E6-19827. Prohibited Transaction Exemptions 2006-17 and 2006-18; Grant of Individual Exemptions involving; D-11375, Frank D. May and D-11392, Amendment to Prohibited Transaction Exemption PTE 2001-32 Involving Development Company Funding Corporation

AGENCY:

Employee Benefits Security Administration, Labor.

ACTION:

Grant of individual exemptions.

SUMMARY:

This document contains exemptions issued by the Department of Labor (the Department) from certain of the prohibited transaction restrictions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA or the Act) and/or the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the Code).

A notice was published in the Federal Register of the pendency before the Department of a proposal to grant such exemption. The notice set forth a summary of facts and representations contained in the application for exemption and referred interested persons to the application for a complete statement of the facts and representations. The application has been available for public inspection at the Department in Washington, DC. The notice also invited interested persons to submit comments on the requested exemption to the Department. In addition the notice stated that any interested person might submit a written request that a public hearing be held (where appropriate). The applicant has represented that it has complied with the requirements of the notification to interested persons. No requests for a hearing were received by the Department. Public comments were received by the Department as described in the granted exemption.

The notice of proposed exemption was issued and the exemption is being granted solely by the Department because, effective December 31, 1978, section 102 of Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1978, 5 U.S.C. App. 1 (1996), transferred the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury to issue exemptions of the type proposed to the Secretary of Labor.

Statutory Findings

In accordance with section 408(a) of the Act and/or section 4975(c)(2) of the Code and the procedures set forth in 29 CFR Part 2570, Subpart B (55 FR 32836, 32847, August 10, 1990) and based upon the entire record, the Department makes the following findings:

(a) The exemption is administratively feasible;

(b) The exemption is in the interests of the plan and its participants and beneficiaries; and

(c) The exemption is protective of the rights of the participants and beneficiaries of the plan.

Frank D. May, D.M.D., P.A.

401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust (the Plan), Located in Port St. Joe, Florida

Exemption

The restrictions of sections 406(a), 406(b)(1), and 406(b)(2) of the Act and the sanctions resulting from the application of section 4975 of the Code by reason of section 4975(c)(1)(A) through (E) of the Code ^[1] shall not apply to the sale of shares of stock (the Stock) in Diente Y Clavo, S.A. (DyC) from the individually directed account in the Plan of Frank D. May, D.M.D. (the Account) to Frank D. May, D.M.D. (Dr. May), a party in interest with respect to the Account, provided the following conditions are satisfied:

a. The sale of the Stock to Dr. May is a one-time transaction for cash;

b. Dr. May purchases the Stock for a purchase price that reflects the fair market value of the underlying assets of DyC;

c. The fair market value of the underlying assets of DyC is determined by an independent, qualified appraiser, as of the date the transaction is entered;

d. The Account is not responsible for and does not pay any fees, commissions, or other costs, or expenses associated with the sale of the Stock, including the cost of filing the application and notifying interested persons;

e. Dr. May is the only participant in the Plan whose Account is affected by the transaction, and the sales proceeds from the transaction will be credited to such Account simultaneously with the transfer of title to the Stock to Dr. May; and

f. The terms and conditions of the sale of the Stock are at least as favorable to the Account as terms and conditions obtainable under similar circumstances negotiated at arm's length with an unrelated third party.

Written Comments

In the Notice of Proposed Exemption (the Notice), the Department of Labor (the Department) invited all interested persons to submit written comments and requests for a hearing on the proposed exemption within thirty (30) days of the date of the publication of the Notice in the Federal Register on September 27, 2006. All comments and requests for a hearing were due by October 27, 2006.

During the comment period, the Department received no requests for a hearing. However, the Department did receive one comment letter from the applicant. The applicant notified the Department that there is a typographical error in footnote no. 2, as set forth in the Notice in the Summary of Facts and Representations, at 71 FR 56561. In this regard, the date, “March 3, 3005,” should have read, “March 3, 2005.”

For a more complete statement of the facts and representations supporting the Department's decision to grant this exemption refer to the Notice published on September 27, 2006, at 71 FR 56559.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Angelena C. Le Blanc of the Department, telephone [phone]. (This is not a toll-free number.)

Amendment to Prohibited Transaction Exemption (PTE) 2001-32 Involving Development Company Funding Corporation, Located in the District of Columbia

Exemption

Based on the facts and representations set forth in the Application, under the authority of section 408(a) of the Act and section 4975(c)(2) of the Code and in accordance with the procedures set forth in 29 CFR Part 2570, Subpart B (55 FR 32836, August 10, 1990), the Department amends PTE 2001-32 as set forth below:

Section I. Transactions

A. Effective August 25, 2000, the restrictions of sections 406(a) and 407(a) of the Act, and the sanctions resulting from the application of section 4975 of the Code, by reason of section 4975(c)(1)(A) through (D) of the Code, shall not apply to the following transactions involving Trusts and Certificates evidencing interests therein:

(1) The direct or indirect sale, exchange or transfer of Certificates in the initial issuance of Certificates between the Underwriter of the Certificates and an employee benefit plan when the SBA, the Fiscal Agent, the Selling Agent, the Central Servicing Agent, the Trustee, the Underwriter, or an Obligor is a party in interest with respect to such plan;

(2) The direct or indirect acquisition or disposition of Certificates by a plan in the secondary market for such Certificates; and

(3) The continued holding of Certificates acquired by a plan pursuant to subsection I.A.(1) or (2).

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Section I.A. does not provide an exemption from the restrictions of sections 406(a)(1)(E), 406(a)(2) and 407 of the Act for the acquisition or holding of a Certificate on behalf of an Excluded Plan, by any person who has discretionary authority or renders investment advice with respect to the assets of that Excluded Plan.^[2]

B. Effective August 25, 2000, the restrictions of section 406(b)(1) and (b)(2) of the Act and the sanctions resulting from the application of section 4975 of the Code, by reason of section 4975(c)(1)(E) of the Code, shall not apply to:

(1) The direct or indirect sale, exchange or transfer of Certificates in the initial issuance of Certificates between the Underwriter and a plan, when the person who has discretionary authority or renders investment advice with respect to the investment of plan assets in the Certificates is (a) an Obligor with respect to 5 percent or less of the fair market value of the 504 Program Loans underlying the Debentures related to that Series of Certificates, or (b) an affiliate of a person described in (a); if

(i) The plan is not an Excluded Plan;

(ii) Solely in the case of an acquisition of Certificates in connection with the initial issuance of the Certificates, at least 50 percent of each Series of Certificates in which plans have invested is acquired by persons independent of the members of the Restricted Group, and at least 50 percent of the aggregate interest in the Series is acquired by persons independent of the Restricted Group.

(iii) A plan's investment in each Series of Certificates does not exceed 25 percent of all of the Certificates of that Series outstanding at the time of the acquisition; and

(iv) Immediately after the acquisition of the Certificates, no more than 25 percent of the assets of a plan with respect to which the person has discretionary authority or renders investment advice are invested in Certificates representing an interest in a Trust containing assets sold or serviced by the same entity.^[3] For purposes of this subparagraph (iv) only, an entity will not be considered to service assets contained in a Trust if it is merely a subservicer of that Trust.

(2) The direct or indirect acquisition or disposition of Certificates by a plan described in paragraph B.(1) in the secondary market for such Certificates, provided that conditions set forth in paragraphs B.(1)(i), (iii) and (iv) are met; and

(3) The continued holding of Certificates acquired by a plan pursuant to subsection I.B.(1) or (2).

C. Effective August 25, 2000, the restrictions of sections 406(a), 406(b) and 407(a) of the Act, and the sanctions resulting from the application of section 4975 of the Code, by reason of section 4975(c) of the Code, shall not apply to transactions in connection with the servicing, management and operation of a Trust, provided:

(1) Such transactions are carried out in accordance with the terms of a binding Trust Agreement; and

(2) The Trust Agreement is provided to, or described in all material respects in the offering circular or other disclosure document provided to the investing plans before they purchase Certificates issued by the Trust.^[4]

D. Effective August 25, 2000, the restrictions of sections 406(a) and 407(a) of the Act, and the sanctions resulting from the application of section 4975 of the Code, by reason of section 4975(c)(1)(A) through (D) of the Code, shall not apply to any transaction to which those restrictions or sanctions would otherwise apply merely because a person is deemed to be a party in interest or disqualified person (including a fiduciary) with respect to a plan by virtue of providing services to the plan (or by virtue of having a relationship to such service provider described in section 3(14)(F), (G), (H), or (I) of the Act or section 4975(e)(2)(F), (G), (H), (I) of the Code), solely because of the plan's ownership of Certificates.

Section II. Conditions

The relief provided under Section I is available only if the following conditions are met:

A. The acquisition of Certificates by a plan is on terms (including the Certificate price) that are at least as favorable to the plan as such terms would be in an arm's-length transaction with an unrelated party;

B. The rights and interests evidenced by the Certificates are not subordinated to the rights and interests evidenced by other Certificates in the same Series;

C. The Certificates and Debentures are guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest by the SBA, and are therefore backed by the full faith and credit of the United States;

D. The Trustee is not an affiliate of any other member of the Restricted Group, other than, effective on or after October 1, 2006, the Central Servicing Agent.

Section III. Definitions

For purposes of this exemption:

A. “Certificate” means a certificate:

(1) That represents a beneficial ownership interest in a discrete pool of Debentures and all payments thereon, held in Trust by the Trustee pursuant to the Trust Agreement;

(2) That entitles the holder to pass-through payments of principal, interest, and/or other payments made with respect to the discrete pool of Debentures held as part of such Trust; and

(3) That is issued by the Trustee as agent for the SBA and guaranteed by the SBA as to timely payment of principal and interest pursuant to section 505 of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, as amended (the Small Business Investment Act).

B. “Trust” means the trust created pursuant to the Trust Agreement, under which, with respect to each Series of Certificates, the Trustee holds in Trust for the benefit of the certificateholders of the Series the following property:

(1) The discrete pool of Debentures related to the Series;

(2) A debenture guarantee agreement executed by the SBA pursuant to section 503 of the Small Business Investment Act pursuant to which the SBA guarantees timely payment of principal and interest on the Debentures related to the Series; and

(3) The certificate account maintained by the Central Servicing Agent for such Series into which the Central Servicing Agent deposits payments due in respect of the Debentures on each semiannual debenture payment date.

C. “Debentures” means debentures issued by a certified development company and guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by the SBA pursuant to section 503 of the Small Business Investment Act.

D. “504 Program Loans” means loans made by a certified development company to a small business concern and funded with the proceeds of a Debenture pursuant to section 503 of the Small Business Investment Act.

E. “SBA” refers to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

F. “Underwriter” means an entity which has received an individual prohibited transaction exemption from the Department that provides relief for the operation of asset pool investment trusts that issue “asset-backed” pass-through securities to plans, that is similar in format and structure to this exemption (the Underwriter Exemptions); ^[5] any person directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controlling, controlled by or under common control with such entity; and any member of an underwriting syndicate or selling group of which such firm or person described above is a manager or co-manager with respect to the Certificates.

G. “Fiscal Agent” means the entity that has contracted with the SBA to assess the financial markets, arrange for the production of required documents, and monitor the performance of the Trustee and the Underwriter.

H. “Selling Agent” means the entity appointed by a certified development company to select Underwriters, negotiate the terms and conditions of Debenture offerings with the Underwriters, and direct and coordinate Debenture sales.

I. “Central Servicing Agent” means the entity that has entered into a master servicing agreement with the SBA to support the orderly flow of funds among borrowers, certified development companies and the SBA.

J. “Trustee” means an entity that is the trustee of the Trust.

K. “Obligor” means any person that is obligated to make payments under a Section 504 Loan related to a Debenture contained in the Trust.

L. “Excluded Plan” means any employee benefit plan with respect to which any member of the Restricted Group is a “plan sponsor” within the meaning of section 3(16)(B) of the Act.

M. “Restricted Group” with respect to a class of Certificates means:

(1) Each Underwriter;

(2) The Fiscal Agent;

(3) The Selling Agent;

(4) The Trustee;

(5) The Central Servicing Agent;

(6) Any Obligor with respect to loans relating to Debentures included in the Trust constituting more than 5 percent of the aggregate unamortized principal balance of the assets in the Trust, determined on the date of the initial issuance of Certificates by the Trust;

(7) The SBA; or

(8) Any affiliate of a person described in (1)-(7) above.

N. “Affiliate” of another person includes:

(1) Any person, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controlling, controlled by or under common control with such other person;

(2) Any officer, director, partner, employee, relative (as defined in section 3(15) of the Act), brother, sister, or spouse of a brother or sister of such other person; and

(3) Any corporation or partnership of which such other person is an officer, director or partner.

O. “Control” means the power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of a person other than an individual.

P. A person will be “independent” of another person only if:

(1) Such person is not an affiliate of that other person; and

(2) The other person, or an affiliate thereof, is not a fiduciary that has investment management authority or renders investment advice with respect to assets of such person.

Q. “Sale” includes the entrance into a Forward Delivery Commitment, provided:

(1) The terms of the Forward Delivery Commitment (including any fee paid to the investing plan) are no less favorable to the plan than they would be in an arm's-length transaction with an unrelated party;

(2) The offering circular or other disclosure document is provided to an investing plan prior to the time the plan enters into the Forward Delivery Commitment; and

(3) At the time of the delivery, all conditions of this exemption applicable to Sales are met.

R. “Forward Delivery Commitment” means a contract for the purchase or sale of one or more Certificates to be delivered at an agreed future settlement date. The term includes both mandatory contracts (which contemplate obligatory delivery and acceptance of the Certificates) and optional contracts (which give one party the right but not the obligation to deliver Certificates to, or demand delivery of Certificates from, the other party).

S. “Trust Agreement” means that trust agreement by and among the SBA, the Fiscal Agent and the Trustee, as amended, establishing the Trust and, with respect to each Series of Certificates, the supplement to the trust agreement pertaining to such Series.

T. “Series” means any particular series of Certificates issued pursuant to the Trust Agreement that, in the aggregate, represent the entire beneficial interest in a discrete pool of Debentures held by the Trustee pursuant to the Trust Agreement.

For a more complete statement of the facts and representations supporting the Department's decision to grant this amendment, refer to the notice of proposed exemption published on September 27, 2006 at 71 FR 56563.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Wendy McColough of the Department, telephone [phone]. (This is not a toll-free number.)

General Information

The attention of interested persons is directed to the following:

(1) The fact that a transaction is the subject of an exemption under section 408(a) of the Act and/or section 4975(c)(2) of the Code does not relieve a fiduciary or other party in interest or disqualified person from certain other provisions to which the exemption does not apply and the general fiduciary responsibility provisions of section 404 of the Act, which among other things require a fiduciary to discharge his duties respecting the plan solely in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of the plan and in a prudent fashion in accordance with section 404(a)(1)(B) of the Act; nor does it affect the requirement of section 401(a) of the Code that the plan must operate for the exclusive benefit of the employees of the employer maintaining the plan and their beneficiaries;

(2) This exemption is supplemental to and not in derogation of, any other provisions of the Act and/or the Code, including statutory or administrative exemptions and transactional rules. Furthermore, the fact that a transaction is subject to an administrative or statutory exemption is not dispositive of whether the transaction is in fact a prohibited transaction; and

(3) The availability of this exemption is subject to the express condition that the material facts and representations contained in the application accurately describes all material terms of the transaction which is the subject of the exemption.

Signed at Washington, DC, this 20th day of November, 2006.

Ivan Strasfeld,

Director of Exemption Determinations, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.

Footnotes

1.  For purposes of this exemption, references to specific provisions of Title I of the Act, unless otherwise specified, refer also to the corresponding provisions of the Code.

2.  Section I.A. provides no relief from sections 406(a)(1)(E), 406(a)(2) and 407 of the Act for any person rendering investment advice to an Excluded Plan within the meaning of section 3(21)(A)(ii) of the Act and regulation 29 CFR section 2510.3-21(c).

3.  For purposes of this exemption, each plan participating in a commingled fund (such as a bank collective trust fund or insurance company pooled separate account) shall be considered to own the same proportionate undivided interest in each asset of the commingled fund as its proportionate interest in the total assets of the commingled fund as calculated on the most recent preceding valuation date of the fund.

4.  The offering circular or other disclosure document must contain substantially the same information that would be disclosed in a prospectus if the offering of the Certificates were made in a registered public offering under the Securities Act of 1933. In the Department's view, the offering circular or other disclosure document must contain sufficient information to permit plan fiduciaries to make informed investment decisions.

5.  

For a listing of the Underwriter Exemptions, see the description provided in footnote 1 of PTE 2002-41, 67 FR 54487 (August 22, 2002).