Main Street Lending Program Frequently Asked Questions (May 27, 2020)
Summary
A version of the frequently asked questions on the Main Street Lending Program, including the Main Street New Loan Facility (MSNLF), the Main Street Priority Loan Facility (MSPLF) and the Main Street Expanded Loan Facility (MSELF), issued May 27, 2020. A notice at the top states that it was replaced with a new version on June 8, 2020 and is no longer effective. The FAQs open with purpose and design, including how Treasury supports the program, whether loans are forgivable and how the program differs from the Primary Market Corporate Credit Facility, and go on to borrower and lender eligibility, loan terms and certifications. The document closes with tables of the financial data borrowers must report quarterly, such as the dates of covenant defaults and cures.
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Full text
This document was issued on May 27, 2020 and was replaced by a newer version on
June 8, 2020. It is no longer effective.
FAQs in this document have been updated, see: https://www.bostonfed.org/mslp-faqs
Main Street Lending Program
Frequently Asked Questions
This document is intended to address frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the Main Street
Lending Program (Main Street or Program), including the Main Street New Loan Facility
(MSNLF), the Main Street Priority Loan Facility (MSPLF), and the Main Street Expanded Loan
Facility (MSELF). The Federal Reserve will periodically update these FAQs. Please check the
website of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston (FRB Boston) for new FAQs or revisions to
previously issued FAQs.
CONTENTS
A. Purpose and Design .......................................................................................................... 6
A.1. Why is the Federal Reserve establishing the Program? .................................................................... 6
A.2. How is the Department of the Treasury supporting the Program? .................................................. 6
A.3. Are loans that are originated or upsized in connection with the Program forgivable? .................... 6
A.4. What are the differences between the MSNLF, the MSPLF, and the MSELF? .................................. 6
A.5. How long will the Program be in effect? ........................................................................................... 7
A.6. Is there a limit to the size of the Program? ....................................................................................... 8
A.7. What are the differences between the Program and the Payroll Protection Program and Primary
Market Corporate Credit Facility? .................................................................................................... 8
A.8. What provisions of the CARES Act apply to the Program? ............................................................... 8
A.9. What are the conflicts of interest provisions of the CARES Act? ...................................................... 9
A.10. Can the principal amount of loans extended under Main Street be reduced? .............................. 10
B. MSNLF Loans .................................................................................................................. 10
B.1. How does the MSNLF work? ........................................................................................................... 10
B.2. What are the terms of MSNLF Loans? ............................................................................................ 10
B.3. What is the effect of the requirement that MSNLF Loans not be “contractually subordinated in
terms of priority” to other loans or debt instruments? ................................................................. 10
B.4. Can an Eligible Lender make an MSNLF Loan to a new customer? ................................................ 11
C. MSPLF Loans ................................................................................................................... 11
C.1. How does the MSPLF work? ............................................................................................................ 11
C.2. What are the terms of MSPLF Loans? ............................................................................................. 11
C.3. Can an Eligible Lender make an MSPLF Loan to a new customer? ................................................. 12
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This document was issued on May 27, 2020 and was replaced by a newer version on
June 8, 2020. It is no longer effective.
FAQs in this document have been updated, see: https://www.bostonfed.org/mslp-faqs
C.4. Can an Eligible Borrower use the proceeds of an MSPLF Loan to refinance its existing loans? ..... 12
C.5. Why are Eligible Lenders required to retain 15% of MSPLF Loans, rather than only 5% in the other
Main Street facilities? ..................................................................................................................... 12
C.6. What does it mean for an MSPLF Loan to be “senior to or pari passu with, in terms of priority and
security, the Eligible Borrower’s other loans or debt instruments, other than mortgage debt”? 13
D. MSELF Upsized Tranches................................................................................................. 14
D.1. How does the MSELF work? ............................................................................................................ 14
D.2. What are the terms of MSELF Upsized Tranches? .......................................................................... 15
D.3. Under the MSELF, can an Eligible Lender sell a participation in an upsized tranche of a loan that
was originated as part of a multi-lender facility?........................................................................... 15
D.4. Does the Eligible Lender for the MSELF Upsized Tranche need to be the same Eligible Lender that
originated the underlying loan? ..................................................................................................... 15
D.5. If an existing multi-lender facility loan does not have an “opening” or “accordion” clause, can it
still be eligible for upsizing under the MSELF? ............................................................................... 16
D.6. What requirements exist for the loan underlying an MSELF Upsized Tranche? ............................ 16
D.7. Why is the minimum loan size for an MSELF Upsized Tranche $10 million, rather than $500,000 in
the MSPLF and MSNLF? .................................................................................................................. 16
D.8. Can the Eligible Lender that sells a participation to the Main Street SPV share its 5% retention of
the MSELF Upsized Tranche with other members of a multi-lender facility?................................ 17
D.9. What if no EBITDA methodology was used when originating or amending the loan underlying an
MSELF Upsized Tranche? ................................................................................................................ 17
D.10. How can the “pass” criterion be satisfied if the loan underlying an upsized tranche was originated
after December 31, 2019? .............................................................................................................. 17
D.11. What debt is “pari passu in priority with the Eligible Loan and equivalent in secured status (i.e.,
secured or unsecured)” for purposes of the maximum loan size limitation applicable to an MSELF
Upsized Tranche? ........................................................................................................................... 17
D.12. What does it mean for an MSELF Upsized Tranche to be “senior to or pari passu with, in terms of
priority and security, the Eligible Borrower’s other loans or debt instruments, other than
mortgage debt”? ............................................................................................................................ 18
E. Borrower Eligibility ......................................................................................................... 19
E.1. Which entities are eligible to borrow under the Program? ............................................................ 19
E.2. How is “Business” defined?............................................................................................................. 21
E.3. How should a Business count employees for purposes of determining eligibility under the
Program? ........................................................................................................................................ 21
E.4. How should a Business calculate 2019 revenues for purposes of determining eligibility under the
Program? ........................................................................................................................................ 21
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June 8, 2020. It is no longer effective.
FAQs in this document have been updated, see: https://www.bostonfed.org/mslp-faqs
E.5. Which entities are a Business’s affiliates for purposes of the employee and revenue eligibility
criteria?........................................................................................................................................... 22
E.6. Are non-profit organizations eligible to borrow under the Program? ............................................ 22
E.7. Will an alternative underwriting metric be developed for asset-based borrowers? ..................... 22
E.8. What does “significant operations in the United States” mean? ................................................... 22
E.9. Can a U.S. company that is a subsidiary of a foreign company qualify as an Eligible Borrower? ... 23
E.10. Can an otherwise eligible business borrow if its affiliate has already borrowed under a Main
Street Facility or the PMCCF? ......................................................................................................... 23
E.11. Is a private equity fund eligible to borrow under the Program? .................................................... 24
E.12. Is a portfolio company of a private equity fund eligible to borrow under the Program? .............. 24
F. Application Process ........................................................................................................ 25
F.1. How can I apply for a Program loan? .............................................................................................. 25
F.2. Is a Business eligible to borrow if it receives a PPP loan? ............................................................... 25
F.3. Do Eligible Borrowers qualify automatically for a loan under the Program? ................................. 25
G. Terms and Conditions ..................................................................................................... 26
G.1. How will adjusted 2019 EBITDA be calculated? .............................................................................. 26
G.2. How will “existing outstanding and undrawn available debt” be calculated? ............................... 26
G.3. Why are Program loans based on LIBOR rather than SOFR? .......................................................... 26
G.4. When do I need to start paying interest on my loan? .................................................................... 26
G.5. How will principal be amortized after the first year? ..................................................................... 27
G.6. Is collateral required for Main Street loans? .................................................................................. 27
G.7. Are there fees associated with Main Street loans? ........................................................................ 27
G.8. What constitutes “commercially reasonable efforts” to maintain payroll and retain employees?28
G.9. Can an Eligible Borrower receive more than one Main Street loan?.............................................. 28
G.10. Can an Eligible Borrower receive a loan if its maximum loan size under a facility’s term sheet test
is below the minimum loan size for the same facility? .................................................................. 28
G.11. How can an Eligible Borrower determine if its existing loans had an internal risk rating equivalent
to a “pass” in the FFIEC’s supervisory rating system on December 31, 2019? .............................. 28
G.12. Can a Lender charge a Borrower additional fees above the Main Street origination fee and/or an
interest rate above LIBOR + 300 basis points? ............................................................................... 28
G.13. What methodology should be used to adjust EBITDA if an Eligible Lender has used a range of
methods in the past with respect to a single Eligible Borrower or similarly situated borrowers? 29
G.14. For purposes of adjusting EBITDA, how does an Eligible Lender identify “similarly situated
borrowers”?.................................................................................................................................... 29
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FAQs in this document have been updated, see: https://www.bostonfed.org/mslp-faqs
G.15. Why is the Federal Reserve allowing adjustments to EBITDA for purposes of Main Street when it
has noted supervisory concerns with these adjustments in the past? Is there a limit to how
much EBITDA can be adjusted? ...................................................................................................... 29
H. Certifications and Covenants .......................................................................................... 30
H.1. Are the required certifications and covenants under the three Main Street facilities the same? . 30
H.2. What compensation, stock repurchase and capital distributions restrictions apply? .................... 30
H.3. What restrictions are placed on the Eligible Borrower’s ability to repay existing debt? ............... 31
H.4. Is an Eligible Lender permitted to accept partial repayment of an Eligible Borrower’s existing line
of credit with the Eligible Lender? ................................................................................................. 31
H.5. What restrictions are placed on an Eligible Lender’s ability to cancel or reduce any existing
committed lines of credit outstanding? ......................................................................................... 32
H.6. What is the Eligible Lender’s role in verifying certifications and covenants? ................................. 32
H.7. What debt and interest payments are considered “mandatory and due”? ................................... 32
H.8. Can an Eligible Borrower receive an MSNLF Loan or an MSELF Upsized Tranche if its existing debt
arrangements require prepayment of an amount that is not de minimis upon the incurrence of
new debt? ....................................................................................................................................... 33
H.9. How must a Main Street borrower demonstrate that it is “unable to secure adequate credit
accommodations from other banking institutions”? ..................................................................... 33
I. Lender Information ........................................................................................................ 33
I.1. Which financial institutions are eligible to make loans under the Program? ................................. 33
I.2. How should an Eligible Lender evaluate an Eligible Borrower’s creditworthiness? ....................... 34
I.3. Can multiple affiliated Eligible Lenders participate in Main Street?............................................... 34
I.4. Will standard loan documents be provided for Main Street loans, or should Eligible Lenders use
their own loan documentation? ..................................................................................................... 34
I.5. How should an Eligible Lender account for the transfer of an undivided participation interest in
the loan to the Main Street SPV? ................................................................................................... 34
J. Loan Participation .......................................................................................................... 35
J.1. What loan documentation is required to sell a participation to the Main Street SPV under the
Program? ........................................................................................................................................ 35
J.2. What loan-level information will the SPV collect for credit monitoring purposes? ....................... 35
J.3. Is there a limit to the volume of participations the Main Street SPV can purchase from a single
Eligible Lender? .............................................................................................................................. 35
J.4. Under the Loan Participation Agreement, when can the Main Street SPV sell its loan participation
or elevate its loan participation into an assignment? .................................................................... 36
J.5. What role will the Main Street SPV play in the event an Eligible Borrower enters distress? ......... 36
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FAQs in this document have been updated, see: https://www.bostonfed.org/mslp-faqs
J.6. How will the Main Street SPV approach decision-making with respect to its voting rights under
the Loan Participation Agreement or Co-Lender Agreement? ...................................................... 37
J.7. Will the Main Street SPV assert special administrative priority under Section 507(a)(2) of the
Bankruptcy Code for its claims against an Eligible Borrower in bankruptcy proceedings? ........... 37
K. Regulatory Treatment .................................................................................................... 38
K.1. What is the regulatory capital treatment for the interest in a Main Street loan retained by an
Eligible Lender? .............................................................................................................................. 38
K.2. How will Program loans be treated for supervised firms subject to stress testing? ...................... 39
K.3. Are Main Street loans for existing customers considered new accounts for FinCEN Rule CDD
purposes? Are lenders required to collect, certify, or verify beneficial ownership information in
accordance with the rule requirements for existing customers? .................................................. 39
K.4. How will federal supervisors treat loans extended through the Main Street program? ................ 40
L. Operational Details......................................................................................................... 40
L.1. How will the Federal Reserve administer the Program? ................................................................ 40
L.2. What information will the Federal Reserve disclose regarding the Main Street facilities?............ 40
L.3. How will the remaining capacity of the Program be communicated? ............................................ 41
L.4. Are Eligible Lenders required to commit and pre-fund loans under the Program before the SPV
has committed to purchase its participation in a Program Loan? ................................................. 41
M. Other Information .......................................................................................................... 42
M.1. Where should questions regarding the Program be directed?....................................................... 42
M.2. How can I receive updates regarding changes to the Program? .................................................... 42
Appendix A: Loan Document Checklist.................................................................................. 43
Appendix B: Required Covenants in Loan Documentation .................................................... 47
I. Priority and Security Covenant ....................................................................................................... 47
II. Borrower Certifications and Covenants Material Breach Mandatory Prepayment Provision ........ 49
III. Cross-Acceleration Provision ........................................................................................................... 50
IV. Financial Reporting Covenant ......................................................................................................... 51
Appendix C: Required Financial Reporting ............................................................................ 53
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This document was issued on May 27, 2020 and was replaced by a newer version on
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FAQs in this document have been updated, see: https://www.bostonfed.org/mslp-faqs
A. Purpose and Design
A.1. Why is the Federal Reserve establishing the Program?
The spread of COVID-19 has harmed communities and substantially disrupted economic activity
in many sectors of the economy. In general, the availability of credit has contracted for small
and medium-sized businesses while, at the same time, the disruptions to economic activity
have heightened the need for such companies to obtain financing. Small and medium-sized
businesses are integral to the U.S. economy and create jobs for a large share of the U.S.
workforce.
Main Street is designed to provide support to small and medium-sized businesses and their
employees across the United States during the current period of financial strain by supporting
the provision of credit to such businesses. The availability of additional credit is intended to
help companies that were in sound financial condition prior to the onset of the COVID-19
pandemic maintain their operations and payroll until conditions normalize.
A.2. How is the Department of the Treasury supporting the Program?
The Department of the Treasury (Treasury Department) will make a $75 billion equity
investment in a Special Purpose Vehicle (Main Street SPV) in connection with the Program. The
funds invested by the Treasury Department were appropriated to the Exchange Stabilization
Fund under section 4027 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
A.3. Are loans that are originated or upsized in connection with the Program
forgivable?
No. Main Street loans are full-recourse loans and are not forgivable. Under section 4003(d)(3)
of the CARES Act, the principal amount of a Main Street loan cannot be reduced through loan
forgiveness.
A.4. What are the differences between the MSNLF, the MSPLF, and the MSELF?
Main Street includes three facilities, each of which was authorized by the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System (Board) under section 13(3) of the Federal Reserve Act. All three
facilities use the same Eligible Lender and Eligible Borrower criteria, and have many of the same
features, including the same maturity, interest rate, deferral of principal and interest for one
year, and ability of the borrower to prepay without penalty.
Other features of the loans extended in connection with each facility differ. The loan types also
differ in how they interact with the Eligible Borrower’s existing outstanding debt, including with
respect to the level of pre-crisis indebtedness an Eligible Borrower may have incurred.
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FAQs in this document have been updated, see: https://www.bostonfed.org/mslp-faqs
• MSNLF: Eligible Lenders extend new loans to Eligible Borrowers ranging in size from
$500,000 to $25 million. The maximum size of a loan made in connection with the
MSNLF cannot, when added to the Eligible Borrower’s existing outstanding and undrawn
available debt, exceed four times the Eligible Borrower’s adjusted 2019 earnings before
interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). The loans must not be, at the
time of origination or at any time during the term of the Eligible Loan, contractually
subordinated in terms of priority to any of the Eligible Borrower’s other loans or debt
instruments. The unique features of loans originated in connection with the MSNLF
(MSNLF Loans) are provided in the MSNLF term sheet.
• MSPLF: Eligible Lenders extend new loans to Eligible Borrowers ranging in size from
$500,000 to $25 million. The maximum size of a loan made in connection with the
MSPLF cannot, when added to the Eligible Borrower’s existing outstanding and undrawn
available debt, exceed six times the Eligible Borrower’s adjusted 2019 EBITDA. At the
time of origination and at all times thereafter, the Eligible Loan must be senior to or pari
passu with, in terms of priority and security, the Eligible Borrower’s other loans or debt
instruments, other than mortgage debt. Eligible Borrowers may, at the time of
origination of the loan, refinance existing debt owed by the Eligible Borrower to a lender
that is not the Eligible Lender. The unique features of loans originated in connection
with the MSPLF (MSPLF Loans) are provided in the MSPLF term sheet.
• MSELF: Eligible Lenders increase (or “upsize”) an Eligible Borrower’s existing term loan
or revolving credit facility. The upsized tranche is a four-year term loan ranging in size
from $10 million to $200 million. The maximum size of a loan made in connection with
the MSELF cannot exceed (i) 35% of the Eligible Borrower’s existing outstanding and
undrawn available debt that is pari passu in priority with the Eligible Loan and
equivalent in secured status (i.e., secured or unsecured); or (ii) when added to the
Eligible Borrower’s existing outstanding and undrawn available debt, six times the
Eligible Borrower’s adjusted 2019 EBITDA. At the time of upsizing and at all times
thereafter, the upsized tranche must be senior to or pari passu with, in terms of priority
and security, the Eligible Borrower’s other loans or debt instruments, other than
mortgage debt. The features associated with tranches of loans that are upsized in
connection with the MSELF (MSELF Upsized Tranches) are outlined in the MSELF term
sheet.
A.5. How long will the Program be in effect?
The Program was established to respond to uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic and
is authorized to purchase participations in MSNLF Loans, MSPLF Loans, and MSELF Upsized
Tranches until September 30, 2020. The Main Street SPV will cease purchasing loan
participations on September 30, 2020, unless the Program is extended by the Board and the
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June 8, 2020. It is no longer effective.
FAQs in this document have been updated, see: https://www.bostonfed.org/mslp-faqs
Treasury Department. The FRB Boston will continue to operate the SPV after such date until
the Main Street SPV’s assets mature or are sold.
A.6. Is there a limit to the size of the Program?
The Main Street SPV will purchase up to $600 billion of participations in eligible loans. The
Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department have assessed this amount to be appropriate in
light of the current financial strains facing Eligible Borrowers. The Federal Reserve and the
Treasury Department will continue to assess the situation and needs of Eligible Borrowers and
may adjust the Program’s size in the future.
A.7. What are the differences between the Program and the Payroll Protection
Program and Primary Market Corporate Credit Facility?
Similar to the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and the Primary Market Corporate Credit
Facility (PMCCF), Main Street was created to assist companies that have been adversely
affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of these programs, however, was developed to
provide liquidity to companies of different sizes:
• PPP: The PPP was established by the CARES Act and implemented by the Small Business
Administration (SBA) to support the payroll and operations of small businesses through
the issuance of government-guaranteed loans that include a forgiveness feature for
borrowers that satisfy the requirements of the PPP.
• Main Street: The Federal Reserve designed Main Street to support small and medium-
sized businesses that were unable to access the PPP or that require additional financial
support after receiving a PPP loan. Main Street loans are not forgivable.
• PMCCF: The Federal Reserve established the PMCCF to support large companies
through the purchase of eligible corporate bonds from, and lending through syndicated
loans to, large companies. PMCCF loans are not forgivable.
A.8. What provisions of the CARES Act apply to the Program?
Under section 4003(b)(4) of the CARES Act, the Secretary of the Treasury (Secretary) is
authorized to make loans and loan guarantees to, and other investments in, programs or
facilities established by the Board for the purpose of providing liquidity to the financial system
that supports lending to eligible businesses, states, or municipalities. The Secretary has
committed $75 billion of the funds appropriated under Title IV of the CARES Act in the Main
Street SPV in support of the Program. The following restrictions of the CARES Act have been
incorporated into the design of the Program:
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• Eligible Business Definition: Section 4002(4) of the CARES Act prevents a business from
participating in the Program if it has “otherwise received adequate economic relief in
the form of loans or loan guarantees provided under [the Coronavirus Economic
Stabilization Act of 2020 (Subtitle A of Title IV of the CARES Act)].” Consistent with this
restriction, businesses that are receiving “specific support” pursuant to section
4003(b)(1)-(3) are not eligible for the Program.
• Direct Loans: Eligible Borrowers must commit to comply with the restrictions that apply
to direct loan programs under section 4003(c)(3)(A)(ii) of the CARES Act, except that an
S corporation or other tax pass-through entity that is an Eligible Borrower may make
distributions to the extent reasonably required to cover its owners’ tax obligations in
respect of the entity’s earnings.
• U.S. Business Requirement: Under section 4003(c)(3)(C) of the CARES Act, Eligible
Borrowers must be “businesses that are created or organized in the United States or
under the laws of the United States and that have significant operations in and a
majority of its employees based in the United States.”
• Loan Forgiveness Prohibition: Under section 4003(d)(3), the principal amount of the
portion of any MSNLF Loan, MSPLF Loan, or MSELF Upsized Tranche that is participated
to the Main Street SPV cannot be reduced through loan forgiveness. See question A.10
for more information about this requirement.
• Conflicts of Interest: Under section 4019 of the CARES Act, Eligible Lenders and Eligible
Borrowers will be required to certify that no “Covered Individual” owns, controls, or
holds 20 percent or more (by vote or value) of any class of equity ownership interest in
the business. “Covered Individuals” include the President, the Vice President, the head
of any Executive Department, any Member of Congress, or certain immediate family
members of the foregoing.
A.9. What are the conflicts of interest provisions of the CARES Act?
Section 4019 of the CARES Act prohibits entities in which certain government officials (list here)
and some of their immediate family members have a “controlling interest” from participating in
certain government programs, including Main Street. Each participating entity, both Eligible
Lenders and Eligible Borrowers, will be required to certify that the entity is not a “covered
entity” as defined in section 4019 of the CARES Act. Detailed instructions are provided in the
Lender Registration Certifications and Covenants and the MSNLF, MSPLF, and MSELF Borrower
Certifications and Covenants.
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FAQs in this document have been updated, see: https://www.bostonfed.org/mslp-faqs
A.10. Can the principal amount of loans extended under Main Street be
reduced?
Main Street is not a grant program and is subject to the prohibition on loan forgiveness in
section 4003(d)(3) of the CARES Act. In the event of restructurings or workouts, the Main
Street SPV may agree to reductions in interest (including capitalized interest), extended
amortization schedules and maturities, and higher priority “priming” loans.
B. MSNLF Loans
B.1. How does the MSNLF work?
Eligible Lenders may extend a new MSNLF Loan to an Eligible Borrower and sell a 95%
participation in that MSNLF Loan to the Main Street SPV at par value. All such sales will be
structured as “true sales” and must be completed expeditiously after the origination of the
MSNLF Loan. The Eligible Lender must retain 5% of the MSNLF Loan until (i) it matures or (ii)
neither the Main Street SPV nor a Governmental Assignee holds an interest in MSNLF Loan in
any capacity, whichever comes first. The Main Street SPV and the Eligible Lender would share
in any losses on the MSNLF Loan on a pari passu basis.
The Eligible Borrower must have been in sound financial condition prior to the onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic. In order for an Eligible Borrower to receive an MSNLF Loan, any existing
loan it had outstanding with the Eligible Lender as of December 31, 2019, must have had an
internal risk rating (based on the Eligible Lender’s risk rating system) that was equivalent to a
“pass” in the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council’s (FFIEC) supervisory rating
system as of that date.
B.2. What are the terms of MSNLF Loans?
The MSNLF term sheet is available on the Board’s Main Street page. More information will be
made available on that page regarding loan participation terms, credit administration, and loan
servicing.
B.3. What is the effect of the requirement that MSNLF Loans not be
“contractually subordinated in terms of priority” to other loans or debt
instruments?
An MSNLF Loan, at the time of origination or at any time during its term, may not be
contractually subordinated in terms of priority to the Eligible Borrower’s other loans or debt
instruments. This means that an MSNLF Loan may not be junior in priority in bankruptcy to the
Eligible Borrower’s other unsecured loans or debt instruments. This provision does not
prevent:
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• the issuance of an MSNLF Loan that is a secured loan (including in a second lien or other
capacity) to an Eligible Borrower, whether or not the Eligible Borrower has an
outstanding secured loan of any lien position or maturity;
• the issuance of an MSNLF Loan that is an unsecured loan to an Eligible Borrower,
regardless of the term or secured or unsecured status of the Eligible Borrower’s existing
indebtedness; or
• the Eligible Borrower from taking on new secured or unsecured debt after receiving an
MSNLF Loan, provided the new debt would not have higher contractual priority in
bankruptcy than the MSNLF Loan.
B.4. Can an Eligible Lender make an MSNLF Loan to a new customer?
Yes. Eligible Lenders should follow their normal policies and procedures for originating a loan
to a new customer, including Know Your Customer procedures. In addition, when sizing the
amount of the Eligible Loan, the Eligible Lender must require the Eligible Borrower to use an
adjusted EBITDA methodology that is based on a methodology that the Eligible Lender has
previously required to be used to adjust EBITDA when extending credit to similarly situated
borrowers on or before April 24, 2020.
C. MSPLF Loans
C.1. How does the MSPLF work?
Eligible Lenders may extend a new MSPLF Loan to an Eligible Borrower and sell an 85%
participation in that MSPLF Loan to the Main Street SPV at par value. All such sales will be
structured as “true sales” and must be completed expeditiously after the origination of the
MSPLF Loan. The Eligible Lender must retain 15% of the MSPLF Loan until (i) it matures or (ii)
neither the Main Street SPV nor a Governmental Assignee holds an interest in the MSPLF Loan
in any capacity, whichever comes first. The Main Street SPV and the Eligible Lender would
share in any losses on the MSPLF Loan on a pari passu basis.
The Eligible Borrower must have been in sound financial condition prior to the onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic. In order for an Eligible Borrower to receive an MSPLF Loan, any existing
loan it had outstanding with the Eligible Lender as of December 31, 2019, must have had an
internal risk rating (based on the Eligible Lender’s risk rating system) that was equivalent to a
“pass” in the FFIEC’s supervisory rating system as of that date.
C.2. What are the terms of MSPLF Loans?
The MSPLF term sheet is available on the Board’s Main Street page. More information will be
made available on that page regarding loan participation terms, credit administration, and loan
servicing.
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C.3. Can an Eligible Lender make an MSPLF Loan to a new customer?
Please see the answer to question B.4 above.
C.4. Can an Eligible Borrower use the proceeds of an MSPLF Loan to refinance
its existing loans?
At the time of origination of an MSPLF Loan, an Eligible Borrower may use the proceeds of the
MSPLF Loan to prepay existing debt that is outstanding and owed to lenders other than the
Eligible Lender that originates the MSPLF Loan. In other words, the proceeds of an MSPLF Loan
can be used to refinance existing loans owed to other lenders.
After origination and until the MSPLF Loan is repaid in full, the Eligible Borrower must refrain
from repaying the principal balance of, or paying any interest on, any debt other than the
MSPLF Loan, unless the debt or interest payment is mandatory and due. See questions H.3 and
H.7 below for further information on the debt repayment restrictions.
C.5. Why are Eligible Lenders required to retain 15% of MSPLF Loans, rather
than only 5% in the other Main Street facilities?
Eligible Lenders must retain 15% of MSPLF Loans, in contrast with the 5% risk retention
requirement under the MSNLF and MSELF. Increased risk retention is required in light of the
increased leverage ratio with respect to MSPLF Loans.
• Comparison to MSNLF: The maximum size of an MSPLF Loan is an amount that, when
added to the Eligible Borrower’s existing outstanding and undrawn available debt, does
not exceed six times the Eligible Borrower’s adjusted 2019 EBITDA (in no case to exceed
$25 million). By contrast, the maximum size of an MSNLF Loan is an amount that, when
added to the Eligible Borrower’s existing outstanding and undrawn available debt, may
not exceed four times the Eligible Borrower’s adjusted 2019 EBITDA (in no case to
exceed $25 million). Thus, the MSPLF – as compared to the MSNLF – allows Eligible
Borrowers with higher leverage to access the Program.
• Comparison to MSELF: While the MSELF also uses six times adjusted EBITDA as one
measure to limit maximum loan size, it contains an additional maximum loan size test
not applicable to the MSPLF. An MSELF Upsized Tranche may not exceed 35% of the
Eligible Borrower’s existing outstanding and undrawn available debt that is pari passu in
priority with the underlying loan and equivalent in secured status. Further, MSELF
Upsized Tranches share in any security associated with the underlying loan that is being
upsized.
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C.6. What does it mean for an MSPLF Loan to be “senior to or pari passu with,
in terms of priority and security, the Eligible Borrower’s other loans or
debt instruments, other than mortgage debt”?
MSPLF Loans must be senior to or pari passu with, in terms of priority and security, the Eligible
Borrower’s other Loans or Debt Instruments, other than Mortgage Debt (the MSPLF Priority
and Security Requirement). The MSPLF Priority and Security Requirement is designed to
prevent MSPLF Loans from being subordinated or otherwise disadvantaged in terms of priority
or security in relation to the other Loans or Debt Instruments of the Eligible Borrower, except
for Mortgage Debt.
For purposes of the MSPLF Priority and Security Requirement:
• “Loans or Debt Instruments” means debt for borrowed money and all obligations
evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments,
and all guarantees of the foregoing.
• “Mortgage Debt” means debt secured by real property at the time of the MSPLF Loan’s
origination.
Time of Origination: To comply with the MSPLF Priority and Security Requirement at the time
of origination, Eligible Lenders and Eligible Borrowers must apply the following guidance:
• Secured Loans: The MSPLF Loan must be secured if, at the time of origination, the
Eligible Borrower has any other secured Loans or Debt Instruments, other than
Mortgage Debt.
o Pari Passu or Senior in Priority: The MSPLF Loan must not be contractually
subordinated in terms of priority to any of the Eligible Borrower’s other Loans or
Debt Instruments, other than Mortgage Debt. 1
o Pari Passu or Senior in Security:
If the MSPLF Loan is secured, then the Collateral Coverage Ratio for the
MSPLF Loan at the time of its origination must be either (i) at least
200 percent or (ii) not less than the aggregate Collateral Coverage Ratio
for all of the Borrower’s other secured Loans or Debt Instruments (other
than Mortgage Debt).
• “Collateral Coverage Ratio” means (i) the aggregate value of any
relevant collateral security, including the pro rata value of any
1
For the avoidance of doubt, prohibitions on contractual subordination with respect to Main Street loans do not
prevent the incurrence of obligations that have mandatory priority under the bankruptcy code or other insolvency
laws that apply to entities generally.
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shared collateral, divided by (ii) the outstanding aggregate
principal amount of the relevant debt.
If the MSPLF Loan is secured by the same collateral as any of the Eligible
Borrower’s other Loans or Debt Instruments (other than Mortgage Debt),
the lien upon such collateral securing the MSPLF Loan must be and
remain senior to or pari passu with the lien(s) of the other creditor(s)
upon such collateral. The MSPLF Loan need not share in all of the
collateral that secures the Eligible Borrower’s other Loans or Debt
Instruments.
• Unsecured Loans: The MSPLF Loan can be unsecured only if the Eligible Borrower does
not have, as of the date of origination, any secured Loans or Debt Instruments (other
than Mortgage Debt). Unsecured MSPLF Loans must not be contractually subordinated
in terms of priority to any of the Eligible Borrower’s other unsecured Loans or Debt
Instruments. See question B.3 for more information on contractual subordination.
Life of the Loan: In order to comply with the MSPLF Priority and Security Requirement during
the term of the MSPLF Loan after the date of origination, the loan documentation for the
MSPLF Loan must:
• ensure that the MSPLF Loan does not become contractually subordinated in terms of
priority to any of the Eligible Borrower’s other loans or debt instruments; and
• contain a lien covenant or negative pledge that is of the type – and contains exceptions,
limitations, carve-outs, baskets, materiality thresholds, and qualifiers – that are
consistent with those used by the Eligible Lender in its ordinary course lending to
similarly situated borrowers. Appendix B contains a model lien covenant that Eligible
Lenders should reference when drafting their loan documentation.
See question G.14 for more information on identifying similarly situated borrowers. See the
MSPLF Borrower Certifications and Covenants and MSPLF Lender Transaction Specific
Certifications and Covenants for more information about the responsibilities that Borrowers
and Lenders have in relation to the MSPLF Priority and Security Requirement.
D. MSELF Upsized Tranches
D.1. How does the MSELF work?
Eligible Lenders that have extended an existing term loan or revolving credit facility to an
Eligible Borrower may increase (or “upsize”) that extension of credit, by adding a new
increment (or “tranche”). Eligible Lenders may sell a 95% participation in the MSELF Upsized
Tranche to the Main Street SPV at par value. All such sales will be structured as “true sales”
and must be completed expeditiously after the upsizing. The Eligible Lender must retain 5% of
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the MSELF Upsized Tranche until (i) it matures or (ii) neither the Main Street SPV nor a
Governmental Assignee holds an interest in MSELF Upsized Tranche in any capacity, whichever
comes first. The Eligible Lender must also retain its interest in the underlying loan until (i) that
loan matures, (ii) the MSELF Upsized Tranche matures, or (iii) neither the Main Street SPV nor a
Governmental Assignee holds an interest in the MSELF Upsized Tranche in any capacity,
whichever comes first. The Main Street SPV and the Eligible Lender would share in any losses
on the MSELF Upsized Tranche on a pari passu basis. Any collateral that secures the underlying
loan must secure the upsized tranche on a pari passu basis.
To be eligible for “upsizing,” the existing term loan or revolving credit facility must have been
originated on or before April 24, 2020, and must have a remaining maturity of at least
18 months. The Eligible Lender may extend the maturity of an existing loan or revolving credit
facility at the time of upsizing in order for the underlying instrument to satisfy the 18-month
remaining maturity requirement.
The Eligible Borrower must have been in sound financial condition prior to the onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic. The existing loan or revolving credit facility must have had a risk rating,
based on the Eligible Lender’s internal rating system, equivalent to a “pass” in the FFIEC’s
supervisory rating system as of December 31, 2019.
D.2. What are the terms of MSELF Upsized Tranches?
The MSELF term sheet is available on the Board’s Main Street page. More information will be
made available on that page regarding loan participation terms, credit administration, and loan
servicing.
D.3. Under the MSELF, can an Eligible Lender sell a participation in an upsized
tranche of a loan that was originated as part of a multi-lender facility?
If the loan underlying an MSELF Upsized Tranche is part of a multi-lender facility, the Eligible
Lender must be one of the lenders that holds an interest in the underlying loan at the date of
upsizing. Only the Eligible Lender for the MSELF Upsized Tranche is required to meet the
Eligible Lender criteria. Other members of the multi-lender facility are not required to be
Eligible Lenders.
D.4. Does the Eligible Lender for the MSELF Upsized Tranche need to be the
same Eligible Lender that originated the underlying loan?
No. The Eligible Lender is not required to have been the Eligible Lender that originally extended
the loan underlying an MSELF Upsized Tranche. However, the Eligible Lender must have
purchased the interest in the underlying loan as of December 31, 2019, and the Eligible Lender
must have assigned an internal risk rating to the underlying loan equivalent to a “pass” in the
FFIEC’s supervisory rating system as of that date.
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D.5. If an existing multi-lender facility loan does not have an “opening” or
“accordion” clause, can it still be eligible for upsizing under the MSELF?
Yes. The Eligible Borrower, Eligible Lender(s), and any other required parties must amend the
underlying credit agreements as needed to comply with the requirements set out in the MSELF
term sheet.
D.6. What requirements exist for the loan underlying an MSELF Upsized
Tranche?
The loan underlying an MSELF Upsized Tranche can be a secured or unsecured term loan or
revolving credit facility that:
• was made by an Eligible Lender(s) to an Eligible Borrower;
• is currently held, at least in part, by an Eligible Lender;
• was originated on or before April 24, 2020;
• has a remaining maturity of at least 18 months (taking into account any adjustments
made to the maturity of the loan after April 24, 2020, including at the time of upsizing);
and
• received an internal risk rating equivalent to a “pass” in the FFIEC’s supervisory rating
system by the Eligible Lender, as of December 31, 2019.
Any collateral securing the Eligible Loan (at the time of upsizing or on any subsequent date)
must secure the MSELF Upsized Tranche on a pari passu basis.
D.7. Why is the minimum loan size for an MSELF Upsized Tranche $10 million,
rather than $500,000 in the MSPLF and MSNLF?
The MSELF was designed to meet the needs of borrowers with existing loan arrangements,
particularly those with larger and more complex existing loans, where pre-existing loan
documentation can be used. As a result, the minimum loan size for an MSELF Upsized Tranche
is $10 million.
The Federal Reserve recognizes that some aspects of an MSELF Upsized Tranche, such as the
potential for a larger loan size associated with the requirement that outstanding and available
undrawn debt not exceed six times adjusted EBITDA, may be attractive to Eligible Borrowers
seeking a loan below $10 million. The MSPLF offers similar leverage limitations for Eligible
Borrowers and has a minimum loan size of $500,000.
The Federal Reserve will continue to evaluate whether the loan amounts allowed under the
Program should be adjusted to enhance the Program’s efficacy. Any such adjustments would
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be communicated well in advance of their effective date to ensure that Eligible Lenders and
Eligible Borrowers are not adversely affected.
D.8. Can the Eligible Lender that sells a participation to the Main Street SPV
share its 5% retention of the MSELF Upsized Tranche with other members
of a multi-lender facility?
No. The Eligible Lender must retain 5% of the MSELF Upsized Tranche, even when the
underlying loan is part of a multi-lender facility. See question J.4 below for more information
on retention by an Eligible Lender.
D.9. What if no EBITDA methodology was used when originating or amending
the loan underlying an MSELF Upsized Tranche?
If the Eligible Borrower’s EBITDA was not calculated or included in the loan documentation or
internal risk analysis when originating the loan or revolving credit facility that would underlie an
MSELF Upsized Tranche, the Eligible Lender must require the Eligible Borrower to calculate its
adjusted EBITDA using a methodology that the Eligible Lender has required to be used in other
contexts for the Eligible Borrower or, if there is no such calculation, for similarly situated
borrowers. See questions G.13 and G.14 for more information.
D.10. How can the “pass” criterion be satisfied if the loan underlying an upsized
tranche was originated after December 31, 2019?
If an existing loan was originated after December 31, 2019, the Eligible Lender should use the
internal risk rating given to that loan at origination to determine whether the loan is eligible for
upsizing under the MSELF.
D.11. What debt is “pari passu in priority with the Eligible Loan and equivalent in
secured status (i.e., secured or unsecured)” for purposes of the maximum
loan size limitation applicable to an MSELF Upsized Tranche?
The maximum size of an MSELF Upsized Tranche cannot exceed 35% of the Eligible Borrower’s
existing outstanding and undrawn available debt that is (i) pari passu in priority with the MSELF
Upsized Tranche and (ii) equivalent in secured status (i.e., secured or unsecured) to the MSELF
Upsized Tranche. To implement this requirement, Eligible Lenders and Eligible Borrowers
should use the framework below:
• Secured Loans: If the MSELF Upsized Tranche is part of a secured loan, then all secured
debt for borrowed money of the Eligible Borrower that has not been made junior in
priority through contractual subordination should be included in the calculation,
regardless of the value or type of collateral.
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• Unsecured Loans: If the MSELF Upsized Tranche is part of an unsecured loan, then all
unsecured debt for borrowed money of the Eligible Borrower that has not been made
junior in priority through contractual subordination should be included in the
calculation.
See question B.3 for more information on contractual subordination.
D.12. What does it mean for an MSELF Upsized Tranche to be “senior to or pari
passu with, in terms of priority and security, the Eligible Borrower’s other
loans or debt instruments, other than mortgage debt”?
MSELF Upsized Tranches must be senior to or pari passu with, in terms of priority and security,
the Eligible Borrower’s other Loans or Debt Instruments, other than Mortgage Debt (the MSELF
Priority and Security Requirement). The MSELF Priority and Security Requirement is designed
to prevent MSELF Upsized Tranches from being subordinated or otherwise disadvantaged in
terms of priority or security in relation to the other Loans or Debt Instruments of the Eligible
Borrower, except for Mortgage Debt.
For purposes of the MSELF Priority and Security Requirement:
• “Loans or Debt Instruments” means debt for borrowed money and all obligations
evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments,
and all guarantees of the foregoing.
• “Mortgage Debt” means debt secured by real property at the time of the MSELF
Upsized Tranche’s origination.
Time of Origination: To comply with the MSELF Priority and Security Requirement at the time
of origination, Eligible Lenders and Eligible Borrowers must apply the following guidance:
• Secured Loans: The MSELF Upsized Tranche must be secured if, at the time of
origination, the Eligible Borrower has any other secured Loans or Debt Instruments,
other than Mortgage Debt. The MSELF Upsized Tranche must be secured by the
collateral securing any other tranche of the underlying credit facility on a pari passu
basis. Eligible Lenders and Eligible Borrowers may add new collateral to secure the loan
(including the MSELF Upsized Tranche on a pari passu basis) at the time of upsizing. If
the underlying credit facility includes both term loan tranche(s) and revolver tranche(s),
the MSELF Upsized Tranche needs to share collateral on a pari passu basis with the term
loan tranche(s) only. Secured MSELF Upsized Tranches must not be contractually
subordinated in terms of priority to any of the Eligible Borrower’s other Loans or Debt
Instruments.
• Unsecured Loans: The MSELF Upsized Tranche can be unsecured only if the Eligible
Borrower does not have, as of the date of origination, any secured Loans or Debt
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Instruments (other than Mortgage Debt). Unsecured MSELF Upsized Tranches must not
be contractually subordinated in terms of priority to the Eligible Borrower’s other
unsecured Loans or Debt Instruments. See question B.3 for more information on
contractual subordination. 2
Life of the Loan: In order to comply with the MSELF Priority and Security Requirement during
the term of the MSELF Upsized Tranche after the date of origination, the loan documentation
for the MSELF Upsized Tranche must:
• ensure that the MSELF Upsized Tranche does not become contractually subordinated in
terms of priority to any of the Eligible Borrower’s other Loans or Debt Instruments;
• ensure that the MSELF Upsized Tranche remains secured on a pari passu basis by the
collateral securing the underlying credit facility, as described in the “time of
origination” section above; and
• contain a lien covenant or negative pledge that is of the type – and contains exceptions,
limitations, carve-outs, baskets, materiality thresholds, and qualifiers – that are
consistent with those used by the Eligible Lender in its ordinary course lending to
similarly situated borrowers.
o Appendix B contains a model lien covenant that Eligible Lenders should
reference when drafting its loan documentation.
o With respect to an underlying credit facility that has more than one lender, any
lien covenant that was negotiated in good faith prior to April 24, 2020, as part of
any underlying MSELF Loan, is sufficient to satisfy this requirement.
See question G.14 for more information on identifying similarly situated borrowers. See the
MSELF Borrower Certifications and Covenants and MSELF Lender Transaction Specific
Certifications and Covenants for more information about the responsibilities that Borrowers
and Lenders have in relation to the MSELF Priority and Security Requirement.
E. Borrower Eligibility
E.1. Which entities are eligible to borrow under the Program?
To be eligible to borrow under the Program, a Business must satisfy certain eligibility criteria, as
set out in the MSNLF, MSPLF, and MSELF term sheets and described further below. The Eligible
Borrower criteria are the same across all three facilities.
2
For the avoidance of doubt, prohibitions on contractual subordination with respect to Main Street loans do not
prevent the incurrence of obligations that have mandatory priority under the bankruptcy code or other insolvency
laws that apply to entities generally.
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(1) The Business must have been established prior to March 13, 2020. The Business must
have been formed prior to March 13, 2020, under the laws of the United States, one of
the several states, the District of Columbia, any of the territories and possessions of the
United States, or an Indian Tribal government.
(2) The Business must not be an Ineligible Business. Ineligible Businesses include
Businesses listed in 13 CFR 120.110(b)-(j), (m)-(s), as modified and clarified by SBA
regulations for purposes of the PPP on or before April 24, 2020. Such modifications and
clarifications include the SBA’s recent interim final rules available at 85 Fed. Reg. 20811,
85 Fed. Reg. 21747, and 85 Fed. Reg. 23450. The Federal Reserve may further modify
the application of these restrictions to Main Street.
(3) The Business must meet at least one of the following two conditions: (a) the Business
has 15,000 employees or fewer, or (b) the Business has 2019 annual revenues of
$5 billion or less. Businesses must meet at least one of these conditions, but are not
required to meet both. To determine how many employees a Business has or a
Business’s 2019 revenues, the employees and revenues of the Business must be
aggregated with the employees and revenues of its affiliated entities.
(4) The Business must be a U.S. Business. Under section 4003(c)(3)(C) of the CARES Act,
Eligible Borrowers must be Businesses that were created or organized in the United
States or under the laws of the United States with significant operations in and a
majority of their employees based in the United States.
(5) The Business may only participate in one of the Main Street facilities (MSNLF, MSPLF,
or MSELF) and must not also participate in the PMCCF. An Eligible Borrower may only
participate in one of the Main Street facilities: the MSNLF, the MSPLF, or the MSELF. In
addition, a Business is not an Eligible Borrower if it participates in the PMCCF.
(6) The Business must not have received specific support pursuant to the Coronavirus
Economic Stabilization Act of 2020 (Subtitle A of Title IV of the CARES Act). A Business
is not eligible if it has received support pursuant to section 4003(b)(1)-(3) of the CARES
Act.
(7) The Business must be able to make all of the certifications and covenants required
under the Program. See the MSNLF, MSPLF, and MSELF term sheets and Section H of
these FAQs for more information.
Borrowers that satisfy all criteria above may apply to an Eligible Lender for a Main Street loan.
The Eligible Lender is expected to conduct an assessment of each potential borrower’s financial
condition to determine whether the loan is approved.
For the avoidance of doubt, a Business that has received PPP loans, or that has affiliates that
have received PPP loans, is permitted to borrow under Main Street, provided that the Business
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is an Eligible Borrower. Borrowers that are not eligible for a Main Street loan should consult
the Treasury Department and SBA to determine if they are eligible for other relief programs.
E.2. How is “Business” defined?
Businesses must be legally formed entities that are organized for profit as a partnership; a
limited liability company; a corporation; an association; a trust; a cooperative; a joint venture
with no more than 49 percent participation by foreign business entities; or a tribal business
concern.
To be eligible for the Program, a tribal business concern must be either (i) wholly owned by one
or more Indian tribal governments, or by a corporation that is wholly owned by one or more
Indian tribal governments, or (ii) owned in part by one or more Indian tribal governments, or by
a corporation that is wholly owned by one or more Indian tribal governments, if all other
owners are either U.S. citizens or Businesses.
Other forms of organization may be considered for inclusion as an Eligible Borrower under the
Program at the discretion of the Federal Reserve.
E.3. How should a Business count employees for purposes of determining
eligibility under the Program?
To be an Eligible Borrower, a Business must meet at least one of the following two conditions:
(a) the Business has 15,000 employees or fewer, or (b) the Business has 2019 annual revenues
of $5 billion or less. To determine how many employees a Business has, it should follow the
framework set out in the SBA’s regulation at 13 CFR 121.106. As set out in 13 CFR 121.106, the
Business should count as employees all full-time, part-time, seasonal, or otherwise employed
persons, excluding volunteers and independent contractors. Businesses should count their own
employees and those employed by their affiliates. In order to determine the applicable number
of employees, Businesses should use the average of the total number of persons employed by
the Eligible Borrower and its affiliates for each pay period over the 12 months prior to the
origination or upsizing of the Main Street loan.
E.4. How should a Business calculate 2019 revenues for purposes of
determining eligibility under the Program?
To be an Eligible Borrower, a Business must meet at least one of the following two conditions:
(a) the Business has 15,000 employees or fewer, or (b) the Business has 2019 annual revenues
of $5 billion or less. To determine its 2019 annual revenues, Businesses must aggregate their
revenues with those of their affiliates. Businesses may use either of the following methods to
calculate 2019 annual revenues for purposes of determining eligibility:
(1) A Business may use its (and its affiliates’) annual “revenue” per its 2019 Generally
Accepted Accounting Principles-based (GAAP) audited financial statements; or
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(2) A Business may use its (and its affiliates’) annual receipts for the fiscal year 2019, as
reported to the Internal Revenue Service. For purposes of the Program, the term
“receipts” has the same meaning used by the SBA in 13 CFR 121.104(a).
If a potential borrower (or its affiliate) does not yet have audited financial statements or annual
receipts for 2019, the borrower (or its affiliate) should use its most recent audited financial
statements or annual receipts.
E.5. Which entities are a Business’s affiliates for purposes of the employee and
revenue eligibility criteria?
To determine eligibility, a Business’s employees and 2019 revenues are calculated by
aggregating the employees and 2019 revenues of the Business itself with those of the
Business’s affiliated entities in accordance with the affiliation test set forth in 13 CFR 121.301(f)
(1/1/2019 ed.).
E.6. Are non-profit organizations eligible to borrow under the Program?
While non-profit organizations are not currently eligible under the Program, the Federal
Reserve acknowledges the unique needs of non-profit organizations, many of which are on the
front lines providing critical services and research to fight the pandemic. EBITDA is the key
underwriting metric required for the MSNLF, MSPLF, and MSELF. The Federal Reserve
recognizes that the credit risk of non-profit organizations, as a matter of practice, is generally
not evaluated on the basis of EBITDA. The Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department will
be evaluating the feasibility of adjusting the borrower eligibility criteria and loan eligibility
metrics of the Program for such organizations.
E.7. Will an alternative underwriting metric be developed for asset-based
borrowers?
EBITDA is the key underwriting metric required for the MSNLF, MSPLF, and MSELF. The Federal
Reserve recognizes that the credit risk of asset-based borrowers, as a matter of practice, is
generally not evaluated on the basis of EBITDA. The Federal Reserve and the Treasury
Department will be evaluating the feasibility of adjusting the loan eligibility metrics of the
Program for such borrowers.
E.8. What does “significant operations in the United States” mean?
To determine if an Eligible Borrower has “significant operations” in the United States, the
Business’s operations should be evaluated on a consolidated basis together with its
subsidiaries, but not its parent companies or sister affiliates. For example, an Eligible Borrower
has significant operations in the United States if, when consolidated with its subsidiaries,
greater than 50% of the Eligible Borrower’s:
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• assets are located in the United States;
• annual net income is generated in the United States;
• annual net operating revenues are generated in the United States; or
• annual consolidated operating expenses (excluding interest expense and any other
expenses associated with debt service) are generated in the United States.
This is a non-exhaustive list of examples that reflects the principles that should be applied by a
potential borrower when evaluating its eligibility under this criterion.
E.9. Can a U.S. company that is a subsidiary of a foreign company qualify as an
Eligible Borrower?
An Eligible Borrower must be created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the
United States. For the avoidance of doubt, an Eligible Borrower may be a subsidiary of a
foreign company, provided that the borrower itself is created or organized in the United States
or under the laws of the United States, and the borrower on a consolidated basis has significant
operations in and a majority of its employees based in the United States. However, an Eligible
Borrower that is a subsidiary of a foreign company must use the proceeds of a Main Street loan
only for the benefit of the Eligible Borrower, its consolidated U.S. subsidiaries, and other
affiliates of the Eligible Borrower that are U.S. businesses. The proceeds of a Main Street loan
may not be used for the benefit of an Eligible Borrower’s foreign parents, affiliates or
subsidiaries.
E.10. Can an otherwise eligible business borrow if its affiliate has already
borrowed under a Main Street Facility or the PMCCF?
An affiliated group of companies can participate in only one Main Street facility, and cannot
participate in both a Main Street facility and the PMCCF. Therefore, borrowers that are
otherwise eligible are subject to the following restrictions:
• If any affiliate of the Business has participated in the PMCCF, the Business may not
borrow under any Main Street facility.
• If an affiliate has previously participated, or has a pending application to participate, in
a Main Street facility, the Business can only participate in Main Street by using the same
Main Street facility accessed by its affiliate. For example, if an Eligible Borrower’s
affiliate has participated in the MSNLF, then the Eligible Borrower would only be able to
participate in the MSNLF and would be prohibited from participating in the MSPLF and
MSELF.
• In no case could the affiliated group’s total participation in a single Main Street facility
exceed the maximum loan size that the affiliated group is eligible to receive on a
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consolidated basis. As result, an Eligible Borrower’s maximum loan size would be
limited by its own leverage level, the leverage level of the affiliated group on a
consolidated basis, and the size of any loan extended to other affiliates in the group.
For example, in the case of the MSNLF, the Eligible Borrower’s maximum loan size
would be the lesser of:
(1) $25 million (less any amount extended to an affiliate of the Eligible Borrower
under the MSNLF);
(2) an amount that, when added to the Eligible Borrower’s existing outstanding and
undrawn available debt, does not exceed four times the Eligible Borrower’s
adjusted 2019 EBITDA; or
(3) an amount that, when added to the Eligible Borrower’s affiliated group’s existing
outstanding and undrawn available debt, does not exceed four times the
affiliated group’s adjusted 2019 EBITDA.
For more information on how to identify an Eligible Borrower’s affiliates, see question E.5
above.
E.11. Is a private equity fund eligible to borrow under the Program?
No. As provided in the Program term sheets and question E.1, to be an Eligible Borrower under
the Program, a Business must not be an Ineligible Business listed in 13 CFR 120.110, as modified
and clarified by SBA regulations for purposes of the PPP on or before April 24, 2020. SBA has
determined that private equity funds are primarily engaged in investment or speculation, and
that such Businesses are therefore ineligible to receive PPP loans under 13 CFR 120.110(s). See
SBA PPP Interim Final Rule at 85 Fed. Reg. 23450 (released by the SBA on April 24, 2020).
E.12. Is a portfolio company of a private equity fund eligible to borrow under the
Program?
As provided in question E.5., to determine eligibility, a Business’s employees and 2019 annual
revenues are calculated by aggregating the employees and the 2019 annual revenues of the
Business itself with those of the Business’s affiliated entities in accordance with the affiliation
test set forth in 13 CFR 121.301(f) (1/1/2019 ed.). This affiliation test applies to private equity-
owned Businesses in the same manner as any other Business subject to outside ownership or
control. 3
3
The SBA affiliation exceptions in 13 CFR 121.103(b) apply to the Program, including the exception for
business concerns owned in whole or substantial part by investment companies licensed under the
Small Business Investment Act of 1958, as amended. See 13 CFR 121.301(f)(7) (1/1/2019 ed.).
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For example, assume Business X seeks to borrow under the Program. Business X has fewer
than 15,000 employees and its 2019 annual revenues were below $5 billion. However,
Business Y owns more than 50 percent of the voting equity of Business X and Businesses A, B, C,
and D. As a result, Businesses A, B, C, D, X, and Y are all affiliated entities. 13 CFR 121.301(f)(1)
and (3) (1/1/2019 ed.). In order for Business X to be an Eligible Borrower under the Program, it
must meet one of the following two conditions: (a) the aggregate number of employees of
Business X and its affiliated entities must be 15,000 or fewer; or (b) the aggregate 2019 annual
revenues of Business X and its affiliated entities must be $5 billion or less. See 13 CFR
121.301(f)(6) (1/1/2019 ed.).
F. Application Process
F.1. How can I apply for a Program loan?
To obtain a loan under the Program, an Eligible Borrower must submit an application and any
other documentation required by an Eligible Lender to such Eligible Lender. Eligible Borrowers
should contact an Eligible Lender for more information on whether the Eligible Lender plans to
participate in the Program and to request more information on the application process.
Updates regarding the Program, including the official launch date and the time and date at
which the Main Street SPV will begin purchasing participations in MSNLF Loans, MSPLF Loans,
and MSELF Upsized Tranches, will be made available on the Board’s Main Street page
F.2. Is a Business eligible to borrow if it receives a PPP loan?
A Business that receives a loan through the SBA’s PPP can be an Eligible Borrower under Main
Street if it meets the Eligible Borrower criteria.
F.3. Do Eligible Borrowers qualify automatically for a loan under the Program?
No. The term sheet contains minimum requirements for the Program. Eligible Lenders are
expected to conduct an assessment of each potential borrower’s financial condition at the time
of the potential borrower’s application. Eligible Lenders will apply their own underwriting
standards in evaluating the financial condition and creditworthiness of a potential borrower.
An Eligible Lender may require additional information and documentation in making this
evaluation and will ultimately determine whether an Eligible Borrower is approved for a
Program loan in light of these considerations. Businesses that otherwise meet the Eligible
Borrower requirements may not be approved for a loan or may not receive the maximum
allowable amount.
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G. Terms and Conditions
G.1. How will adjusted 2019 EBITDA be calculated?
For MSNLF and MSPLF, the methodology an Eligible Lender requires an Eligible Borrower to use
when calculating its adjusted 2019 EBITDA must be a methodology the Eligible Lender
previously required to be used for adjusting EBITDA when extending credit to the Eligible
Borrower or to similarly situated borrowers on or before April 24, 2020.
For MSELF Eligible Loans, the methodology an Eligible Lender requires an Eligible Borrower to
use when calculating its adjusted 2019 EBITDA must be the methodology the Eligible Lender
previously required to be used for adjusting EBITDA when originating or amending the
underlying loan on or before April 24, 2020.
G.2. How will “existing outstanding and undrawn available debt” be calculated?
“Existing outstanding and undrawn available debt” includes all amounts borrowed under any
loan facility, including unsecured or secured loans from any bank, non-bank financial institution,
or private lender, as well as any publicly issued bonds or private placement facilities. It also
includes all unused commitments under any loan facility, excluding (1) any undrawn
commitment that serves as a backup line for commercial paper issuance, (2) any undrawn
commitment that is used to finance receivables (including seasonal financing of inventory),
(3) any undrawn commitment that cannot be drawn without additional collateral, and (4) any
undrawn commitment that is no longer available due to change in circumstance. Existing
outstanding and undrawn available debt should be calculated as of the date of the loan
application.
G.3. Why are Program loans based on LIBOR rather than SOFR?
The Federal Reserve received feedback from potential participants that quickly implementing
new systems to issue loans based on SOFR would require diverting resources from challenges
related to the pandemic. Although financial institutions are transitioning to more robust
reference rates, LIBOR remains the most common base rate used in business lending, even
though firms cannot rely on LIBOR being published after the end of 2021. Consistent with the
recommendations of the Alternative Reference Rates Committee, Eligible Lenders and Eligible
Borrowers should include fallback contract language to be used should LIBOR become
unavailable during the term of the loan.
G.4. When do I need to start paying interest on my loan?
No payments of principal or interest will be required during the first 12 months of the loan.
Principal and interest payments for all loans obtained under the Program (MSNLF, MSPLF, or
MSELF) are deferred for one year. Unpaid interest will be capitalized.
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G.5. How will principal be amortized after the first year?
• MSNLF: No principal is paid in the first year. The loan will be amortized over the
remaining term of the loan, with one-third of principal due at the end of each of years 2
and 3, and one-third due at maturity at the end of year 4.
• MSPLF and MSELF: No principal is paid in the first year. The loan will be amortized over
the remaining term of the loan, with 15% of principal due at the end of year 2, 15% of
principal due at the end of year 3, and a balloon payment of 70% of principal due at
maturity at the end of year 4.
For purposes of this question, principal includes capitalized interest. Eligible Lenders will
provide Eligible Borrowers with payment information during the Program loan origination
process.
G.6. Is collateral required for Main Street loans?
MSNLF Loans, MSPLF Loans, and MSELF Upsized Tranches may be secured or unsecured.
An MSELF Upsized Tranche must be secured if the underlying loan is secured. In such case, any
collateral securing the underlying loan (at the time of upsizing or on any subsequent date) must
secure the MSELF Upsized Tranche on a pari passu basis. Under such an arrangement, if the
borrower defaults, the SPV and lender(s) would share equally in any collateral available to
support the loan relative to their proportional interests in the loan (including the MSELF
Upsized Tranche). Eligible Lenders can require Eligible Borrowers to pledge additional collateral
to secure an MSELF Upsized Tranche as a condition of approval.
G.7. Are there fees associated with Main Street loans?
Yes, there are fees associated with the MSNLF, MSPLF, and MSELF.
• MSNLF and MSPLF: Eligible Lenders will pay the Main Street SPV a transaction fee of
100 basis points of the principal amount of the MSNLF or MSPLF Loan at the time of
origination, and may pass on this fee to Eligible Borrowers. In addition, the Eligible
Borrower will pay the Eligible Lender a fee of up to 100 basis points of the principal
amount of the MSNLF or MSPLF Loan at the time of origination. Eligible Lenders have
discretion over whether and when to charge Eligible Borrowers this fee.
• MSELF: Eligible Lenders will pay the Main Street SPV a transaction fee of 75 basis points
of the principal amount of the MSELF Upsized Tranche at the time of upsizing, and may
choose to pass on this fee to Eligible Borrowers. In addition, the Eligible Borrower will
pay an Eligible Lender a fee of up to 75 basis points of the principal amount of the
MSELF Upsized Tranche at the time of upsizing. Eligible Lenders have discretion over
whether and when to charge Eligible Borrowers this fee.
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The SPV will pay an Eligible Lender 25 basis points of the principal amount of its participation
per annum for loan servicing.
G.8. What constitutes “commercially reasonable efforts” to maintain payroll
and retain employees?
Eligible Borrowers should make commercially reasonable efforts to retain employees during the
term of the MSNLF Loan, MSPLF Loan, or MSELF Upsized Tranche. Specifically, an Eligible
Borrower should undertake good-faith efforts to maintain payroll and retain employees, in light
of its capacities, the economic environment, its available resources, and the business need for
labor. Borrowers that have already laid-off or furloughed workers as a result of the disruptions
from COVID-19 are eligible to apply for Main Street loans.
G.9. Can an Eligible Borrower receive more than one Main Street loan?
An Eligible Borrower may only participate in one of the Main Street facilities: the MSNLF, the
MSPLF, or the MSELF. However, an Eligible Borrower may receive more than one loan under a
single Main Street facility, provided that the sum of MSNLF Loans or MSPLF Loans received by a
single borrower cannot exceed $25 million; and the sum of MSELF Upsized Tranches received
by a single borrower cannot exceed $200 million.
G.10. Can an Eligible Borrower receive a loan if its maximum loan size under a
facility’s term sheet test is below the minimum loan size for the same
facility?
No, borrowers may not receive a loan that is below the minimum loan size, which is $500,000
for MSNLF Loans and MSPLF Loans, and $10 million for MSELF Upsized Tranches.
G.11. How can an Eligible Borrower determine if its existing loans had an internal
risk rating equivalent to a “pass” in the FFIEC’s supervisory rating system
on December 31, 2019?
If an otherwise Eligible Borrower applies for a loan at an Eligible Lender with which it has an
outstanding loan, the Eligible Lender will make the determination of whether the borrower’s
existing loans have an internal risk rating that meets the requirements in the Main Street term
sheets. The Eligible Lender will also assess the potential borrower’s financial condition at the
time of the application.
G.12. Can a Lender charge a Borrower additional fees above the Main Street
origination fee and/or an interest rate above LIBOR + 300 basis points?
Eligible Lenders are allowed to charge Eligible Borrowers a one-time origination fee as set out in
the Main Street term sheets. In addition, Eligible Lenders may also require Eligible Borrowers
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to pay the transaction fee, which the Eligible Lenders must in turn pay to the Main Street SPV.
Eligible Lenders are not permitted to charge Eligible Borrowers any additional fees, except
de minimis fees for services that are customary and necessary in the Eligible Lender’s
underwriting of commercial and industrial loans to similar borrowers, such as appraisal and
legal fees. Eligible Lenders should not charge servicing fees to Eligible Borrowers.
Main Street loans must have an interest rate of LIBOR (1 month or 3 month) + 300 basis points.
G.13. What methodology should be used to adjust EBITDA if an Eligible Lender
has used a range of methods in the past with respect to a single Eligible
Borrower or similarly situated borrowers?
An Eligible Lender should require the Eligible Borrower to adjust its 2019 EBITDA by using the
methodology that the Eligible Lender has previously required for EBITDA adjustments when
extending credit to the Eligible Borrower or, if the Eligible Borrower is a new customer, similarly
situated borrowers on or before April 24, 2020. If an Eligible Lender has used multiple EBITDA
adjustment methods with respect to the Eligible Borrower or similarly situated borrowers (e.g.,
one for use within a credit agreement and one for internal risk management purposes), the
Eligible Lender should choose the most conservative method it has employed. In all cases, the
Eligible Lender must select a single method used at a point in time in the recent past and before
April 24, 2020. The Eligible Lender may not “cherry pick” or apply adjustments used at different
points in time or for a range of purposes. The Eligible Lender should document the rationale for
its selection of an adjusted EBITDA methodology.
G.14. For purposes of adjusting EBITDA, how does an Eligible Lender identify
“similarly situated borrowers”?
Similarly situated borrowers are borrowers in similar industries with comparable risk and size
characteristics. Eligible Lenders should document their process for identifying similarly situated
borrowers when they originate an MSNLF Loan or an MSPLF Loan.
G.15. Why is the Federal Reserve allowing adjustments to EBITDA for purposes
of Main Street when it has noted supervisory concerns with these
adjustments in the past? Is there a limit to how much EBITDA can be
adjusted?
It is normal industry practice for lenders and borrowers to agree to adjust a borrower’s EBITDA
to accommodate differences in business models across industries and to accommodate one-
time events that may positively or negatively impact a borrower’s earnings. When applied
prudently, these adjustments may provide a lender with a more accurate representation of a
business’s earnings capacity over time.
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While the Main Street term sheets do not include limits on how much EBITDA can be adjusted,
there are important features of the Program that are designed to limit excessive risk-taking.
First, EBITDA adjustments must be of the type the Eligible Lender has previously (and recently)
required for the Eligible Borrower or similarly situated borrowers. The Eligible Lender should
document the rationale for its selection of an adjusted EBITDA methodology. See questions
G.13 and G.14 above for more information.
In addition, the EBITDA-based leverage requirements should be viewed as minimum
requirements for the Program. Eligible Lenders are expected to conduct an assessment of each
potential borrower’s financial condition at the time of the borrower’s application.
Finally, the Program requires that a Main Street loan have an internal risk rating from the
Eligible Lender equivalent to a “pass” in the FFIEC’s supervisory rating system as of December
31, 2019. Loans that were criticized in the past for excessive adjustments would not be eligible
for the Program.
H. Certifications and Covenants
H.1. Are the required certifications and covenants under the three Main Street
facilities the same?
The certifications for Lenders and Borrowers vary by Main Street facility and are available
below:
• MSNLF Borrower Certifications and Covenants
• MSPLF Borrower Certifications and Covenants
• MSELF Borrower Certifications and Covenants
• MSNLF Lender Transaction Specific Certifications and Covenants
• MSPLF Lender Transaction Specific Certifications and Covenants
• MSELF Lender Transaction Specific Certifications and Covenants
H.2. What compensation, stock repurchase and capital distributions restrictions
apply?
The compensation, stock repurchase, and capital distribution restrictions that apply to direct
loan programs under section 4003(c)(3)(A)(ii) of the CARES Act apply under each of the MSELF,
MSNLF and MSPLF, except that, in each case, restrictions on dividends and other capital
distributions will not apply to distributions made by an S corporation or other tax pass-through
entity to the extent reasonably required to cover its owners’ tax obligations in respect of the
entity’s earnings.
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H.3. What restrictions are placed on the Eligible Borrower’s ability to repay
existing debt?
The restrictions on repaying debt vary across the various Main Street loans:
• MSNLF and MSELF: The Eligible Borrower must commit to refrain from repaying the
principal balance of, or paying any interest on, any debt until the MSNLF Loan or the
MSELF Upsized Tranche is repaid in full, unless the debt or interest payment is
mandatory and due. The Eligible Borrower must also commit that it will not seek to
cancel or reduce any of its committed lines of credit with the Eligible Lender or any
other lender.
• MSPLF: The Eligible Borrower must commit to refrain from repaying the principal
balance of, or paying any interest on, any debt until the MSPLF Loan is repaid in full,
unless the debt or interest payment is mandatory and due; however, the Eligible
Borrower may, at the time of origination of the MSPLF Loan, refinance existing debt
owed by the Eligible Borrower to a lender that is not the Eligible Lender. The Eligible
Borrower must also commit that it will not seek to cancel or reduce any of its committed
lines of credit with the Eligible Lender or any other lender.
These covenants would not prohibit an Eligible Borrower from undertaking any of the following
actions during the term of the MSNLF Loan, MSPLF Loan, or MSELF Upsized Tranche:
• repaying a line of credit (including a credit card) in accordance with the Eligible
Borrower’s normal course of business usage for such line of credit;
• taking on and paying additional debt obligations required in the normal course of
business and on standard terms, including inventory and equipment financing, provided
that such debt is secured only by the newly acquired property (e.g., inventory or
equipment), and, apart from such security, is of equal or lower priority than the MSNLF
Loan, the MSPLF Loan, or the MSELF Upsized Tranche; or
• refinancing maturing debt.
H.4. Is an Eligible Lender permitted to accept partial repayment of an Eligible
Borrower’s existing line of credit with the Eligible Lender?
The Eligible Lender would not be prevented from accepting repayments on a line of credit from
an Eligible Borrower in accordance with the Eligible Borrower’s normal course of business usage
for such line of credit.
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H.5. What restrictions are placed on an Eligible Lender’s ability to cancel or
reduce any existing committed lines of credit outstanding?
An Eligible Lender must commit that it will not cancel or reduce any existing committed lines of
credit outstanding to the Eligible Borrower, except in an event of default. This requirement
does not prohibit the reduction or termination of uncommitted lines of credit, the expiration of
existing lines of credit in accordance with their terms, or the reduction of availability under
existing lines of credit in accordance with their terms due to changes in borrowing bases or
reserves in asset-based or similar structures.
H.6. What is the Eligible Lender’s role in verifying certifications and covenants?
An Eligible Lender is required to collect the required certifications and covenants from each
Eligible Borrower at the time of origination or upsizing. Eligible Lenders may rely on an Eligible
Borrower’s certifications and covenants, as well as any subsequent self-reporting by the Eligible
Borrower. The Eligible Lender is not expected to independently verify the Eligible Borrower’s
certifications or actively monitor ongoing compliance with covenants required for Eligible
Borrowers under the Main Street term sheets. If an Eligible Lender becomes aware that an
Eligible Borrower made a material misstatement or otherwise breached a covenant during the
term of an MSNLF Loan, MSPLF Loan, or MSELF Upsized Tranche, the Eligible Lender should
notify the FRB Boston.
H.7. What debt and interest payments are considered “mandatory and due”?
The debt repayment covenants generally prohibit an Eligible Borrower from repaying the
principal balance of, or paying any interest on, any debt until the Main Street loan is repaid in
full, unless the principal or interest payment is “mandatory and due.” With respect to debt that
predates the Main Street loan, principal and interest payments are “mandatory and due”:
• on the future date upon which they were scheduled to be paid as of April 24, 2020, or
• upon the occurrence of an event that automatically triggers mandatory prepayments
under a contract for indebtedness that the Eligible Borrower executed prior to
April 24, 2020, except that any such prepayments triggered by the incurrence of new
debt can only be paid:
o if such prepayments are de minimis, or
o under the MSPLF at the time of origination of an MSPLF Loan.
For the avoidance of doubt, under the Program, Eligible Borrowers may continue to pay, and
Eligible Lenders may request that Eligible Borrowers pay, interest or principal payments on
outstanding debt on (or after) the payment due date, provided that the payment due date was
scheduled prior to April 24, 2020. Eligible Borrowers may not pay, and Eligible Lenders may not
request that Eligible Borrowers pay, interest or principal payments on such debt ahead of
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schedule during the life of the Program loan, unless required by a mandatory prepayment
clause as specifically permitted above.
For future debt incurred by the Borrower in compliance with the terms and conditions of the
Program loan, principal and interest payments are “mandatory and due” on their scheduled
dates or upon the occurrence of an event that automatically triggers mandatory prepayments.
See question H.3 above for more information about the debt payment covenants generally,
including with respect to treatment of lines of credit.
H.8. Can an Eligible Borrower receive an MSNLF Loan or an MSELF Upsized
Tranche if its existing debt arrangements require prepayment of an
amount that is not de minimis upon the incurrence of new debt?
If an Eligible Borrower has an existing debt arrangement that requires prepayment of more
than a de minimis amount upon the incurrence of new debt, the Eligible Borrower cannot
receive an MSNLF Loan or an MSELF Upsized Tranche unless such requirement is waived or
reduced to a de minimis amount by the relevant creditor.
H.9. How must a Main Street borrower demonstrate that it is “unable to secure
adequate credit accommodations from other banking institutions”?
Being unable to secure adequate credit accommodations does not mean that no credit from
other sources is available to the borrower. Rather, the borrower may certify that it is unable to
secure “adequate credit accommodations” because the amount, price, or terms of credit
available from other sources are inadequate for the borrower’s needs during the current
unusual and exigent circumstances. Borrowers are not required to demonstrate that
applications for credit had been denied by other lenders or otherwise document that the
amount, price, or terms of credit available elsewhere are inadequate.
I. Lender Information
I.1. Which financial institutions are eligible to make loans under the Program?
U.S. federally-insured depository institutions (including banks, savings associations, and credit
unions), U.S. branches or agencies of foreign banks, U.S. bank holding companies, U.S. savings
and loan holding companies, U.S. intermediate holding companies of foreign banking
organizations, or any U.S. subsidiary of any of the foregoing are eligible to participate in the
Program. At this time, nonbank financial institutions are not considered Eligible Lenders for
purposes of the Program. However, the Federal Reserve is considering options to expand the
list of Eligible Lenders in the future.
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I.2. How should an Eligible Lender evaluate an Eligible Borrower’s
creditworthiness?
Eligible Lenders should view the eligibility criteria in the term sheets as the minimum
requirements for the Program. Eligible Lenders are expected to conduct an assessment of each
potential borrower’s financial condition at the time of the potential borrower’s application.
Eligible Lenders will apply their own underwriting standards in evaluating the financial
condition and creditworthiness of a potential borrower. An Eligible Lender may require
additional information and documentation in making this evaluation and will ultimately
determine whether an Eligible Borrower is approved for a Program loan in light of these
considerations. Businesses that otherwise meet the Eligible Borrower requirements may not be
approved for a loan or receive the maximum allowable amount.
I.3. Can multiple affiliated Eligible Lenders participate in Main Street?
Yes. Multiple affiliated entities may register as Eligible Lenders under the Program.
I.4. Will standard loan documents be provided for Main Street loans, or should
Eligible Lenders use their own loan documentation?
Each participating Eligible Lender should use its own loan documentation in relation to Main
Street loans. Such documentation should be substantially similar, including with respect to
required covenants, to the loan documentation that the Eligible Lender uses in its ordinary
course lending to similarly situated borrowers, adjusted only as appropriate to reflect the
requirements of the Program. Appendix A contains a checklist of the items that must be
reflected in the loan documentation in order for the Main Street SPV to purchase a
participation in a loan. Appendix B includes certain model covenants that Eligible Lenders can
elect to reference when drafting their loan documentation in order to satisfy the Appendix A
requirements. Appendix C includes a list of the financial information that Eligible Lenders must
require Eligible Borrowers to provide on an ongoing basis until the loans mature.
I.5. How should an Eligible Lender account for the transfer of an undivided
participation interest in the loan to the Main Street SPV?
The transfer of an undivided participation interest in an MSNLF Loan, MSPLF Loan, or an MSELF
Upsized Tranche is structured with the intent to (a) meet the accounting definition of a
participating interest; (b) qualify as a true sale under the Bankruptcy Code; and (c) meet the
criteria for sale accounting outlined in ASC 860, Transfers and Servicing.
The Federal Reserve expects that an Eligible Lender would generally be able to support the
conclusion that the transfer of a participation interest in an MSNLF Loan, MSPLF Loan, or an
MSELF Upsized Tranche made in accordance with the Program requirements qualifies for sale
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accounting under ASC 860. However, an Eligible Lender will need to evaluate any entity-specific
considerations in determining the appropriate conclusion.
For the MSELF, the accounting considerations described above relate to situations where an
Eligible Lender has appropriately concluded that the MSELF Upsized Tranche is a separate and
distinct unit of account for accounting purposes. This conclusion will vary depending on
transaction-specific considerations as an Eligible Lender has the ability to customize certain
details that may be pertinent to the unit of account analysis. Factors that an Eligible Lender
should consider in evaluating whether the MSELF Upsized Tranche can be considered a
separate and distinct unit of account, apart from the existing term loan or revolving credit
facility, for accounting purposes include, but are not limited to:
• the characteristics of the MSELF Upsized Tranche compared to the characteristics of the
existing term loan or revolving credit facility (e.g., maturity date, amortization schedule,
collateral requirement, payment date, and interest rate); and
• how an Eligible Lender operationalizes the MSELF Upsized Tranche, including whether
scheduled principal and interest payments are commingled with payments on the
existing term loan or revolving credit facility, whether the payments made by the
Eligible Borrower clearly indicate which loan the payment is intended to settle, and
whether the Eligible Lender separately maintains detailed record-keeping.
Federal Reserve staff has discussed the broad terms and intent of the Program with staff of the
SEC’s Office of the Chief Accountant (OCA). OCA staff have indicated they are available for
consultation on an entity’s specific facts and circumstances as needed.
J. Loan Participation
J.1. What loan documentation is required to sell a participation to the Main
Street SPV under the Program?
Information regarding the loan documentation required to sell a loan participation to the SPV
will be made available on the Board’s website.
J.2. What loan-level information will the SPV collect for credit monitoring
purposes?
See Appendix C.
J.3. Is there a limit to the volume of participations the Main Street SPV can
purchase from a single Eligible Lender?
Apart from the Program’s size and time limitations, there is no limit on the amount of
participations the Main Street SPV can purchase from a single Eligible Lender.
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J.4. Under the Loan Participation Agreement, when can the Main Street SPV
sell its loan participation or elevate its loan participation into an
assignment?
Under the Loan Participation Agreement, the Main Street SPV is generally permitted to sell its
participation (without elevating) only with the contemporaneous consent of the Eligible Lender.
In addition, it is generally permitted to elevate its participation into an assignment only with the
contemporaneous consent of the Eligible Borrower, the Eligible Lender, and other necessary
parties (i.e., the administrative agent in a multi-lender facility). However, the SPV may do the
following without such contemporaneous consent:
• It may sell or transfer its loan participation in full, but not in part, without elevating, at
any time to any Federal Reserve Bank, any vehicle authorized to be established by the
Board or any Federal Reserve Bank, any entity created by an act of Congress, or any
vehicle established or acquired by the Department of the Treasury or any other
department or agency of the federal government. These transfers cannot be
undertaken to effect a securitization.
• It may sell or transfer its loan participation, or elevate its participation to an assignment
(to itself or a third-party), upon the following events:
o at the option of the Main Street SPV, if the Eligible Borrower has failed to make
any payment due under its loan contract with the Eligible Lender and the
applicable grace period has elapsed;
o at the option of the Main Street SPV, if the Eligible Borrower or the Eligible
Lender has become the subject of bankruptcy or other insolvency proceedings;
o automatically, if the Eligible Lender would take, or refrain from taking, an action
that would result in impermissible forgiveness of principal of the portion of the
Program loan beneficially owned by the Main Street SPV (to prevent a violation
of section 4003(d)(3) of the CARES Act); and
o if required to do so by a statute or court.
Please see the form Loan Participation Agreement Standard Terms and Conditions for more
detail regarding the above.
J.5. What role will the Main Street SPV play in the event an Eligible Borrower
enters distress?
Prior to an Eligible Borrower entering distress, the Main Street SPV will rely on the Eligible
Lender to service each Main Street loan in accordance with the standard of care set out in the
Loan Participation Agreement and in light of the duties of the Eligible Lender under the
Servicing Agreement. Except as set out in question J.4, the Main Street SPV cannot elevate its
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interest during this time without the contemporaneous consent of the Eligible Borrower and
the Eligible Lender, and typically would not seek to do so.
Once an Eligible Borrower misses a mandatory and due payment on the Program loan (beyond
the applicable grace period), or the Eligible Borrower or Eligible Lender enters into bankruptcy
or other insolvency proceedings, the Main Street SPV will have the option to elevate its
participation to an assignment to be in privity with the Eligible Borrower. However, the Federal
Reserve does not expect the Main Street SPV to use this right as a matter of course. Rather, the
Federal Reserve would expect Eligible Lenders to follow market-standard workout processes
and to exercise the standard of care set out in the Loan Participation Agreement (i.e., to
exercise the same duty of care in approaching such proceedings as it would exercise if it
retained a beneficial interest in the entire loan). In general, the Federal Reserve expects that
the Main Street SPV generally would not expect to elevate and assign except in situations
where (i) the economic interests of the Eligible Lender and the Main Street SPV are misaligned,
or (ii) the loan amount is relatively large in comparison to other loans in the Main Street SPV’s
portfolio of participations.
J.6. How will the Main Street SPV approach decision-making with respect to its
voting rights under the Loan Participation Agreement or Co-Lender
Agreement?
Main Street is an emergency lending program, not a grant program. Consistent with
Section 13(3) of the Federal Reserve Act and the Federal Reserve’s obligations under the
CARES Act, the Main Street SPV will make commercially reasonable decisions to protect
taxpayers from losses on Main Street loans and will not be influenced by non-economic factors
when exercising its voting rights under the Loan Participation Agreement or the Co-Lender
Agreement, including with respect to a borrower that is the subject of a workout or
restructuring.
J.7. Will the Main Street SPV assert special administrative priority under
Section 507(a)(2) of the Bankruptcy Code for its claims against an Eligible
Borrower in bankruptcy proceedings?
No. Under the Loan Participation Agreement and Co-Lender Agreement, the Main Street SPV
(and any other entity that steps into its shoes) has waived and disclaimed its right to assert
special administrative priority under Section 507(a)(2) of the Bankruptcy Code. The Federal
Reserve believes that waiving and disclaiming its right to such priority will enhance the efficacy
of the Program and provide certainty to Eligible Lenders and Eligible Borrowers, without
compromising taxpayer protection.
• Taxpayer Recovery. The Federal Reserve has determined that failing to waive and
disclaim its right to assert this special priority may trigger technical cross-defaults
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related to an Eligible Borrower’s other existing debt obligations, and could prevent
Eligible Borrowers from securing new debt, including potential Debtor-in-Possession
financing. Such consequences would undermine the Main Street SPV’s efforts to
maximize recovery for taxpayers, including in the case of an Eligible Borrower’s
restructuring or workout. Further, the assertion of this special priority could require
costly litigation in the case of any Eligible Borrower bankruptcy, which would limit net
recovery.
• Limited Scope of the Special Priority. Special priority is likely to improve taxpayer
recoveries only in limited situations. In general, special priority would enhance the
Federal Reserve’s recoveries only in some situations where the Main Street SPV is one
of multiple unsubordinated unsecured creditors of the Eligible Borrower at the time of
its bankruptcy, and only to the extent the SPV would not have to share its special
recoveries with other creditors due to underlying inter-creditor agreements.
• Efficacy of Main Street. The Federal Reserve also believes that failing to waive or
disclaim its rights to assert special priority may limit the efficacy of the Program,
because Eligible Lenders likely would be hesitant to use a Program that would
effectively subordinate the credit they have already extended to an Eligible Borrower.
• Other Taxpayer Protections. The MSNLF, MSELF, and MSPLF include features that are
intended to mitigate risk to the Federal Reserve and taxpayers. For example, Eligible
Lenders are required to retain a portion of each loan’s risk, the maximum loan size for
each facility is limited by an Eligible Borrower’s existing leverage, and Eligible Borrowers
are constrained in their ability to prepay other existing debts. Further, an Eligible
Borrower’s loans outstanding with the Eligible Lender must have received an internal
FFIEC “pass” rating, as of December 31, 2019. Together, the Federal Reserve believes
that these and other design features are sufficient to protect taxpayers from losses.
K. Regulatory Treatment
K.1. What is the regulatory capital treatment for the interest in a Main Street
loan retained by an Eligible Lender?
The interest in the portion of a Main Street loan that is retained by an Eligible Lender should be
assigned the risk weight applicable to the counterparty for the loan—generally a 100 percent
risk weight for a corporate exposure under the standardized approach. For purposes of risk-
based capital rules and leverage rules, the exposure amount for MSPLF Loans is 15 percent of
the outstanding MSPLF Loan balance; and the exposure amount for MSNLF Loans and MSELF
Upsized Tranches is 5 percent of the MSNLF Loan balance or MSELF Upsized Tranche balance,
respectively. With respect to the MSELF, this treatment applies only to the outstanding MSELF
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Upsized Tranche balance; the underlying loan or line of credit would be subject to the capital
treatment that applied prior to the sale of the participation to the Main Street SPV.
Secured Main Street loans are eligible for the credit risk mitigation treatment in the
standardized approach provided that any collateral securing the loan is eligible financial
collateral. Eligible Lenders are not permitted to recognize collateral attributable to the Main
Street SPV’s interest for purposes of the credit risk mitigation treatment under the capital rule.
The treatment described above applies only to Eligible Lenders that are subject to the federal
banking agencies’ capital rule. Credit unions that participate in the Program are subject to any
capital requirements implemented by the National Credit Union Administration.
K.2. How will Program loans be treated for supervised firms subject to stress
testing?
The capital planning guidance issued by the Federal Reserve in 2015 (SR 15-18 and SR 15-19)
includes supervisory expectations for capital planning and stress testing for certain supervised
firms. Such firms should continue to reference that guidance when evaluating Program loans
for capital planning and stress testing purposes. Eligible Lenders subject to capital planning
guidance should evaluate only the retained portion of Program loans for capital planning and
stress testing purposes, as the sale of participations to the SPV will be structured as “true
sales.”
The supervisory stress test methodology to assign losses to and revenues stemming from
different types of exposures is publicly available and described in “Dodd-Frank Act Stress Test
2020: Supervisory Stress Test Methodology.”
K.3. Are Main Street loans for existing customers considered new accounts for
FinCEN Rule CDD purposes? Are lenders required to collect, certify, or
verify beneficial ownership information in accordance with the rule
requirements for existing customers?
FinCEN has provided the following guidance to the Board with respect to this question: If the
Main Street loan is being made to an existing customer and the necessary information was
previously verified, you do not need to re-verify the information. Furthermore, if Eligible
Lenders for purposes of the Program have not yet collected beneficial ownership information
on existing customers, such institutions do not need to collect and verify beneficial ownership
information for those customers applying for new Main Street loans, unless otherwise indicated
by the Eligible Lender’s risk-based approach to Bank Secrecy Act compliance.
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K.4. How will federal supervisors treat loans extended through the Main Street
program?
Given the severe economic dislocations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many Main Street
loan applicants may be experiencing temporary cash flow disruptions. Supervisors
acknowledge the high degree of uncertainty in predicting COVID-19’s economic impact and
effect on individual borrowers. Eligible Lenders are encouraged to work with borrowers
affected by COVID-19 and may originate or expand loans to such borrowers under the Main
Street Program. An Eligible Lender should evaluate and satisfy themselves with respect to a
borrower’s ability to repay Main Street Program loans. The assessments should consider a
borrower’s credit history and financial performance prior to the crisis, as well as its post
pandemic business prospects. Eligible Lenders should apply safe and sound credit risk
management policies and practices throughout the life of Main Street Program
loans. Supervisors will approach Program loans in a manner consistent with their supervisory
approach to other commercial and industrial loans. Supervisory expectations regarding
appropriate risk management practices under extraordinary circumstances are outlined in SR
17-14.
L. Operational Details
L.1. How will the Federal Reserve administer the Program?
The Program will be administered by the FRB Boston, which will establish the Main Street SPV
to purchase loan participations from Eligible Lenders in any of the twelve Federal Reserve
districts. Further detail regarding how the Program will be operationalized will be made
available in the future.
L.2. What information will the Federal Reserve disclose regarding the Main
Street facilities?
The Federal Reserve will disclose information regarding the MSNLF, MSPLF, and MSELF during
the operation of the facilities, including information regarding names of lenders and borrowers,
amounts borrowed and interest rates charged, and overall costs, revenues and other fees.
Balance sheet items related to the MSNLF, MSPLF and MSELF will be reported weekly, on an
aggregated basis, on the H.4.1 statistical release titled "Factors Affecting Reserve Balances of
Depository Institutions and Condition Statement of Federal Reserve Banks," published by the
Federal Reserve. In addition, the Federal Reserve will disclose to Congress information
pursuant to Section 13(3) of the Federal Reserve Act, as amended by the Dodd-Frank Wall
Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and the Board’s Regulation A.
Under section 11(s) of the Federal Reserve Act, the Federal Reserve also will disclose
information concerning the facilities one year after the effective date of the termination by the
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Board of the authorization of the facilities. This disclosure will include names and identifying
details of each participant in the facilities, the amount borrowed, the interest rate or discount
paid, and information concerning the types and amounts of collateral pledged or assets
transferred in connection with participation in the facilities.
L.3. How will the remaining capacity of the Program be communicated?
The Federal Reserve will provide periodic reports on the size of the Program and its remaining
capacity.
L.4. Are Eligible Lenders required to commit and pre-fund loans under the
Program before the SPV has committed to purchase its participation in a
Program Loan?
No. When operational, Eligible Lenders will have two options for funding loans under the
Program:
1. Funded Loan: An Eligible Lender may extend an MSNLF Loan, an MSPLF Loan, or an
MSELF Upsized Tranche to an Eligible Borrower and fund such loan. The Eligible Lender,
if registered with the Program, can then seek to sell a participation in such loan to the
Main Street SPV by submitting all of the required documentation, completed and
signed, for processing. Upon determining that such paperwork is complete and
consistent with Program requirements, the Main Street SPV would purchase a
participation in such loan by dating and countersigning the Participation Agreement and
returning it to the Eligible Lender. Eligible Lenders using this option must submit the
loan to the Main Street SPV for sale of a participation interest expeditiously (i.e., no
later than 14 days) after the closing of such loans.
2. Condition of Funding: An Eligible Lender may also extend an MSNLF Loan, an MSPLF
Loan, or an MSELF Upsized Tranche to an Eligible Borrower, but make the funding of
such loan contingent on a binding commitment from the Main Street SPV that it will
purchase a participation in the loan. Under this option, the Eligible Lender, if registered
with the Program, would submit all of the required documentation, completed and
signed, for processing, but would indicate in its submission that the loan has not yet
been funded. The Main Street SPV would review the required documentation and, if
complete and consistent with Program requirements, would provide the Eligible Lender
with a binding commitment to purchase the loan after it is funded (Commitment
Letter). The Commitment Letter will indicate that the Eligible Lender is required to fund
the loan within three business days of the date of the Commitment Letter and that the
Main Street SPV will purchase the participation in the loan not later than three business
days after the Eligible Lender notifies the Main Street SPV that the Eligible Lender has
funded the loan. The Eligible Lender will provide this notification by entering the
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funding date of the loan into a field in the Main Street Portal. 4 If the funding notice is
submitted by the Eligible Lender after 4 p.m., the notice will be treated as if it were
received the next business day.
The Main Street SPV will then process its purchase of a participation in such loan on the
basis of the previously received paperwork. The Eligible Lender will not need to submit
the Required Documentation a second time. If Eligible Lenders elect to use this option,
the loan documentation should include language similar to the model provision below.
In the “Conditions to All Borrowings” section:
“(i) the [Eligible Lender] shall have received a commitment letter from MS
Facilities LLC that it will purchase a participation interest in $[PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT TO BE PARTICIPATED] aggregate principal amount of the [APPLICABLE
LOAN DEFINITION] under the Main Street Lending Program”
M. Other Information
M.1. Where should questions regarding the Program be directed?
Inquiries can be submitted by email to mslp@bos.frb.org.
M.2. How can I receive updates regarding changes to the Program?
The terms of the Program are available on the Board’s website and will be updated to reflect
modifications as they are made. Interested parties can sign up for alerts here.
4
Link to Main Street Portal will be added when the program is operational.
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Appendix A: Loan Document Checklist
Each participating Eligible Lender should use its own loan documentation in relation to Main Street loans. Such documentation
should be substantially similar, including with respect to required covenants, to the loan documentation that the Eligible Lender uses
in its ordinary course lending to similarly situated borrowers, adjusted only as appropriate to reflect the requirements of the
Program. In order for the Main Street SPV to participate in a loan, the loan documentation must reflect the required components
set out in the charts below.
MSELF
Term MSNLF MSPLF
Upsized Tranche Underlying Loan
1 Maturity 4 years 4 years 4 years remaining maturity of at least
18 months (taking into account
any adjustments made to the
maturity of the underlying loan
after April 24, 2020, including
at the time of upsizing)
2 Principal and 1 year 1 year 1 year no requirements applicable
Interest under the Program
Deferral
3 Capitalization Yes Yes Yes no requirements applicable
of Unpaid under the Program
Interest
4 Interest Rate adjustable rate of LIBOR adjustable rate of LIBOR adjustable rate of LIBOR (1 or 3 no requirements applicable
(1 or 3 month) + 300 (1 or 3 month) + 300 month) + 300 basis points under the Program
basis points basis points
5 Principal one-third at the end of 15% at the end of the 15% at the end of the second no requirements applicable
Amortization the second year, one- second year, 15% at the year, 15% at the end of the under the Program
Schedule third at the end of the end of the third year, third year, and a balloon
third year, and one-third and a balloon payment payment of 70% at maturity at
at maturity at the end of of 70% at maturity at the end of the fourth year
the fourth year the end of the fourth
year
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MSELF
Term MSNLF MSPLF
Upsized Tranche Underlying Loan
6 Minimum $500,000 $500,000 $10 million no requirements applicable
Loan Size under the Program
7 Maximum the lesser of (i) $25 the lesser of (i) $25 the lesser of (i) $200 million, (ii)
no requirements applicable
Loan Size million or (ii) an amount million or (ii) an amount 35% of the Eligible Borrower’s under the Program
that, when added to the that, when added to the existing outstanding and
Eligible Borrower’s Eligible Borrower’s undrawn available debt that is
existing outstanding and existing outstanding and pari passu in priority with the
undrawn available debt, undrawn available debt, MSELF Upsized Tranche (and
does not exceed four does not exceed six underlying loan) and equivalent
times the Eligible times the Eligible in secured status (i.e., secured
Borrower’s adjusted Borrower’s adjusted or unsecured), or (iii) an
2019 EBITDA 2019 EBITDA amount that, when added to
the Eligible Borrower’s existing
outstanding and undrawn
available debt, does not exceed
six times the Eligible
Borrower’s adjusted 2019
EBITDA
8 Priority / May not include any May not include any May not include any provisions that would cause the MSELF
Security provisions that would provisions that would Upsized Tranche to be contractually subordinated to other debt
Requirement cause the MSNLF Loan cause the MSPLF Loan in or outside of bankruptcy.
to be contractually to be contractually
subordinated to other subordinated to other Must include a standard lien covenant or negative pledge that is
debt in or outside of debt in or outside of of the type and that contains the exceptions, limitations, carve-
bankruptcy. bankruptcy. outs, baskets, materiality thresholds, and qualifiers that are
consistent with those used by the Eligible Lender in its ordinary
Must include a standard course lending to similarly situated borrowers.
lien covenant or • See Appendix B for a model covenant.
negative pledge that is • For MSELF Upsized Tranches where the underlying loan is
of the type and that part of a multi-lender facility, any lien covenant or
contains the exceptions, negative pledge that was negotiated in good faith prior to
limitations, carve-outs,
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MSELF
Term MSNLF MSPLF
Upsized Tranche Underlying Loan
baskets, materiality April 24, 2020, as part of the underlying loan shall be
thresholds, and deemed sufficient.
qualifiers that are
consistent with those
used by the Eligible
Lender in its ordinary
course lending to
similarly situated
borrowers. See
Appendix B for a model
covenant.
9 Prepayment permitted without permitted without permitted without penalty no requirements applicable
penalty penalty under the Program
10 Type term loan term loan term loan term or revolving credit facility
11 Origination after April 24, 2020 after April 24, 2020 after April 24, 2020 on or before April 24, 2020
Date
12 Borrower Must include a Must include a Must include a Borrower Certifications and Covenants material
Certifications Borrower Certifications Borrower Certifications breach mandatory prepayment provision to the extent feasible in
and and Covenants material and Covenants material light of existing voting arrangements (see Appendix B for more
Covenants breach mandatory breach mandatory information).
Material prepayment provision prepayment provision
Breach (see model provision in (see model provision in
Mandatory Appendix B). Appendix B).
Prepayment
13 Cross- Must include a cross Must include a cross Must include a cross acceleration provision (see model provision
Acceleration acceleration provision acceleration provision in Appendix B).
Provision (see model provision in (see model provision in
Appendix B). Appendix B). For MSELF Upsized Tranches where the underlying loan is part of
a multi-lender facility, any cross-default or cross-acceleration
provision that was negotiated in good faith prior to April 24,
2020, as part of the underlying loan shall be deemed sufficient.
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MSELF
Term MSNLF MSPLF
Upsized Tranche Underlying Loan
14 Collateral If secured, collateral If secured, collateral If secured, collateral should be described in accordance with the
should be described in should be described in bank’s ordinary practices in its loan documentation
accordance with the accordance with the
bank’s ordinary bank’s ordinary
practices in its loan practices in its loan
documentation. documentation.
15 Financial Must include a quarterly Must include a quarterly Must include a quarterly financial reporting covenant requiring
Reporting financial reporting financial reporting the financial information set out in Appendix C (see model
covenant requiring the covenant requiring the covenant in Appendix B).
financial information set financial information set
out in Appendix C (see out in Appendix C (see For MSELF Upsized Tranches where the underlying loan is part of
model covenant in model covenant in a multi-lender facility, any financial reporting provision that was
Appendix B) Appendix B) negotiated in good faith prior to April 24, 2020, as part of the
underlying loan shall be deemed sufficient.
In addition to the above, any Eligible Lender that elects to make receipt of a binding commitment letter from the Main Street SPV a condition of
closing (see question L.4 above), should include language similar to the model provision below in its loan documentation:
In the “Conditions to All Borrowings” section:
“(i) the [Eligible Lender] shall have received a commitment letter from MS Facilities LLC that it will purchase a participation interest in
$[PRINCIPAL AMOUNT TO BE PARTICIPATED] aggregate principal amount of the [APPLICABLE LOAN DEFINITION].
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Appendix B: Required Covenants in Loan Documentation
Each participating Eligible Lender should use its own documentation for Main Street loans.
Such documentation should be substantially similar, including with respect to required
covenants, to the loan documents that the Eligible Lender uses in its ordinary course lending to
similarly situated borrowers, adjusted only as appropriate to reflect the requirements of the
Program. Appendix A sets out the components that must be reflected in such documentation.
Model covenants are provided below in relation to #8, #12, #13, and #15 of Appendix A.
Please note: Eligible Lenders are not required to use the model covenants provided; these are
provided only as examples for the convenience of Eligible Lenders. Eligible Lenders are
permitted to use variations of such provisions to the extent they serve the same substantive
purpose and are otherwise substantially similar to provisions that the Eligible Lender uses in its
ordinary course lending to similarly situated borrowers.
I. Priority and Security Covenant
Each Main Street facility includes a requirement concerning the priority and/or security of the
loan, which must be reflected in the loan documentation through the presence or absence of
certain covenants.
I.A. MSNLF Loans
MSNLF Loans must not be, at the time of origination or at any time during the term of the
MSNLF Loan, contractually subordinated in terms of priority to any of the Eligible Borrower’s
other loans or debt instruments. See question B.3 for more information about how to interpret
this term. In accordance with this term, the loan documentation should not include any
provisions that would cause the MSNLF Loan to be contractually subordinated to any other
debt whether in or outside of bankruptcy. For the avoidance of doubt, prohibitions on
contractual subordination do not prevent the incurrence of obligations that have mandatory
priority under the Bankruptcy Code or other insolvency laws, or other relevant law or
regulation, that apply to entities generally.
I.B. MSPLF Loans and MSELF Upsized Tranches that are Part of Bilateral
Facilities
MSPLF Loans and MSELF Upsized Tranches must be, at the time of origination and at all times
thereafter, senior to or pari passu with, in terms of priority and security, the Eligible Borrower’s
other Loans or Debt Instruments (other than Mortgage Debt). See questions C.6 and D.12 for
more information about how to interpret these terms in the context of the MSPLF and MSELF,
respectively.
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In accordance with this term, the loan documentation for MSPLF Loans and MSELF Upsized
Tranches that are part of bilateral facilities (i.e., where the Eligible Lender is the only lender)
should not include any provisions that would cause the MSPLF Loan or MSELF Upsized Tranche
to be contractually subordinated to any other debt whether in or outside of bankruptcy. See
section I.A of this Appendix B for more information.
In addition, the loan documentation for MSPLF Loans and MSELF Upsized Tranches that are part
of bilateral facilities must contain a lien covenant or negative pledge that is of the type – and
that contains exceptions, limitations, carve-outs, baskets, materiality thresholds, and qualifiers
– that is consistent with those used by the Eligible Lender in its ordinary course lending to
similarly situated borrowers. A model lien covenant is set out below for the convenience of
Eligible Lenders.
In the “Negative Covenants” section:
“The Borrower will not, nor will it permit any subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or suffer
to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or
hereafter acquired, securing any debt for borrowed money or any obligations evidenced
by a bond, debenture, note, loan agreement or other similar instrument, or any guarantee
of the foregoing, other than the following:
(a) Liens securing obligations under the [MSPLF Loan][MSELF loan];
(b) [Liens on real property in connection with loans with respect to which
substantially all of the proceeds were used for acquisition, construction, fit-out,
and/or renovation of the property];
(c) [Junior Liens securing permitted Indebtedness]; or
(d) [Liens on receivables assets and related assets incurred in connection with a
receivables facility, provided that such debt is secured only by the newly acquired
property].
Lien covenants included in Main Street loan documentation may include carve-outs at the
discretion of the Eligible Lender in accordance with its customary underwriting practices with
respect to similarly situated borrowers. The carve-outs from the lien covenant listed above
illustrate the types of carve outs, among others, that Eligible Lenders may choose to include in a
Main Street loan’s lien covenant.
I.C. MSELF Upsized Tranches that are Part of Multi-Lender Facilities
MSELF Upsized Tranches must be, at the time of origination and at all times thereafter, senior
to or pari passu with, in terms of priority and security, the Eligible Borrower’s other Loans or
Debt Instruments (other than Mortgage Debt). See question D.12 for more information about
how to interpret this term.
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In accordance with this term, the loan documentation for MSELF Upsized Tranches that are part
of multi-lender facilities (i.e., where there are multiple lenders) should not include any
provisions that would cause the MSELF Upsized Tranche to be contractually subordinated to
any other debt whether in or outside of bankruptcy. See section I.A of this Appendix B for more
information.
For MSELF Upsized Tranches that are part of multi-lender facilities, the facility must include a
provision like the one described in section I.B of this Appendix B, unless the loan
documentation has a lien covenant that was negotiated in good faith prior to April 24, 2020.
II. Borrower Certifications and Covenants Material Breach
Mandatory Prepayment Provision
Each participating borrower must submit signed Borrower Certifications and Covenants in
connection with the Main Street Loan. If the Board determines that the borrower made a
material misstatement in certifications, or materially breached covenants, relating to
CARES Act, the Federal Reserve Act, or the Board’s Regulation A, the Board will notify the
Eligible Lender to trigger a mandatory prepayment requirement under the Main Street loan. To
implement these measures, the Borrower Certifications and Covenants should be referenced in
loan documents for Main Street loans as set out below.
II.A. MSNLF Loans, MSPLF Loans, and MSELF Upsized Tranches that are
Part of Bilateral Facilities
For all MSNLF Loans, MSPLF Loans, and MSELF Upsized Tranches that are part of a bilateral
facility, the loan documents must contain a mandatory prepayment provision related to a
material breach of the Eligible Borrower certifications in Section 2 (CARES Act Borrower
Eligibility Certifications and Covenants) and Section 3 (FRA and Regulation A Borrower Eligibility
Certifications) of the Borrower Certifications and Covenants. A model provision is set out below
for convenience.
In the “Mandatory Prepayment” section:
“If, on any date (such date, a “Trigger Date”), the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System or a designee thereof has, after consultation with [the Administrative
Agent][the Eligible Lender], notified [the Administrative Agent][the Eligible Lender] in
writing that the Borrower has materially breached, made a material misrepresentation
with respect to or otherwise failed to comply with certifications in Section 2 (CARES Act
Borrower Eligibility Certifications and Covenants) or Section 3 (FRA and Regulation A
Borrower Eligibility Certifications) of the Borrower Certifications and Covenants in any
material respect or that any such certification has failed to be true and correct in any
material respect, then [the Administrative Agent][the Eligible Lender] shall promptly so
notify the Borrower and the Borrower shall, no later than two (2) Business Days after such
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Trigger Date, prepay the [Eligible Loan] in full, along with any accrued and unpaid interest
thereon.”
II.B. MSELF Upsized Tranches that are Part of Multi-Lender Facilities
For MSELF Upsized Tranches that are part of multi-lender facilities, a mandatory prepayment
provision substantially similar to the model mandatory prepayment provision set out in
section II.A of this Appendix B must be included if the percentage (or number) of lenders
required to consent to a new mandatory prepayment provision under the existing agreements
(typically a simple majority) consents to any other changes to the loan documents in the
process of upsizing the loan or selling the participation to the Main Street SPV. Further, if 100%
of the lenders agree to any other changes to the loan documents in the process of upsizing the
loan or selling the participation to the Main Street SPV, this mandatory prepayment provision
must be inserted into the loan documents and treated as a “sacred right,” the amendment,
waiver, or modification of which would require 100% lender consent.
III. Cross-Acceleration Provision
Each Main Street loan should contain a cross-acceleration provision that would trigger an event
of default under the Main Street loan if a different loan extended to the Eligible Borrower by
the Eligible Lender or the Eligible Lender’s commonly controlled affiliate is accelerated.
III.A. MSNLF Loans, MSPLF Loans, and MSELF Upsized Tranches that are
Part of Bilateral Facilities
For all MSNLF Loans, MSPLF Loans, and MSELF Upsized Tranches that are part of a bilateral
facility, the loan documents must contain a cross-acceleration provision that would be triggered
if other debt owed by the Eligible Borrower to the Eligible Lender or any commonly controlled
affiliate of the Eligible Lender is accelerated. A model provision is set out below for the
convenience of Eligible Lenders.
In the “Event of Default” section:
“(i) [the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment when due (whether
by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in
respect of any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness under the Loan Documents) owing
to the [ELIGIBLE LENDER] or any commonly controlled Affiliate of the [ELIGIBLE LENDER],
in each case beyond the applicable grace period with respect thereto, if any; or (ii) the
Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to observe or perform any other agreement or
condition relating to any such Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement
evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which
failure to make a payment, default or other event described in cause (i) or (ii) is to cause
such Indebtedness to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed
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(automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such
Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity; provided that clause (ii) shall not
apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or
transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness, if such sale or transfer is
permitted hereunder and under the documents providing for such Indebtedness and such
Indebtedness is repaid when required under the documents providing for such
Indebtedness;”
III.B. MSELF Upsized Tranches that are Part of Multi-Lender Facilities
For MSELF Upsized Tranches that are part of multi-lender facilities, the facility must include a
provision like the one described in section III.A of this Appendix B, unless the loan
documentation has a cross-default or cross-acceleration provision that was negotiated in good
faith prior to April 24, 2020.
IV. Financial Reporting Covenant
Each Main Street loan should contain a financial reporting covenant requiring the regular
delivery of certain financial information and calculations.
IV.A. MSNLF Loans, MSPLF Loans, and MSELF Upsized Tranches that are
Part of Bilateral Facilities
For MSNLF Loans, MSPLF Loans, and MSELF Upsized Tranches that are part of a bilateral facility,
the loan documents must contain a financial reporting covenant requiring the quarterly delivery
of Borrower financial information and calculations set out in Appendix C. A model covenant is
set out below for the convenience of Eligible Lenders.
In the “Affirmative Covenants” section:
“as soon as available, but in any event within [60] days after the end of each fiscal quarter
of the Borrower, the Borrower shall deliver to the [Administrative Agent] [Eligible Lender]
financial reporting in a form and substance reasonably acceptable to the [Administrative
Agent] [Eligible Lender] setting forth the financial information, and where applicable
reasonably detailed calculations of the required data, set forth in [See Appendix C to these
FAQs] as at the end of such fiscal quarter of the Borrower, which financial reporting and
calculations, in each case, shall be true and accurate in all material respects and, where
applicable, present fairly in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower
for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied.”
IV.B. MSELF Upsized Tranches that are Part of Multi-Lender Facilities
For MSELF Upsized Tranches that are part of multi-lender facilities, the facility must include a
provision like the one described in section IV.A of this Appendix B, unless the loan
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documentation has a financial reporting covenant that was negotiated in good faith prior to
April 24, 2020.
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Appendix C: Required Financial Reporting
Each Main Street loan should contain a financial reporting covenant requiring the regular
delivery of certain financial information and calculations. The items listed in Table I below must
be provided by each Main Street borrower to their Eligible Lender at least annually. The items
listed in Table II must be provided by each Main Street borrower to their Eligible Lender at least
quarterly; the quarterly requirements vary based on the Main Street facility in which the
borrower is participating.
Table I: Data Required Annually from All Main Street Borrowers
Required Data Definition
Total Assets The sum of current assets, fixed assets, and other non-current assets (including, but
not limited to, intangible assets, deferred items, investments, and advances).
Current Assets Cash, accounts receivable, inventory, and other short-term assets that are likely to be
converted into cash, used, sold, exchanged, or otherwise expensed in the normal
course of business within one year.
Cash & Marketable Cash, depository accounts, and marketable securities that can be easily sold and
Securities readily converted into cash.
Tangible Assets Assets having a physical existence, measured as total assets less intangible assets.
Tangible assets are distinguished from intangible assets, such as trademarks,
copyrights, and goodwill.
Total Liabilities The total amount of all outstanding obligations, both current and noncurrent.
Current Liabilities Short term debt, accounts payable, and other current liabilities that are due within
one year.
Total Debt (Incl. Undrawn Existing outstanding and committed debt (including any undrawn available amounts).
Available Lines of Credit)
Total Equity Measured as total assets minus total liabilities.
Total Revenue Total income generated by the sale of goods or services from ongoing operations.
Total Revenue excludes any non-recurring sales or gains.
Net Income The income (or loss) after expenses and losses have been subtracted from all
revenues and gains for the fiscal period, including discontinued operations.
Unadjusted EBITDA Earnings before interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation expense, and
amortization expense. The starting point is net income.
Adjusted EBITDA Unadjusted EBITDA adjusted for any non-recurring, one-time, or irregular items. The
Adjusted EBITDA measurement should align with the relevant facility’s term sheet.
Depreciation Expense Non-cash expense measured based on the use of fixed assets, recognized over the
useful life of the fixed assets.
Amortization Expense Non-cash expense measured based on the use of intangible assets, recognized over
the life of the intangible asset.
Interest Expense The periodic finance expense of short term and long term debt.
Tax Expense Federal, state and local income tax expenses.
Rent Expense The contractual costs of occupying leased real estate.
Dividends / Equity Distributions to equity owners.
Distributions
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Table I: Data Required Annually from All Main Street Borrowers
Required Data Definition
Accounts Receivable (net Amounts owed to the borrower resulting from providing goods and/or services.
of allowances) Accounts receivable will be net of any allowances for uncollectible amounts.
Inventory (net of Value of the raw materials, work in process, supplies used in operations, finished
reserves) goods, and merchandise bought which are intended to be sold in the ordinary course
of business. Inventory should be net of reserves.
Fixed Assets, Gross Tangible property used in the business and not for resale, including buildings,
furniture, fixtures, equipment, and land. Report fixed assets gross of depreciation.
Accumulated Cumulative depreciation of all fixed assets up to the Date of Financial Information.
Depreciation
Accounts Payable (A/P) The obligations owed to the borrower's creditors arising from the entity’s ongoing
operations, including the purchase of goods, materials, supplies, and services.
Accounts payable excludes short term and long term debt.
Short Term Debt Debt obligations of the borrower due with a term of less than one year, including the
current portion of any Long Term Debt.
Long Term Debt Debt obligations of the borrower that are due in one year or more, excluding the
current portion that is otherwise captured in Short Term Debt.
Description of EBITDA Description of items that are added to Unadjusted EBITDA to determine Adjusted
Adjustments EBITDA.
Total Expenses All money spent and costs incurred, both recurring and non-recurring, to generate
revenue. Expenses exclude items capital in nature (i.e., expenses that are allowed to
be capitalized and included in the cost basis of a fixed asset).
Operating Expenses Money spent and costs incurred related to normal business operations including
selling, general & administrative expenses, depreciation, and amortization (i.e., total
expenses less non-recurring expenses). Exclude capital expenditures.
Operating Income Profit (or loss) realized from continuing operations (i.e., revenue less operating
expenses).
Fixed Charges Expenses that recur on a regular basis, regardless of the volume of business (i.e.,
lease payments, rental payments, loan interest payments, or insurance payments).
Capitalized Expenditures Non-operating expenditures capitalized to fixed assets.
Guarantor Net Assets Total assets less total liabilities of the guarantor (also referred to as net worth).
Sr. Debt Balance Debt amount ranking senior to the Main Street loan.
Additional Pari Passu Debt amount ranking pari passu to the Main Street loan.
Debt Balance
Collateral Type (Non-Real If the loan is secured by collateral that is not predominantly real estate, including if
Estate) the collateral provided is different types, report the predominant type of collateral
(e.g., inventory, receivables, securities, etc.) by aggregate value.
Collateral Type (Real If the loan is secured by real estate collateral, indicate the property type (e.g., hotel,
Estate) multifamily, residential, industrial, etc.). If the loan is secured by multiple real estate
property types, report the predominant property type by aggregate value.
Collateral Value For loans that require ongoing or periodic valuation of the collateral, report the
Reporting market value of the collateral as of the reporting date.
Collateral Value Date Define the as-of date that corresponds with the Collateral Value Reporting field.
Covenant Status (Pass / Yes/no, indicating if the facility has satisfied covenant tests.
Fail)
Date of Covenant Default If applicable, report the date when borrower defaulted covenants.
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Table I: Data Required Annually from All Main Street Borrowers
Required Data Definition
Nature of Covenant If applicable, describe the covenant default (i.e., missing financial statements, ratio
Default trigger).
Date of Covenant Cure If applicable, report the date when borrower cured previous defaults.
Table II: Data Required Quarterly from Main Street Borrowers by Main Street Facility
Required Data MSELF MSNLF MSPLF Definition
Total Assets Yes Yes Yes The sum of current assets, fixed assets, and other non-
current assets (including, but not limited to, intangible
assets, deferred items, investments, and advances).
Current Assets Yes Yes Yes Cash, accounts receivable, inventory, and other short term
assets that are likely to be converted into cash, used, sold,
exchanged, or otherwise expensed in the normal course of
business within one year.
Cash & Marketable Yes Yes Yes Cash, depository accounts, and marketable securities that
Securities can be easily sold and readily converted into cash.
Tangible Assets Yes No No Assets having a physical existence measured as total assets
less intangible assets. Tangible assets are distinguished
from intangible assets, such as trademarks, copyrights, and
goodwill.
Total Liabilities Yes Yes Yes The total amount of all outstanding obligations, both
current and noncurrent.
Current Liabilities Yes Yes Yes Short term debt, accounts payable, and other current
liabilities that are due within one year.
Total Debt (Incl. Yes Yes Yes Existing outstanding and committed debt (including any
Undrawn Available undrawn available amounts).
Lines of Credit)
Total Equity Yes Yes Yes Measured as total assets minus total liabilities.
Total Revenue Yes Yes Yes Total income generated by the sale of goods or services
from ongoing operations. Total Revenue excludes any non-
recurring sales or gains.
Net Income Yes Yes Yes The income (or loss) after expenses and losses have been
subtracted from all revenues and gains for the fiscal period,
including discontinued operations.
Unadjusted EBITDA Yes Yes Yes Earnings before interest expense, income tax expense,
depreciation expense and amortization expense. The
starting point is net income.
Adjusted EBITDA Yes Yes Yes Unadjusted EBITDA adjusted for any non-recurring, one-
time or irregular items. The Adjusted EBITDA measurement
should align with the relevant facility’s term sheet.
Depreciation Yes No No Non-cash expense measured based on the use of fixed
Expense assets, recognized over the useful life of the fixed assets.
Amortization Yes No No Non-cash expense measured based on the use of intangible
Expense assets, recognized over the life of the intangible asset.
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Table II: Data Required Quarterly from Main Street Borrowers by Main Street Facility
Required Data MSELF MSNLF MSPLF Definition
Interest Expense Yes Yes Yes The periodic finance expense of short term and long term
debt.
Tax Expense Yes No No Federal, state and local income tax expenses.
Rent Expense Yes No No The contractual costs of occupying leased real estate.
Dividends / Equity Yes Yes Yes Distributions to equity owners.
Distributions
Accounts Yes No No Amounts owed to the borrower resulting from providing
Receivable (net of goods and/or services. Accounts receivable will be net of
allowances) any allowances for uncollectible amounts.
Inventory (net of Yes No No Value of the raw materials, work in process, supplies used in
reserves) operations, finished goods, and merchandise bought which
are intended to be sold in the ordinary course of business.
Inventory should be net of reserves.
Fixed Assets, Gross Yes No No Tangible property used in the business and not for resale,
including buildings, furniture, fixtures, equipment, and land.
Report fixed assets gross of depreciation.
Accumulated Yes No No Cumulative depreciation of all fixed assets up to the Date of
Depreciation Financial Information.
Accounts Payable Yes No No The obligations owed to the borrower’s creditors arising
(A/P) from the entity’s ongoing operations, including the
purchase of goods, materials, supplies, and services.
Accounts payable excludes short term and long term debt.
Short Term Debt Yes No No Debt obligations of the borrower due with a term of less
than one year, including the current portion of any Long
Term Debt.
Long Term Debt Yes No No Debt obligations of the borrower that are due in one year or
more, excluding the current portion that is otherwise
captured in Short Term Debt.
Description of Yes No No Description of items that are added to Unadjusted EBITDA
EBITDA to determine Adjusted EBITDA.
Adjustments
Total Expenses Yes No No All money spent and costs incurred, both recurring and non-
recurring, to generate revenue. Expenses exclude items
capital in nature (i.e., expenses that are allowed to be
capitalized and included in the cost basis of a fixed asset).
Operating Yes Yes Yes Money spent and costs incurred related to normal business
Expenses operations, including selling, general & administrative
expenses, depreciation, and amortization (i.e. total
expenses less non-recurring expenses). Exclude capital
expenditures.
Operating Income Yes Yes Yes Profit (or loss) realized from continuing operations (i.e.,
revenue less operating expenses).
Fixed Charges Yes No No Expenses that recur on a regular basis, regardless of the
volume of business (i.e., lease payments, rental payments,
loan interest payments, or insurance payments).
Capitalized Yes Yes Yes Non-operating expenditures capitalized to fixed assets.
Expenditures
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Table II: Data Required Quarterly from Main Street Borrowers by Main Street Facility
Required Data MSELF MSNLF MSPLF Definition
Guarantor Net Yes No No Total assets less total liabilities of the guarantor (also
Assets referred to as net worth).
Sr. Debt Balance Yes Yes Yes Debt amount ranking senior to the Main Street loan.
Additional Pari Yes Yes Yes Debt amount ranking pari passu to the Main Street loan.
Passu Debt
Balance
Collateral Type Yes No No If the loan is secured by collateral that is not predominantly
(Non-Real Estate) real estate, including if the collateral provided is different
types, report the predominant type of collateral (e.g.,
inventory, receivables, securities, etc.) by aggregate value.
Collateral Type Yes No No If the loan is secured by real estate collateral, indicate the
(Real Estate) property type (e.g., hotel, multifamily, residential,
industrial, etc.). If the loan is secured by multiple real estate
property types, report the predominant property type by
aggregate value.
Collateral Value Yes No No For loans that require ongoing or periodic valuation of the
Reporting collateral, report the market value of the collateral as of the
reporting date.
Collateral Value Yes No No Define the as-of date that corresponds with the Collateral
Date Value Reporting field.
Covenant Status Yes Yes Yes Yes/no, indicating if the facility has satisfied covenant tests.
(Pass / Fail)
Date of Covenant Yes Yes Yes If applicable, report the date when borrower defaulted
Default covenants.
Nature of Yes Yes Yes If applicable, describe the covenant default (i.e., missing
Covenant Default financial statements, ratio trigger).
Date of Covenant Yes Yes Yes If applicable, report the date when borrower cured previous
Cure defaults.
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