Silver Point Specialty Lending Fund, et al.; Notice of Application, 3616-3624 [2022-01292]

Download as PDF 3616 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 15 / Monday, January 24, 2022 / Notices Dated: January 20, 2022. Vanessa A. Countryman, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2022–01446 Filed 1–20–22; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Investment Company Act Release No. 34472; File No. 812–14556] Silver Point Specialty Lending Fund, et al.; Notice of Application January 19, 2022. Securities and Exchange Commission (‘‘Commission’’). ACTION: Notice of application for an order under sections 17(d) and 57(i) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ‘‘Act’’) and rule 17d–1 under the Act to permit certain joint transactions otherwise prohibited by sections 17(d) and 57(a)(4) of the Act and rule 17d–1 under the Act. AGENCY: Applicants request an order to permit certain business development companies (‘‘BDCs’’) and closed-end management investment companies to co-invest in portfolio companies with each other and with affiliated investment funds. APPLICANTS: Silver Point Specialty Lending Fund (the ‘‘Company’’), Silver Point Specialty Credit Fund Management, LLC (‘‘Management’’), Silver Point Capital, L.P. (‘‘SPC’’), Silver Point Capital Offshore Fund, Ltd., Silver Point Capital Offshore Master Fund, L.P., Silver Point Capital, L.P., Silver Point Distressed Opportunities Fund, L.P., Silver Point Distressed Opportunities Offshore Master Fund, L.P., Silver Point Distressed Opportunities Offshore Fund, L.P., Silver Point Distressed Opportunity Institutional Partners (Offshore), L.P., Silver Point Distressed Opportunity Institutional Partners, L.P., Silver Point Distressed Opportunity Institutional Partners Master Fund (Offshore), L.P., Silver Point Distressed Opportunities Management, LLC (‘‘Distressed Opportunities Management’’), Silver Point Select Opportunities Fund A, L.P., Silver Point Specialty Credit Fund II, L.P., Silver Point Specialty Credit Fund II (Offshore), L.P., Silver Point Specialty Credit Fund II (Offshore) B, L.P., Silver Point Specialty Credit Fund II (Offshore) C, L.P., Silver Point Specialty Credit Fund II Mini-Master Fund (Offshore), L.P., Silver Point Specialty Credit Fund II Mini-Master Fund, L.P., Silver Point Specialty Credit Fund II Management, LLC (‘‘Specialty Credit II jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1 SUMMARY OF APPLICATION: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:11 Jan 21, 2022 Jkt 256001 Management’’), Silver Point Specialty Credit Silver Star Fund, L.P., Silver Point Specialty Credit Silver Star Fund Management, LLC (‘‘Silver Star Management’’), Silver Point Loan Funding, LLC, and Silver Point Loan Funding Management, LLC (‘‘Funding Management’’). DATES: The application was filed on October 1, 2015, and amended on December 27, 2017, July 20, 2018, September 17, 2018, December 17, 2018, July 28, 2021, October 22, 2021, January 7, 2022 and January 12, 2022. 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 February 14, 2022, 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, any facts bearing upon the desirability of a hearing on the matter, 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: The Commission: Secretarys-Office@sec.gov. Applicants: Compliance@silverpointcapital.com. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Loomis Moore, Senior Counsel, or Joseph Toner, Acting 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. Introduction 1. The Applicants request an order of the Commission under Sections 17(d) and 57(i) and Rule 17d–1 thereunder (the ‘‘Order’’) to permit, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the application (the ‘‘Conditions’’), a Regulated Fund 1 and one or more other 1 ‘‘Regulated Funds’’ means the Company, any Future Regulated Funds and any BDC Downstream Funds (defined below). ‘‘Future Regulated Fund’’ PO 00000 Frm 00122 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Regulated Funds and/or one or more Affiliated Funds 2 to enter into CoInvestment Transactions with each other. ‘‘Co-Investment Transaction’’ means any transaction in which one or more Regulated Funds (or its WhollyOwned Investment Sub) participated together with one or more Affiliated Funds and/or one or more other Regulated Funds in reliance on the Order. ‘‘Potential Co-Investment Transaction’’ means any investment opportunity in which a Regulated Fund (or its Wholly-Owned Investment Sub) could not participate together with one or more Affiliated Funds and/or one or more other Regulated Funds without obtaining and relying on the Order.3 Applicants 2. The Company is a closed-end Maryland statutory trust that has elected means any closed-end management investment company (a) that is registered under the Act or has elected to be regulated as a BDC, (b) whose investment adviser (and sub-adviser(s), if any) is an Adviser and (c) that intends to participate in the CoInvestment Program. ‘‘Adviser’’ means any Existing Advisers (defined below), together with any future investment adviser that intends to participate in the Co-Investment Program (defined below) and (i) controls, is controlled by or is under common control with an Existing Adviser, (ii)(a) is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act, or (b) is a relying adviser of an investment adviser that is registered under the Advisers Act and that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with an Existing Adviser and (iii) is not a Regulated Fund or a subsidiary of a Regulated Fund. ‘‘Co-Investment Program’’ means the proposed co-investment program that would permit one or more Regulated Funds and/or one or more Affiliated Funds (defined below) to participate in the same investment opportunities where such participation would otherwise be prohibited under Section 57(a)(4) and Rule 17d–1 by (a) co-investing with each other in securities issued by issuers in private placement transactions in which an Adviser negotiates terms in addition to price; and (b) making Follow-On Investments (defined below). The term ‘‘private placement transactions’’ means transactions in which the offer and sale of securities by the issuer are exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 (the ‘‘Securities Act’’). ‘‘Existing Advisers’’ means Management, SPC, Specialty Credit II Management, Silver Star Management, Funding Management and Distressed Opportunities Management. 2 ‘‘Affiliated Fund’’ means the Existing Affiliated Funds and any Future Affiliated Funds. No Existing Affiliated Fund is a BDC Downstream Fund. ‘‘BDC Downstream Fund’’ means, with respect to the Company or any Regulated Fund that is a BDC, an entity (i) that the BDC directly or indirectly controls, (ii) that is not controlled by any person other than the BDC (except a person that indirectly controls the entity solely because it controls the BDC), (iii) that would be an investment company but for Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act, (iv) whose investment adviser (and sub-adviser(s), if any) is an Adviser, (v) that is not a Wholly-Owned Investment Sub and (vi) that intends to participate in the Co-Investment Program. 3 All existing entities that currently intend to rely on the Order have been named as Applicants and any existing or future entities that may rely on the Order in the future will comply with its terms and Conditions set forth in the application. E:\FR\FM\24JAN1.SGM 24JAN1 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 15 / Monday, January 24, 2022 / Notices jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1 to be regulated as a BDC under the Act.4 The Company’s Board 5 is comprised of a majority of members who are Independent Directors.6 3. Management, a Delaware limited liability company that is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the ‘‘Advisers Act’’), serves as the investment adviser to the Company. 4. The Existing Affiliated Funds are the investment funds identified in Appendix A to the application. Applicants represent that each Existing Affiliated Fund is a separate and distinct legal entity and each would be an investment company but for Section 3(c)(1), 3(c)(5)(C) or 3(c)(7) of the Act. 5. SPC, Specialty Credit II Management, Silver Star Management, Funding Management and Distressed Opportunities Management are the investment advisers to the Existing Affiliated Funds. SPC is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act. Specialty Credit II Management is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SPC and is a relying adviser under the Advisers Act through a single registration with SPC. Silver Star Management is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SPC and is a relying adviser under the Advisers Act through a single registration with SPC. Funding Management is a whollyowned subsidiary of SPC and will be a relying adviser under the Advisers Act through a single registration with SPC prior to relying on the Order. Distressed Opportunities Management is a whollyowned subsidiary of SPC and is a relying adviser under the Advisers Act through a single registration with SPC. 6. Applicants state that a Regulated Fund may, from time to time, form one or more Wholly-Owned Investment 4 Section 2(a)(48) defines a BDC to be any closedend investment company that operates for the purpose of making investments in securities described in Section 55(a)(1) through 55(a)(3) and makes available significant managerial assistance with respect to the issuers of such securities. 5 ‘‘Board’’ means (i) with respect to a Regulated Fund other than a BDC Downstream Fund, the board of directors (or the equivalent) of the applicable Regulated Fund and (ii) with respect to a BDC Downstream Fund, the Independent Party of the BDC Downstream Fund. ‘‘Independent Party’’ means, with respect to a BDC Downstream Fund, (i) if the BDC Downstream Fund has a board of directors (or the equivalent), the board or (ii) if the BDC Downstream Fund does not have a board of directors (or the equivalent), a transaction committee or advisory committee of the BDC Downstream Fund. 6 ‘‘Independent Director’’ means a member of the Board of any relevant entity who is not an ‘‘interested person’’ as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Act. No Independent Director of a Regulated Fund (including any non-interested member of an Independent Party) will have a financial interest in any Co-Investment Transaction, other than indirectly through share ownership in one of the Regulated Funds. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:11 Jan 21, 2022 Jkt 256001 Subs.7 Such a subsidiary may be prohibited from investing in a CoInvestment Transaction with a Regulated Fund (other than its parent) or any Affiliated Fund because it would be a company controlled by its parent Regulated Fund for purposes of Section 57(a)(4) and Rule 17d–1. Applicants request that each Wholly-Owned Investment Sub be permitted to participate in Co-Investment Transactions in lieu of the applicable parent Regulated Fund that owns it and that the Wholly-Owned Investment Sub’s participation in any such transaction be treated, for purposes of the Order, as though the parent Regulated Fund were participating directly. Applicants represent that this treatment is justified because a WhollyOwned Investment Sub would have no purpose other than serving as a holding vehicle for the Regulated Fund’s investments and, therefore, no conflicts of interest could arise between the parent Regulated Fund and the WhollyOwned Investment Sub. The Board of the parent Regulated Fund would make all relevant determinations under the Conditions with regard to a WhollyOwned Investment Sub’s participation in a Co-Investment Transaction, and the Board would be informed of, and take into consideration, any proposed use of a Wholly-Owned Investment Sub in the Regulated Fund’s place. If the parent Regulated Fund proposes to participate in the same Co-Investment Transaction with any of its Wholly-Owned Investment Subs, the Board of the parent Regulated Fund will also be informed of, and take into consideration, the relative participation of the Regulated Fund and the WhollyOwned Investment Sub. Applicants’ Representations A. Allocation Process 7. Applicants state that the Adviser is presented with numerous investment 7 ‘‘Wholly-Owned Investment Sub’’ means an entity (i) that is wholly-owned by a Regulated Fund (with such Regulated Fund at all times holding, beneficially and of record, 100% of the voting and economic interests); (ii) whose sole business purpose is to hold one or more investments on behalf of such Regulated Fund (and, in the case of a SBIC Subsidiary (defined below), maintain a license under the SBA Act (defined below) and issue debentures guaranteed by the SBA (defined below)); (iii) with respect to which such Regulated Fund’s Board has the sole authority to make all determinations with respect to the entity’s participation under the Conditions to the application; and (iv) that would be an investment company but for Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act. The term ‘‘SBIC Subsidiary’’ means a WhollyOwned Investment Sub that is licensed by the Small Business Administration (the ‘‘SBA’’) to operate under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, as amended, (the ‘‘SBA Act’’) as a small business investment company (an ‘‘SBIC’’). PO 00000 Frm 00123 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 3617 opportunities each year on behalf of its clients and the Adviser will determine how to allocate those opportunities in a manner that, over time, is fair and equitable to all of its clients, and without violating the prohibitions on joint transactions included in Rule 17d– 1 and Section 57(a)(4) of the Act. Such investment opportunities may be Potential Co-Investment Transactions. 8. Applicants represent that the Adviser has established processes for allocating initial investment opportunities, opportunities for subsequent investments in an issuer and dispositions of securities holdings reasonably designed to treat all clients fairly and equitably. Further, Applicants represent that these processes will be extended and modified in a manner reasonably designed to ensure that the additional transactions permitted under the Order will both (i) be fair and equitable to the Regulated Funds and the Affiliated Funds and (ii) comply with the Conditions contained in the Order. 9. Specifically, applicants state that the Advisers are organized and managed such that the portfolio managers and analysts (‘‘Investment Teams’’), responsible for evaluating investment opportunities and making investment decisions on behalf of clients are promptly notified of the opportunities. If the requested Order is granted, the Advisers will establish, maintain and implement policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that, when such opportunities arise, the Advisers to the relevant Regulated Funds are promptly notified and receive the same information about the opportunity as any other Advisers considering the opportunity for their clients. In particular, consistent with Condition 1, if a Potential CoInvestment Transaction falls within the then-current Objectives and Strategies 8 and any Board-Established Criteria 9 of a 8 ‘‘Objectives and Strategies’’ means (i) with respect to any Regulated Fund other than a BDC Downstream Fund, its investment objectives and strategies, as described in its most current registration statement on Form N–2, other current filings with the Commission under the Securities Act or under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and its most current report to stockholders and (ii) with respect to a BDC Downstream Fund, those investment objectives and strategies described in its disclosure documents (including private placement memoranda and reports to equity holders) and organizational documents (including operating agreements). 9 ‘‘Board-Established Criteria’’ means criteria that the Board of a Regulated Fund may establish from time to time to describe the characteristics of Potential Co-Investment Transactions regarding which the Adviser to such Regulated Fund should be notified under Condition 1. The BoardEstablished Criteria will be consistent with the E:\FR\FM\24JAN1.SGM Continued 24JAN1 3618 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 15 / Monday, January 24, 2022 / Notices jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1 Regulated Fund, the policies and procedures will require that the relevant Investment Team responsible for that Regulated Fund receive sufficient information to allow the Regulated Fund’s Adviser to make its independent determination and recommendations under the Conditions. 10. The Adviser to each applicable Regulated Fund, working through the applicable Investment Team, will then make an independent determination of the appropriateness of the investment for the Regulated Fund in light of the Regulated Fund’s then-current circumstances. If the Adviser to a Regulated Fund deems the Regulated Fund’s participation in such Potential Co-Investment Transaction to be appropriate, then it will, working through the applicable Investment Team, formulate a recommendation regarding the proposed order amount for the Regulated Fund. 11. Applicants state that, for each Regulated Fund and Affiliated Fund whose Adviser recommends participating in a Potential CoInvestment Transaction, the Adviser will submit a proposed order amount to the internal allocation committee, which the Adviser will establish to handle the allocation of investment opportunities in Potential CoInvestment Transactions (‘‘CoInvestment Transaction Allocation Committee’’). Applicants state further that each proposed order amount may be reviewed and adjusted, in accordance with the Advisers’ written allocation policies and procedures, by the CoInvestment Transaction Allocation Committee.10 The order of a Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund resulting from Regulated Fund’s Objectives and Strategies. If no Board-Established Criteria are in effect, then the Regulated Fund’s Adviser will be notified of all Potential Co-Investment Transactions that fall within the Regulated Fund’s then-current Objectives and Strategies. Board-Established Criteria will be objective and testable, meaning that they will be based on observable information, such as industry/sector of the issuer, minimum earnings before interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization, or ‘‘EBITDA,’’ of the issuer, asset class of the investment opportunity or required commitment size, and not on characteristics that involve a discretionary assessment. The Adviser to the Regulated Fund may from time to time recommend criteria for the Board’s consideration, but Board-Established Criteria will only become effective if approved by a majority of the Independent Directors. The Independent Directors of a Regulated Fund may at any time rescind, suspend or qualify its approval of any Board-Established Criteria, though the Applicants anticipate that, under normal circumstances, the Board would not modify these criteria more often than quarterly. 10 The reason for any such adjustment to a proposed order amount will be documented in writing and preserved in the records of the Advisers. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:11 Jan 21, 2022 Jkt 256001 this process is referred to as its ‘‘Internal Order’’. The Internal Order will be submitted for approval by the Required Majority of any participating Regulated Funds in accordance with the Conditions.11 12. If the aggregate Internal Orders for a Potential Co-Investment Transaction do not exceed the size of the investment opportunity immediately prior to the submission of the orders to the underwriter, broker, dealer or issuer, as applicable (the ‘‘External Submission’’), then each Internal Order will be fulfilled as placed. If, on the other hand, the aggregate Internal Orders for a Potential Co-Investment Transaction exceed the size of the investment opportunity immediately prior to the External Submission, then the allocation of the opportunity will be made pro rata on the basis of the size of the Internal Orders.12 If, subsequent to such External Submission, the size of the opportunity is increased or decreased, or if the terms of such opportunity, or the facts and circumstances applicable to the Regulated Funds’ or the Affiliated Funds’ consideration of the opportunity, change, the participants will be permitted to submit revised Internal Orders in accordance with written allocation policies and procedures that the Advisers will establish, implement and maintain.13 11 ‘‘Required Majority’’ means a required majority, as defined in Section 57(o) of the Act. In the case of a Regulated Fund that is a registered closed-end fund, the Board members that make up the Required Majority will be determined as if the Regulated Fund were a BDC subject to Section 57(o). In the case of a BDC Downstream Fund with a board of directors (or the equivalent), the members that make up the Required Majority will be determined as if the BDC Downstream Fund were a BDC subject to Section 57(o). In the case of a BDC Downstream Fund with a transaction committee or advisory committee, the committee members that make up the Required Majority will be determined as if the BDC Downstream Fund were a BDC subject to Section 57(o) and as if the committee members were directors of the fund. 12 The Advisers will maintain records of all proposed order amounts, Internal Orders and External Submissions in conjunction with Potential Co-Investment Transactions. Each applicable Adviser will provide the Eligible Directors with information concerning the Affiliated Funds’ and Regulated Funds’ order sizes to assist the Eligible Directors with their review of the applicable Regulated Fund’s investments for compliance with the Conditions. ‘‘Eligible Directors’’ means, with respect to a Regulated Fund and a Potential CoInvestment Transaction, the members of the Regulated Fund’s Board eligible to vote on that Potential Co-Investment Transaction under Section 57(o) of the Act. 13 However, if the size of the opportunity is decreased such that the aggregate of the original Internal Orders would exceed the amount of the remaining investment opportunity, then upon submitting any revised order amount to the Board of a Regulated Fund for approval, the Adviser to the Regulated Fund will also notify the Board promptly of the amount that the Regulated Fund would PO 00000 Frm 00124 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 B. Follow-On Investments 13. Applicants state that from time to time the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds may have opportunities to make Follow-On Investments 14 in an issuer in which a Regulated Fund and one or more other Regulated Funds and/or Affiliated Funds previously have invested and continue to hold an investment. 14. Applicants propose that FollowOn Investments would be divided into two categories depending on whether the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds holding investments in the issuer previously participated in a CoInvestment Transaction with respect to the issuer and continue to hold any securities acquired in a Co-Investment Transaction for that issuer. If the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds had previously participated in a CoInvestment Transaction with respect to the issuer, then the terms and approval of the Follow-On Investment would be subject to the Standard Review FollowOns described in Condition 8. If the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds have not previously participated in a Co-Investment Transaction with respect to the issuer but hold a Pre-Boarding Investment, then the terms and approval of the Follow-On Investment would be subject to the Enhanced-Review FollowOns described in Condition 9.15 All Enhanced Review Follow-Ons require the approval of the Required Majority. For a given issuer, the participating Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds would need to comply with the requirements of Enhanced-Review Follow-Ons only for the first CoInvestment Transaction. Subsequent CoInvestment Transactions with respect to the issuer would be governed by the requirements of Standard Review Follow-Ons. receive if the remaining investment opportunity were allocated pro rata on the basis of the size of the original Internal Orders. The Board of the Regulated Fund will then either approve or disapprove of the investment opportunity in accordance with condition 2, 6, 7, 8 or 9, as applicable. 14 ‘‘Follow-On Investment’’ means an additional investment in the same issuer, including, but not limited to, through the exercise of warrants, conversion privileges or other rights to purchase securities of the issuer. 15 ‘‘Pre-Boarding Investments’’ are investments in an issuer held by a Regulated Fund as well as one or more Affiliated Funds and/or one or more other Regulated Funds that were acquired prior to participating in any Co-Investment Transaction: (i) In transactions in which the only term negotiated by or on behalf of such funds was price in reliance on one of the JT No-Action Letters (defined below); or (ii) in transactions occurring at least 90 days apart and without coordination between the Regulated Fund and any Affiliated Fund or other Regulated Fund. E:\FR\FM\24JAN1.SGM 24JAN1 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 15 / Monday, January 24, 2022 / Notices 15. A Regulated Fund would be permitted to invest in Standard Review Follow-Ons either with the approval of the Required Majority under Condition 8(c) or without Board approval under Condition 8(b) if it is (i) a Pro Rata Follow-On Investment 16 or (ii) a NonNegotiated Follow-On Investment.17 Applicants believe that these Pro Rata and Non-Negotiated Follow-On Investments do not present a significant opportunity for overreaching on the part of any Adviser and thus do not warrant the time or the attention of the Board. Pro Rata Follow-On Investments and Non-Negotiated Follow-On Investments remain subject to the Board’s periodic review in accordance with Condition 10. jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1 C. Dispositions 16. Applicants propose that Dispositions 18 would be divided into two categories. If the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds holding investments in the issuer had previously participated in a Co-Investment Transaction with respect to the issuer and continue to hold any securities acquired in a Co-Investment Transaction for such issuer, then the terms and approval of the Disposition would be subject to the Standard Review Dispositions described in Condition 6. If the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds have not previously participated in a Co-Investment Transaction with respect to the issuer, then the terms and approval of the Disposition would be subject to the Enhanced Review Dispositions described in Condition 7. Subsequent Dispositions with respect to 16 A ‘‘Pro Rata Follow-On Investment’’ is a Follow-On Investment (i) in which the participation of each Affiliated Fund and each Regulated Fund is proportionate to its outstanding investments in the issuer or security, as appropriate, immediately preceding the Follow-On Investment, and (ii) in the case of a Regulated Fund, a majority of the Board has approved the Regulated Fund’s participation in the pro rata Follow-On Investments as being in the best interests of the Regulated Fund. The Regulated Fund’s Board may refuse to approve, or at any time rescind, suspend or qualify, their approval of Pro Rata Follow-On Investments, in which case all subsequent Follow-On Investments will be submitted to the Regulated Fund’s Eligible Directors in accordance with Condition 8(c). 17 A ‘‘Non-Negotiated Follow-On Investment’’ is a Follow-On Investment in which a Regulated Fund participates together with one or more Affiliated Funds and/or one or more other Regulated Funds (i) in which the only term negotiated by or on behalf of the funds is price and (ii) with respect to which, if the transaction were considered on its own, the funds would be entitled to rely on one of the JT NoAction Letters. ‘‘JT No-Action Letters’’ means SMC Capital, Inc., SEC No-Action Letter (pub. avail. Sept. 5, 1995) and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, SEC No-Action Letter (pub. avail. June 7, 2000). 18 ‘‘Disposition’’ means the sale, exchange or other disposition of an interest in a security of an issuer. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:11 Jan 21, 2022 Jkt 256001 3619 the same issuer would be governed by Condition 6 under the Standard Review Dispositions.19 17. A Regulated Fund may participate in a Standard Review Disposition either with the approval of the Required Majority under Condition 6(d) or without Board approval under Condition 6(c) if (i) the Disposition is a Pro Rata Disposition 20 or (ii) the securities are Tradable Securities 21 and the Disposition meets the other requirements of Condition 6(c)(ii). Pro Rata Dispositions and Dispositions of a Tradable Security remain subject to the Board’s periodic review in accordance with Condition 10. so that none of them receives terms more favorable than any other. However, the settlement date for an Affiliated Fund in a Co-Investment Transaction may occur up to ten business days after the settlement date for the Regulated Fund, and vice versa.22 Nevertheless, in all cases, (i) the date on which the commitment of the Affiliated Funds and Regulated Funds is made will be the same even where the settlement date is not and (ii) the earliest settlement date and the latest settlement date of any Affiliated Fund or Regulated Fund participating in the transaction will occur within ten business days of each other. D. Delayed Settlement 18. Applicants represent that under the terms and Conditions of the Application, all Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds participating in a CoInvestment Transaction will invest at the same time, for the same price and with the same terms, conditions, class, registration rights and any other rights, E. Holders 19. 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 Fund (the ‘‘Shares’’), then the Holders will vote such Shares as directed by an independent third party when voting on matters specified in Condition 15. Applicants believe that this Condition will ensure that the Independent Directors will act independently in evaluating Co-Investment Transactions, because the ability of the Adviser or its principals to influence the Independent Directors by a suggestion, explicit or implied, that the Independent Directors can be removed will be limited significantly. The Independent Directors shall evaluate and approve any independent party, taking into account its qualifications, reputation for independence, cost to the shareholders, and other factors that they deem relevant. 19 However, with respect to an issuer, if a Regulated Fund’s first Co-Investment Transaction is an Enhanced Review Disposition, and the Regulated Fund does not dispose of its entire position in the Enhanced Review Disposition, then before such Regulated Fund may complete its first Standard Review Follow-On in such issuer, the Eligible Directors must review the proposed Follow-On Investment not only on a stand-alone basis but also in relation to the total economic exposure in such issuer (i.e., in combination with the portion of the Pre-Boarding Investment not disposed of in the Enhanced Review Disposition), and the other terms of the investments. This additional review would be required because such findings would not have been required in connection with the prior Enhanced Review Disposition, but they would have been required had the first Co-Investment Transaction been an Enhanced Review Follow-On. 20 A ‘‘Pro Rata Disposition’’ is a Disposition (i) in which the participation of each Affiliated Fund and each Regulated Fund is proportionate to its outstanding investment in the security subject to Disposition immediately preceding the Disposition; and (ii) in the case of a Regulated Fund, a majority of the Board has approved the Regulated Fund’s participation in pro rata Dispositions as being in the best interests of the Regulated Fund. The Regulated Fund’s Board may refuse to approve, or at any time rescind, suspend or qualify, their approval of Pro Rata Dispositions, in which case all subsequent Dispositions will be submitted to the Regulated Fund’s Eligible Directors. 21 ‘‘Tradable Security’’ means a security that meets the following criteria at the time of Disposition: (i) It trades on a national securities exchange or designated offshore securities market as defined in rule 902(b) under the Securities Act; (ii) it is not subject to restrictive agreements with the issuer or other security holders; and (iii) it trades with sufficient volume and liquidity (findings as to which are documented by the Advisers to any Regulated Funds holding investments in the issuer and retained for the life of the Regulated Fund) to allow each Regulated Fund to dispose of its entire position remaining after the proposed Disposition within a short period of time not exceeding 30 days at approximately the value (as defined by Section 2(a)(41) of the Act) at which the Regulated Fund has valued the investment. PO 00000 Frm 00125 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Applicants’ Legal Analysis 1. Section 17(d) of the Act and rule 17d–1 under the Act prohibit participation by a registered investment company and an affiliated person in any ‘‘joint enterprise or other joint arrangement or profit-sharing plan,’’ as defined in the rule, without prior approval by the Commission by order 22 Applicants state this may occur for two reasons. First, when the Affiliated Fund or Regulated Fund is not yet fully funded because, when the Affiliated Fund or Regulated Fund desires to make an investment, it must call capital from its investors to obtain the financing to make the investment, and in these instances, the notice requirement to call capital could be as much as ten business days. Second, where, for tax or regulatory reasons, an Affiliated Fund or Regulated Fund does not purchase new issuances immediately upon issuance but only after a short seasoning period of up to ten business days. E:\FR\FM\24JAN1.SGM 24JAN1 jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1 3620 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 15 / Monday, January 24, 2022 / Notices upon application. Section 17(d) of the Act and rule 17d–1 under the Act are applicable to Regulated Funds that are registered closed-end investment companies. 2. Similarly, with regard to BDCs, section 57(a)(4) of the Act generally prohibits certain persons specified in section 57(b) from participating in joint transactions with the BDC or a company controlled by the BDC in contravention of rules as prescribed by the Commission. Section 57(i) of the Act provides that, until the Commission prescribes rules under section 57(a)(4), the Commission’s rules under section 17(d) of the Act applicable to registered closed-end investment companies will be deemed to apply to transactions subject to section 57(a)(4). Because the Commission has not adopted any rules under section 57(a)(4), rule 17d–1 also applies to joint transactions with Regulated Funds that are BDCs. 3. Co-Investment Transactions are prohibited by either or both of Rule 17d–1 and Section 57(a)(4) without a prior exemptive order of the Commission to the extent that the Affiliated Funds and the Regulated Funds participating in such transactions fall within the category of persons described by Rule 17d–1 and/or Section 57(b), as applicable, vis-a`-vis each participating Regulated Fund. Each of the participating Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds may be deemed to be affiliated persons vis-a`-vis a Regulated Fund within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3) by reason of common control because (i) an Existing Adviser is the investment adviser (and sub-adviser, if any) to, and may be deemed to control, each of the Existing Affiliated Funds, and an Adviser to Affiliated Funds will be the investment adviser (and subadviser, if any) to, and may be deemed to control, any other Affiliated Fund; (ii) an Existing Adviser is the investment adviser (and sub-adviser, if any) to, and may be deemed to control, the Company and an Adviser will be the investment adviser (and sub-adviser, if any) to, and may be deemed to control, any Future Regulated Fund; (iii) each BDC Downstream Fund will be deemed to be controlled by its BDC parent and/or its BDC parent’s investment adviser; and (iv) the Advisers to Affiliated Funds and the Advisers to Regulated Funds are under common control. Thus, each of the Affiliated Funds could be deemed to be a person related to the Regulated Funds, including any BDC Downstream Fund, in a manner described by Section 57(b) and related to the other Regulated Funds in a manner described by Rule 17d–1; and therefore the prohibitions of Rule 17d–1 and Section 57(a)(4) would VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:11 Jan 21, 2022 Jkt 256001 apply respectively to prohibit the Affiliated Funds from participating in Co-Investment. Transactions with the Regulated Funds. 4. In passing upon applications under rule 17d–1, the 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. 5. Applicants state that in the absence of the requested relief, in many circumstances the Regulated Funds would be limited in their ability to participate in attractive and appropriate investment opportunities. Applicants state that, as required by Rule 17d–1(b), the Conditions ensure that the terms on which Co-Investment Transactions may be made will be consistent with the participation of the Regulated Funds being on a basis that it is neither different from nor less advantageous than other participants, thus protecting the equity holders of any participant from being disadvantaged. Applicants further state that the Conditions ensure that all Co-Investment Transactions are reasonable and fair to the Regulated Funds and their shareholders and do not involve overreaching by any person concerned, including the Advisers. Applicants state that the Regulated Funds’ participation in the CoInvestment Transactions in accordance with the Conditions will be consistent with the provisions, policies, and purposes of the Act and would be done in a manner 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. Identification and Referral of Potential Co-Investment Transactions. (a) The Advisers will establish, maintain and implement policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that each Adviser is promptly notified of all Potential Co-Investment Transactions that fall within the thencurrent Objectives and Strategies and Board-Established Criteria of any Regulated Fund the Adviser manages. (b) When an Adviser to a Regulated Fund is notified of a Potential CoInvestment Transaction under Condition 1(a), the Adviser will make an independent determination of the appropriateness of the investment for the Regulated Fund in light of the Regulated Fund’s then-current circumstances. PO 00000 Frm 00126 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 2. Board Approvals of Co-Investment Transactions. (a) If the Adviser deems a Regulated Fund’s participation in any Potential Co-Investment Transaction to be appropriate for the Regulated Fund, it will then determine an appropriate level of investment for the Regulated Fund. (b) If the aggregate amount recommended by the Advisers to be invested in the Potential Co-Investment Transaction by the participating Regulated Funds and any participating Affiliated Funds, collectively, exceeds the amount of the investment opportunity, the investment opportunity will be allocated among them pro rata based on the size of the Internal Orders, as described in Section III.A.1.b. of the application. Each Adviser to a participating Regulated Fund will promptly notify and provide the Eligible Directors with information concerning the Affiliated Funds’ and Regulated Funds’ order sizes to assist the Eligible Directors with their review of the applicable Regulated Fund’s investments for compliance with these Conditions. (c) After making the determinations required in Condition 1(b) above, each Adviser to a participating Regulated Fund will distribute written information concerning the Potential Co-Investment Transaction (including the amount proposed to be invested by each participating Regulated Fund and each participating Affiliated Fund) to the Eligible Directors of its participating Regulated Fund(s) for their consideration. A Regulated Fund will enter into a Co-Investment Transaction with one or more other Regulated Funds or Affiliated Funds only if, prior to the Regulated Fund’s participation in the Potential Co-Investment Transaction, a Required Majority concludes that: (i) The terms of the transaction, including the consideration to be paid, are reasonable and fair to the Regulated Fund and its equity holders and do not involve overreaching in respect of the Regulated Fund or its equity holders on the part of any person concerned; (ii) the transaction is consistent with: (A) The interests of the Regulated Fund’s equity holders; and (B) the Regulated Fund’s then-current Objectives and Strategies; (iii) the investment by any other Regulated Fund(s) or Affiliated Fund(s) would not disadvantage the Regulated Fund, and participation by the Regulated Fund would not be on a basis different from, or less advantageous than, that of any other Regulated Fund(s) or Affiliated Fund(s) participating in the transaction; provided that the Required Majority E:\FR\FM\24JAN1.SGM 24JAN1 jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 15 / Monday, January 24, 2022 / Notices shall not be prohibited from reaching the conclusions required by this Condition 2(c)(iii) if: (A) The settlement date for another Regulated Fund or an Affiliated Fund in a Co-Investment Transaction is later than the settlement date for the Regulated Fund by no more than ten business days or earlier than the settlement date for the Regulated Fund by no more than ten business days, in either case, so long as: (x) The date on which the commitment of the Affiliated Funds and Regulated Funds is made is the same; and (y) the earliest settlement date and the latest settlement date of any Affiliated Fund or Regulated Fund participating in the transaction will occur within ten business days of each other; or (B) any other Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund, but not the Regulated Fund itself, gains the right to nominate a director for election to a portfolio company’s board of directors, the right to have a board observer or any similar right to participate in the governance or management of the portfolio company so long as: (x) The Eligible Directors will have the right to ratify the selection of such director or board observer, if any; (y) the Adviser agrees to, and does, provide periodic reports to the Regulated Fund’s Board 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 (z) any fees or other compensation that any other Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund or any affiliated person of any other Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund receives in connection with the right of one or more Regulated Funds or Affiliated Funds 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 any participating Affiliated Funds (who may, in turn, share their portion with their affiliated persons) and any participating Regulated Fund(s) in accordance with the amount of each such party’s investment; and (iv) the proposed investment by the Regulated Fund will not involve compensation, remuneration or a direct or indirect 23 financial benefit to the Advisers, any other Regulated Fund, the Affiliated Funds or any affiliated person 23 For example, procuring the Regulated Fund’s investment in a Potential Co-Investment Transaction to permit an affiliate to complete or obtain better terms in a separate transaction would constitute an indirect financial benefit. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:11 Jan 21, 2022 Jkt 256001 of any of them (other than the parties to the Co-Investment Transaction), except (A) to the extent permitted by Condition 14, (B) to the extent permitted by Section 17(e) or 57(k), 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)(B)(z). 3. Right to Decline. Each Regulated Fund has the right to decline to participate in any Potential CoInvestment Transaction or to invest less than the amount proposed. 4. General Limitation. Except for Follow-On Investments made in accordance with Conditions 8 and 9 below,24 a Regulated Fund will not invest in reliance on the Order in any issuer in which a Related Party has an investment.25 5. Same Terms and Conditions. A Regulated Fund will not participate in any Potential Co-Investment Transaction unless (i) the terms, conditions, price, class of securities to be purchased, date on which the commitment is entered into and registration rights (if any) will be the same for each participating Regulated Fund and Affiliated Fund and (ii) the earliest settlement date and the latest settlement date of any participating Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund will occur as close in time as practicable and in no event more than ten business days apart. The grant to one or more Regulated Funds or Affiliated Funds, but not the respective Regulated Fund, 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 24 This exception applies only to Follow-On Investments by a Regulated Fund in issuers in which that Regulated Fund already holds investments. 25 ‘‘Related Party’’ means (i) any Close Affiliate and (ii) in respect of matters as to which any Adviser has knowledge, any Remote Affiliate. ‘‘Close Affiliate’’ means the Advisers, the Regulated Funds, the Affiliated Funds and any other person described in Section 57(b) (after giving effect to Rule 57b–1) in respect of any Regulated Fund (treating any registered investment company or series thereof as a BDC for this purpose) except for limited partners included solely by reason of the reference in Section 57(b) to Section 2(a)(3)(D). ‘‘Remote Affiliate’’ means any person described in Section 57(e) in respect of any Regulated Fund (treating any registered investment company or series thereof as a BDC for this purpose) and any limited partner holding 5% or more of the relevant limited partner interests that would be a Close Affiliate but for the exclusion in that definition. PO 00000 Frm 00127 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 3621 Condition 5, if Condition 2(c)(iii)(B) is met. 6. Standard Review Dispositions. (a) General. If any Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund elects to sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of an interest in a security and one or more Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds have previously participated in a CoInvestment Transaction with respect to the issuer, then: (i) The Adviser to such Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund will notify each Regulated Fund that holds an investment in the issuer of the proposed Disposition at the earliest practical time; and (ii) the Adviser to each Regulated Fund that holds an investment in the issuer will formulate a recommendation as to participation by such Regulated Fund in the Disposition. (b) Same Terms and Conditions. Each Regulated Fund 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 Affiliated Funds and any other Regulated Fund. (c) No Board Approval Required. A Regulated Fund may participate in such a Disposition without obtaining prior approval of the Required Majority if: (i) (A) The participation of each Regulated Fund and Affiliated Fund in such Disposition is proportionate to its then-current holding of the security (or securities) of the issuer that is (or are) the subject of the Disposition; 26 (B) the Board of the Regulated Fund has approved as being in the best interests of the Regulated Fund the ability to participate in such Dispositions on a pro rata basis (as described in greater detail in the application); and (C) the Board of the Regulated Fund is provided on a quarterly basis with a list of all Dispositions made in accordance with this Condition; or (ii) each security is a Tradable Security and (A) the Disposition is not to the issuer or any affiliated person of the issuer; and (B) the security is sold for cash in a transaction in which the only term negotiated by or on behalf of the participating Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds is price. (d) Standard Board Approval. In all other cases, the Adviser will provide its written recommendation as to the Regulated Fund’s participation to the Eligible Directors and the Regulated Fund will participate in such Disposition solely to the extent that a 26 In the case of any Disposition, proportionality will be measured by each participating Regulated Fund’s and Affiliated Fund’s outstanding investment in the security in question immediately preceding the Disposition. E:\FR\FM\24JAN1.SGM 24JAN1 jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1 3622 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 15 / Monday, January 24, 2022 / Notices Required Majority determines that it is in the Regulated Fund’s best interests. 7. Enhanced Review Dispositions. (a) General. If any Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund elects to sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of a Pre-Boarding Investment in a Potential Co-Investment Transaction and the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds have not previously participated in a CoInvestment Transaction with respect to the issuer: (i) The Adviser to such Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund will notify each Regulated Fund that holds an investment in the issuer of the proposed Disposition at the earliest practical time; (ii) the Adviser to each Regulated Fund that holds an investment in the issuer will formulate a recommendation as to participation by such Regulated Fund in the Disposition; and (iii) the Advisers will provide to the Board of each Regulated Fund that holds an investment in the issuer all information relating to the existing investments in the issuer of the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds, including the terms of such investments and how they were made, that is necessary for the Required Majority to make the findings required by this Condition. (b) Enhanced Board Approval. The Adviser will provide its written recommendation as to the Regulated Fund’s participation to the Eligible Directors, and the Regulated Fund will participate in such Disposition solely to the extent that a Required Majority determines that: (i) The Disposition complies with Conditions 2(c)(i), (ii), (iii)(A), and (iv). (ii) The making and holding of the Pre-Boarding Investments were not prohibited by Section 57 or Rule 17d– 1, as applicable, and records the basis for the finding in the Board minutes. (c) Additional Requirements. The Disposition may only be completed in reliance on the Order if: (i) Same Terms and Conditions. Each Regulated Fund has 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 Affiliated Funds and any other Regulated Fund; (ii) Original Investments. All of the Affiliated Funds’ and Regulated Funds’ investments in the issuer are PreBoarding Investments; (iii) Advice of counsel. Independent counsel to the Board advises that the making and holding of the investments in the Pre-Boarding Investments were not prohibited by Section 57 (as modified by Rule 57b–1) or Rule 17d– 1, as applicable; VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:11 Jan 21, 2022 Jkt 256001 (iv) Multiple Classes of Securities. All Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds that hold Pre-Boarding Investments in the issuer immediately before the time of completion of the Co-Investment Transaction hold the same security or securities of the issuer. For the purpose of determining whether the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds hold the same security or securities, they may disregard any security held by some but not all of them if, prior to relying on the Order, the Required Majority is presented with all information necessary to make a finding, and finds, that: (x) Any Regulated Fund’s or Affiliated Fund’s holding of a different class of securities (including for this purpose a security with a different maturity date) is immaterial 27 in amount, including immaterial relative to the size of the issuer; and (y) the Board records the basis for any such finding in its minutes. In addition, securities that differ only in respect of issuance date, currency, or denominations may be treated as the same security; and (v) No control. The Affiliated Funds, the other Regulated Funds and their affiliated persons (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3)(C) of the Act), individually or in the aggregate, do not control the issuer of the securities (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(9) of the Act). 8. Standard Review Follow-Ons. (a) General. If any Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund desires to make a Follow-On Investment in an issuer and the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds holding investments in the issuer previously participated in a CoInvestment Transaction with respect to the issuer: (i) The Adviser to each such Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund will notify each Regulated Fund that holds securities of the portfolio company of the proposed transaction at the earliest practical time; and (ii) the Adviser to each Regulated Fund that holds an investment in the issuer will formulate a recommendation as to the proposed participation, including the amount of the proposed investment, by such Regulated Fund. (b) No Board Approval Required. A Regulated Fund may participate in the Follow-On Investment without obtaining prior approval of the Required Majority if: 27 In determining whether a holding is ‘‘immaterial’’ for purposes of the Order, the Required Majority will consider whether the nature and extent of the interest in the transaction or arrangement is sufficiently small that a reasonable person would not believe that the interest affected the determination of whether to enter into the transaction or arrangement or the terms of the transaction or arrangement. PO 00000 Frm 00128 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 (i) (A) The proposed participation of each Regulated Fund and each Affiliated Fund in such investment is proportionate to its outstanding investments in the issuer or the security at issue, as appropriate,28 immediately preceding the Follow-On Investment; and (B) the Board of the Regulated Fund has approved as being in the best interests of the Regulated Fund the ability to participate in Follow-On Investments on a pro rata basis (as described in greater detail in the Application); or (ii) it is a Non-Negotiated Follow-On Investment. (c) Standard Board Approval. In all other cases, the Adviser will provide its written recommendation as to the Regulated Fund’s participation to the Eligible Directors and the Regulated Fund will participate in such Follow-On Investment solely to the extent that a Required Majority makes the determinations set forth in Condition 2(c). If the only previous Co-Investment Transaction with respect to the issuer was an Enhanced Review Disposition the Eligible Directors must complete this review of the proposed Follow-On Investment both on a stand-alone basis and together with the Pre-Boarding Investments in relation to the total economic exposure and other terms of the investment. (d) Allocation. If, with respect to any such Follow-On Investment: (i) The amount of the opportunity proposed to be made available to any Regulated Fund is not based on the Regulated Funds’ and the Affiliated Funds’ outstanding investments in the issuer or the security at issue, as appropriate, immediately preceding the Follow-On Investment; and (ii) the aggregate amount recommended by the Advisers to be invested in the Follow-On Investment by the participating Regulated Funds and any participating Affiliated Funds, collectively, exceeds the amount of the investment opportunity, 28 To the extent that a Follow-On Investment opportunity is in a security or arises in respect of a security held by the participating Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds, proportionality will be measured by each participating Regulated Fund’s and Affiliated Fund’s outstanding investment in the security in question immediately preceding the Follow-On Investment using the most recent available valuation thereof. To the extent that a Follow-On Investment opportunity relates to an opportunity to invest in a security that is not in respect of any security held by any of the participating Regulated Funds or Affiliated Funds, proportionality will be measured by each participating Regulated Fund’s and Affiliated Fund’s outstanding investment in the issuer immediately preceding the Follow-On Investment using the most recent available valuation thereof. E:\FR\FM\24JAN1.SGM 24JAN1 jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 15 / Monday, January 24, 2022 / Notices then the Follow-On Investment opportunity will be allocated among them pro rata based on the size of the Internal Orders, as described in Section III.A.1.b. of the application. (e) Other Conditions. 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. Enhanced Review Follow-Ons. (a) General. If any Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund desires to make a Follow-On Investment in an issuer that is a Potential Co-Investment Transaction and the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds holding investments in the issuer have not previously participated in a Co-Investment Transaction with respect to the issuer: (i) The Adviser to each such Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund will notify each Regulated Fund that holds securities of the portfolio company of the proposed transaction at the earliest practical time; (ii) the Adviser to each Regulated Fund that holds an investment in the issuer will formulate a recommendation as to the proposed participation, including the amount of the proposed investment, by such Regulated Fund; and (iii) the Advisers will provide to the Board of each Regulated Fund that holds an investment in the issuer all information relating to the existing investments in the issuer of the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds, including the terms of such investments and how they were made, that is necessary for the Required Majority to make the findings required by this Condition. (b) Enhanced Board Approval. The Adviser will provide its written recommendation as to the Regulated Fund’s participation to the Eligible Directors, and the Regulated Fund will participate in such Follow-On Investment solely to the extent that a Required Majority reviews the proposed Follow-On Investment both on a standalone basis and together with the PreBoarding Investments in relation to the total economic exposure and other terms and makes the determinations set forth in Condition 2(c). In addition, the Follow-On Investment may only be completed in reliance on the Order if the Required Majority of each participating Regulated Fund determines that the making and holding of the Pre-Boarding Investments were not prohibited by Section 57 (as modified by Rule 57b–1) or Rule 17d– 1, as applicable. The basis for the VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:11 Jan 21, 2022 Jkt 256001 Board’s findings will be recorded in its minutes. (c) Additional Requirements. The Follow-On Investment may only be completed in reliance on the Order if: (i) Original Investments. All of the Affiliated Funds’ and Regulated Funds’ investments in the issuer are PreBoarding Investments; (ii) Advice of counsel. Independent counsel to the Board advises that the making and holding of the investments in the Pre-Boarding Investments were not prohibited by Section 57 (as modified by Rule 57b–1) or Rule 17d– 1, as applicable; (iii) Multiple Classes of Securities. All Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds that hold Pre-Boarding Investments in the issuer immediately before the time of completion of the Co-Investment Transaction hold the same security or securities of the issuer. For the purpose of determining whether the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds hold the same security or securities, they may disregard any security held by some but not all of them if, prior to relying on the Order, the Required Majority is presented with all information necessary to make a finding, and finds, that: (x) Any Regulated Fund’s or Affiliated Fund’s holding of a different class of securities (including for this purpose a security with a different maturity date) is immaterial in amount, including immaterial relative to the size of the issuer; and (y) the Board records the basis for any such finding in its minutes. In addition, securities that differ only in respect of issuance date, currency, or denominations may be treated as the same security; and (iv) No control. The Affiliated Funds, the other Regulated Funds and their affiliated persons (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3)(C) of the Act), individually or in the aggregate, do not control the issuer of the securities (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(9) of the Act). (d) Allocation. If, with respect to any such Follow-On Investment: (i) The amount of the opportunity proposed to be made available to any Regulated Fund is not based on the Regulated Funds’ and the Affiliated Funds’ outstanding investments in the issuer or the security at issue, as appropriate, immediately preceding the Follow-On Investment; and (ii) the aggregate amount recommended by the Advisers to be invested in the Follow-On Investment by the participating Regulated Funds and any participating Affiliated Funds, collectively, exceeds the amount of the investment opportunity, PO 00000 Frm 00129 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 3623 then the Follow-On Investment opportunity will be allocated among them pro rata based on the size of the Internal Orders, as described in Section III.A.1.b. of the application. (e) Other Conditions. 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. 10. Board Reporting, Compliance and Annual Re-Approval. (a) Each Adviser to a Regulated Fund will present to the Board of each Regulated Fund, on a quarterly basis, and at such other times as the Board may request, (i) a record of all investments in Potential Co-Investment Transactions made by any of the other Regulated Funds or any of the Affiliated Funds during the preceding quarter that fell within the Regulated Fund’s thencurrent Objectives and Strategies and Board-Established Criteria that were not made available to the Regulated Fund, and an explanation of why such investment opportunities were not made available to the Regulated Fund; (ii) a record of all Follow-On Investments in and Dispositions of investments in any issuer in which the Regulated Fund holds any investments by any Affiliated Fund or other Regulated Fund during the prior quarter; and (iii) all information concerning Potential CoInvestment Transactions and CoInvestment Transactions, including investments made by other Regulated Funds or Affiliated Funds that the Regulated Fund considered but declined to participate in, so that the Independent Directors may determine whether all Potential Co-Investment Transactions and Co-Investment Transactions during the preceding quarter, including those investments that the Regulated Fund considered but declined to participate in, comply with the Conditions. (b) All information presented to the Regulated Fund’s Board pursuant to this Condition will be kept for the life of the Regulated Fund and at least two years thereafter, and will be subject to examination by the Commission and its staff. (c) Each Regulated Fund’s chief compliance officer, as defined in rule 38a–1(a)(4), will prepare an annual report for its Board each year that evaluates (and documents the basis of that evaluation) the Regulated Fund’s compliance with the terms and Conditions of the application and the procedures established to achieve such compliance. In the case of a BDC Downstream Fund that does not have a chief compliance officer, the chief E:\FR\FM\24JAN1.SGM 24JAN1 jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1 3624 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 15 / Monday, January 24, 2022 / Notices compliance officer of the BDC that controls the BDC Downstream Fund will prepare the report for the relevant Independent Party. (d) The Independent Directors (including the non-interested members of each Independent Party) will consider at least annually whether continued participation in new and existing Co-Investment Transactions is in the Regulated Fund’s best interests. 11. Record Keeping. Each Regulated Fund will maintain the records required by Section 57(f)(3) of the Act as if each of the Regulated Funds were a BDC and each of the investments permitted under these Conditions were approved by the Required Majority under Section 57(f). 12. Director Independence. No Independent Director of a Regulated Fund (including the non-interested members of any Independent Party) will also be a director, general partner, managing member or principal, or otherwise be an ‘‘affiliated person’’ (as defined in the Act) of any Affiliated Fund. 13. Expenses. 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 the Advisers under their respective advisory agreements with the Regulated Funds and the Affiliated Funds, be shared by the Regulated Funds and the participating Affiliated Funds in proportion to the relative amounts of the securities held or being acquired or disposed of, as the case may be. 14. Transaction Fees.29 Any transaction fee (including break-up, structuring, monitoring or commitment fees but excluding brokerage or underwriting compensation permitted by Section 17(e) or 57(k)) received in connection with any Co-Investment Transaction will be distributed to the participants 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 an Adviser pending 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), and the account will earn a competitive rate of interest that will also be divided pro rata among the 29 Applicants are not requesting and the Commission is not providing any relief for transaction fees received in connection with any Co-Investment Transaction. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:11 Jan 21, 2022 Jkt 256001 participants. None of the Advisers, the Affiliated Funds, the other Regulated Funds or any affiliated person of the Affiliated Funds or the Regulated Funds will receive any additional compensation or remuneration of any kind as a result of or in connection with a Co-Investment Transaction other than (i) in the case of the Regulated Funds and the Affiliated Funds, the pro rata transaction fees described above and fees or other compensation described in Condition 2(c)(iii)(B)(z), (ii) brokerage or underwriting compensation permitted by Section 17(e) or 57(k) or (iii) in the case of the Advisers, investment advisory compensation paid in accordance with investment advisory agreements between the applicable Regulated Fund(s) or Affiliated Fund(s) and its Adviser. 15. Independence. If the Holders own in the aggregate more than 25 percent of the Shares of a Regulated Fund, then the Holders will vote such Shares in the same percentages as the Regulated Fund’s other shareholders (not including the Holders) when voting on (1) the election of directors; (2) the removal of one or more directors; or (3) any other matter under either the Act or applicable State law affecting the Board’s composition, size or manner of election. For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management, under delegated authority. J. Matthew DeLesDernier, Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. 2022–01292 Filed 1–21–22; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Investment Company Act Release No. 34474; 812–15264] Catholic Responsible Investments Funds and Christian Brothers Investment Services, Inc.; Notice of Application Securities and Exchange Commission (‘‘Commission’’). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: Notice of an application under section 6(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (‘‘Act’’) for an exemption from section 15(a) of the Act and rule 18f–2 under the Act, as well as from certain disclosure requirements in rule 20a–1 under the Act, Item 19(a)(3) of Form N– 1A, Items 22(c)(1)(ii), 22(c)(1)(iii), 22(c)(8) and 22(c)(9) of Schedule 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and sections 6–07(2)(a), (b), and (c) of Regulation S–X (‘‘Disclosure PO 00000 Frm 00130 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Requirements’’). The requested exemption would permit an investment adviser to hire and replace certain subadvisers without shareholder approval and grant relief from the Disclosure Requirements as they relate to fees paid to the sub-advisers. APPLICANTS: Catholic Responsible Investments Funds (the ‘‘Trust’’), a Delaware statutory trust registered under the Act as an open-end management investment company with multiple series (each a ‘‘Fund’’) and Christian Brothers Investment Services, Inc. (the ‘‘Adviser’’), an Illinois corporation that is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (collectively with the Trust, the ‘‘Applicants’’). FILING DATES: The application was filed on September 20, 2021, and amended on December 27, 2021. HEARING OR NOTIFICATION OF HEARING: An order granting the application will be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing. Interested persons may request a hearing by writing to the Commission’s Secretary and serving applicants with a copy of the request, personally or by mail. Hearing requests should be received by the Commission by 5:30 p.m. on February 14, 2022, and should be accompanied by proof of service on the 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, any facts bearing upon the desirability of a hearing on the matter, the reason for the request, and the issues contested. Persons who wish to be notified of a hearing may request notification by writing to the Commission’s Secretary. ADDRESSES: The Commission: Secretarys-Office@sec.gov. Applicants: The Trust, mbeattie@seic.com, and the Adviser, jmccroy@cbisonline.com (with a copy to sean.graber@ morganlewis.com_and_mrenetzky@ lockelord.com). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adam R. Bolter, Senior Counsel, at (202) 674–8049, or Lisa Reid Ragen, Branch Chief, at (202) 551–6825 (Division of Investment Management, Chief Counsel’s Office). 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 an applicant using the Company name box, at https:// www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or by calling (202) 551–8090. E:\FR\FM\24JAN1.SGM 24JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 15 (Monday, January 24, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3616-3624]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-01292]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Investment Company Act Release No. 34472; File No. 812-14556]


Silver Point Specialty Lending Fund, et al.; Notice of 
Application

January 19, 2022.
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').

ACTION: Notice of application for an order under sections 17(d) and 
57(i) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ``Act'') and rule 17d-
1 under the Act to permit certain joint transactions otherwise 
prohibited by sections 17(d) and 57(a)(4) of the Act and rule 17d-1 
under the Act.

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Summary of Application:  Applicants request an order to permit certain 
business development companies (``BDCs'') and closed-end management 
investment companies to co-invest in portfolio companies with each 
other and with affiliated investment funds.

Applicants:  Silver Point Specialty Lending Fund (the ``Company''), 
Silver Point Specialty Credit Fund Management, LLC (``Management''), 
Silver Point Capital, L.P. (``SPC''), Silver Point Capital Offshore 
Fund, Ltd., Silver Point Capital Offshore Master Fund, L.P., Silver 
Point Capital, L.P., Silver Point Distressed Opportunities Fund, L.P., 
Silver Point Distressed Opportunities Offshore Master Fund, L.P., 
Silver Point Distressed Opportunities Offshore Fund, L.P., Silver Point 
Distressed Opportunity Institutional Partners (Offshore), L.P., Silver 
Point Distressed Opportunity Institutional Partners, L.P., Silver Point 
Distressed Opportunity Institutional Partners Master Fund (Offshore), 
L.P., Silver Point Distressed Opportunities Management, LLC 
(``Distressed Opportunities Management''), Silver Point Select 
Opportunities Fund A, L.P., Silver Point Specialty Credit Fund II, 
L.P., Silver Point Specialty Credit Fund II (Offshore), L.P., Silver 
Point Specialty Credit Fund II (Offshore) B, L.P., Silver Point 
Specialty Credit Fund II (Offshore) C, L.P., Silver Point Specialty 
Credit Fund II Mini-Master Fund (Offshore), L.P., Silver Point 
Specialty Credit Fund II Mini-Master Fund, L.P., Silver Point Specialty 
Credit Fund II Management, LLC (``Specialty Credit II Management''), 
Silver Point Specialty Credit Silver Star Fund, L.P., Silver Point 
Specialty Credit Silver Star Fund Management, LLC (``Silver Star 
Management''), Silver Point Loan Funding, LLC, and Silver Point Loan 
Funding Management, LLC (``Funding Management'').

DATES: The application was filed on October 1, 2015, and amended on 
December 27, 2017, July 20, 2018, September 17, 2018, December 17, 
2018, July 28, 2021, October 22, 2021, January 7, 2022 and January 12, 
2022.

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 February 14, 2022, 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, any facts bearing upon the desirability of a hearing 
on the matter, 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: The Commission: [email protected]. Applicants: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Loomis Moore, Senior Counsel, or 
Joseph Toner, Acting 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.

Introduction

    1. The Applicants request an order of the Commission under Sections 
17(d) and 57(i) and Rule 17d-1 thereunder (the ``Order'') to permit, 
subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the application (the 
``Conditions''), a Regulated Fund \1\ and one or more other Regulated 
Funds and/or one or more Affiliated Funds \2\ to enter into Co-
Investment Transactions with each other. ``Co-Investment Transaction'' 
means any transaction in which one or more Regulated Funds (or its 
Wholly-Owned Investment Sub) participated together with one or more 
Affiliated Funds and/or one or more other Regulated Funds in reliance 
on the Order. ``Potential Co-Investment Transaction'' means any 
investment opportunity in which a Regulated Fund (or its Wholly-Owned 
Investment Sub) could not participate together with one or more 
Affiliated Funds and/or one or more other Regulated Funds without 
obtaining and relying on the Order.\3\
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    \1\ ``Regulated Funds'' means the Company, any Future Regulated 
Funds and any BDC Downstream Funds (defined below). ``Future 
Regulated Fund'' means any closed-end management investment company 
(a) that is registered under the Act or has elected to be regulated 
as a BDC, (b) whose investment adviser (and sub-adviser(s), if any) 
is an Adviser and (c) that intends to participate in the Co-
Investment Program. ``Adviser'' means any Existing Advisers (defined 
below), together with any future investment adviser that intends to 
participate in the Co-Investment Program (defined below) and (i) 
controls, is controlled by or is under common control with an 
Existing Adviser, (ii)(a) is registered as an investment adviser 
under the Advisers Act, or (b) is a relying adviser of an investment 
adviser that is registered under the Advisers Act and that controls, 
is controlled by or is under common control with an Existing Adviser 
and (iii) is not a Regulated Fund or a subsidiary of a Regulated 
Fund. ``Co-Investment Program'' means the proposed co-investment 
program that would permit one or more Regulated Funds and/or one or 
more Affiliated Funds (defined below) to participate in the same 
investment opportunities where such participation would otherwise be 
prohibited under Section 57(a)(4) and Rule 17d-1 by (a) co-investing 
with each other in securities issued by issuers in private placement 
transactions in which an Adviser negotiates terms in addition to 
price; and (b) making Follow-On Investments (defined below). The 
term ``private placement transactions'' means transactions in which 
the offer and sale of securities by the issuer are exempt from 
registration under the Securities Act of 1933 (the ``Securities 
Act''). ``Existing Advisers'' means Management, SPC, Specialty 
Credit II Management, Silver Star Management, Funding Management and 
Distressed Opportunities Management.
    \2\ ``Affiliated Fund'' means the Existing Affiliated Funds and 
any Future Affiliated Funds. No Existing Affiliated Fund is a BDC 
Downstream Fund. ``BDC Downstream Fund'' means, with respect to the 
Company or any Regulated Fund that is a BDC, an entity (i) that the 
BDC directly or indirectly controls, (ii) that is not controlled by 
any person other than the BDC (except a person that indirectly 
controls the entity solely because it controls the BDC), (iii) that 
would be an investment company but for Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of 
the Act, (iv) whose investment adviser (and sub-adviser(s), if any) 
is an Adviser, (v) that is not a Wholly-Owned Investment Sub and 
(vi) that intends to participate in the Co-Investment Program.
    \3\ All existing entities that currently intend to rely on the 
Order have been named as Applicants and any existing or future 
entities that may rely on the Order in the future will comply with 
its terms and Conditions set forth in the application.
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Applicants

    2. The Company is a closed-end Maryland statutory trust that has 
elected

[[Page 3617]]

to be regulated as a BDC under the Act.\4\ The Company's Board \5\ is 
comprised of a majority of members who are Independent Directors.\6\
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    \4\ Section 2(a)(48) defines a BDC to be any closed-end 
investment company that operates for the purpose of making 
investments in securities described in Section 55(a)(1) through 
55(a)(3) and makes available significant managerial assistance with 
respect to the issuers of such securities.
    \5\ ``Board'' means (i) with respect to a Regulated Fund other 
than a BDC Downstream Fund, the board of directors (or the 
equivalent) of the applicable Regulated Fund and (ii) with respect 
to a BDC Downstream Fund, the Independent Party of the BDC 
Downstream Fund. ``Independent Party'' means, with respect to a BDC 
Downstream Fund, (i) if the BDC Downstream Fund has a board of 
directors (or the equivalent), the board or (ii) if the BDC 
Downstream Fund does not have a board of directors (or the 
equivalent), a transaction committee or advisory committee of the 
BDC Downstream Fund.
    \6\ ``Independent Director'' means a member of the Board of any 
relevant entity who is not an ``interested person'' as defined in 
Section 2(a)(19) of the Act. No Independent Director of a Regulated 
Fund (including any non-interested member of an Independent Party) 
will have a financial interest in any Co-Investment Transaction, 
other than indirectly through share ownership in one of the 
Regulated Funds.
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    3. Management, a Delaware limited liability company that is 
registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the ``Advisers 
Act''), serves as the investment adviser to the Company.
    4. The Existing Affiliated Funds are the investment funds 
identified in Appendix A to the application. Applicants represent that 
each Existing Affiliated Fund is a separate and distinct legal entity 
and each would be an investment company but for Section 3(c)(1), 
3(c)(5)(C) or 3(c)(7) of the Act.
    5. SPC, Specialty Credit II Management, Silver Star Management, 
Funding Management and Distressed Opportunities Management are the 
investment advisers to the Existing Affiliated Funds. SPC is registered 
as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act. Specialty Credit II 
Management is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SPC and is a relying adviser 
under the Advisers Act through a single registration with SPC. Silver 
Star Management is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SPC and is a relying 
adviser under the Advisers Act through a single registration with SPC. 
Funding Management is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SPC and will be a 
relying adviser under the Advisers Act through a single registration 
with SPC prior to relying on the Order. Distressed Opportunities 
Management is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SPC and is a relying adviser 
under the Advisers Act through a single registration with SPC.
    6. Applicants state that a Regulated Fund may, from time to time, 
form one or more Wholly-Owned Investment Subs.\7\ Such a subsidiary may 
be prohibited from investing in a Co-Investment Transaction with a 
Regulated Fund (other than its parent) or any Affiliated Fund because 
it would be a company controlled by its parent Regulated Fund for 
purposes of Section 57(a)(4) and Rule 17d-1. Applicants request that 
each Wholly-Owned Investment Sub be permitted to participate in Co-
Investment Transactions in lieu of the applicable parent Regulated Fund 
that owns it and that the Wholly-Owned Investment Sub's participation 
in any such transaction be treated, for purposes of the Order, as 
though the parent Regulated Fund were participating directly. 
Applicants represent that this treatment is justified because a Wholly-
Owned Investment Sub would have no purpose other than serving as a 
holding vehicle for the Regulated Fund's investments and, therefore, no 
conflicts of interest could arise between the parent Regulated Fund and 
the Wholly-Owned Investment Sub. The Board of the parent Regulated Fund 
would make all relevant determinations under the Conditions with regard 
to a Wholly-Owned Investment Sub's participation in a Co-Investment 
Transaction, and the Board would be informed of, and take into 
consideration, any proposed use of a Wholly-Owned Investment Sub in the 
Regulated Fund's place. If the parent Regulated Fund proposes to 
participate in the same Co-Investment Transaction with any of its 
Wholly-Owned Investment Subs, the Board of the parent Regulated Fund 
will also be informed of, and take into consideration, the relative 
participation of the Regulated Fund and the Wholly-Owned Investment 
Sub.
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    \7\ ``Wholly-Owned Investment Sub'' means an entity (i) that is 
wholly-owned by a Regulated Fund (with such Regulated Fund at all 
times holding, beneficially and of record, 100% of the voting and 
economic interests); (ii) whose sole business purpose is to hold one 
or more investments on behalf of such Regulated Fund (and, in the 
case of a SBIC Subsidiary (defined below), maintain a license under 
the SBA Act (defined below) and issue debentures guaranteed by the 
SBA (defined below)); (iii) with respect to which such Regulated 
Fund's Board has the sole authority to make all determinations with 
respect to the entity's participation under the Conditions to the 
application; and (iv) that would be an investment company but for 
Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act. The term ``SBIC Subsidiary'' 
means a Wholly-Owned Investment Sub that is licensed by the Small 
Business Administration (the ``SBA'') to operate under the Small 
Business Investment Act of 1958, as amended, (the ``SBA Act'') as a 
small business investment company (an ``SBIC'').
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Applicants' Representations

A. Allocation Process

    7. Applicants state that the Adviser is presented with numerous 
investment opportunities each year on behalf of its clients and the 
Adviser will determine how to allocate those opportunities in a manner 
that, over time, is fair and equitable to all of its clients, and 
without violating the prohibitions on joint transactions included in 
Rule 17d-1 and Section 57(a)(4) of the Act. Such investment 
opportunities may be Potential Co-Investment Transactions.
    8. Applicants represent that the Adviser has established processes 
for allocating initial investment opportunities, opportunities for 
subsequent investments in an issuer and dispositions of securities 
holdings reasonably designed to treat all clients fairly and equitably. 
Further, Applicants represent that these processes will be extended and 
modified in a manner reasonably designed to ensure that the additional 
transactions permitted under the Order will both (i) be fair and 
equitable to the Regulated Funds and the Affiliated Funds and (ii) 
comply with the Conditions contained in the Order.
    9. Specifically, applicants state that the Advisers are organized 
and managed such that the portfolio managers and analysts (``Investment 
Teams''), responsible for evaluating investment opportunities and 
making investment decisions on behalf of clients are promptly notified 
of the opportunities. If the requested Order is granted, the Advisers 
will establish, maintain and implement policies and procedures 
reasonably designed to ensure that, when such opportunities arise, the 
Advisers to the relevant Regulated Funds are promptly notified and 
receive the same information about the opportunity as any other 
Advisers considering the opportunity for their clients. In particular, 
consistent with Condition 1, if a Potential Co-Investment Transaction 
falls within the then-current Objectives and Strategies \8\ and any 
Board-Established Criteria \9\ of a

[[Page 3618]]

Regulated Fund, the policies and procedures will require that the 
relevant Investment Team responsible for that Regulated Fund receive 
sufficient information to allow the Regulated Fund's Adviser to make 
its independent determination and recommendations under the Conditions.
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    \8\ ``Objectives and Strategies'' means (i) with respect to any 
Regulated Fund other than a BDC Downstream Fund, its investment 
objectives and strategies, as described in its most current 
registration statement on Form N-2, other current filings with the 
Commission under the Securities Act or under the Securities Exchange 
Act of 1934, as amended, and its most current report to stockholders 
and (ii) with respect to a BDC Downstream Fund, those investment 
objectives and strategies described in its disclosure documents 
(including private placement memoranda and reports to equity 
holders) and organizational documents (including operating 
agreements).
    \9\ ``Board-Established Criteria'' means criteria that the Board 
of a Regulated Fund may establish from time to time to describe the 
characteristics of Potential Co-Investment Transactions regarding 
which the Adviser to such Regulated Fund should be notified under 
Condition 1. The Board-Established Criteria will be consistent with 
the Regulated Fund's Objectives and Strategies. If no Board-
Established Criteria are in effect, then the Regulated Fund's 
Adviser will be notified of all Potential Co-Investment Transactions 
that fall within the Regulated Fund's then-current Objectives and 
Strategies. Board-Established Criteria will be objective and 
testable, meaning that they will be based on observable information, 
such as industry/sector of the issuer, minimum earnings before 
interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization, 
or ``EBITDA,'' of the issuer, asset class of the investment 
opportunity or required commitment size, and not on characteristics 
that involve a discretionary assessment. The Adviser to the 
Regulated Fund may from time to time recommend criteria for the 
Board's consideration, but Board-Established Criteria will only 
become effective if approved by a majority of the Independent 
Directors. The Independent Directors of a Regulated Fund may at any 
time rescind, suspend or qualify its approval of any Board-
Established Criteria, though the Applicants anticipate that, under 
normal circumstances, the Board would not modify these criteria more 
often than quarterly.
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    10. The Adviser to each applicable Regulated Fund, working through 
the applicable Investment Team, will then make an independent 
determination of the appropriateness of the investment for the 
Regulated Fund in light of the Regulated Fund's then-current 
circumstances. If the Adviser to a Regulated Fund deems the Regulated 
Fund's participation in such Potential Co-Investment Transaction to be 
appropriate, then it will, working through the applicable Investment 
Team, formulate a recommendation regarding the proposed order amount 
for the Regulated Fund.
    11. Applicants state that, for each Regulated Fund and Affiliated 
Fund whose Adviser recommends participating in a Potential Co-
Investment Transaction, the Adviser will submit a proposed order amount 
to the internal allocation committee, which the Adviser will establish 
to handle the allocation of investment opportunities in Potential Co-
Investment Transactions (``Co-Investment Transaction Allocation 
Committee''). Applicants state further that each proposed order amount 
may be reviewed and adjusted, in accordance with the Advisers' written 
allocation policies and procedures, by the Co-Investment Transaction 
Allocation Committee.\10\ The order of a Regulated Fund or Affiliated 
Fund resulting from this process is referred to as its ``Internal 
Order''. The Internal Order will be submitted for approval by the 
Required Majority of any participating Regulated Funds in accordance 
with the Conditions.\11\
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    \10\ The reason for any such adjustment to a proposed order 
amount will be documented in writing and preserved in the records of 
the Advisers.
    \11\ ``Required Majority'' means a required majority, as defined 
in Section 57(o) of the Act. In the case of a Regulated Fund that is 
a registered closed-end fund, the Board members that make up the 
Required Majority will be determined as if the Regulated Fund were a 
BDC subject to Section 57(o). In the case of a BDC Downstream Fund 
with a board of directors (or the equivalent), the members that make 
up the Required Majority will be determined as if the BDC Downstream 
Fund were a BDC subject to Section 57(o). In the case of a BDC 
Downstream Fund with a transaction committee or advisory committee, 
the committee members that make up the Required Majority will be 
determined as if the BDC Downstream Fund were a BDC subject to 
Section 57(o) and as if the committee members were directors of the 
fund.
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    12. If the aggregate Internal Orders for a Potential Co-Investment 
Transaction do not exceed the size of the investment opportunity 
immediately prior to the submission of the orders to the underwriter, 
broker, dealer or issuer, as applicable (the ``External Submission''), 
then each Internal Order will be fulfilled as placed. If, on the other 
hand, the aggregate Internal Orders for a Potential Co-Investment 
Transaction exceed the size of the investment opportunity immediately 
prior to the External Submission, then the allocation of the 
opportunity will be made pro rata on the basis of the size of the 
Internal Orders.\12\ If, subsequent to such External Submission, the 
size of the opportunity is increased or decreased, or if the terms of 
such opportunity, or the facts and circumstances applicable to the 
Regulated Funds' or the Affiliated Funds' consideration of the 
opportunity, change, the participants will be permitted to submit 
revised Internal Orders in accordance with written allocation policies 
and procedures that the Advisers will establish, implement and 
maintain.\13\
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    \12\ The Advisers will maintain records of all proposed order 
amounts, Internal Orders and External Submissions in conjunction 
with Potential Co-Investment Transactions. Each applicable Adviser 
will provide the Eligible Directors with information concerning the 
Affiliated Funds' and Regulated Funds' order sizes to assist the 
Eligible Directors with their review of the applicable Regulated 
Fund's investments for compliance with the Conditions. ``Eligible 
Directors'' means, with respect to a Regulated Fund and a Potential 
Co-Investment Transaction, the members of the Regulated Fund's Board 
eligible to vote on that Potential Co-Investment Transaction under 
Section 57(o) of the Act.
    \13\ However, if the size of the opportunity is decreased such 
that the aggregate of the original Internal Orders would exceed the 
amount of the remaining investment opportunity, then upon submitting 
any revised order amount to the Board of a Regulated Fund for 
approval, the Adviser to the Regulated Fund will also notify the 
Board promptly of the amount that the Regulated Fund would receive 
if the remaining investment opportunity were allocated pro rata on 
the basis of the size of the original Internal Orders. The Board of 
the Regulated Fund will then either approve or disapprove of the 
investment opportunity in accordance with condition 2, 6, 7, 8 or 9, 
as applicable.
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B. Follow-On Investments

    13. Applicants state that from time to time the Regulated Funds and 
Affiliated Funds may have opportunities to make Follow-On Investments 
\14\ in an issuer in which a Regulated Fund and one or more other 
Regulated Funds and/or Affiliated Funds previously have invested and 
continue to hold an investment.
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    \14\ ``Follow-On Investment'' means an additional investment in 
the same issuer, including, but not limited to, through the exercise 
of warrants, conversion privileges or other rights to purchase 
securities of the issuer.
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    14. Applicants propose that Follow-On Investments would be divided 
into two categories depending on whether the Regulated Funds and 
Affiliated Funds holding investments in the issuer previously 
participated in a Co-Investment Transaction with respect to the issuer 
and continue to hold any securities acquired in a Co-Investment 
Transaction for that issuer. If the Regulated Funds and Affiliated 
Funds had previously participated in a Co-Investment Transaction with 
respect to the issuer, then the terms and approval of the Follow-On 
Investment would be subject to the Standard Review Follow-Ons described 
in Condition 8. If the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds have not 
previously participated in a Co-Investment Transaction with respect to 
the issuer but hold a Pre-Boarding Investment, then the terms and 
approval of the Follow-On Investment would be subject to the Enhanced-
Review Follow-Ons described in Condition 9.\15\ All Enhanced Review 
Follow-Ons require the approval of the Required Majority. For a given 
issuer, the participating Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds would 
need to comply with the requirements of Enhanced-Review Follow-Ons only 
for the first Co-Investment Transaction. Subsequent Co-Investment 
Transactions with respect to the issuer would be governed by the 
requirements of Standard Review Follow-Ons.
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    \15\ ``Pre-Boarding Investments'' are investments in an issuer 
held by a Regulated Fund as well as one or more Affiliated Funds 
and/or one or more other Regulated Funds that were acquired prior to 
participating in any Co-Investment Transaction: (i) In transactions 
in which the only term negotiated by or on behalf of such funds was 
price in reliance on one of the JT No-Action Letters (defined 
below); or (ii) in transactions occurring at least 90 days apart and 
without coordination between the Regulated Fund and any Affiliated 
Fund or other Regulated Fund.

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[[Page 3619]]

    15. A Regulated Fund would be permitted to invest in Standard 
Review Follow-Ons either with the approval of the Required Majority 
under Condition 8(c) or without Board approval under Condition 8(b) if 
it is (i) a Pro Rata Follow-On Investment \16\ or (ii) a Non-Negotiated 
Follow-On Investment.\17\ Applicants believe that these Pro Rata and 
Non-Negotiated Follow-On Investments do not present a significant 
opportunity for overreaching on the part of any Adviser and thus do not 
warrant the time or the attention of the Board. Pro Rata Follow-On 
Investments and Non-Negotiated Follow-On Investments remain subject to 
the Board's periodic review in accordance with Condition 10.
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    \16\ A ``Pro Rata Follow-On Investment'' is a Follow-On 
Investment (i) in which the participation of each Affiliated Fund 
and each Regulated Fund is proportionate to its outstanding 
investments in the issuer or security, as appropriate, immediately 
preceding the Follow-On Investment, and (ii) in the case of a 
Regulated Fund, a majority of the Board has approved the Regulated 
Fund's participation in the pro rata Follow-On Investments as being 
in the best interests of the Regulated Fund. The Regulated Fund's 
Board may refuse to approve, or at any time rescind, suspend or 
qualify, their approval of Pro Rata Follow-On Investments, in which 
case all subsequent Follow-On Investments will be submitted to the 
Regulated Fund's Eligible Directors in accordance with Condition 
8(c).
    \17\ A ``Non-Negotiated Follow-On Investment'' is a Follow-On 
Investment in which a Regulated Fund participates together with one 
or more Affiliated Funds and/or one or more other Regulated Funds 
(i) in which the only term negotiated by or on behalf of the funds 
is price and (ii) with respect to which, if the transaction were 
considered on its own, the funds would be entitled to rely on one of 
the JT No-Action Letters. ``JT No-Action Letters'' means SMC 
Capital, Inc., SEC No-Action Letter (pub. avail. Sept. 5, 1995) and 
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, SEC No-Action Letter 
(pub. avail. June 7, 2000).
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C. Dispositions

    16. Applicants propose that Dispositions \18\ would be divided into 
two categories. If the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds holding 
investments in the issuer had previously participated in a Co-
Investment Transaction with respect to the issuer and continue to hold 
any securities acquired in a Co-Investment Transaction for such issuer, 
then the terms and approval of the Disposition would be subject to the 
Standard Review Dispositions described in Condition 6. If the Regulated 
Funds and Affiliated Funds have not previously participated in a Co-
Investment Transaction with respect to the issuer, then the terms and 
approval of the Disposition would be subject to the Enhanced Review 
Dispositions described in Condition 7. Subsequent Dispositions with 
respect to the same issuer would be governed by Condition 6 under the 
Standard Review Dispositions.\19\
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    \18\ ``Disposition'' means the sale, exchange or other 
disposition of an interest in a security of an issuer.
    \19\ However, with respect to an issuer, if a Regulated Fund's 
first Co-Investment Transaction is an Enhanced Review Disposition, 
and the Regulated Fund does not dispose of its entire position in 
the Enhanced Review Disposition, then before such Regulated Fund may 
complete its first Standard Review Follow-On in such issuer, the 
Eligible Directors must review the proposed Follow-On Investment not 
only on a stand-alone basis but also in relation to the total 
economic exposure in such issuer (i.e., in combination with the 
portion of the Pre-Boarding Investment not disposed of in the 
Enhanced Review Disposition), and the other terms of the 
investments. This additional review would be required because such 
findings would not have been required in connection with the prior 
Enhanced Review Disposition, but they would have been required had 
the first Co-Investment Transaction been an Enhanced Review Follow-
On.
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    17. A Regulated Fund may participate in a Standard Review 
Disposition either with the approval of the Required Majority under 
Condition 6(d) or without Board approval under Condition 6(c) if (i) 
the Disposition is a Pro Rata Disposition \20\ or (ii) the securities 
are Tradable Securities \21\ and the Disposition meets the other 
requirements of Condition 6(c)(ii). Pro Rata Dispositions and 
Dispositions of a Tradable Security remain subject to the Board's 
periodic review in accordance with Condition 10.
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    \20\ A ``Pro Rata Disposition'' is a Disposition (i) in which 
the participation of each Affiliated Fund and each Regulated Fund is 
proportionate to its outstanding investment in the security subject 
to Disposition immediately preceding the Disposition; and (ii) in 
the case of a Regulated Fund, a majority of the Board has approved 
the Regulated Fund's participation in pro rata Dispositions as being 
in the best interests of the Regulated Fund. The Regulated Fund's 
Board may refuse to approve, or at any time rescind, suspend or 
qualify, their approval of Pro Rata Dispositions, in which case all 
subsequent Dispositions will be submitted to the Regulated Fund's 
Eligible Directors.
    \21\ ``Tradable Security'' means a security that meets the 
following criteria at the time of Disposition: (i) It trades on a 
national securities exchange or designated offshore securities 
market as defined in rule 902(b) under the Securities Act; (ii) it 
is not subject to restrictive agreements with the issuer or other 
security holders; and (iii) it trades with sufficient volume and 
liquidity (findings as to which are documented by the Advisers to 
any Regulated Funds holding investments in the issuer and retained 
for the life of the Regulated Fund) to allow each Regulated Fund to 
dispose of its entire position remaining after the proposed 
Disposition within a short period of time not exceeding 30 days at 
approximately the value (as defined by Section 2(a)(41) of the Act) 
at which the Regulated Fund has valued the investment.
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D. Delayed Settlement

    18. Applicants represent that under the terms and Conditions of the 
Application, all Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds participating in 
a Co-Investment Transaction will invest at the same time, for the same 
price and with the same terms, conditions, class, registration rights 
and any other rights, so that none of them receives terms more 
favorable than any other. However, the settlement date for an 
Affiliated Fund in a Co-Investment Transaction may occur up to ten 
business days after the settlement date for the Regulated Fund, and 
vice versa.\22\ Nevertheless, in all cases, (i) the date on which the 
commitment of the Affiliated Funds and Regulated Funds is made will be 
the same even where the settlement date is not and (ii) the earliest 
settlement date and the latest settlement date of any Affiliated Fund 
or Regulated Fund participating in the transaction will occur within 
ten business days of each other.
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    \22\ Applicants state this may occur for two reasons. First, 
when the Affiliated Fund or Regulated Fund is not yet fully funded 
because, when the Affiliated Fund or Regulated Fund desires to make 
an investment, it must call capital from its investors to obtain the 
financing to make the investment, and in these instances, the notice 
requirement to call capital could be as much as ten business days. 
Second, where, for tax or regulatory reasons, an Affiliated Fund or 
Regulated Fund does not purchase new issuances immediately upon 
issuance but only after a short seasoning period of up to ten 
business days.
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E. Holders

    19. 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 Fund (the ``Shares''), then 
the Holders will vote such Shares as directed by an independent third 
party when voting on matters specified in Condition 15. Applicants 
believe that this Condition will ensure that the Independent Directors 
will act independently in evaluating Co-Investment Transactions, 
because the ability of the Adviser or its principals to influence the 
Independent Directors by a suggestion, explicit or implied, that the 
Independent Directors can be removed will be limited significantly. The 
Independent Directors shall evaluate and approve any independent party, 
taking into account its qualifications, reputation for independence, 
cost to the 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 
participation by a registered investment company and an affiliated 
person in any ``joint enterprise or other joint arrangement or profit-
sharing plan,'' as defined in the rule, without prior approval by the 
Commission by order

[[Page 3620]]

upon application. Section 17(d) of the Act and rule 17d-1 under the Act 
are applicable to Regulated Funds that are registered closed-end 
investment companies.
    2. Similarly, with regard to BDCs, section 57(a)(4) of the Act 
generally prohibits certain persons specified in section 57(b) from 
participating in joint transactions with the BDC or a company 
controlled by the BDC in contravention of rules as prescribed by the 
Commission. Section 57(i) of the Act provides that, until the 
Commission prescribes rules under section 57(a)(4), the Commission's 
rules under section 17(d) of the Act applicable to registered closed-
end investment companies will be deemed to apply to transactions 
subject to section 57(a)(4). Because the Commission has not adopted any 
rules under section 57(a)(4), rule 17d-1 also applies to joint 
transactions with Regulated Funds that are BDCs.
    3. Co-Investment Transactions are prohibited by either or both of 
Rule 17d-1 and Section 57(a)(4) without a prior exemptive order of the 
Commission to the extent that the Affiliated Funds and the Regulated 
Funds participating in such transactions fall within the category of 
persons described by Rule 17d-1 and/or Section 57(b), as applicable, 
vis-[agrave]-vis each participating Regulated Fund. Each of the 
participating Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds may be deemed to be 
affiliated persons vis-[agrave]-vis a Regulated Fund within the meaning 
of Section 2(a)(3) by reason of common control because (i) an Existing 
Adviser is the investment adviser (and sub-adviser, if any) to, and may 
be deemed to control, each of the Existing Affiliated Funds, and an 
Adviser to Affiliated Funds will be the investment adviser (and sub-
adviser, if any) to, and may be deemed to control, any other Affiliated 
Fund; (ii) an Existing Adviser is the investment adviser (and sub-
adviser, if any) to, and may be deemed to control, the Company and an 
Adviser will be the investment adviser (and sub-adviser, if any) to, 
and may be deemed to control, any Future Regulated Fund; (iii) each BDC 
Downstream Fund will be deemed to be controlled by its BDC parent and/
or its BDC parent's investment adviser; and (iv) the Advisers to 
Affiliated Funds and the Advisers to Regulated Funds are under common 
control. Thus, each of the Affiliated Funds could be deemed to be a 
person related to the Regulated Funds, including any BDC Downstream 
Fund, in a manner described by Section 57(b) and related to the other 
Regulated Funds in a manner described by Rule 17d-1; and therefore the 
prohibitions of Rule 17d-1 and Section 57(a)(4) would apply 
respectively to prohibit the Affiliated Funds from participating in Co-
Investment. Transactions with the Regulated Funds.
    4. In passing upon applications under rule 17d-1, the 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.
    5. Applicants state that in the absence of the requested relief, in 
many circumstances the Regulated Funds would be limited in their 
ability to participate in attractive and appropriate investment 
opportunities. Applicants state that, as required by Rule 17d-1(b), the 
Conditions ensure that the terms on which Co-Investment Transactions 
may be made will be consistent with the participation of the Regulated 
Funds being on a basis that it is neither different from nor less 
advantageous than other participants, thus protecting the equity 
holders of any participant from being disadvantaged. Applicants further 
state that the Conditions ensure that all Co-Investment Transactions 
are reasonable and fair to the Regulated Funds and their shareholders 
and do not involve overreaching by any person concerned, including the 
Advisers. Applicants state that the Regulated Funds' participation in 
the Co-Investment Transactions in accordance with the Conditions will 
be consistent with the provisions, policies, and purposes of the Act 
and would be done in a manner 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. Identification and Referral of Potential Co-Investment 
Transactions.
    (a) The Advisers will establish, maintain and implement policies 
and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that each Adviser is 
promptly notified of all Potential Co-Investment Transactions that fall 
within the then-current Objectives and Strategies and Board-Established 
Criteria of any Regulated Fund the Adviser manages.
    (b) When an Adviser to a Regulated Fund is notified of a Potential 
Co-Investment Transaction under Condition 1(a), the Adviser will make 
an independent determination of the appropriateness of the investment 
for the Regulated Fund in light of the Regulated Fund's then-current 
circumstances.
    2. Board Approvals of Co-Investment Transactions.
    (a) If the Adviser deems a Regulated Fund's participation in any 
Potential Co-Investment Transaction to be appropriate for the Regulated 
Fund, it will then determine an appropriate level of investment for the 
Regulated Fund.
    (b) If the aggregate amount recommended by the Advisers to be 
invested in the Potential Co-Investment Transaction by the 
participating Regulated Funds and any participating Affiliated Funds, 
collectively, exceeds the amount of the investment opportunity, the 
investment opportunity will be allocated among them pro rata based on 
the size of the Internal Orders, as described in Section III.A.1.b. of 
the application. Each Adviser to a participating Regulated Fund will 
promptly notify and provide the Eligible Directors with information 
concerning the Affiliated Funds' and Regulated Funds' order sizes to 
assist the Eligible Directors with their review of the applicable 
Regulated Fund's investments for compliance with these Conditions.
    (c) After making the determinations required in Condition 1(b) 
above, each Adviser to a participating Regulated Fund will distribute 
written information concerning the Potential Co-Investment Transaction 
(including the amount proposed to be invested by each participating 
Regulated Fund and each participating Affiliated Fund) to the Eligible 
Directors of its participating Regulated Fund(s) for their 
consideration. A Regulated Fund will enter into a Co-Investment 
Transaction with one or more other Regulated Funds or Affiliated Funds 
only if, prior to the Regulated Fund's participation in the Potential 
Co-Investment Transaction, a Required Majority concludes that:
    (i) The terms of the transaction, including the consideration to be 
paid, are reasonable and fair to the Regulated Fund and its equity 
holders and do not involve overreaching in respect of the Regulated 
Fund or its equity holders on the part of any person concerned;
    (ii) the transaction is consistent with:
    (A) The interests of the Regulated Fund's equity holders; and
    (B) the Regulated Fund's then-current Objectives and Strategies;
    (iii) the investment by any other Regulated Fund(s) or Affiliated 
Fund(s) would not disadvantage the Regulated Fund, and participation by 
the Regulated Fund would not be on a basis different from, or less 
advantageous than, that of any other Regulated Fund(s) or Affiliated 
Fund(s) participating in the transaction; provided that the Required 
Majority

[[Page 3621]]

shall not be prohibited from reaching the conclusions required by this 
Condition 2(c)(iii) if:
    (A) The settlement date for another Regulated Fund or an Affiliated 
Fund in a Co-Investment Transaction is later than the settlement date 
for the Regulated Fund by no more than ten business days or earlier 
than the settlement date for the Regulated Fund by no more than ten 
business days, in either case, so long as: (x) The date on which the 
commitment of the Affiliated Funds and Regulated Funds is made is the 
same; and (y) the earliest settlement date and the latest settlement 
date of any Affiliated Fund or Regulated Fund participating in the 
transaction will occur within ten business days of each other; or
    (B) any other Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund, but not the 
Regulated Fund itself, gains the right to nominate a director for 
election to a portfolio company's board of directors, the right to have 
a board observer or any similar right to participate in the governance 
or management of the portfolio company so long as: (x) The Eligible 
Directors will have the right to ratify the selection of such director 
or board observer, if any; (y) the Adviser agrees to, and does, provide 
periodic reports to the Regulated Fund's Board 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 (z) any fees or other compensation that any other Regulated Fund or 
Affiliated Fund or any affiliated person of any other Regulated Fund or 
Affiliated Fund receives in connection with the right of one or more 
Regulated Funds or Affiliated Funds 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 any participating Affiliated Funds (who may, in turn, share their 
portion with their affiliated persons) and any participating Regulated 
Fund(s) in accordance with the amount of each such party's investment; 
and
    (iv) the proposed investment by the Regulated Fund will not involve 
compensation, remuneration or a direct or indirect \23\ financial 
benefit to the Advisers, any other Regulated Fund, 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 14, (B) to the extent permitted by Section 17(e) or 57(k), 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)(B)(z).
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    \23\ For example, procuring the Regulated Fund's investment in a 
Potential Co-Investment Transaction to permit an affiliate to 
complete or obtain better terms in a separate transaction would 
constitute an indirect financial benefit.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Right to Decline. Each Regulated Fund has the right to decline 
to participate in any Potential Co-Investment Transaction or to invest 
less than the amount proposed.
    4. General Limitation. Except for Follow-On Investments made in 
accordance with Conditions 8 and 9 below,\24\ a Regulated Fund will not 
invest in reliance on the Order in any issuer in which a Related Party 
has an investment.\25\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \24\ This exception applies only to Follow-On Investments by a 
Regulated Fund in issuers in which that Regulated Fund already holds 
investments.
    \25\ ``Related Party'' means (i) any Close Affiliate and (ii) in 
respect of matters as to which any Adviser has knowledge, any Remote 
Affiliate. ``Close Affiliate'' means the Advisers, the Regulated 
Funds, the Affiliated Funds and any other person described in 
Section 57(b) (after giving effect to Rule 57b-1) in respect of any 
Regulated Fund (treating any registered investment company or series 
thereof as a BDC for this purpose) except for limited partners 
included solely by reason of the reference in Section 57(b) to 
Section 2(a)(3)(D). ``Remote Affiliate'' means any person described 
in Section 57(e) in respect of any Regulated Fund (treating any 
registered investment company or series thereof as a BDC for this 
purpose) and any limited partner holding 5% or more of the relevant 
limited partner interests that would be a Close Affiliate but for 
the exclusion in that definition.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    5. Same Terms and Conditions. A Regulated Fund will not participate 
in any Potential Co-Investment Transaction unless (i) the terms, 
conditions, price, class of securities to be purchased, date on which 
the commitment is entered into and registration rights (if any) will be 
the same for each participating Regulated Fund and Affiliated Fund and 
(ii) the earliest settlement date and the latest settlement date of any 
participating Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund will occur as close in 
time as practicable and in no event more than ten business days apart. 
The grant to one or more Regulated Funds or Affiliated Funds, but not 
the respective Regulated Fund, 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 5, if Condition 
2(c)(iii)(B) is met.
    6. Standard Review Dispositions.
    (a) General. If any Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund elects to 
sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of an interest in a security and 
one or more Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds have previously 
participated in a Co-Investment Transaction with respect to the issuer, 
then:
    (i) The Adviser to such Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund will 
notify each Regulated Fund that holds an investment in the issuer of 
the proposed Disposition at the earliest practical time; and
    (ii) the Adviser to each Regulated Fund that holds an investment in 
the issuer will formulate a recommendation as to participation by such 
Regulated Fund in the Disposition.
    (b) Same Terms and Conditions. Each Regulated Fund 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 Affiliated Funds and any other Regulated Fund.
    (c) No Board Approval Required. A Regulated Fund may participate in 
such a Disposition without obtaining prior approval of the Required 
Majority if:
    (i) (A) The participation of each Regulated Fund and Affiliated 
Fund in such Disposition is proportionate to its then-current holding 
of the security (or securities) of the issuer that is (or are) the 
subject of the Disposition; \26\ (B) the Board of the Regulated Fund 
has approved as being in the best interests of the Regulated Fund the 
ability to participate in such Dispositions on a pro rata basis (as 
described in greater detail in the application); and (C) the Board of 
the Regulated Fund is provided on a quarterly basis with a list of all 
Dispositions made in accordance with this Condition; or
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \26\ In the case of any Disposition, proportionality will be 
measured by each participating Regulated Fund's and Affiliated 
Fund's outstanding investment in the security in question 
immediately preceding the Disposition.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (ii) each security is a Tradable Security and (A) the Disposition 
is not to the issuer or any affiliated person of the issuer; and (B) 
the security is sold for cash in a transaction in which the only term 
negotiated by or on behalf of the participating Regulated Funds and 
Affiliated Funds is price.
    (d) Standard Board Approval. In all other cases, the Adviser will 
provide its written recommendation as to the Regulated Fund's 
participation to the Eligible Directors and the Regulated Fund will 
participate in such Disposition solely to the extent that a

[[Page 3622]]

Required Majority determines that it is in the Regulated Fund's best 
interests.
    7. Enhanced Review Dispositions.
    (a) General. If any Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund elects to 
sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of a Pre-Boarding Investment in a 
Potential Co-Investment Transaction and the Regulated Funds and 
Affiliated Funds have not previously participated in a Co-Investment 
Transaction with respect to the issuer:
    (i) The Adviser to such Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund will 
notify each Regulated Fund that holds an investment in the issuer of 
the proposed Disposition at the earliest practical time;
    (ii) the Adviser to each Regulated Fund that holds an investment in 
the issuer will formulate a recommendation as to participation by such 
Regulated Fund in the Disposition; and
    (iii) the Advisers will provide to the Board of each Regulated Fund 
that holds an investment in the issuer all information relating to the 
existing investments in the issuer of the Regulated Funds and 
Affiliated Funds, including the terms of such investments and how they 
were made, that is necessary for the Required Majority to make the 
findings required by this Condition.
    (b) Enhanced Board Approval. The Adviser will provide its written 
recommendation as to the Regulated Fund's participation to the Eligible 
Directors, and the Regulated Fund will participate in such Disposition 
solely to the extent that a Required Majority determines that:
    (i) The Disposition complies with Conditions 2(c)(i), (ii), 
(iii)(A), and (iv).
    (ii) The making and holding of the Pre-Boarding Investments were 
not prohibited by Section 57 or Rule 17d-1, as applicable, and records 
the basis for the finding in the Board minutes.
    (c) Additional Requirements. The Disposition may only be completed 
in reliance on the Order if:
    (i) Same Terms and Conditions. Each Regulated Fund has 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 
Affiliated Funds and any other Regulated Fund;
    (ii) Original Investments. All of the Affiliated Funds' and 
Regulated Funds' investments in the issuer are Pre-Boarding 
Investments;
    (iii) Advice of counsel. Independent counsel to the Board advises 
that the making and holding of the investments in the Pre-Boarding 
Investments were not prohibited by Section 57 (as modified by Rule 57b-
1) or Rule 17d-1, as applicable;
    (iv) Multiple Classes of Securities. All Regulated Funds and 
Affiliated Funds that hold Pre-Boarding Investments in the issuer 
immediately before the time of completion of the Co-Investment 
Transaction hold the same security or securities of the issuer. For the 
purpose of determining whether the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds 
hold the same security or securities, they may disregard any security 
held by some but not all of them if, prior to relying on the Order, the 
Required Majority is presented with all information necessary to make a 
finding, and finds, that: (x) Any Regulated Fund's or Affiliated Fund's 
holding of a different class of securities (including for this purpose 
a security with a different maturity date) is immaterial \27\ in 
amount, including immaterial relative to the size of the issuer; and 
(y) the Board records the basis for any such finding in its minutes. In 
addition, securities that differ only in respect of issuance date, 
currency, or denominations may be treated as the same security; and
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \27\ In determining whether a holding is ``immaterial'' for 
purposes of the Order, the Required Majority will consider whether 
the nature and extent of the interest in the transaction or 
arrangement is sufficiently small that a reasonable person would not 
believe that the interest affected the determination of whether to 
enter into the transaction or arrangement or the terms of the 
transaction or arrangement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (v) No control. The Affiliated Funds, the other Regulated Funds and 
their affiliated persons (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3)(C) of 
the Act), individually or in the aggregate, do not control the issuer 
of the securities (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(9) of the Act).
    8. Standard Review Follow-Ons.
    (a) General. If any Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund desires to 
make a Follow-On Investment in an issuer and the Regulated Funds and 
Affiliated Funds holding investments in the issuer previously 
participated in a Co-Investment Transaction with respect to the issuer:
    (i) The Adviser to each such Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund will 
notify each Regulated Fund that holds securities of the portfolio 
company of the proposed transaction at the earliest practical time; and
    (ii) the Adviser to each Regulated Fund that holds an investment in 
the issuer will formulate a recommendation as to the proposed 
participation, including the amount of the proposed investment, by such 
Regulated Fund.
    (b) No Board Approval Required. A Regulated Fund may participate in 
the Follow-On Investment without obtaining prior approval of the 
Required Majority if:
    (i) (A) The proposed participation of each Regulated Fund and each 
Affiliated Fund in such investment is proportionate to its outstanding 
investments in the issuer or the security at issue, as appropriate,\28\ 
immediately preceding the Follow-On Investment; and (B) the Board of 
the Regulated Fund has approved as being in the best interests of the 
Regulated Fund the ability to participate in Follow-On Investments on a 
pro rata basis (as described in greater detail in the Application); or
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \28\ To the extent that a Follow-On Investment opportunity is in 
a security or arises in respect of a security held by the 
participating Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds, proportionality 
will be measured by each participating Regulated Fund's and 
Affiliated Fund's outstanding investment in the security in question 
immediately preceding the Follow-On Investment using the most recent 
available valuation thereof. To the extent that a Follow-On 
Investment opportunity relates to an opportunity to invest in a 
security that is not in respect of any security held by any of the 
participating Regulated Funds or Affiliated Funds, proportionality 
will be measured by each participating Regulated Fund's and 
Affiliated Fund's outstanding investment in the issuer immediately 
preceding the Follow-On Investment using the most recent available 
valuation thereof.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (ii) it is a Non-Negotiated Follow-On Investment.
    (c) Standard Board Approval. In all other cases, the Adviser will 
provide its written recommendation as to the Regulated Fund's 
participation to the Eligible Directors and the Regulated Fund will 
participate in such Follow-On Investment solely to the extent that a 
Required Majority makes the determinations set forth in Condition 2(c). 
If the only previous Co-Investment Transaction with respect to the 
issuer was an Enhanced Review Disposition the Eligible Directors must 
complete this review of the proposed Follow-On Investment both on a 
stand-alone basis and together with the Pre-Boarding Investments in 
relation to the total economic exposure and other terms of the 
investment.
    (d) Allocation. If, with respect to any such Follow-On Investment:
    (i) The amount of the opportunity proposed to be made available to 
any Regulated Fund is not based on the Regulated Funds' and the 
Affiliated Funds' outstanding investments in the issuer or the security 
at issue, as appropriate, immediately preceding the Follow-On 
Investment; and
    (ii) the aggregate amount recommended by the Advisers to be 
invested in the Follow-On Investment by the participating Regulated 
Funds and any participating Affiliated Funds, collectively, exceeds the 
amount of the investment opportunity,


[[Page 3623]]


then the Follow-On Investment opportunity will be allocated among them 
pro rata based on the size of the Internal Orders, as described in 
Section III.A.1.b. of the application.
    (e) Other Conditions. 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. Enhanced Review Follow-Ons.
    (a) General. If any Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund desires to 
make a Follow-On Investment in an issuer that is a Potential Co-
Investment Transaction and the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds 
holding investments in the issuer have not previously participated in a 
Co-Investment Transaction with respect to the issuer:
    (i) The Adviser to each such Regulated Fund or Affiliated Fund will 
notify each Regulated Fund that holds securities of the portfolio 
company of the proposed transaction at the earliest practical time;
    (ii) the Adviser to each Regulated Fund that holds an investment in 
the issuer will formulate a recommendation as to the proposed 
participation, including the amount of the proposed investment, by such 
Regulated Fund; and
    (iii) the Advisers will provide to the Board of each Regulated Fund 
that holds an investment in the issuer all information relating to the 
existing investments in the issuer of the Regulated Funds and 
Affiliated Funds, including the terms of such investments and how they 
were made, that is necessary for the Required Majority to make the 
findings required by this Condition.
    (b) Enhanced Board Approval. The Adviser will provide its written 
recommendation as to the Regulated Fund's participation to the Eligible 
Directors, and the Regulated Fund will participate in such Follow-On 
Investment solely to the extent that a Required Majority reviews the 
proposed Follow-On Investment both on a stand-alone basis and together 
with the Pre-Boarding Investments in relation to the total economic 
exposure and other terms and makes the determinations set forth in 
Condition 2(c). In addition, the Follow-On Investment may only be 
completed in reliance on the Order if the Required Majority of each 
participating Regulated Fund determines that the making and holding of 
the Pre-Boarding Investments were not prohibited by Section 57 (as 
modified by Rule 57b-1) or Rule 17d-1, as applicable. The basis for the 
Board's findings will be recorded in its minutes.
    (c) Additional Requirements. The Follow-On Investment may only be 
completed in reliance on the Order if:
    (i) Original Investments. All of the Affiliated Funds' and 
Regulated Funds' investments in the issuer are Pre-Boarding 
Investments;
    (ii) Advice of counsel. Independent counsel to the Board advises 
that the making and holding of the investments in the Pre-Boarding 
Investments were not prohibited by Section 57 (as modified by Rule 57b-
1) or Rule 17d-1, as applicable;
    (iii) Multiple Classes of Securities. All Regulated Funds and 
Affiliated Funds that hold Pre-Boarding Investments in the issuer 
immediately before the time of completion of the Co-Investment 
Transaction hold the same security or securities of the issuer. For the 
purpose of determining whether the Regulated Funds and Affiliated Funds 
hold the same security or securities, they may disregard any security 
held by some but not all of them if, prior to relying on the Order, the 
Required Majority is presented with all information necessary to make a 
finding, and finds, that: (x) Any Regulated Fund's or Affiliated Fund's 
holding of a different class of securities (including for this purpose 
a security with a different maturity date) is immaterial in amount, 
including immaterial relative to the size of the issuer; and (y) the 
Board records the basis for any such finding in its minutes. In 
addition, securities that differ only in respect of issuance date, 
currency, or denominations may be treated as the same security; and
    (iv) No control. The Affiliated Funds, the other Regulated Funds 
and their affiliated persons (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3)(C) 
of the Act), individually or in the aggregate, do not control the 
issuer of the securities (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(9) of the 
Act).
    (d) Allocation. If, with respect to any such Follow-On Investment:
    (i) The amount of the opportunity proposed to be made available to 
any Regulated Fund is not based on the Regulated Funds' and the 
Affiliated Funds' outstanding investments in the issuer or the security 
at issue, as appropriate, immediately preceding the Follow-On 
Investment; and
    (ii) the aggregate amount recommended by the Advisers to be 
invested in the Follow-On Investment by the participating Regulated 
Funds and any participating Affiliated Funds, collectively, exceeds the 
amount of the investment opportunity,

then the Follow-On Investment opportunity will be allocated among them 
pro rata based on the size of the Internal Orders, as described in 
Section III.A.1.b. of the application.
    (e) Other Conditions. 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.
    10. Board Reporting, Compliance and Annual Re-Approval.
    (a) Each Adviser to a Regulated Fund will present to the Board of 
each Regulated Fund, on a quarterly basis, and at such other times as 
the Board may request, (i) a record of all investments in Potential Co-
Investment Transactions made by any of the other Regulated Funds or any 
of the Affiliated Funds during the preceding quarter that fell within 
the Regulated Fund's then-current Objectives and Strategies and Board-
Established Criteria that were not made available to the Regulated 
Fund, and an explanation of why such investment opportunities were not 
made available to the Regulated Fund; (ii) a record of all Follow-On 
Investments in and Dispositions of investments in any issuer in which 
the Regulated Fund holds any investments by any Affiliated Fund or 
other Regulated Fund during the prior quarter; and (iii) all 
information concerning Potential Co-Investment Transactions and Co-
Investment Transactions, including investments made by other Regulated 
Funds or Affiliated Funds that the Regulated Fund considered but 
declined to participate in, so that the Independent Directors may 
determine whether all Potential Co-Investment Transactions and Co-
Investment Transactions during the preceding quarter, including those 
investments that the Regulated Fund considered but declined to 
participate in, comply with the Conditions.
    (b) All information presented to the Regulated Fund's Board 
pursuant to this Condition will be kept for the life of the Regulated 
Fund and at least two years thereafter, and will be subject to 
examination by the Commission and its staff.
    (c) Each Regulated Fund's chief compliance officer, as defined in 
rule 38a-1(a)(4), will prepare an annual report for its Board each year 
that evaluates (and documents the basis of that evaluation) the 
Regulated Fund's compliance with the terms and Conditions of the 
application and the procedures established to achieve such compliance. 
In the case of a BDC Downstream Fund that does not have a chief 
compliance officer, the chief

[[Page 3624]]

compliance officer of the BDC that controls the BDC Downstream Fund 
will prepare the report for the relevant Independent Party.
    (d) The Independent Directors (including the non-interested members 
of each Independent Party) will consider at least annually whether 
continued participation in new and existing Co-Investment Transactions 
is in the Regulated Fund's best interests.
    11. Record Keeping. Each Regulated Fund will maintain the records 
required by Section 57(f)(3) of the Act as if each of the Regulated 
Funds were a BDC and each of the investments permitted under these 
Conditions were approved by the Required Majority under Section 57(f).
    12. Director Independence. No Independent Director of a Regulated 
Fund (including the non-interested members of any Independent Party) 
will also be a director, general partner, managing member or principal, 
or otherwise be an ``affiliated person'' (as defined in the Act) of any 
Affiliated Fund.
    13. Expenses. 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 the Advisers under 
their respective advisory agreements with the Regulated Funds and the 
Affiliated Funds, be shared by the Regulated Funds and the 
participating Affiliated Funds in proportion to the relative amounts of 
the securities held or being acquired or disposed of, as the case may 
be.
    14. Transaction Fees.\29\ Any transaction fee (including break-up, 
structuring, monitoring or commitment fees but excluding brokerage or 
underwriting compensation permitted by Section 17(e) or 57(k)) received 
in connection with any Co-Investment Transaction will be distributed to 
the participants 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 an Adviser pending 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), and the account will earn a competitive rate of 
interest that will also be divided pro rata among the participants. 
None of the Advisers, the Affiliated Funds, the other Regulated Funds 
or any affiliated person of the Affiliated Funds or the Regulated Funds 
will receive any additional compensation or remuneration of any kind as 
a result of or in connection with a Co-Investment Transaction other 
than (i) in the case of the Regulated Funds and the Affiliated Funds, 
the pro rata transaction fees described above and fees or other 
compensation described in Condition 2(c)(iii)(B)(z), (ii) brokerage or 
underwriting compensation permitted by Section 17(e) or 57(k) or (iii) 
in the case of the Advisers, investment advisory compensation paid in 
accordance with investment advisory agreements between the applicable 
Regulated Fund(s) or Affiliated Fund(s) and its Adviser.
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    \29\ Applicants are not requesting and the Commission is not 
providing any relief for transaction fees received in connection 
with any Co-Investment Transaction.
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    15. Independence. If the Holders own in the aggregate more than 25 
percent of the Shares of a Regulated Fund, then the Holders will vote 
such Shares in the same percentages as the Regulated Fund's other 
shareholders (not including the Holders) when voting on (1) the 
election of directors; (2) the removal of one or more directors; or (3) 
any other matter under either the Act or applicable State law affecting 
the Board's composition, size or manner of election.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management, 
under delegated authority.
J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-01292 Filed 1-21-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
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