SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND MUTUAL
RELEASE
This Settlement Agreement, dated and effective
as of October 26, 2009, hereinafter the “Agreement,” is
entered into by and between TECHNEST HOLDINGS, INC.
(“Technest”), a Nevada corporation with its principal
place of business at 10411 Motor City Drive, Suite 650, Bethesda,
Maryland, EOIR HOLDINGS LLC (“Holdings”), a Delaware
limited liability company with its principal place of business at
600 Galleria Parkway, Suite 400, Atlanta, Georgia, and EOIR
TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (“EOIR”), a Virginia corporation
with its principal place of business at 10300 Spotsylvania Ave.,
Suite 220, Fredericksburg, Virginia, collectively referred to
herein as the “Parties.”
A. WHEREAS,
on September 10, 2007, the Parties entered into a Stock Purchase
Agreement (“SPA”) to effectuate the sale of EOIR by
Technest to Holdings.
B. WHEREAS,
a dispute arose between Technest and Holdings regarding the duties
and obligations of Holdings under the SPA.
C. WHEREAS,
on September 24, 2008, Technest filed a demand for arbitration
against Holdings with the American Arbitration Association
(“AAA”), Case No. 16 180 Y 00615 08 (the
“Arbitration”), alleging, among other things, that
Holdings breached the SPA by failing to pay Technest the Contingent
Purchase Price as required under the SPA; and on August 21, 2009,
after full discovery and a seven day hearing, a panel of three AAA
arbitrators issued an unanimous Final Award (“Award”)
finding Holdings had breached the SPA and awarding Technest
$23,778,402.83 plus interest (the Award is attached hereto as
Exhibit A).
D. WHEREAS,
on or about February 17, 2009, Holdings filed a complaint against
Technest in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware,
Case No. 1:09-cv-00095-SLR, alleging that Technest breached the SPA
when it failed to pay a Net Working Capital Adjustment to the
Closing Date Purchase Price under the SPA; and, on April 21, 2009,
the Court ordered a stay of the proceedings pending completion of
arbitration regarding the Contingent Purchase Price issue; and, on
September 30, 2009, Holdings filed another complaint against
Technest in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware,
Case No. 1:09-cv-730-SLR alleging that Technest breached the SPA by
violating various representations, warranties, and covenants that
governed the conditions of the sale of EOIR.
E. WHEREAS,
on August 24, 2009, Technest filed a motion to confirm the
arbitration award and for entry of judgment in the U.S. District
Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Case No.
1:09-mc-00037-AJT-TCB; and, on September 11, 2009, the U.S.
District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia transferred the
matter to the U.S. District Court for the District of
Columbia.
F. WHEREAS,
on September 8, 2009, Holdings filed a petition to vacate the
arbitration award in the U.S. District Court for the District of
Columbia, Case No.1:09-cv-01707-RWR, alleging that the arbitration
panel had exceeded its authority and committed manifest disregard
of the law; and, on September 20, 2009, Holdings filed a
superseding petition to vacate the arbitration award in the same
court alleging violations similar to its original petition; and, on
September 21 and October 5, 2009, Technest filed oppositions to
both Holdings’ original and superseding petitions to vacate
the arbitration award (the actions referred to in Recitals E and F
collectively “the District of Columbia
Action”).
G. WHEREAS,
the Parties now desire to settle any and all known or unknown
claims arising from or relating to the SPA, including the matters
listed above, on the terms and conditions set forth
below.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the Recitals
set forth above and the mutual promises, covenants,
representations, obligations, and releases described below, and for
good and valuable consideration, the adequacy and sufficiency of
which are hereby acknowledged by each of the Parties, and intending
to be legally bound, the Parties hereby agree as
follows:
1.
Settleme