Conversus StepStone Private Markets, et al., 39652-39658 [2020-14122]
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39652
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 127 / Wednesday, July 1, 2020 / Notices
exchange.19 In particular, the
Commission finds that the proposed
rule change is consistent with Section
6(b)(5) of the Act,20 which requires that
the rules of an exchange be designed to
promote just and equitable principles of
trade, to remove impediments and to
perfect the mechanism of a free and
open market and a national market
system, and, in general, to protect
investors and the public interest. The
Commission also believes that the
proposal is consistent with Sections
6(b)(1) and 6(b)(6) of the Act 21 which
require that the rules of an exchange
enforce compliance with, and provide
appropriate discipline for, violations of
Commission and Exchange rules.
Finally, the Commission finds that the
proposal is consistent with the public
interest, the protection of investors, or
otherwise in furtherance of the purposes
of the Act, as required by Rule 19d–
1(c)(2) under the Act,22 which governs
minor rule violation plans.
As stated above, the Exchange
proposes to add the CAT Compliance
Rules to the list of minor rule violations
in Rule 9.218 to be consistent with the
approach FINRA has taken for minor
violations of its corresponding CAT
Compliance Rules.23 The Commission
has already approved FINRA’s treatment
of CAT Compliance Rules violations
when it approved the addition of CAT
Compliance Rules to FINRA’s MRVP.24
As noted in that order, and similarly
herein, the Commission believes that
Exchange’s treatment of CAT
Compliance Rules violations as part of
its MRVP provides a reasonable means
of addressing violations that do not rise
to the level of requiring formal
disciplinary proceedings, while
providing greater flexibility in handling
certain violations. However, the
Commission expects that, as with
FINRA, the Exchange will continue to
conduct surveillance with due diligence
19 In
approving this proposed rule change, the
Commission has considered the proposed rule’s
impact on efficiency, competition, and capital
formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
20 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
21 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(1) and 78f(b)(6).
22 17 CFR 240.19d–1(c)(2).
23 As discussed above, the Exchange has entered
into a Rule 17d–2 Plan and an RSA with FINRA
with respect to the CAT Compliance Rules. The
Commission notes that, unless relieved by the
Commission of its responsibility, as may be the case
under the Rule 17d–2 Plan, the Exchange continues
to bear the responsibility for self-regulatory conduct
and liability for self-regulatory failures, not the selfregulatory organization retained to perform
regulatory functions on the Exchange’s behalf
pursuant to an RSA. See Securities Exchange
Release No. 61419 (January 26, 2010), 75 FR 5157
(February 1, 2010) (SR–BATS–2009–031), note 93
and accompanying text.
24 See supra note 7.
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and make determinations based on its
findings, on a case-by-case basis,
regarding whether a sanction under the
rule is appropriate, or whether a
violation requires formal disciplinary
action. Accordingly, the Commission
believes the proposal raises no novel or
significant issues.
For the same reasons discussed above,
the Commission finds good cause,
pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the
Act,25 for approving the proposed rule
change prior to the thirtieth day after
the date of publication of the notice of
the filing thereof in the Federal
Register. The proposal merely adds the
CAT Compliance Rules to the
Exchange’s MRVP and harmonizes its
application with FINRA’s application of
CAT Compliance Rules under its own
MRVP. Accordingly, the Commission
believes that a full notice-and-comment
period is not necessary before approving
the proposal.
V. Conclusion
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to
Section 19(b)(2) of the Act 26 and Rule
19d–1(c)(2) thereunder,27 that the
proposed rule change (SR–IEX–2020–
09) be, and hereby is, approved on an
accelerated basis.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.28
J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–14119 Filed 6–30–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No.
33913; File No. 812–15072]
Conversus StepStone Private Markets,
et al.
June 25, 2020.
Securities and Exchange
Commission (‘‘Commission’’).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Notice of application for an order
under section 17(d) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (the ‘‘Act’’) and
rule 17d–1 under the Act to permit
certain joint transactions otherwise
prohibited by section 17(d) of the Act
and rule 17d–1 under the Act.
SUMMARY OF APPLICATION: Applicants
request an order to permit certain
closed-end management investment
PO 00000
25 15
U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
27 17 CFR 240.19d–1(c)(2).
28 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
26 15
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companies to co-invest in portfolio
companies with each other and with
affiliated investment funds.
APPLICANTS: Conversus StepStone
Private Markets (‘‘Conversus Fund’’ or
the ‘‘Existing Regulated Entity’’);
StepStone Conversus LLC (‘‘StepStone
Conversus’’); StepStone Group LP
(‘‘StepStone Group’’); 2006 CoInvestment Portfolio, L.P., 2007 CoInvestment Portfolio, L.P., 2008 CoInvestment Portfolio, L.P., Asia
Enterprise II Offshore L.P., Asia
Enterprise II Onshore LLC, Capitol
Private Opportunities II (Parallel) LP,
Capitol Private Opportunities II LP,
Capitol Private Opportunities III
(Parallel) LP, Capitol Private
Opportunities III LP, Capitol Private
Opportunities LP, CGR/PE, LLC, Europe
Enterprise II Offshore, L.P., Europe
Enterprise II Offshore, L.P., Europe
Enterprise III Offshore L.P., Europe
Enterprise III Onshore L.P., Latin
America Opportunities (Delaware) L.P.,
Latin America Opportunities L.P.,
Lexington C/RE, LLC, Masters IV
Cayman Holdings, L.P., MBKP North
Asian Opportunities Partners Offshore
L.P., Mezzanine Co-Investment
Portfolio, L.P., NYSCRF Pioneer
Opportunities Fund A, L.P., NYSCRF
Pioneer Partnership Fund B, L.P.,
Pegasus Multi-Strategy Series (A) LP,
Real Estate Domestic Partnership Fund
I, L.P., Real Estate Global Partnership
Fund II, L.P., Real Estate International
Partnership Fund I, L.P., Silverstone I,
LLC, Silverstone II, LLC—Series A,
Silverstone II, LLC—Series B,
Silverstone II, LLC—Series C,
Silverstone II, LLC—Series D,
Silverstone II, LLC—Series E,
Silverstone II, LLC—Series F,
Silverstone II, LLC—Series G,
Silverstone II, LLC—Series H,
Silverstone II, LLC—Series I, Silverstone
II, LLC—Series J, Silverstone II, LLC—
Series K (Class 1), Silverstone II, LLC—
Series K (Class 2), Silverstone III, L.P.,
SIMA Private Equity 6 GmbH & Co. KG,
SRE Care—Investco, L.P., SRE Colt
Devco—Investco, L.P., SRE Colt Opco—
Investco, L.P., SRE Curator—Investco,
L.P., SRE Curator-TS, LP, SRE Encore—
Investco, L.P., SRE Freyja—Investco,
L.P., SRE Hasso—Investco, L.P., SRE
Magnesia—Investco, L.P., SRE Maple
Direct Investco, LP, SRE Maple REIT
Investco, LP, SRE Panther—Investco,
L.P., SRE Preservation—Investco, L.P.,
SRE Ripple—Investco LP, SRE Stern
Debt—Investco, L.P., SRE Stern
Equity—Investco, L.P., SREP III COLT
OPCO REIT, LLC, SREP III Flight—
Investco, L.P., StepStone A
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone
Aegon Opportunities Fund, LP.—Series
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A, StepStone Aegon Opportunities
Fund, LP.—Series B, StepStone AMP
Opportunities Fund, L.P., Stepstone
AMP Opportunities Fund, L.P.—Series
A, StepStone AP Opportunities Fund,
L.P., StepStone Atlantic Fund, L.P.—
Infrastructure Series 1 2011, StepStone
Atlantic Fund, L.P.—Private Equity
Series 1 2009, StepStone Atlantic Fund,
L.P.—Private Equity Series 2 2012,
StepStone Atlantic Fund, L.P.—Private
Markets Series 2014, StepStone Atlas
Opportunities Fund II, L.P., StepStone
Atlas Opportunities Fund LP, StepStone
AZ China and Asia Opportunities Fund,
L.P., StepStone AZ Secondary
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone
BVK Opportunities Fund SCSP,
StepStone C Strategic Core
Infrastructure Partnership, L.P.,
StepStone Capital Partners II Cayman
Holdings, L.P., StepStone Capital
Partners II Onshore, L.P., StepStone
Capital Partners III Offshore Holdings,
L.P., StepStone Capital Partners III, L.P.,
StepStone Capital Partners IV Europe
Holdings SCSP, StepStone Capital
Partners IV Offshore Holdings, L.P.,
StepStone Capital Partners IV, L.P.,
StepStone CC Opportunities Fund, LLC,
StepStone CGC Opportunities I, L.P.,
StepStone Endurance L.P., StepStone
European Fund SCS, SICAV–FIS—
StepStone Capital Partners III
Compartment, StepStone European
Fund SCS, SICAV–FIS—StepStone Real
Estate Partners III Compartment,
StepStone Ferro Opportunities Fund,
L.P., StepStone FSS Opportunities
Fund, L.P., StepStone G Infrastructure
Opportunities, L.P., StepStone H
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone
International Investors II, L.P.,
StepStone International Investors II–G,
L.P., StepStone International Investors
III, L.P., StepStone International
Investors IV (Delaware), L.P., StepStone
International Investors IV (Guernsey),
L.P., StepStone JP Opportunities Fund
IA, L.P., StepStone JP Opportunities
Fund II, L.P., StepStone JP
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone K
Infrastructure Opportunities Fund, L.P.,
StepStone K Real Estate Co-Investment
Fund, L.P., StepStone K Strategic
Opportunities Fund II, L.P., StepStone K
Strategic Opportunities Fund III, L.P.,
StepStone K Strategic Opportunities
Fund, L.P., StepStone KF Infrastructure
Fund II, L.P., StepStone KF
Infrastructure Fund, L.P., StepStone KF
Private Equity Fund II, L.P., StepStone
KF Private Equity Fund, L.P., StepStone
Maple Opportunities Fund, L.P.,
StepStone Masters III L.P., StepStone
Masters III Offshore L.P., StepStone
Masters IV L.P., StepStone Masters V
Cayman Holdings, L.P., StepStone
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Masters V LP, StepStone Mexico I CoInvestment Opportunities Fund, L.P.,
StepStone Mexico I SPC, StepStone
Mezzanine Partners (Offshore) I–A L.P.,
StepStone Mezzanine Partners I–A L.P.,
StepStone NL Opportunities Fund II,
L.P., StepStone NL Opportunities Fund,
L.P., StepStone NLGI Infrastructure
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone
NPS Infrastructure Fund, L.P.,
StepStone NPS PE Fund, L.P.,
StepStone NPS PE Fund, L.P.—Tranche
B, StepStone OH Secondary
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone P
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone PA
Tap Fund I, LP, StepStone Phoenix
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone
PIFSS Real Estate Co-Investment Fund,
L.P., StepStone Pioneer Capital Buyout
Fund I, L.P., StepStone Pioneer Capital
Buyout Fund II, L.P., StepStone Pioneer
Capital Europe II, L.P. Incorporated,
StepStone Pioneer Capital Europe
Opportunities Fund I, L.P. Incorporated,
StepStone Pioneer Capital Europe
Opportunities Fund I, L.P. Incorporated,
StepStone Pioneer Capital Europe
Opportunities Fund IB, L.P.
Incorporated, StepStone Pioneer Capital
I, L.P., StepStone Pioneer Capital II,
L.P., StepStone Pioneer Capital III, L.P.,
StepStone Pioneer Opportunities Fund
II, L.P., StepStone Pioneer
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone
PPL Secondary Opportunities Fund,
L.P., StepStone Private Access
Partnership, L.P., StepStone Private
Equity Partners II L.P., StepStone
Private Equity Partners III Cayman
Holdings, L.P., StepStone Private Equity
Partners III L.P., StepStone Private
Equity Partners L.P., StepStone Private
Equity Partners Offshore II L.P.,
StepStone Private Equity Partners
Offshore L.P., StepStone Private Equity
Portfolio L.P., StepStone R CoInvestment Partnership, L.P., StepStone
Real Estate Partners III Cayman, LP,
StepStone Real Estate Partners III I
Opportunities Fund, L.P., Stepstone
Real Estate Partners III Offshore, L.P.,
StepStone Real Estate Partners III TE,
L.P., StepStone Real Estate Partners III,
L.P., StepStone Real Estate Partners IV
Parallel, L.P., StepStone Real Estate
Partners IV, L.P., StepStone Rivas
Private Equity Fund, L.P., StepStone
Scorpio Infrastructure Opportunities
Fund, L.P., StepStone Secondary
Opportunities Fund II Offshore
Holdings, L.P., StepStone Secondary
Opportunities Fund II, L.P., StepStone
Secondary Opportunities Fund III
Offshore Holdings SCSP, StepStone
Secondary Opportunities Fund III, L.P.,
StepStone Secondary Opportunities
Fund IV Offshore Holdings, L.P.,
StepStone Secondary Opportunities
PO 00000
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39653
Fund IV, L.P., StepStone Secondary
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone
Sedco European Opportunities Fund,
L.P., StepStone Sedco U.S.
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone
Tactical Growth Fund II Offshore
Holdings, L.P., StepStone Tactical
Growth Fund II, L.P., StepStone Tactical
Growth Fund Offshore Holdings, L.P.,
StepStone Tactical Growth Fund, L.P.,
StepStone UWF Secondary
Opportunities Fund, L.P.—Series A,
StepStone UWF Secondary
Opportunities Fund, L.P.—Series B,
StepStone XL Opportunities Fund II–A,
L.P., StepStone XL Opportunities Fund
II–B, L.P., StepStone XL Opportunities
Fund, L.P., StepStone-SYN Investments,
L.L.L.P., Sunsira Infrastructure Fund,
LLC, Sunstone PE Opportunities Fund,
LLC, Sunstone Real Estate, L.P., T.F.
Capital Investors II L.P., T.F. Capital
Investors II Offshore L.P., Terrace
Investment Holdings SMF, LLC, Terrace
Investment Holdings, LLC, UK Canadian
Hydro HoldCo A Limited, Bridge Village
Limited, StepStone E Opportunities
Fund, L.P., StepStone E Offshore
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone M
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone
LMM Opportunities Fund I, L.P.—Series
A, StepStone LMM Opportunities Fund
I, L.P.—Series B, Multibrand SICAV–
SIF—Valida Private Equity Fund,
Heathrow Forest Asia Opportunities
Fund, L.P., StepStone NPS PE Fund II,
L.P., LCIV Infrastructure Fund,
StepStone B Infrastructure
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone
NPS Infrastructure Fund II, L.P., Swiss
Capital FPT Private Debt Fund L.P.,
Swiss Capital GPIM Private Debt Fund
L.P., Swiss Capital HPS Private Debt
Fund L.P., SC ACM Private Debt Fund
L.P., SC Co-Investments Private Debt
Fund L.P., SC NXT Capital Private Debt
Fund L.P., SC ACA Private Debt Fund
L.P., Swiss Capital HYS Private Debt
Fund L.P., Swiss Capital KKR Private
Debt Fund L.P., Swiss Capital Capitala
Private Debt Fund L.P., SC BTC Private
Debt Fund L.P., Swiss Capital KA
Private Debt Fund L.P., Swiss Capital
TLCP Private Debt Fund L.P., Swiss
Capital DCM Private Debt Fund L.P.,
Swiss Capital PD (Offshore) Funds SPC,
SC FPT Private Debt Offshore SP, SC
NXT Capital Private Debt Offshore SP,
SC ACA Private Debt Offshore SP, Swiss
Capital CAPITALA Private Debt
Offshore SP, Swiss Capital BTC Private
Debt Offshore SP, Swiss Capital CoInvestments Private Debt Offshore SP,
Swiss Capital HYS Private Debt
Offshore SP, Swiss Capital ASP Private
Debt Offshore SP, SC ACM Private Debt
Offshore SP, Swiss Capital KA Private
Debt Offshore SP, StepStone Private
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 127 / Wednesday, July 1, 2020 / Notices
Debt Secondary Funds SPC, SC DCM
Secondary SP, Swiss Capital Alternative
Strategies Funds SPC, SC Alternative
Strategy 1 SP, SC Alternative Strategy 2
SP, SC Alternative Strategy 3 SP, SC
Alternative Strategy 4 SP, SC
Alternative Strategy 5 SP, SC
Alternative Strategy 6 SP, SC
Alternative Strategy 7 SP, SC
Alternative Strategy 8 SP, SC
Alternative Strategy 9 SP, SC
Alternative Strategy 10 SP, SC
Alternative Strategy 11 SP, SC
Alternative Strategy 12 SP, SC
Alternative Strategy 13 SP, SC
Alternative Strategy 14 SP, StepStone
ADF Opportunities Fund L.P., SC
CWMAA Senior Corporate Lending L.P.,
Senior Corporate Lending Enhanced I
Fund L.P., SCL XL I Fund L.P., SSG
NLGI Private Debt Funds SPC, SSG
NLGI European Direct Lending SP,
Swiss Capital PRO Loan V plc, Swiss
Capital PRO Loan VII plc, Swiss Capital
Private Markets Funds, LG Income
Fund, SC LV Private Debt Fund, Swiss
Capital Private Markets II Funds, AGON
Fund, Senior Corporate Lending Fund I,
EuroPrima Fund, CWPS Global
Infrastructure Fund, Senior Corporate
Lending Europe Fund, Swiss Capital
Credit Strategies ICAV, LG Direct
Lending Platform Fund, SC LV Private
Debt Platform Fund, Swiss Capital
Credit Strategies II ICAV, 3SC PRIDE
Fund, SSG Valluga Fund, Swiss Capital
PRO Colours Funds PLC, SC New
Targets Funds, SC Target D Fund, SC
Target O Fund, Oceanic Global
Investment Funds plc, Pacific Ocean
Fund, Swiss Capital Non-Traditional
Funds, Swiss Capital PRO NonTraditional Funds, Swiss Capital PRO
Matrix Fund, Swiss Capital PRO
Disintermediation I Fund, Swiss Capital
PRO Unicum Fund, Swiss Capital PRO
SST Fund, SC Private Debt Fund III L.P.,
Swiss Capital European Private Debt
Funds I (SICAV) SCSP, ACM European
Private Debt Fund, BLK European
Private Debt Fund, TKH European
Private Debt Fund, Co-Investment
European Private Debt Fund, Apera
European Private Debt Fund, CVC CP
SSG European Private Debt Fund,
TEREF LUX I, HCM European Private
Debt Fund, Bridgepoint European
Private Debt Fund, StepStone Trade
Finance ICAV, StepStone Trade Finance
Fund, Swiss Capital Credit Strategies III
ICAV, PR Private Debt Fund, Swiss
Capital Private Markets III, PR Private
Debt Platform Fund, SSG Credit
Strategies IV ICAV, SSG Gen Credit
Fund I, SSG Credit Strategies V ICAV,
SSG Gen Credit Fund II, SSG ME Private
Debt Fund LP, Swiss Capital BG OL
Private Debt Fund LP, Swiss Capital
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01:53 Jul 01, 2020
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Alternative Strategies Funds II SPC, SC
Alternative Strategy A SP, StepStone
Real Estate Partners IV Europe SCS, and
StepStone Secondary Opportunities
Fund IV Europe Holdings SCSP
(collectively, the ‘‘Existing Affiliated
Funds’’).
FILING DATES: The application was filed
on October 7, 2019, and amended on
January 9, 2020, April 27, 2020, June 22,
2020, and June 23, 2020.
HEARING OR NOTIFICATION OF HEARING: An
order granting the requested relief will
be issued unless the Commission orders
a hearing. Interested persons may
request a hearing by emailing the
Commission’s Secretary at SecretarysOffice@sec.gov and serving applicants
with a copy of the request by email.
Hearing requests should be received by
the Commission by 5:30 p.m. on July 20,
2020, and should be accompanied by
proof of service on applicants, in the
form of an affidavit or, for lawyers, a
certificate of service. Pursuant to Rule
0–5 under the Act, hearing requests
should state the nature of the writer’s
interest, the reason for the request, and
the issues contested. Persons who wish
to be notified of a hearing may request
notification by emailing the
Commission’s Secretary at SecretarysOffice@sec.gov.
ADDRESSES: Secretary, U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission, SecretarysOffice@sec.gov. Applicants: Robert W.
Long, StepStone Conversus LLC,
conversus@stepstoneglobal.com.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: HaeSung Lee, Senior Counsel, at (202) 551–
7345 or Trace W. Rakestraw, Branch
Chief, at (202) 551–6825 (Chief
Counsel’s Office, Division of Investment
Management).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
following is a summary of the
application. The complete application
may be obtained via the Commission’s
website by searching for the file
number, or for an applicant using the
Company name box, at https://
www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or by
calling (202) 551–8090.
Applicants’ Representations:
1. Conversus Fund is a Delaware
statutory trust organized as a nondiversified, closed-end management
investment company, registered under
the Act. Conversus Fund’s investment
objectives are to invest in a broad cross
section of private markets assets that
will enable the Conversus Fund to, over
time, achieve long-term capital
appreciation and provide regular,
current income through quarterly
distributions. The board of directors
(‘‘Board’’) of the Conversus Fund has
five members, three of whom are not an
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‘‘interested person’’ of the Conversus
Fund within the meaning of Section
2(a)(19) of the Act (the ‘‘Independent
Trustees’’).1
2. StepStone Conversus is a Delaware
limited liability company that is
registered as an investment adviser with
the Commission under the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940 (the ‘‘Advisers
Act’’). StepStone Conversus serves as
the investment adviser to the Existing
Regulated Entity. StepStone Conversus
is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
StepStone Group.
3. StepStone Group is a Delaware
limited partnership that is registered as
an investment adviser with the
Commission under the Advisers Act.
StepStone Group serves as the subadviser to the Existing Regulated Entity
and controls StepStone Conversus.
4. The Existing Affiliated Funds
pursue strategies focused on investing
in a portfolio of professionally managed
private markets funds and select direct
private markets investments. Each
Existing Affiliated Fund is advised by
an Existing Adviser 2 and would be an
investment company but for section
3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act.
5. Applicants seek an order (‘‘Order’’)
to permit a Regulated Entity 3 and one
or more other Regulated Entities and
one or more Affiliated Funds 4 to (a)
participate in the same investment
opportunities through a proposed coinvestment program where such
participation would otherwise be
prohibited under section 17 of the Act;
and (b) make additional investments in
securities of such issuers (‘‘Follow-On
Investments’’), including through the
exercise of warrants, conversion
privileges, and other rights to purchase
securities of the issuers. ‘‘Co-Investment
Transaction’’ means any transaction in
1 The term ‘‘Independent Trustees’’ refers to the
independent directors, managers, or trustees of any
Regulated Entity (defined below).
2 ‘‘Existing Adviser’’ means StepStone Group or
StepStone Conversus.
3 ‘‘Regulated Entity’’ refers to any Existing
Regulated Entity and any Future Regulated Entity.
‘‘Future Regulated Entity’’ means any closed-end
management investment company formed in the
future that is registered under the Act whose
investment adviser (and sub-adviser(s), if any) is an
Adviser. ‘‘Future Adviser’’ means any future
investment adviser that controls, is controlled by,
or is under common control with StepStone
Conversus and is registered as an investment
adviser under the Advisers Act.
4 ‘‘Affiliated Fund’’ means any Existing Affiliated
Fund or any Future Affiliated Fund. ‘‘Future
Affiliated Fund’’ means any investment fund that
would be an ‘‘investment company’’ but for section
3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act, is formed in the future,
and whose investment adviser (and sub-adviser(s),
if any) is an Adviser. The term ‘‘Adviser’’ means
any Existing Adviser or any Future Adviser. No
Affiliated Fund is or will be a subsidiary of a
Regulated Entity.
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which a Regulated Entity (or its WhollyOwned Investment Subsidiary, as
defined below) participated together
with one or more other Regulated
Entities and/or Affiliated Funds in
reliance on the requested Order.
‘‘Potential Co-Investment Transaction’’
means any investment opportunity in
which a Regulated Entity (or its WhollyOwned Investment Subsidiaries) could
not participate together with one or
more other Regulated Entities and/or
one or more Affiliated Funds without
obtaining and relying on the Order.5
6. Applicants state that a Regulated
Entity may, from time to time, form one
or more Wholly-Owned Investment
Subsidiaries.6 Such a subsidiary would
be prohibited from investing in a CoInvestment Transaction with any other
Regulated Entity or Affiliated Fund
because it would be a company
controlled by its parent Regulated Entity
for purposes of rule 17d–1. Applicants
request that each Wholly-Owned
Investment Subsidiary be permitted to
participate in Co-Investment
Transactions in lieu of its parent
Regulated Entity and that the WhollyOwned Investment Subsidiary’s
participation in any such transaction be
treated, for purposes of the Order, as
though the parent Regulated Entity were
participating directly. Applicants
represent that this treatment is justified
because a Wholly-Owned Investment
Subsidiary would have no purpose
other than serving as a holding vehicle
for the Regulated Entity’s investments
and, therefore, no conflicts of interest
could arise between the Regulated
Entity and the Wholly-Owned
Investment Subsidiary. The Regulated
Entity’s Board would make all relevant
determinations under the conditions
with regard to a Wholly-Owned
Investment Subsidiary’s participation in
a Co-Investment Transaction, and the
5 All existing entities that currently intend to rely
upon the requested Order have been named as
applicants. Any other existing or future entity that
subsequently relies on the Order will comply with
the terms and conditions of the application.
6 The term ‘‘Wholly-Owned Investment
Subsidiary’’ means an entity: (a) That is whollyowned by a Regulated Entity (with such Regulated
Entity at all times holding, beneficially and of
record, 100% of the voting and economic interests);
(b) whose sole business purpose is to hold one or
more investments on behalf of such Regulated
Entity; (c) with respect to which the board of
directors of such Regulated Entity has the sole
authority to make all determinations with respect
to the entity’s participation under the conditions of
the application; and (d) that would be an
investment company but for section 3(c)(1) or
3(c)(7) of the Act. All subsidiaries participating in
Co-Investment Transactions will be Wholly-Owned
Investment Subsidiaries and will have Objectives
and Strategies (as defined below) that are either the
same as, or a subset of, their parent Regulated
Entity’s Objectives and Strategies.
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Regulated Entity’s Board would be
informed of, and take into
consideration, any proposed use of a
Wholly-Owned Investment Subsidiary
in the Regulated Entity’s place. If the
Regulated Entity proposes to participate
in the same Co-Investment Transaction
with any of its Wholly-Owned
Investment Subsidiaries, the Board will
also be informed of, and take into
consideration, the relative participation
of the Regulated Entity and the WhollyOwned Investment Subsidiary.
7. When considering Potential CoInvestment Transactions for any
Regulated Entity, the relevant Adviser
will consider only the Objectives and
Strategies,7 investment policies,
investment positions, capital available
for investment, and other pertinent
factors applicable to that Regulated
Entity. The Advisers expect that any
portfolio company that is an appropriate
investment for a Regulated Entity
should also be an appropriate
investment for one or more other
Regulated Entities and/or one or more
Affiliated Funds, with certain
exceptions based on available capital or
diversification.8
8. Other than pro rata dispositions
and Follow-On Investments as provided
in conditions 7 and 8, and after making
the determinations required in
conditions 1 and 2(a), the applicable
Adviser will present each Potential CoInvestment Transaction and the
proposed allocation to the directors of
the Board eligible to vote on that CoInvestment Transaction (the ‘‘Eligible
Trustees’’) 9 and the majority of such
directors of the Board who are
Independent Trustees (a ‘‘Required
Majority’’) will approve each CoInvestment Transaction prior to any
investment by the participating
Regulated Entity.
9. With respect to the pro rata
dispositions and Follow-On Investments
provided in conditions 7 and 8, a
Regulated Entity may participate in a
pro rata disposition or Follow-On
Investment without obtaining prior
approval of the Required Majority if,
among other things: (i) The proposed
participation of each Regulated Entity
7 The term ‘‘Objectives and Strategies’’ means a
Regulated Entity’s investment objectives and
strategies as described in the Regulated Entity’s
registration statement on Form N–2, other filings
the Regulated Entity has made with the
Commission under the Securities Act of 1933 (the
‘‘Securities Act’’) or the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, and the Regulated Entity’s reports to
shareholders.
8 The Regulated Entities, however, will not be
obligated to invest, or co-invest, when investment
opportunities are referred to them.
9 Eligible Trustees may not have a financial
interest in such transaction, plan, or arrangement.
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and each Affiliated Fund in such
disposition is proportionate to its
outstanding investments in the issuer
immediately preceding the disposition
or Follow-On Investment, as the case
may be; and (ii) the Board of the
Regulated Entity has approved that
Regulated Entity’s participation in pro
rata dispositions and Follow-On
Investments as being in the best
interests of the Regulated Entity. If the
Board does not so approve, any such
disposition or Follow-On Investment
will be submitted to the Regulated
Entity’s Eligible Trustees. The Board of
any Regulated Entity may at any time
rescind, suspend or qualify its approval
of pro rata dispositions and Follow-On
Investments with the result that all
dispositions and/or Follow-On
Investments must be submitted to the
Eligible Trustees.
10. No Independent Trustee of a
Regulated Entity will have a direct or
indirect financial interest in any CoInvestment Transaction (other than
indirectly through share ownership in
one of the Regulated Entities), including
any interest in any company whose
securities would be acquired in a CoInvestment Transaction.
11. Under condition 15, if an Adviser,
its principals, or any person controlling,
controlled by, or under common control
with the Adviser or its principals, and
the Affiliated Funds (collectively, the
‘‘Holders’’) own in the aggregate more
than 25 percent of the outstanding
voting shares of a Regulated Entity (the
‘‘Shares’’), then the Holders will vote
such Shares as directed by an
independent third party when voting on
matters specified in the condition.
Applicants believe that this condition
will ensure that the Independent
Trustees will act independently in
evaluating the co-investment program,
because the ability of an Adviser or its
principals to influence the Independent
Trustees by a suggestion, explicit or
implied, that the Independent Trustees
can be removed will be limited
significantly. Applicants represent that
the Independent Trustees will evaluate
and approve any such independent
third party, taking into account its
qualifications, reputation for
independence, cost to the Regulated
Entity’s shareholders, and other factors
that they deem relevant.
Applicants’ Legal Analysis:
1. Section 17(d) of the Act and rule
17d–1 under the Act prohibit affiliated
persons of a registered investment
company from participating in joint
transactions with the company unless
the Commission has granted an order
permitting such transactions. In passing
upon applications under rule 17d–1, the
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Commission considers whether the
company’s participation in the joint
transaction is consistent with the
provisions, policies, and purposes of the
Act and the extent to which such
participation is on a basis different from
or less advantageous than that of other
participants.
2. Applicants state that in the absence
of the requested relief, the Regulated
Entities may be, in some circumstances,
limited in their ability to participate in
attractive and appropriate investment
opportunities. Applicants believe that
the proposed terms and conditions will
ensure that the Co-Investment
Transactions are consistent with the
protection of each Regulated Entity’s
shareholders and with the purposes
intended by the policies and provisions
of the Act. Applicants state that the
Regulated Entities’ participation in the
Co-Investment Transactions will be
consistent with the provisions, policies,
and purposes of the Act and on a basis
that is not different from or less
advantageous than that of other
participants.
Applicants’ Conditions:
Applicants agree that the Order will
be subject to the following conditions:
1. Each time an Adviser considers a
Potential Co-Investment Transaction for
another Regulated Entity or an Affiliated
Fund that falls within a Regulated
Entity’s then-current Objectives and
Strategies, the Regulated Entity’s
Adviser will make an independent
determination of the appropriateness of
the investment for the Regulated Entity
in light of the Regulated Entity’s thencurrent circumstances.
2. (a) If the Adviser deems a Regulated
Entity’s participation in any Potential
Co-Investment Transaction to be
appropriate for the Regulated Entity, the
Adviser will then determine an
appropriate level of investment for the
Regulated Entity.
(b) If the aggregate amount
recommended by the applicable Adviser
to be invested by the applicable
Regulated Entity in the Potential CoInvestment Transaction together with
the amount proposed to be invested by
the other participating Regulated
Entities and Affiliated Funds,
collectively, in the same transaction,
exceeds the amount of the investment
opportunity, the investment opportunity
will be allocated among them pro rata
based on each participant’s capital
available for investment in the asset
class being allocated, up to the amount
proposed to be invested by each. The
applicable Adviser will provide the
Eligible Trustees of each participating
Regulated Entity with information
concerning each participating party’s
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available capital to assist the Eligible
Trustees with their review of the
Regulated Entity’s investments for
compliance with these allocation
procedures.
(c) After making the determinations
required in conditions 1 and 2(a), the
applicable Adviser will distribute
written information concerning the
Potential Co-Investment Transaction
(including the amount proposed to be
invested by each Regulated Entity and
each Affiliated Fund) to the Eligible
Trustees of each participating Regulated
Entity for their consideration. A
Regulated Entity will co-invest with
another Regulated Entity or an Affiliated
Fund only if, prior to the Regulated
Entity’s participation in the Potential
Co-Investment Transaction, a Required
Majority concludes that:
(i) The terms of the Potential CoInvestment Transaction, including the
consideration to be paid, are reasonable
and fair to the Regulated Entity and its
investors and do not involve
overreaching in respect of the Regulated
Entity or its investors on the part of any
person concerned;
(ii) the Potential Co-Investment
Transaction is consistent with:
(A) The interests of the Regulated
Entity’s investors; and
(B) the Regulated Entity’s then-current
Objectives and Strategies;
(iii) the investment by any other
Regulated Entities or any Affiliated
Funds would not disadvantage the
Regulated Entity, and participation by
the Regulated Entity would not be on a
basis different from or less advantageous
than that of any other Regulated Entities
or any Affiliated Funds; provided that,
if any other Regulated Entity or any
Affiliated Fund, but not the Regulated
Entity itself, gains the right to nominate
a director for election to a portfolio
company’s board of directors or the
right to have a board observer or any
similar right to participate in the
governance or management of the
portfolio company, such event shall not
be interpreted to prohibit the Required
Majority from reaching the conclusions
required by this condition (2)(c)(iii), if:
(A) The Eligible Trustees will have
the right to ratify the selection of such
director or board observer, if any; and
(B) the applicable Adviser agrees to,
and does, provide periodic reports to
the Board of the Regulated Entity with
respect to the actions of such director or
the information received by such board
observer or obtained through the
exercise of any similar right to
participate in the governance or
management of the portfolio company;
and
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(C) any fees or other compensation
that any Regulated Entity or any
Affiliated Fund or any affiliated person
of any Regulated Entity or any Affiliated
Fund receives in connection with the
right of a Regulated Entity or an
Affiliated Fund to nominate a director
or appoint a board observer or otherwise
to participate in the governance or
management of the portfolio company
will be shared proportionately among
the participating Affiliated Funds (who
may each, in turn, share its portion with
its affiliated persons) and the
participating Regulated Entities in
accordance with the amount of each
party’s investment; and
(iv) the proposed investment by the
Regulated Entity will not benefit any
Adviser, the other Regulated Entities,
the Affiliated Funds or any affiliated
person of any of them (other than the
parties to the Co-Investment
Transaction), except (A) to the extent
permitted by condition 13, (B) to the
extent permitted by section 17(e) of the
Act, as applicable, (C) indirectly, as a
result of an interest in the securities
issued by one of the parties to the CoInvestment Transaction, or (D) in the
case of fees or other compensation
described in condition 2(c)(iii)(C).
3. Each Regulated Entity has the right
to decline to participate in any Potential
Co-Investment Transaction or to invest
less than the amount proposed.
4. The applicable Adviser will present
to the Board of each Regulated Entity,
on a quarterly basis, a record of all
investments in Potential Co-Investment
Transactions made by any of the other
Regulated Entities or Affiliated Funds
during the preceding quarter that fell
within the Regulated Entity’s thencurrent Objectives and Strategies that
were not made available to the
Regulated Entity, and an explanation of
why the investment opportunities were
not offered to the Regulated Entity. All
information presented to the Board
pursuant to this condition will be kept
for the life of the Regulated Entity and
at least two years thereafter, and will be
subject to examination by the
Commission and its staff.
5. Except for Follow-On Investments
made in accordance with condition 8,10
a Regulated Entity will not invest in
reliance on the Order in any issuer in
which another Regulated Entity,
Affiliated Fund, or any affiliated person
of another Regulated Entity or Affiliated
Fund is an existing investor.
6. A Regulated Entity will not
participate in any Potential Co10 This exception applies only to Follow-On
Investments by a Regulated Entity in issuers in
which that Regulated Entity already holds
investments.
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Investment Transaction unless the
terms, conditions, price, class of
securities to be purchased, settlement
date, and registration rights will be the
same for each participating Regulated
Entity and Affiliated Fund. The grant to
another Regulated Entity or an Affiliated
Fund, but not the Regulated Entity, of
the right to nominate a director for
election to a portfolio company’s board
of directors, the right to have an
observer on the board of directors or
similar rights to participate in the
governance or management of the
portfolio company will not be
interpreted so as to violate this
condition 6, if conditions 2(c)(iii)(A), (B)
and (C) are met.
7. (a) If any Regulated Entity or an
Affiliated Fund elects to sell, exchange
or otherwise dispose of an interest in a
security that was acquired in a CoInvestment Transaction, the applicable
Adviser will:
(i) Notify each Regulated Entity that
participated in the Co-Investment
Transaction of the proposed disposition
at the earliest practical time; and
(ii) formulate a recommendation as to
participation by each Regulated Entity
in the disposition.
(b) Each Regulated Entity will have
the right to participate in such
disposition on a proportionate basis, at
the same price and on the same terms
and conditions as those applicable to
the participating Regulated Entities and
Affiliated Funds.
(c) A Regulated Entity may participate
in such disposition without obtaining
prior approval of the Required Majority
if: (i) The proposed participation of each
Regulated Entity and each Affiliated
Fund in such disposition is
proportionate to its outstanding
investments in the issuer immediately
preceding the disposition; (ii) the Board
of the Regulated Entity has approved as
being in the best interests of the
Regulated Entity the ability to
participate in such dispositions on a pro
rata basis (as described in greater detail
in the application); and (iii) the Board
of the Regulated Entity is provided on
a quarterly basis with a list of all
dispositions made in accordance with
this condition. In all other cases, the
Adviser will provide its written
recommendation as to the Regulated
Entity’s participation to the Regulated
Entity’s Eligible Trustees, and the
Regulated Entity will participate in such
disposition solely to the extent that a
Required Majority determines that it is
in the Regulated Entity’s best interests.
(d) Each Regulated Entity and each
Affiliated Fund will bear its own
expenses in connection with any such
disposition.
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8. (a) If a Regulated Entity or an
Affiliated Fund desires to make a
Follow-On Investment in a portfolio
company whose securities were
acquired in a Co-Investment
Transaction, the applicable Adviser
will:
(i) Notify each Regulated Entity that
participated in the Co-Investment
Transaction of the proposed transaction
at the earliest practical time; and
(ii) formulate a recommendation as to
the proposed participation, including
the amount of the proposed Follow-On
Investment, by each Regulated Entity.
(b) A Regulated Entity may participate
in such Follow-On Investment without
obtaining prior approval of the Required
Majority if: (i) The proposed
participation of each Regulated Entity
and each Affiliated Fund in such
investment is proportionate to its
outstanding investments in the issuer
immediately preceding the Follow-On
Investment; and (ii) the Board of the
Regulated Entity has approved as being
in the best interests of the Regulated
Entity the ability to participate in
Follow-On Investments on a pro rata
basis (as described in greater detail in
the application). In all other cases, the
Adviser will provide its written
recommendation as to the Regulated
Entity’s participation to the Eligible
Trustees, and the Regulated Entity will
participate in such Follow-On
Investment solely to the extent that a
Required Majority determines that it is
in the Regulated Entity’s best interests.
(c) If, with respect to any Follow-On
Investment:
(i) The amount of a Follow-On
Investment is not based on the
Regulated Entities’ and the Affiliated
Funds’ outstanding investments
immediately preceding the Follow-On
Investment; and
(ii) the aggregate amount
recommended by the Adviser to be
invested by each Regulated Entity in the
Follow-On Investment, together with
the amount proposed to be invested by
the participating Affiliated Funds in the
same transaction, exceeds the amount of
the opportunity; then the amount
invested by each such party will be
allocated among them pro rata based on
each party’s capital available for
investment in the asset class being
allocated, up to the amount proposed to
be invested by each.
(d) The acquisition of Follow-On
Investments as permitted by this
condition will be considered a CoInvestment Transaction for all purposes
and subject to the other conditions set
forth in the application.
9. The Independent Trustees of each
Regulated Entity will be provided
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39657
quarterly for review all information
concerning Potential Co-Investment
Transactions and Co-Investment
Transactions, including investments
made by other Regulated Entities and
the Affiliated Funds that the Regulated
Entity considered but declined to
participate in, so that the Independent
Trustees may determine whether all
investments made during the preceding
quarter, including those investments
which the Regulated Entity considered
but declined to participate in, comply
with the conditions of the Order. In
addition, the Independent Trustees will
consider at least annually the continued
appropriateness for the Regulated Entity
of participating in new and existing CoInvestment Transactions.
10. Each Regulated Entity will
maintain the records required by section
57(f)(3) of the Act as if each of the
Regulated Entities were a business
development company (as defined in
section 2(a)(48) of the Act) and each of
the investments permitted under these
conditions were approved by the
Required Majority under section 57(f) of
the Act.
11. No Independent Trustee of a
Regulated Entity will also be a director,
general partner, managing member or
principal, or otherwise an ‘‘affiliated
person’’ (as defined in the Act) of an
Affiliated Fund.
12. The expenses, if any, associated
with acquiring, holding or disposing of
any securities acquired in a CoInvestment Transaction (including,
without limitation, the expenses of the
distribution of any such securities
registered for sale under the Securities
Act) will, to the extent not payable by
an Adviser under the investment
advisory agreements with the Regulated
Entities and the Affiliated Funds, be
shared by the Affiliated Funds and the
Regulated Entities in proportion to the
relative amounts of the securities held
or to be acquired or disposed of, as the
case may be.
13. Any transaction fee 11 (including
break-up or commitment fees but
excluding broker’s fees contemplated by
section 17(e) of the Act, as applicable),
received in connection with a CoInvestment Transaction will be
distributed to the participating
Regulated Entities and Affiliated Funds
on a pro rata basis based on the amounts
they invested or committed, as the case
may be, in such Co-Investment
Transaction. If any transaction fee is to
be held by the Adviser pending
11 Applicants are not requesting and the staff is
not providing any relief for transaction fees
received in connection with any Co-Investment
Transaction.
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consummation of the transaction, the
fee will be deposited into an account
maintained by the Adviser at a bank or
banks having the qualifications
prescribed in section 26(a)(1) of the Act,
and the account will earn a competitive
rate of interest that will also be divided
pro rata among the participating
Regulated Entities and Affiliated Funds
based on the amounts they invest in
such Co-Investment Transaction. None
of the Affiliated Funds, the Advisers,
the other Regulated Entities or any
affiliated person of the Regulated
Entities or Affiliated Funds will receive
additional compensation or
remuneration of any kind as a result of
or in connection with a Co-Investment
Transaction (other than (a) in the case
of the Regulated Entities and Affiliated
Funds, the pro rata transaction fees
described above and fees or other
compensation described in condition
2(c)(iii)(C); and (b) in the case of the
Advisers, investment advisory fees paid
in accordance with the agreements
between the Advisers and the Regulated
Entities or the Affiliated Funds).
14. The Advisers will each maintain
policies and procedures reasonably
designed to ensure compliance with the
foregoing conditions. These policies and
procedures will require, among other
things, that the applicable Adviser will
be notified of all Potential CoInvestment Transactions that fall within
a Regulated Entity’s then-current
Objectives and Strategies and will be
given sufficient information to make its
independent determination and
recommendations under conditions 1,
2(a), 7 and 8.
15. If the Holders own in the aggregate
more than 25 percent of the Shares of
a Regulated Entity, then the Holders
will vote such Shares as directed by an
independent third party when voting on
(1) the election of directors; (2) the
removal of one or more directors; or (3)
all other matters under either the Act or
applicable State law affecting the
Board’s composition, size or manner of
election.
16. Each Regulated Entity’s chief
compliance officer, as defined in Rule
38a–1(a)(4), will prepare an annual
report for its Board that evaluates (and
documents the basis of that evaluation)
the Regulated Entity’s compliance with
the terms and conditions of the
application and the procedures
established to achieve such compliance.
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01:53 Jul 01, 2020
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For the Commission, by the Division of
Investment Management, under delegated
authority.
J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–14122 Filed 6–30–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Interest Rates
The Small Business Administration
publishes an interest rate called the
optional ‘‘peg’’ rate (13 CFR 120.214) on
a quarterly basis. This rate is a weighted
average cost of money to the
government for maturities similar to the
average SBA direct loan. This rate may
be used as a base rate for guaranteed
fluctuating interest rate SBA loans. This
rate will be 0.88 percent for the July–
September quarter of FY 2020.
Pursuant to 13 CFR 120.921(b), the
maximum legal interest rate for any
third party lender’s commercial loan
which funds any portion of the cost of
a 504 project (see 13 CFR 120.801) shall
be 6% over the New York Prime rate or,
if that exceeds the maximum interest
rate permitted by the constitution or
laws of a given State, the maximum
interest rate will be the rate permitted
by the constitution or laws of the given
State.
John Wade,
Chief, Secondary Market Division.
[FR Doc. 2020–14123 Filed 6–30–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
[Docket No. FD 36414]
Camp Chase Rail, LLC—Acquisition
and Operation Exemption—Camp
Chase Railway Company, LLC
Camp Chase Rail, LLC (Camp Chase
Rail), a noncarrier, has filed a verified
notice of exemption under 49 CFR
1150.31 to acquire from Camp Chase
Railway Company, LLC (CCRY), and
operate approximately 14 miles of rail
line between milepost 141.4 in
Columbus, Ohio, and milepost 155.4 in
Lilly Chapel, Ohio (the Line).
Camp Chase Rail states that it is a
newly established subsidiary of MB Rail
IB, LLC (MB Rail), formed to acquire
and operate the Line. The acquisition is
part of a larger transaction between MB
Rail and Indiana Boxcar Corporation
(IBC) under which MB Rail will acquire
all of the equity in two railroads
currently owned by IBC; MB Rail’s
subsidiary, Camp Chase Rail, will
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acquire the Line and other assets of a
third IBC railroad, CCRY; and another
MB Rail subsidiary, Youngstown &
Southeastern Railroad, LLC (YSR), will
acquire a rail line and other assets of a
fourth IBC railroad, Youngstown &
Southeastern Railroad Co. (Y&S).
This transaction is related to two
concurrently filed verified notices of
exemption: MB Rail IB, LLC—
Acquisition & Continuance in Control
Exemption—Chesapeake & Indiana
Railroad, Vermilion Valley Railroad,
Camp Chase Rail, & Youngstown &
Southeastern Railroad, Docket No. FD
36413, in which MB Rail seeks, among
other things, to continue in control of
Camp Chase Rail upon Camp Chase
Rail’s becoming a Class III rail carrier;
and Youngstown & Southeastern
Railroad, LLC—Acquisition & Operation
Exemption—Youngstown &
Southeastern Railroad Co., Docket No.
FD 36415, in which YSR seeks to
acquire the rail line of Y&S.
Camp Chase Rail certifies that its
projected annual revenues as a result of
this transaction will not exceed $5
million or the threshold required to
qualify as a Class III carrier. Camp Chase
Rail also certifies that the proposed
acquisition and operation of the Line do
not involve a provision or agreement
that may limit future interchange with
a third-party connecting carrier.
The transaction may be consummated
on or after July 15, 2020, the effective
date of the exemption (30 days after the
verified notice was filed).
If the verified notice contains false or
misleading information, the exemption
is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the
exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d)
may be filed at any time. The filing of
a petition to revoke will not
automatically stay the effectiveness of
the exemption. Petitions for stay must
be filed no later than July 8, 2020 (at
least seven days before the exemption
becomes effective).
All pleadings, referring to Docket No.
FD 36414, must be filed with the
Surface Transportation Board either via
e-filing or in writing addressed to 395 E
Street SW, Washington, DC 20423–0001.
In addition, a copy of each pleading
must be served on Camp Chase Rail’s
representative, Charles H. Montange,
Law Offices of Charles H. Montange,
426 NW 162nd Street, Seattle, WA
98177.
According to Camp Chase Rail, this
action is categorically excluded from
environmental review under 49 CFR
1105.6(c) and from historic reporting
requirements under 49 CFR 1105.8(b).
Board decisions and notices are
available at www.stb.gov.
Decided: June 25, 2020.
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 127 (Wednesday, July 1, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39652-39658]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-14122]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No. 33913; File No. 812-15072]
Conversus StepStone Private Markets, et al.
June 25, 2020.
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Notice of application for an order under section 17(d) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ``Act'') and rule 17d-1 under the
Act to permit certain joint transactions otherwise prohibited by
section 17(d) of the Act and rule 17d-1 under the Act.
Summary of Application: Applicants request an order to permit certain
closed-end management investment companies to co-invest in portfolio
companies with each other and with affiliated investment funds.
Applicants: Conversus StepStone Private Markets (``Conversus Fund'' or
the ``Existing Regulated Entity''); StepStone Conversus LLC
(``StepStone Conversus''); StepStone Group LP (``StepStone Group'');
2006 Co-Investment Portfolio, L.P., 2007 Co-Investment Portfolio, L.P.,
2008 Co-Investment Portfolio, L.P., Asia Enterprise II Offshore L.P.,
Asia Enterprise II Onshore LLC, Capitol Private Opportunities II
(Parallel) LP, Capitol Private Opportunities II LP, Capitol Private
Opportunities III (Parallel) LP, Capitol Private Opportunities III LP,
Capitol Private Opportunities LP, CGR/PE, LLC, Europe Enterprise II
Offshore, L.P., Europe Enterprise II Offshore, L.P., Europe Enterprise
III Offshore L.P., Europe Enterprise III Onshore L.P., Latin America
Opportunities (Delaware) L.P., Latin America Opportunities L.P.,
Lexington C/RE, LLC, Masters IV Cayman Holdings, L.P., MBKP North Asian
Opportunities Partners Offshore L.P., Mezzanine Co-Investment
Portfolio, L.P., NYSCRF Pioneer Opportunities Fund A, L.P., NYSCRF
Pioneer Partnership Fund B, L.P., Pegasus Multi-Strategy Series (A) LP,
Real Estate Domestic Partnership Fund I, L.P., Real Estate Global
Partnership Fund II, L.P., Real Estate International Partnership Fund
I, L.P., Silverstone I, LLC, Silverstone II, LLC--Series A, Silverstone
II, LLC--Series B, Silverstone II, LLC--Series C, Silverstone II, LLC--
Series D, Silverstone II, LLC--Series E, Silverstone II, LLC--Series F,
Silverstone II, LLC--Series G, Silverstone II, LLC--Series H,
Silverstone II, LLC--Series I, Silverstone II, LLC--Series J,
Silverstone II, LLC--Series K (Class 1), Silverstone II, LLC--Series K
(Class 2), Silverstone III, L.P., SIMA Private Equity 6 GmbH & Co. KG,
SRE Care--Investco, L.P., SRE Colt Devco--Investco, L.P., SRE Colt
Opco--Investco, L.P., SRE Curator--Investco, L.P., SRE Curator-TS, LP,
SRE Encore--Investco, L.P., SRE Freyja--Investco, L.P., SRE Hasso--
Investco, L.P., SRE Magnesia--Investco, L.P., SRE Maple Direct
Investco, LP, SRE Maple REIT Investco, LP, SRE Panther--Investco, L.P.,
SRE Preservation--Investco, L.P., SRE Ripple--Investco LP, SRE Stern
Debt--Investco, L.P., SRE Stern Equity--Investco, L.P., SREP III COLT
OPCO REIT, LLC, SREP III Flight--Investco, L.P., StepStone A
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone Aegon Opportunities Fund, LP.--
Series
[[Page 39653]]
A, StepStone Aegon Opportunities Fund, LP.--Series B, StepStone AMP
Opportunities Fund, L.P., Stepstone AMP Opportunities Fund, L.P.--
Series A, StepStone AP Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone Atlantic
Fund, L.P.--Infrastructure Series 1 2011, StepStone Atlantic Fund,
L.P.--Private Equity Series 1 2009, StepStone Atlantic Fund, L.P.--
Private Equity Series 2 2012, StepStone Atlantic Fund, L.P.--Private
Markets Series 2014, StepStone Atlas Opportunities Fund II, L.P.,
StepStone Atlas Opportunities Fund LP, StepStone AZ China and Asia
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone AZ Secondary Opportunities Fund,
L.P., StepStone BVK Opportunities Fund SCSP, StepStone C Strategic Core
Infrastructure Partnership, L.P., StepStone Capital Partners II Cayman
Holdings, L.P., StepStone Capital Partners II Onshore, L.P., StepStone
Capital Partners III Offshore Holdings, L.P., StepStone Capital
Partners III, L.P., StepStone Capital Partners IV Europe Holdings SCSP,
StepStone Capital Partners IV Offshore Holdings, L.P., StepStone
Capital Partners IV, L.P., StepStone CC Opportunities Fund, LLC,
StepStone CGC Opportunities I, L.P., StepStone Endurance L.P.,
StepStone European Fund SCS, SICAV-FIS--StepStone Capital Partners III
Compartment, StepStone European Fund SCS, SICAV-FIS--StepStone Real
Estate Partners III Compartment, StepStone Ferro Opportunities Fund,
L.P., StepStone FSS Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone G
Infrastructure Opportunities, L.P., StepStone H Opportunities Fund,
L.P., StepStone International Investors II, L.P., StepStone
International Investors II-G, L.P., StepStone International Investors
III, L.P., StepStone International Investors IV (Delaware), L.P.,
StepStone International Investors IV (Guernsey), L.P., StepStone JP
Opportunities Fund IA, L.P., StepStone JP Opportunities Fund II, L.P.,
StepStone JP Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone K Infrastructure
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone K Real Estate Co-Investment Fund,
L.P., StepStone K Strategic Opportunities Fund II, L.P., StepStone K
Strategic Opportunities Fund III, L.P., StepStone K Strategic
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone KF Infrastructure Fund II, L.P.,
StepStone KF Infrastructure Fund, L.P., StepStone KF Private Equity
Fund II, L.P., StepStone KF Private Equity Fund, L.P., StepStone Maple
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone Masters III L.P., StepStone Masters
III Offshore L.P., StepStone Masters IV L.P., StepStone Masters V
Cayman Holdings, L.P., StepStone Masters V LP, StepStone Mexico I Co-
Investment Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone Mexico I SPC, StepStone
Mezzanine Partners (Offshore) I-A L.P., StepStone Mezzanine Partners I-
A L.P., StepStone NL Opportunities Fund II, L.P., StepStone NL
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone NLGI Infrastructure Opportunities
Fund, L.P., StepStone NPS Infrastructure Fund, L.P., StepStone NPS PE
Fund, L.P., StepStone NPS PE Fund, L.P.--Tranche B, StepStone OH
Secondary Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone P Opportunities Fund,
L.P., StepStone PA Tap Fund I, LP, StepStone Phoenix Opportunities
Fund, L.P., StepStone PIFSS Real Estate Co-Investment Fund, L.P.,
StepStone Pioneer Capital Buyout Fund I, L.P., StepStone Pioneer
Capital Buyout Fund II, L.P., StepStone Pioneer Capital Europe II, L.P.
Incorporated, StepStone Pioneer Capital Europe Opportunities Fund I,
L.P. Incorporated, StepStone Pioneer Capital Europe Opportunities Fund
I, L.P. Incorporated, StepStone Pioneer Capital Europe Opportunities
Fund IB, L.P. Incorporated, StepStone Pioneer Capital I, L.P.,
StepStone Pioneer Capital II, L.P., StepStone Pioneer Capital III,
L.P., StepStone Pioneer Opportunities Fund II, L.P., StepStone Pioneer
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone PPL Secondary Opportunities Fund,
L.P., StepStone Private Access Partnership, L.P., StepStone Private
Equity Partners II L.P., StepStone Private Equity Partners III Cayman
Holdings, L.P., StepStone Private Equity Partners III L.P., StepStone
Private Equity Partners L.P., StepStone Private Equity Partners
Offshore II L.P., StepStone Private Equity Partners Offshore L.P.,
StepStone Private Equity Portfolio L.P., StepStone R Co-Investment
Partnership, L.P., StepStone Real Estate Partners III Cayman, LP,
StepStone Real Estate Partners III I Opportunities Fund, L.P.,
Stepstone Real Estate Partners III Offshore, L.P., StepStone Real
Estate Partners III TE, L.P., StepStone Real Estate Partners III, L.P.,
StepStone Real Estate Partners IV Parallel, L.P., StepStone Real Estate
Partners IV, L.P., StepStone Rivas Private Equity Fund, L.P., StepStone
Scorpio Infrastructure Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone Secondary
Opportunities Fund II Offshore Holdings, L.P., StepStone Secondary
Opportunities Fund II, L.P., StepStone Secondary Opportunities Fund III
Offshore Holdings SCSP, StepStone Secondary Opportunities Fund III,
L.P., StepStone Secondary Opportunities Fund IV Offshore Holdings,
L.P., StepStone Secondary Opportunities Fund IV, L.P., StepStone
Secondary Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone Sedco European
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone Sedco U.S. Opportunities Fund,
L.P., StepStone Tactical Growth Fund II Offshore Holdings, L.P.,
StepStone Tactical Growth Fund II, L.P., StepStone Tactical Growth Fund
Offshore Holdings, L.P., StepStone Tactical Growth Fund, L.P.,
StepStone UWF Secondary Opportunities Fund, L.P.--Series A, StepStone
UWF Secondary Opportunities Fund, L.P.--Series B, StepStone XL
Opportunities Fund II-A, L.P., StepStone XL Opportunities Fund II-B,
L.P., StepStone XL Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone-SYN Investments,
L.L.L.P., Sunsira Infrastructure Fund, LLC, Sunstone PE Opportunities
Fund, LLC, Sunstone Real Estate, L.P., T.F. Capital Investors II L.P.,
T.F. Capital Investors II Offshore L.P., Terrace Investment Holdings
SMF, LLC, Terrace Investment Holdings, LLC, UK Canadian Hydro HoldCo A
Limited, Bridge Village Limited, StepStone E Opportunities Fund, L.P.,
StepStone E Offshore Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone M
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone LMM Opportunities Fund I, L.P.--
Series A, StepStone LMM Opportunities Fund I, L.P.--Series B,
Multibrand SICAV-SIF--Valida Private Equity Fund, Heathrow Forest Asia
Opportunities Fund, L.P., StepStone NPS PE Fund II, L.P., LCIV
Infrastructure Fund, StepStone B Infrastructure Opportunities Fund,
L.P., StepStone NPS Infrastructure Fund II, L.P., Swiss Capital FPT
Private Debt Fund L.P., Swiss Capital GPIM Private Debt Fund L.P.,
Swiss Capital HPS Private Debt Fund L.P., SC ACM Private Debt Fund
L.P., SC Co-Investments Private Debt Fund L.P., SC NXT Capital Private
Debt Fund L.P., SC ACA Private Debt Fund L.P., Swiss Capital HYS
Private Debt Fund L.P., Swiss Capital KKR Private Debt Fund L.P., Swiss
Capital Capitala Private Debt Fund L.P., SC BTC Private Debt Fund L.P.,
Swiss Capital KA Private Debt Fund L.P., Swiss Capital TLCP Private
Debt Fund L.P., Swiss Capital DCM Private Debt Fund L.P., Swiss Capital
PD (Offshore) Funds SPC, SC FPT Private Debt Offshore SP, SC NXT
Capital Private Debt Offshore SP, SC ACA Private Debt Offshore SP,
Swiss Capital CAPITALA Private Debt Offshore SP, Swiss Capital BTC
Private Debt Offshore SP, Swiss Capital Co-Investments Private Debt
Offshore SP, Swiss Capital HYS Private Debt Offshore SP, Swiss Capital
ASP Private Debt Offshore SP, SC ACM Private Debt Offshore SP, Swiss
Capital KA Private Debt Offshore SP, StepStone Private
[[Page 39654]]
Debt Secondary Funds SPC, SC DCM Secondary SP, Swiss Capital
Alternative Strategies Funds SPC, SC Alternative Strategy 1 SP, SC
Alternative Strategy 2 SP, SC Alternative Strategy 3 SP, SC Alternative
Strategy 4 SP, SC Alternative Strategy 5 SP, SC Alternative Strategy 6
SP, SC Alternative Strategy 7 SP, SC Alternative Strategy 8 SP, SC
Alternative Strategy 9 SP, SC Alternative Strategy 10 SP, SC
Alternative Strategy 11 SP, SC Alternative Strategy 12 SP, SC
Alternative Strategy 13 SP, SC Alternative Strategy 14 SP, StepStone
ADF Opportunities Fund L.P., SC CWMAA Senior Corporate Lending L.P.,
Senior Corporate Lending Enhanced I Fund L.P., SCL XL I Fund L.P., SSG
NLGI Private Debt Funds SPC, SSG NLGI European Direct Lending SP, Swiss
Capital PRO Loan V plc, Swiss Capital PRO Loan VII plc, Swiss Capital
Private Markets Funds, LG Income Fund, SC LV Private Debt Fund, Swiss
Capital Private Markets II Funds, AGON Fund, Senior Corporate Lending
Fund I, EuroPrima Fund, CWPS Global Infrastructure Fund, Senior
Corporate Lending Europe Fund, Swiss Capital Credit Strategies ICAV, LG
Direct Lending Platform Fund, SC LV Private Debt Platform Fund, Swiss
Capital Credit Strategies II ICAV, 3SC PRIDE Fund, SSG Valluga Fund,
Swiss Capital PRO Colours Funds PLC, SC New Targets Funds, SC Target D
Fund, SC Target O Fund, Oceanic Global Investment Funds plc, Pacific
Ocean Fund, Swiss Capital Non-Traditional Funds, Swiss Capital PRO Non-
Traditional Funds, Swiss Capital PRO Matrix Fund, Swiss Capital PRO
Disintermediation I Fund, Swiss Capital PRO Unicum Fund, Swiss Capital
PRO SST Fund, SC Private Debt Fund III L.P., Swiss Capital European
Private Debt Funds I (SICAV) SCSP, ACM European Private Debt Fund, BLK
European Private Debt Fund, TKH European Private Debt Fund, Co-
Investment European Private Debt Fund, Apera European Private Debt
Fund, CVC CP SSG European Private Debt Fund, TEREF LUX I, HCM European
Private Debt Fund, Bridgepoint European Private Debt Fund, StepStone
Trade Finance ICAV, StepStone Trade Finance Fund, Swiss Capital Credit
Strategies III ICAV, PR Private Debt Fund, Swiss Capital Private
Markets III, PR Private Debt Platform Fund, SSG Credit Strategies IV
ICAV, SSG Gen Credit Fund I, SSG Credit Strategies V ICAV, SSG Gen
Credit Fund II, SSG ME Private Debt Fund LP, Swiss Capital BG OL
Private Debt Fund LP, Swiss Capital Alternative Strategies Funds II
SPC, SC Alternative Strategy A SP, StepStone Real Estate Partners IV
Europe SCS, and StepStone Secondary Opportunities Fund IV Europe
Holdings SCSP (collectively, the ``Existing Affiliated Funds'').
Filing Dates: The application was filed on October 7, 2019, and amended
on January 9, 2020, April 27, 2020, June 22, 2020, and June 23, 2020.
Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An order granting the requested
relief will be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing.
Interested persons may request a hearing by emailing the Commission's
Secretary at [email protected] and serving applicants with a
copy of the request by email. Hearing requests should be received by
the Commission by 5:30 p.m. on July 20, 2020, and should be accompanied
by proof of service on applicants, in the form of an affidavit or, for
lawyers, a certificate of service. Pursuant to Rule 0-5 under the Act,
hearing requests should state the nature of the writer's interest, the
reason for the request, and the issues contested. Persons who wish to
be notified of a hearing may request notification by emailing the
Commission's Secretary at [email protected].
ADDRESSES: Secretary, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,
[email protected]. Applicants: Robert W. Long, StepStone
Conversus LLC, [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hae-Sung Lee, Senior Counsel, at
(202) 551-7345 or Trace W. Rakestraw, Branch Chief, at (202) 551-6825
(Chief Counsel's Office, Division of Investment Management).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the
application. The complete application may be obtained via the
Commission's website by searching for the file number, or for an
applicant using the Company name box, at https://www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or by calling (202) 551-8090.
Applicants' Representations:
1. Conversus Fund is a Delaware statutory trust organized as a non-
diversified, closed-end management investment company, registered under
the Act. Conversus Fund's investment objectives are to invest in a
broad cross section of private markets assets that will enable the
Conversus Fund to, over time, achieve long-term capital appreciation
and provide regular, current income through quarterly distributions.
The board of directors (``Board'') of the Conversus Fund has five
members, three of whom are not an ``interested person'' of the
Conversus Fund within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the Act (the
``Independent Trustees'').\1\
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\1\ The term ``Independent Trustees'' refers to the independent
directors, managers, or trustees of any Regulated Entity (defined
below).
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2. StepStone Conversus is a Delaware limited liability company that
is registered as an investment adviser with the Commission under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the ``Advisers Act''). StepStone
Conversus serves as the investment adviser to the Existing Regulated
Entity. StepStone Conversus is a wholly-owned subsidiary of StepStone
Group.
3. StepStone Group is a Delaware limited partnership that is
registered as an investment adviser with the Commission under the
Advisers Act. StepStone Group serves as the sub-adviser to the Existing
Regulated Entity and controls StepStone Conversus.
4. The Existing Affiliated Funds pursue strategies focused on
investing in a portfolio of professionally managed private markets
funds and select direct private markets investments. Each Existing
Affiliated Fund is advised by an Existing Adviser \2\ and would be an
investment company but for section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act.
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\2\ ``Existing Adviser'' means StepStone Group or StepStone
Conversus.
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5. Applicants seek an order (``Order'') to permit a Regulated
Entity \3\ and one or more other Regulated Entities and one or more
Affiliated Funds \4\ to (a) participate in the same investment
opportunities through a proposed co-investment program where such
participation would otherwise be prohibited under section 17 of the
Act; and (b) make additional investments in securities of such issuers
(``Follow-On Investments''), including through the exercise of
warrants, conversion privileges, and other rights to purchase
securities of the issuers. ``Co-Investment Transaction'' means any
transaction in
[[Page 39655]]
which a Regulated Entity (or its Wholly-Owned Investment Subsidiary, as
defined below) participated together with one or more other Regulated
Entities and/or Affiliated Funds in reliance on the requested Order.
``Potential Co-Investment Transaction'' means any investment
opportunity in which a Regulated Entity (or its Wholly-Owned Investment
Subsidiaries) could not participate together with one or more other
Regulated Entities and/or one or more Affiliated Funds without
obtaining and relying on the Order.\5\
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\3\ ``Regulated Entity'' refers to any Existing Regulated Entity
and any Future Regulated Entity. ``Future Regulated Entity'' means
any closed-end management investment company formed in the future
that is registered under the Act whose investment adviser (and sub-
adviser(s), if any) is an Adviser. ``Future Adviser'' means any
future investment adviser that controls, is controlled by, or is
under common control with StepStone Conversus and is registered as
an investment adviser under the Advisers Act.
\4\ ``Affiliated Fund'' means any Existing Affiliated Fund or
any Future Affiliated Fund. ``Future Affiliated Fund'' means any
investment fund that would be an ``investment company'' but for
section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act, is formed in the future, and
whose investment adviser (and sub-adviser(s), if any) is an Adviser.
The term ``Adviser'' means any Existing Adviser or any Future
Adviser. No Affiliated Fund is or will be a subsidiary of a
Regulated Entity.
\5\ All existing entities that currently intend to rely upon the
requested Order have been named as applicants. Any other existing or
future entity that subsequently relies on the Order will comply with
the terms and conditions of the application.
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6. Applicants state that a Regulated Entity may, from time to time,
form one or more Wholly-Owned Investment Subsidiaries.\6\ Such a
subsidiary would be prohibited from investing in a Co-Investment
Transaction with any other Regulated Entity or Affiliated Fund because
it would be a company controlled by its parent Regulated Entity for
purposes of rule 17d-1. Applicants request that each Wholly-Owned
Investment Subsidiary be permitted to participate in Co-Investment
Transactions in lieu of its parent Regulated Entity and that the
Wholly-Owned Investment Subsidiary's participation in any such
transaction be treated, for purposes of the Order, as though the parent
Regulated Entity were participating directly. Applicants represent that
this treatment is justified because a Wholly-Owned Investment
Subsidiary would have no purpose other than serving as a holding
vehicle for the Regulated Entity's investments and, therefore, no
conflicts of interest could arise between the Regulated Entity and the
Wholly-Owned Investment Subsidiary. The Regulated Entity's Board would
make all relevant determinations under the conditions with regard to a
Wholly-Owned Investment Subsidiary's participation in a Co-Investment
Transaction, and the Regulated Entity's Board would be informed of, and
take into consideration, any proposed use of a Wholly-Owned Investment
Subsidiary in the Regulated Entity's place. If the Regulated Entity
proposes to participate in the same Co-Investment Transaction with any
of its Wholly-Owned Investment Subsidiaries, the Board will also be
informed of, and take into consideration, the relative participation of
the Regulated Entity and the Wholly-Owned Investment Subsidiary.
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\6\ The term ``Wholly-Owned Investment Subsidiary'' means an
entity: (a) That is wholly-owned by a Regulated Entity (with such
Regulated Entity at all times holding, beneficially and of record,
100% of the voting and economic interests); (b) whose sole business
purpose is to hold one or more investments on behalf of such
Regulated Entity; (c) with respect to which the board of directors
of such Regulated Entity has the sole authority to make all
determinations with respect to the entity's participation under the
conditions of the application; and (d) that would be an investment
company but for section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act. All
subsidiaries participating in Co-Investment Transactions will be
Wholly-Owned Investment Subsidiaries and will have Objectives and
Strategies (as defined below) that are either the same as, or a
subset of, their parent Regulated Entity's Objectives and
Strategies.
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7. When considering Potential Co-Investment Transactions for any
Regulated Entity, the relevant Adviser will consider only the
Objectives and Strategies,\7\ investment policies, investment
positions, capital available for investment, and other pertinent
factors applicable to that Regulated Entity. The Advisers expect that
any portfolio company that is an appropriate investment for a Regulated
Entity should also be an appropriate investment for one or more other
Regulated Entities and/or one or more Affiliated Funds, with certain
exceptions based on available capital or diversification.\8\
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\7\ The term ``Objectives and Strategies'' means a Regulated
Entity's investment objectives and strategies as described in the
Regulated Entity's registration statement on Form N-2, other filings
the Regulated Entity has made with the Commission under the
Securities Act of 1933 (the ``Securities Act'') or the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, and the Regulated Entity's reports to
shareholders.
\8\ The Regulated Entities, however, will not be obligated to
invest, or co-invest, when investment opportunities are referred to
them.
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8. Other than pro rata dispositions and Follow-On Investments as
provided in conditions 7 and 8, and after making the determinations
required in conditions 1 and 2(a), the applicable Adviser will present
each Potential Co-Investment Transaction and the proposed allocation to
the directors of the Board eligible to vote on that Co-Investment
Transaction (the ``Eligible Trustees'') \9\ and the majority of such
directors of the Board who are Independent Trustees (a ``Required
Majority'') will approve each Co-Investment Transaction prior to any
investment by the participating Regulated Entity.
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\9\ Eligible Trustees may not have a financial interest in such
transaction, plan, or arrangement.
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9. With respect to the pro rata dispositions and Follow-On
Investments provided in conditions 7 and 8, a Regulated Entity may
participate in a pro rata disposition or Follow-On Investment without
obtaining prior approval of the Required Majority if, among other
things: (i) The proposed participation of each Regulated Entity and
each Affiliated Fund in such disposition is proportionate to its
outstanding investments in the issuer immediately preceding the
disposition or Follow-On Investment, as the case may be; and (ii) the
Board of the Regulated Entity has approved that Regulated Entity's
participation in pro rata dispositions and Follow-On Investments as
being in the best interests of the Regulated Entity. If the Board does
not so approve, any such disposition or Follow-On Investment will be
submitted to the Regulated Entity's Eligible Trustees. The Board of any
Regulated Entity may at any time rescind, suspend or qualify its
approval of pro rata dispositions and Follow-On Investments with the
result that all dispositions and/or Follow-On Investments must be
submitted to the Eligible Trustees.
10. No Independent Trustee of a Regulated Entity will have a direct
or indirect financial interest in any Co-Investment Transaction (other
than indirectly through share ownership in one of the Regulated
Entities), including any interest in any company whose securities would
be acquired in a Co-Investment Transaction.
11. Under condition 15, if an Adviser, its principals, or any
person controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the
Adviser or its principals, and the Affiliated Funds (collectively, the
``Holders'') own in the aggregate more than 25 percent of the
outstanding voting shares of a Regulated Entity (the ``Shares''), then
the Holders will vote such Shares as directed by an independent third
party when voting on matters specified in the condition. Applicants
believe that this condition will ensure that the Independent Trustees
will act independently in evaluating the co-investment program, because
the ability of an Adviser or its principals to influence the
Independent Trustees by a suggestion, explicit or implied, that the
Independent Trustees can be removed will be limited significantly.
Applicants represent that the Independent Trustees will evaluate and
approve any such independent third party, taking into account its
qualifications, reputation for independence, cost to the Regulated
Entity's shareholders, and other factors that they deem relevant.
Applicants' Legal Analysis:
1. Section 17(d) of the Act and rule 17d-1 under the Act prohibit
affiliated persons of a registered investment company from
participating in joint transactions with the company unless the
Commission has granted an order permitting such transactions. In
passing upon applications under rule 17d-1, the
[[Page 39656]]
Commission considers whether the company's participation in the joint
transaction is consistent with the provisions, policies, and purposes
of the Act and the extent to which such participation is on a basis
different from or less advantageous than that of other participants.
2. Applicants state that in the absence of the requested relief,
the Regulated Entities may be, in some circumstances, limited in their
ability to participate in attractive and appropriate investment
opportunities. Applicants believe that the proposed terms and
conditions will ensure that the Co-Investment Transactions are
consistent with the protection of each Regulated Entity's shareholders
and with the purposes intended by the policies and provisions of the
Act. Applicants state that the Regulated Entities' participation in the
Co-Investment Transactions will be consistent with the provisions,
policies, and purposes of the Act and on a basis that is not different
from or less advantageous than that of other participants.
Applicants' Conditions:
Applicants agree that the Order will be subject to the following
conditions:
1. Each time an Adviser considers a Potential Co-Investment
Transaction for another Regulated Entity or an Affiliated Fund that
falls within a Regulated Entity's then-current Objectives and
Strategies, the Regulated Entity's Adviser will make an independent
determination of the appropriateness of the investment for the
Regulated Entity in light of the Regulated Entity's then-current
circumstances.
2. (a) If the Adviser deems a Regulated Entity's participation in
any Potential Co-Investment Transaction to be appropriate for the
Regulated Entity, the Adviser will then determine an appropriate level
of investment for the Regulated Entity.
(b) If the aggregate amount recommended by the applicable Adviser
to be invested by the applicable Regulated Entity in the Potential Co-
Investment Transaction together with the amount proposed to be invested
by the other participating Regulated Entities and Affiliated Funds,
collectively, in the same transaction, exceeds the amount of the
investment opportunity, the investment opportunity will be allocated
among them pro rata based on each participant's capital available for
investment in the asset class being allocated, up to the amount
proposed to be invested by each. The applicable Adviser will provide
the Eligible Trustees of each participating Regulated Entity with
information concerning each participating party's available capital to
assist the Eligible Trustees with their review of the Regulated
Entity's investments for compliance with these allocation procedures.
(c) After making the determinations required in conditions 1 and
2(a), the applicable Adviser will distribute written information
concerning the Potential Co-Investment Transaction (including the
amount proposed to be invested by each Regulated Entity and each
Affiliated Fund) to the Eligible Trustees of each participating
Regulated Entity for their consideration. A Regulated Entity will co-
invest with another Regulated Entity or an Affiliated Fund only if,
prior to the Regulated Entity's participation in the Potential Co-
Investment Transaction, a Required Majority concludes that:
(i) The terms of the Potential Co-Investment Transaction, including
the consideration to be paid, are reasonable and fair to the Regulated
Entity and its investors and do not involve overreaching in respect of
the Regulated Entity or its investors on the part of any person
concerned;
(ii) the Potential Co-Investment Transaction is consistent with:
(A) The interests of the Regulated Entity's investors; and
(B) the Regulated Entity's then-current Objectives and Strategies;
(iii) the investment by any other Regulated Entities or any
Affiliated Funds would not disadvantage the Regulated Entity, and
participation by the Regulated Entity would not be on a basis different
from or less advantageous than that of any other Regulated Entities or
any Affiliated Funds; provided that, if any other Regulated Entity or
any Affiliated Fund, but not the Regulated Entity itself, gains the
right to nominate a director for election to a portfolio company's
board of directors or the right to have a board observer or any similar
right to participate in the governance or management of the portfolio
company, such event shall not be interpreted to prohibit the Required
Majority from reaching the conclusions required by this condition
(2)(c)(iii), if:
(A) The Eligible Trustees will have the right to ratify the
selection of such director or board observer, if any; and
(B) the applicable Adviser agrees to, and does, provide periodic
reports to the Board of the Regulated Entity with respect to the
actions of such director or the information received by such board
observer or obtained through the exercise of any similar right to
participate in the governance or management of the portfolio company;
and
(C) any fees or other compensation that any Regulated Entity or any
Affiliated Fund or any affiliated person of any Regulated Entity or any
Affiliated Fund receives in connection with the right of a Regulated
Entity or an Affiliated Fund to nominate a director or appoint a board
observer or otherwise to participate in the governance or management of
the portfolio company will be shared proportionately among the
participating Affiliated Funds (who may each, in turn, share its
portion with its affiliated persons) and the participating Regulated
Entities in accordance with the amount of each party's investment; and
(iv) the proposed investment by the Regulated Entity will not
benefit any Adviser, the other Regulated Entities, the Affiliated Funds
or any affiliated person of any of them (other than the parties to the
Co-Investment Transaction), except (A) to the extent permitted by
condition 13, (B) to the extent permitted by section 17(e) of the Act,
as applicable, (C) indirectly, as a result of an interest in the
securities issued by one of the parties to the Co-Investment
Transaction, or (D) in the case of fees or other compensation described
in condition 2(c)(iii)(C).
3. Each Regulated Entity has the right to decline to participate in
any Potential Co-Investment Transaction or to invest less than the
amount proposed.
4. The applicable Adviser will present to the Board of each
Regulated Entity, on a quarterly basis, a record of all investments in
Potential Co-Investment Transactions made by any of the other Regulated
Entities or Affiliated Funds during the preceding quarter that fell
within the Regulated Entity's then-current Objectives and Strategies
that were not made available to the Regulated Entity, and an
explanation of why the investment opportunities were not offered to the
Regulated Entity. All information presented to the Board pursuant to
this condition will be kept for the life of the Regulated Entity and at
least two years thereafter, and will be subject to examination by the
Commission and its staff.
5. Except for Follow-On Investments made in accordance with
condition 8,\10\ a Regulated Entity will not invest in reliance on the
Order in any issuer in which another Regulated Entity, Affiliated Fund,
or any affiliated person of another Regulated Entity or Affiliated Fund
is an existing investor.
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\10\ This exception applies only to Follow-On Investments by a
Regulated Entity in issuers in which that Regulated Entity already
holds investments.
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6. A Regulated Entity will not participate in any Potential Co-
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Investment Transaction unless the terms, conditions, price, class of
securities to be purchased, settlement date, and registration rights
will be the same for each participating Regulated Entity and Affiliated
Fund. The grant to another Regulated Entity or an Affiliated Fund, but
not the Regulated Entity, of the right to nominate a director for
election to a portfolio company's board of directors, the right to have
an observer on the board of directors or similar rights to participate
in the governance or management of the portfolio company will not be
interpreted so as to violate this condition 6, if conditions
2(c)(iii)(A), (B) and (C) are met.
7. (a) If any Regulated Entity or an Affiliated Fund elects to
sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of an interest in a security that
was acquired in a Co-Investment Transaction, the applicable Adviser
will:
(i) Notify each Regulated Entity that participated in the Co-
Investment Transaction of the proposed disposition at the earliest
practical time; and
(ii) formulate a recommendation as to participation by each
Regulated Entity in the disposition.
(b) Each Regulated Entity will have the right to participate in
such disposition on a proportionate basis, at the same price and on the
same terms and conditions as those applicable to the participating
Regulated Entities and Affiliated Funds.
(c) A Regulated Entity may participate in such disposition without
obtaining prior approval of the Required Majority if: (i) The proposed
participation of each Regulated Entity and each Affiliated Fund in such
disposition is proportionate to its outstanding investments in the
issuer immediately preceding the disposition; (ii) the Board of the
Regulated Entity has approved as being in the best interests of the
Regulated Entity the ability to participate in such dispositions on a
pro rata basis (as described in greater detail in the application); and
(iii) the Board of the Regulated Entity is provided on a quarterly
basis with a list of all dispositions made in accordance with this
condition. In all other cases, the Adviser will provide its written
recommendation as to the Regulated Entity's participation to the
Regulated Entity's Eligible Trustees, and the Regulated Entity will
participate in such disposition solely to the extent that a Required
Majority determines that it is in the Regulated Entity's best
interests.
(d) Each Regulated Entity and each Affiliated Fund will bear its
own expenses in connection with any such disposition.
8. (a) If a Regulated Entity or an Affiliated Fund desires to make
a Follow-On Investment in a portfolio company whose securities were
acquired in a Co-Investment Transaction, the applicable Adviser will:
(i) Notify each Regulated Entity that participated in the Co-
Investment Transaction of the proposed transaction at the earliest
practical time; and
(ii) formulate a recommendation as to the proposed participation,
including the amount of the proposed Follow-On Investment, by each
Regulated Entity.
(b) A Regulated Entity may participate in such Follow-On Investment
without obtaining prior approval of the Required Majority if: (i) The
proposed participation of each Regulated Entity and each Affiliated
Fund in such investment is proportionate to its outstanding investments
in the issuer immediately preceding the Follow-On Investment; and (ii)
the Board of the Regulated Entity has approved as being in the best
interests of the Regulated Entity the ability to participate in Follow-
On Investments on a pro rata basis (as described in greater detail in
the application). In all other cases, the Adviser will provide its
written recommendation as to the Regulated Entity's participation to
the Eligible Trustees, and the Regulated Entity will participate in
such Follow-On Investment solely to the extent that a Required Majority
determines that it is in the Regulated Entity's best interests.
(c) If, with respect to any Follow-On Investment:
(i) The amount of a Follow-On Investment is not based on the
Regulated Entities' and the Affiliated Funds' outstanding investments
immediately preceding the Follow-On Investment; and
(ii) the aggregate amount recommended by the Adviser to be invested
by each Regulated Entity in the Follow-On Investment, together with the
amount proposed to be invested by the participating Affiliated Funds in
the same transaction, exceeds the amount of the opportunity; then the
amount invested by each such party will be allocated among them pro
rata based on each party's capital available for investment in the
asset class being allocated, up to the amount proposed to be invested
by each.
(d) The acquisition of Follow-On Investments as permitted by this
condition will be considered a Co-Investment Transaction for all
purposes and subject to the other conditions set forth in the
application.
9. The Independent Trustees of each Regulated Entity will be
provided quarterly for review all information concerning Potential Co-
Investment Transactions and Co-Investment Transactions, including
investments made by other Regulated Entities and the Affiliated Funds
that the Regulated Entity considered but declined to participate in, so
that the Independent Trustees may determine whether all investments
made during the preceding quarter, including those investments which
the Regulated Entity considered but declined to participate in, comply
with the conditions of the Order. In addition, the Independent Trustees
will consider at least annually the continued appropriateness for the
Regulated Entity of participating in new and existing Co-Investment
Transactions.
10. Each Regulated Entity will maintain the records required by
section 57(f)(3) of the Act as if each of the Regulated Entities were a
business development company (as defined in section 2(a)(48) of the
Act) and each of the investments permitted under these conditions were
approved by the Required Majority under section 57(f) of the Act.
11. No Independent Trustee of a Regulated Entity will also be a
director, general partner, managing member or principal, or otherwise
an ``affiliated person'' (as defined in the Act) of an Affiliated Fund.
12. The expenses, if any, associated with acquiring, holding or
disposing of any securities acquired in a Co-Investment Transaction
(including, without limitation, the expenses of the distribution of any
such securities registered for sale under the Securities Act) will, to
the extent not payable by an Adviser under the investment advisory
agreements with the Regulated Entities and the Affiliated Funds, be
shared by the Affiliated Funds and the Regulated Entities in proportion
to the relative amounts of the securities held or to be acquired or
disposed of, as the case may be.
13. Any transaction fee \11\ (including break-up or commitment fees
but excluding broker's fees contemplated by section 17(e) of the Act,
as applicable), received in connection with a Co-Investment Transaction
will be distributed to the participating Regulated Entities and
Affiliated Funds on a pro rata basis based on the amounts they invested
or committed, as the case may be, in such Co-Investment Transaction. If
any transaction fee is to be held by the Adviser pending
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consummation of the transaction, the fee will be deposited into an
account maintained by the Adviser at a bank or banks having the
qualifications prescribed in section 26(a)(1) of the Act, and the
account will earn a competitive rate of interest that will also be
divided pro rata among the participating Regulated Entities and
Affiliated Funds based on the amounts they invest in such Co-Investment
Transaction. None of the Affiliated Funds, the Advisers, the other
Regulated Entities or any affiliated person of the Regulated Entities
or Affiliated Funds will receive additional compensation or
remuneration of any kind as a result of or in connection with a Co-
Investment Transaction (other than (a) in the case of the Regulated
Entities and Affiliated Funds, the pro rata transaction fees described
above and fees or other compensation described in condition
2(c)(iii)(C); and (b) in the case of the Advisers, investment advisory
fees paid in accordance with the agreements between the Advisers and
the Regulated Entities or the Affiliated Funds).
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\11\ Applicants are not requesting and the staff is not
providing any relief for transaction fees received in connection
with any Co-Investment Transaction.
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14. The Advisers will each maintain policies and procedures
reasonably designed to ensure compliance with the foregoing conditions.
These policies and procedures will require, among other things, that
the applicable Adviser will be notified of all Potential Co-Investment
Transactions that fall within a Regulated Entity's then-current
Objectives and Strategies and will be given sufficient information to
make its independent determination and recommendations under conditions
1, 2(a), 7 and 8.
15. If the Holders own in the aggregate more than 25 percent of the
Shares of a Regulated Entity, then the Holders will vote such Shares as
directed by an independent third party when voting on (1) the election
of directors; (2) the removal of one or more directors; or (3) all
other matters under either the Act or applicable State law affecting
the Board's composition, size or manner of election.
16. Each Regulated Entity's chief compliance officer, as defined in
Rule 38a-1(a)(4), will prepare an annual report for its Board that
evaluates (and documents the basis of that evaluation) the Regulated
Entity's compliance with the terms and conditions of the application
and the procedures established to achieve such compliance.
For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management,
under delegated authority.
J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-14122 Filed 6-30-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P