Collapse to view only § 4290.800 - Financings in the form of Equity Securities.

Determining Eligibility of an Enterprise for RBIC Financing

§ 4290.700 - Requirements concerning types of enterprises to receive financing.

(a) Financing requirements. Beginning after the third fiscal year after the issuance of your RBIC license and at the close of each of your fiscal years thereafter, you must be in compliance with the Financing percentages specified in this paragraph (a).

(1) Rural Business Concerns. At least 75 percent of your Financings (in total dollars) to your Portfolio Concerns must have been to Rural Business Concerns.

(2) Smaller Enterprises. More than 50 percent of your Financings (in total dollars) to your Portfolio Concerns must have been to Smaller Enterprises that, at the time of the initial Financing to such Enterprise, meet either the net worth/net income test or the size standard set forth in the “Smaller Enterprise” definition in § 4290.50.

(3) Urban Areas. No more than 10 percent of your Financings (in total dollars) to your Portfolio Concerns must have been made to Portfolio Concerns located in an Urban Area.

(b) Non-compliance. If you are not in compliance with any of the Financing percentages specified in paragraph (a) of this section at the end of the third fiscal year after the issuance of your RBIC license or any fiscal year thereafter, you must come into compliance by the end of the following fiscal year. For as long as you remain out of compliance, you are not eligible for additional Leverage (see § 4290.1120).

[85 FR 16523, Mar. 24, 2020]

§ 4290.720 - Enterprises that may be ineligible for Financing.

(a) Re-lenders or re-investors. You are not permitted to finance any Enterprise that is a re-lender or re-investor. The primary business activity of re-lenders or re-investors involves, directly or indirectly, providing funds to others, purchasing debt obligations, factoring, or long-term leasing of equipment with no provision for maintenance or repair.

(b) Passive Enterprises. You are not permitted to finance a passive Enterprise.

(1) Definition. An Enterprise is passive if:

(i) It is not engaged in a regular and continuous business operation (for purposes of this paragraph (b), the mere receipt of payments such as dividends, rents, lease payments, or royalties is not considered a regular and continuous business operation); or

(ii) Its employees are not carrying on the majority of day to day operations, and the Enterprise does not provide effective control and supervision, on a day to day basis, over persons employed under contract; or

(iii) It passes through substantially all of the proceeds of the Financing to another entity.

(2) Exception for pass-through of proceeds to subsidiary. With the prior written approval of the Agency, you may finance a passive Enterprise if it passes substantially all of the proceeds through to one or more subsidiary companies, each of which is an eligible Enterprise that is not passive. For the purpose of this paragraph (b)(2), “subsidiary company” means a company in which at least 50 percent of the outstanding voting securities are owned by the Financed passive Enterprise.

(3) Exception for certain Partnership RBICs or LLC RBICs. With the prior written approval of the Agency, if you are a Partnership RBIC or LLC RBIC, you may form one or more wholly owned corporations in accordance with this paragraph (b)(3). The sole purpose of such corporation(s) must be to provide Financing to one or more eligible, unincorporated Enterprise. You may form such corporation(s) only if a direct Financing to such Enterprise would cause any of your investors to incur unrelated business taxable income under section 511 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (26 U.S.C. 511). Your investment of funds in such corporation(s) will not constitute a violation of § 4290.730(a).

(c) Real Estate Enterprises. (1) You are not permitted to finance:

(i) Any Enterprise classified under sector 233 (Building, Developing, and General Contracting) of the NAICS Manual, or

(ii) Any Enterprise listed under sector 531 (Real Estate) unless at least 80 percent of its revenue is derived from non-Affiliate sources.

(2) You are not permitted to finance an Enterprise, regardless of NAICS classification, if the Financing is to be used to acquire or refinance real property, unless the Enterprise:

(i) Is acquiring an existing property and will use at least 51 percent of the usable square footage for an eligible business or commercial purpose; or

(ii) Is constructing or renovating a building and will use at least 67 percent of the usable square footage for an eligible business or commercial purpose; or

(iii) Occupies the subject property and uses at least 67 percent of the usable square footage for an eligible business or commercial purpose.

(d) Project Financing. You are not permitted to finance an Enterprise if:

(1) The assets of the Enterprise are to be reduced or consumed, generally without replacement, as the life of the Enterprise progresses, and the nature of the Enterprise requires that a stream of cash payments be made to the Enterprise's financing sources, on a basis associated with the continuing sale of assets. Examples include real estate development projects and oil and gas wells; or

(2) The primary purpose of the Financing is to fund production of a single item or defined limited number of items, generally over a defined production period, and such production will constitute the majority of the activities of the Enterprise. Examples include motion pictures.

(e) Farm land purchases. You are not permitted to finance the acquisition of farmland. Farmland means land which is or is intended to be used for agricultural or forestry purposes such as the production of food, fiber, or wood, or is so taxed or zoned.

(f) Public interest. You are not permitted to finance any business if the proceeds are to be used for purposes contrary to the public interest, including but not limited to or activities which are in violation of law, or inconsistent with free competitive enterprise.

(g) Foreign investment—(1) General rule. You are not permitted to finance an Enterprise if:

(i) The funds will be used substantially for a foreign operation; or

(ii) At the time of the Financing or within one year thereafter, more than 49 percent of the employees or tangible assets of the Enterprise are located outside the United States (unless you can show, to the Agency's satisfaction, that the Financing was used for a specific domestic purpose).

(2) Exception. This paragraph (g) does not prohibit either:

(i) A Financing used to acquire foreign materials and equipment or foreign property rights for use or sale in the United States; or

(ii) A Financing in a subsidiary based in the United States of foreign-owned entities with at least 51 percent U.S. ownership.

(h) Financing RBICs, SBICs, or New Markets Capital Companies (NMVC Companies). (1) You are not permitted to provide funds, directly or indirectly, that will be used:

(i) To purchase stock in or otherwise provide capital to a RBIC, SBIC or NMVC Company; or

(ii) To repay an indebtedness incurred for the purpose of investing in a RBIC, SBIC, or NMVC Company.

(2) “NMVC Company” is defined in 13 CFR 108.50.

(i) Entities ineligible for Farm Credit System Assistance. If one or more Farm Credit System Institutions or their Affiliates owns more than 50 percent of the ownership interests of a Rural Business Investment Company, either alone or in conjunction with other Farm Credit System Institutions (or affiliates), the Rural Business Investment Company may not provide Financing to any entity that is not otherwise eligible to receive Financing from a Farm Credit System Institution under the Farm Credit Act of 1971 (12 U.S.C. 2001 et seq.).

(j) Gaming establishments. You are not permitted to Finance an Enterprise that derives, or is expected to derive, more than one-third of its gross annual revenue from legal gaming activities.

(k) Change in control of an Enterprise. You are not permitted to Finance a change of more than 50 percent control of an Enterprise unless otherwise approved by the Agency.

[69 FR 32204, June 8, 2004, as amended at 76 FR 80224, Dec. 23, 2011; 85 FR 16523, Mar. 24, 2020]

§ 4290.730 - Financings which constitute conflicts of interest.

(a) General rule. You must not self-deal to the prejudice of an Enterprise, the RBIC, its shareholders, partners or, members, or the Agency. Unless you obtain a prior written exemption from the Agency for special instances in which a Financing may further the purposes of the Act despite presenting a conflict of interest, you must not directly or indirectly:

(1) Provide Financing to any of your Associates, except for an Enterprise that satisfies all of the following conditions:

(i) Your Associate relationship with the Enterprise is described by paragraph (8) or (9) of the definition of Associate in § 4290.50,

(ii) No Person triggering the Associate relationship identified in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of the definition of Associate in § 4290.50 is a Close Relative or Secondary Relative of any Person described in paragraphs (1), (2), (4), or (5) of the definition of Associate in § 4290.50, and

(iii) No single Associate of yours has either a voting interest or an economic interest in the Enterprise exceeding 20 percent, and no two or more of your Associates have either a voting interest or an economic interest exceeding 33 percent. Economic interests shall be computed on a fully diluted basis, and both voting and economic interests shall exclude any interest owned through the RBIC.

(2) Provide Financing to an Associate of another RBIC if one of your Associates has received or will receive any direct or indirect Financing or a Commitment from that RBIC or any other RBIC (including Financing or Commitments received under any understanding, agreement, or cross dealing, reciprocal or circular arrangement).

(3) Borrow money from:

(i) An Enterprise Financed by you;

(ii) An officer, director, or owner of at least a 10 percent equity interest in such Enterprise; or

(iii) A Close Relative of any such officer, director, or equity owner.

(4) Provide Financing to an Enterprise to discharge an obligation to your Associate or free other funds to pay such obligation. This paragraph (a)(4) does not apply if the obligation is to an Associate Lending Institution and is a line of credit or other obligation incurred in the normal course of business.

(b) Rules applicable to Associates. Without the Agency's prior written approval, your Associates must not, directly or indirectly:

(1) Borrow money from any Person described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section.

(2) Receive from an Enterprise any compensation or anything of value in connection with Assistance you provide (except as permitted under § 4290.825(c)), or anything of value for procuring, attempting to procure, or influencing your action with respect to such Assistance.

(c) Applicability of other laws. You are also bound by Federal or State laws applicable to you that govern conflicts of interest and fiduciary obligations.

(d) Financings with Associates—(1) Financings with Associates requiring prior approval. Without the Agency's prior written approval, you may not Finance any Enterprise in which your Associate has either a voting equity interest or total equity interests (including potential interests) of at least five percent, or effective control, except as otherwise permitted under paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(2) Other Financings with Associates. If you and an Associate provide Financing to the same Enterprise, either at the same time or at different times, you must be able to demonstrate to the Agency's satisfaction that the terms and conditions are (or were) fair and equitable to you, taking into account any differences in the timing of each party's financing transactions.

(3) Exceptions to paragraphs (d)(1) and (d)(2) of this section. A Financing that falls into one of the following categories is exempt from the prior approval requirement in paragraph (d)(1) of this section or is presumed to be fair and equitable to you for the purposes of paragraph (d)(2) of this section, as appropriate:

(i) Your Associate is a Lending Institution that is providing financing under a credit facility in order to meet the operational needs of the Enterprise and the terms of such financing are usual and customary.

(ii) Your Associate invests in the Enterprise on the same terms and conditions and at the same time as you.

(iii) Both you and your Associate are RBICs.

(e) Use of Associates to manage Portfolio Concerns. To protect your investment, you may designate an Associate to serve as an officer, director, or other participant in the management of a Portfolio Concern. You must identify any such Associate in your records available for the Agency's review under § 4290.600. Without the Agency's prior written approval, such Associate must not:

(1) Have any other direct or indirect financial interest in the Portfolio Concern that exceeds, or has the potential to exceed, the percentages of the Portfolio Concern's equity set forth in paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(2) Receive any income or anything of value from the Portfolio Concern unless it is for your benefit, with the exception of director's fees, expenses, and distributions based upon the Associate's ownership interest in the Concern.

(f) 1940 and 1980 Act Companies: SEC exemptions. If you are a 1940 or 1980 Act Company and you receive an exemption from the Securities and Exchange Commission for a transaction described in this § 4290.730, you need not obtain the Agency's approval of the transaction. However, you must promptly notify the Agency of the transaction.

(g) Restriction on options obtained by RBIC's management and employees. Your employees, officers, directors, managing members or general partners, or the general partners or managing members of the Investment Adviser/Manager that is providing services to you or to your general partner or managing member, may obtain options in a Portfolio Concern only if:

(1) They participate in the Financing on a pari passu basis with you; or

(2) The Agency gives prior written approval; or

(3) The options received are compensation for service as a member of the board of directors of the Portfolio Concern, and such compensation does not exceed that paid to other outside directors. In the absence of such directors, fees must be reasonable when compared with amounts paid to outside directors of similar companies.

§ 4290.740 - Portfolio diversification (“overline” limitation).

(a) Without the Agency's prior written approval, you may provide Financing or a Commitment to an Enterprise only if the resulting amount of your aggregate outstanding Financings and Commitments to that Enterprise and its Affiliates does not exceed 10 percent of the sum of:

(1) Your Regulatory Capital as of the date of the Financing or Commitment; plus

(2) Any permitted Distribution(s) you made during the five years preceding the date of the Financing or Commitment which reduced your Regulatory Capital; plus

(3) The total amount of Leverage provided to the Rural Business Investment Company by the Agency since it was licensed under § 4290.390.

(b) For the purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, you must measure each outstanding Financing at its original cost plus any amount of the Financing that was previously written off.

[69 FR 32204, June 8, 2004, as amended at 76 FR 80224, Dec. 23, 2011]

§ 4290.760 - How a change in size or activity of a Portfolio Concern affects the RBIC and the Portfolio Concern.

(a) Effect on RBIC of a change in size of a Portfolio Concern. If a Portfolio Concern was a Smaller Enterprise at the time of the initial Financing but no longer qualifies as such under the size standard applicable to such entity, you may keep your investment in the Portfolio Concern and:

(1) Subject to the overline limitations of § 4290.740, you may provide additional Financing to the Portfolio Concern up to the time it makes a public offering of its securities.

(2) Even after the Portfolio Concern makes a public offering, you may exercise any stock options, warrants, or other rights to purchase Equity Securities which you acquired before the public offering, or fund Commitments you made before the public offering.

(b) Effect of a change in business activity occurring within one year of RBIC's initial Financing—(1) Retention of Financing. Unless you receive the Agency's written approval, you may not keep your Financing in a Portfolio Concern which becomes ineligible for financing by a RBIC by reason of a change in its business or commercial activity or for any other reason within one year of your initial Financing in the Portfolio Concern.

(2) Request for approval to retain Financing. If you request that the Agency approve the retention of your investment, your request must include sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the change in business or commercial activity was caused by an unforeseen change in circumstances and was not contemplated at the time the Financing was made.

(3) Additional Financing. If the Agency approves your request to retain a Financing under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, you may provide additional Financing to the Portfolio Concern to the extent necessary to protect against the loss of the amount of your original investment, subject to the overline limitations of § 4290.740.

(c) Effect of a change in business activity occurring more than one year after the initial Financing. If a Portfolio Concern becomes ineligible because of a change in business activity more than one year after your initial Financing you may:

(1) Retain your investment; and

(2) Provide additional Financing to the Portfolio Concern to the extent necessary to protect against the loss of the amount of your original investment, subject to the overline limitations of § 4290.740.

[69 FR 32204, June 8, 2004, as amended at 85 FR 16523, Mar. 24, 2020]

Structuring RBIC Financing of Eligible Enterprises—Types of Financings

§ 4290.800 - Financings in the form of Equity Securities.

You may purchase the Equity Securities of an Enterprise. You may not, inadvertently or otherwise:

(a) Become a general partner in any unincorporated business; or

(b) Become jointly or severally liable for any obligations of an unincorporated business.

§ 4290.810 - Financings in the form of Loans.

You are permitted to make Loans to an Enterprise only if:

(a) The maturity or term of the Loan is five years or less; and

(b) You determine that making the Loan is necessary to preserve an existing Financing (other than a Loan) in that same Enterprise.

§ 4290.815 - Financings in the form of Debt Securities.

(a) General rule. You may purchase Debt Securities from an Enterprise.

(b) Restriction of options obtained by RBIC's management and employees. Your employees, officers, directors, general partners, or managing members, or the general partners or managing members of your Investment Advisor/Manager, may obtain options in a Portfolio Concern only if:

(1) They participate in the Financing on a pari passu basis with you; or

(2) The Agency gives its prior written approval; or

(3) The options received are compensation for services as a member of the board of directors of the Enterprise, and such compensation does not exceed that paid to other outside directors. In the absence of such directors, fees must be reasonable when compared with amounts paid to outside directors of similar Enterprises.

[69 FR 32204, June 8, 2004, as amended at 76 FR 80224, Dec. 23, 2011]

§ 4290.820 - Financings in the form of guarantees.

(a) General rule. At the request of an Enterprise or where necessary to protect your existing Financing in a Portfolio Concern, you may guarantee the monetary obligation of an Enterprise to any non-Associate creditor.

(b) Exception. You may not issue a guaranty if:

(1) You would become subject to State regulation as an insurance, guaranty or surety business; or

(2) The amount of the guaranty plus any direct Financings to the Enterprise exceed the overline limitations of § 4290.740, except that a pledge of the Equity Securities of the issuer or a subordination of your lien or creditor position does not count toward your overline.

(c) Pledge of RBIC's assets as guaranty. For purposes of this section, a guaranty with recourse only to specific asset(s) you have pledged is equal to the fair market value of such asset(s) or the amount of the debt guaranteed, whichever is less.

§ 4290.825 - Purchasing securities from an underwriter or other third party.

(a) Securities purchased through or from an underwriter. You may purchase the securities of an Enterprise through or from an underwriter if:

(1) You purchase such securities within 90 days of the date the public offering is first made;

(2) Your purchase price is no more than the original public offering price; and

(3) The amount paid by you for the securities (less ordinary and reasonable underwriting charges and commissions) has been, or will be, paid to the issuer, and the underwriter certifies in writing that this requirement has been met.

(b) Recordkeeping requirements. You must keep records available for the Agency's inspection which show the relevant details of the transaction, including but not limited to, date, price, commissions, and the underwriter's certifications required under paragraphs (a)(3) and (c) of this section.

(c) Underwriter's requirements. The underwriter must certify whether it is your Associate. You may pay reasonable and customary commissions and expenses to an Associate underwriter for the portion of an offering that you purchase.

(d) Securities purchased from another RBIC. You may purchase from, or exchange with, another RBIC, Portfolio securities (or any interest therein). Such purchase or exchange may only be made on a non-recourse basis. You may not have more than one-third of your total assets (valued at cost) invested in such securities. If you have previously sold Portfolio securities (or any interest therein) on a recourse basis, you must include the amount for which you may be contingently liable in your overline computation.

(e) Purchases of securities from other non-issuers. You may purchase securities of an Enterprise from a non-issuer not previously described in this § 4290.825 if such acquisition is a reasonably necessary part of the overall sound Financing of the Enterprise.

§ 4290.830 - Minimum term of Financing.

(a) General rule. The minimum term of each of your Financings is one year.

(b) Restrictions on mandatory redemption of Equity Securities. If you have acquired Equity Securities, options, or warrants on terms that include redemption by the Portfolio Concern, you must not require redemption by the Portfolio Concern within the first year of your acquisition except as permitted in § 4290.850.

(c) Special rules for Loans and Debt Securities—(1) Term. The minimum term for Loans and Debt Securities starts with the first disbursement of the Financing.

(2) Prepayment. You must permit voluntary prepayment of Loans and Debt Securities by the Portfolio Concern. You must obtain the Agency's prior written approval of any restrictions on the ability of the Portfolio Concern to prepay other than the imposition of a reasonable prepayment penalty under paragraph (c)(3) of this section.

(3) Prepayment penalties. You may charge a reasonable prepayment penalty which must be agreed upon at the time of the Financing. If the Agency determines that a prepayment is unreasonable, you must refund the entire penalty to the Portfolio Concern. A prepayment penalty equal to five percent of the outstanding balance during the first year of any Financing, declining by one percentage point per year through the fifth year, is considered the maximum reasonable amount.

§ 4290.835 - Exceptions to minimum term of Financing.

You may make a Financing with a term of less than one year but only if such Financing is in contemplation of another Financing, with a term of one year or more, to the same Enterprise.

§ 4290.840 - Maximum term of Financing.

The maximum term of any Debt Security must be no longer than 20 years.

§ 4290.845 - Maximum rate of amortization on Loans and Debt Securities.

The principal of any Loan, or the loan portion of any Debt Security, with a term of one year or less, cannot be amortized faster than straight line. If the term is greater than one year, the principal cannot be amortized faster than straight line for the first year.

§ 4290.850 - Restrictions on redemption of Equity Securities.

(a) Restriction on redemption. A Portfolio Concern cannot be required to redeem Equity Securities earlier than one year from the date of the first closing unless:

(1) The Portfolio Concern makes a public offering, or has a change of management or control, or files for protection under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, or materially breaches your Financing agreement; or

(2) You make a follow-on Financing, in which case the new securities may be redeemed in less than one year, but no earlier than the redemption date associated with your earliest Financing of the Portfolio Concern.

(b) Redemption price. The redemption price must be either:

(1) A fixed amount that is no higher than the price you paid for the securities; or

(2) An amount that cannot be fixed or determined before the time of the redemption. In this case, the redemption price must be based on:

(i) A reasonable formula that reflects the performance of the Portfolio Concern (such as one based on earnings or book value); or

(ii) The fair market value of the Portfolio Concern at the time of redemption, as determined by a professional appraisal performed under an agreement acceptable to both parties.

(c) Method. Any method for determining the redemption price must be agreed upon no later than the date of the first (or only) closing of the Financing.

§ 4290.860 - Financing fees and expense reimbursements a RBIC may receive from an Enterprise.

(a) General rule. You may collect Financing fees and receive expense reimbursements from an Enterprise only as permitted under this § 4290.860.

(b) Application fee. You may collect a nonrefundable application fee from an Enterprise to review its Financing application. The application fee may be collected at the same time as the closing fee under paragraph (d) or (e) of this section, or earlier. The fee must be:

(1) No more than one percent of the amount of Financing requested (or, if two or more RBICs participate in the Financing, their combined application fees are no more than one percent of the total Financing requested); and

(2) Agreed to in writing by the Financing applicant.

(c) The Agency's review of application fees. For any fiscal year, if the number of application fees you collect is more than twice the number of Financings closed, the Agency in its sole discretion may determine that you are engaged in activities not contemplated by the Act, in violation of § 4290.500.

(d) Closing fee—Loans. You may charge a closing fee on a Loan if:

(1) The fee is no more than two percent of the Financing amount (or, if two or more RBICs participate in the Financing, their combined closing fees are no more than two percent of the total Financing amount); and

(2) You charge the fee no earlier than the date of the first disbursement.

(e) Closing fee—Debt or Equity Financings. You may charge a Closing Fee on a Debt Security or Equity Security Financing if:

(1) The fee is no more than four percent of the Financing amount (or, if two or more RBICs participate in the Financing, their combined closing fees are no more than four percent of the total Financing amount); and

(2) You charge the fee no earlier than the date of the first disbursement.

(f) Limitation on dual fees. If another RBIC or an Associate of yours collects a transaction fee under § 4290.900(e) in connection with your Financing of an Enterprise, the sum of the transaction fee and your application and closing fees cannot exceed the maximum application and closing fees permitted under this § 4290.860.

(g) Expense reimbursements. You may charge an Enterprise for the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, other than Management Expenses, that you incur to process its Financing application. If the Agency determines that any of your reimbursed expenses are unreasonable or are Management Expenses, the Agency will require you to refund them to the Enterprise.

(h) Breakup fee. If an Enterprise accepts your Commitment and then fails to close the Financing because it has accepted funds from another source, you may charge a “breakup fee” equal to the closing fee that you would have been permitted to charge under paragraph (d) or (e) of this section.

§ 4290.880 - Assets acquired in liquidation of Portfolio securities.

(a) General rule. You may acquire assets in full or partial liquidation of a Portfolio Concern's obligation to you under the conditions permitted by this § 4290.880. The assets may be acquired from the Portfolio Concern, a guarantor of its obligation, or another party.

(b) Timely disposition of assets. You must dispose of assets acquired in liquidation of a Portfolio security within a reasonable period of time.

(c) Permitted expenditures to preserve assets. (1) You may incur reasonably necessary expenditures to maintain and preserve assets acquired.

(2) You may incur reasonably necessary expenditures for improvements to render such assets saleable.

(3) You may make payments of mortgage principal and interest (including amounts in arrears when you acquired the asset), pay taxes when due, and pay for necessary insurance coverage.

(d) The Agency approval of expenditures. This paragraph (d) applies if you have outstanding Leverage or are applying for Leverage. Any application for the Agency's approval under this paragraph must specify all expenses estimated to be necessary pending disposal of the assets. Without the Agency's prior written approval:

(1) Your total expenditures under paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) of this section plus your total Financing(s) to the Portfolio Concern must not exceed your overline limit under § 4290.740; and

(2) Your total expenditures under paragraph (b) of this section plus your total Financing(s) to the Portfolio Concern must not exceed 35 percent of your Regulatory Capital.

Limitations on Disposition of Assets

§ 4290.885 - Disposition of assets to RBIC's Associates or to competitors of Portfolio Concerns.

Except with the Agency's prior written approval, you are not permitted to dispose of assets (including assets acquired in liquidation) to any Associate or to competitors of Portfolio Concerns if you have outstanding Leverage. As a prerequisite to such approval, you must demonstrate that the proposed terms of disposal are at least as favorable to you as the terms obtainable elsewhere.

§ 4290.900 - Management fees for services provided to an Enterprise by RBIC or its Associate.

(a) General. This § 4290.900 applies to management services that you or your Associate provide to a Portfolio Concern during the term of a Financing or prior to Financing. It does not apply to management services that you or your Associate provide to an Enterprise that you do not finance.

(b) The Agency's approval. You must obtain the Agency's prior written approval of any management services fees and other fees described in this section that you or your Associate charge.

(c) Permitted management fees. You or your Associate may provide management services to a Portfolio Concern financed by you if:

(1) You or your Associate have entered into a written contract with the Portfolio Concern;

(2) The fees charged are for services actually performed;

(3) Services are provided on an hourly fee, project fee, or other reasonable basis;

(4) You can demonstrate to the Agency, upon request, that the rate does not exceed the prevailing rate charged for comparable services by other organizations in the geographic area of the Portfolio Concern; and

(5) All of the management services fees paid to your Associate by a Portfolio Concern for management services provided by the Associate are allocated back to you for your benefit.

(d) Fees for service as a board member. You or your Associate may receive fees in the form of cash, warrants, or other payments, for services provided as members of the board of directors of a Portfolio Concern Financed by you. The fees must not exceed those paid to other outside board members. In the absence of such board members, fees must be reasonable when compared with amounts paid to outside directors of similar companies. At least 50 percent of any board member services fees paid to your Associate by a Portfolio Concern for board member services provided by the Associate must be allocated back to you for your benefit.

(e) Approval required. You must obtain the Agency's prior written approval of any management contract that does not satisfy paragraphs (c) or (d) of this section.

(f) Transaction fees. (1) You or your Associate may charge reasonable transaction fees for work performed preparing an Enterprise for a public offering, private offering, or sale of all or part of the business, and for assisting with the transaction. Compensation may be in the form of cash, notes, stock, and/or options. All of the transaction services fees paid to your Associate by a Portfolio Concern for transaction services provided by the Associate must be allocated back to you for your benefit.

(2) Your Associate may charge market rate investment banking fees to a Portfolio Concern on that portion of a Financing that you do not provide.

(g) Recordkeeping Requirements. You must keep a record of hours spent and amounts charged to the Portfolio Concern, including expenses charged.