the first  delivery  of  financial  statements  pursuant  to
     subdivision  (i),  (ii),  (iii) or (xiii) of this  subsection 6.1 following
     such  change,   consolidated   financial  statements  of  Company  and  its
     Subsidiaries  for (y) the current Fiscal Year to the effective date of such
     change and (z) the two full Fiscal Years  immediately  preceding the Fiscal
     Year in which such  change is made,  in each case  prepared  on a pro forma
     basis as if such  change had been in effect  during such  periods,  and (b)
     together with each delivery of financial statements pursuant to subdivision
     (i), (ii),  (iii) or (xiii) of this subsection 6.1 following such change, a
     written  statement  of the  chief  accounting  officer  or chief  financial
     officer of Company setting forth the differences  which would have resulted
     if such  financial  statements  had been prepared  without giving effect to
     such change;

          (vi)  Accountants'  Certification:  together  with  each  delivery  of
     consolidated  financial statements of Company and its Subsidiaries pursuant
     to  subdivision  (iii)  above,  a  written  statement  by  the  independent
     certified  public  accountants  giving the report  thereon (a) stating that
     their  audit  examination  has  included  a  reading  of the  terms of this
     Agreement  and the  other  Loan  Documents  as they  relate  to  accounting
     matters,   and  (b)  stating  whether,   in  connection  with  their  audit
     examination,  any  condition or event,  insofar as such  condition or event
     relates  to the  covenants  set forth in  subsection  7.6 or to  accounting
     matters, that constitutes an Event of Default or Potential Event of Default
     has come to their  attention  and, if such a condition or event has come to
     their  attention,  specifying  the nature and period of existence  thereof;
     provided that such accountants shall not be liable by reason of any failure
     to obtain  knowledge  of any such Event of Default  or  Potential  Event of
     Default  that  would  not  be  disclosed  in  the  course  of  their  audit
     examination;

          (vii)  Accountants'  Reports:  promptly upon receipt  thereof  (unless
     restricted by  applicable  professional  standards),  copies of all reports
     submitted  to  Company  by  independent  certified  public  accountants  in
     connection  with each  annual,  interim or special  audit of the  financial
     statements  of  Company  and  its  respective  Subsidiaries  made  by  such
     accountants, including, without limitation, any comment letter submitted by
     such accountants to management in connection with their annual audit;

          (viii) SEC Filings and Press  Releases:  promptly upon their  becoming
     available,  copies of (a) all financial  statements,  reports,  notices and
     proxy  statements  sent or  made  available  generally  by  Company  to its
     security holders, (b) all regular and periodic reports and all registration
     statements (other than on Form S-8 or a similar form) and prospectuses,  if
     any,  filed by  Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  with  any  securities
     exchange or with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any governmental
     or  private  regulatory  authority,  and (c) all press  releases  and other
     statements made available  generally by Company or any of its  Subsidiaries
     to the public concerning  material  developments in the business of Company
     or any of its Subsidiaries;
          (ix) Events of  Default,  etc.:  promptly  upon any officer of Company
     obtaining knowledge (a) of any condition or event that constitutes an Event
     of Default or Potential Event of Default, or becoming aware that any Lender
     has given any notice (other than to Chase Co-Administrative Agent) or taken
     any other  action with  respect to a claimed  Event of Default or Potential
     Event of  Default,  (b) that any  Person has given any notice to Company or
     any of its Subsidiaries or taken any other action with respect to a claimed
     default or event or condition of the type  referred to in  subsection  8.2,
     (c) of any  condition  or event that would be required to be disclosed in a
     current report filed by Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission
     on Form 8-K  (Items  1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 of such Form as in effect on the date
     hereof) if Company were  required to file such  reports  under the Exchange
     Act,  or (d) of the  occurrence  of any event or change  that has caused or
     evidences,  either  in any case or in the  aggregate,  a  Material  Adverse
     Effect,  an  Officer's  Certificate  specifying  the  nature  and period of
     existence of such  condition,  event or change,  or  specifying  the notice
     given or action  taken by any such  Person and the  nature of such  claimed
     Event of Default,  Potential Event of Default, default, event or condition,
     and what  action  Company  has taken,  is taking and  proposes to take with
     respect thereto;

          (x) Litigation or Other Proceedings:  (a) promptly upon any officer of
     Company obtaining knowledge of the institution of, or non-frivolous  threat
     of, any  action,  suit,  proceeding  (whether  administrative,  judicial or
     otherwise),  governmental investigation or arbitration against or affecting
     Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any property of Company or any of its
     Subsidiaries  (collectively,  "Proceedings")  not  previously  disclosed in
     writing by Company to Lenders or Chase Co-Administrative Agent any material
     development in any Proceeding that, in any case:

               (1) if  adversely  determined,  has a reasonable  possibility  of
          giving rise to a Material Adverse Effect; or

               (2) seeks to enjoin or otherwise  prevent the consummation of, or
          to  recover  any  damages  or  obtain  relief  as  a  result  of,  the
          transactions contemplated hereby;

     written  notice  thereof  together  with such other  information  as may be
     reasonably  available  to Company to enable  Lenders  and their  counsel to
     evaluate such matters;  and (b) within 45 days after the end of each Fiscal
     Quarter,  a schedule of all Proceedings  involving an alleged liability of,
     or claims against or affecting, Company or any of its Subsidiaries equal to
     or greater than  $2,000,000  which  Company  believes will likely result in
     damages to Company of such  amount,  and promptly  after  request by either
     Co-Administrative  Agent  such  other  information  as  may  be  reasonably
     requested by such Co-Administrative  Agent to enable such Co-Administrative
     Agent and its counsel to evaluate any of such Proceedings;

          (xi) ERISA Events:  promptly upon becoming  aware of the occurrence of
     any ERISA Event,  a written  notice  specifying  the nature  thereof,  what
     action  Company  or any of its ERISA  Affiliates  has  taken,  is taking or
     proposes to take with respect thereto and, when known,  any action taken or
     threatened by the Internal Revenue Service,  the Department of Labor or the
     PBGC with respect thereto;

          (xii) ERISA Notices:  with  reasonable  promptness,  copies of (a) all
     written notices  received by Company or any of its ERISA  Affiliates from a
     Multiemployer  Plan sponsor  concerning an ERISA Event;  and (b) such other
     documents  or  governmental  reports or filings  relating  to any  Employee
     Benefit Plan as either Co-Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent shall  reasonably
     request;

          (xiii)  Financial  Plans:  as soon as practicable  and in any event no
     later than the  beginning of each Fiscal Year, a monthly  consolidated  and
     consolidating  plan and financial  forecast for the next succeeding  Fiscal
     Year,  including,  without  limitation,  (a)  forecasted  consolidated  and
     consolidating balance sheets and forecasted  consolidated and consolidating
     statements  of income and cash flows of Company  and its  Subsidiaries  for
     such Fiscal Year, together with a pro forma Compliance Certificate for such
     Fiscal Year and an explanation  of the  assumptions on which such forecasts
     are  based,  and (b) such  other  information  and  projections  as  either
     Co-Administrative Agent may reasonably request;

          (xiv)  Insurance:  as soon as practicable and in any event by the last
     day of each Fiscal Year,  a report in form and  substance  satisfactory  to
     Co-Administrative   Agents  outlining  all  material   insurance   coverage
     maintained  as of the date of such report by Company  and its  Subsidiaries
     and all material insurance coverage planned to be maintained by Company and
     its Subsidiaries in the immediately succeeding Fiscal Year;

          (xv)  Environmental   Audits  and  Reports:  as  soon  as  practicable
     following receipt thereof,  copies of all environmental audits and reports,
     whether  prepared by personnel of Company or any of its  Subsidiaries or by
     independent consultants,  with respect to significant environmental matters
     at any  Facility  or which  relate to an  Environmental  Claim  which could
     result in a Material Adverse Effect;

          (xvi) Board of Directors:  with reasonable promptness,  written notice
     of any change in the Board of Directors of Company;

          (xvii)  New   Subsidiaries:   promptly  upon  any  Person  becoming  a
     Subsidiary of Company,  a written notice setting forth with respect to such
     Person (a) the date on which such Person became a Subsidiary of Company and
     (b) all of the data required to be set forth in Schedule 5.1 annexed hereto
     with respect to all  Subsidiaries of Company (it being understood that such
     written  notice shall be deemed to supplement  Schedule 5.1 annexed  hereto
     for all purposes of this Agreement); and

          (xviii) Existing Agreement Financial Covenants: on or before March 31,
     1998, an Officer's  Certificate to Lenders  evidencing  compliance with the
     requirements  of  subsection  7.6 of the  Existing  Credit  Agreement as of
     December  31,  1997;  provided  that for  purposes  of  demonstrating  such
     compliance  an  amount,  not  in  excess  of  $7.2  million,   representing
     unrealized  cost savings  with  respect to which action has been  initiated
     during 1997, shall be added to Consolidated EBITDA.

          (xix)  Other  Information:  with  reasonable  promptness,  such  other
     information and data with respect to Company or any of its  Subsidiaries as
     from time to time may be reasonably  requested by either  Co-Administrative
     Agent.

     For  purposes  of  subsections  4.2P(iii),  4.2P(iv)  and  4.2P(v) and this
subsection 6.1, "consolidating" balance sheets and "consolidating" statements of
income,  stockholders  equity  and  cash  flows  refer to  financial  statements
consolidating  the financial  position,  results of operations and cash flows of
the major operating groups of Company's Subsidiaries,  which operating groups as
of the  Effective  Date consist of (1) A.M.  Miller &  Associates,  Inc. and its
Subsidiaries, (2) Account Portfolios, Inc. and its Subsidiaries, (3) Continental
Credit  Services,  Inc.,  Alaska  Financial  Services,  Inc.,  Southwest  Credit
Services,   Inc.  and  their   respective   Subsidiaries,   (4)  Payco  and  its
Subsidiaries, (5) NSA and its Subsidiaries, (6) Accelerated and its Subsidiaries
and (7) Union and its Subsidiaries.

6.2  CORPORATE EXISTENCE, ETC.

     Except as permitted under subsection 7.7, Company will, and will cause each
of its  Subsidiaries to, at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect
its corporate  existence and all rights and franchises  material to the business
of Company and its Subsidiaries (on a consolidated basis).  Without limiting the
foregoing,  Company shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, file and
diligently process to completion applications for all material permits, licenses
and  other  governmental  approvals  necessary  for the  operation  of its  debt
collection business.

6.3  PAYMENT OF TAXES AND CLAIMS; TAX CONSOLIDATION.

     A.  Company  will,  and will  cause  each of its  Subsidiaries  to, pay all
material taxes and all assessments and other  governmental  charges imposed upon
it or any of its  properties  or  assets  or in  respect  of any of its  income,
businesses  or franchises  before any penalty  accrues  thereon,  and all claims
(including,  without  limitation,  claims for  labor,  services,  materials  and
supplies)  for sums that have become due and payable and that by law have or may
become a Lien upon any of its  properties or assets,  prior to the time when any
penalty or fine shall be incurred  with respect  thereto;  provided that no such
charge  or  claim  need be paid  if it is  being  contested  in  good  faith  by
appropriate  proceedings timely instituted and diligently  conducted and if such
reserve  or  other  appropriate  provision,  if any,  as shall  be  required  in
conformity with GAAP shall have been made therefor.

     B. Company will not, nor will it permit any of its Subsidiaries to, file or
consent to the  filing of any  consolidated  income  tax return  with any Person
(other than Company and its Subsidiaries).

6.4  MAINTENANCE OF PROPERTIES; INSURANCE.

     Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain or cause
to be maintained in good repair, working order and condition,  ordinary wear and
tear excepted, all material properties used or useful in the business of Company
and its  Subsidiaries  and from  time to time  will make or cause to be made all
appropriate repairs, renewals and replacements thereof. Company will maintain or
cause to be maintained, with financially sound and reputable insurers, insurance
with respect to its properties and business and the properties and businesses of
its  Subsidiaries  against  loss or damage of the kinds  customarily  carried or
maintained under similar circumstances by corporations of established reputation
engaged in similar  businesses.  Each such policy of casualty insurance covering
damage to or loss of property shall name Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent for the
benefit  of Agent and  Lenders  as the loss  payee  thereunder  for all  losses,
subject to application of proceeds as required by subsection  2.4B(iii)(d),  and
shall   provide   for  at  least  30  days'  prior   written   notice  to  Chase
Co-Administrative Agent of any modification or cancellation of such policy.

6.5  INSPECTION; LENDER MEETING.

     Company  shall,  and shall cause each of its  Subsidiaries  to,  permit any
authorized  representatives  designated  by any  Agent or  Lender  to visit  and
inspect any of the properties of Company or any of its  Subsidiaries,  including
its and their  financial  and  accounting  records,  and to make copies and take
extracts therefrom, and to discuss its and their affairs,  finances and accounts
with  its and  their  officers  and  independent  public  accountants,  all upon
reasonable  advance notice and at such  reasonable  times during normal business
hours and as often as may be reasonably  requested.  Without in any way limiting
the foregoing,  Company will, upon the request of Chase Co-Administrative Agent,
participate  in a meeting of Agents and Lenders  once during each Fiscal Year to
be held at Company's  corporate offices (or such other location as may be agreed
to by Company and Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent) at such time as may be agreed
to by Company and Chase Co-Administrative Agent.

6.6  COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS, ETC.

     Company shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with the
requirements  of all  applicable  laws,  rules,  regulations  and  orders of any
governmental authority (including all Debt Collection Laws),  noncompliance with
which could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Effect.

6.7  ENVIRONMENTAL DISCLOSURE AND INSPECTION.

     A. Company shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, exercise all
due  diligence in order to comply and cause (i) all tenants  under any leases or
occupancy  agreements affecting any portion of the Facilities and (ii) all other
Persons on or occupying such property,  to comply in all material  respects with
all Environmental Laws.

     B. Company agrees that Chase Co-Administrative Agent may, from time to time
and in its reasonable  discretion,  retain, at Company's expense, an independent
professional  consultant  to review any report  relating to Hazardous  Materials
prepared by or for Company and to conduct its own  investigation of any Facility
currently owned, leased, operated or used by Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
and Company agrees to use all reasonable  efforts to obtain permission for Chase
Co-Administrative   Agent's   professional   consultant   to  conduct   its  own
investigation of any such Facility previously owned, leased, operated or used by
Company or any of its Subsidiaries.  Company shall use its reasonable efforts to
obtain for Chase Co-Administrative Agent and its agents, employees,  consultants
and contractors the right, upon reasonable  notice to Company,  to enter into or
on to the Facilities currently owned, leased, operated or used by Company or any
of its  Subsidiaries  to perform such tests on such  property as are  reasonably
necessary to conduct such a review and/or investigation.  Any such investigation
of any Facility shall be conducted,  unless  otherwise  agreed to by Company and
Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent, during normal business hours and, to the extent
reasonably  practicable,  shall be  conducted  so as not to  interfere  with the
ongoing  operations  at any such  Facility or to cause any damage or loss to any
property at such  Facility.  Company and Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  hereby
acknowledge  and agree that any  report of any  investigation  conducted  at the
request of Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent pursuant to this subsection 6.7B will
be obtained and shall be used by Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent and Lenders for
the purposes of Lenders'  internal credit  decisions,  to monitor and police the
Loans and to protect Lenders'  security  interests,  if any, created by the Loan
Documents.  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent agrees to deliver a copy of any such
report to Company with the  understanding  that Company  acknowledges and agrees
that (i) it will  indemnify  and hold  harmless  each Agent and Lender  from any
costs, losses or liabilities  relating to any Loan Party's use of or reliance on
such report,  (ii) no Agent nor any Lender makes any  representation or warranty
with respect to such report, and (iii) by delivering such report to Company,  no
Agent nor any Lender is  requiring or  recommending  the  implementation  of any
suggestions or recommendations contained in such report.

     C. Company shall promptly advise Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent in writing
and in reasonable detail of (i) any Release of any Hazardous  Materials required
to be  reported  to  any  federal,  state,  local  or  foreign  governmental  or
regulatory  agency under any  applicable  Environmental  Laws,  (ii) any and all
written  communications  with  respect to any  Environmental  Claims that have a
reasonable  possibility  of giving  rise to a  Material  Adverse  Effect or with
respect to any  Release of  Hazardous  Materials  required to be reported to any
federal,  state or local governmental or regulatory  agency,  (iii) any remedial
action  taken by Company or any other  Person in response  to (x) any  Hazardous
Materials  on,  under  or about  any  Facility,  the  existence  of which  has a
reasonable  possibility of resulting in an Environmental Claim having a Material
Adverse  Effect,  or (y) any  Environmental  Claim  that  could  have a Material
Adverse Effect,  (iv) Company's  discovery of any occurrence or condition on any
real property adjoining or in the vicinity of any Facility that could cause such
Facility or any part thereof to be subject to any restrictions on the ownership,
occupancy,  transferability or use thereof under any Environmental Laws, and (v)
any request for  information  from any  governmental  agency that  suggests such
agency  is  investigating  whether  Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  may be
potentially responsible for a Release of Hazardous Materials.

     D. Company shall promptly notify Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent of (i) any
proposed  acquisition  of stock,  assets,  or  property by Company or any of its
Subsidiaries  that could  reasonably be expected to expose Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to, or result in,  Environmental  Claims that could have a Material
Adverse Effect or that could  reasonably be expected to have a material  adverse
effect on any  Governmental  Authorization  then held by  Company  or any of its
Subsidiaries  and (ii) any proposed  action to be taken by Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to commence  manufacturing,  industrial or other similar operations
that could  reasonably be expected to subject Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to additional laws, rules or regulations,  including,  without limitation, laws,
rules and regulations requiring additional environmental permits or licenses.

     E. Company shall,  at its own expense,  provide copies of such documents or
information as either Co-Administrative Agent may reasonably request in relation
to any matters disclosed pursuant to this subsection 6.7.

6.8  COMPANY'S REMEDIAL ACTION REGARDING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.

     Company  shall  promptly  take,  and shall  cause each of its  Subsidiaries
promptly to take, any and all necessary  remedial  action in connection with the
presence,  storage,  use,  disposal,  transportation or Release of any Hazardous
Materials  on or under  any  Facility  in order to  comply  with all  applicable
Environmental  Laws and  Governmental  Authorizations  unless the  failure to so
comply could not reasonably be expected to have a Material  Adverse  Effect.  In
the event  Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  takes any  remedial  action with
respect to any  Hazardous  Materials on or under any  Facility,  Company or such
Subsidiary   shall  conduct  and  complete  such  remedial  action  in  material
compliance  with all applicable  Environmental  Laws, and in accordance with the
policies,  orders and  directives of all federal,  state and local  governmental
authorities  except  when,  and  only  to the  extent  that,  Company's  or such
Subsidiary's liability for such presence, storage, use, disposal, transportation
or  Release  of any  Hazardous  Materials  is being  contested  in good faith by
Company or such Subsidiary.

6.9  EXECUTION OF SUBSIDIARY GUARANTY AND SUBSIDIARY SECURITY AGREEMENTS BY 
     SUBSIDIARIES AND FUTURE SUBSIDIARIES.

     In the event that any Person  becomes a  wholly-owned  domestic  Subsidiary
after the date hereof,  Company  will  promptly  notify Chase  Co-Administrative
Agent of that fact and cause such  Subsidiary  to execute  and  deliver to Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent and  Collateral  Agent a counterpart  of the Subsidiary
Guaranty  and  the  Pledge  Agreement,   the  Security  Agreement,  the  Limited
Partnership   Security   Agreement   and  the   Trademark   Security   Agreement
(collectively,  the  "SUBSIDIARY  SECURITY  AGREEMENTS"),  and to take  all such
further actions and execute all such further documents and instruments as may be
required to grant and perfect in favor of Collateral  Agent,  for the benefit of
Lenders,  a  first-priority  security  interest in all of the personal  property
assets of such  Subsidiary  described  in the  Subsidiary  Security  Agreements.
Company shall deliver to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent and  Collateral  Agent,
together with such Loan  Documents,  (i) certified  copies of such  Subsidiary's
Articles or Certificate of Incorporation (or comparable constituent  documents),
together, if applicable,  with a good standing certificate from the Secretary of
State of the jurisdiction of its  incorporation,  each to be dated a recent date
prior to  their  delivery  to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent,  (ii) a copy,  if
applicable, of such Subsidiary's Bylaws, certified by its corporate secretary or
an assistant  corporate secretary as of a recent date prior to their delivery to
Chase Co-Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent, (iii) a certificate executed
by the  secretary or an assistant  secretary  of such  Subsidiary  as to (a) the
incumbency  and  signatures  of the officers of such  Subsidiary  executing  the
Subsidiary  Guaranty  and to which such  Subsidiary  is a party and (b) the fact
that the  attached  resolutions  of the Board of  Directors  of such  Subsidiary
authorizing the execution,  delivery and performance of the Subsidiary  Guaranty
and the Subsidiary  Security  Agreements to which such Subsidiary is a party are
in full force and effect and have not been  modified  or  rescinded,  and (iv) a
favorable  opinion  of  counsel  to  such  Subsidiary,  in  form  and  substance
satisfactory to Chase Co-Administrative Agent and its counsel, as to (a) the due
organization  and good standing of such Subsidiary,  (b) the due  authorization,
execution  and delivery by such  Subsidiary of the  Subsidiary  Guaranty and the
Subsidiary  Security  Agreements to which such  Subsidiary  is a party,  (c) the
enforceability of the Subsidiary Guaranty and the Subsidiary Security Agreements
to which such Subsidiary is a party against such Subsidiary,  and (d) such other
matters as Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent and  Collateral  Agent may reasonably
request,  all of  the  foregoing  to be  reasonably  satisfactory  in  form  and
substance to Chase Co-Administrative Agent and its counsel and Collateral Agent.

6.10 INTEREST RATE PROTECTION.

     Within 180 days after the Effective  Date,  Company shall enter into one or
more  Interest  Rate  Agreements  with  respect  to the Loans,  in an  aggregate
notional  principal  amount of not less than  $100,000,000,  which Interest Rate
Agreements  shall have the effect of establishing a maximum interest rate of not
more than 10% per annum with respect to such  notional  principal  amount,  each
such  Interest  Rate  Agreement  to be in form  and  substance  satisfactory  to
Co-Administrative  Agents and with a term of not less than three  years from the
Effective Date.

6.11 CONDUCT OF BUSINESS OF MERGER SUB.

     Until  consummation  of the Union  Merger,  Merger Sub will  engage in only
those activities that are necessary or advisable to effect the Tender Offer upon
the terms set forth in the Tender  Offer  Materials,  to effect the Union Merger
and to effect the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

6.12 CONDUCT OF BUSINESS OF UNION.

     Until  consummation of the Union Merger,  Company and Merger Sub will cause
Union and its  Subsidiaries to conduct their  respective  businesses in a manner
consistent with their past practices,  and to comply with the terms of the Union
Acquisition Agreement.

6.13 UNION MERGER.

     Company  shall comply with,  and cause Union to comply with,  all covenants
set forth in the Union  Acquisition  Agreement that are applicable  prior to the
consummation  of the Union  Merger.  Company  shall cause the Union Merger to be
consummated in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Union Acquisition
Agreement and the Tender Offer  Materials and shall cause each of the conditions
set forth in subsection 4.3 to be fulfilled as soon as  practicable  and, in any
event,  no later than 120 calendar days after the  Effective  Date. In the event
that the Tendered Union Shares to be purchased  concurrently with receipt of the
proceeds  of the  initial  Tranche  C Term  Loans on the  Effective  Date  shall
represent,  in the  aggregate,  not less than 90% of the  outstanding  shares of
Union Common Stock and, in any case,  the number of shares of Union Common Stock
required to permit Company to cause the Union Merger to occur in accordance with
the terms of the Union  Acquisition  Agreement  and Section 253 of the  Delaware
General  Corporation  Law,  Company  shall cause the Union Merger to occur under
Section 253 of the Delaware General  Corporation Law on the Effective Date or as
soon  thereafter as practicable and in any event within 10 days of the Effective
Date.

6.14 FURTHER ASSURANCES.

     At  any  time  or  from   time  to  time   upon  the   request   of  either
Co-Administrative  Agent,  Company  will,  at  its  expense,  promptly  execute,
acknowledge and deliver such further documents and do such other acts and things
as such Co-Administrative  Agent may reasonably request in order to effect fully
the purposes of the Loan Documents and to provide for payment of the Obligations
in  accordance  with the terms of this  Agreement,  the Notes and the other Loan
Documents. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing,  Company shall
take,  and  cause  each of its  Subsidiaries  to take,  such  actions  as either
Co-Administrative  Agent may  reasonably  request from time to time  (including,
without  limitation,   the  execution  and  delivery  of  guaranties,   security
agreements,  pledge  agreements,   mortgages,  deeds  of  trust,  stock  powers,
financing statements and other documents,  the filing or recording of any of the
foregoing,  title insurance with respect to any of the foregoing that relates to
an interest in real property,  and the delivery of stock  certificates and other
collateral with respect to which perfection is obtained by possession) to ensure
that the Obligations are guaranteed by Subsidiary  Guarantors and are secured by
substantially all of the assets of Company and its domestic Subsidiaries. In the
event that Company or any of its Subsidiaries creates a new domestic Subsidiary,
all of  the  capital  stock  or  partnership  interests  of  such  new  domestic
Subsidiary shall be duly and validly pledged to Collateral Agent for the benefit
of Agents and Lenders pursuant to the Collateral Documents,  subject to no other
Liens.

                                   SECTION 7.
                               NEGATIVE COVENANTS

     Company  covenants  and  agrees  that,  so long  as any of the  Commitments
hereunder  shall remain in effect and until  payment in full of all of the Loans
and other  Obligations  and the  cancellation  or  expiration  of all Letters of
Credit,  unless  Requisite  Lenders shall otherwise give prior written  consent,
Company shall perform,  and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to perform, all
covenants in this Section 7.

7.1  INDEBTEDNESS.

     Company  shall  not,  and  shall not  permit  any of its  Subsidiaries  to,
directly or indirectly,  create,  incur, assume or guaranty, or otherwise become
or remain  directly  or  indirectly  liable with  respect to, any  Indebtedness,
except:

          (i)  Company  may  become  and  remain  liable  with  respect  to  the
     Obligations;

          (ii) Company and its  Subsidiaries  may become and remain  liable with
     respect to Contingent Obligations permitted by subsection 7.4 and, upon any
     matured  obligations  actually arising pursuant  thereto,  the Indebtedness
     corresponding to the Contingent Obligations so extinguished;

          (iii) Company and its Subsidiaries,  as applicable,  may remain liable
     with respect to Indebtedness described in Schedule 7.1 annexed hereto;

          (iv)  Indebtedness of Company and its  Subsidiaries  (a) under Capital
     Leases  capitalized  on  the  consolidated  balance  sheet  of  Company  as
     liabilities,   (b)  with  respect  to  sale  and  lease-back   arrangements
     identified  on  Schedule  7.8,  or (c)  secured  by Liens  permitted  under
     subsection 7.2A(iii), in an aggregate amount not exceeding, with respect to
     Indebtedness incurred pursuant to clause (a) or (c) of this subsection 7.1,
     $15,000,000 at any time outstanding;

          (v) Company may become and remain liable with respect to  Indebtedness
     to any of its domestic Wholly Owned  Subsidiaries,  and any domestic Wholly
     Owned  Subsidiary  of Company may become and remain  liable with respect to
     Indebtedness  to Company or any other domestic  Wholly Owned  Subsidiary of
     Company  provided  that (a) all  such  intercompany  Indebtedness  shall be
     evidenced by promissory notes, (b) all such intercompany  Indebtedness owed
     by Company to any of its respective  Subsidiaries  shall be subordinated in
     right of payment to the payment in full of the Obligations  pursuant to the
     terms of the applicable  promissory notes or an intercompany  subordination
     agreement,   in  each   case  in  form  and   substance   satisfactory   to
     Co-Administrative  Agents,  and  (c)  any  payment  by  Company  or by  any
     Subsidiary of Company under any guaranty of the Obligations shall result in
     a pro tanto reduction of the amount of any intercompany  Indebtedness  owed
     by Company or by such  Subsidiary to Company or to any of its  Subsidiaries
     for whose benefit such payment is made;

          (vi)  Company  may  become  and  remain  liable  with  respect  to the
     Subordinated Notes;

          (vii)  Company may become and remain  liable with respect to Permitted
     Seller Notes,  provided that the aggregate  principal  amount of such notes
     issued shall not exceed $25,000,000; and

          (viii) Company and its  Subsidiaries  (other than,  prior to the Union
     Merger Date, Merger Sub) may become and remain liable with respect to other
     Indebtedness  in an  aggregate  principal  amount not to exceed at any time
     outstanding $10,000,000.

7.2  LIENS AND RELATED MATTERS.

     A. PROHIBITION ON LIENS. Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its
Subsidiaries  to,  directly or indirectly,  create,  incur,  assume or permit to
exist  any  Lien on or  with  respect  to any  property  or  asset  of any  kind
(including   any  document  or  instrument  in  respect  of  goods  or  accounts
receivable)  of  Company  or any of  its  Subsidiaries,  whether  now  owned  or
hereafter  acquired,  or any income or profits therefrom,  or file or permit the
filing  of, or permit to remain in effect,  any  financing  statement,  or other
similar notice of any Lien with respect to any such property,  asset,  income or
profits  under the  Uniform  Commercial  Code of any state or under any  similar
recording or notice statute, except:

          (i)      Permitted Encumbrances;

          (ii)     Liens described in Schedule 7.2 annexed hereto;

          (iii)  Purchase  money  security   interests   (including   mortgages,
     conditional sales, Capital Leases and any other title retention or deferred
     purchase  devices) in tangible  personal  property of Company or any of its
     Subsidiaries  existing  or  created at the time of  acquisition  thereof or
     within 30 days thereafter,  and the renewal, extension and refunding of any
     such  security  interest  in an amount not  exceeding  the  amount  thereof
     remaining unpaid immediately prior to such renewal, extension or refunding;
     provided,  however,  that such  Indebtedness  is  permitted  by  subsection
     7.1(iv) hereof;

          (iv) Other  Liens on assets of Company and its  Subsidiaries  securing
     Indebtedness  in an aggregate  amount not to exceed  $5,000,000 at any time
     outstanding; and

          (v) Liens granted pursuant to the Collateral Documents.

Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  prior to the Union Merger Date,  Merger Sub may
directly or  indirectly  sell,  assign,  pledge or encumber  any shares of Union
Common  Stock  owned by it for cash  and for  fair  market  value so long as the
proceeds thereof are held as Cash or Cash Equivalents.

     B.  EQUITABLE  LIEN  IN  FAVOR  OF  LENDERS.  If  Company  or  any  of  its
Subsidiaries  shall  create  or  assume  any  consensual  Lien  upon  any of its
properties or assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired,  other than Liens
excepted by the provisions of subsection 7.2A, it shall make or cause to be made
effective provision whereby the Obligations will be secured by such Lien equally
and ratably with any and all other  Indebtedness  secured thereby as long as any
such  Indebtedness  shall be so  secured;  provided  that,  notwithstanding  the
foregoing,  this  covenant  shall not be  construed  as a consent  by  Requisite
Lenders to the  creation or  assumption  of any such Lien not  permitted  by the
provisions of subsection 7.2A.

     C. NO FURTHER NEGATIVE  PLEDGES.  Except with respect to specific  property
encumbered to secure payment of particular  Indebtedness  or to be sold pursuant
to an executed  agreement with respect to an Asset Sale, neither Company nor any
of its Subsidiaries  shall enter into any agreement  prohibiting the creation or
assumption of any Lien upon any of its  properties or assets,  whether now owned
or hereafter acquired.

     D.  NO  RESTRICTIONS  ON  SUBSIDIARY  DISTRIBUTIONS  TO  COMPANY  OR  OTHER
SUBSIDIARIES.  Except as provided  herein  Company will not, and will not permit
any of its  Subsidiaries  to,  create or  otherwise  cause or suffer to exist or
become  effective any  consensual  encumbrance or restriction of any kind on the
ability  of  any  such  Subsidiary  to (i)  pay  dividends  or  make  any  other
distributions on any of such Subsidiary's  capital stock owned by Company or any
other Subsidiary of Company,  (ii) repay or prepay any Indebtedness owed by such
Subsidiary to Company or any other  Subsidiary  of Company,  (iii) make loans or
advances to Company or any other Subsidiary of Company,  or (iv) transfer any of
its property or assets to Company or any other Subsidiary of Company.

7.3  INVESTMENTS; JOINT VENTURES.

     Company  shall  not,  and  shall not  permit  any of its  Subsidiaries  to,
directly or indirectly,  make or own any Investment in any Person, including any
Joint Venture, except:

          (i) Company and its  Subsidiaries may make and own Investments in Cash
     Equivalents;

          (ii) Company and its  Subsidiaries may continue to own the Investments
     owned by them as of the Effective Date in any Subsidiaries of Company and;

          (iii) Company and its Subsidiaries may make intercompany  loans to the
     extent  permitted under subsection  7.1(v);  (iv) Payco may continue to own
     the Joint Ventures owned by it as of the Effective Date;

          (v)  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  may make and own  Investments  in
     Permitted Joint Ventures; provided that (a) at the time of such Investment,
     and after giving effect thereto,  no Potential Event of Default or Event of
     Default shall have occurred and be continuing,  (b) the aggregate amount of
     all such  Investments  made after the Closing Date (other than  Investments
     made in  accordance  with  the  following  clause  (c))  shall  not  exceed
     $5,000,000,  (c) the aggregate  amount of  Investments  made in a Permitted
     Joint Venture the only assets of which are Qualified Loan Portfolios  shall
     not exceed  $30,000,000  during any Fiscal Year and,  after  giving  effect
     thereto,  the  aggregate  amount  of such  Investments  do not  exceed  the
     limitations  set  forth  in  subsection  7.7(v),  and (d)  Company  and its
     Subsidiaries  shall pledge all of their respective  equity interests in any
     Permitted Joint Venture to Collateral Agent to secure the Obligations under
     the Loan  Documents  (except to the extent,  and only to the  extent,  such
     pledge of the equity interests in a Permitted Joint Venture organized under
     the laws of a foreign country would result in Company incurring  additional
     liabilities for taxes);

          (vi) Company may make and own Investments consisting of notes received
     in connection with any Asset Sale limited to 20% of the total sale price of
     the assets sold in such Asset Sale;  provided that the aggregate  principal
     amount of such notes at any time outstanding shall not exceed $2,000,000;

          (vii) Company and its  Subsidiaries  may make and own  Investments  in
     connection   with  a  Permitted   Acquisition  or  a  Permitted   Portfolio
     Acquisition;

          (viii) Company and its Subsidiaries may make Consolidated  Maintenance
     Capital Expenditures permitted by subsection 7.6;

          (ix) Company and its Subsidiaries  may make and own other  Investments
     in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time $2,500,000; and

          (x)  Company  may  make the  Investments  permitted  under  subsection
     7.7(vi).

7.4  CONTINGENT OBLIGATIONS.

     Company  shall  not,  and  shall not  permit  any of its  Subsidiaries  to,
directly or  indirectly,  create or become or remain  liable with respect to any
Contingent Obligation, except:

          (i) Company may become and remain  liable with  respect to  Contingent
     Obligations  in  respect  of  Letters  of  Credit,   as   applicable,   and
     Subsidiaries  of  Company  may become and  remain  liable  with  respect to
     Contingent Obligations arising under the Subsidiary Guaranty;

          (ii) Company and its  Subsidiaries  may become and remain  liable with
     respect to Contingent  Obligations under Interest Rate Agreements  required
     under subsection 6.10;

          (iii) Company and its  Subsidiaries  may become and remain liable with
     respect to Contingent  Obligations in respect of customary  indemnification
     and purchase price adjustment  obligations  incurred in the ordinary course
     of business in connection with Asset Sales or other sales of assets;

          (iv) Company and its  Subsidiaries  may become and remain  liable with
     respect to Contingent  Obligations  under guarantees in the ordinary course
     of  business  of  the  obligations  of  suppliers,   landlords,  customers,
     franchisees  and licensees of Company and its  Subsidiaries in an aggregate
     amount not to exceed at any time $2,500,000;

          (v) Company  and its  Subsidiaries  may become and remain  liable with
     respect to Contingent  Obligations  under guarantees in the ordinary course
     of  business  with  respect  to the  performance  by  Company or any of its
     Subsidiaries of obligations under collection contracts;

          (vi) Company may become and remain  liable with respect to  Contingent
     Obligations in respect of Earn Out Agreements in connection  with Permitted
     Acquisitions  and Company and its Subsidiaries may become and remain liable
     with  respect  to  Contingent   Obligations  in  respect  of  Forward  Flow
     Contracts;  provided  that to the  extent  that  purchases  of  receivables
     portfolios  from a single  seller  (together  with all  Affiliates  of such
     seller)  party  to a  Forward  Flow  Contract  with  Company  or any of its
     Subsidiaries  exceed  $1,250,000 in any 12-month  period,  any  receivables
     portfolio  purchased  during  such  12-month  period  under a Forward  Flow
     Contract with such seller shall be a Qualified Loan Portfolio;

          (vii) Company and its Subsidiaries,  as applicable,  may remain liable
     with respect to  Contingent  Obligations  described in Schedule 7.4 annexed
     hereto;

          (viii)  Subsidiaries  of Company  may become  and remain  liable  with
     respect to the Subordinated Note Guaranty; and

          (ix) Company and its  Subsidiaries  may become and remain  liable with
     respect  to  other  Contingent  Obligations;   provided  that  the  maximum
     aggregate   liability,   contingent  or  otherwise,   of  Company  and  its
     Subsidiaries in respect of all such Contingent Obligations shall at no time
     exceed $2,000,000.

7.5  RESTRICTED JUNIOR PAYMENTS.

     Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its respective  Subsidiaries
to, directly or indirectly,  declare,  order, pay, make or set apart any sum for
any  Restricted  Junior  Payment;  provided that (i) Company may make  scheduled
interest  payments in respect of the  Subordinated  Notes in accordance with the
terms of the  Subordinated  Note  Indenture;  (ii)  Company  may make  scheduled
interest and principal  payments in respect of the Existing  Seller Note and any
Permitted  Seller Notes permitted by subsection  7.1(vii) in accordance with the
terms of the Existing Seller Note and such Permitted Seller Notes; (iii) so long
as no Event of Default or Potential  Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing or shall be caused thereby, Company may make payments in an aggregate
amount not to exceed  $2,500,000  in any Fiscal Year to the extent  necessary to
repurchase shares of Company Common Stock from officers,  directors or employees
of Company or any of its Subsidiaries following termination of employment of any
such officer, director or employee by reason of death, disability, retirement or
resignation or following other events  customarily  requiring or permitting such
repurchase,  in each case in  accordance  with the terms of  customary  terms of
management  and/or  employee  stock  plans,  stock  subscription  agreements  or
shareholder  agreements  entered into with  officers,  directors or employees of
Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries;  (iv) so long as no  Event of  Default  or
Potential  Event of Default  shall have  occurred and be  continuing or shall be
caused thereby, Company may repurchase Company Preferred Stock and make payments
of accrued  and unpaid  dividends  to the  holders of Company  Preferred  Stock,
provided that in no event may Company pay any dividend on or repurchase  Company
Preferred  Stock unless both (x) the Leverage  Ratio for the most recently ended
four-Fiscal  Quarter  period  is less than  2.0:1.0  and (y) at least 50% of the
initial  aggregate  principal amount of the Term Loans has been repaid;  and (v)
Company and its Subsidiaries may consummate the transactions contemplated by the
Union Acquisition Documents.
7.6  FINANCIAL COVENANTS.

     A. Minimum Interest Coverage Ratio. The ratio of (i) Consolidated EBITDA to
(ii) Consolidated Interest Expense for any four-Fiscal Quarter period (each such
four-Fiscal Quarter period being a "CALCULATION PERIOD") ending June 30, 1998 or
thereafter  during any of the periods set forth below shall not be less than the
correlative ratio indicated:

===================================== ==========================================
           PERIOD DURING                               MINIMUM
   WHICH CALCULATION PERIOD ENDS               INTEREST COVERAGE RATIO
===================================== ==========================================
        06/30/98 - 12/30/99                           2.00:1.00
===================================== ==========================================
        12/31/99 - 06/29/00                           2.25:1.00
===================================== ==========================================
        06/30/00 - 12/30/00                           2.50:1.00
===================================== ==========================================
         12/31/00 - 6/29/01                           2.75:1.00
===================================== ==========================================
             Thereafter                               3.00:1.00
===================================== ==========================================

         B. MAXIMUM LEVERAGE RATIO. The ratio of (i) Consolidated  Total Debt as
of June 30,  1998 or the last day (any such day being a  "CALCULATION  DATE") of
any Fiscal  Quarter  ending  during any of the  periods  set forth below to (ii)
Consolidated  EBITDA for the Calculation  Period ending on such Calculation Date
shall not exceed the correlative ratio indicated:

=========================================== ==========================
              PERIOD DURING                          MAXIMUM
      WHICH CALCULATION DATE OCCURS                 LEVERAGE
                                                      RATIO
=========================================== ==========================
=========================================== ==========================
           06/30/98 - 06/29/99                      5.00:1.00
=========================================== ==========================
           06/30/99 - 12/30/99                      4.75:1.00
=========================================== ==========================
           12/31/99 - 06/29/00                      4.50:1.00
=========================================== ==========================
           06/30/00 - 12/30/00                      4.25:1.00
=========================================== ==========================
           12/31/00 - 06/29/01                      4.00:1.00
=========================================== ==========================
           06/30/01 - 12/30/01                      3.75:1.00
=========================================== ==========================
           12/31/01 - 06/29/02                      3.50:1.00
=========================================== ==========================
           06/30/02 - 12/30/02                      3.25:1.00
=========================================== ==========================
           12/31/02 - 06/29/03                      3.00:1.00
=========================================== ==========================
                Thereafter                          2.75:1.00
=========================================== ==========================

     C.  MINIMUM  FIXED CHARGE  COVERAGE  RATIO.  The ratio of (i)  Consolidated
EBITDA to (ii)  Consolidated  Fixed  Charges for any  Calculation  Period ending
after the Closing Date shall not be less than 1.05:1.00.

     D. CONSOLIDATED  MAINTENANCE CAPITAL  EXPENDITURES.  Company shall not, and
shall  not  permit  its  Subsidiaries  to,  make or  incur  in any  Fiscal  Year
Consolidated  Maintenance Capital  Expenditures in an aggregate amount in excess
of  $18,000,000  (the "MAXIMUM  CONSOLIDATED  MAINTENANCE  CAPITAL  EXPENDITURES
AMOUNT");   provided   that  the  Maximum   Consolidated   Maintenance   Capital
Expenditures  Amount for any Fiscal  Year other than  Fiscal  Year 1998 shall be
increased  by an amount  equal to the excess,  if any (but in no event more than
25% of the Maximum Consolidated  Maintenance Capital Expenditures Amount for the
previous  Fiscal  Year),  of  the  Maximum   Consolidated   Maintenance  Capital
Expenditures  Amount for the  previous  Fiscal  Year over the  actual  amount of
Consolidated Maintenance Capital Expenditures for such previous Fiscal Year; and
provided  further,  that immediately  following any acquisition  permitted under
subsection  7.7(v) or 7.7(vi),  the  Maximum  Consolidated  Maintenance  Capital
Expenditures  Amount for the Fiscal Year during which such  acquisition  occurs,
and for each Fiscal Year  thereafter  shall be  increased,  in each case,  by an
amount equal to the product of (i) the Maximum Consolidated  Maintenance Capital
Expenditures  Amount in effect immediately prior to such acquisition  multiplied
by (ii) the ratio of (a)  Consolidated  EBITDA  attributable  to the business or
assets so acquired but not  attributable to any Portfolio  Purchase  Business so
acquired to (b) Consolidated  EBITDA not attributable to the Portfolio  Purchase
Business  of  Company  and  its  Subsidiaries  without  giving  effect  to  such
acquisition,  determined in the case of clauses (a) and (b) for the  four-Fiscal
Quarter period most recently ended prior to such acquisition.

     E.   Certain Calculations.

          (i)  Notwithstanding  any provision of this Agreement to the contrary,
     (x)  for  purposes  of  calculating  Consolidated  EBITDA  for  any  period
     including  the third and/or fourth  Fiscal  Quarters of 1997,  Consolidated
     EBITDA shall be deemed to be  $29,100,000  for the third Fiscal  Quarter of
     1997 and  $24,600,000 for the fourth Fiscal Quarter of 1997, (y) subject to
     the  provisions of the preceding  clause (x), for purposes of  calculations
     under subsection 7.6, calculations shall be made as if the Union Merger and
     related transactions (including, without limitation,  borrowings of all the
     Tranche C Term Loans) had been  consummated as of January 1, 1998, and (z),
     Consolidated  Interest  Expense and  Consolidated  Fixed  Charges  shall be
     calculated prior to December 31, 1998 in accordance with Schedule 7.6E.

          (ii) With respect to any period during which new Subsidiaries,  assets
     or businesses are acquired  pursuant to subsection  7.7(v) or 7.7(vi),  for
     purposes of determining  compliance with the financial  covenants set forth
     in this  subsection  7.6,  Consolidated  EBITDA and  Consolidated  Interest
     Expense  shall  be  calculated  with  respect  to  such  periods  and  such
     Subsidiaries,  assets or businesses on a pro forma basis (including, except
     with respect to the Union Acquisition, pro forma adjustments arising out of
     events  which are  directly  attributable  to a specific  transaction,  are
     factually supportable and are expected to have a continuing impact, in each
     case  determined on a basis  consistent  with Article 11 of Regulation  S-X
     promulgated under the Securities Act and as interpreted by the staff of the
     Securities  and Exchange  Commission  prior to December  1996,  which would
     include  cost  savings  resulting  from head  count  reduction,  closure of
     facilities and similar restructuring  charges,  which pro forma adjustments
     shall be certified  by the chief  financial  officer of Company)  using the
     historical financial statements of all entities or assets so acquired or to
     be acquired and the  consolidated  financial  statements of Company and its
     Subsidiaries  which shall be reformulated (i) as if such  acquisition,  and
     any acquisitions  which have been consummated  during such period,  and any
     Indebtedness  or other  liabilities  incurred in  connection  with any such
     acquisition  had been  consummated  or  incurred at the  beginning  of such
     period (and  assuming  that such  Indebtedness  bears  interest  during any
     portion  of  the  applicable  measurement  period  prior  to  the  relevant
     acquisition  at the weighted  average of the interest  rates  applicable to
     outstanding  Loans during such  period),  and (ii)  otherwise in conformity
     with certain procedures to be agreed upon between  Co-Administrative Agents
     and Company, all such calculations to be in form and substance satisfactory
     to Co-Administrative Agents.

7.7  RESTRICTION ON FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES; ASSET SALES.

     Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its  Subsidiaries  to, alter
the corporate, capital or legal structure of Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
create  any new  Subsidiaries  or  enter  into  any  transaction  of  merger  or
consolidation,   or  liquidate,  wind-up  or  dissolve  itself  (or  suffer  any
liquidation or dissolution),  or convey,  sell,  lease,  sub-lease,  transfer or
otherwise dispose of, in one transaction or a series of transactions, all or any
substantial part of its business, property or fixed assets, whether now owned or
hereafter  acquired,  or  acquire  by  purchase  or  otherwise  any  part of the
business,  property or fixed assets of, or stock or other evidence of beneficial
ownership of, any Person, except:

          (i) any  Subsidiary  of Company may be merged with or into  Company or
     any domestic Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Company, or be liquidated, wound up
     or dissolved,  or all or any substantial part of its business,  property or
     assets may be conveyed, sold, leased, transferred or otherwise disposed of,
     in one transaction or a series of transactions,  to Company or any domestic
     Wholly Owned  Subsidiary of Company;  provided  that, in the case of such a
     merger,  Company or such Wholly Owned Subsidiary shall be the continuing or
     surviving corporation;

          (ii) Company and its  Subsidiaries  may acquire  inventory (other than
     receivables portfolios),  equipment and other assets in the ordinary course
     of business;

          (iii) Company and its  Subsidiaries  may sell or otherwise  dispose of
     assets in transactions  that do not constitute  Asset Sales;  provided that
     the  consideration  received for such assets shall be in an amount at least
     equal to the fair market  value  thereof  (determined  in good faith by the
     board of directors of Company);

          (iv)  Company and its  Subsidiaries  may make any Asset Sale of assets
     that have, in the aggregate,  a fair market value (determined in good faith
     by the board of directors of Company) not in excess of 20% of  Consolidated
     EBITDA for the four-Fiscal Quarter period most recently ended prior to such
     Asset Sale;  provided that (x) the  consideration  received for such assets
     shall be in an  amount  at least  equal to the fair  market  value  thereof
     (determined  in good faith by the board of directors  of Company);  (y) not
     less than 80% of the consideration received therefor shall be cash; and (z)
     the proceeds of such Asset Sales shall be applied as required by subsection
     2.4B(iii)(a);

          (v) Company may make acquisitions of receivables  portfolios and other
     assets and  businesses  (including  acquisitions  of the  capital  stock of
     another Person), provided that:

               (a)  in  the  event  that  the  aggregate   amount  of  all  such
          acquisitions in any Fiscal Year would exceed  $5,000,000  after giving
          effect to any such  proposed  acquisition,  (x) the Interest  Coverage
          Ratio  (calculated  on a pro forma basis giving effect to the proposed
          acquisition)  shall not be less than the ratio set forth in subsection
          7.6A  applicable at the time of such  acquisition and (y) the Leverage
          Ratio  (calculated  on a pro forma basis giving effect to the proposed
          acquisition)  shall  not be  greater  than  the  ratio  set  forth  in
          subsection 7.6B applicable at the time of such acquisition;

               (b) the  aggregate  amount  expended for  Permitted  Acquisitions
          (other than pursuant to subsection  7.7(vi))  after the Effective Date
          shall not exceed $60,000,000;

               (c) any receivables  portfolio acquired shall be a Qualified Loan
          Portfolio;

               (d)  the  aggregate  amount  expended  for  Permitted   Portfolio
          Acquisitions during any Fiscal Year together with the aggregate amount
          of all Investments  made pursuant to subsection  7.3(v)(c) during such
          Fiscal Year shall not exceed $60,000,000;

               (e) that  portion  of  Consolidated  EBITDA  attributable  to any
          assets so  acquired  in any  single  acquisition  or series of related
          acquisitions,  as  projected  by Company for the  twelve-month  period
          immediately  following the date of such acquisition or the date of the
          first of such  series  of  related  acquisitions,  as the case may be,
          shall  not  exceed  20% of  Consolidated  EBITDA  for the  four-Fiscal
          Quarter  period  most  recently  ended  prior  to  the  date  of  such
          acquisition, and Company shall have delivered an Officer's Certificate
          to  Co-Administrative  Agents  (together with  supporting  information
          therefor) to the foregoing effect; and

               (f) no Event of Default or Potential  Event of Default shall have
          occurred and be continuing at the time of such acquisition or shall be
          caused thereby; and

          (vi) Company may consummate the Tender Offer on the Effective Date and
     the Union Merger on the Delayed-Draw Term Loan Funding Date.

Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  prior to the Union Merger Date,  Merger Sub may
directly or  indirectly  sell,  assign,  pledge or encumber  any shares of Union
Common  Stock  owned by it for cash  and for  fair  market  value so long as the
proceeds thereof are held as Cash or Cash Equivalents.

7.8  SALES AND LEASE-BACKS.

     Except as set forth in  Schedule  7.8,  Company  shall  not,  and shall not
permit any of its  Subsidiaries  to,  directly or  indirectly,  become or remain
liable as lessee or as a guarantor  or other  surety with  respect to any lease,
whether an Operating  Lease or a Capital Lease,  of any property  (whether real,
personal or mixed),  whether now owned or hereafter acquired,  (i) which Company
or any of its  Subsidiaries has sold or transferred or is to sell or transfer to
any other Person (other than Company or any of its  Subsidiaries)  or (ii) which
Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  intends to use for  substantially  the same
purpose as any other  property which has been or is to be sold or transferred by
Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  to any Person (other than Company or any of
its Subsidiaries) in connection with such lease.

7.9  TRANSACTIONS WITH SHAREHOLDERS AND AFFILIATES.

     Company  shall  not,  and  shall not  permit  any of its  Subsidiaries  to,
directly  or  indirectly,   enter  into  or  permit  to  exist  any  transaction
(including,  without  limitation,  the purchase,  sale, lease or exchange of any
property or the  rendering of any service)  with any holder of 5% or more of any
class of equity Securities of Company or with any Affiliate of Company or of any
such holder, on terms that are less favorable to Company or that Subsidiary,  as
the case may be, than those that might be obtained at the time from  Persons who
are not such a holder or  Affiliate;  provided  that the  foregoing  restriction
shall not apply to (i) any  transaction  between  Company  and any of its Wholly
Owned  Subsidiaries  or  between  any of its  Wholly  Owned  Subsidiaries,  (ii)
reasonable  and  customary  fees paid to members of the boards of  directors  of
Company and its Subsidiaries,  (iii) fees, expenses and other amounts payable to
the MDC  Entities  on the  Closing  Date,  the First  Amendment  Date and/or the
Effective Date, and (iv) the Management Fees.

7.10 DISPOSAL OF SUBSIDIARY STOCK.

     Company shall not:

          (i) directly or indirectly sell, assign,  pledge or otherwise encumber
     or dispose of any shares of capital stock or other equity Securities of any
     of its  Subsidiaries,  except as  permitted  under  this  Agreement  or the
     Collateral Documents or to qualify directors if required by applicable law;
     or

          (ii) permit any of its  Subsidiaries  directly or  indirectly to sell,
     assign,  pledge or  otherwise  encumber or dispose of any shares of capital
     stock or other equity Securities of any of its Subsidiaries (including such
     Subsidiary),  except as permitted  under this  Agreement or the  Collateral
     Documents or to Company,  another wholly-owned Subsidiary of Company, or to
     qualify directors if required by applicable law.

Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  prior to the Union Merger Date,  Merger Sub may
directly or indirectly sell,  assign,  pledge or encumber shares of Union Common
Stock owned by it for cash and for fair market value.

7.11 CONDUCT OF BUSINESS.

     Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its  Subsidiaries to, engage
in any  business  other than (i) the  businesses  engaged in by Company  and its
Subsidiaries   on  the  Effective   Date  (after  giving  effect  to  the  Union
Acquisition)  and  similar or related  businesses  and (ii) such other  lines of
business  as may be  consented  to by  Co-Administrative  Agents  and  Requisite
Lenders.

7.12 AMENDMENTS  OR  WAIVERS  OF  CERTAIN  RELATED  AGREEMENTS;   AMENDMENTS  OF
     DOCUMENTS RELATING TO SUBORDINATED INDEBTEDNESS; DESIGNATION OF "DESIGNATED
     SENIOR DEBT"; PREFERRED STOCK.

     A. AMENDMENTS OR WAIVERS OF CERTAIN RELATED AGREEMENTS. Neither Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries will agree to any material amendment to, or waive any of
its  material  rights  under,  any  Related  Agreement  (other  than any Related
Agreement  evidencing  or  governing  any  Subordinated  Indebtedness),  the MDC
Advisory  Services  Agreement or the Stockholders  Agreement after the Effective
Date if such  amendment  or waiver  would be adverse to Lenders  without in each
case obtaining the prior written consent of Requisite  Lenders to such amendment
or waiver; provided, however, that if certain performance criteria determined by
the Board of Directors  of Company are met from time to time,  Company may amend
the MDC Advisory  Services  Agreement  without the consent of Lenders to provide
for an increase or increases in the annual  Management  Fee payable  thereunder,
provided that such Management Fee shall not exceed $1,000,000 annually.

     B. AMENDMENTS OF DOCUMENTS RELATING TO SUBORDINATED  INDEBTEDNESS.  Company
shall not, and shall not permit any of its  Subsidiaries  to, amend or otherwise
change the terms of any Subordinated Indebtedness or Subordinated Note Document,
or make any payment  consistent with an amendment thereof or change thereto,  if
the effect of such  amendment or change is to increase the interest rate on such
Subordinated  Indebtedness,  change  (to  earlier  dates)  any dates  upon which
payments of principal  or interest are due thereon,  change any event of default
or  condition  to an  event of  default  with  respect  thereto  (other  than to
eliminate  any such  event of  default  or  increase  any grace  period  related
thereto),  change the redemption,  prepayment or defeasance  provisions thereof,
change the subordination  provisions  thereof (or of any guaranty  thereof),  or
change any collateral  therefor (other than to release such  collateral),  or if
the effect of such  amendment or change,  together with all other  amendments or
changes  made,  is  to  increase  materially  the  obligations  of  the  obligor
thereunder  or  to  confer  any  additional   rights  on  the  holders  of  such
Subordinated  Indebtedness (or trustee or other  representative on their behalf)
which would be adverse to Company or Lenders.

     C. DESIGNATION OF "DESIGNATED SENIOR DEBT". Company shall not designate any
Indebtedness as "Designated  Senior Debt" (as defined in the  Subordinated  Note
Indenture) for purposes of the  Subordinated  Note  Indenture  without the prior
written consent of Requisite Lenders.

     D.  PREFERRED  STOCK.  Without  the prior  written  approval  of  Requisite
Lenders,  Company shall not amend,  restate,  supplement or otherwise modify its
Articles  of  Incorporation  if  the  effect  of  such  amendment,  restatement,
supplement or  modification  is to (i) increase the dividend rate payable on, or
change the redemption  provisions of, the Company Preferred Stock, (ii) together
with all other amendments or changes made,  increase  materially the obligations
of Company to the  holders of the  Company  Preferred  Stock,  (iii)  confer any
additional  rights on the holders of the Company  Preferred Stock which would be
adverse to Company or Lenders, or (iv) provide for the issuance of any preferred
stock of Company in  addition to the  Company  Preferred  Stock or the filing or
amendment of any certificate of designation with respect thereto.

7.13     FISCAL YEAR.

     Company shall not change its Fiscal Year-end from December 31.


                                   SECTION 8.
                                EVENTS OF DEFAULT

     IF any of the following  conditions or events  ("EVENTS OF DEFAULT")  shall
occur:

8.1  FAILURE TO MAKE PAYMENTS WHEN DUE.

     Failure by Company to pay any  installment  of  principal  of any Loan when
due,  whether at stated maturity,  by  acceleration,  by notice of prepayment or
otherwise;  failure by Company to pay when due any amount  payable to an Issuing
Lender in reimbursement of any drawing honored or payment made under a Letter of
Credit;  or failure by Company to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any
other amount due under this Agreement within five days after the date due; or

8.2  DEFAULT IN OTHER AGREEMENTS.

     (i) Failure of Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  to pay when due (a) any
principal of or interest on any Indebtedness  (other than Indebtedness  referred
to in subsection 8.1) in an individual principal amount of $2,500,000 or more or
any items of Indebtedness  with an aggregate  principal  amount of $5,000,000 or
more or (b) any  Contingent  Obligation  in an  individual  principal  amount of
$2,500,000 or more or any  Contingent  Obligations  with an aggregate  principal
amount of  $5,000,000  or more,  in each case beyond the end of any grace period
provided  therefor;  or  (ii)  breach  or  default  by  Company  or  any  of its
Subsidiaries  with respect to any other material term of (a) any evidence of any
Indebtedness  in an  individual  principal  amount of  $2,500,000 or more or any
items of Indebtedness  with an aggregate  principal amount of $5,000,000 or more
or any Contingent  Obligation in an individual principal amount of $2,500,000 or
more  or any  Contingent  Obligations  with an  aggregate  principal  amount  of
$5,000,000  or more or (b) any  loan  agreement,  mortgage,  indenture  or other
agreement relating to such Indebtedness or Contingent  Obligation(s),  if in any
case under this clause (ii) the effect of such breach or default is to cause, or
to permit the holder or holders of that Indebtedness or Contingent Obligation(s)
(or a trustee on behalf of such holder or holders) to cause,  that  Indebtedness
or  Contingent  Obligation(s)  to become or be declared due and payable prior to
its stated maturity or the stated maturity of any underlying obligation,  as the
case may be (upon the giving or receiving  of notice,  lapse of time,  both,  or
otherwise); or

8.3  BREACH OF CERTAIN COVENANTS.

     Failure  of  Company  to  perform  or  comply  with any  term or  condition
contained in subsection 2.4, 2.5 or 6.2 or Section 7 of this Agreement; or

8.4  BREACH OF WARRANTY.

     Any material  representation,  warranty,  certification  or other statement
made by  Company  or any of its  Subsidiaries  in any  Loan  Document  or in any
statement or certificate at any time given by Company or any of its Subsidiaries
in writing  pursuant  hereto or thereto or in  connection  herewith or therewith
shall be false in any material respect on the date as of which made; or

8.5  OTHER DEFAULTS UNDER LOAN DOCUMENTS.

     Any Loan Party shall default in the  performance of or compliance  with any
term contained in this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents,  other than
any such term  referred to in any other  subsection  of this Section 8, and such
default  shall not have been remedied or waived within 30 days after the earlier
of (i) an officer of Company  becoming  aware of such default or (ii) receipt by
Company of notice from any Agent or Lender of such default; or

8.6  INVOLUNTARY BANKRUPTCY; APPOINTMENT OF RECEIVER, ETC.

     (i) A court having  jurisdiction  in the  premises  shall enter a decree or
order for relief in respect of Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  (other  than
Immaterial  Subsidiaries)  in an involuntary  case under the Bankruptcy  Code or
under  any  other  applicable  bankruptcy,  insolvency  or  similar  law  now or
hereafter in effect,  which decree or order is not stayed;  or any other similar
relief shall be granted  under any  applicable  federal or state law; or (ii) an
involuntary  case shall be commenced  against Company or any of its Subsidiaries
(other than  Immaterial  Subsidiaries)  under the  Bankruptcy  Code or under any
other  applicable  bankruptcy,  insolvency  or similar law now or  hereafter  in
effect; or a decree or order of a court having  jurisdiction in the premises for
the appointment of a receiver, liquidator,  sequestrator,  trustee, custodian or
other  officer  having  similar  powers over Company or any of its  Subsidiaries
(other than Immaterial  Subsidiaries),  or over all or a substantial part of its
property,  shall have been entered; or there shall have occurred the involuntary
appointment of an interim receiver, trustee or other custodian of Company or any
of  its  Subsidiaries  (other  than  Immaterial   Subsidiaries)  for  all  or  a
substantial  part of its  property;  or a warrant of  attachment,  execution  or
similar  process  shall have been  issued  against any  substantial  part of the
property  of  Company  or  any  of  its  Subsidiaries   (other  than  Immaterial
Subsidiaries),  and any such event  described in this clause (ii) shall continue
for 60 days unless dismissed, bonded or discharged; or

8.7  VOLUNTARY BANKRUPTCY; APPOINTMENT OF RECEIVER, ETC.

     (i) Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than Immaterial Subsidiaries)
shall  have an order  for  relief  entered  with  respect  to it or  commence  a
voluntary  case  under  the  Bankruptcy  Code  or  under  any  other  applicable
bankruptcy,  insolvency  or similar  law now or  hereafter  in effect,  or shall
consent to the entry of an order for relief in an  involuntary  case,  or to the
conversion of an involuntary  case to a voluntary  case,  under any such law, or
shall consent to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver,  trustee
or other custodian for all or a substantial part of its property;  or Company or
any of its  Subsidiaries  (other than  Immaterial  Subsidiaries)  shall make any
assignment  for  the  benefit  of  creditors;  or  (ii)  Company  or  any of its
Subsidiaries (other than Immaterial Subsidiaries) shall be unable, or shall fail
generally,  or shall  admit in writing its  inability,  to pay its debts as such
debts  become  due;  or  the  Board  of  Directors  of  Company  or  any  of its
Subsidiaries  (other than Immaterial  Subsidiaries)  (or any committee  thereof)
shall adopt any  resolution or otherwise  authorize any action to approve any of
the actions referred to in clause (i) above or this clause (ii); or

8.8  JUDGMENTS AND ATTACHMENTS.

     (i) Any money  judgment,  writ or warrant of attachment or similar  process
involving (a) in any individual case an amount in excess of $2,500,000 or (b) in
the aggregate at any time an amount in excess of $5,000,000  (in either case not
adequately covered by insurance as to which a solvent and unaffiliated insurance
company has acknowledged  coverage) shall be entered or filed against Company or
any of its  Subsidiaries  or any of their  respective  assets  and shall  remain
undischarged, unvacated, unbonded or unstayed for a period of 60 days (or in any
event later than five days prior to the date of any proposed  sale  thereunder);
or (ii) any money  judgment  shall be  rendered  against  Company  or any of its
Subsidiaries or any of their respective  assets, or any settlement shall require
payment by,  Company or any of its  Subsidiaries  in any  individual  case in an
amount in excess of $12,000,000; (iii) any of the following shall occur twice or
both of the following shall occur:  (a) a money judgment in excess of $5,000,000
in an  individual  case  shall  be  rendered  against  Company  or  any  of  its
Subsidiaries  or any of  their  respective  assets,  or (b) a  settlement  shall
require payment by Company or any of its Subsidiaries in excess of $5,000,000 in
an individual case; provided,  however, that the amount of any money judgment or
required settlement under the preceding clauses (ii) and (iii) shall not include
for the purposes of such clauses any portion  thereof which has been paid for by
insurance or which is adequately  covered by insurance as to which a solvent and
unaffiliated insurance company has acknowledged coverage;  provided further that
for purposes of calculating  payments of amounts under this  subsection  8.8, no
payment  shall be deemed to have been made  hereunder  to the  extent  that such
payment represents an amount reflected as a reserve in the Company's Projections
for potential liabilities arising out of events occurring prior to the Effective
Date; or

8.9  DISSOLUTION.

     Any order,  judgment or decree shall be entered  against  Company or any of
its  Subsidiaries  decreeing  the  dissolution  or split up of  Company  or that
Subsidiary and such order shall remain  undischarged or unstayed for a period in
excess of 30 days; or

8.10 EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS.

     There shall occur one or more ERISA  Events  which  individually  or in the
aggregate results in a Material Adverse Effect; or there shall exist an Unfunded
Current  Liability,  individually  or in the  aggregate  for all  Pension  Plans
(excluding  for purposes of such  computation  any Pension Plans with respect to
which  there is no  Unfunded  Current  Liability),  which  would have a Material
Adverse Effect; or

8.11 CHANGE IN CONTROL.

     (i) Prior to the  consummation  of any initial  public  offering of Company
Common Stock,  (a) the MDC Entities shall at any time not own, in the aggregate,
at least 51% of the combined voting power of Company voting  Securities;  or (b)
any Person  (other  than the MDC  Entities),  including  a "group"  (within  the
meaning of Sections  13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) which includes such
Person, shall purchase or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly,  beneficial
ownership  of  Securities  of  Company  and,  as a result  of such  purchase  or
acquisition,  any Person  (together with its associates and  Affiliates),  shall
directly or indirectly beneficially own in the aggregate Securities representing
more than 35% of the combined voting power of Company voting Securities; or (ii)
at any time  thereafter,  (a) the MDC Entities  together shall own,  directly or
indirectly,  in the aggregate,  a lesser percentage of the combined voting power
of Company voting Securities than any other holder,  including a "group" (within
the meaning of Sections  13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) which  includes
such  holder,  of such voting  Securities;  (b) a majority of the members of the
Board of  Directors of Company  shall not be  Continuing  Directors;  or (c) any
Person (other than the MDC Entities), including a "group" (within the meaning of
Sections  13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange  Act) which  includes  such Person,
shall  purchase  or  otherwise  acquire,  directly  or  indirectly,   beneficial
ownership  of  Securities  of  Company  and,  as a result  of such  purchase  or
acquisition,  any Person  (together with its associates and  Affiliates),  shall
directly or indirectly beneficially own in the aggregate Securities representing
more than 25% of the combined voting power of Company voting Securities; or

8.12 INVALIDITY OF GUARANTIES.

     At any time after the execution and delivery  thereof,  any Guaranty of the
Obligations of Company,  for any reason other than the  satisfaction  in full of
all Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect or is declared to be null
and void  (except  with  respect to the  obligations  thereunder  of  Immaterial
Subsidiaries of Company) or any Loan Party (other than  Immaterial  Subsidiaries
of  Company)  denies in writing  that it has any further  liability,  including,
without limitation,  with respect to future advances by Lenders,  under any Loan
Document to which it is a party; or

8.13 FAILURE OF SECURITY.

     Any Collateral  Document shall, at any time,  cease to be in full force and
effect (other than by reason of a release of Collateral thereunder in accordance
with the terms hereof or thereof, the satisfaction in full of the Obligations or
any other  termination of such Collateral  Document in accordance with the terms
hereof or  thereof)  or shall be  declared  null and void;  or the  validity  or
enforceability thereof shall be contested in writing by any Loan Party; or Agent
shall  not  have  or  shall  cease  to  have a valid  security  interest  in any
Collateral  purported  to be covered  thereby,  perfected  and with the priority
required by the  relevant  Collateral  Document,  for any reason  other than the
failure of Agents or any Lender to take any action  within its control,  subject
only to Liens permitted under the applicable Collateral Documents; or

8.14 FAILURE TO CONSUMMATE ACQUISITIONS.

     The Union  Acquisition  shall not be  consummated  in accordance  with this
Agreement and the applicable Related Agreements  concurrently with the making of
the Tranche C Term Loans,  or the Union Merger shall not be  consummated  within
120 days following the Effective Date in accordance  with this Agreement and the
applicable Related  Agreements  concurrently with the making of the Delayed-Draw
Term Loans,  or the Payco  Acquisition,  the  Accelerated  Acquisition,  the NSA
Acquisition,  the  Union  Acquisition  or the  Union  Merger  shall be  unwound,
reversed or otherwise rescinded in whole or in part for any reason;

8.15 DEFAULT UNDER SUBORDINATION PROVISIONS.

     Company or any guarantor of Subordinated  Indebtedness shall fail to comply
with the subordination  provisions  contained in the Subordinated Note Indenture
or  any  other  instrument,  indenture  or  agreement  pursuant  to  which  such
Subordinated Indebtedness is issued;

THEN (i) upon the occurrence of any Event of Default described in subsection 8.6
or 8.7, each of (a) the unpaid  principal  amount of and accrued interest on the
Loans,  (b) an amount equal to the maximum  amount that may at any time be drawn
under all Letters of Credit  then  outstanding  (whether or not any  beneficiary
under any such Letter of Credit  shall have  presented,  or shall be entitled at
such time to present, the drafts or other documents or certificates  required to
draw  under  such  Letter  of  Credit)  and  (c)  all  other  Obligations  shall
automatically become immediately due and payable,  without presentment,  demand,
protest or other  requirements  of any kind,  all of which are hereby  expressly
waived by  Company,  and the  obligation  of each  Lender to make any Loan,  the
obligation  of Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent to issue any Letter of Credit and
the right of any Lender to issue any Letter of Credit  hereunder shall thereupon
terminate, and (ii) upon the occurrence and during the continuation of any other
Event of Default, Chase  Co-Administrative Agent shall, upon the written request
of Requisite Lenders,  by written notice to Company,  declare all or any portion
of the  amounts  described  in clauses (a) through (c) above to be, and the same
shall forthwith become,  immediately due and payable, and the obligation of each
Lender to make any Loan,  the  obligation  of Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent to
issue any  Letter of Credit  and the right of any  Lender to issue any Letter of
Credit  hereunder shall thereupon  terminate;  provided that the foregoing shall
not affect in any way the obligations of Lenders under subsection 3.3C(i) or the
obligations of Lenders to purchase participations in any unpaid Swing Line Loans
as provided in subsection 2.1A(iv).

     Any  amounts  described  in  clause  (b)  above,  when  received  by  Chase
Co-Administrative Agent, shall be held by Chase Co-Administrative Agent pursuant
to the terms of the Collateral Account Agreement and shall be applied as therein
provided.

     Notwithstanding anything contained in the second preceding paragraph, if at
any time  within 60 days after an  acceleration  of the Loans  pursuant  to such
paragraph  Company shall pay all arrears of interest and all payments on account
of  principal  which  shall have become due  otherwise  than as a result of such
acceleration (with interest on principal and, to the extent permitted by law, on
overdue  interest,  at the rates  specified in this Agreement) and all Events of
Default and Potential Events of Default (other than non-payment of the principal
of and  accrued  interest  on the Loans,  in each case which is due and  payable
solely  by virtue of  acceleration)  shall be  remedied  or waived  pursuant  to
subsection 10.6, then Requisite  Lenders,  by written notice to Company,  may at
their option rescind and annul such acceleration and its consequences;  but such
action shall not affect any  subsequent  Event of Default or Potential  Event of
Default or impair any right consequent thereon. The provisions of this paragraph
are  intended  merely to bind  Lenders  to a  decision  which may be made at the
election of Requisite Lenders and are not intended to benefit Company and do not
grant Company the right to require Lenders to rescind or annul any  acceleration
hereunder  or preclude  Agents or Lenders from  exercising  any of the rights or
remedies  available  to  them  under  any of the  Loan  Documents,  even  if the
conditions set forth in this paragraph are met.


                                   SECTION 9.
                                     AGENTS

9.1  APPOINTMENT.

     A. Each of GSCP and Chase is hereby  appointed  a  Co-Administrative  Agent
hereunder and under the other Loan  Documents and each Lender hereby  authorizes
each Co-Administrative Agent to act as its agent in accordance with the terms of
this  Agreement  and the other  Loan  Documents.  Each of GSCP and CSI is hereby
appointed an Arranging  Agent  hereunder and under the other Loan  Documents and
each  Lender  hereby  authorizes  each  Arranging  Agent to act as its  agent in
accordance  with the  terms of this  Agreement  and the  other  Loan  Documents.
SunTrust is hereby appointed Collateral Agent hereunder and under the other Loan
Documents and each Lender hereby authorizes Collateral Agent to act as its agent
in accordance  with the terms of this  Agreement  and the other Loan  Documents.
Each Agent agrees to act upon the express conditions contained in this Agreement
and the other Loan  Documents,  as applicable.  The provisions of this Section 9
are solely  for the  benefit of Agents and  Lenders  and  Company  shall have no
rights  as a  third  party  beneficiary  of any of the  provisions  thereof.  In
performing its functions and duties under this  Agreement,  each Agent shall act
solely as an agent of  Lenders  and does not  assume  and shall not be deemed to
have assumed any obligation  towards or  relationship of agency or trust with or
for Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Upon the Effective Date, all obligations
of Arranging Agents hereunder shall terminate.

     B. APPOINTMENT OF SUPPLEMENTAL COLLATERAL AGENTS. It is the purpose of this
Agreement and the other Loan  Documents  that there shall be no violation of any
law of any jurisdiction denying or restricting the right of banking corporations
or associations to transact  business as agent or trustee in such  jurisdiction.
It is recognized  that in case of litigation  under this Agreement or any of the
other Loan Documents, and in particular in case of the enforcement of any of the
Loan Documents, or in case Chase Co-Administrative Agent deems that by reason of
any present or future law of any jurisdiction  Collateral Agent may not exercise
any of the rights, powers or remedies granted herein or in any of the other Loan
Documents  or take any other  action  which may be  desirable  or  necessary  in
connection  therewith,  it may be necessary that Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent
appoint  an  additional   individual  or  institution  as  a  separate  trustee,
co-trustee,  collateral  agent  or  collateral  co-agent  (any  such  additional
individual  or  institution   being  referred  to  herein   individually   as  a
"SUPPLEMENTAL  COLLATERAL  AGENT" and collectively as  "SUPPLEMENTAL  COLLATERAL
AGENTS").

     In the event that Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  appoints a  Supplemental
Collateral  Agent with  respect  to any  Collateral,  (i) each and every  right,
power,  privilege or duty  expressed or intended by this Agreement or any of the
other  Loan  Documents  to be  exercised  by or vested in or  conveyed  to Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent with respect to such Collateral shall be exercisable by
and vest in such  Supplemental  Collateral Agent to the extent,  and only to the
extent,  necessary to enable such Supplemental Collateral Agent to exercise such
rights,  powers and  privileges  with respect to such  Collateral and to perform
such duties with respect to such  Collateral,  and every covenant and obligation
contained in the Loan  Documents  and  necessary to the exercise or  performance
thereof by such Supplemental Collateral Agent shall run to and be enforceable by
either Agent or such  Supplemental  Collateral Agent, and (ii) the provisions of
this Section 9 and of subsections  10.2 and 10.3 that refer to Collateral  Agent
shall  inure  to the  benefit  of such  Supplemental  Collateral  Agent  and all
references  therein to  Collateral  Agent  shall be deemed to be  references  to
Collateral Agent and/or such  Supplemental  Collateral Agent, as the context may
require.

     Should any  instrument  in writing  from Company or any other Loan Party be
required  by  any   Supplemental   Collateral   Agent  so   appointed  by  Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent for more fully and certainly  vesting in and confirming
to him or it such rights, powers, privileges and duties, Company shall, or shall
cause such Loan Party to,  execute,  acknowledge  and  deliver  any and all such
instruments promptly upon request by Chase Co-Administrative  Agent. In case any
Supplemental  Collateral  Agent,  or a  successor  thereto,  shall  die,  become
incapable of acting,  resign or be removed, all the rights,  powers,  privileges
and duties of such  Supplemental  Collateral  Agent, to the extent  permitted by
law, shall vest in and be exercised by Collateral Agent until the appointment of
a new Supplemental Collateral Agent.

9.2  POWERS; GENERAL IMMUNITY.

     A. DUTIES SPECIFIED.  Each Lender irrevocably authorizes each Agent to take
such action on such Lender's  behalf and to exercise  such powers  hereunder and
under the other Loan  Documents as are  specifically  delegated to such Agent by
the terms  hereof  and  thereof,  together  with such  powers as are  reasonably
incidental thereto. Each Agent shall have only those duties and responsibilities
that are expressly specified in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and
it may perform such duties by or through its agents or employees. No Agent shall
have,  by  reason  of this  Agreement  or any of the  other  Loan  Documents,  a
fiduciary  relationship in respect of any Lender;  and nothing in this Agreement
or any of the other Loan  Documents,  expressed  or  implied,  is intended to or
shall be so construed as to impose upon any Agent any  obligations in respect of
this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents  except as expressly set forth
herein or therein.

     B. NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR CERTAIN MATTERS.  No Agent shall be responsible to
any   Lender   for  the   execution,   effectiveness,   genuineness,   validity,
enforceability,  collectibility  or  sufficiency  of this Agreement or any other
Loan  Document or for any  representations,  warranties,  recitals or statements
made  herein or  therein  or made in any  written  or oral  statement  or in any
financial or other statements, instruments, reports or certificates or any other
documents furnished by any Agent to Lenders or by or on behalf of Company and/or
its  Subsidiaries  to any  Agent  or any  Lender  in  connection  with  the Loan
Documents  and  the  transactions  contemplated  thereby  or for  the  financial
condition  or  business  affairs of Company or any other  Person  liable for the
payment of any  Obligations,  nor shall any Agent be  required to  ascertain  or
inquire as to the  performance  or observance  of any of the terms,  conditions,
provisions, covenants or agreements contained in any of the Loan Documents or as
to the use of the  proceeds  of the Loans or the use of the Letters of Credit or
as to the  existence or possible  existence of any Event of Default or Potential
Event  of  Default.  Anything  contained  in  this  Agreement  to  the  contrary
notwithstanding,  neither  Co-Administrative  Agent  shall  have  any  liability
arising  from  confirmations  of the  amount of  outstanding  Loans or the Total
Utilization of Revolving Loan Commitments or the component amounts thereof.

     C.  EXCULPATORY  PROVISIONS.  Neither  any  Agent  nor any of such  Agent's
respective officers,  directors,  employees or agents shall be liable to Lenders
for any action taken or omitted by such Agent under or in connection with any of
the Loan Documents  except to the extent caused by such Agent's gross negligence
or willful misconduct. If any Agent shall request instructions from Lenders with
respect  to any act or action  (including  the  failure  to take an  action)  in
connection  with this Agreement or any of the other Loan  Documents,  such Agent
shall be  entitled to refrain  from such act or taking  such  action  unless and
until such Agent shall have received  instructions  from  Requisite  Lenders (or
such other Lenders as may be required to give such instructions under subsection
10.6).  Without  prejudice to the  generality of the  foregoing,  (i) such Agent
shall be entitled to rely,  and shall be fully  protected  in relying,  upon any
communication,  instrument or document  believed by it to be genuine and correct
and to have been signed or sent by the proper  person or  persons,  and shall be
entitled to rely and shall be protected in relying on opinions and  judgments of
attorneys (who may be attorneys for Company and its Subsidiaries),  accountants,
experts and other professional advisors selected by it; and (ii) no Lender shall
have any right of action whatsoever against such Agent as a result of such Agent
acting or (where so instructed)  refraining  from acting under this Agreement or
any of the other Loan Documents in accordance with the instructions of Requisite
Lenders  (or such other  Lenders as may be  required  to give such  instructions
under subsection  10.6). Such Agent shall be entitled to refrain from exercising
any power,  discretion or authority  vested in it under this Agreement or any of
the other Loan Documents  unless and until it has obtained the  instructions  of
Requisite  Lenders  (or such  other  Lenders  as may be  required  to give  such
instructions under subsection 10.6).

     D. AGENTS ENTITLED TO ACT AS LENDER.  The agency hereby created shall in no
way  impair or affect  any of the  rights and powers of, or impose any duties or
obligations  upon, any Agent in its individual  capacity as a Lender  hereunder.
With respect to its  participation in the Loans and the Letters of Credit,  each
Agent shall have the same rights and powers  hereunder  as any other  Lender and
may exercise the same as though it were not  performing the duties and functions
delegated  to it  hereunder,  and the term  "Lender" or "Lenders" or any similar
term shall, unless the context clearly otherwise  indicates,  include such Agent
in its individual  capacity.  Each Agent and its Affiliates may accept  deposits
from,  lend  money  to and  generally  engage  in any  kind of  banking,  trust,
financial advisory or other business with Company or any of its Affiliates as if
it were not  performing  the duties  specified  herein,  and may accept fees and
other  consideration  from  Company  and/or its  Subsidiaries  for  services  in
connection  with this Agreement and otherwise  without having to account for the
same to Lenders.

9.3  REPRESENTATIONS   AND  WARRANTIES;   NO  RESPONSIBILITY  FOR  APPRAISAL  OF
     CREDITWORTHINESS.

     Each Lender  represents  and warrants that it has made its own  independent
investigation  of the  financial  condition  and  affairs  of  Company  and  its
Subsidiaries  in  connection  with the making of the Loans and the  issuance  of
Letters of Credit  hereunder and that it has made and shall continue to make its
own appraisal of the creditworthiness of Company and its Subsidiaries.  No Agent
shall  have any duty or  responsibility,  either  initially  or on a  continuing
basis, to make any such investigation or any such appraisal on behalf of Lenders
or to provide  any  Lender  with any credit or other  information  with  respect
thereto, whether coming into its possession before the making of the Loans or at
any time or times thereafter,  and no Agent shall have any  responsibility  with
respect to the accuracy of or the  completeness of any  information  provided to
Lenders.

9.4  RIGHT TO INDEMNITY.

     Each  Lender,  in  proportion  to its Pro Rata Share,  severally  agrees to
indemnify  each  Agent,  to the  extent  that  such  Agent  shall  not have been
reimbursed  by Company,  for and against any and all  liabilities,  obligations,
losses,  damages,   penalties,   actions,   judgments,  suits,  costs,  expenses
(including, without limitation, counsel fees and disbursements) or disbursements
of any kind or  nature  whatsoever  which  may be  imposed  on,  incurred  by or
asserted  against  such Agent in  performing  its duties  hereunder or under the
other Loan  Documents  or  otherwise  in its  capacity  as such Agent in any way
relating  to or  arising  out of this  Agreement  or the other  Loan  Documents;
provided  that no Lender  shall be liable for any  portion of such  liabilities,
obligations,  losses,  damages,  penalties,  actions,  judgments,  suits, costs,
expenses or  disbursements  resulting  from such  Agent's  gross  negligence  or
willful misconduct.

9.5  SUCCESSOR AGENTS AND SWING LINE LENDER.

     A.  SUCCESSOR  AGENTS.  Any Agent may resign at any time by giving 30 days'
prior written notice thereof to the other Agents,  Lenders and Company,  and any
Agent may be  removed  at any time with or  without  cause by an  instrument  or
concurrent  instruments  in writing  delivered to Company and  Co-Administrative
Agents and signed by Requisite  Lenders.  Upon any such notice of resignation or
any such removal,  Requisite  Lenders  shall have the right,  upon five Business
Days' notice to Company,  to appoint a successor  Agent.  Upon the acceptance of
any  appointment as Agent hereunder by a successor  Agent,  that successor Agent
shall  thereupon  succeed  to and become  vested  with all the  rights,  powers,
privileges  and duties of the  retiring  or removed  Agent and the  retiring  or
removed Agent shall be  discharged  from its duties and  obligations  under this
Agreement.  After  any  retiring  or  removed  Agent's  resignation  or  removal
hereunder as Agent,  the provisions of this Section 9 shall inure to its benefit
as to any  actions  taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was Agent  under
this Agreement.

     B.  SUCCESSOR  SWING  LINE  LENDER.  Any  resignation  or  removal of Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent pursuant to subsection  9.5A shall also  constitute the
resignation  or removal of Chase or its successor as Swing Line Lender,  and any
successor Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent appointed  pursuant to subsection 9.5A
shall, upon its acceptance of such appointment,  become the successor Swing Line
Lender for all purposes  hereunder.  In such event (i) Company  shall prepay any
outstanding   Swing  Line  Loans  made  by  the   retiring   or  removed   Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent in its  capacity as Swing Line  Lender,  (ii) upon such
prepayment, the retiring or removed Chase Co-Administrative Agent and Swing Line
Lender  shall  surrender  the  Swing  Line  Note  held  by  it  to  Company  for
cancellation,  and  (iii)  Company  shall  issue a new  Swing  Line  Note to the
successor Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent and Swing Line Lender substantially in
the form of Exhibit VI annexed hereto, in the principal amount of the Swing Line
Loan Commitment then in effect and with other appropriate insertions.

9.6  COLLATERAL DOCUMENTS.

     Each Lender and Agent hereby further  authorizes  Collateral Agent to enter
into each Collateral  Document as secured party on behalf of and for the benefit
of Agents and  Lenders  and  agrees to be bound by the terms of each  Collateral
Document;  provided that Collateral Agent shall not enter into or consent to any
amendment, modification, termination or waiver of any provision contained in any
Collateral  Document  without the prior  consent of  Requisite  Lenders  (or, if
required pursuant to subsection 10.6, all Lenders);  provided further,  however,
that,  without further written consent or authorization  from Requisite Lenders,
Collateral  Agent may execute any documents or  instruments  necessary to effect
the release of any asset constituting Collateral from the Lien of the applicable
Collateral  Document in the event that such asset is sold or otherwise  disposed
of in a  transaction  effected  in  accordance  with  subsection  7.7.  Anything
contained in any of the Loan  Documents to the  contrary  notwithstanding,  each
Lender agrees that no Lender shall have any right  individually  to realize upon
any  of  the  Collateral  under  any  Collateral  Document  (including,  without
limitation,  through the exercise of a right of set-off against call deposits of
such  Lender in which any funds on deposit in the  Collateral  Account  may from
time to time be invested),  it being  understood  and agreed that all rights and
remedies  under the Collateral  Documents may be exercised  solely by Collateral
Agent for the benefit of Lenders in accordance with the terms thereof.

                                   SECTION 10.
                                  MISCELLANEOUS

10.1 ASSIGNMENTS AND PARTICIPATIONS IN LOANS, LETTERS OF CREDIT.

     A. GENERAL.  Subject to subsection  10.1B, each Lender shall have the right
at any time to (i) sell, assign, transfer or negotiate to any Eligible Assignee,
or (ii) sell participations to any Person in, all or any part of its Commitments
(together with its Letters of Credit or  participations  therein made or arising
pursuant to its Revolving  Loan  Commitment)  or any Loan or Loans made by it or
any other interest herein or in any other  Obligations owed to it; provided that
no such sale,  assignment,  transfer or participation shall, without the consent
of Company, require Company to file a registration statement with the Securities
and Exchange Commission or apply to qualify such sale,  assignment,  transfer or
participation under the securities laws of any state;  provided further, that no
such  sale,  assignment  or  transfer  described  in clause  (i) above  shall be
effective  unless  and  until  an  Assignment  Agreement  effecting  such  sale,
assignment or transfer shall have been accepted by Chase Co-Administrative Agent
and  recorded in the  Register as provided in  subsection  10.1B(ii);  provided,
further that no such sale,  assignment,  transfer or participation of any Letter
of Credit  or any  participation  therein  may be made  separately  from a sale,
assignment,  transfer  or  participation  of a  corresponding  interest  in  the
Revolving Loan Commitment and the Revolving  Loans of the Lender  effecting such
sale, assignment, transfer or participation; and provided further that, anything
contained herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Swing Line Loan Commitment
and the Swing  Line  Loans of Swing Line  Lender  may not be sold,  assigned  or
transferred  as  described  in  clause  (i)  above to any  Person  other  than a
successor  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent and Swing  Line  Lender to the extent
contemplated by subsection 9.5. Except as otherwise  provided in this subsection
10.1, no Lender shall, as between Company and such Lender, be relieved of any of
its  obligations  hereunder  as a result of any sale,  assignment,  transfer  or
negotiation  of, or any  granting of  participations  in, all or any part of its
Commitments or the Loans, the Letters of Credit or participations therein or the
other Obligations owed to such Lender.

     B.       ASSIGNMENTS.

          (i) Amounts and Terms of Assignments. Each Commitment, Loan, Letter of
     Credit, or participation therein or other Obligation may (a) be assigned in
     any  amount to  another  Lender who is a  Non-Defaulting  Lender,  or to an
     Affiliate  of the  assigning  Lender or another  Lender who, in either such
     case, is a  Non-Defaulting  Lender,  with the consent of  Co-Administrative
     Agents (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld) and the giving of
     notice to  Company;  provided  that,  after  giving  effect  to a  proposed
     assignment to another Lender,  the assigning Lender shall have an aggregate
     Commitment  of  at  least   $5,000,000   unless  the  proposed   assignment
     constitutes  the aggregate  amount of the  Commitments,  Loans,  Letters of
     Credit, and  participations  therein and other Obligations of the assigning
     Lender,  or (b) be  assigned  in an  aggregate  amount  of  not  less  than
     $5,000,000 (or such lesser amount as shall  constitute the aggregate amount
     of the Commitments,  Loans,  Letters of Credit, and participations  therein
     and other  Obligations  of the  assigning  Lender)  to any  other  Eligible
     Assignee with the consent of Co-Administrative  Agents (which consent shall
     not be unreasonably  withheld) and the giving of notice to Company.  To the
     extent of any such  assignment in accordance  with either clause (a) or (b)
     above,  the  assigning  Lender  shall be relieved of its  obligations  with
     respect to its Commitments,  Loans,  Letters of Credit,  or  participations
     therein  or other  Obligations  or the  portion  thereof so  assigned.  The
     parties  to each  such  assignment  shall  execute  and  deliver  to  Chase
     Co-Administrative  Agent, for its acceptance and recording in the Register,
     an Assignment  Agreement,  together with a processing fee of $3,000 payable
     by the assigning Lender and such certificates, documents or other evidence,
     if any,  with  respect to United  States  federal  income  tax  withholding
     matters as the assignee under such Assignment  Agreement may be required to
     deliver  to  Chase   Co-Administrative   Agent   pursuant   to   subsection
     2.7B(iii)(a).  Upon such execution,  delivery,  acceptance and recordation,
     from and after the effective date specified in such  Assignment  Agreement,
     (y) the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent that
     rights and obligations  hereunder have been assigned to it pursuant to such
     Assignment  Agreement,  shall have the rights and  obligations  of a Lender
     hereunder and (z) the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent that
     rights and obligations  hereunder have been assigned by it pursuant to such
     Assignment  Agreement,  relinquish  its rights (other than any rights which
     survive the  termination of this Agreement under  subsection  10.9B) and be
     released from its obligations  under this Agreement (and, in the case of an
     Assignment  Agreement covering all or the remaining portion of an assigning
     Lender's  rights and obligations  under this  Agreement,  such Lender shall
     cease to be a party hereto; provided that, anything contained in any of the
     Loan  Documents  to the  contrary  notwithstanding,  if such  Lender is the
     Issuing  Lender  with  respect to any  outstanding  Letters of Credit  such
     Lender  shall  continue  to have all rights and  obligations  of an Issuing
     Lender with  respect to such Letters of Credit  until the  cancellation  or
     expiration of such Letters of Credit and the  reimbursement  of any amounts
     drawn thereunder).  The Commitments  hereunder shall be modified to reflect
     the  Commitments  of such  assignee and any remaining  Commitments  of such
     assigning  Lender and, if any such assignment  occurs after the issuance of
     the Notes  hereunder,  the assigning  Lender shall surrender its applicable
     Notes and, upon such  surrender,  new Notes shall be issued to the assignee
     and, if applicable,  to the assigning Lender,  substantially in the form of
     Exhibit IV-A,  Exhibit IV-B,  Exhibit IV-C, Exhibit V or Exhibit VI annexed
     hereto, as the case may be, with appropriate insertions, to reflect the new
     Commitments and/or outstanding Term Loans of the assignee and the assigning
     Lender.

          (ii)  Acceptance  by Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent;  Recordation  in
     Register.  Upon its  receipt  of an  Assignment  Agreement  executed  by an
     assigning  Lender  and an  assignee  representing  that  it is an  Eligible
     Assignee,  together  with the  processing  fee  referred  to in  subsection
     10.1B(i) and any certificates,  documents or other evidence with respect to
     United States federal income tax withholding matters that such assignee may
     be  required  to  deliver  to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  pursuant  to
     subsection  2.7B(iii)(a),  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent  shall,  if such
     Assignment Agreement has been completed and is in substantially the form of
     Exhibit XIII hereto and if  Co-Administrative  Agents have consented to the
     assignment  evidenced  thereby  (to the extent  such  consent  is  required
     pursuant to subsection  10.1B(i)),  (a) accept such Assignment Agreement by
     executing a counterpart thereof as provided therein (which acceptance shall
     evidence  any  required  consent of Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent to such
     assignment),  (b) record the information contained therein in the Register,
     and (c) give  prompt  notice  thereof to Company.  Chase  Co-Administrative
     Agent shall maintain a copy of each Assignment  Agreement  delivered to and
     accepted by it as provided in this subsection 10.1B(ii).

     C. PARTICIPATIONS. The holder of any participation, other than an Affiliate
of the Lender granting such participation, shall not be entitled to require such
Lender to take or omit to take any action  hereunder except action (i) effecting
the extension of the final maturity of the Loan allocated to such participation,
(ii)  effecting a reduction of the principal  amount of or affecting the rate of
interest  payable on any Loan allocated to such  participation,  (iii) releasing
all or  substantially  all of  the  Collateral,  or  (iv)  releasing  all of the
Guarantors from their obligations under the Guaranties,  and all amounts payable
by Company hereunder  (including,  without  limitation,  amounts payable to such
Lender pursuant to subsections 2.6D, 2.7 and 3.6) shall be determined as if such
Lender  had  not  sold  such  participation.  Company  and  each  Lender  hereby
acknowledge  and agree that,  solely for purposes of subsections  10.4 and 10.5,
(a) any  participation  will give rise to a direct  obligation of Company to the
participant and (b) the participant shall be considered to be a "Lender".

     D. ASSIGNMENTS TO FEDERAL RESERVE BANKS. In addition to the assignments and
participations permitted under the foregoing provisions of this subsection 10.1,
any Lender may  assign  and  pledge all or any  portion of its Loans,  the other
Obligations  owed to such  Lender and its Notes to any Federal  Reserve  Bank as
collateral  security  pursuant to  Regulation A of the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System and any operating circular issued by such Federal Reserve
Bank;  provided that (i) no Lender shall, as between Company and such Lender, be
relieved of any of its obligations  hereunder as a result of any such assignment
and pledge and (ii) in no event shall such Federal Reserve Bank be considered to
be a "Lender" or be entitled to require the assigning  Lender to take or omit to
take any action hereunder.

     E. INFORMATION.  Each Lender may furnish any information concerning Company
and its  Subsidiaries  in the  possession  of that  Lender  from time to time to
assignees and participants  (including  prospective assignees and participants),
subject to subsection 10.20.

     F. LIMITATION. No assignee, participant or other transferee or any Lender's
rights shall be entitled to receive any greater  payment  under  subsection  2.7
than such Lender would have been  entitled to receive with respect to the rights
transferred,  unless such transfer is made with Company's  prior written consent
or at a time when the circumstances  giving rise to such greater payment did not
exist.

     G.  REPRESENTATIONS  OF LENDERS.  Each Lender listed on the signature pages
hereof  hereby  represents  and  warrants  (i) that it is an  Eligible  Assignee
described in clause (i) of the definition  thereof;  (ii) that it has experience
and  expertise in the making of loans such as the Loans;  and (iii) that it will
make its Loans for its own account in the  ordinary  course of its  business and
without  a view  to  distribution  of  such  Loans  within  the  meaning  of the
Securities  Act or the Exchange Act or other federal  securities  laws (it being
understood  that,  subject  to the  provisions  of  this  subsection  10.1,  the
disposition  of such Loans or any  interests  therein  shall at all times remain
within its exclusive control).  Each Lender that becomes a party hereto pursuant
to an Assignment Agreement shall be deemed to agree that the representations and
warranties of such Lender contained in Section 2(c) of such Assignment Agreement
are incorporated herein by this reference.

10.2     EXPENSES.

     Whether or not the transactions  contemplated  hereby shall be consummated,
Company agrees to pay promptly (i) all the actual and  reasonable  costs and out
of  pocket  expenses  of   Co-Administrative   Agents  in  connection  with  the
preparation of the Loan Documents;  (ii) all the actual and reasonable  costs of
furnishing all opinions by counsel for Company  (including,  without limitation,
any opinions requested by Lenders as to any legal matters arising hereunder) and
of Company's performance of and compliance with all agreements and conditions on
its part to be performed  or complied  with under this  Agreement  and the other
Loan  Documents  including,  without  limitation,  with  respect  to  confirming
compliance with environmental and insurance  requirements;  (iii) the reasonable
fees, expenses and disbursements of counsel to Agents (including allocated costs
of internal counsel) in connection with the negotiation,  preparation, execution
and  administration  of the  Loan  Documents  and the  Loans  and any  consents,
amendments,  waivers  or other  modifications  hereto or  thereto  and any other
documents or matters requested by Company;  (iv) all other actual and reasonable
costs  and  expenses  incurred  by Agents in  connection  with the  negotiation,
preparation   and  execution  of  the  Loan   Documents  and  the   transactions
contemplated  hereby and thereby;  and (v) after the  occurrence  of an Event of
Default, all costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees (including
allocated costs of internal counsel) and costs of settlement, incurred by Agents
and Lenders in enforcing any  Obligations  of or in collecting  any payments due
from Company hereunder or under the other Loan Documents by reason of such Event
of Default or in connection with any refinancing or  restructuring of the credit
arrangements  provided  under this  Agreement in the nature of a  "work-out"  or
pursuant to any insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings.

10.3 INDEMNITY.

     In addition to the payment of expenses pursuant to subsection 10.2, whether
or not the transactions contemplated hereby shall be consummated, Company agrees
to  defend,  indemnify,  pay and  hold  harmless  Agents  and  Lenders,  and the
officers,  directors,  trustees,  partners,  employees,  agents,  attorneys  and
affiliates of any of Agents and Lenders  (collectively called the "INDEMNITEES")
from and against any and all other liabilities,  obligations,  losses,  damages,
penalties,  actions, judgments, suits, claims, costs, expenses and disbursements
of any kind or nature whatsoever (including,  without limitation, the reasonable
fees and  disbursements  of counsel for such  Indemnitees in connection with any
investigative,  administrative or judicial proceeding commenced or threatened by
any Person, whether or not any such Indemnitee shall be designated as a party or
a potential  party  thereto),  whether  direct,  indirect or  consequential  and
whether  based  on any  federal,  state  or  foreign  laws,  statutes,  rules or
regulations  (including,  without  limitation,  securities and commercial  laws,
statutes,  rules or  regulations  and  Environmental  Laws),  on  common  law or
equitable  cause or on contract or otherwise,  that may be imposed on,  incurred
by, or  asserted  against  any such  Indemnitee,  in any manner  relating  to or
arising out of this  Agreement or the other Loan  Documents or the  transactions
contemplated  hereby  or  thereby  (including,   without  limitation,   Lenders'
agreement to make the Loans hereunder or the use or intended use of the proceeds
of any of the Loans or the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder or the use or
intended  use  of any  of  the  Letters  of  Credit)  (collectively  called  the
"INDEMNIFIED LIABILITIES");  provided that Company shall not have any obligation
to any Indemnitee  hereunder with respect to any Indemnified  Liabilities to the
extent, and only to the extent, of any particular liability,  obligation,  loss,
damage,  penalty, claim, cost, expense or disbursement that arose from the gross
negligence  or willful  misconduct  of that  Indemnitee as determined by a final
judgment  of  a  court  of  competent  jurisdiction.  To  the  extent  that  the
undertaking  to  defend,  indemnify,  pay and  hold  harmless  set  forth in the
preceding  sentence may be  unenforceable  because it is violative of any law or
public policy, Company shall contribute the maximum portion that it is permitted
to pay and satisfy under  applicable law to the payment and  satisfaction of all
Indemnified Liabilities incurred by the Indemnitees or any of them.

10.4 SET-OFF; SECURITY INTEREST IN DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS.

     In addition to any rights now or hereafter granted under applicable law and
not by way of limitation of any such rights,  upon the occurrence and during the
continuance of any Event of Default each Lender is hereby  authorized by Company
at any time or from  time to time,  without  notice to  Company  or to any other
Person,  any  such  notice  being  hereby  expressly  waived,  to set off and to
appropriate  and to apply any and all deposits  (general or special,  including,
but not limited to, Indebtedness  evidenced by certificates of deposit,  whether
matured  or  unmatured,   but  not  including  trust  accounts)  and  any  other
Indebtedness  at any time held or owing by that  Lender  (at any  office of that
Lender wherever  located) to or for the credit or the account of Company against
and on account of the  obligations  and  liabilities  of Company to that  Lender
under this  Agreement,  the  Notes,  the  Letters  of Credit and  participations
therein,  including, but not limited to, all claims of any nature or description
arising  out of or  connected  with this  Agreement,  the Notes,  the Letters of
Credit and  participations  therein or any other Loan Document,  irrespective of
whether or not (i) that Lender shall have made any demand  hereunder or (ii) the
principal  of or the  interest  on the Loans or any  amounts  in  respect of the
Letters of Credit or any other amounts due  hereunder  shall have become due and
payable pursuant to Section 8 and although said obligations and liabilities,  or
any of them,  may be contingent or unmatured.  Company  hereby further grants to
each  Agent  and  Lender  a  security  interest  in all  deposits  and  accounts
maintained with such Agent or Lender as security for the Obligations.

10.5 RATABLE SHARING.

     Lenders hereby agree among themselves that if any of them shall, whether by
voluntary  payment (other than a voluntary  prepayment of Loans made and applied
in accordance with the terms of this  Agreement),  by realization upon security,
through the exercise of any right of set-off or banker's  lien, by  counterclaim
or cross action or by the  enforcement  of any right under the Loan Documents or
otherwise,  or as adequate  protection of a deposit  treated as cash  collateral
under the Bankruptcy  Code,  receive payment or reduction of a proportion of the
aggregate amount of principal,  interest,  amounts payable in respect of Letters
of Credit, fees and other amounts then due and owing to that Lender hereunder or
under the other Loan Documents  (collectively,  the  "AGGREGATE  AMOUNTS DUE" to
such Lender) which is greater than the  proportion  received by any other Lender
in respect of the Aggregate  Amounts Due to such other  Lender,  then the Lender
receiving  such   proportionately   greater   payment  shall  (i)  notify  Chase
Co-Administrative Agent and each other Lender of the receipt of such payment and
(ii) apply a portion of such payment to purchase  participations (which it shall
be deemed to have purchased from each seller of a  participation  simultaneously
upon the receipt by such seller of its portion of such payment) in the Aggregate
Amounts  Due to the  other  Lenders  so that all such  recoveries  of  Aggregate
Amounts  Due shall be shared  by all  Lenders  in  proportion  to the  Aggregate
Amounts  Due to  them;  provided  that if all or  part  of such  proportionately
greater payment received by such purchasing Lender is thereafter  recovered from
such Lender upon the  bankruptcy,  reorganization  or  insolvency  proceeding of
Company or otherwise, those purchases shall be rescinded and the purchase prices
paid for such participations shall be returned to such purchasing Lender ratably
to the extent of such recovery, but without interest. Company expressly consents
to the foregoing  arrangement and agrees that any holder of a  participation  so
purchased  may  exercise  any  and all  rights  of  banker's  lien,  set-off  or
counterclaim  with respect to any and all monies owing by Company to that holder
with  respect  thereto  as fully as if that  holder  were owed the amount of the
participation held by that holder.

10.6 AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS.

     A. No amendment,  modification,  termination  or waiver of any provision of
this  Agreement or of the Notes,  or consent to any  departure by Company or any
other Loan Party therefrom,  shall in any event be effective without the written
concurrence   of  Requisite   Lenders;   provided   that  any  such   amendment,
modification, termination, waiver or consent which: reduces the principal amount
of any of the Loans;  reduces the  percentage  specified  in the  definition  of
"Requisite  Lenders" (it being  understood  that,  with the consent of Requisite
Lenders,  additional  extensions  of credit  pursuant to this  Agreement  may be
included in the  determination of "Requisite  Lenders" on substantially the same
basis as the Tranche A Term Loan  Commitments,  Tranche A Term Loans,  Tranche B
Term Loan  Commitments,  Tranche B Term Loans,  Tranche C Term Loan Commitments,
Tranche  C Term  Loans,  Revolving  Loan  Commitments  and  Revolving  Loans are
included on the  Effective  Date);  changes in any manner any  provision of this
Agreement which, by its terms, expressly requires the approval or concurrence of
all Lenders;  postpones the scheduled  final  maturity date of any of the Loans;
postpones  the date or reduces  the  amount of any  scheduled  payment  (but not
prepayment)  of principal of any of the Loans;  postpones  the date on which any
interest or any fees are payable;  decreases  the interest  rate borne by any of
the Loans (other than any waiver of any increase in the interest rate applicable
to any of the  Loans  pursuant  to  subsection  2.2E) or the  amount of any fees
payable hereunder;  increases the maximum duration of Interest Periods permitted
hereunder; releases all or substantially all of the Collateral;  releases all of
the Guarantors from their obligations  under the Guaranties;  reduces the amount
or  postpones  the due date of any amount  payable in respect of, or extends the
required  expiration  date of, any Letter of Credit;  changes the obligations of
Lenders relating to the purchase of  participations  in Letters of Credit in any
manner that could be adverse to any Issuing Lender; or changes in any manner the
provisions  contained  in  subsection  8.1 or this  subsection  10.6;  shall  be
effective  only if evidenced by a writing  signed by or on behalf of all Lenders
to whom  are  owed  Obligations  being  directly  affected  by  such  amendment,
modification,  termination,  waiver or consent. In addition,  (i) any amendment,
modification,  termination  or  waiver  of any of the  provisions  contained  in
Section 4 shall be  effective  only if  evidenced  by a writing  signed by or on
behalf of  Co-Administrative  Agents and Requisite  Lenders,  (ii) no amendment,
modification,  termination  or  waiver  of any  provision  of any Note  shall be
effective  without the written  concurrence of the Lender which is the holder of
that  Note,  (iii) no  amendment,  modification,  termination  or  waiver of any
provision of this Agreement which  disproportionately  and adversely affects the
obligation  of any Loan Party to make  payments  (including  without  limitation
mandatory  prepayments) to the holders of the Tranche A Term Loans,  the holders
of the Tranche B Term  Loans,  the holders of the Tranche C Loans or the holders
of the  Revolving  Loans and  Revolving  Loan  Commitments,  shall be  effective
without the written concurrence of the holders of 51% in principal amount of the
class  (i.e.,  Tranche A Term Loans,  Tranche B Term  Loans,  Tranche C Loans or
Revolving Loans and Revolving Loan Commitments each being a "class" of Loans) of
Loans so  disproportionately  and  adversely  affected;  (iv) no increase in the
Commitments  of any  Lender  over the  amount  thereof  then in effect  shall be
effective  without the written  concurrence of that Lender,  it being understood
and  agreed  that in no event  shall  waivers  or  modifications  of  conditions
precedent,  covenants,  Events of Default,  Potential  Events of Default or of a
mandatory  prepayment or a reduction of any or all of the  Commitments be deemed
to constitute  an increase of the  Commitment of any Lender and that an increase
in the available  portion of any Commitment of any Lender shall not be deemed to
constitute  an increase in the  Commitment  of such  Lender,  (v) no  amendment,
modification,  termination or waiver of any provision of subsection  2.1A(iv) or
any other provision of this Agreement relating to the Swing Line Loan Commitment
or the Swing Line Loans shall be effective  without the written  concurrence  of
Swing Line Lender, (vi) no amendment, modification, termination or waiver of any
provision  of Section 3  relating  to the  rights or  obligations  of any or all
Issuing  Lenders  shall be effective  without the written  concurrence  of Chase
Co-Administrative Agent and each Lender who is an Issuing Lender with respect to
any Letter of Credit then  outstanding,  and (vii) no  amendment,  modification,
termination or waiver of any provision of Section 9 or of any other provision of
this  Agreement  which,  by  its  terms,  expressly  requires  the  approval  or
concurrence of Chase Co-Administrative Agent or Co-Administrative Agent shall be
effective without the written  concurrence of Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent or
Co-Administrative  Agent, as the case may be, Chase Co-Administrative Agent may,
but shall have no obligation  to, with the  concurrence  of any Lender,  execute
amendments,  modifications,  waivers or consents on behalf of that  Lender.  Any
waiver or consent shall be effective  only in the specific  instance and for the
specific  purpose  for which it was given.  No notice to or demand on Company in
any case  shall  entitle  Company  to any other or  further  notice or demand in
similar or other circumstances. Any amendment, modification, termination, waiver
or consent  effected in accordance  with this  subsection  10.6 shall be binding
upon each Lender at the time  outstanding,  each future Lender and, if signed by
Company, on Company.

     B. If,  in  connection  with any  proposed  change,  waiver,  discharge  or
termination  to any of the provision of this  Agreement as  contemplated  by the
proviso in the first sentence of this subsection  10.6, the consent of Requisite
Lenders is  obtained  but  consent of one or more of such  other  Lenders  whose
consent  is  required  is  not  obtained,  then  Company  may,  so  long  as all
non-consenting Lenders are so treated, elect to terminate such Lender as a party
to this  Agreement;  provided  that,  concurrently  with such  termination,  (i)
Company shall pay that Lender all principal, interest and fees and other amounts
due to be paid to such Lender with  respect to all periods  through such date of
termination,  (ii) another  financial  institution  satisfactory  to Company and
Co-Administrative  Agents (or if either Co-Administrative Agent is also a Lender
to   be   terminated,   the   successor    Co-Administrative   Agent   and   the
Co-Administrative  Agent not so  terminated)  shall agree,  as of such date,  to
become a Lender for all purposes under this Agreement  (whether by assignment or
amendment)  and to assume all  obligations  of the Lender to be terminated as of
such date, and (iii) all documents and supporting  materials  necessary,  in the
judgment of Co-Administrative  Agents (or if either  Co-Administrative  Agent is
also a Lender to be terminated,  the successor  Co-Administrative  Agent and the
Co-Administrative  Agent not so terminated) to evidence the substitution of such
Lender shall have been received and approved by  Co-Administrative  Agents as of
such date.

10.7 INDEPENDENCE OF COVENANTS.

     All  covenants  hereunder  shall be given  independent  effect so that if a
particular  action or condition is not permitted by any of such  covenants,  the
fact that it would be permitted by an exception to, or would otherwise be within
the limitations of, another  covenant shall not avoid the occurrence of an Event
of Default or  Potential  Event of Default if such action is taken or  condition
exists.

10.8 NOTICES.

     Unless  otherwise   specifically  provided  herein,  any  notice  or  other
communication  herein  required or permitted to be given shall be in writing and
may be personally served,  telecopied,  telexed or sent by United States mail or
courier  service and shall be deemed to have been given when delivered in person
or by courier service,  upon receipt of telecopy or telex, or four Business Days
after  depositing  it in the United States mail,  registered or certified,  with
postage  prepaid  and  properly  addressed;   provided  that  notices  to  Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent shall not be effective until received. For the purposes
hereof,  the  address  of each  party  hereto  shall be as set forth  under such
party's  name on the  signature  pages  hereof  or (i) as to  Company  and Chase
Co-Administrative  Agent,  such  other  address as shall be  designated  by such
Person in a written notice  delivered to the other parties hereto and (ii) as to
each other party,  such other  address as shall be designated by such party in a
written notice delivered to Chase Co-Administrative Agent.

10.9 SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND AGREEMENTS.

     A. All representations, warranties and agreements made herein shall survive
the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of the Loans and the
issuance of the Letters of Credit hereunder.

     B.  Notwithstanding  anything  in this  Agreement  or implied by law to the
contrary,  the agreements of Company set forth in subsections  2.6D,  2.7, 3.5A,
3.6, 10.2,  10.3 and 10.4 and the agreements of Lenders set forth in subsections
9.2C,  9.4,  10.4,  10.5 and 10.20 shall  survive the payment of the Loans,  the
cancellation or expiration of the Letters of Credit and the reimbursement of any
amounts drawn or paid thereunder, and the termination of this Agreement.

10.10 FAILURE OR INDULGENCE NOT WAIVER; REMEDIES CUMULATIVE.

     No  failure  or  delay  on  the  part  of  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent,
Collateral Agent or any Lender in the exercise of any power,  right or privilege
hereunder or under any other Loan  Document  shall  impair such power,  right or
privilege or be construed to be a waiver of any default or acquiescence therein,
nor shall any single or partial  exercise of any such power,  right or privilege
preclude  other or  further  exercise  thereof or of any other  power,  right or
privilege.  All rights and remedies  existing under this Agreement and the other
Loan  Documents are  cumulative to, and not exclusive of, any rights or remedies
otherwise available.

10.11 MARSHALLING; PAYMENTS SET ASIDE.

     Neither  Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent nor any Lender  shall be under any
obligation  to marshal  any  assets in favor of  Company  or any other  party or
against  or in  payment of any or all of the  Obligations.  To the  extent  that
Company makes a payment or payments to Chase Co-Administrative Agent, Collateral
Agent or Lenders (or to Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent or Collateral  Agent for
the benefit of Lenders), or Chase  Co-Administrative  Agent, Collateral Agent or
Lenders enforce any security  interests or exercise their rights of setoff,  and
such  payment or payments or the proceeds of such  enforcement  or setoff or any
part  thereof  are  subsequently  invalidated,  declared  to  be  fraudulent  or
preferential,  set aside and/or required to be repaid to a trustee,  receiver or
any other party under any bankruptcy law, any other state or federal law, common
law or any equitable cause, then, to the extent of such recovery, the obligation
or part thereof originally  intended to be satisfied,  and all Liens, rights and
remedies  therefor or related  thereto,  shall be revived and  continued in full
force  and  effect  as if such  payment  or  payments  had not been made or such
enforcement or setoff had not occurred.

10.12 SEVERABILITY.

     In case any  provision in or obligation  under this  Agreement or the Notes
shall be invalid,  illegal or unenforceable in any  jurisdiction,  the validity,
legality and  enforceability of the remaining  provisions or obligations,  or of
such provision or obligation in any other jurisdiction,  shall not in any way be
affected or impaired thereby.

10.13 OBLIGATIONS SEVERAL; INDEPENDENT NATURE OF LENDERS' RIGHTS.

     The  obligations  of Lenders  hereunder  are several and no Lender shall be
responsible  for the  obligations or Commitments of any other Lender  hereunder.
Nothing  contained herein or in any other Loan Document,  and no action taken by
Lenders pursuant hereto or thereto,  shall be deemed to constitute  Lenders as a
partnership,  an association,  a joint venture or any other kind of entity.  The
amounts  payable at any time  hereunder  to each Lender  shall be a separate and
independent  debt,  and each Lender shall be entitled to protect and enforce its
rights arising out of this Agreement and it shall not be necessary for any other
Lender to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.

10.14 HEADINGS.

     Section and subsection  headings in this Agreement are included  herein for
convenience  of reference only and shall not constitute a part of this Agreement
for any other purpose or be given any substantive effect.

10.15 APPLICABLE LAW.

     THIS  AGREEMENT  AND THE RIGHTS AND  OBLIGATIONS  OF THE PARTIES  HEREUNDER
SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED  AND ENFORCED IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH,
THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION SECTION
5-1401 OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK),  WITHOUT REGARD
TO CONFLICTS OF LAWS PRINCIPLES.

10.16 SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.

     This  Agreement  shall  be  binding  upon  the  parties  hereto  and  their
respective  successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of the parties
hereto and the  successors  and  assigns of Lenders  (it being  understood  that
Lenders' rights of assignment are subject to subsection 10.1).  Company's rights
or  obligations  hereunder  nor any  interest  therein  may not be  assigned  or
delegated by Company without the prior written consent of all Lenders.

10.17 CONSENT TO JURISDICTION AND SERVICE OF PROCESS.

     ALL JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS BROUGHT AGAINST COMPANY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING
TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, OR ANY OBLIGATIONS THEREUNDER, MAY
BE BROUGHT IN ANY STATE OR FEDERAL COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION IN THE STATE,
COUNTY  AND CITY OF NEW  YORK.  BY  EXECUTING  AND  DELIVERING  THIS  AGREEMENT,
COMPANY, FOR ITSELF AND IN CONNECTION WITH ITS PROPERTIES, IRREVOCABLY

          (I)   ACCEPTS   GENERALLY   AND   UNCONDITIONALLY   THE   NONEXCLUSIVE
     JURISDICTION AND VENUE OF SUCH COURTS;

          (II) WAIVES ANY DEFENSE OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS;

          (III) AGREES THAT SERVICE OF ALL PROCESS IN ANY SUCH PROCEEDING IN ANY
     SUCH COURT MAY BE MADE BY  REGISTERED  OR CERTIFIED  MAIL,  RETURN  RECEIPT
     REQUESTED, TO COMPANY AT ITS ADDRESS PROVIDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION
     10.8;

          (IV)  AGREES  THAT  SERVICE  AS  PROVIDED  IN  CLAUSE  (III)  ABOVE IS
     SUFFICIENT  TO  CONFER  PERSONAL  JURISDICTION  OVER  COMPANY  IN ANY  SUCH
     PROCEEDING  IN ANY SUCH COURT,  AND  OTHERWISE  CONSTITUTES  EFFECTIVE  AND
     BINDING SERVICE IN EVERY RESPECT;

          (V) AGREES THAT LENDERS RETAIN THE RIGHT TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER
     MANNER  PERMITTED  BY LAW OR TO BRING  PROCEEDINGS  AGAINST  COMPANY IN THE
     COURTS OF ANY OTHER JURISDICTION; AND

          (VI) AGREES THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS  SUBSECTION  10.17 RELATING TO
     JURISDICTION  AND VENUE  SHALL BE BINDING  AND  ENFORCEABLE  TO THE FULLEST
     EXTENT PERMISSIBLE UNDER NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW SECTION 5-1402 OR
     OTHERWISE.

10.18 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.

     EACH OF THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY AGREES TO WAIVE ITS RESPECTIVE
RIGHTS TO A JURY TRIAL OF ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION BASED UPON OR ARISING OUT
OF THIS  AGREEMENT OR ANY OF THE OTHER LOAN  DOCUMENTS  OR ANY DEALINGS  BETWEEN
THEM  RELATING  TO  THE  SUBJECT   MATTER  OF  THIS  LOAN   TRANSACTION  OR  THE
LENDER/BORROWER RELATIONSHIP THAT IS BEING ESTABLISHED. The scope of this waiver
is intended to be  all-encompassing of any and all disputes that may be filed in
any court and that relate to the subject matter of this transaction,  including,
without limitation,  contract claims, tort claims, breach of duty claims and all
other common law and statutory claims.  Each party hereto acknowledges that this
waiver is a material inducement to enter into a business relationship, that each
has already relied on this waiver in entering into this Agreement, and that each
will  continue to rely on this waiver in their  related  future  dealings.  Each
party hereto further  warrants and  represents  that it has reviewed this waiver
with its legal  counsel and that it knowingly  and  voluntarily  waives its jury
trial  rights  following   consultation  with  legal  counsel.  THIS  WAIVER  IS
IRREVOCABLE,  MEANING  THAT IT MAY NOT BE MODIFIED  EITHER  ORALLY OR IN WRITING
(OTHER THAN BY A MUTUAL WRITTEN WAIVER SPECIFICALLY REFERRING TO THIS SUBSECTION
10.18 AND EXECUTED BY EACH OF THE PARTIES  HERETO),  AND THIS WAIVER SHALL APPLY
TO ANY SUBSEQUENT  AMENDMENTS,  RENEWALS,  SUPPLEMENTS OR  MODIFICATIONS TO THIS
AGREEMENT  OR ANY OF THE  OTHER  LOAN  DOCUMENTS  OR TO ANY OTHER  DOCUMENTS  OR
AGREEMENTS  RELATING TO THE LOANS MADE  HEREUNDER.  In the event of  litigation,
this Agreement may be filed as a written consent to a trial by the court.

10.19 CONFIDENTIALITY.

     Each Lender shall hold all non-public  information obtained pursuant to the
requirements  of this Agreement  which has been  identified as  confidential  by
Company in  accordance  with such  Lender's  customary  procedures  for handling
confidential  information  of this  nature,  it being  understood  and agreed by
Company that in any event a Lender may make disclosures  reasonably  required by
any bona  fide  assignee,  transferee  or  participant  in  connection  with the
contemplated  assignment  or  transfer  by  such  Lender  of  any  Loans  or any
participation  therein or as required or requested by any governmental agency or
representative  thereof  or  pursuant  to  legal  process  or  by  the  National
Association of Insurance Commissioners or in connection with the exercise of any
remedy under the Loan Documents;  provided that, unless specifically  prohibited
by  applicable  law or court  order,  each Lender  shall  notify  Company of any
request by any  governmental  agency or  representative  thereof (other than any
such request in connection  with any  examination of the financial  condition of
such Lender by such  governmental  agency) for disclosure of any such non-public
information prior to disclosure of such information;  and provided, further that
in no event shall any Lender be  obligated  or required to return any  materials
furnished by Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

10.20 COUNTERPARTS; EFFECTIVENESS.

     This Agreement and any amendments,  waivers, consents or supplements hereto
or in connection  herewith may be executed in any number of counterparts  and by
different  parties  hereto  in  separate  counterparts,  each of  which  when so
executed and delivered  shall be deemed an original,  but all such  counterparts
together shall constitute but one and the same  instrument;  signature pages may
be  detached  from  multiple  separate  counterparts  and  attached  to a single
counterpart  so that all  signature  pages are  physically  attached to the same
document.

     It is the intention of each of the parties hereto that the Existing  Credit
Agreement be amended and restated so as to preserve the  perfection and priority
of all  security  interests  securing  indebtedness  and  obligations  under the
Existing Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents and that all indebtedness
and obligations of Company and its  Subsidiaries  hereunder and thereunder shall
be  secured  by the  Collateral  Documents  and that  this  Agreement  shall not
constitute a novation of the  obligations  and  liabilities  existing  under the
Existing  Credit  Agreement or be deemed to evidence or constitute  repayment of
all or any portion of any such  obligations or  liabilities.  The parties hereto
further  acknowledge  and agree that this Agreement  constitutes an amendment of
the Existing Credit Agreement made under the terms of subsection 10.6 thereof.

     The Agreement  shall become  effective  upon the execution of a counterpart
hereof by Company,  Co-Administrative Agents, Requisite Lenders (as such term is
defined in the  Existing  Credit  Agreement)  and the New Lenders and receipt by
Company and Chase  Co-Administrative Agent of written or telephonic notification
of such execution and authorization of delivery  thereof;  provided that, unless
and until all of the conditions  set forth in subsections  4.2 and 4.4 have been
satisfied or waived in accordance  with  subsection  10.6 of the Existing Credit
Agreement,  the Existing Credit  Agreement shall remain in full force and effect
without  giving  effect  to the  amendments  set  forth  herein,  all as if this
Agreement had never been executed and delivered.


                  [Remainder of page intentionally left blank]



<PAGE>


               IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement
to be duly executed and delivered by their  respective  officers  thereunto duly
authorized as of the date first written above.

COMPANY:                 OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC.


                                   By:   ____________________________
                                         Name:
                                         Title:


                                   Notice Address:

                                   390 South Woods Mill Road, Suite 150
                                   Chesterfield, Missouri 63017
                                   Attention:   Daniel J. Dolan
                                                Chief Financial Officer
                                   Facsimile:   (314) 576-1867

                                   with a copy to:

                                   McCown De Leeuw & Co.
                                   31st Floor
                                   101 East 52nd Street
                                   New York, New York 10022
                                   Attention:   Tyler T. Zachem
                                   Facsimile:   (212) 355-6283
                                                (212) 355-6945

                                   and a copy to:

                                   White & Case
                                   1155 Avenue of the Americas
                                   New York, New York 10036
                                   Attention:   Frank L. Schiff, Esq.
                                   Facsimile:   (212) 819-7817


<PAGE>


AGENTS AND LENDERS:      GOLDMAN SACHS CREDIT PARTNERS L.P.,
                                  individually, as a Co-Administrative Agent 
                                  and as an Arranging Agent


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Authorized Signatory


                                  Notice Address:

                                  Goldman Sachs Credit Partners L.P.
                                  c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.
                                  85 Broad Street
                                  New York, New York 10004
                                  Attention:    Stephen King
                                  Telephone:    (212) 902-8123
                                  Facsimile:    (212) 357-8680

                                  with a copy to:

                                  Goldman Sachs Credit Partners L.P.
                                  c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.
                                  85 Broad Street
                                  New York, New York 10004
                                  Attention:    Lola Small
                                  Telephone:    (212) 902-4599
                                  Facsimile:    (212) 357-4597



<PAGE>


                                  THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,
                                  individually and as a Co-Administrative Agent


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Gail Weiss
                                        Vice President

                                  Notice Address:

                                  270 Park Avenue, 36th Floor
                                  New York, New York 10017
                                  Attention:   William J. Caggiano
                                  Telephone:   (212) 270-5049
                                  Facsimile:   (212) 270-1789

                                  with a copy to:

                                  One Chase Manhattan Plaza
                                  8th Floor
                                  New York, New York 10081
                                  Attention:   Sandra Miklave
                                               Loan Servicing Group
                                  Telephone:   (212) 552-7953
                                  Facsimile:   (212) 552-5658




<PAGE>


                                  SUNTRUST BANK, ATLANTA,
                                  individually and as Collateral Agent


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Dennis H. James, Jr.
                                        Assistant Vice President


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Name:
                                        Title:

                                  Notice Address:

                                  Suntrust Bank, Atlanta
                                  25 Park Place, 23rd Floor
                                  Atlanta, Georgia 30303
                                  Attention:   Dennis H. James, Jr.
                                  Telephone:   (404) 588-7963
                                  Facsimile:   (404) 588-8833

                                  With a copy to:

                                  Suntrust Bank, Atlanta
                                  25 Park Place, 23rd Floor
                                  Atlanta, Georgia 30303
                                  Attention:   Devyonne Aabeel
                                  Telephone:   (404) 588-7077
                                  Facsimile:   (404) 588-8833



<PAGE>


                                  THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Name:
                                        Title:

                                  Notice Address:

                                  The First National Bank of Chicago
                                  One First National Plaza
                                  Mail Suite 0173
                                  Chicago, IL 60670-0173
                                  Attention:   William J. Oleferchik
                                  Telephone:   (312) 732-2947
                                  Facsimile:   (312) 732-1117

                                  With a copy to:

                                  The First National Bank of Chicago
                                  One First National Plaza
                                  Mail Suite 0364
                                  Chicago, IL 60670-0364
                                  Telephone:   (312) 732-6503
                                  Facsimile:   (312) 732-1117




<PAGE>


                                  BANK OF SCOTLAND


                                  By:  ______________________________
                                       Name:
                                       Title:


                                  Notice Address:

                                  Bank of Scotland
                                  565 Fifth Avenue, 5th Floor
                                  New York, New York 10017
                                  Attention:    John Kelly
                                  Telephone:    (212) 450-0830
                                  Facsimile:    (212) 682-5720


                                  With a copy to:

                                  Bank of Scotland
                                  565 Fifth Avenue, 5th Floor
                                  New York, New York 10017
                                  Attention:    Janet Taffe
                                                Assistant Vice President
                                  Telephone:    (212) 450-0872
                                  Facsimile:    (212) 557-9460



<PAGE>


                                  MERRILL LYNCH SENIOR FLOATING
                                  RATE FUND, INC.


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Name:
                                        Title:

                                  Notice Address:

                                  Merrill Lynch Asset Management
                                  800 Scudders Mill Road - Area 2C
                                  Plainsboro, New Jersey 08536
                                  Attention:   Anthony Clemente
                                  Telephone:   (609) 282-2092
                                  Facsimile:   (609) 282-2756



<PAGE>





                       THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK


<PAGE>


                                  CREDITANSTALT - BANKVEREIN


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Robert M. Biringer
                                        Executive Vice President


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Carl G. Drake
                                        Senior Associate

                                  Notice Address:

                                  Creditanstalt
                                  Two Ravina Drive, Suite 1680
                                  Atlanta, Georgia 30346
                                  Attention:   Robert M. Biringer
                                  Telephone:   (770) 390-1850
                                  Facsimile:   (770) 390-1851

                                  With a copy to:

                                  Troutman Sanders
                                  Suite 5200
                                  600 Peachtree Street, N.W.
                                  Atlanta, GA 30308
                                  Attention:   Hazen Dempster
                                  Telephone:   (404) 885-3000
                                  Facsimile:   (404) 885-3947

                                  Creditanstalt
                                  Two Greenwich Plaza
                                  Greenwich, CT 06830
                                  Attention:   Lisa Bruno
                                  Telephone:   (203) 861-6464
                                  Facsimile:   (203) 861-6594



<PAGE>


                                  BANKBOSTON, N.A.


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Name:
                                        Title:

                                  Notice Address:

                                  BankBoston, N.A.
                                  Diversified Finance
                                  100 Federal Street, MS 01-08-05
                                  Boston, Massachusetts 02110
                                  Attention:   Clifford A. Gaysunas
                                               Assistant Vice President
                                  Telephone:   (617) 434-3051
                                  Facsimile:   (617) 434-4929


                                  With a copy to:

                                  BankBoston, N.A.
                                  Commercial Loan Services
                                  100 Federal Street, MS 01-08-04
                                  Boston, Massachusetts 02110
                                  Attention:   Joan Broderick
                                               Administrative Officer
                                  Telephone:   (617) 434-2456
                                  Facsimile:   (617) 434-9820


<PAGE>


                                  HELLER FINANCIAL, INC.


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Name:
                                        Title:

                                  Notice Address:

                                  Heller Financial
                                  500 West Monroe Street
                                  Chicago, Illinois 60661
                                  Attention:   Patrick Hayes
                                  Telephone:   (312) 441-7035
                                  Facsimile:   (312) 441-7357


<PAGE>







                       THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK


<PAGE>


                                  PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Name:
                                        Title:

                                  Notice Address:

                                  PNC Bank
                                  345 Park Avenue, 29th Floor
                                  New York, New York 10154
                                  Attention:   Mark Williams
                                  Telephone:   (212) 409-3724
                                  Facsimile:   (212) 409-3737

                                  With a copy to:

                                  PNC Bank
                                  345 Park Avenue, 29th Floor
                                  New York, New York 10154
                                  Attention:   Anna Di Rocco
                                  Telephone:   (212) 409-3717
                                  Facsimile:   (212) 409-3737


<PAGE>


                                  SOUTHERN PACIFIC BANK


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Name:
                                        Title:

                                  Notice Address:

                                  Southern Pacific Bank
                                  12300 Wilshire Blvd.
                                  Los Angeles, California 90025
                                  Attention:   Chris Kelleher
                                               Charles D. Martorano
                                  Telephone:   (310) 442-3351/3315
                                  Facsimile:   (310) 207-4067

                                  With a copy to:

                                  Southern Pacific Bank
                                  12300 Wilshire Blvd.
                                  Los Angeles, California 90025
                                  Attention:   Charles Williams
                                  Telephone:   (310) 442-3312
                                  Facsimile:   (310) 207-4067



<PAGE>


                                  VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL
                                  PRIME RATE INCOME TRUST


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Name:
                                        Title:

                                  Notice Address:

                                  Van Kampen American Capital
                                  One Parkview Plaza
                                  Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181
                                  Attention:   Jeffrey Maillet
                                  Telephone:   (630) 684-6438
                                  Facsimile:   (630) 684-6740



<PAGE>


                                  INDOSUEZ CAPITAL FUNDING II, LTD.

                                  By:  INDOSUEZ CAPITAL LUXEMBOURG, 
                                       as Collateral Manager

                                       By:   _______________________
                                             Name:
                                             Title:



                                  INDOSUEZ CAPITAL FUNDING III, LTD.

                                  By:  INDOSUEZ CAPITAL LUXEMBOURG, 
                                       as Collateral Manager


                                       By:   ________________________
                                             Name:
                                             Title:


                                  Notice Address:

                                  Indosuez Capital
                                  1211 Avenue of the Americas
                                  New York, NY 10036
                                  Attention:   Francoise Berthelot
                                  Telephone:   (212) 278-2213
                                  Facsimile:   (212) 278-2254


<PAGE>


                                  SENIOR DEBT PORTFOLIO

                                  By:  BOSTON MANAGEMENT AND
                                       RESEARCH, as Investment Advisor


                                       By:   _______________________
                                             Name:
                                             Title:


                                  Notice Address:

                                  Eaton Vance Management
                                  24 Federal Street
                                  Boston, MA 02210
                                  Attention:   Scott Page
                                  Telephone:   (617) 654-8486
                                  Facsimile:   (617) 695-9594


<PAGE>


                                  PILGRIM AMERICA PRIME RATE TRUST


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Name:
                                        Title:

                                  Notice Address:

                                  Pilgrim Group
                                  Two Rennaissance Square
                                  40 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1200
                                  Phoenix, AZ 85004
                                  Attention:   Michael Bacevich
                                  Telephone:   (602) 417-8258
                                  Facsimile:   (602) 417-8327


<PAGE>


                                  KZH HOLDING CORPORATION III


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Name:
                                        Title:

                                  Notice Address:

                                  KZH Holding Corporation III
                                  c/o The Chase Manhattan Bank
                                  450 West 33rd Street, 15th Floor
                                  New York, NY 10001
                                  Attention:   Virginia Conway/Joe Nerich
                                  Telephone:   (212) 946-7575
                                  Facsimile:   (212) 946-7776


<PAGE>







                       THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK


<PAGE>







                       THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK


<PAGE>







                       THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK


<PAGE>


                                  PACIFIC LIFE CBO 1998-1 LTD


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Name:
                                        Title:

                                  Notice Address:

                                  Pacific Mutual Insurance
                                  700 Newport Center Drive
                                  Newport Beach, CA 92660
                                  Attention:   Michael Long
                                  Telephone:   (714) 640-3745
                                  Facsimile:   (714) 640-3199


<PAGE>


                                  CYPRESS TREE BOSTON PARTNERS


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Name:
                                        Title:

                                  Notice Address:

                                  BankBoston
                                  100 Federal Street, Mail Stop 1-9-2
                                  Boston, MA 02110
                                  Attention:   Patrick Morris
                                  Telephone:   (617) 434-9779
                                  Facsimile:   (617) 434-9591


<PAGE>


                                  DELANO COMPANY

                                  By: Pacific Investment Management Company,
                                      as its Investment Advisor


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Name:
                                        Title:

                                  Notice Address:

                                  Chase Bank of Texas National Association
                                  601 Travis Street, 8th Floor
                                  Houston, TX 77002
                                  Attention:   Delano Company
                                  Telephone:   (713) 216-1672
                                  Facsimile:   (713) 216-8299


<PAGE>


                                  KZH-CRESCENT CORPORATION


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Name:
                                        Title:

                                  Notice Address:

                                  KZH-Crescent Corporation
                                  c/o The Chase Manhattan Bank
                                  450 West 33rd Street, 15th Floor
                                  New York, NY 10001
                                  Attention:   Virginia Conway
                                  Telephone:   (212) 946-7575
                                  Facsimile:   (212) 946-7776


<PAGE>


                                  KZH-CRESCENT 2 CORPORATION


                                  By:   _____________________________
                                        Name:
                                        Title:

                                  Notice Address:

                                  KZH-Crescent 2 Corporation
                                  c/o The Chase Manhattan Bank
                                  450 West 33rd Street, 15th Floor
                                  New York, NY 10001
                                  Attention:   Virginia Conway
                                  Telephone:   (212) 946-7575
                                  Facsimile:   (212) 946-7776


<PAGE>









                                                                       EXECUTION








                  SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT


                          DATED AS OF JANUARY 26, 1998


                                      AMONG


                           OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC.,
                                  AS BORROWER,


                           THE LENDERS LISTED HEREIN,
                                   AS LENDERS,


                       GOLDMAN SACHS CREDIT PARTNERS L.P.
                                       AND
                            THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,
                          AS CO-ADMINISTRATIVE AGENTS,


                       GOLDMAN SACHS CREDIT PARTNERS L.P.
                                       AND
                             CHASE SECURITIES INC.,
                              AS ARRANGING AGENTS,


                                       AND


                             SUNTRUST BANK, ATLANTA,
                               AS COLLATERAL AGENT








<PAGE>


                           OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC.

                                CREDIT AGREEMENT

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                            PAGE

                                   SECTION 1.
                                                                  DEFINITIONS  3

1.1       Certain Terms.....................................................   3
1.2       Accounting  Terms;  Utilization  of GAAP for Purposes of  
          Calculations Under Agreement......................................  36
1.3       Other Definitional Provisions.....................................  36


                                   SECTION 2.
                                   AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF COMMITMENTS AND LOANS 36
2.1       Commitments; Loans................................................  36
2.2       Interest on the Loans.............................................  44
2.3       Fees..............................................................  48
2.4       Repayments, Prepayments and Reductions in Revolving 
          Loan Commitments; General Provisions Regarding Payments...........  49
2.5       Use of Proceeds...................................................  59
2.6       Special Provisions Governing Eurodollar Rate Loans................  60
2.7       Increased Costs; Taxes; Capital Adequacy..........................  63
2.8       Obligation of Lenders and Issuing Lenders to Mitigate.............  67

                                   SECTION 3.
                                                            LETTERS OF CREDIT 68
3.1       Issuance of Letters of Credit and Lenders' Purchase 
          of Participations Therein.........................................  68
3.2       Letter of Credit Fees.............................................  72
3.3       Drawings and Payments and Reimbursement of Amounts Paid 
          Under Letters of Credit...........................................  72
3.4       Obligations Absolute..............................................  75
3.5       Indemnification; Nature of Issuing Lender's Duties................  76
3.6       Increased Costs and Taxes Relating to Letters of Credit...........  77

                                   SECTION 4.
                                    CONDITIONS TO LOANS AND LETTERS OF CREDIT 78
4.1       Conditions to Existing Loans and Letters of Credit................  78
4.2       Conditions to Tranche C Term Loans................................  78
4.3       Conditions to Delayed-Draw Term Loans.............................  86
4.4       Conditions to All Loans...........................................  88
4.5       Conditions to Letters of Credit...................................  89

                                   SECTION 5.
                                               REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES 90
5.1       Organization, Powers, Qualification, Good Standing, 
          Business and Subsidiaries.........................................  90
5.2       Authorization of Borrowing, etc.. ................................  91
5.3       Financial Condition; Projections..................................  92
5.4       No Material Adverse Change; No Restricted Junior Payments.........  94
5.5       Title to Properties; Liens........................................  94
5.6       Litigation; Adverse Facts.........................................  94
5.7       Payment of Taxes..................................................  95
5.8       Performance of Agreements; Materially Adverse Agreements..........  95
5.9       Governmental Regulation...........................................  95
5.10      Securities Activities.............................................  95
5.11      Employee Benefit Plans............................................  95
5.12      Certain Fees......................................................  96
5.13      Environmental Protection..........................................  96
5.14      Employee Matters..................................................  98
5.15      Solvency..........................................................  98
5.16      Matters Relating to Collateral....................................  98
5.17      Related Agreements................................................  99
5.18      Disclosure........................................................ 100
5.19      Subordination of Seller Notes..................................... 101
5.20      Margin Lending Matters............................................ 101

                                   SECTION 6.
                                                       AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS 101
6.1       Financial Statements and Other Reports............................ 101
6.2       Corporate Existence, etc.......................................... 107
6.3       Payment of Taxes and Claims; Tax Consolidation.................... 107
6.4       Maintenance of Properties; Insurance.............................. 108
6.5       Inspection; Lender Meeting........................................ 108
6.6       Compliance with Laws, etc......................................... 108
6.7       Environmental Disclosure and Inspection........................... 109
6.8       Company's Remedial Action Regarding Hazardous Materials........... 110
6.9       Execution of Subsidiary Guaranty and Subsidiary Security 
          Agreements by Subsidiaries and Future Subsidiaries................ 110
6.10      Interest Rate Protection.......................................... 111
6.11      Conduct of Business of Merger Sub................................. 111
6.12      Conduct of Business of Union...................................... 112
6.13      Union Merger...................................................... 112
6.14      Further Assurances................................................ 112

                                   SECTION 7.
                                                          NEGATIVE COVENANTS 113
7.1       Indebtedness...................................................... 113
7.2       Liens and Related Matters......................................... 114
7.3       Investments; Joint Ventures....................................... 115
7.4       Contingent Obligations............................................ 116
7.5       Restricted Junior Payments........................................ 118
7.6       Financial Covenants............................................... 118
7.7       Restriction on Fundamental Changes; Asset Sales................... 121
7.8       Sales and Lease-Backs............................................. 123
7.9       Transactions with Shareholders and Affiliates..................... 123
7.10      Disposal of Subsidiary Stock...................................... 124
7.11      Conduct of Business............................................... 124
7.12      Amendments or Waivers of Certain Related Agreements;
          Amendments of Documents Relating to Subordinated
          Indebtedness; Designation of  "Designated Senior Debt "; 
          Preferred Stock................................................... 124
7.13      Fiscal Year....................................................... 125

                                   SECTION 8.
                                                           EVENTS OF DEFAULT 125
8.1       Failure to Make Payments When Due................................. 125
8.2       Default in Other Agreements....................................... 126
8.3       Breach of Certain Covenants....................................... 126
8.4       Breach of Warranty................................................ 126
8.5       Other Defaults Under Loan Documents............................... 126
8.6       Involuntary Bankruptcy; Appointment of Receiver, etc.............. 127
8.7       Voluntary Bankruptcy; Appointment of Receiver, etc................ 127
8.8       Judgments and Attachments......................................... 127
8.9       Dissolution....................................................... 128
8.10      Employee Benefit Plans............................................ 128
8.11      Change in Control................................................. 128
8.12      Invalidity of Guaranties. 129
8.13      Failure of Security............................................... 129
8.14      Failure to Consummate Acquisitions.129
8.15      Default Under Subordination Provisions............................ 130

                                   SECTION 9.
                                                                      AGENTS 131
9.1       Appointment....................................................... 131
9.2       Powers; General Immunity.......................................... 132
9.3       Representations and Warranties; No Responsibility For Appraisal of 
          Creditworthiness.................................................. 134
9.4       Right to Indemnity................................................ 134
9.5       Successor Agents and Swing Line Lender............................ 134
9.6       Collateral Documents.............................................. 135

                                   SECTION 10.
                                                               MISCELLANEOUS 136
10.1      Assignments and Participations in Loans, Letters of Credit........ 136
10.2      Expenses.......................................................... 139
10.3      Indemnity......................................................... 139
10.4      Set-Off; Security Interest in Deposit Accounts.................... 140
10.5      Ratable Sharing................................................... 141
10.6      Amendments and Waivers............................................ 141
10.7      Independence of Covenants......................................... 143
10.8      Notices........................................................... 143
10.9      Survival of Representations, Warranties and Agreements............ 144
10.10     Failure or Indulgence Not Waiver; Remedies Cumulative............. 144
10.11     Marshalling; Payments Set Aside................................... 144
10.12     Severability...................................................... 145
10.13     Obligations Several; Independent Nature of Lenders' Rights........ 145
10.14     Headings.......................................................... 145
10.15     Applicable Law.................................................... 145
10.16     Successors and Assigns............................................ 145
10.17     Consent to Jurisdiction and Service of Process.................... 146
10.18     Waiver of Jury Trial.............................................. 146
10.19     Confidentiality................................................... 147
10.20     Counterparts; Effectiveness....................................... 147

Signature pages..............................................................S-1


<PAGE>









                                    EXHIBITS



I                 FORM OF NOTICE OF BORROWING
II                FORM OF NOTICE OF CONVERSION/CONTINUATION
III               FORM OF NOTICE OF ISSUANCE OF LETTER OF CREDIT
IV-A              FORM OF TRANCHE A TERM NOTE
IV-B              FORM OF TRANCHE B TERM NOTE
IV-C              FORM OF TRANCHE C TERM NOTE
V                 FORM OF REVOLVING NOTE
VI                FORM OF SWING LINE NOTE
VII               FORM OF SUBSIDIARY GUARANTY
VIII              FORM OF PLEDGE AGREEMENT
IX-A              FORM OF SECURITY AGREEMENT
IX-B              FORM OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP SECURITY AGREEMENT
IX-C              FORM OF TRADEMARK SECURITY AGREEMENT
X                 FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
XI                FORM OF OPINION OF LOAN PARTIES' COUNSEL
XII               FORM OF SECOND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND CONSENT
XIII              FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT
XIV               FORM OF PERMITTED SELLER NOTE
XV                FORM OF CERTIFICATE RE NON-BANK STATUS
XVI               FORM OF COLLATERAL ACCOUNT AGREEMENT


<PAGE>


                                    SCHEDULES



2.1               LENDERS' COMMITMENTS, EXISTING LOANS AND PRO RATA SHARES; 
                  LENDING OFFICES
3.1               EXISTING LETTERS OF CREDIT
4.2J              CORPORATE AND CAPITAL STRUCTURE; MANAGEMENT
5.1               SUBSIDIARIES OF COMPANY
5.13              CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
7.1               CERTAIN EXISTING INDEBTEDNESS
7.2               CERTAIN EXISTING LIENS
7.4               CERTAIN EXISTING CONTINGENT OBLIGATIONS
7.4(iv)(a)        CERTAIN EXISTING EARN OUT AGREEMENTS
7.4(iv)(b)        CERTAIN EXISTING FORWARD FLOW CONTRACTS
7.6E              CERTAIN FINANCIAL CALCULATIONS
7.8               CERTAIN PERMITTED SALES AND LEASE-BACKS








                                                                      EXHIBIT 21

OUTSOURCING SOLUTIONS INC AND SUBSIDIARIES                            
SUBSIDIARIES OF THE REGISTRANT


NAME OF SUBSIDIARY                                JURISDICTION OF INCORPORATION

CFC Services Corp.                                Delaware

A.M. Miller & Associates, Inc.                    Minnesota

The Continental Alliance, Inc.                    Washington
 (d/b/a Continental Credit Services, Inc.)

Alaska Financial Services, Inc.                   Alaska

Southwest Credit Services, Inc.                   Arizona

Account Portfolios, Inc.                          Delaware

Account Portfolios G.P., Inc.                     Delaware

Account Portfolios, L.P.                          Georgia

Perimeter Credit, L.P.                            Georgia

Gulf State Credit, L.P.                           Georgia

Payco American Corporation                        Wisconsin

Payco-General American Credits, Inc.              Delaware

National Account Systems, Inc.                    Delaware

University Accounting Service, Inc.               Wisconsin

Asset Recovery & Management Corp.                 Wisconsin

Indiana Mutual Credit Association, Inc.           Indiana

Furst and Furst, Inc.                             Wisconsin

Jennifer Loomis & Associates, Inc.                Arizona

FM Services Corporation                           Arizona

Qualink, Inc.                                     Wisconsin

Professional Recoveries Inc.                      Wisconsin

Payco American International Corp.                Wisconsin

Reliance National Insurance Co. Ltd.              Bermuda

Federal Collection Bureau, S.A. DE C.V.           Mexico

Pay Tech, Inc.                                    Wisconsin

North Shore Agency Inc.                           New York

Accelerated Bureau of Collections Inc.            Colorado

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001027574
<NAME> Outsourcing Solutions Inc
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029300
<NAME>  CFC Services Corp
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029301
<NAME>  A M Miller & Associates Inc
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029303
<NAME>  Continental Alliance Inc
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029305
<NAME>  Alaska Financial Services Inc
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029306
<NAME>  Southwest Credit Services Inc
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029307
<NAME>  Account Portfolios Inc
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029715
<NAME>  Account Portfolios G.P. Inc
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029308
<NAME>  Account Portfolios LP
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0000076741
<NAME>  Payco American Corp
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029315
<NAME>  Payco General American Credits Inc
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029317
<NAME>  National Account Systems Inc
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029318
<NAME>  University Accounting Service Inc
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029319
<NAME>  Asset Recovery & Management Corp
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029320
<NAME>  Indiana Mutual Credit Association Inc
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029386
<NAME>  Furst & Furst Inc
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029387
<NAME>  Jennifer Loomis & Associates Inc
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029388
<NAME>  FM Services Inc
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029389
<NAME>  Qualink Inc
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029390
<NAME>  Professional Recoveries Inc
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001029391
<NAME>  Payco American International Corp
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001051794
<NAME>  Sherman Acquisition Corporation
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001058618
<NAME> ALLIED BOND & COLLECTION AGENCY INC
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001058619 
<NAME> AMERICAN CHILD SUPPORT SERVICE BUREAU INC
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001058620
<NAME> CAPITAL CREDIT CORP
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001058621
<NAME> HIGH PERFORMANCE SERVICES INC
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001058622
<NAME> HIGH PERFORMANCE SERVICES OF FLORIDA INC
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001058624
<NAME> INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCE INC
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001058625
<NAME> INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCE OF FLORIDA INC
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001058626
<NAME> TRANSWORLD SYSTEMS INC
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001058627
<NAME> UCO PROPERTIES INC
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001058628
<NAME> UNION FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP INC
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001058629
<NAME> AMEIRCAN RECOVERY CO INC
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001058630
<NAME> CSN CORP
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001058631
<NAME> GENAD CONNECTOR CORP
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001058632
<NAME> UCO MBA CORP
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001058633
<NAME> UNION SPECIAL STEEL CASTING CORP
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001058634
<NAME> PERIMETER CREDIT LLP
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
Note:  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Form 10-K for the Year Ended December 31, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0001058635
<NAME> GULF STATE CREDIT LLP
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                          23,979
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   27,730
<ALLOWANCES>                                       538
<INVENTORY>                                     42,915
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                96,205
<PP&E>                                          44,695
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,132
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 381,690
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           77,647
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                     11,699
<COMMON>                                            53
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   381,690
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               271,683
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  290,102
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              28,791
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               (47,210)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    11,127
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           (58,337)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                  (58,337)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>


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