(a)  Counterparts; Effectiveness . This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. Except as provided in Article III , this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Agent and when the Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or in electronic (i.e., "pdf" or "tif") format shall be effective as delivery of an original manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.