U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549
                                   FORM 10-KSB

   (Mark One)

   [X] Annual report under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 (Fee required)

   For the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996

   [ ] Transition  report under Section 13 or 15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange
Act of 1934 (No fee required)

   For the transition period from     to

   Commission file number

                 FORENSIC TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 (Name of Small Business Issuer in Its Charter)

         Maryland                                       52-1261113
- ----------------------------------------  --------------------------------------
(State or Other Jurisdiction of                     (I.R.S. Employer     
Incorporation or Organization)                     Identification No.) 


   2021 Research Drive, Annapolis, MD                   21401
- ----------------------------------------  --------------------------------------
(Address of Principal Executive Officer)             (Zip Code)
                                                            

                                  (410) 224-8770
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (Issuer Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

         SECURITIES REGISTERED UNDER SECTION 12(B) OF THE EXCHANGE ACT:


                     Common Stock, par value $.01, per share
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Title of Class)


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Title of Class)

   Check  whether  the issuer : (1) filed all  reports  required  to be filed by
Section 13 or 15(d) of the  Exchange  Act during the past 12 months (or for such
shorter period that the  registrant was required to file such reports),  and (2)
has been subject to such filing requirements for part 90 days.
Yes [X]   No [ ]

   Check if there is no disclosure  of delinquent filers in response to Item 405
of Regulation S-B contained in this form, and no disclosure will be contained to
the  best  of  registrant's   knowledge,  in  definitive  proxy  or  information
statements  incorporated  by  reference  in Part III of this Form  10-KSB or any
amendment of this Form 10-KSB. [X]

   State issue's revenue for its most recent fiscal year. $30,648,000

   State the aggregate  market value of the voting stock held by  non-affiliates
computed by reference  to the price at which the stock was also,  or the average
bid and marked prices of such stock,  as of a specified  date within the past 60
days.  (See  definition  of  affiliate  in  Rule  12b-2  of the  Exchange  Act.)
$17,256,000

   Note.  IF  determining  whether  a person is an  affiliate  will  involve  an
unreasonable  effort and expense,  the issuer may calculate the aggregate market
value of the common  equity held by  non-affiliates  on the basis of  reasonable
assumptions, if the assumptions are stated.

                  ISSUERS INVOLVED IN A BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS
                           DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS

   Check whether the issuer has filed all  documents and reports  required to be
filed by Section 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the  distribution  of
securities under a plan confirmed by a court. Yes [ ] No [ ]

                    APPLICABLE ONLY TO CORPORATE REGISTRANTS

   State the number of shares  outstanding  of each of the  issuer's  classes of
common equity, as of the latest practicable date. 4,516,912


   Transitional Small Business Disclosure Format (check one)    Yes [ ]  No [X]

                                1



                                    PART I


ITEM 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS.

   FTI is a leading  provider of litigation  support  services  including visual
communications,  engineering  services and trial consulting.  These services are
used to assist  attorneys  and  corporations  in  developing  trial  themes  and
strategies, assessing the strength of their cases, and creating state-of-the-art
courtroom  presentations.  Throughout  its  15-year  history,  the  Company  has
developed  innovative  applications for advanced  technologies in the courtroom,
such as computer animation and simulation, that greatly enhance the presentation
of evidence and expert  testimony  regarding  complex  subjects such as airplane
crashes,  financial  disputes,  intellectual  property  resolutions and physical
phenomena.  The Company believes that increases in the volume, risk,  complexity
and cost of litigation have driven the need for litigation support services that
utilize   advanced   technologies  and  innovative  fee  structures  to  provide
competitive  advantages in the courtroom on a cost-effective  basis. The Company
was incorporated on June 30, 1982 in the State of Maryland. 

INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

   The litigation process involves the efforts and services of many participants
in addition to lawyers.  The litigation  support  services market includes event
investigation and analysis,  expert testimony,  courtroom  presentation,  visual
packaging,  computer animation and simulation,  jury analysis and selection, and
document preparation, storage and retrieval.  Participants in the market include
the Big Six  accounting  firms,  which  specialize  in document  management  and
financial  due  diligence,  and medium size firms,  such as the  Company,  which
compete to provide multiple services on a local, regional and national basis. In
addition,  many small companies that rely on one or two key individuals  provide
services in local  markets.  The Company  believes that the  litigation  support
services  market  benefits  from several  broader  market  trends  including the
following:

   PREVALENCE OF VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS TECHNIQUES.  Over the past several years,
new media,  including  animation and image  enhancement,  have become widespread
throughout the general consumer marketplace.  At the same time, large litigation
cases have become  increasingly  complex  and often  involve  sophisticated  and
difficult-to-understand  issues,  such as  toxic  tort,  intellectual  property,
evaluation  of failures  and medical  product  liability.  The  presentation  of
complicated  concepts are  dramatically  enhanced by visual  presentation and 3D
animation using media commonly accepted and understood by jurors.  Consequently,
visual technology is becoming increasingly prevalent in the courtroom.

   LITIGATION MARKET.  According to available statistics from the U.S. Bureau of
Census,  the market for legal services in the United  States was estimated to be
$101  billion  for  1993.  As  litigation  expenditures  have  grown to become a
significant  expense for  FORTUNE  500  companies,  courtroom  presentation  and
document  management  techniques  have become more  sophisticated.  Computerized
document management in cases involving millions of pages of deposition testimony
and exhibits has become widely  accepted in the federal and state court systems.
From the  clients'  perspective,  in  virtually  every case cost and  quality of
service are the key  elements in  selecting  litigation  support  providers.  In
addition,  the Company  believes that major users of services view efficient use
of expert services, visual communications,  trial consulting and technology as a
way to provide early focus on the issues,  chart a cost effective  strategy with
regard to resolution and control, and leverage the cost of fees and expenses.


   COST CONSCIOUSNESS OF CORPORATIONS.  As major  corporations  become more cost
conscious and focus on reducing their legal costs, they are reengineering  their
management  of  litigation.  In-house  corporate  general  counsel are generally
taking a more  active  role in managing  both  individual  cases and the overall
litigation  caseload  of the  corporation.  Cost  control  strategies  currently
employed include (i) convergence  programs that reduce the number of outside law
firms and vendors to enhance control and purchasing  power,  (ii) the unbundling
of  support  services  with  vendor  selection  for  individual  services  being
increasingly managed in-house,  (iii) alternative billing arrangements,  such as
fixed fees,  value-added fees,  contingent fees and competitive bidding and (iv)
the outsourcing of increasingly  sophisticated litigation support services, such
as document management, discovery and courtroom graphics.

                                        1




BUSINESS STRATEGY

   The  Company's  goal  is  to  become  the  leading  provider  of  value-added
litigation  support services.  The Company's strategy includes the following key
elements:

   INCREASE INDUSTRY  PROMINENCE.  The Company believes that industry prominence
is a significant competitive advantage because it facilitates access to clients,
particularly  large corporations that require a substantial amount of litigation
support  services.  The  Company has pursued  the  strategy  of  increasing  its
industry  prominence through a number of means,  including  participation in bar
association  activities and conventions.  In addition to these  activities,  the
Company has developed  significant client relationships with DuPont and AT&T and
is continuing to pursue such  relationships  with other major  corporations.  In
1995, DuPont, considered a leader in litigation management, chose the Company to
be one of its  four  primary  litigation  support  service  providers,  and  the
preferred provider for visual communications and jury analysis services.

   EXPANSION  OF THE RANGE OF  SERVICES.  The  Company  focuses on  meeting  the
changing  litigation  support needs of corporations and law firms by introducing
new  products  and services to address  client  requirements  and changes in the
market.   The  Company's   services  generally  are  intended  to  increase  the
effectiveness  of its clients'  cases or reduce the cost and  complexity  of the
litigation process.  For example,  the Company recognized that computer-based 3D
animation could effectively  simplify  highly-complex  issues in jury trials and
was one of the first companies to introduce that capability.

   The Company believes that the application of advances in  communications  and
technology is essential to successfully resolving the inefficiencies of cost and
time that burden the legal system  today.  The Company is  currently  developing
trial presentation and case preparation  hardware and software to facilitate the
realization of the "paperless trial."


   GEOGRAPHIC  EXPANSION.  The  Company  seeks  new  business  opportunities  by
expanding its operations in strategic  geographic markets.  The Company believes
that the ability to provide  services  on a  nationwide  basis is a  competitive
advantage in securing business from large,  geographically diverse corporations.
Furthermore,  proximity to a client provides a significant  cost advantage.  The
Company's  strategy is to expand both the number of offices it maintains and the
services provided by each office. Due to the fragmented nature of the litigation
support services industry, the Company is presented with a significant number of
opportunities to pursue this strategy  through  acquisition.  See  "Management's
Discussion  and Analysis of Results of Operations  and  Financial  Conditions --
Overview." 

   SIZE AND CRITICAL MASS. Large litigation  support contracts often require the
service  provider  to be able to  provide  services  on a number of  matters  in
varying geographic locations. The Company believes that many market participants
lack sufficient resources, personnel, service offerings and geographic diversity
to  effectively  compete for such  contracts.  To enhance its ability to service
such contracts,  the Company has pursued a strategy of increasing the number and
range  of  skills  provided  by  its  professionals  and  investing  in  support
equipment, such as animation computers.

   COST  EFFECTIVE  DELIVERY OF SERVICE.  The Company is  dedicated to providing
cost-effective  solutions  to its  clients.  The  Company  offers a  disciplined
project  management  approach to ensure  adherence to the  client's  budgets and
schedules.  The Company also  maintains a flexible cost structure by using a mix
of employees and outside  consultants.  This reduces fixed  overhead costs while
offering  solutions and  expertise  tailored to the specific  requirements  of a
client's case.

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

   VISUAL COMMUNICATION AND ANIMATION ACTIVITIES.  In the mid 1980s, the Company
helped  pioneer the concept of visual  packaging  and 3D computer  simulation to
enhance the  presentation  of  scientific  findings and other  concepts.  Visual
packaging  incorporates  a wide range of exhibits  for trial,  including  static
graphics, photographs,  technical illustrations,  live video, computer graphics,
computer  animations,  laser disc and models.  The Company assists  attorneys in
focusing the issues of their case prior to trial

                                        2



and in  presenting  those  issues in the most  accurate,  concise  and  powerful
manner. The Company utilizes production and communications  techniques to tailor
the subject matter of a presentation or exhibit not only to the  characteristics
of the  judge  or jury,  but also to the  presentation  skills  of the  attorney
involved.

   Through 3D  animation,  the Company can  illustrate  dynamic  phenomena  that
cannot be portrayed in a static presentation. Such animation can then be used to
provide a  dramatic,  true-to-physics  presentation  of a client's  case that is
easily  understandable  by nontechnical  audiences such as a jury. The animation
group recreates complicated events such as the motion of an airplane, the spread
of a fire,  mechanical  and  structural  movements and forces or the movement of
vehicles and bodies in an automobile accident.

   The Company maintains animation capability in its San Francisco and Annapolis
offices.  The San Francisco  office  maintains 10  workstations,  including four
Silicon  Graphics  workstations,   each  of  which  is  equipped  with  advanced
simulation  and  animation  software  and is generally  dedicated to  performing
animation  assignments.  An additional 12  workstations,  including five Silicon
Graphics  workstations  and  software,  are  located  in  Annapolis.  The use of
commercially  available  hardware and software enhances the Company's ability to
have its animations admitted into courtroom proceedings.

   The Company's visual  communication  and animation group has been involved in
cases such as the DuPont Plaza Hotel Fire in San Juan, Puerto Rico (in which the
Company was the first to apply a computational  fluid dynamics computer model to
the analysis of fire spread), the Hunt brothers silver market case (in which the
importance  and  flexibility  of using video  depositions  in the  courtroom was
significantly  expanded to allow the admission of assembled portions of selected
deposition  materials  as opposed to the  deposition  in its  entirety)  and the
Northwest Airlines DC-9 crash in Detroit,  Michigan (in which the Company helped
develop an animated  reenactment  of the crash based upon the black box data and
voice  recorder,  allowing  viewers to experience  the events  leading up to the
crash).

   The Company  believes that its  experience in applying  visual  communication
techniques  to  litigation  cases and in creating  visual  packages  that can be
admitted as evidence has  contributed  significantly  to the  development of the
visual packaging marketplace and that its state-of-the-art capabilities allow it
to undertake  projects that others may not be able to complete as effectively or
rapidly as the Company.

   ENGINEERING  AND SCIENTIFIC  SERVICES.  Since its inception,  the Company has
provided   services  in  connection   with  the   engineering   and   scientific
investigation  and analysis of failures and  accidents,  with Company  personnel
often  testifying  as expert  witnesses in  connection  with the  resolution  of
associated  litigation or arbitration.  The Company's engineering and scientific
services  include  engineering  and  scientific  analyses  of  complex  physical
phenomena  and events,  including  vehicle  accidents;  electric and gas utility
failures; fires and explosions; and structural defects in buildings,  towers and
ships. For example,  in an accident  reconstruction  case the Company's services
may include the evaluation of highway design, signal device performance, vehicle
dynamics,   helmet   effectiveness,   mechanical  failure,   evasive  maneuvers,
visibility  and  vehicle  operation.  In the area of fires and  explosions,  the
Company provides full-scale fire testing,  fire scene laser mapping and computer
fire modeling. Structural analysis assignments may include the evaluation of the
design, construction,  operation, and maintenance of various manmade structures,
including buildings,  highways,  bridges,  towers,  tunnels,  dams, airports and
mechanical  structures.  The  Company  also  provides  analyses  relating to the
failure of electrical and mechanical systems and materials, including metals and
composite  materials;  energy and utility systems;  manufacturing  processes and
machinery, oil refineries and commercial  transportation  equipment. The Company
has access to a wide range of experts in other disciplines  including  aviation,
biomedical,  environmental,  electrical,  chemical, and utility engineering,  as
well as marine and medical sciences.

   The Company's  engineering and scientific services group has been involved in
a number of high profile  cases  beginning  with the MGM Grand Hotel fire in Las
Vegas (in which the Company was hired by the  defendant  contractor  for the new
Tracy Tower addition to analyze the cause of fire and smoke spread related to 85
deaths and hundreds of injuries).  One of the most comprehensive  investigations
conducted by the Company involved the Hinsdale  Telephone Central Office fire in
Chicago, Illinois (in which the Company was selected by the State of Illinois to
lead the investigation of the cause and loss of

                                        3



telecommunications  service).  After a full  investigation  and  analyses of the
Hinsdale incident, the Company formulated recommendations which formed the basis
for new operating laws under the Illinois  Administrative  Code. The Company has
continued to apply its  expertise to the solution of complex  investigations  in
other high  profile  incidents  such as the Loma  Prieta  earthquake  structural
failures and fires,  Amtrak train derailments,  as well as several major airline
accidents.


   Through the acquisition of Teklicon,  Inc. on September 30, 1996, the Company
significantly  enhanced its  capabilities to provide high technology  consulting
and expert witness  services to the legal  profession  and industry  clients who
require  assessment of intellectual  property rights and other industry problems
that  have high  technology  content.  Services  in  support  of  litigation  or
pre-litigation  research  includes  patent  portfolio  research,  expert witness
services and intellectual property. Teklicon's registry of experts, many of whom
hold  advanced  degrees,  provide  technical  expertise  in a broad  spectrum of
disciplines including  semiconductor and  microelectronics,  telecommunications,
and computer systems architecture and design.


   Since the  engineering  and  scientific  services group is often engaged soon
after the occurrence of an incident and remains active through  resolution,  the
Company has effectively used this service for  cross-selling the Company's other
services.

   TRIAL  CONSULTING  SERVICES.  The Company's trial  consulting  services group
assists  attorneys in developing  trial  strategies  and  pre-trial  negotiation
strategies by identifying key psychological  factors through market research and
statistical analysis to assess the impact of courtroom themes and presentations.
The Company  entered this market in September 1992 through the  acquisition of a
company which had 10 years of experience  providing  these types of services and
the hiring of several  recognized  experts in the field who had been involved in
such high profile  cases as the Reginald  Denny  assault  trial and the McMartin
Preschool trial. Assignments range from providing jury consulting for individual
cases to providing  jury  consulting  and  negotiation  services for a series of
cases,  or  even  substantially  all  the  litigation  of a  major  corporation.
Pre-trial  services  include  attitude  surveys  of the  relevant  community  to
determine  attitudes and  characteristics  of potential jurors, the use of focus
groups  and mock  trials  to test the  effectiveness  of  various  themes  to be
presented  at  trial.  Jury  selection  services  include  development  of juror
profiles and  assistance in developing  questions to be asked  potential  jurors
during  the  jury  selection  process.  Trial  services  include  assistance  in
critiquing  witnesses  to  increase  the  clarity  and  effectiveness  of  their
presentations and assistance in developing, presenting and monitoring the impact
of themes used at trial. Negotiation and settlement services include analysis of
jury  awards  and juror  profiles  to assess  the  potential  magnitude  of jury
verdicts.  For  example,  in the O.J.  Simpson  trial,  the Company  conducted a
community attitude survey and focus groups and provided jury selection and trial
monitoring services.

   NEW BUSINESS INITIATIVES.  The Company is developing a desktop computer based
trial management system called CB Trial(Trademark), which is designed to provide
storage and retrieval to a digitized library of video information  during trial.
The Company believes this system's  ability to store,  search and retrieve video
deposition  information is innovative.  Such information  includes  depositions,
briefs and affidavits.  The CB Trial(Trademark) system also facilitates computer
graphics that allow for rapid and customized display of charts,  graphs,  photos
and other static images.


   Additionally, the Company is developing extensive capabilities in the area of
interactive,  multi- media presentation tools. Such tools will allow the company
to expand its market beyond both  litigation  and the legal industry in general.
In  particular,  the Company has  developed an  interactive  communication  tool
designed to enhance  internal  communication  within  companies and/or law firms
with  multiple   office   locations.   Such  an  application  has  far  reaching
implications towards inter and intranet access.


CLIENTS

   In 1996, the Company  performed  worked for 1,040 clients,  including 813 law
firms,  55 of which were rated in the top 100 law firms in 1996 as  measured  by
the  American  Lawyer  based on revenues in the United  States,  119  industrial
clients,  20 of which were rated in the FORTUNE 500 for 1996,  and 108 insurance
companies,  15 of which were rated in the FORTUNE  500 for 1996.  As of December
31, 1996,

                                        4




the Company was  actively  working on 542  different  matters for 347  different
clients.  Major  clients of the  Company  include  DuPont and AT&T.  None of the
Company's  clients  represented  more than 10% of the Company's  revenues during
1996.


COMPETITION

   The legal support  services market is highly  competitive.  The Company faces
various sources of competition, including several national companies and a large
number of smaller  firms that provide one or more services to local and regional
markets.  The  source of  competition  often  depends  upon the  services  being
provided by the Company.  The scientific and engineering services group competes
against various regional or national engineering  concerns,  independent experts
and  research  organizations.  The  visual  communications  group  and the trial
consulting group generally compete against other litigation consulting firms and
small sole proprietorships.

   In addition  to  pricing,  competitive  factors  for the  Company's  services
include reputation,  geographic locations,  performance record, quality of work,
range of services provided and existence of an on-going client relationship.  On
a nationwide basis, the Company's  competitors  include  Engineering  Animation,
Inc., which provides  animation  services,  Failure Analysis  Associates,  Inc.,
which provides  engineering  analysis services and a limited amount of animation
services,  Decision Quest,  which provides jury analysis,  visual  packaging and
animation  services,  and S.E.A.,  Inc., which provides  engineering and limited
animation  services.  Certain national support service providers are larger than
the Company and, on any given engagement,  may have a competitive advantage over
the  Company  with  respect to one or more  competitive  factors.  In  addition,
smaller  local or  regional  firms,  while not  offering  the range of  services
provided by the Company often are able to provide the lowest price on a specific
engagement   because  of  their  lower  overhead  costs  and  proximity  to  the
engagement.  The fragmented  nature of the legal support  services  industry may
also provide opportunities for large companies that offer complementary services
to enter  the  market  through  acquisition.  In the  future,  these  and  other
competitive  pressures  could require the Company to reduce its fees or increase
its spending for marketing to attract business.

EMPLOYEES

   As of December 31, 1996,  the Company had 168  employees in its legal support
services business. Approximately 109 of the legal support services employees are
engaged in activities directly related to revenue generation,  and the remaining
59 of such employees are  administrative  employees.  The Company also maintains
consulting arrangements with approximately 834 independent consultants, of which
approximately 273 were utilized on Company engagements during 1996.

   None  of  the  Company's  employees  are  covered  by  collective  bargaining
agreements.  The Company  considers  its  relationship  with its employees to be
good.

ITEM 2. DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES.

   The Company  leases its  principal  facility in  Annapolis,  Maryland,  which
totals approximately 39,104 square feet. The Company occupies 25,400 square feet
in  adjacent  buildings  under a lease that  expires in  December  2003.  In the
immediate  vicinity,  the Company occupies 13,704 additional square feet under a
lease that expires in December 2003.


   The Company also leases its regional offices in Chicago,  Illinois;  Houston,
Texas, San Francisco,  California; San Marino, California;  Hayward, California;
Mountain   View,   California;   Stamford,   Connecticut;   and  State  College,
Pennsylvania.  The Company  believes that these  facilities are adequate for its
current needs and that suitable  additional space,  should it be needed, will be
available to accommodate  expansion of the Company's  operations on commercially
reasonable terms. 

   The Company also owns 5,000 square feet in  Germantown,  Maryland  from which
the Company conducted the business of its former Annapplix division. The Company
has agreed to lease these premises to Annapplix until March 1997.

                                        5






ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.

   The Company is not a party to any material litigation.

ITEM 4. SUBMISSIONS OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS.

   None.





















                                        6





                                     PART II

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS.

   The  Company's  Common  Stock has been traded on the Nasdaq  National  Market
under the symbol FTIC since May 8, 1996. The following  table sets forth for the
calendar quarter indicated the high and low sales prices of the Common Stock, as
reported on the Nasdaq National Market.


                    1996                               HIGH       LOW
                  -------                             ------     ------
      Second Quarter (From May 8, 1996)........       10 1/2     8 3/4
      Third Quarter ...........................       11 1/2     7 5/8
      Fourth Quarter ..........................       11 1/4     8 1/2



   As of March 25, 1996,  there were an estimated 1,700 holders of record of the
Common Stock.

   The Company has never declared or paid any cash dividends on its Common Stock
and does not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.


SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES

   On September 30, 1996, Forensic Technologies  International  Corporation (the
"Company"),  FTI Acquisition Corporation ("Newco"), a wholly owned subsidiary of
the Company,  Teklicon,  Inc.  ("Teklicon") and The Summers 1992 Trust,  Gary J.
Summers  and Lynda M.  Summers as Trustees  (the  "Teklicon  Sole  Stockholder")
entered into a Plan and Agreement of  Reorganization  and an Agreement of Merger
whereby Newco was merged with and into Teklicon,  with Teklicon as the surviving
corporation.  All of the outstanding capital stock of Newco was converted into a
like number of shares of Common Stock, no par value,  of Teklicon.  The Teklicon
Sole  Stockholder  exchanged all of the  outstanding  shares of capital stock of
Teklicon into 415,000 shares of Common Stock,  par value $.01 per share,  of the
Company (the "Merger  Consideration").  The Merger  Consideration was based upon
the Company's  evaluation of the financial  condition,  business  operations and
prospects of Teklicon and was  negotiated  in an arms length  transaction  among
unrelated  and  unaffiliated  (as  defined  under  Rule 144  promulgated  by the
Securities and Exchange Commission) parties. Teklicon will continue in operation
as a wholly  owned  subsidiary  of the  Company.  Teklicon is in the business of
providing  litigation  support  services,  primarily  in  California,  that  are
complimentary to the businesses of the Company.

   The Company  relied on Section  4(2) of the  Securities Act of 1933,  as the
exemption for this transaction.







                                        7





ITEM 6.  MANAGEMENT'S  DISCUSSION  AND  ANALYSIS  OF RESULTS OF  OPERATIONS  AND
FINANCIAL CONDITION


SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

   The selected  financial  data for the three years ended December 31, 1996 are
derived from the  Company's  consolidated  financial  statements.  The financial
statements for the years ended December 31, 1994, 1995, and 1996 were audited by
Ernst & Young  LLP.  The  data  below  should  be read in  conjunction  with the
consolidated  financial  statements and related notes thereto included elsewhere
in  this  report  and  "Management's  Discussion  and  Analysis  of  Results  of
Operations and Financial Condition."

YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, ------------------------------ 1996 1995(3) 1994(3) --------- --------- ---------- (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA) Statement of Operations Data: Revenues ................................................. $30,648 $23,381 $20,254 Direct costs of revenues.................................. 17,020 11,366 10,499 Selling, general and administrative expenses.............. 10,786 9,887 8,320 --------- --------- ---------- Total costs and expenses.................................. 27,806 21,253 18,819 --------- --------- ---------- Income from operations.................................... 2,842 2,128 1,435 Other income (expense).................................... 107 (222) (110) --------- --------- ---------- Income from continuing operations before income taxes .... 2,949 1,906 1,325 Income taxes.............................................. 1,235 779 552 --------- --------- ---------- Income from continuing operations......................... 1,714 1,127 773 Loss from operations of discontinued operations, net of tax(1).................................................... (65) Loss on disposal of discontinued operations, net of tax(1) (365) --------- --------- ---------- Net income................................................ $ 1,714 $ 697 $ 773 ========= ========= ========== Net income per share from continuing operations, assuming full dilution(2) ......................................... $ 0.42 $ 0.37 $ 0.25 Net income per share, assuming full dilution(2) .......... $ 0.42 $ 0.37 $ 0.25 Shares used in computation................................ 4,181 3,358 3,396
AS OF DECEMBER 31, ---------------------------- 1996 1995 1994 --------- -------- --------- Balance Sheet Data: Working capital ........................................ $13,312 $ 2,259 $3,368 Total assets ........................................... 20,868 10,756 8,071 Long-term debt, capital lease obligations and redeemable stock........................................ 254 3,941 3,764 Total stockholders' equity.............................. 17,629 1,463 1,838
- ---------- (1) Effective March 31, 1996, the Company sold Annapplix to a group that includes Annapplix's former owner and certain officers and stockholders of the Company. See "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition," and Note 4 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. (2) The computation excludes $31,400 of interest expense, net of tax in 1996, and $86,400 of interest expense, net of tax in 1995, to adjust for the conversion of the Convertible Debentures into Common Stock on consummation of the Company's initial public offering in May 1996. (3) The consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 1995 and 1994 have been restated to include the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of Tekicon, Inc., acquired on September 30, 1996 in a transaction accounted for as a pooling of interests. See Note 4 to "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements." 8 OVERVIEW The Company derives revenue primarily from legal cases and matters in which it is engaged to provide litigation support services. These revenues consist of (i) fees for professional services (ii) fees for use of the Company's equipment and facilities, particularly animation computers (iii) pass-through expenses such as the recruiting of subjects and participants for research surveys and mock trial activities and travel, and (iv) fees associated with work product production, such as, static graph boards, color copies and digital video production. The Company recognizes revenue as work is performed or as related expenses are incurred. The Company's goal is to provide value added services to its litigation market clients either on a case-by-case basis or through ongoing relationships with major users of litigation services. Over the past three years, the Company has taken several steps to grow the business and its industry prominence. Such steps included acquiring Teklicon, Inc., establishing new offices in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Hayward, CA and Stamford, CT, to expand its geographic coverage, expanding its visual communication staff and hiring recognized professionals in the trial consulting business. During 1993, the Company entered into a strategic alliance agreement with Arthur Andersen for a term of three years which ended on May 31, 1996. On February 1, 1995, the Company acquired for $200,000 in cash certain assets of a sole proprietorship doing business as "Applix Software Computer Service," and formed the Annapplix division of the Company. The Annapplix division was a provider of general data processing consulting services and network administration services, and was considered a separate segment of the Company's operations. In January 1996, the Company determined that Annapplix was a development stage operation not strategic to the Company's business of litigation support services. Effective March 31, 1996, the Company sold Annapplix for $150,000 to a group that include Annapplix's former owner and certain officers and stockholders of the Company. The Company recorded the results of operations and estimated loss on the sale of Annapplix as a discontinued operation in the 1995 financial statements. The estimated loss on the sale of $365,109 includes an accrual of $285,000 for the operating losses, net of the related income tax benefit, for the period from January 1, 1996 through March 31, 1996. In May, 1996, the Company completed its' initial public offering raising net proceeds of $11.1 million and issuing 1,520,000 shares of stock. In September, 1996, the Company acquired Teklicon, Inc., in a transaction accounted for as a pooling of interests as further described in Note 4 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. This acquisition significantly enhanced the Company's capabilities in providing high technology consulting and expert witness services to the legal profession and industry clients who require assessment of intellectual property rights and other industry problems that have high technology content. YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996, 1995 AND 1994 REVENUES. Total revenues in 1996 increased 31.1% or $7.3 million from 1995. Of the revenues generated in 1996, $13.3 million or 43.5% was attributable to visual communications services, $10.0 million or 32.7% was attributable to engineering and scientific services, $6.6 million or 21.5% was attributable to trial consulting and $0.7 million, or 2.3% was attributable to other revenue. The growth in total revenues resulted from a $4.1 million or 45.8% increase in revenues generated by visual communications services and a $3.8 million or 139.6% increase in revenues generated by trial consulting services, which was offset by a decline of $1.1 million or 10.1% in revenues generated by engineering and scientific services. Revenues increased in the visual communications and trial consulting areas as a result of increased market penetration by the Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles offices and continued development of key relationships with major users of litigation support services. Key additions of visual and trial professionals also attracted new clients to the Company. The decrease in revenues generated by engineering and scientific services was caused primarily by the decision to pursue major corporate clients and other large users of litigation support services and to de-emphasize certain individual plaintiff-oriented vehicle accident reconstruction work. 9 Total revenues in 1995 increased 15.4% or $3.1 million from 1994. Of the revenues generated in 1995, $8.8 million or 37.6% was attributable to visual communications services, $11.1 million or 47.5% was attributable to engineering and scientific services, $2.9 million or 12.4% was attributable to trial consulting and $0.6 million was attributable to other revenue. The increase in total revenues resulted primarily from a $2.2 million or 33.3% increase in revenues generated by visual communications services and a $1.0 million or 48.1% increase in revenues generated by trial consulting services. Revenues increased in the visual communications and trial consulting areas as a result of the Company's strategic focus on further developing these high growth businesses. This growth was achieved through relationship building with major users of litigation support services and the addition of senior employees who attracted new clients to the Company. In addition, the Company packaged its visual communication and trial consulting services as part of its strategic focus in 1995 to obtain contracts with major corporate clients. DIRECT COST OF REVENUES. Direct cost of revenues consists primarily of billable employee compensation and related payroll benefits, the cost of consultants assigned to revenue generating activities, and other related expenses billable to clients. Direct cost of revenues as a percent of revenues increased to 55.5% in 1996 from 48.6% in 1994. The increase resulted primarily from a redirection of efforts by certain key personnel from selling, general and administrative activities to revenue generating activities. In the 1996 period, these individuals were accounted for as direct costs. Additionally, direct costs as a pSercentage of revenue were further inpacted by increases in pass-through expenses related to trial consulting activities. The improvement in direct cost of revenues in 1995 from 1994 occurred as a result of the Company's more efficient utilization of the Company's employees and outside consultants. SELLING GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES. Selling, general and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and benefits paid to office and corporate staff as well as rent, marketing expenses and corporate overhead expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses as a percent of revenues decreased to 35.2% in 1996 from 42.3% in 1995. This decrease resulted from the change in allocation of costs of key personnel as well as the fixed or semi-variable nature of many of these expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses as a percent of revenues in 1995 was generally consistent with 1994. OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES. During 1994, the Company recorded a gain of $122,000 from the sale of internally developed software. Interest expense consists of interest on a line of credit and Convertible Debentures. Additional cash raised from the initial public offering, allowed the Company to payoff the line of credit in mid-1996, thus reducing interest expense and increasing interest income during the second half of 1996. In May 1996 the $1.8 million of 8% Subordinated Debentures converted into common stock, further contributing to the decrease in interest expense in 1996 as compared to 1995. INCOME TAXES. The Company's effective tax rate during each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 1996 approximates 41%. See Note 12 of "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements" for a reconciliation of the federal statutory rate to the effective tax rates during each of these years, and a summary of the components of the Company's deferred tax assets and liabilities. LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES In 1994 and 1995, the Company's working capital needs were generally funded through cash flow from operations and borrowings under a bank line of credit. Due principally to a 31.1% growth in revenues in 1996, and the resultant increase in accounts receivable, unbilled receivables, and inventory, the Company used net cash of $0.5 million in 1996 to fund operating activities. This needed cash was provided by the initial public offering of common stock in May 1996, which generated $11.1 million of net proceeds to the Company. A significant portion of the Company's billings are made to clients that in turn remit such billings to third parties, such as insurance companies or product manufacturers, for payment. The Company's average collection period is approximately 110 days, while accounts payable and accrued expenses, a large portion of which consists of consultant remuneration, are generally paid within 30 to 60 days. The Company believes that expected growth in the business will require additional investments in working capital, but that the $5.9 million of cash at December 31, 1996 and a $10.0 bank line of credit will be sufficient to fund its working capital needs through at least 1997. During 1994 and 1995, the Company expensed and paid $144,000 of interest to the holders of its 8% Convertible Debentures; similar interest in 1996 amounted to $53,000. The Convertible Debentures 10 automatically converted into Common Stock of the Company upon the closing of the Company's May 8, 1996 initial public offering of Common Stock. On October 28, 1996 the bank line of credit was increased to provide for borrowings by the Company of up to $10.0 million. The line of credit is secured by the receivables of the Company and expires on May 31, 1998. Outstanding balances under the line of credit bear interest below the prime rate based on specified measures of the financial condition of the Company. The line of credit requires the Company to satisfy certain specified ratios and net worth requirements (such as "cash flow coverage," "net tangible worth" and "current ratio"). At December 31, 1996, the Company had no borrowings under the line of credit. The Company expended $1.7 million, $1.6 million and $0.6 million to purchase property and equipment for the years ended December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively. The Company expects to incur similar levels of property and equipment additions in 1997 as it implements its strategy of expanding its business into additional cities within the United States. However, no significant commitments currently exist to acquire such additional property and equipment. The Company believes that its existing cash resources and available borrowings under the bank line of credit will be sufficient to meet anticipated cash requirements for the next 18 months. There can be no assurance that additional capital beyond the amounts currently forecasted by the Company will not be required, nor that any such required additional capital will be available on reasonable terms, if at all, at such time as required by the Company. 11 ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. FORENSIC TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY AUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996, 1995 AND 1994 CONTENTS PAGE ------ Report of Independent Auditors ......................................... 13 Audited Consolidated Financial Statements Consolidated Balance Sheets............................................ 14 Consolidated Statements of Operations ................................. 15 Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity........................ 16 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.................................. 17 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements............................. 18 12 REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS The Board of Directors and Stockholders Forensic Technologies International Corporation We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Forensic Technologies International Corporation and subsidiary as of December 31, 1996 and 1995, and the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 1996. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. We did not audit the financial statements of Teklicon, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary, for fiscal year 1995, which statements reflect total assets and total revenues constituting 8% and 13%, respectively, of the related 1995 consolidated totals. Those statements were audited by other auditors whose report has been furnished to us, and our opinion, insofar as it relates to 1995 data included for Teklicon, Inc., is based solely on the report of other auditors. We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits and the report of other auditors provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. In our opinion, based on our audits and, for 1995, the report of other auditors, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of Forensic Technologies International Corporation and subsidiary at December 31, 1996 and 1995, and the consolidated results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 1996, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. January 31, 1997 13 FORENSIC TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
DECEMBER 31, ---------------------------- 1996 1995 ------------- -------------- ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents................................................................. $ 5,893,897 $ 244,925 Accounts receivable, less allowance of $250,877 in 1996 and $212,262 in 1995 ............. 6,296,599 4,633,850 Unbilled receivables, less allowance of $125,439 in 1996 and $164,935 in 1995 ............ 3,006,953 2,230,674 Inventory................................................................................. 332,828 -- Income taxes receivable................................................................... 111,471 -- Deferred income taxes..................................................................... 185,926 419,310 Prepaid expenses.......................................................................... 418,654 145,805 ------------- -------------- Total current assets....................................................................... 16,246,328 7,674,564 Property and equipment: Buildings................................................................................. 411,241 411,241 Furniture and equipment................................................................... 8,455,373 6,576,259 Leasehold improvements.................................................................... 863,821 677,348 ------------- -------------- 9,730,435 7,664,848 Accumulated depreciation and amortization................................................. (5,624,060) (4,784,174) ------------- -------------- 4,106,375 2,880,674 Deferred income taxes...................................................................... -- 4,090 Other assets............................................................................... 515,722 196,662 ------------- -------------- Total assets............................................................................... $20,868,425 $10,755,990 ============= ============== LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued expenses..................................................... $ 1,502,076 $ 1,171,201 Borrowings under line of credit........................................................... -- 2,110,391 Accrued compensation expense.............................................................. 783,108 933,841 Incomes tax payable....................................................................... -- 208,296 Current portion of capital lease obligations.............................................. 52,804 63,463 Accrued loss on disposal of discontinued operations....................................... -- 478,828 Advances from clients..................................................................... 585,562 276,691 Other current liabilities................................................................. 11,063 172,752 ------------- -------------- Total current liabilities.................................................................. 2,934,613 5,415,463 Long-term debt and capital lease obligations, less current portion ........................ 201,296 206,747 Deferred income taxes...................................................................... 103,938 -- 8% Convertible Subordinated Debentures, due to stockholders ............................... -- 1,800,000 Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock, $.01 par value, stated at redemption value .................................................................................... -- 1,560,000 Common Stock subject to repurchase......................................................... -- 310,930 Commitments and contingent liabilities..................................................... -- -- Stockholders' equity: Preferred stock, $.01 par value; 4,000,000 shares authorized in 1996, none outstanding ... -- -- Common stock, $.01 par value: Class A: Authorized shares -- 16,000,000 in 1996 and 9,800,000 in 1995; shares issued and outstanding -- 4,516,912 in 1996 and 1,989,059 in 1995 (not subject to repurchase)..... 45,169 19,891 Class B: Authorized shares -none in 1996 and 6,300,000 in 1995 .................................. Issued and outstanding shares -- none in 1996 and 1,524,600 in 1995 .................... -- 15,246 Additional paid-in capital................................................................ 14,429,703 850 Retained earnings......................................................................... 3,153,706 1,455,773 Less: Unearned compensation recorded upon issuance of common stock ....................... -- (28,910) ------------- -------------- Total stockholders' equity................................................................ 17,628,578 1,462,850 ------------- -------------- Total liabilities and stockholders' equity................................................ $20,868,425 $10,755,990 ============= ==============
See accompanying notes. 14 FORENSIC TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, ------------------------------------------ 1996 1995 1994 ------------- ------------- -------------- Revenues.............................................. $30,647,985 $23,381,303 $20,253,897 Direct cost of revenues............................... 17,020,021 11,366,249 10,499,161 Selling, general and administrative expenses ......... 10,786,421 9,886,791 8,319,848 ------------- ------------- -------------- Total costs and expenses.............................. 27,806,442 21,253,040 18,819,009 ------------- ------------- -------------- Income from operations................................ 2,841,543 2,128,263 1,434,888 Other income (expenses): Interest and other income............................ 286,701 41,669 172,527 Interest expense..................................... (179,523) (263,824) (281,850) ------------- ------------- -------------- 107,178 (222,155) (109,323) ------------- ------------- -------------- Income from continuing operations before income taxes................................................ 2,948,721 1,906,108 1,325,565 Income taxes.......................................... 1,235,194 778,665 552,278 ------------- ------------- -------------- Income from continuing operations..................... 1,713,527 1,127,443 773,287 Discontinued operations: Loss from discontinued operations (net of income tax benefit of $44,460) ................................ -- (65,074) -- Loss on disposal of discontinued operations (net of income tax benefit of $248,520) .................... -- (365,109) -- ------------- ------------- -------------- Net income............................................ $ 1,713,527 $ 697,260 $ 773,287 ============= ============= ============== Earnings Per Share Data: Per common and common equivalent share: Income from continuing operations................... $ 0.45 $ 0.49 $ 0.33 ============= ============= ============== Net income.......................................... $ 0.45 $ 0.31 $ 0.33 ============= ============= ============== Per common share, assuming full dilution: Income from continuing operations.................... $ 0.42 $ 0.37 $ 0.25 ============= ============= ============== Net income........................................... $ 0.42 $ 0.23 $ 0.25 ============= ============= ==============
See accompanying notes. 15 FORENSIC TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
CLASS A CLASS B ADDITIONAL COMMON COMMON PAID-IN RETAINED UNEARNED STOCK STOCK CAPITAL EARNINGS COMPENSATION TOTAL ---------- ----------- ------------- ------------ -------------- -------------- Balance at January 1, 1994............... $22,610 $ 19,152 $ 1,118,754 $ 339,532 $(139,073) $ 1,360,975 Award of 323,400 shares of Class B Common Stock under the 1992 Employee Stock Bonus Award Program............... 3,234 8,316 11,550 Repurchase of 550,200 shares of Class B Common Stock ........................... (5,502) (14,148) (19,650) Repurchase of 29,400 shares of Class A Common Stock............................ (294) (104,706) (105,000) Purchase of options to purchase 105,000 shares of Class A Common Stock.......... (125,000) (125,000) Amortization of unearned compensation ... 66,789 66,789 Dividends paid on Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock ($.19 per share).................................. (124,800) (124,800) Net income for 1994...................... 773,287 773,287 ---------- ----------- ------------- ------------ -------------- -------------- Balance at December 31, 1994............. 22,316 16,884 987,922 883,313 (72,284) 1,838,151 Repurchase of 163,800 shares of Class B Common Stock ........................... (1,638) (4,212) (5,850) Repurchase of 184,514 shares of Class A Common Stock............................ (1,845) (722,510) (724,355) Amortization of unearned compensation ... 43,374 43,374 Dividends paid on Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock ($.19 per share).................................. (124,800) (124,800) Reclassification of Class A Common Stock subject to repurchase................... (580) (310,350) (310,930) Other.................................... 50,000 50,000 Net income for 1995...................... 697,260 697,260 ---------- ----------- ------------- ------------ -------------- -------------- Balance at December 31, 1995............. 19,891 15,246 850 1,455,773 (28,910) 1,462,850 Repurchase of 8,400 shares of Class B Common Stock ........................... (84) (216) (300) Repurchase of 54,709 shares of Class A Common Stock............................. (547) (104,818) (24,895) (130,260) Issuance of 1,520,000 shares of Common Stock, net of expenses of $1,671,461 in initial public offering of stock ....... 15,200 11,101,340 11,116,540 Conversion of Class B Common Stock into 15,162 shares of Common Stock .......... 151 (15,162) 15,011 -- Conversion of Series A Preferred Stock into 655,200 shares of Common Stock .... 6,552 1,553,448 1,560,000 Conversion of Convertible Subordinated Debt in 378,000 shares of Common Stock . 3,780 1,796,220 1,800,000 Value of common stock options issued to directors............................... 29,000 29,000 Exercise of options to purchase 14,200 shares of Class A Common Stock.......... 142 38,652 38,794 Amortization of unearned compensation ... 28,910 28,910 Dividends paid on Series A Preferred Stock................................... (62,396) (62,396) Accounting adjustment due to pooling-of-interests.................... 71,913 71,913 Net income for 1996...................... 1,713,527 1,713,527 ---------- ----------- ------------- ------------ -------------- -------------- Balance at December 31, 1996............. $45,169 $ -- $14,429,703 $3,153,706 $ -- $17,628,578 ========== =========== ============= ============ ============== ==============
See accompanying notes. 16 FORENSIC TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, ---------------------------------------- 1996 1995 1994 ------------- ------------- ------------ Operating activities Net income.............................................. $ 1,713,527 $ 697,260 $ 773,287 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation........................................... 757,201 637,837 864,596 Amortization........................................... 105,597 20,835 17,152 Provision for doubtful accounts........................ (881) 168,714 41,370 Deferred income taxes.................................. 341,412 (217,921) (139,424) Loss on disposal of discontinued Annapplix division.... (478,828) 613,629 -- Other.................................................. 135,661 92,263 (55,200) Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable................................... (1,701,364) (971,907) 28,624 Unbilled receivables.................................. (723,398) (423,885) (307,329) Inventory............................................. (332,828) -- -- Income taxes receivable/payable....................... (319,767) -- 121,867 Prepaid expenses...................................... (266,383) (9,228) 45,367 Accounts payable...................................... 330,875 560,709 (317,408) Accrued compensation expense.......................... (220,922) 527,455 59,885 Income taxes payable.................................. -- 96,732 166,297 Advances from clients................................. 308,871 (333,333) (333,333) Other current liabilities............................. (161,689) 64,802 (214,624) ------------- ------------- ------------ Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities .... (512,916) 1,523,962 751,127 Investing activities Proceeds from sale of marketable securities............. -- -- 202,370 Purchase of property and equipment...................... (1,671,502) (1,608,939) (625,454) Acquisition of Applix Software Computer Service ........ -- (200,000) -- Acquisition of Anamet Laboratories, Inc................. (400,000) -- -- Purchase of other assets................................ (238,397) (40,975) (96,934) ------------- ------------- ------------ Net cash used in investing activities................... (2,309,899) (1,849,914) (520,018) Financing activities Issuance of Class A Common Stock........................ 11,116,540 -- -- Repurchase of Class A Common Stock...................... (130,260) (724,355) (65,000) Repurchase of Class A Common Stock subject to repurchase and Class B Common Stock ................... (311,230) (5,850) (19,650) Proceeds from issuance of Class B Common Stock ......... -- -- 11,550 Exercise of stock options............................... 38,794 -- -- Net borrowing (repayments) under line of credit ........ (2,110,391) 1,538,152 (242,761) Payments of capital lease obligations................... (69,270) (358,188) (434,970) Dividends paid.......................................... (62,396) (124,800) (124,800) ------------- ------------- ------------ Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities .... 8,471,787 324,959 (875,631) ------------- ------------- ------------ Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents ... 5,648,972 (993) (644,522) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year ......... 244,925 245,918 890,440 ------------- ------------- ------------ Cash and cash equivalents at end of year................ $ 5,893,897 $ 244,925 $ 245,918 ============= ============= ============
See accompanying notes. 17 Forensic Technologies International Corporation and Subsidiary Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements DECEMBER 31, 1996 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES BASIS OF PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS Forensic Technologies International Corporation and subsidiary (the Company) provides communication, engineering, and other trial support services to the litigation industry. These services include event investigation and analysis, expert testimony, courtroom visual presentation, computer animation and simulation, jury analysis and selection, exposure assessment and computerized document storage and retrieval. The Company has nine offices serving all regions of the United States. On September 30, 1996 the Company acquired all of the outstanding common stock of Teklicon, Inc. ("Teklicon") in exchange for 415,000 shares of common stock. The acquisition was accounted for as a pooling of interests and, accordingly, the Company's financial statements have been restated for all periods prior to the merger to include the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows of Teklicon. The accompanying consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 1995 includes the financial position of Teklicon at March 31, 1996, the fiscal year-end of Teklicon. The accompanying consolidated statements of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows for the years ended December 31, 1994 and 1995 include the results of operations and cash flows of Teklicon for its fiscal years ended March 31, 1995 and 1996, respectively. PRINCIPLES OF CONSOLIDATION The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of a wholly-owned subsidiary. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated. USE OF ESTIMATES The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The Company uses estimates to determine the amount of the allowance for doubtful accounts necessary to reduce accounts receivable and unbilled receivables to their expected net realizable value. The Company estimates the amount of the required allowance by reviewing the status of significant past-due receivables and analyzing historical bad debt trends. The Company has not experienced significant variations in the estimate of the allowance for doubtful accounts, due primarily to credit policies, collection experience, and a lack of concentrations of accounts receivable. Accounts receivable balances are not collateralized. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES CASH EQUIVALENTS The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. INVENTORY Inventory, consisting of computer software, is stated at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out) or market value. 18 Forensic Technologies International Corporation and Subsidiary Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements -(Continued) PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT Property and equipment is stated at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method. Buildings are depreciated over a period of 40 years, furniture and equipment is depreciated over estimated useful lives ranging from 5 to 7 years, and leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of the estimated useful life of the asset or the lease term. REVENUE RECOGNITION The Company derives most of its revenues from professional service activities. The majority of these activities are provided under "time and materials" billing arrangements, and revenues, consisting of billed fees and expenses, are recorded as work is performed and expenses are incurred. Revenues recognized in excess of amounts billed to clients have been recorded as unbilled receivables in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The Company also enters into fixed price contracts for its litigation support services that are accounted for using the percentage-of-completion method. Income for these contracts is recognized based on the percentage of contract completion determined by the total expenses incurred to date as a percentage of total estimated expenses at the completion of the contract. DIRECT COST OF REVENUES Direct cost of revenues consists primarily of billable employee compensation and related payroll benefits, the cost of consultants assigned to revenue generating activities, and direct expenses billable to clients. Direct cost of revenues does not include an allocation of overhead costs. ACCOUNTING FOR IMPAIRMENT OF LONG-LIVED ASSETS AND FOR LONG-LIVED ASSETS TO BE DISPOSED OF In 1995 the Company adopted the provisions of Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 121, Accounting for the Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and for Long-Lived Assets to Be Disposed Of, issued in March 1995. The Statement prescribes the accounting for the impairment of long-lived assets, such as property, plant and equipment and intangible assets, as well as the accounting for long-lived assets that are held for disposal. The adoption of this Statement in 1995 did not have a material impact on the reported results of operations of the Company. STOCK OPTIONS GRANTED TO EMPLOYEES The Company records compensation expense for all stock-based compensation plans using the intrinsic value method prescribed by APB Opinion No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees. In October 1995 the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued FASB Statement No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation ("Statement 123"), which encourages companies to recognize expense for stock-based awards based on their estimated value on the date of grant. Statement 123, effective for 1996, does not require companies to change their existing accounting for stock-based awards, but if the new fair value method is not adopted, pro forma income and earnings per share data should be provided in the notes to the financial statements. The Company has supplementally disclosed in Note 11 the required pro forma information as if the fair value method had been adopted. INCOME TAXES The Company uses the liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. 19 2. EARNINGS PER SHARE HISTORICAL EARNINGS PER SHARE The following table summarizes the computations of share amounts used in the computation of earnings per share presented in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.
DECEMBER 31, -------------------------------------- 1996 1995 1994 ------------ ------------ ------------ PER COMMON AND COMMON EQUIVALENT SHARE: Weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period ............................................. 3,590,911 2,157,606 2,279,063 Options to purchase common stock issued within one year of registration statement ........................................ 15,475 41,700 41,700 Dilutive effect of other options and warrants .................. 188,027 83,530 41,686 ------------ ------------ ------------ Total common and common equivalent shares of stock considered outstanding during the year ................................... 3,794,413 2,282,836 2,362,449 ============ ============ ============ PER COMMON SHARE, ASSUMING FULL DILUTION: Weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period ............................................. 3,590,911 2,157,606 2,279,063 Options to purchase common stock issued within one year of registration statement ........................................ 15,475 41,700 41,700 Dilutive effect of other options and warrants .................. 196,072 125,373 41,686 Assumed conversion of Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock at beginning of year .................................... 239,882 655,200 655,200 Assumed conversion of 8% Convertible Subordinated Debentures at beginning of year ............................................. 138,393 378,000 378,000 ------------ ------------ ------------ Total fully diluted securities considered outstanding during the year ....................................................... 4,180,733 3,357,879 3,395,649 ============ ============ ============
HISTORICAL EARNINGS PER SHARE Earnings per common and common equivalent share is based upon the average number of shares of common stock outstanding during each year, adjusted for the dilutive effect of common stock equivalents determined using the treasury stock method. As required by the Securities and Exchange Commission, all options to purchase common stock issued by the Company at exercise prices below the initial public offering price during the twelve-month period prior to the initial public offering date have been included in the computations as if they were outstanding for all periods included in the initial public offering registration statement, which included the 1994 and 1995 annual periods and the first three months of 1996. Earnings per common share, assuming full dilution, is calculated on the same basis as the previously described primary computation, except that the calculation in 1994, 1995 and 1996 assumes that the Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock and the 8% Convertible Subordinated Debentures were converted on the first day of the fiscal year, and that the fair value of the Company's common stock on the last day of the fiscal year (rather than the average fair value during the year) is used to determine the dilutive effect of stock options. SUPPLEMENTAL EARNINGS PER SHARE Earnings per common and common equivalent share in 1996, assuming that the Series A Redeemable Preferred Stock and the 8% Convertible Subordinated Debentures were converted into common stock at the beginning of 1996, is $0.42. 20 Forensic Technologies International Corporation and Subsidiary Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements -(Continued) 3. SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION The Company paid interest of $241,536, $491,375 and $276,839 and income taxes of $1,213,228, $628,984 and $408,272 during fiscal years 1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively. 4. ACQUISITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS TEKLICON, INC. On September 30, 1996, the Company issued 415,000 shares of its common stock for all of the outstanding common stock of Teklicon. Teklicon is based in Mountain View, California and provides expert witness testimony to attorneys and businesses. The merger has been accounted for as a pooling-of-interests and, accordingly, the Company's financial statements have been restated for all periods prior to the acquisition to include the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of Teklicon. Revenues and net income for the individual entities are as follows:
FORENSIC TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION TEKLICON COMBINED --------------- ------------- -------------- Year ended December 31, 1994: Revenues ....................................... $17,547,055 $2,706,842 $20,253,897 Net income ..................................... $ 638,830 $ 134,457 $ 773,287 Year ended December 31, 1995: Revenues ....................................... $20,327,739 $3,053,564 $23,381,303 Net income (loss) .............................. $ 705,893 $ (8,633) $ 697,260 Nine months ended September 30, 1996 (unaudited): Revenues ....................................... $20,338,661 $2,208,523 $22,547,184 Net income (loss) .............................. $ 1,494,797 $ (52,504) $ 1,442,293
APPLIX SOFTWARE COMPUTER SERVICE On February 1, 1995, the Company acquired for $200,000 in cash certain assets of a sole proprietorship doing business as "Applix Software Computer Service", and formed the Annapplix division of the Company. The Annapplix division is a provider of general data processing consulting services and network administration services, and is considered a separate segment of the Company's operations. The acquisition was accounted for using the purchase method of accounting and the results of operations of the acquired business are included in the accompanying 1995 consolidated statement of operations from February 1, 1995, the date of acquisition, through December 31, 1995. The excess of the cost of the acquisition over the fair value of the assets acquired of $135,604 was recorded as goodwill. 21 Forensic Technologies International Corporation and Subsidiary Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements -(Continued) In January 1996, the Board of Directors and management of the Company committed to a formal plan to sell the Annapplix division based on an assessment that the division was not complementary to its core litigation support services. In March 1996, the Company agreed to sell the division to a group including the former owner and certain other officers and stockholders of the Company. The Company sold the furniture, equipment, and intangible assets of the division in exchange for cash of $150,000, and retained ownership of billed and unbilled accounts receivable, buildings and accounts payable. The effective date of the sale was April 1, 1996. The Company recorded the results of operations and estimated loss on the sale of Annapplix as a discontinued operation in the 1995 consolidated financial statements. The estimated loss on the sale of $365,109 included an accrual of $285,000 for the operating losses, net of the related income tax benefit, for the period from January 1, 1996 through March 31, 1996, the date of disposal. During 1995, Annapplix reported revenues of $3.2 million and loss before an income tax benefit of $109,534. Expenses attributable to the segment include interest expense related to debt incurred to purchase assets used by the division and an allocation of $80,000 of other consolidated interest that is not directly attributable to or related to other operations. The allocated interest, consisting of interest expense on a line of credit, is allocated based on the ratio of the net assets sold to total consolidated net assets excluding the balance of the line of credit. 5. BORROWINGS UNDER LINE OF CREDIT The Company has a demand line of credit with a bank expiring on May 31, 1998 under which the Company may borrow up to $10.0 million, subject to restrictions based on the available collateral. Borrowings under this line of credit bear interest at prime plus variable percentages, and are secured by accounts receivable and unbilled receivables. The estimated average borrowing rate during 1996, 1995 and 1994 was 8.0%, 8.3% and 8.1%, respectively. In connection with this credit line, the Company is required to maintain a minimum tangible net worth and comply with certain financial ratios and covenants. 6. LONG-TERM DEBT AND CAPITAL LEASE OBLIGATIONS LONG-TERM DEBT Long-term debt consists of a $79,920 mortgage note payable to a bank bearing interest at the prime rate plus 1.5% (9.75% at December 31, 1996) and secured by the related building. The note requires monthly interest payments of $444 through December 1, 1998 and a lump-sum payment of the entire principal on January 1, 1999. CAPITAL LEASES The Company leases furniture and equipment under capital leases. Property and equipment includes the following amounts for leases that have been capitalized: 1996 1995 ------------- ------------- Furniture and equipment................... $2,529,450 $2,476,290 Less accumulated amortization............. 2,284,052 2,148,630 ------------- ------------- $ 245,398 $ 327,660 ============= ============= Amortization of leased assets is included in depreciation and amortization expense. 22 Forensic Technologies International Corporation and Subsidiary Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements -(Continued) Future minimum payments under capital lease obligations consist of the following at December 31, 1996: 1997 .................................................. $ 57,695 1998 .................................................. 46,070 1999 .................................................. 44,906 2000 .................................................. 41,946 2001 .................................................. 5,389 ----------- Total minimum lease payments .......................... 196,006 Amounts representing interest ......................... 21,826 ----------- Present value of net minimum lease payments (including current portion of $52,804) ........................... $174,180 =========== 7. CONVERTIBLE SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES On July 21, 1994 the Company issued $1,800,000 of 8% Convertible Subordinated Debentures (the "Debentures") to its stockholders, due no later than July 15, 2000. During 1996, 1995 and 1994, the Company expensed and paid approximately $74,000, $144,000 and $144,000, respectively, of interest to the holders of the Debentures. In May 1996 the Company completed its initial public offering and the Debentures converted into 378,151 shares of Class A Common Stock. 8. STOCK SPLIT On January 26, 1996, the Board of Directors approved a 4.2-for-1 stock split of the Company's Class A Common Stock. The application of anti-dilution provisions effectively resulted in a 4.2-for-1 split of the Class B Common Stock and Series A Redeemable Preferred Stock. The stated par values of the common and preferred stocks were not changed. All share and per share amounts have been restated to retroactively reflect the split of the Class A Common Stock and effective split of the Class B Common Stock and Series A Redeemable Preferred Stock. 9. SERIES A REDEEMABLE CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK The Company had authorized the issuance of 655,200 shares of Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock ("Preferred Stock"). At December 31, 1995 and 1994, 655,200 shares were outstanding. Each share of Preferred Stock converted into 655,200 shares of Class A Common Stock immediately prior to the closing of the Company's initial public offering in May 1996. The holders of the Preferred Stock had certain rights, including redemption rights, and were entitled to receive, when declared by the Board of Directors, cumulative semi-annual dividends at the annual rate of $.19 per share. 10. EMPLOYEE STOCK BONUS AWARD PROGRAM AND CLASS B COMMON STOCK In 1992 the Company adopted the 1992 Employee Stock Bonus Award Program (the Program) which authorized the issuance of 1,500,000 shares of Class B Common Stock. Each employee under the level of senior management was eligible to receive shares under the Program. The Company issued 323,400 shares during 1994 under the Program. Compensation charged to selling, general and administrative expense during 1994 related to these awards was $11,550. 23 Forensic Technologies International Corporation and Subsidiary Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements -(Continued) The Company determined the amount of compensation expense to record based on an estimate of the value of the Class B Common Stock at the date of grant, as approved by the Board of Directors. The estimated value of 100 shares of Class B Common Stock was equal to the estimated value of one share of Class A Common Stock (the conversion rate of Class B Common Stock into Class A Common Stock). The estimated value of Class B Common Stock granted to employees was $.0357 per share in 1994. The Class B Common Stock automatically converted into 15,162 shares of Class A Common Stock upon the closing of the Company's initial public offering in May 1996, and the Program was terminated. 11.STOCK OPTION PLAN The 1992 Stock Option Plan ("the Plan") was approved by the stockholders of the Company in May 1992. The Plan provides for the granting to key employees and directors of incentive and non-qualified stock options to purchase up to 1,212,548 shares of common stock. Incentive stock options granted under the Plan allow for the purchase of common stock at prices not less than the fair market value of the common stock at the date of grant for a term of no more than ten years. Non-qualified stock options granted under the plan allow for the purchase of common stock at prices not less than 50% of the fair market value of the common stock at the date of grant, for a term of no more than ten years. Vesting provisions for individual awards are at the discretion of the Board of Directors. The following table summarizes the option activity under the Plan for the three-year period ended December 31, 1996:
1996 WEIGHTED AVERAGE EXERCISE 1996 PRICE 1995 1994 ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Options outstanding at January 1 .............. 242,659 $3.14 209,059 125,059 Options granted ............................... 353,600 $7.59 35,700 84,000 Options exercised ............................. (14,200) $2.73 -- -- Options forfeited ............................. (5,880) $3.57 (2,100) -- ----------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Options outstanding at December 31 ............ 576,179 $5.88 242,659 209,059 =========== ========== ========== ========== Options exercisable at December 31 ............ 206,899 $3.58 103,849 -- =========== ========== ========== ========== Weighted average exercise price per share for options granted during the year .............. $ 7.59 $ 4.76 $ 3.57 =========== ========== ========== Weighted average exercise price per share of outstanding options at end of year ........... $ 5.88 $ 3.13 $ 2.86 =========== ========== ========== Weighted average fair value of options granted during the year .............................. $ 1.56 $ 0.25 $ -- =========== ========== ==========
All options granted under the Plan have been granted with an exercise price equal to the fair value of the Company's common stock on the date of grant. Of the options exercised in 1996, 10,000 were exercised at $2.38 per share and 4,200 were exercised at $3.57 per share. Exercise prices for options outstanding as of December 31, 1996 ranged from $2.38 to $9.38. The weighted average remaining contractual life of those options is 8.3 years. 24 Forensic Technologies International Corporation and Subsidiary Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements -(Continued) PRO FORMA DISCLOSURE REQUIRED BY STATEMENT 123 To determine the pro forma data required by Statement 123 for 1996 and 1995, the Company used option pricing models to measure the fair value of options at the date of grant. For all option grants in 1995 and prior to May 1996 (the initial public offering date), the Company used the minimum value method to calculate pro forma compensation expense. For all 1996 grants after May 1996, the Company used the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The minimum value method calculates the fair value of options as the excess of the estimated fair value of the underlying stock at the date of grant over the present value of both the exercise price and the expected dividend payments, each discounted at the risk-free rate, over the expected life of the option. In determining the estimated fair value of the granted stock options under the minimum value method, the risk-free rate was assumed to be 5.50%, the dividend yield was estimated to be 0%, and the expected life of the granted options varied from one to three years depending upon the vesting period. Options valued using the Black-Scholes option pricing model assumed the following: risk-free interest rate of 5.50%, dividend yields of 0%, a volatility factor of .445, and an expected life of the granted options which varied from one to three years depending upon the vesting period. The Black-Scholes option pricing model and other models were developed for use in estimating the fair value of traded options which have no vesting restrictions and are fully transferable. In addition, option valuation models require the input of highly subjective assumptions, including the expected stock price volatility. Because the Company's stock options have characteristics significantly different from those of traded options and because changes in the subjective input assumptions can materially affect the fair value estimate, in management's opinion, the existing models do not necessarily provide a reliable single measure of the fair value of its stock options. For purposes of pro forma disclosures, the estimated fair value of the options is amortized to expense over the options' vesting period. The Company's pro forma net income is $1,585,381 and $688,335 for the years ended December 31, 1996 and 1995, respectively. Pro forma earnings per common and common equivalent share is $0.42 and $0.31 for the years ended December 31, 1996 and 1995, respectively. Pro forma earnings per share, assuming full dilution, is $0.39 and $0.23 for the years ended December 31, 1996 and 1995, respectively. The effect of compensation expense from stock options on 1995 pro forma net income reflects only the vesting of options granted in 1995, and all 1995 option grants vested immediately. The effect of compensation expense from stock options on 1996 pro forma net income reflects only the vesting of 1996 awards, which, depending on the individual grant, vest over one year, two years, or three years. Because most of the options granted vest over a three-year period, not until 1998 is the full effect of recognizing compensation expense for stock options representative of the possible effects on pro forma net income for future years. 25 12. INCOME TAXES Significant components of the Company's deferred tax assets and liabilities at December 31 are as follows:
1996 1995 ---------- ----------- Deferred tax assets: Allowance for doubtful accounts....................... $154,698 $150,879 Loss on disposal of discontinued Annaplix division.... -- 246,097 Accrued vacation...................................... 80,436 64,030 Accrued bonus......................................... 6,666 55,556 Alliance agreement revenue............................ -- 10,756 ---------- --------- Total deferred tax assets.............................. 241,800 527,318 Deferred tax liabilities: Use of cash basis for income tax purposes by subsidiary .......................................... 20,840 79,831 Capitalized software.................................. 103,938 -- Prepaid expenses...................................... 35,034 24,087 ---------- --------- Total deferred tax liabilities........................ 159,812 103,918 ---------- --------- Net deferred tax asset................................. $ 81,988 $423,400 ========== =========
Income tax expense (benefit) attributable to continuing operations consisted of the following: 1996 1995 1994 ------------ ---------- ------------ Current: Federal..................... $ 725,981 $575,119 $ 539,555 State....................... 167,801 152,085 152,147 ------------ ---------- ------------ 893,782 727,204 691,702 Deferred (benefit): Federal..................... 268,795 37,714 (109,423) State....................... 72,617 13,747 (30,001) ------------ ---------- ------------ 341,412 51,461 (139,424) ------------ ---------- ------------ $1,235,194 $778,665 $ 552,278 ============ ========== ============ The Company's provision for income taxes from continuing operations resulted in effective tax rates that varied from the statutory federal income tax rate as follows:
1996 1995 1994 ------------ ---------- ----------- Expected federal income tax provision at 34%............................................... $1,002,565 $648,077 $450,692 Expenses not deductible for tax purposes ......... 47,688 31,383 20,886 State income taxes, net of federal benefit ....... 158,676 107,295 74,375 Other............................................. 26,265 (8,090) 6,325 ------------ ---------- ----------- $1,235,194 $778,665 $552,278 ============ ========== ===========
26 Forensic Technologies International Corporation and Subsidiary Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements -(Continued) 13. OPERATING LEASES The Company leases office space under noncancelable operating leases that expire in various years through 2003. The leases for certain office space contain provisions whereby the future rental payments may be adjusted for increases in maintenance and insurance above specified amounts. The Company also leases certain furniture and equipment in its operations under operating leases having initial terms of less than one year. Future minimum payments under noncancelable operating leases with initial terms of one year or more consist of the following at December 31, 1996: 1997.................................. $ 908,255 1998.................................. 757,075 1999.................................. 555,172 2000.................................. 446,486 2001.................................. 473,963 Thereafter............................ 817,385 ------------- Total minimum lease payments.......... $3,958,336 ============= Rental expense consists of the following: 1996 1995 1994 ---------- ---------- ----------- Furniture and equipment.............. $ 96,454 $ 99,146 $ 79,450 Office and storage .................. 839,387 818,862 863,280 ---------- ---------- ----------- $935,841 $918,008 $942,730 ========== ========== =========== 14. EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN The Company maintains a qualified defined contribution plan which covers substantially all employees. Under the plan, participants are entitled to make both pre-tax and after-tax contributions. The Company matches a percentage of participant contributions, limited to 6% of the participant's eligible compensation. The percentage match is based on each participant's respective years of service. The Company recorded expense of $146,020, $116,201 and $102,175 during 1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively, related to this plan. 27 ITEM 8. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE. None. PART III The information called for by Items 9 to 12 is incorporated by reference from the Forensic Technologies International Corporation Notice of 1997 Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement, to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A not later than April 30, 1997. ITEM 9. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS. ITEM 10. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION. ITEM 11. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT. ITEM 12. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS. ITEM 13. EXHIBITS AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K. (a) Index to Exhibits *3.i Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Forensic Technologies International Corporation. *3.ii Bylaws of Forensic Technologies International Corporation. ***10.1 Financing and Security Agreement dated October 28, 1996, between the Company and NationsBank, N. A. regarding a revolving credit facility in the maximum amount of $10 million. *10.2 1992 Stock Option Plan, as amended. *10.3 Employment Agreement dated as of January 1, 1996 between Forensic Technologies International Corporation and Jack B Dunn, IV. *10.4 Employment Agreement dated as of January 1, 1996 between Forensic Technologies International Corporation and Joseph R. Reynolds, Jr. *10.5 Employment Agreement dated as of January 1, 1996 between Forensic Technologies International Corporation and Daniel W. Luczak. **10.6 Agreement and Plan of Reorganization dated September 30, 1996 by and among The Company, Newco, Teklicon, Inc. and the Sole Shareholder. **10.7 Agreement of Merger dated September 30, 1996 by and among the Company, Newco, Teklicon, Inc. and the Sole Shareholder. 11. Computation of Per Share Earnings ( included in Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 7., herein). 21. Subsidiaries The Company's only subsidiary is Teklicon, Inc., incorporated in California ***23. Consent of Ernst & Young ***27. Financial Data Schedule 28 (b) Reports on Form 8-K **1. Form 8-K filed on October 15, 1996, regarding the acquisition of Teklicon, Inc. **2. Form 8-K filed on November 27, 1996, with financial information regarding the acquisition of Teklicon, Inc. **3. Form 8-K filed on December 31, 1996 regarding the restatement of the Company's financial statements for the years ended December 31, 1995 and 1994, to include the acquisition of Teklicon, Inc., accounted for as a pooling of interests basis. - ---------- * Filed as an exhibit to the Company's Registration Statement on Form SB-1, as amended (File No. 333-2002) and incorporated herein by reference. ** Filed as an exhibit the Form 8-K on October 15, 1996 and incorporated herein by reference. *** Filed as an exhibit to this Form 10-KS 29 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. FORENSIC TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION Date: March 31, 1997 By /s/ Jack B. Dunn, IV ---------------------------- ------------------------------------- Jack B. Dunn, IV Chief Executive Officer and President Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the date indicated.
SIGNATURE TITLE DATE --------- ------ ----- /s/ Jack B. Dunn, IV - --------------------------- Director, Chief Executive Officer and President March 31, 1997 Jack B. Dunn, IV (principal executive officer) /s/ Gary Sindler Executive Vice President and Chief Financial March 31, 1997 - --------------------------- Officer, Secretary and Treasurer (principal Gary Sindler financial and accounting officer) /s/ Daniel W. Luczak - --------------------------- Chairman of the Board March 31, 1997 Daniel W. Luczak /s/ Joseph R. Reynolds, Jr - --------------------------- Vice Chairman of the Board March 31, 1997 Joseph R. Reynolds, Jr. /s/ James A. Flick, Jr - --------------------------- Director March 31, 1997 James A. Flick, Jr /s/ Peter F. O'Malley - --------------------------- Director March 31, 1997 Peter F. O'Malley /s/ Dennis J. Shaughnessy - --------------------------- Director March 31, 1997 Dennis J. Shaughnessy /s/ George P. Stamas - --------------------------- Director March 31, 1997 George P. Stamas
30


                                       

                        FINANCING AND SECURITY AGREEMENT
                        --------------------------------

         THIS FINANCING AND SECURITY  AGREEMENT (the  "Agreement")  is made this
day of October,  1996, by and among  FORENSIC  TECHNOLOGIES  INTERNATIONAL  28th
CORPORATION,  a Maryland corporation (the "Borrower"),  the Subsidiary listed on
the  signature  page  hereto,   and   NATIONSBANK,   N.A.,  a  national  banking
association, its successors and assigns (the "Lender").

                                    RECITALS
                                    --------

         A. The  Borrower  has  applied  to the Lender  for a  revolving  credit
facility in the maximum principal amount of Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000) to
be used by the  Borrower  primarily  to support  working  capital  needs and for
general  corporate  purposes,  including,  but not  limited to,  financing  Bank
Financed Acquisitions (as hereinafter defined).

         B. The Lender is willing to make the credit  facility  available to the
Borrower upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth.

                                   AGREEMENTS
                                   ----------

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, the mutual agreements
herein  contained,  and other good and valuable  consideration,  the receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged,  the Borrower, each Subsidiary and
the Lender hereby agree as follows:

I.       DEFINITIONS

         SECTION 1.01 CERTAIN  DEFINED  TERMS.  As used in this  Agreement,  the
terms  defined in the  Preamble and  Recitals  hereto shall have the  respective
meanings  specified  therein,  and the following  terms shall have the following
meanings:

                  "Account"  individually and "Accounts"  collectively  mean all
presently  existing  or  hereafter   acquired  or  created  accounts,   accounts
receivable,  contract rights, notes, drafts, instruments,  acceptances,  chattel
paper,  leases  and  writings  evidencing  a monetary  obligation  or a security
interest  in or a lease of goods,  all rights to receive the payment of money or
other  consideration  under  present  or future  contracts  (including,  without
limitation, all rights to receive payments under presently existing or hereafter
acquired or created  letters of  credit),  or by virtue of  merchandise  sold or
leased,  services  rendered,  loans and  advances  made or other  considerations
given, by or set forth in or arising out of any present or future chattel paper,
note, draft, lease,  acceptance,  writing,  bond, insurance policy,  instrument,
document or general intangible,  and all extensions and renewals of any thereof,
all rights under or arising out of present or future  contracts,  agreements  or
general interest in merchandise  which gave rise to any or all of the foregoing,
including  all goods,  all claims or causes of action now  existing or hereafter
arising in connection with or under any agreement or document or by operation of
law


                                        1





or  otherwise,  all  collateral  security of any kind  (including  real property
mortgages)  given by any person  with  respect to any of the  foregoing  and all
proceeds (cash and non-cash) of the foregoing.

                  "Affiliate"  means, with respect to the Borrower,  any Person,
directly or indirectly  controlling,  directly or indirectly  controlled  by, or
under direct or indirect common control with the Borrower or any Subsidiary,  as
the case may be.

                  "Agreement"  means this  Financing and Security  Agreement and
all amendments, modifications and supplements hereto which may from time to time
become effective in accordance with the provisions of Section 11.10 hereof.

                  "Assets"  means,  at any time,  all  assets  that  should,  in
accordance with GAAP consistently applied, be classified as assets on a combined
balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

                  "Bank Financed  Acquisitions" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 8.04 (b).

                  "Banking  Day"  shall  mean  any day  that is not a  Saturday,
Sunday or banking holiday in the State of Maryland

                  "Borrowing  Base" means eighty  percent  (80%) of the Eligible
Billed Receivables and forty percent (40%) of the Eligible Unbilled Receivables.

                  "Collateral"  shall  mean  all  of  the  Borrower's  Accounts,
chattel paper, documents and instruments (whether or not designated with initial
capital letters),  as those terms are defined in the Uniform  Commercial Code as
presently  adopted  and in effect in the State  and shall  also  cover,  without
limitation,  (i) any and all property  specifically included in those respective
terms in this  Agreement  or in the  Financing  Documents  and (ii) all proceeds
(cash and non-cash,  including,  without limitation,  insurance proceeds) of the
foregoing.

                  "Collection" means each check, draft, cash, money, instrument,
item,  and other  remittance in payment or on account of payment of the Accounts
or otherwise with respect to any Collateral, including, without limitation, cash
proceeds of any returned,  rejected or repossessed  goods,  the sale or lease of
which  gave  rise  to  an  Account,  and  other  proceeds  of  Collateral;   and
"Collections" means the collective reference to all of the foregoing.

                  "Commonly Controlled Entity" shall mean an entity,  whether or
not  incorporated,  which is under common  control with the Borrower  within the
meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Internal Revenue Code.



                                        2





                  "Current  Assets"  means at any date,  the  amount  which,  in
conformity  with GAAP,  would be set forth  opposite the caption  "total current
assets" (or any like  caption) on a  consolidated  balance sheet of the Borrower
and its Subsidiaries.

                  "Current  Liabilities" means at any date, the amount which, in
conformity  with GAAP,  would be set forth  opposite the caption  "total current
liabilities"  (or any  like  caption)  on a  consolidated  balance  sheet of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

                  "Current  Ratio" means the ratio of (a) Current  Assets to (b)
Current  Liabilities,  including,  without,  limitation,  the  unpaid  principal
balance of the Revolving Loans outstanding at such time.

                  "Default" has the meaning described in Article IX.

                  "Default Rate" means the default rate of interest set forth in
the Note.

                  "Documents"  means  all  documents  and  documents  of  title,
whether nor existing or hereafter  acquired or created,  and all proceeds  (cash
and non-cash of the foregoing).

                  "EBITDA" means as to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for any
period  of  determination  thereof,  the  sum of (a) the net  profit  (or  loss)
determined  in  accordance  with GAAP  consistently  applied,  plus (b) interest
expense and taxes for such period,  plus (c)  depreciation  and  amortization of
assets for such period.

                  "EBITDAR" means as to the Borrowers and its  Subsidiaries  for
any  period of  determination  thereof,  the sum of (a) the net profit (or loss)
determined  in  accordance  with GAAP  consistently  applied,  plus (b) interest
expense and taxes for such period,  plus (c)  depreciation  and  amortization of
assets for such period, plus (d) rent expense for such period.

                  "Eligible Billed Receivable" and "Eligible Billed Receivables"
mean, at any time of  determination  thereof,  each Account  which  conforms and
continues to conform to the Eligibility Standards and which has been invoiced by
the Borrower.

                  "Eligible   Unbilled   Receivable"   and  "Eligible   Unbilled
Receivables"  mean,  at any time of  determination  thereof,  each Account which
conforms and continues to conform to the Eligibility Standards and which has not
been  invoiced,  but will be invoiced by the  Borrower  within the next  billing
cycle.

                   "Eligibility Standards" means each account which conforms and
continues to conform to the  following  standards:  (a) the Account arose from a
bona fide  outright  sale or lease of goods by the  Borrower,  or from  services
performed  by the  Borrower,  and (i) such  goods  have  been  delivered  to the
appropriate account debtors or their respective  designees,  the Borrower has in
its  possession  shipping and delivery  receipts  evidencing  such  shipment and
delivery, no return,


                                        3




rejection  or  repossession  has  occurred,  and such  goods  have been  finally
accepted by the account debtor,  or (ii) such services have been  satisfactorily
completed and accepted by the appropriate  account debtor; or (b) the Account is
a valid,  legally  enforceable  obligation of the account debtor and requires no
further  act on the part of the  Borrower  to make the  Account  payable  by the
account debtor;  (c) the Account is based upon an enforceable order or contract,
written or oral,  for goods  delivered or for services  performed,  and the same
were shipped,  held, or performed in accordance with such order or contract; (d)
the title of the  Borrower to the Account and,  except as to the account  debtor
and any creditor which finances the account debtor's  purchase of such goods, to
any goods is absolute and is not subject to any prior assignment,  claim,  Lien,
or security  interest,  except  Permitted Liens and Liens created by the account
debtors in  connection  with their  interests  in the  goods,  and the  Borrower
otherwise  has the full and  unqualified  right and power to assign  and grant a
security interest in it to the Lender as security and collateral for the payment
of the Obligations; (e) the amount shown on the books of the Borrower and on any
invoice, certificate,  schedule or statement delivered to the Lender is owing to
the Borrower and no partial payment has been received unless reflected with that
delivery;   (f)  the  Account  is  not  subject  to  any  claim  of   reduction,
counterclaim,  setoff,  recoupment,  or other  defense in law or equity,  or any
claim for credits,  allowances,  or adjustments by the account debtor because of
returned,  inferior,  or damaged goods or  unsatisfactory  services,  or for any
other reason;  (g) the account debtor has not returned or refused to retain,  or
otherwise  notified  the  Borrower  of  any  dispute   concerning,   or  claimed
nonconformity  of,  any of the  goods or  services  from  the sale of which  the
Account  arose;  (h) the Account is not  outstanding  more than ninety (90) days
from the date of the  invoice  therefor;  (i) the  Account  is not  owing by any
account  debtor for which the Lender has deemed fifty  percent  (50%) or more of
such account  debtor's  other  Accounts  due to the Borrower to be  non-Eligible
Receivables;  (j) the Account  does not arise out of a contract  with,  or order
from,  an  account  debtor  that,  by  its  terms,  forbids  or  makes  void  or
unenforceable  the  assignment  by the  Borrower  to the  Lender of the  Account
arising  with respect  thereto;  (k) the account  debtor is not a Subsidiary  or
other Affiliate of the Borrower;  (l) the account debtor is not  incorporated in
or primarily  conducting  business in any  jurisdiction  located  outside of the
United States of America;  (m) the account debtor is not a foreign  governmental
authority  or agency;  (n) the  Borrower  is not  indebted  in any manner to the
account  debtor,  with the exception of customary  credits,  adjustments  and/or
discounts  given to an account debtor by the Borrower in the ordinary  course of
its business, (o) no bond has been issued or is contemplated with respect to the
goods or services  furnished  by the  Borrower or with respect to the project or
contract for which those goods or services were furnished, and (p) the Lender in
the  exercise  of its sole and  absolute  discretion  has not deemed the Account
ineligible  because of  uncertainty  as to the  creditworthiness  of the account
debtor or because the Lender otherwise considers the collateral value thereof to
the Lender to be impaired or its ability to realize  such value to be  insecure.
In the event of any  dispute,  under the  foregoing  criteria,  as to whether an
Account satisfies the Eligibility  Standards,  the decision of the Lender in the
exercise of its sole and absolute discretion shall control.

                  "Enforcement  Costs" shall mean all expenses,  charges,  costs
and  fees  whatsoever   (including,   without  limitation,   reasonable  outside
attorney's fees and expenses) of any nature


                                        4



whatsoever paid or incurred by or on behalf of the Lender in connection with (a)
the  collection  or  enforcement  of any or all  of  the  Obligations,  (b)  the
preparation of or changes to this  Agreement,  the Note, the Security  Documents
and/or  any of the other  Financing  Documents,  (c) the  creation,  perfection,
collection,  maintenance,  preservation,  defense, protection, realization upon,
disposition,  sale  or  enforcement  of  all  or any  part  of  the  Collateral,
including,  without  limitation,  those  sums  paid or  advanced,  and costs and
expenses,  more specifically  described in Section 10.3, and (d) the monitoring,
administration,  processing,  servicing of any or all of the Obligations  and/or
the Collateral.

                  "ERISA" means the Employee  Retirement  Income Security Act of
1974, as amended from time to time.

                  "Event of Default"  means an event  which,  with the giving of
notice or lapse of time, or both,  could or would constitute a Default under the
provisions of this Agreement.

                  "Fees" means the fees described in Section 2.05 hereof.

                  "Financing  Documents"  means  at any  time  collectively  and
include  this  Agreement,  the  Note,  the  Security  Documents,  and any  other
instrument,  agreement  or  document  previously,  simultaneously  or  hereafter
executed  and  delivered  by the  Borrower  and/or any other  Person,  singly or
jointly with another Person or Persons, evidencing,  securing, guarantying or in
connection with any of the Obligations and/or in connection with this Agreement,
any Note, any of the Security Documents, the Loan and/or any of the Obligations.

                  "Fixed Charge  Coverage Ratio" means the ratio of (i) EBITDAR,
less cash dividends  paid, to (ii) the sum of interest  expense,  plus scheduled
principal  repayments on Indebtedness for Borrowed Money and capitalized leases,
plus rent expense, plus income tax expense for such period.

                  "Funded Debt" means for any period of determination thereof an
amount equal to the sum of senior debt, stockholder debt,  subordinated debt and
the value of all capitalized leases, all as determined on a consolidated basis.

                  "GAAP" shall mean generally accepted accounting  principles in
the United States of America in effect from time to time.

                  "Governmental  Authority" means any nation or government,  any
state  or  other  political   subdivision  thereof  and  any  entity  exercising
executive,  legislative,  judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or
pertaining to government.

                  "Hazardous  Materials"  means  (a) any  "hazardous  waste"  as
defined by the Resource  Conservation  and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended from
time to  time,  and  regulations  promulgated  thereunder;  (b)  any  "hazardous
substance" as defined by the


                                        5



Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as
amended  from time to time,  and  regulations  promulgated  thereunder;  (c) any
substance  the  presence  of which on any  property  now or  hereafter  owned or
acquired by the Borrower is  prohibited by any Law similar to those set forth in
this  definition;  and (d) any other  substance  which by Law  requires  special
handling in its collection, storage, treatment or disposal.

                  "Hazardous  Materials  Contamination"  means the contamination
(whether  presently  existing or occurring  after the date of this Agreement) by
Hazardous  Materials  of any  property  owned,  operated  or  controlled  by the
Borrower  or for which the  Borrower  has respon  sibility,  including,  without
limitation, improvements,  facilities, soil, ground water, air or other elements
on, or of, any property now or hereafter owned or acquired by the Borrower,  and
any other  contamination by Hazardous Materials for which the Borrower is, or is
claimed to be, responsible.

                  "Indebtedness  for  Borrowed  Money" of a Person,  at any time
shall mean the sum at such time of (a)  indebtedness of such Person for borrowed
money or for the  deferred  purchase  price of  property  or  services,  (b) any
obligations  of such  Person in respect of letters of credit,  banker's or other
acceptances  or similar  obligations  issued or created  for the account of such
Person,  (c) lease  obligations  of such Person which have been or should be, in
accordance  with  GAAP,  capitalized  on the  books  of  such  Person,  (d)  all
liabilities  secured by any Lien on any property  owned by such  Person,  to the
extent  attached to such Person's  interest in such  property,  even though such
Person has not  assumed or become  liable for the payment  thereof,  and (e) any
obligation  of such Person or a commonly  controlled  entity to a  multiemployer
plan (as those terms are used under applicable ERISA statutes and regulations).

                  "Items of  Payment"  means each  check,  draft,  cash,  money,
instrument,  item,  and other  remittance in payment or on account of payment of
the Accounts or otherwise  with respect to any  Collateral,  including,  without
limitation,  cash proceeds of any returned,  rejected or repossessed  Goods, the
sale or lease of which gave rise to an Account,  and other  proceeds or products
of Collateral;  and "Items of Payment" means the collective  reference to all of
the foregoing.

                  "Law"  or  "Laws"  means  all  ordinances,   statutes,  rules,
regulations,   orders,  injunctions,  writs,  or  decrees  of  any  Governmental
Authority or political  subdivision or agency  thereof,  or any court or similar
entity established by any thereof.

                  "Liabilities" means, at any time, all liabilities that should,
in accordance with GAAP consistently  applied, be classified as liabilities on a
combined balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

                  "Lien" means any mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure debt,
grant, pledge,  security interest,  assignment,  encumbrance,  judgment, lien or
charge of any kind, whether perfected or unperfected,  avoidable or unavoidable,
including, without limitation, any conditional


                                        6



sale or other title retention  agreement,  any lease in the nature thereof,  and
the filing of or agreement  to give any  financing  statement  under the Uniform
Commercial Code of any jurisdiction,  excluding the precautionary  filing of any
financing statement by any lessor in a true lease transaction,  by any bailor in
a  true  bailment  transaction  or  by  any  consignor  in  a  true  consignment
transaction  under  the  Uniform  Commercial  Code  of any  jurisdiction  or the
agreement  to  give  any  financing  statement  by any  lessee  in a true  lease
transaction, by any bailee in a true bailment transaction or by any consignee in
a true consignment transaction.

                  "Loan" means a Revolving  Loan, and "Loans" mean all Revolving
Loans.

                  "Multiemployer   Plan"   shall   mean  a  Plan   which   is  a
multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

                  "Note" means the Revolving  Promissory  Note, and "Notes" mean
collectively the Revolving  Promissory Note, and any other promissory note which
may from time to time evidence the Obligations.

                  "Obligations" means all present and future debts, obligations,
and liabilities,  whether now existing or contemplated or hereafter arising,  of
the Borrower to the Lender under, arising pursuant to, in connection with and/or
on  account  of the  provisions  of this  Agreement,  the  Note,  each  Security
Document,  and any of the other Financing  Documents,  any of the Loans, and the
Loan including, without limitation, the principal of, and interest on, the Note,
late charges, fees charged with respect to any guaranty of any letter of credit,
and also  means all other  present  and  future  indebtedness,  liabilities  and
obligations,  whether now existing or contemplated or hereafter arising,  of the
Borrower  to the  Lender of any nature  whatsoever  regardless  of whether  such
debts,  obligations and  liabilities be direct,  indirect,  primary,  secondary,
joint,  several,  joint  and  several,  fixed  or  contingent;  and  any and all
renewals,  extensions  and  rearrangements  of any such debts,  obligations  and
liabilities.

                  "Overdraft"  means any excess of debit entries over  collected
funds on deposit in any banking account of the Borrower.

                  "PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

                  "Permitted  Acquisition"  has the meaning set forth in Section
8.04 of this Agreement.

                  "Permitted  Liens"  means:  (a) Liens for Taxes  which are not
delinquent  or which the Lender has  determined  in the exercise of its sole and
absolute  discretion  (i) are being  diligently  contested  in good faith and by
appropriate  proceedings,  (ii) the Borrower has the  financial  ability to pay,
with all penalties and interest,  at all times without  materially and adversely
affecting  the  Borrower,  and (iii) are not,  and will not be with  appropriate
filing,  the giving of notice  and/or the passage of time,  entitled to priority
over any Lien of the Lender; (b)


                                        7




deposits or pledges to secure  obligations under worker's  compensation,  social
security or similar laws, or under unemployment insurance in the ordinary course
of business;  (c) Liens in favor of the Lender; (d) judgment Liens to the extent
the entry of such  judgment  does not  constitute  an Event of Default under the
terms of this  Agreement or result in the sale of, or levy of execution  on, any
of the Collateral; and (e) such other Liens, if any, as are set forth on EXHIBIT
C attached hereto and made a part hereof.

                  "Person" shall mean and include an individual,  a corporation,
a partnership,  a joint  venture,  a trust,  an  unincorporated  association,  a
government or political subdivision or agency thereof or any other entity.

                  "Prime  Rate"  means the prime  rate  charged by the Lender as
fixed by management of the Lender for the guidance of its loan officers, whether
or not such rate is  otherwise  published  or  announced.  The Prime Rate is not
necessarily the lowest rate of interest charged by the Lender to borrowers.

                  "Reportable  Event"  shall mean any of the events set forth in
Section 4043(b) of ERISA or the regulations thereunder.

                  "Responsible Officer" means the chief executive officer of the
Borrower or the president of the Borrower or, with respect to financial matters,
the chief financial officer of the Borrower.

                  "Restricted  Period"  means any  period  where the  Borrower's
ratio of Funded  Debt to  EBITDA  equals or  exceeds  2.0 to 1.0.,  based on the
financial  statements  most recently  received by the Lender pursuant to Section
7.01 of this Agreement.

                  "Revolving Loan Committed Amount" has the meaning described in
Section 2.01(a) herein.

                  "Revolving  Loan"  and  "Revolving  Loans"  have the  meanings
described in Section 2.01(a).

                  "Revolving  Promissory  Note"  has the  meaning  described  in
Section 2.01(c).

                  "Revolving Loan Account" has the meaning  described in Section
2.03.

                  "Security  Documents" shall mean  collectively any assignment,
pledge agreement,  security agreement,  mortgage,  deed of trust, deed to secure
debt,  financing  statement  and any similar  instrument,  document or agreement
under or  pursuant  to which a Lien is now or  hereafter  granted to, or for the
benefit of, the Lender on any collateral to secure the Obligations,  as the same
may from time to time be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified.



                                        8





                  "Senior  Management" shall be deemed to refer to the following
executive  positions:  President/CEO,  Chairman  of the Board,  Chief  Operating
Officer and Chief Financial Officer.

                  "State" means the State of Maryland.

                  "Subsidiary" means Teklicon,  and any corporation the majority
of the voting  shares of which at the time are owned  directly  by the  Borrower
and/or by one or more Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

                  "Taxes"  mean all taxes and  assessments  whether  general  or
special,  ordinary  or  extraordinary,  or  foreseen  or  unforeseen,  of  every
character  (including all penalties or interest thereon),  which at any time may
be assessed,  levied,  confirmed or imposed by any Governmental Authority on the
Borrower or any of its properties or assets or any part thereof or in respect of
any of its franchises, businesses, income or profits.

                  "Teklicon" means Teklicon,  Inc., a California corporation and
its successors and assigns.

                  "Wholly  Owned  Subsidiary"  means any domestic  United States
corporation  all the  shares  of  stock of all  classes  of  which  (other  than
directors'  qualifying  shares) at the time are owned  directly or indirectly by
the Borrower and/or by one or more Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

         SECTION 1.02 ACCOUNTING TERMS AND OTHER DEFINITIONAL PROVISIONS. Unless
otherwise  defined  herein,  as used in this  Agreement and in any  certificate,
report or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto, accounting terms not
otherwise  defined herein,  and accounting terms only partly defined herein,  to
the extent not defined,  shall have the respective  meanings given to them under
GAAP. Unless otherwise  defined herein,  all terms used herein which are defined
by the Maryland Uniform Commercial Code shall have the same meanings as assigned
to them by the Maryland Uniform  Commercial Code unless and to the extent varied
by this  Agreement.  The words  "hereof",  "herein" and "hereunder" and words of
similar  import when used in this  Agreement  shall refer to this Agreement as a
whole  and not to any  particular  provision  of this  Agreement,  and  section,
subsection,  schedule  and  exhibit  references  are  references  to sections or
subsections  of, or schedules or exhibits to, as the case may be, this Agreement
unless otherwise  specified.  As used herein,  the singular number shall include
the plural,  the plural the singular and the use of the  masculine,  feminine or
neuter gender shall include all genders,  as the context may require.  Reference
to any one or more of the Financing Documents and any of the Financing Documents
shall mean the same as the foregoing may from time to time be amended, restated,
substituted, extended, renewed, supplemented or otherwise modified.

II.      BORROWING
         ---------


                                        9





         SECTION 2.01 THE REVOLVING  LOAN.  (a) The Lender agrees to lend to the
Borrower  and the  Borrower  agrees to borrow on a revolving  basis from time to
time the  principal  amount  (the  "Revolving  Loan")  not to exceed at any time
outstanding  $10,000,000  or during  any  Restricted  Period,  the  lesser  (the
"Revolving Loan Committed Amount") of $10,000,000, or the Borrowing Base.

                  (b) If at any time the  outstanding  principal  balance of the
Revolving Loan exceeds the  limitations  provided in subsection  (a) above,  the
Borrower  promises to pay to the order of the Lender,  on demand,  the amount of
the excess.

                  (c) The obligation of the Borrower to repay the advances under
the Revolving  Loan shall be evidenced by the  Borrower's  Revolving  Promissory
Note of even date  herewith (the  "Revolving  Promissory  Note")  payable to the
Lender in the form attached  hereto as EXHIBIT A. The Revolving  Promissory Note
shall bear interest and shall be repaid by the Borrower in the manner and at the
times set forth in the Revolving Promissory Note.

                  (d) The Borrower may prepay the principal sum  outstanding  on
the Revolving Loan only in accordance with the terms of the Revolving Note. Sums
borrowed and repaid may be  readvanced  under the terms and  conditions  of this
Agreement.

                  (e) The  proceeds of the  Revolving  Loan shall be used by the
Borrower  for the  purposes  set forth in  Recital A above,  and,  unless  prior
written consent of the Lender is obtained, for no other purpose.

         SECTION 2.02 REVOLVING LOAN PROCEDURE.  (a) The Borrower shall give the
Lender at least two (2) Banking Days' notice of each proposed advance.

                  (b) The Borrower  shall furnish to the Lender such  schedules,
certificates,  lists, records, reports, information and documents as required by
the  Lender  from  time to  time so that  the  Lender  may,  in its  discretion,
determine the Borrowing Base.

                  (c) In addition,  the Borrower hereby  irrevocably  authorizes
the Lender to make advances  under the Revolving  Loan at any time and from time
to time,  without  further  request  from or notice to the  Borrower,  which the
Lender, in its sole and absolute  discretion,  deems necessary or appropriate to
protect the Lender's  interests  under this  Agreement or otherwise,  including,
without  limitation,  advances  made to cover  Overdrafts,  principal of, and/or
interest on, any Loans,  fees, and/or  Enforcement Costs, prior to, on, or after
the termination of this Agreement, regardless of whether the aggregate amount of
the advances  which the Lender may make hereunder  exceeds the Revolving  Credit
Committed  Amount.  The Lender shall have no  obligation  whatsoever to make any
advance under this  subsection and the making of one or more advances under this
subsection  shall not  obligate  the  Lender to make  other  similar  advance or
advances. Any such advances will be secured by the Collateral.



                                       10





         SECTION 2.03 REVOLVING LOAN ACCOUNT. The Lender will establish and main
tain a loan  account on its books (the  "Revolving  Loan  Account") to which the
Lender will (a) debit (i) the principal  amount of each  Revolving  Loan made by
the  Lender  hereunder  as of the date  made,  (ii) the  amount of any  interest
accrued on the  Revolving  Loans as and when due, and (ii) any other amounts due
and payable by the Borrower to the Lender from time to time under the provisions
of this Agreement in connection  with the Revolving  Loans,  including,  without
limitation,  Enforcement Costs, Fees, late charges, and service,  collection and
audit fees, as and when due and payable, and (b) credit all payments made by the
Borrower  to the Lender on account  of the  Revolving  Loans as of the date made
including,  without  limitation,  funds credited to the  Collateral  Account and
collected and paid to the Lender,  the Lender reserving the right,  exercised in
its sole and absolute discretion from time to time, to provide earlier credit or
to disallow credit for any Collection which is unsatisfactory to the Lender.

         The Lender may debit the  Revolving  Loan Account for the amount of any
Collection  which is returned to the Lender  unpaid.  All credit  entries to the
Revolving  Loan Account are  conditional  and shall be readjusted as of the date
made if final and indefeasible  payment is not received by the Lender in cash or
solvent credits. The Borrower hereby promises to pay to the order of the Lender,
on demand,  an amount equal to the excess, if any, of all debit entries over all
credit  entries  recorded in the Revolving  Loan Account under the provisions of
this Agreement.

         SECTION 2.04 COLLATERAL ACCOUNT.  The Borrower will deposit or cause to
be  deposited  to a bank  account  designated  by the  Lender and from which the
Lender alone has power of access and withdrawal (the "Collateral Account"),  all
Items of Payment.  The Borrower shall deposit Items of Payment for credit to the
Collateral  Account  not later  than the next  Banking  Day  after  the  receipt
thereof, and in precisely the form received,  except for the endorsements of the
Borrower where  necessary to permit the collection of any such Items of Payment,
which  endorsement the Borrower  hereby agrees to make.  Pending such deposit to
the Collateral Account, endorsement and/or other delivery thereof to the Lender,
the Borrower will not commingle any Items of Payment with any of its other funds
or property,  but will hold them  separate and apart  therefrom in trust and for
the account of the Lender.  The Lender is not,  however,  required to credit the
Collateral  Account for the amount of any Collection which is  unsatisfactory to
the Lender.  In  addition,  the  Borrower  shall,  if so directed by the Lender,
establish a lock box to which Items of Payments may be sent and shall direct the
Borrower's customers and others as the Lender may require to forward payments to
that lock box.  Items of Payment  received in the lock box shall be deposited in
the Collateral Account or as otherwise directed by the Lender from time to time.

         SECTION 2.05  COMMITMENT  FEE. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Lender
on the first day of each three month  period  commencing  after the date of this
Agreement a commitment fee (computed on the basis of a year  consisting of three
hundred  and sixty  (360) days for the actual  number of days  elapsed) of three
eighths  of one  percent  (.375%)  per annum on the daily  average of the unused
amount of the Revolving Loan.



                                       11




         SECTION 2.06 TRANSACTIONS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BORROWER AND
THE  LENDER.  In  respect  to any  advance  and all  other  matters  under or in
connection with this Agreement and any  transactions  contemplated  hereby,  the
Borrower  authorizes the Lender to accept,  rely upon, act upon and comply with,
any verbal or written  instructions,  requests,  confirmations and orders of any
employee or representative of the Borrower designated by the Borrower in writing
delivered to the Lender from time to time.  The Borrower  acknowledges  that the
transmission  between  the  Borrower  and the  Lender of any such  instructions,
requests,   confirmations   and  orders  involves  the  possibility  of  errors,
omissions, mistakes and discrepancies and agrees to adopt such internal measures
and  operational  procedures to protect its interests.  By reason  thereof,  the
Borrower hereby assumes all risk of loss and  responsibility  for,  releases and
discharges  the Lender from any and all  responsibility  or  liability  for, and
agrees to indemnify,  reimburse on demand and hold the Lender harmless from, any
and all claims, actions,  damages,  losses, liability and expenses by reason of,
arising  out of or in any way  connected  with or related  to, (i) the  Lender's
acceptance,  reliance and actions upon,  compliance  with or  observation of any
such instructions,  requests, confirmations or orders, and (ii) any such errors,
omissions, mistakes and discrepancies, except those caused by the Lender's gross
negligence or willful misconduct.

         SECTION  2.07  ACCOUNT  STATEMENTS.  Any  and  all  periodic  or  other
statements or reconciliations, and the information contained in those statements
or reconciliations, of the Revolving Loan Account shall be presumed conclusively
to be correct and shall  constitute an account stated between the Lender and the
Borrower unless the Lender receives  specific written objection thereto from the
Borrower within thirty (30) Banking Days after such statement or  reconciliation
shall have been sent by the Lender.

         SECTION 2.08 OVERDRAFT ADVANCES. If, after the close of business on any
Banking Day, any banking  account of the Borrower  with the Lender is determined
by the Lender to have an Overdraft,  the Lender,  in its sole discretion on each
and any such occasion may (and is hereby irrevocably  authorized by the Borrower
to), but is not obligated  to, make an advance  under the Revolving  Loan to the
Borrower in a principal  amount  equal to any such  Overdraft as of the close of
business on such Banking Day. All Overdrafts shall be secured by the Collateral.

III.     COLLATERAL
         ----------

         As security  for the payment of all of the  Obligations,  the  Borrower
hereby  assigns,  grants and  conveys  to the Lender and agrees  that the Lender
shall have a perfected,  continuing  security interest in all of the Collateral.
The Borrower further agrees that the Lender shall have in respect the Collateral
all of the rights and  remedies of a secured  party under the  Maryland  Uniform
Commercial Code and under other applicable Laws and Security Documents,  as well
as those  provided  in this  Agreement.  The  Borrower  covenants  and agrees to
execute and deliver such financing  statements and other instruments and filings
as are necessary in the opinion of the Lender to perfect such security interest.
Notwithstanding  the fact that the proceeds of the Col lateral constitute a part
of the Collateral, the Borrower may not dispose of the Collateral, or any


                                       12




part thereof,  other than in the ordinary course of its business or as otherwise
may be permitted by this Agreement.















                                       13






IV.      UNCONDITIONAL OBLIGATIONS
         -------------------------

         The payment and performance by the Borrower of the Obligations shall be
absolute  and  unconditional,  irrespective  of any  defense  or any  rights  of
set-off,  recoupment or  counterclaim it might otherwise have against the Lender
and the Borrower shall pay absolutely  net all of the  Obligations,  free of any
deductions and without  abatement,  diminution or set-off;  and until payment in
full  of  all of  the  Obligations,  the  Borrower:  (a)  will  not  suspend  or
discontinue any payments  provided for in the Note; (b) will perform and observe
all of its other  agreements con tained in this  Agreement,  including  (without
limitation)  all  payments  required to be made to the Lender;  and (c) will not
terminate or attempt to terminate this Agreement for any cause.

V.       REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
         -------------------------------

         To induce  the Lender to make the Loan,  the  Borrower  represents  and
warrants to the Lender and,  unless the Lender is notified by the  Borrower of a
change or changes effecting such representations and warranties, shall be deemed
to  represent  and warrant to the Lender at the time each request for an advance
under the Loan is submitted  and again at the time any advance is made under the
Loan that:

         SECTION 5.01 SUBSIDIARIES. The Borrower has no Subsidiaries,  except as
set forth on the signature page of this Agreement.

         SECTION 5.02 GOOD STANDING.  The Borrower and each of its  Subsidiaries
(a) is a corporation  duly  organized,  existing and in good standing  under the
laws of the  jurisdiction of its  incorporation,  (b) has the corporate power to
own its property and to carry on its business as now being conducted, and (c) is
duly  qualified to do business and is in good  standing in each juris diction in
which  the  character  of the  properties  owned by it  therein  or in which the
transaction of its business makes such qualification necessary.

         SECTION  5.03  POWER  AND  AUTHORITY.  The  Borrower  and  each  of its
Subsidiaries  has full power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement
and each of the other Financing  Documents executed and delivered by it, to make
the borrowing  hereunder,  and to incur the Obligations,  all of which have been
duly  authorized by all proper and  necessary  corporate  action.  No consent or
approval of stockholders  or of any public  authority is required as a condition
to the  validity  or  enforceability  of  this  Agreement  or  any of the  other
Financing Documents executed and delivered by the Borrower and each Subsidiary.

         SECTION 5.04 BINDING  AGREEMENTS.  This Agreement and each of the other
Financing  Documents  executed and delivered by the Borrower and each Subsidiary
have been  properly  executed by the  Borrower and each  Subsidiary,  constitute
valid and legally binding  obligations of the Borrower and each Subsidiary,  and
are fully  enforceable  against the Borrower and each  Subsidiary  in accordance
with their respective terms, subject to (a) bankruptcy,


                                       14




insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors' rights
generally,  (b)  general  principles  of  equity  (regardless  of  whether  such
principles  of equity  are  asserted  in an action  or  proceeding  at law or in
equity) or the discretion of the court before which any action or proceeding may
be brought and (c) other applicable laws which may limit the  enforceability  of
certain of the remedial or  procedural  provisions  contained  in the  Financing
Documents.

         SECTION 5.05 LITIGATION. There are no proceedings pending or, so far as
the Borrower knows,  threatened before any court or administrative  agency which
will materially  adversely  affect the financial  condition or operations of the
Borrower or any Subsidiary , or the authority of the Borrower to enter into this
Agreement or any of the other Financing  Documents executed and delivered by the
Borrower or any Subsidiary.

         SECTION 5.06 NO CONFLICTING AGREEMENTS. There is (a) no charter, by-law
or preference stock provision of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and no provision
of any  existing  mortgage,  indenture,  contract  or  agreement  binding on the
Borrower,  or any  Subsidiary,  or affecting  their  properties,  and (b) to the
knowledge of the Borrower and each  Subsidiary,  no provision of law or order of
court binding upon the Borrower or any Subsidiary,  which would conflict with or
in any way prevent the execution,  delivery, or performance of the terms of this
Agreement or of any of the other Financing  Documents  executed and delivered by
the Borrower or any  Subsidiary,  or which would be violated as a result of such
execution, delivery or performance.

         SECTION 5.07  FINANCIAL  CONDITION.  The  financial  statements  of the
Borrower dated June 30, 1996 are complete and correct and, in the opinion of the
Borrower,  fairly  present the current  financial  condition of the Borrower and
have been  prepared  in  accordance  with GAAP  applied  on a  consistent  basis
throughout the period  involved.  There are no material  liabilities,  direct or
indirect, fixed or contingent,  of the Borrower as of the date of such financial
statements  which are not reflected  therein or in the notes thereto.  There has
been no adverse change in the financial  condition or operations of the Borrower
since the date of such financial statements (and to the Borrower's knowledge, no
such  adverse  change  is  pending  or  threatened),  and the  Borrower  has not
guaranteed the  obligations  of, or made any  investments in or advances to, any
company,  individual  or other  entity  except as  disclosed  in such  financial
statements  and in connection  with the  acquisition  of Teklicon.  The Borrower
agrees to provide the Lender with updated financial statements within forty five
(45) days of completion of the acquisition of Teklicon.

         SECTION 5.08 TAXES.  The Borrower and each  Subsidiary has filed or has
caused to have been filed all federal, state and local tax returns which, to the
knowledge of the Borrower and each Subsidiary, are required to be filed, and has
paid or caused to have  been paid all taxes as shown on such  returns  or on any
assessment received by it, to the extent that such taxes have become due, unless
and to the extent only that such taxes, assessments and governmental charges are
currently contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings by the Borrower
or such


                                       15





Subsidiary  and adequate  reserves  therefor have been  established  as required
under generally accepted accounting principles.

         SECTION 5.09  COMPLIANCE  WITH LAW. The Borrower and each Subsidiary is
not  in  violation  of any  applicable  law,  ordinance,  governmental  rule  or
regulation  to which it is subject and the  Borrower  has  obtained  any and all
material  licenses,  permits,  franchises or other  governmental  authorizations
necessary for the ownership of its properties and the conduct of its business.

         SECTION  5.10  PLACE(S) OF BUSINESS  AND  LOCATION OF  COLLATERAL.  The
Borrower and each  Subsidiary  warrants that the address of the  Borrower's  and
each  Subsidiary's  chief executive office is as specified in EXHIBIT B attached
hereto  and made a part  hereof  and that the  address  of each  other  place of
business of the  Borrower  and each  Subsidiary,  if any, is as disclosed to the
Lender in EXHIBIT B. The Collateral and all books and records  pertaining to the
Collateral  are and will be located at the address  indicated  on EXHIBIT B. The
Borrower will immediately advise the Lender in writing of the opening of any new
place of business or the closing of any of its existing places of business,  and
of any change in the  location of the places where the  Collateral,  or any part
thereof,  or the  books  and  records  concerning  the  Collateral,  or any part
thereof,  are kept. The proper and only places to file financing statements with
respect to the Collateral within the meaning of the Uniform  Commercial Code are
the State  Department of  Assessments  and Taxation.  A copy of a fully executed
financing  statement  shall  be  sufficient  to  satisfy  for all  purposes  the
requirements of a financing  statement as set forth in Article 9 of the Maryland
Uniform Commercial Code.

         SECTION 5.11 TITLE TO PROPERTIES.  The Borrower and each Subsidiary has
good and marketable  title to all of its  properties,  including the Collateral,
and the Collateral is free and clear of mortgages,  pledges,  liens, charges and
other encumbrances other than the Permitted Liens.

         SECTION  5.12 MARGIN  STOCK.  None of the  proceeds of the Loan will be
used, directly or indirectly,  by the Borrower or any Subsidiary for the purpose
of  purchasing  or  carrying,  or for the purpose of  reducing  or retiring  any
indebtedness  which was  originally  incurred to purchase or carry,  any "margin
security"  within the  meaning  of  Regulation  G (12 CFR Part 207),  or "margin
stock"  within the meaning of  Regulation  U (12 CFR Part 221),  of the Board of
Governors of the Federal  Reserve System  (herein  called "margin  security" and
"margin  stock") or for any other  purpose  which  might  make the  transactions
contemplated  herein a "purpose  credit" within the meaning of said Regulation G
or Regulation U, or cause this Agreement to violate any other  regulation of the
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the Securities  Exchange Act
of 1934 or the Small Business  Investment Act of 1958, as amended,  or any rules
or regulations promulgated under any of such statutes.

         SECTION 5.13 ERISA.  With  respect to any "pension  plan" as defined in
Section 3(2) of ERISA,  which plan is now or previously  has been  maintained or
contributed to by the


                                       16





Borrower and/or by any Commonly  Controlled Entity: (a) no "accumulated  funding
deficiency"  as defined in Code ss.412 or ERISA ss.302 has occurred,  whether or
not that  accumulated  funding  deficiency  has been waived;  (b) no "reportable
event" as defined in ERISA ss.4043 has occurred;  (c) no termination of any plan
subject to Title IV of ERISA has  occurred;  (d)  neither the  Borrower  nor any
Commonly  Controlled  Entity has  incurred a  "complete  withdrawal"  within the
meaning of ERISA ss.4203 from any  multiemployer  plan; (e) neither the Borrower
nor any Commonly  Controlled Entity has incurred a "partial  withdrawal"  within
the meaning of ERISA  ss.4205 with  respect to any  multiemployer  plan;  (f) no
multiemployer  plan to which the Borrower or any Commonly  Controlled Entity has
an obligation to contribute is in  "reorganization"  within the meaning of ERISA
ss.4241 nor has notice been received by the Borrower or any Commonly  Controlled
Entity that such a multiemployer plan will be placed in "reorganization".

         SECTION 5.14 GOVERNMENTAL  CONSENT.  Neither the nature of the Borrower
or of its business or properties,  nor any relationship between the Borrower and
any other entity or person,  nor any  circumstance in connection with the making
of the Loan,  or the offer,  issue,  sale or  delivery of the Note is such as to
require a consent,  approval or  authorization  of, or filing,  registration  or
qualification with, any governmental  authority, on the part of the Borrower, as
a condition to the execution and delivery of this  Agreement or any of the other
Financing  Documents,  the borrowing of the principal amounts of the Loan or the
offer, issue, sale or delivery of the Note.

         SECTION 5.15 FULL DISCLOSURE.  The financial  statements referred to in
this  Part V do not,  nor does this  Agreement,  nor do any  written  statements
furnished  by the  Borrower to the Lender in  connection  with the making of the
Loan,  contain any untrue  statement  of material  fact or omit a material  fact
necessary to make the  statements  contained  therein or herein not  misleading.
There is no material  fact which the Borrower has not disclosed to the Lender in
writing which materially adversely affects or, will or could prove to materially
adversely  affect the  properties,  business,  prospects,  profits or  condition
(financial  or  otherwise)  of the  Borrower or the  ability of the  Borrower to
perform this Agreement.

         SECTION  5.16  PRESENCE OF HAZARDOUS  MATERIALS OR HAZARDOUS  MATERIALS
CONTAMINATION.  To  the  best  of the  Borrower's  knowledge,  (a) no  Hazardous
Materials are located on any real property  owned,  controlled or operated by of
the Borrower or for which the  Borrower is  responsible,  except for  reasonable
quantities of necessary  supplies for use by the Borrower in the ordinary course
of the its current line of business and stored,  used and disposed in accordance
with applicable  Laws; and (b) no property owned,  controlled or operated by the
Borrower  has ever  been  used as a  manufacturing,  storage,  or dump  site for
Hazardous Materials nor is affected by Hazardous Materials  Contamination at any
other property.

         SECTION 5.17 INTELLECTUAL  PROPERTY. The Borrower owns or possesses all
of the material patents, trademarks,  service marks, trade names, copyrights and
licenses  and all rights  with  respect  thereto  necessary  for the present and
planned  future  operation  of its  business,  to  the  best  of the  Borrower's
knowledge without any conflict with the rights of any other Person.


                                       17





         SECTION 5.18  BUSINESS  NAMES AND  ADDRESSES.  In the twelve (12) years
preceding  the date hereof,  the Borrower has not conducted  business  under any
name other than its current name nor conducted its business in any  jurisdiction
other than those disclosed on EXHIBIT B attached hereto.

         SECTION 5.19 NO DEFAULT.  There is no Event of Default (as  hereinafter
defined) and no event has occurred and no condition exists which with the giving
of notice or the  passage  of time would  constitute  an Event of  Default.  The
Borrower is not in default under the terms of any other  agreement or instrument
to which it may be a party or by which the  Collateral or any of its  properties
may be bound or subject.

         SECTION 5.20 COMPLIANCE WITH ELIGIBILITY  STANDARDS.  Unless the Lender
is  advised by the  Borrower  in  writing  to the  contrary,  to the best of the
Borrower's knowledge each Account described in any schedule, certificate, record
and data furnished to the Lender for purposes of calculating  the Borrowing Base
will at all times meet and comply with the Eligibility Standards.

         SECTION 5.21 ACCOUNTS.  With respect to all Accounts and to the best of
the  Borrower's  knowledge  (a) they are genuine,  and in all respects what they
purport to be, and are not evidenced by a judgment,  an  instrument,  or chattel
paper  (unless such  judgment has been  assigned and such  instrument or chattel
paper  has been  endorsed  and  delivered  to the  Lender);  (b) they  represent
undisputed,  bona fide  transactions  completed in accordance with the terms and
provisions  contained in the invoices and purchase orders relating thereto;  (c)
the goods sold (or  services  rendered)  which  resulted in the  creation of the
Accounts have been delivered or rendered to and accepted by the account  debtor;
(d) the amounts shown on the Borrower's books and records,  with respect thereto
are actually and absolutely owing to the Borrower and are not contingent for any
reason;  (e) no  payments  have been or shall be made  thereon  except  payments
turned  over  to the  Lender  by  the  Borrower;  (f)  there  are  no  set-offs,
counterclaims  or  disputes  known by the  Borrower  or  asserted  with  respect
thereto,  and the Borrower has made no agreement with any account debtor thereof
for any  deduction  or  discount of the sum payable  thereunder  except  regular
discounts,  or credit adjustments allowed by the Borrower in the ordinary course
of its  business  for  prompt  payment;  (g)  there  are  no  facts,  events  or
occurrences  known to the  Borrower  which in any way  impair  the  validity  or
enforcement  thereof or tend to reduce the amount  payable  thereunder;  (h) all
account  debtors  thereof,  to the best of the  Borrower's  knowledge,  have the
capacity  to  contract;  (i) the  goods  sold  or  transferred  or the  services
furnished  giving rise  thereto are not subject to any liens except the security
interest  granted to the Lender by this Agreement and Permitted  Liens;  (j) the
Borrower  has no knowledge  of any fact or  circumstance  which would impair the
validity or collectibility  thereof; and (k) there are no proceedings or actions
known to the Borrower which are threatened or pending against any account debtor
which might result in any material adverse change in its financial condition.



                                       18






VI.      CONDITIONS OF LENDING
         ---------------------

         The  making of the Loan and any  advance  thereunder  is subject to the
following conditions precedent:

         SECTION 6.01 OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE  BORROWER.  On the date hereof,
the Lender  shall  receive  the  favorable  written  opinion of counsel  for the
Borrower satisfactory in all respects to the Lender.

         SECTION  6.02  APPROVAL OF COUNSEL FOR THE  LENDER.  All legal  matters
incident to the Loans and all  documents  necessary in the opinion of the Lender
to make the Loan shall be satisfactory  in all material  respects to counsel for
the Lender.

         SECTION 6.03 SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS. The Lender shall receive on the date
hereof: (a) a certificate of the Secretary of the Borrower, in a form acceptable
to the Lender in all respects,  dated as of the date hereof and  certifying  (i)
that  attached  thereto is a true,  complete  and  correct  copy of  resolutions
adopted by the Board of Directors of the Borrower  authorizing the execution and
delivery of this Agreement,  the Note and the other Financing Documents, and the
Obligations,  and  (ii) as to the  incumbency  and  specimen  signature  of each
officer  of the  Borrower  executing  this  Agreement,  the Note  and the  other
Financing Documents, and a certifi cation by the President or any Vice President
of the  Borrower as to the  incumbency  and  signature  of the  Secretary of the
Borrower;  (b) such other  documents  as the Lender may  reasonably  require the
Borrower to execute,  in form and substance  acceptable  to the Lender;  and (c)
such additional information,  instruments, opinions, documents, certificates and
reports as the Lender may reasonably deem necessary.

         SECTION  6.04  FINANCING  DOCUMENTS.  All  of the  Financing  Documents
required by the Lender shall be executed,  delivered and, if deemed necessary by
the Lender, recorded, all at the sole expense of the Borrower.

         SECTION 6.05  INSURANCE.  The Borrower  shall have satisfied the Lender
that any and all  insurance  required by this  Agreement  is in effect as of the
date of this  Agreement,  and that,  to the  extent  required  by the  Financing
Documents, the Lender has been named as an insured lienholder.

         SECTION  6.06  SECURITY  DOCUMENTS.  In order to  perfect  the lien and
security  interest  created by this Agreement,  the Borrower shall have executed
and delivered to the Lender all financing  statements and Security Documents (in
form and  substance  acceptable  to the  Lender in its sole  discretion)  deemed
necessary by the Lender, in a sufficient number of counterparts for recordation,
and, at the Borrower's sole expense,  shall record all such financing statements
and  Security  Documents,  or cause them to be recorded,  in all public  offices
deemed necessary by the Lender.


                                       19





         SECTION 6.07  TERMINATION  STATEMENTS.  The Lender shall have  received
from  creditors  of  the  Borrower  all  termination   statements  covering  the
Collateral required by the Lender. The termination statements shall be fully and
properly executed, in recordable form and sufficient,  in the opinion of counsel
for the Lender, to terminate the interests of other creditors of the Borrower in
the Collateral.

         SECTION  6.08  COMPLIANCE.  At the time of the  making of each  advance
hereunder  (a) the Borrower and each  Subsidiary  shall have  complied and shall
then be in  compliance  with all the terms,  covenants  and  conditions  of this
Agreement  which are binding  upon it, (b) there shall exist no Event of Default
and no event which,  with the giving of notice or the passage of time,  or both,
would constitute an Event of Default, and (c) the representations and warranties
contained  in  Part V shall  be  true  with  the  same  effect  as  though  such
representations  and  warranties  had been made at the time of the making of the
advance.

VII.     AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS OF BORROWER
         ---------------------------------

         Until  payment in full and the  performance  of all of the  Obligations
hereunder, the Borrower shall:

         SECTION 7.01   Financial Statements.  Furnish to the Lender:
                       --------------------

                  (a) Annual Statements and  Certificates.  As soon as available
but in no event more than one hundred  twenty (120) days after the close of each
of the Borrower's fiscal years, (i) a copy of the consolidated and consolidating
audited  financial  statement  relating to the Borrower and its  Subsidiaries in
reasonable  detail  satisfactory to the Lender,  including detail with regard to
expenses,  including,  but not limited to, lease expense,  non-cash  charges and
interest  expense,  prepared  in  accordance  with  GAAP  and  certified  by  an
independent  certified  public  accountant  satisfactory  to the  Lender,  which
financial  statement  shall include a balance sheet as at the end of such fiscal
year,  profit  and loss  statement  and a  statement  of  changes  in  financial
condition,  and (ii) a cash flow projection report prepared by the Borrower in a
format acceptable to the Lender.

                  (b) Annual Opinion of Accountant.  As soon as available but in
no event more than one hundred  twenty (120) days after the close of each of the
Borrower's fiscal years, a letter or opinion of the independent certified public
accountant who examined the annual financial  statement relating to the Borrower
and  its  Subsidiaries   stating  whether  anything  in  such  certified  public
accountant's   examination  has  revealed  the  occurrence  of  an  event  which
constitutes  an Event of Default or which would  constitute  an Event of Default
with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both,  and, if so, stating the
facts with respect thereto.

                  (c)  Quarterly   Statements  and  Certificates.   As  soon  as
available but in no event more than forty-five (45) days after the close of each
of the Borrower's fiscal quarters, consolidated and consolidating balance sheets
of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the close


                                       20





of such period and consolidated and consolidating  income and expense statements
for such  period,  and an aging of accounts  receivable,  all  certified  by the
principal financial officer of the Borrower.  The quarterly  statements shall be
in such detail as Lender may  reasonably  require and will provide,  among other
things,  detail with regard to expenses,  lease  expense,  non-cash  charges and
interest  expense and shall be  accompanied  by a certificate in form and detail
satisfactory   to  the  Lender  in  all  material   respects  (the   "Compliance
Certificate")  of that  officer  stating  whether any event has  occurred  which
constitutes  an Event of Default or which would  constitute  an Event of Default
with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both,  and, if so, stating the
facts with respect thereto.  Each Compliance  Certificate will clearly set forth
the methodology used in determining  compliance and/or  non-compliance and shall
be the basis for determining the Additional  Percentage and the Additional LIBOR
Rate Percentage under the Note.

                  (d)  Reports to SEC and to  Stockholders.  The  Borrower  will
furnish to the Lender, promptly upon the filing or making thereof, but not later
than fifteen (15) days after the date of filing,  , at least one (l) copy of all
financial statements, reports, notices and proxy statements sent by the Borrower
to its stockholders,  and of all regular and other reports filed by the Borrower
with any securities exchange or with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

                  (e) Borrowing Base Reports.  During any Restricted Period, the
Borrower shall deliver to the Lender at the same time as the quarterly financial
information  required under subsection (c) above, a fully completed  certificate
(each a "Borrowing  Base  Certificate"  and  collectively,  the "Borrowing  Base
Certificates") as of such date in the form of EXHIBIT ___ attached hereto.  Each
Borrowing  Base  Certificate  shall be effective  only as accepted by the Lender
(and with such  revision,  if any, as the Lender may  require as a condition  to
such  acceptance),  such acceptance to be presumed  unless the Lender  otherwise
notifies  the  Borrower  within  five (5)  Banking  Days  after  receipt of such
Borrowing Base Certificate.

                  (f) Monthly  Funded Debt  Report.  Within forty five (45) days
after the end of each calender  month, a fully  completed  certificate as of the
last day of such month,  listing the  Borrower's  Funded Debt and the EBITDA for
the prior twelve (12) month period (the "Funded Debt  Report").  If the Borrower
determines  based on the  Funded  Debt  Report  that it is  within a  Restricted
Period,  the Borrower will thereafter  submit to the Lender a monthly  Borrowing
Base Certificate pursuant to subsection (e) above.

                  (g)  Additional  Reports  and  Information.   With  reasonable
promptness, such additional information, reports or statements as the Lender may
from time to time reasonably request.

         SECTION 7.02   Financial Covenants.
                        -------------------



                                       21





                  (a) FIXED  CHARGE  COVERAGE  RATIO.  Maintain at all times,  a
         Fixed  Charge  Ratio of not less than 1.30 to 1.0 tested as of the last
         day of each of the Borrower's  fiscal quarters for the four (4) quarter
         period ending on that date.

                  (b) FUNDED DEBT TO EBITDA. Maintain, a ratio of Funded Debt to
         EBITDA  not to exceed at any time 3.0 to 1.0  tested as of the last day
         of each of the  Borrower's  fiscal  quarters  for the four (4)  quarter
         period ending on that date.

                  (c) CURRENT RATIO.  Maintain, a Current Ratio of not less than
         1.30 to 1.0 tested as of the last day of each of the Borrower's  fiscal
         quarters for the four (4) quarter period ending on that date.

         SECTION 7.03 TAXES AND CLAIMS.  Pay and discharge and cause each of its
Subsidiaries  to pay and  discharge,  all taxes,  assessments  and  governmental
charges or levies  imposed upon it or any of its income or  properties  prior to
the date on which  penalties  attach  thereto,  and all lawful claims which,  if
unpaid,  might  become a lien or charge  upon any of its  properties;  provided,
however, the Borrower and the Subsidiaries shall not be required to pay any such
tax, assessment,  charge, levy or claim, the payment of which is being contested
in good faith and by proper proceedings.

         SECTION  7.04  CORPORATE  EXISTENCE.  Maintain,  and cause  each of its
Subsidiaries  to  maintain,  its  corporate  existence  in good  standing in the
jurisdiction in which it is incorporated  and in each  jurisdiction  where it is
required to register or qualify to do business.

         SECTION  7.05  COMPLIANCE  WITH  LAWS.  Comply,  and cause  each of its
Subsidiaries to comply, with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules
and  regulations  to which it is subject and the violation of which would have a
material adverse effect on the conduct of its business.

         SECTION 7.06 GOVERNMENTAL REGULATION. Promptly notify the Lender in the
event that the Borrower or any Subsidiary  receives any notice,  claim or demand
from any  governmental  agency which alleges that the Borrower or any Subsidiary
is in  violation  of any of the  terms of,  or has  failed  to  comply  with any
applicable order issued pursuant to any federal or state statute  regulating its
operation and business,  including,  but not limited to, the Occupational Safety
and Health Act and the Environmental Protection Act.

         SECTION 7.07  LITIGATION.  Give prompt  notice in writing,  with a full
description to the Lender,  of all litigation and of all proceedings  before any
court or any  governmental  or regulatory  agency  affecting the Borrower or any
Subsidiary which, if adversely  decided,  would materially affect the conduct of
the Borrower's or such  Subsidiary's  business,  the financial condi tion of the
Borrower or such Subsidiary, or in any manner affect the Collateral.



                                       22





         SECTION  7.08 USE OF  PROCEEDS.  Use the  proceeds  of the Loan for the
purpose or purposes set forth in Recital A above and,  without the prior written
consent of the Lender, for no other purpose or purposes.

         SECTION  7.09   MAINTENANCE   OF   PROPERTIES.   Keep,  and  cause  the
Subsidiaries  to keep and  maintain,  its  properties,  whether  owned in fee or
otherwise,  or  leased,  in  good  operating  condition  (normal  war  and  tear
excepted);  make and,  cause  the  Subsidiaries  to make,  all  proper  repairs,
renewals,  replacements,  additions and improvements  thereto needed to maintain
such properties in good operating condition;  comply, and cause the Subsidiaries
to comply,  with the material  provisions of all material  leases to which it is
party  or  under  which  it  occupies  property  so as to  prevent  any  loss or
forfeiture  thereof or  thereunder;  and comply,  or cause the  Subsidiaries  to
comply,  with  all  laws,  rules,  regulations  and  orders  applicable  to  its
properties or business or any part thereof and the violation of which would have
a material adverse effect on the conduct of its business.

         SECTION 7.10 OTHER LIENS, SECURITY INTERESTS,  ETC. Keep, and cause the
Subsidiaries  to keep, its material  properties and assets,  including,  without
limitation,  the Collateral,  free from all liens, security interests and claims
of every kind and nature, other than the security interest granted to the Lender
pursuant to this Agreement and the Permitted Liens.

         SECTION  7.11 BOOKS AND  RECORDS.  (a) Keep and  maintain and cause the
Subsidiaries to keep and maintain accurate books and records, (b) make and cause
the Subsidiaries to make entries on such books and records in form  satisfactory
to the Lender dis closing the Lender's  assignment of, and security  interest in
and lien on, the Collateral and all collections  received by the Borrower or any
of the  Subsidiaries on its Accounts,  (c) furnish and cause the Subsidiaries to
furnish  to  the  Lender  promptly  upon  request  such  information,   reports,
contracts,  invoices,  lists of purchases of Inventory (showing names, addresses
and amount owing) and other data  concerning  account debtors and the Borrower's
and  Subsidiaries'  Accounts and Inventory  and all contracts and  collection(s)
relating  thereto as the Lender  may from time to time  specify,  (d) unless the
Lender  shall  otherwise  consent in writing,  keep and  maintain  and cause the
Subsidiaries  to keep and maintain  all such books and records  mentioned in (a)
above  only at the  addresses  listed in EXHIBIT B, and (e) permit and cause the
Subsidiaries to permit any Person designated by the Lender to enter the premises
of the Borrower and the  Subsidiaries  and examine,  audit and inspect the books
and records at any reasonable time and from time to time without notice.

         SECTION 7.12 BUSINESS NAMES.  Immediately  notify and cause each of the
Subsidiaries  to notify  the  Lender of any  change in the name  under  which it
conducts its business.

         SECTION  7.13 ERISA.  Maintain at all times such bonding as is required
by ERISA.  As soon as practicable and in any event within 15 days after it knows
or has reason to know that,  with respect to any plan, a "reportable  event" has
occurred,  the Borrower will deliver to the Lender a  certificate  signed by its
chief financial  officer setting forth the details of such "re-




                                       23






portable event". The Borrower shall agrees that with respect to any pension plan
which  the  Borrower  and/or  any  Commonly   Controlled   Entity  maintains  or
contributes  to,  either  now or in the  future,  that:  (a) such  bonding as is
required under ERISA will be maintained;  (b) as soon as practicable  and in any
event within 15 days after the Borrower or any Commonly  Controlled Entity knows
or has reason to know that a  "reportable  event" has  occurred  or is likely to
occur, the Borrower will deliver to the Lender a certificate signed by its chief
financial  officer  setting forth the details of such  "reportable  event";  (c)
within  15 days  after  notice  is  received  by the  Borrower  or any  Commonly
Controlled  Entity  that any  multiemployer  plan has been or will be  placed in
"reorganization"  within the meaning of ERISA ss.4241,  the Borrower will notify
the Lender to that effect; and (d) upon the Lender's request,  the Borrower will
deliver  to the Lender a copy of the most  recent  actuarial  report,  financial
statements  and annual  report  completed  with respect to any "defined  benefit
plan", as defined in ERISA ss.3(35).

         SECTION 7.14 MANAGEMENT. Promptly notify the Lender of any contemplated
changes in its Senior Management subsequent to the date hereof.

         SECTION 7.15 BANKING RELATIONSHIP. Maintain the Lender as its principal
depository.

         SECTION   7.16   NOTIFICATION   OF  EVENTS  OF  DEFAULT   AND   ADVERSE
DEVELOPMENTS.  The  Borrower  will  promptly  notify the Lender  upon  obtaining
knowledge of the occurrence of:

                  (a)      any Event of Default;

                  (b)      any Default;

                  (c)      any event,  development or  circumstance  whereby the
                           financial  statements furnished hereunder fail in any
                           material  respect to present  fairly,  in  accordance
                           with GAAP,  the financial  condition and  operational
                           results of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries;

                  (d)      any judicial,  administrative or arbitral  proceeding
                           pending   against   the   Borrower   or  any  of  its
                           Subsidiaries  and  any  judicial  or   administrative
                           proceeding  known by the  Borrower  to be  threatened
                           against  it or  any  of its  Subsidiaries  which,  if
                           adversely decided,  could materially adversely affect
                           its  financial  condition or  operations  (present or
                           prospective); and

                  (e)      any other  development  in the business or affairs of
                           the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries which may be
                           materially adverse;

in each case describing in detail  satisfactory to the Lender the nature thereof
and,  in the case of  notification  under  clauses  (a) and (b),  the action the
Borrower proposes to take with respect thereto.


                                       24





         SECTION  7.17  INSURANCE  GENERALLY.  Maintain,  and cause  each of its
Subsidiaries to maintain, insurance with responsible insurance companies on such
of its  properties,  in such  amounts and against  such risks as is  customarily
maintained  by  similar  businesses  operating  in the same  vicinity;  maintain
general public liability insurance against claims for personal injury,  death or
property damage in such amounts as are  satisfactory to the Lender and workmen's
compensation  insurance in statutory amounts with such companies as are licensed
to do  business in the state  requiring  the same;  file,  and cause each of its
Subsidiaries to file, with the Lender,  upon its request, a detailed list of the
insurance then in effect and stating the names of the insurance  companies,  the
amounts  and rates of the  insurance,  dates of the  expiration  thereof and the
properties and risks covered thereby;  and, within thirty (30) days after notice
in  writing  from the  Lender,  obtain,  and cause each of its  Subsidiaries  to
obtain, such additional insurance as the Lender may reasonably request.

         SECTION 7.18  MAINTENANCE OF THE COLLATERAL.  Not permit anything to be
done to the  Collateral  which may  materially  impair  the value  thereof.  The
Lender,  or an agent  designated by the Lender,  shall be permitted to enter the
premises of the Borrower,  and the Subsidiaries,  and examine, audit and inspect
the Collateral at any reasonable time and from time to time without notice.  The
Lender  agrees  to act in a  commercially  reasonable  manner  when  inspecting,
examining or auditing the Collateral. The Lender shall not have any duty to, and
the Borrower hereby releases the Lender from all claims of loss or damage caused
by the delay or  failure  to  collect  or  enforce  any of the  Accounts  or to,
preserve any rights against any other party with an interest in the Collateral.

         SECTION  7.19 DEFENSE OF TITLE AND FURTHER  ASSURANCES.  At its expense
defend the title to the  Collateral  (or any part  thereof),  and promptly  upon
request  execute,  acknowledge  and deliver any  financing  statement,  renewal,
affidavit,  deed,  assignment,   continuation  statement,   security  agreement,
certificate  or other  document  the Lender may  reasonably  require in order to
perfect,  preserve,  maintain,  protect,  continue  and/or  extend  the  lien or
security  interest  granted to the Lender under this Agreement and its priority.
The Borrower  shall pay to the Lender on demand all taxes,  costs and reasonable
expenses  incurred by the Lender in connection with the preparation,  execution,
recording and filing of any such document or instrument.

         SECTION   7.20   SUBSEQUENT   OPINION  OF   COUNSEL  AS  TO   RECORDING
REQUIREMENTS.  Provide to the Lender a  subsequent  opinion of counsel as to the
filing,  recording  and  other  requirements  with  which the  Borrower  and the
Subsidiaries  have complied to maintain the lien and security  interest in favor
of the Lender in the Collateral in the event that the Borrower or any Subsidiary
shall transfer its principal  place of business or the office where it keeps its
records pertaining to the Accounts.

         SECTION 7.21 ASSIGNMENTS OF ACCOUNTS.  Promptly, upon request,  execute
and deliver to the Lender written assignments, in form and content acceptable to
the Lender, of specific Accounts or groups of Accounts;  provided,  however, the
lien and/or security  interest  granted to the Lender under this Agreement shall
not be limited in any way to or by the inclusion


                                       25





or exclusion of Accounts  within such  assignments.  Such Accounts  shall secure
payment of the  Obligations  and are not sold to the  Lender  whether or not any
assignment thereof, which is separate from this Agreement, is in form absolute.

         SECTION 7.22 NOTICE OF RETURNED GOODS,  ETC.  Promptly notify and cause
the  Subsidiaries  to  promptly  notify the Lender of the return,  rejection  or
repossession  of any goods sold or delivered in respect of any Accounts,  and of
any claims made in regard thereto.  Whenever the Borrower obtains possession (by
return, rejection, repossession or otherwise) of any goods, the sale or lease of
which gave rise to an  Account,  the  Borrower  will  (unless  the Lender  shall
otherwise  consent  in  writing)  physically   segregate  such  goods  from  the
Borrower's  other  property,  and label and hold such goods as  trustee  for the
Lender for such disposition as the Lender may direct.

         SECTION  7.23  COLLECTIONS.  Until such time as the Lender shall notify
the Borrower and each of the  Subsidiaries  of the revocation of such privilege,
the Borrower and each of the  Subsidiaries (a) shall at its own expense have the
privilege  for the  account  of and in trust for the  Lender of  collecting  its
Accounts  and  receiving  in  respect  thereto  all items of  payment  and shall
otherwise  completely  service all of the  Accounts  including  (i) the billing,
posting and maintaining of complete  records  applicable  thereto,  and (ii) the
taking of such action with respect to such Accounts as the Lender may request or
in the absence of such request, as the Borrower and each of the Subsidiaries may
deem advisable;  and (b) may grant,  in the ordinary course of business,  to any
account debtor, any discount,  rebate, refund or adjustment to which the account
debtor may be lawfully entitled,  and may accept, in connection  therewith,  the
return of goods, the sale or lease of which shall have given rise to an Account.
The Lender may, at its  option,  at any time or from time to time after  default
hereunder, revoke the collection privilege given to the Borrower and each of the
Subsidiaries  herein by either giving notice of its  assignment  of, and lien on
the Collateral to the account debtors or giving notice of such revocation to the
Borrower and each of the Subsidiaries.

         SECTION 7.24 NOTICE TO ACCOUNT DEBTORS AND ESCROW ACCOUNT. In the event
(a) an Event of Default  exists,  (b) an event has occurred or condition  exists
which,  with the giving of notice or the lapse of time will  constitute an Event
of Default,  or (c) demand has been made for any or all of the Obligations,  the
Borrower and the Subsidiaries  shall promptly upon the request of the Lender (a)
in such form and at such times as  specified  by the Lender,  give notice of the
Lender's  lien on the  Accounts to the  account  debtors  requiring  the account
debtors to make  payments  thereon  directly to the Lender,  (b)  promptly  upon
receipt deposit the Items of Payment into the Collateral Account in the original
form received by the Borrower and the  Subsidiaries  (except for the endorsement
of the Borrower and the  Subsidiaries  where  necessary,  which  endorsement the
Borrower  agrees to make,  and the Lender,  by its duly  authorized  officers or
nominee,  is also hereby irrevocably  authorized to make such endorsement on the
Borrower's  behalf).  Pending  deposit  thereof to the Collateral  Account,  the
Borrower and the Subsidiaries  shall not commingle any Items of Payment with any
of its other funds or property,  but will hold them separate and apart therefrom
in trust and for the account of the Lender until deposit to the


                                       26





Collateral  Account or other delivery thereof is made to the Lender.  The Lender
will in its  discretion  apply  the  whole  or any part of the  collected  funds
credited  to the  Collateral  Account  against  the  Obligations  or credit such
collected funds to the depository  account of the Borrower with the Lender,  the
order and method of such application to be in the sole discretion of the Lender.

         SECTION 7.25 GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTS.  Immediately notify the Lender if any
of the Accounts  arise out of contracts with the United States or with any state
or political subdivision thereof or any department, agency or instrumentality of
the United States, or any state or political  subdivision  thereof,  and execute
any  instruments  and take any steps  required  by the  Lender in order that all
moneys due and to become  due under  such  contracts  shall be  assigned  to the
Lender and notice thereof given to the government  under the Federal  Assignment
of Claims Act or any other applicable law.

         SECTION 7.26 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS; CONTAMINATION. The Borrowers agree to
(a) give  notice to the Lender  immediately  upon  either  Borrower's  acquiring
knowledge of the presence of any  Hazardous  Materials on any property  owned or
controlled by either  Borrower or for which either Borrower is responsible or of
any Hazardous Materials  Contamination with a full description  thereof,  except
for reasonable  quantities of necessary  supplies for use by the Borrower in the
ordinary  course  of the its  current  line of  business  and  stored,  used and
disposed in accordance with  applicable  Laws; (b) promptly comply with any Laws
requiring the removal, treatment or disposal of Hazardous Materials or Hazardous
Materials  Contamination  and provide the Lender with  satisfactory  evidence of
such compliance;  (c) provide the Lender, within thirty (30) days after a demand
by the  Lender,  with a bond,  letter of credit or similar  financial  assurance
evidencing to the Lender's  satisfaction  that the necessary funds are available
to pay the cost of removing, treating, and disposing of such Hazardous Materials
or  Hazardous  Materials  Contamination  and  discharging  any Lien which may be
established  as a result  thereof on any property  owned or controlled by either
Borrower or for which either Borrower is responsible;  and (d) defend, indemnify
and hold harmless the Lender and its agents, employees, trustees, successors and
assigns from any and all claims which may now or in the future  (whether  before
or after the  termination  of this  Agreement)  be  asserted  as a result of the
presence of any  Hazardous  Materials on any  property  owned or  controlled  by
either  Borrower  for which either  Borrower is  responsible  for any  Hazardous
Materials Contamination.

VIII. NEGATIVE COVENANTS OF BORROWER    
      ------------------------------

         Until payment in full and the  performance  of all of the  Obligations,
without the prior written consent of the Lender,  the Borrower will not and will
neither cause nor permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:

         SECTION 8.01 BORROWINGS.  Create,  incur, assume or suffer to exist any
Indebtedness for Borrowed Money in excess of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) in
the  aggregate at any one time,  except (a)  borrowings in existence on the date
hereof and reflected on


                                       27





the financial  statements which the Borrower  furnished to the Lender in writing
prior to the date hereof,  (b) borrowings  secured by Permitted  Liens,  and (c)
Indebtedness  for Borrowed Money  approved by the Lender in connection  with any
Permitted Acquisition, which approval will not be unreasonably withheld.

         SECTION 8.02 MORTGAGES AND PLEDGES.  Create, incur, assume or suffer to
exist any Lien on any of its property or assets,  whether now owned or hereafter
acquired, except for Permitted Liens.

         SECTION  8.03  METHOD OF  ACCOUNTING.  Change the method of  accounting
employed in the preparation of the financial  statements  furnished prior to the
date of this  Agreement  to the  Lender  pursuant  to Part V of this  Agreement,
unless  required  to conform to GAAP and on the  condition  that the  Borrower's
accountants  shall  furnish  such  information  as the  Lender  may  request  to
reconcile the changes with the Borrower's prior financial statements.

         SECTION 8.04   Merger, Acquisition or Sale of Assets.
                        -------------------------------------

                  (a) The Borrower and each Subsidiary  shall not alter or amend
its capital structure or authorize any additional class of equity if as a result
of such action the Borrower  would own less than fifty one percent  (51%) of any
Subsidiary,  or acquire all or  substantially  all the assets of any Person,  or
sell, lease or otherwise  dispose of any of net assets in excess of Five Hundred
Thousand  Dollars  ($500,000)  in the  aggregate,  during any twelve  (12) month
period.

                  (b) The  Borrower  may  acquire by merger,  stock  purchase or
asset  purchase  all or  substantially  all the  assets  of any  Person  or make
investments in any such Person (each a "Permitted Acquisition" and collectively,
the  "Permitted  Acquisitions")  during the  existence of this  Agreement and in
connection  with,  whether  concurrently  or subsequent  to, any such  Permitted
Acquisition,  alter or amend its capital  structure or authorize any  additional
class of equity, provided that the Person being acquired or invested in shall be
in a business  complementary  to the  Borrower's  current line of business,  the
Borrower will own at all times not less than fifty-one  percent (51%) of each of
its Subsidiaries,  and after completing said Permitted  Acquisition the Borrower
shall  remain  in  compliance  with  all of the  terms  and  conditions  of this
Agreement.  The Borrower shall provide the Lender with financial  information on
the  Person  being   acquired   within  fifteen  (15)  days  of  such  Permitted
Acquisition.  The Borrower may advance  funds for Permitted  Acquisitions  (said
acquisitions being called "Bank Financed Acquisitions").

                  (c) Not less than five (5) Business  Days prior to  finalizing
any Bank Financed  Acquisition,  and in all cases prior to the Lender  advancing
any monies for such Bank Financed  Acquisition,  the Borrower  shall provide the
Lender with a written summary of the transaction, which summary shall set forth,
among other things,  the  structure of the  transaction,  including  whether the
transaction  shall cause a change in the Borrower's or any Subsidiary's  capital
structure,  require the  issuance of stock,  or options to  purchase  stock,  or
require the Borrower or


                                       28





any  Subsidiary  to redeem any stock.  For purposes  hereof,  all  consideration
incurred in connection with each Bank Financed  Acquisition  including,  but not
limited to non-compete  agreements and the value of assets, stock,  warrants, or
other  property  transferred,  pledged  or  given  in  connection  with any Bank
Financed Acquisition shall be deemed the "Acquisition  Price." In addition,  the
Borrower  shall at the same time provide the Lender with a pro-forma  Compliance
Certificate which indicates that no default will occur under this Agreement as a
result of the contemplated Bank Financed  Acquisition.  The pro-forma Compliance
Certificate  may take into  consideration  the income  statement of the targeted
acquisition, adjusted for the projected elimination of any officer compensation.
However,  other  projected  financial  efficiencies  as of the  result  of  such
acquisition may not be included in the pro-forma.  If the target company has had
negative  income or EBITDA  during the prior  twelve  month  period,  the income
statement  will  be  included  by  the  Borrower  in  the  pro-forma  Compliance
Certificate.

                  (d) The  Borrower  shall  seek and  obtain  the prior  written
approval of the Lender prior to finalizing any Bank Financed Acquisition, if:

                           (i) the Acquisition Price is in excess of $2,500,000;
or

                           (ii)  the  total   Acquisition  Price  for  all  Bank
Financed Acquisitions exceeds $5,000,000; or

                           (iii) the acquisition is a "hostile" acquisition; or

                           (iv) the  target  of the  acquisition  is a  business
whose principal office is located outside of the United States.

                  (e) Upon  completion  of each Bank Financed  Acquisition,  the
Borrower and each Subsidiary shall promptly provide the Lender with all material
details of the transaction requested by the Lender.

                  (f) In addition,  each Person now or hereafter acquired either
through a Permitted  Acquisition of a Bank Financed  Acquisition shall join as a
co-maker  on the  Note,  and be  added  to  each  of  the  Financing  Documents,
including, but not limited to, this Agreement.

         SECTION  8.05  ADVANCES  AND LOANS.  Lend  money,  give  credit or make
advances to any person, firm, joint venture or corporation,  including,  without
limitation,  officers, directors, employees,  Subsidiaries and Affiliates of the
Borrower.

         SECTION  8.06  CONTINGENT  LIABILITIES.   Assume,  guarantee,  endorse,
contingently agree to purchase or otherwise become liable upon the obligation of
any person, firm, partnership,  joint venture or corporation,  except (a) by the
endorsement  of  negotiable  instruments  for deposit or  collection  or similar
transactions  in the  ordinary  course of  business  and (b) guaran-  


                                       29



ties by the Borrower of contractual  obligations  (other than for the payment of
borrowed money) of any Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower.

         SECTION 8.07 INVESTMENTS.  Purchase or acquire the obligations or stock
of, or any other or additional interest in, any person, firm, partnership, joint
venture or  corporation  except (a) in connection  with a Permitted  Acquisition
and/or a Bank Finance  Acquisition,  (b) general  obligations of, or obligations
unconditionally guaranteed as to principal and interest by, the United States of
America, (c) bonds,  debentures,  participation  certificates or notes issued by
any agency or  corporation  which is or may  hereafter  be created by Act of the
Congress  of the  United  States as an agency or  instrumentality  thereof,  (d)
Public Housing Bonds,  Temporary Notes or Preliminary Loan Notes,  fully secured
by contracts with the United States,  and (e)  certificates of deposit issued by
the Lender.

         SECTION 8.08  SUBSIDIARIES.  Except as permitted  under Section 8.04 of
this Agreement,  create or acquire any Subsidiaries  other than the Subsidiaries
existing as of the date hereof.

         SECTION 8.09 ADDITIONAL STOCK. Issue any additional stock of any class,
except stock of an existing class issued as a stock dividend.

         SECTION  8.10 ERISA  Compliance.  Neither the Borrower nor any Commonly
Controlled Entity will: (a) engage in or permit any "prohibited transaction" (as
defined in ERISA); (b) cause any "accumulated  funding deficiency" as defined in
ERISA and/or the Internal  Revenue  Code;  (c)  terminate  any pension plan in a
manner  which could  result in the  imposition  of a lien on the property of the
Borrower  pursuant to ERISA;  (d) terminate or consent to the termination of any
Multiemployer  Plan; or (e) incur a complete or partial  withdrawal with respect
to any Multiemployer Plan.

         SECTION 8.11 PROHIBITION ON HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. The Borrower shall not
place,  manufacture or store or permit to be placed,  manufactured or stored any
Hazardous  Materials  on any  property  owned,  controlled  or  operated  by the
Borrower  or for  which the  Borrower  is  responsible,  except  for  reasonable
quantities of necessary  supplies for use by the Borrower in the ordinary course
of the its current line of business and stored,  used and disposed in accordance
with applicable Laws.

         SECTION 8.12 TRANSFER OF COLLATERAL.  Transfer, or permit the transfer,
to another location of any of the Collateral or the books and records related to
any of the  Collateral;  provided,  however,  that the Borrower may transfer the
Collateral or the books and records related  thereto to another  location if (a)
the Borrower shall have provided to the Lender prior to such transfer an opinion
of counsel  addressed  to the Lender to the effect that the  Lender's  perfected
security interest shall not be affected by such move or if it shall be affected,
setting forth the steps  necessary to continue the Lender's  perfected  security
interest  together  with the  commencement  of such steps by the Borrower at its
expense, and (b) shall have taken such steps.


                                       30





         SECTION 8.13 SALE AND LEASEBACK.  Directly or indirectly enter into any
arrangement to sell or transfer all or any substantial  part of its fixed assets
then owned by it and thereupon or within one year  thereafter  rent or lease the
assets so sold or transferred.

         SECTION  8.14 SALE OF ACCOUNTS.  Sell,  discount,  transfer,  assign or
otherwise  dispose of any of its  Accounts,  notes  receivable,  installment  or
conditional sales agreements or any other rights to receive income,  revenues or
moneys, however evidenced.

         SECTION  8.15  LINE OF  BUSINESS.  Enter  into  any  lines  or areas of
business which do not complement the Borrower's current line of business.

IX.      EVENTS OF DEFAULT
         -----------------

         The occurrence of one or more of the following  events shall be "Events
of Default" under this Agreement,  and the terms "Event of Default" or "Default"
shall mean,  whenever  they are used in this  Agreement,  any one or more of the
following events:

         SECTION 9.01  FAILURE TO PAY.  The Borrower  shall fail to (a) make any
payment of  principal  or  interest  on either of the Note or (b) pay any of the
Obligations, when and as the same shall become due and payable.

         SECTION   9.02   BREACH  OF   REPRESENTATIONS   AND   WARRANTIES.   Any
representation  or warranty made herein or in any report,  certificate,  opinion
(including  any opinion of counsel for the  Borrower),  financial  statement  or
other  instrument  furnished  in  connection  with the  Obligations  or with the
execution  and delivery of any of the Financing  Documents,  shall prove to have
been false or misleading when made in any material respect.

         SECTION 9.03 FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH INSURANCE PROVISIONS.  The Borrower
shall fail to duly and  promptly  perform,  comply  with or  observe  the terms,
covenants, conditions and agreements set forth in SECTION 7.17 .

         SECTION 9.04 FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH COVENANTS. Default shall be made by
the Borrower in the due observance and performance of any covenant, condition or
agreement  contained  in  SECTIONS  7.02,  7.04 or 7.08  hereof  or in Part VIII
hereof.

         SECTION 9.05 OTHER  DEFAULTS.  Default shall be made by the Borrower in
the due  observance  or  performance  of any other term,  covenant or  agreement
herein  contained,  which default shall remain  unremedied  for thirty (30) days
after written notice thereof to the Borrower by the Lender.

         SECTION  9.06  DEFAULT  UNDER OTHER  FINANCING  DOCUMENTS.  An event of
default shall occur under any of the other Financing  Documents,  and such event
of default is not cured within any applicable grace period provided therein.


                                       31





         SECTION 9.07 RECEIVER; BANKRUPTCY. The Borrower or any Subsidiary shall
(a) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee or liquidator
of itself or any of its property,  (b) admit in writing its inability to pay its
debts  as  they  mature,  (c)  make a  general  assignment  for the  benefit  of
creditors,  (d) be  adjudicated  a bankrupt or  insolvent,  (e) file a voluntary
petition in bankruptcy or a petition or an answer seeking  reorganization  or an
arrangement   with   creditors  or  to  take   advantage   of  any   bankruptcy,
reorganization, insolvency, readjustment of debt, dissolution or liquidation law
or statute, or an answer admitting the material  allegations of a petition filed
against it in any proceeding  under any such law or if corporate action shall be
taken by the Borrower or any Subsidiary for the purposes of effecting any of the
foregoing,  or  (f)  by  any  act  indicate  its  consent  to,  approval  of  or
acquiescence  in any such  proceeding or the  appointment  of any receiver of or
trustee for any of its property, or suffer any such receivership, trusteeship or
proceeding to continue undischarged for a period of sixty (60) days.

         SECTION 9.08 JUDGMENT.  Unless adequately insured in the opinion of the
Lender,  the entry of a final  judgment for the payment of money  involving more
than  $10,000  against  the  Borrower or any  Subsidiary  and the failure by the
Borrower or such Subsidiary to discharge the same, or cause it to be discharged,
within  thirty  (30) days from the date of the order,  decree or  process  under
which or pursuant to which such  judgment  was  entered,  or to secure a stay of
execution pending appeal of such judgment.

         SECTION 9.09 EXECUTION;  ATTACHMENT.  Any execution or attachment shall
be levied  against the  Collateral,  or any part thereof,  and such execution or
attachment shall not be set aside,  discharged or stayed within thirty (30) days
after the same shall have been levied.

         SECTION 9.10 DEFAULT UNDER OTHER BORROWINGS. Default shall be made with
respect to any evidence of  indebtedness  or liability for borrowed money (other
than the Loan) if the effect of such  default is to  accelerate  the maturity of
such  evidence of  indebtedness  or liability or to permit the holder or obligee
thereof to cause any indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity.

         SECTION  9.11  MATERIAL  ADVERSE  CHANGE.  If the  Lender  in its  sole
discretion  determines in good faith that a material adverse change has occurred
in the  financial  condition of the Borrower  from the  financial  condition set
forth in the  financial  statements  dated June 30,  1996 or from the  financial
condition of the Borrower most recently disclosed to the Lender in any manner.

         SECTION  9.12  IMPAIRMENT  OF  POSITION.  If the  Lender  in  its  sole
discretion determines in good faith that an event has occurred which impairs the
prospect of payment of the Obligations and/or the value of the Collateral.

         SECTION 9.13 CHANGE IN  MANAGEMENT.  Any change in the  composition  of
more than two members of the Senior Management of the Borrower.


                                       32





         SECTION 9.14 AUDIT RESULTS. If the Lender concludes after examining the
results of any audits of the Borrower's books and records or the Collateral that
the condition of the Borrower is unsatisfactory.

X.       RIGHTS AND REMEDIES UPON DEFAULT
         --------------------------------

         SECTION 10.01 DEMAND; ACCELERATION. The occurrence or non-occurrence of
an Event of Default under this Agreement shall in no way affect or condition the
right of the  Lender to  demand  payment  at any time of any of the  Obligations
which are payable on demand regardless of whether or not an Event of Default has
occurred.  Upon the  occurrence of an Event of Default,  and in every such event
and at any time  thereafter,  the Lender may  declare  the  Obligations  due and
payable, without presentment, demand, protest, or any notice of any kind, all of
which are hereby expressly  waived,  anything  contained herein or in any of the
other Financing Documents to the contrary notwithstanding.

         SECTION 10.02 SPECIFIC RIGHTS WITH REGARD TO COLLATERAL. In addition to
all other rights and remedies provided  hereunder or as shall exist at law or in
equity from time to time, the Lender may, without notice to the Borrower:

                  (a)  request  any  account  debtor  obligated  on  any  of the
Accounts to make payments thereon directly to the Lender, with the Lender taking
control of the cash and non-cash proceeds thereof;

                  (b) compromise,  extend or renew any of the Collateral or deal
with the same as it may deem advisable;

                  (c) make exchanges,  substitutions or surrenders of all or any
part of the Collateral;

                  (d)  remove  from any of the  Borrower's  or any  Subsidiary's
place of business all books, records,  ledger sheets,  correspondence,  invoices
and  documents,  relating to or evidencing any of the Collateral or without cost
or expense to the Lender,  make such use of the  Borrower's or any  Subsidiary's
place(s) of business as may be reasonably  necessary to administer,  control and
collect the Collateral;

                  (e) repair,  alter or supply  goods if necessary to fulfill in
whole or in part the purchase order of any account debtor;

                  (f)  demand,   collect,   receipt   for  and  give   renewals,
extensions, discharges and releases of any of the Collateral;

                  (g) institute and prosecute legal and equitable proceedings to
enforce collection of, or realize upon, any of the Collateral;


                                       33





                  (h) settle, renew, extend, compromise,  compound,  exchange or
adjust  claims in  respect  of any of the  Collateral  or any legal  proceedings
brought in respect thereof;

                  (i) endorse the name of the Borrower upon any items of payment
relating to the  Collateral  or on any proof of claim in  bankruptcy  against an
account debtor; and

                  (j) notify the post office  authorities  to change the address
for the  delivery of mail to the  Borrower to such address or post office box as
the  Lender  may  designate  and  receive  and open all  mail  addressed  to the
Borrower.

         SECTION 10.03  PERFORMANCE BY LENDER. If the Borrower shall fail to pay
the Obligations or otherwise fail to perform,  observe or comply with any of the
conditions,  covenants,  terms,  stipulations  or  agreements  contained in this
Agreement or any of the other Financing Documents,  the Lender without notice to
or  demand  upon the  Borrower  and  without  waiving  or  releasing  any of the
Obligations  or any Event of Default,  may (but shall be under no obligation to)
at any time thereafter make such payment or perform such act for the account and
at the expense of the Borrower,  and may enter upon the premises of the Borrower
for that  purpose  and take all such action  thereon as the Lender may  consider
necessary or appropriate  for such purpose.  All sums so paid or advanced by the
Lender and all costs and expenses  (including,  without  limitation,  reasonable
attorneys'  fees and expenses)  incurred in connection  therewith  (the "Expense
Payments")  together with interest thereon from the date of payment,  advance or
incurring until paid in full at the rate of one percent (1%) per annum in excess
of the highest  fluctuating  interest  rate payable  under the Note from time to
time shall be paid by the Borrower to the Lender on demand and shall  constitute
and become a part of the Obligations.

         SECTION  10.04 UNIFORM  COMMERCIAL  CODE AND OTHER  REMEDIES.  Upon the
occurrence of an Event of Default (and in addition to all of its rights,  powers
and remedies under this Agreement),  the Lender shall have all of the rights and
remedies of a secured party under the Maryland Uniform Commercial Code and other
applicable  laws, and the Lender is authorized to offset and apply to all or any
part of the  Obligations  all moneys,  credits and other  property of any nature
whatsoever of the Borrower now or at any time hereafter in the possession of, in
transit to or from,  under the  control or custody of, or on deposit  with,  the
Lender.  Upon demand by the Lender,  the Borrower  shall assemble the Collateral
and make it available to the Lender,  at a place  designated by the Lender.  The
Lender or its agents may enter upon the Borrower's  premises to take  possession
of the Collateral,  to remove it, to render it unusable, or to sell or otherwise
dispose of it.

         Any written notice of the sale, disposition or other intended action by
the Lender with respect to the Collateral which is sent by regular mail, postage
prepaid,  to the  Borrower at the  address set forth in Part XI hereof,  or such
other  address  of the  Borrower  which  may  from  time to time be shown on the
Lender's  records,  at least ten (10) days  prior to such sale,  disposition  or
other action, shall constitute  reasonable notice to the Borrower.  The Borrower
shall pay on  demand  all costs and  expenses,  including,  without  limitation,
attorney's fees and expenses,


                                       34





incurred  by or on  behalf  of  the  Lender  in  preparing  for  sale  or  other
disposition,  selling,  managing,  collecting  or  otherwise  disposing  of, the
Collateral.  All of such costs and expenses (the  "Liquidation  Costs") together
with interest  thereon from the date incurred  until paid in full at the Default
Rate, shall be paid by the Borrower to the Lender on demand and shall constitute
and become a part of the Obligations.  Any proceeds of sale or other disposition
of  the  Collateral  will  be  applied  by the  Lender  to  the  payment  of the
Liquidation Costs and Expense Payments, and any balance of such proceeds will be
applied by the Lender to the payment of the balance of the  Obligations  in such
order and manner of  application as the Lender may from time to time in its sole
discretion determine.  After such application of the proceeds, any balance shall
be paid to the Borrower or to any other party entitled thereto.

XI.      MISCELLANEOUS
         -------------

         SECTION   11.01   NOTICES.   All   notices,   certificates   or   other
communications  hereunder  shall  be  deemed  given  when  delivered  by hand or
courier, or three (3) days after the date when mailed by certified mail, postage
prepaid, return receipt requested, addressed as follows:

         if to the Lender:                 NATIONSBANK, N.A.
                                           6610 Rockledge Drive
                                           Bethesda, Maryland 20817
                                           Attn: Barbara P. Levy, Vice President

         if to the Borrower:               FORENSIC TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL
                                           CORPORATION
                                           2021 Research Drive
                                           Annapolis, Maryland 21401
                                           Attn: Mr. Gary Sindler
                                           Chief Financial Officer

         with a copy to:                   George Stamas, Esquire
                                           Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering
                                           100 Light Street
                                           Baltimore, Maryland 21202

         SECTION 11.02  CONSENTS AND  APPROVALS.  If any consent,  approval,  or
authorization of any state, municipal or other governmental  department,  agency
or authority or of any person, or any person, corporation,  partnership or other
entity having any interest  therein,  should be necessary to effectuate any sale
or other disposition of the Collateral,  the Borrower agrees to execute all such
applications  and other  instruments,  and to take all other  action,  as may be
required  in   connection   with   securing  any  such   consent,   approval  or
authorization.

         SECTION 11.03 Remedies,  etc. Cumulative.  Each right, power and remedy
of the Lender as provided for in this Agreement or in any of the other Financing
Documents or now or


                                       35





hereafter  existing  at law or in equity or by  statute  or  otherwise  shall be
cumulative and  concurrent and shall be in addition to every other right,  power
or  remedy  provided  for in this  Agreement  or in any of the  other  Financing
Documents  or now or  hereafter  existing  at law or in  equity,  by  statute or
otherwise,  and the  exercise or  beginning of the exercise by the Lender of any
one or  more  of  such  rights,  powers  or  remedies  shall  not  preclude  the
simultaneous  or later  exercise by the Lender of any or all such other  rights,
powers or  remedies.  In order to  entitle  the  Lender to  exercise  any remedy
reserved to it herein, it shall not be necessary to give any notice,  other than
such notice as may be expressly required in this Agreement.

         SECTION 11.04 NO WAIVER OF RIGHTS BY THE LENDER. No failure or delay by
the  Lender to  insist  upon the  strict  performance  of any  term,  condition,
covenant  or  agreement  of  this  Agreement  or of any of the  other  Financing
Documents,  or to exercise any right,  power or remedy  consequent upon a breach
thereof,  shall  constitute  a waiver of any such term,  condition,  covenant or
agreement or of any such breach or preclude the Lender from  exercising any such
right,  power or remedy at any later time or times.  By accepting  payment after
the due date of any  amount  payable  under this  Agreement  or under any of the
other  Financing  Documents,  the Lender  shall not be deemed to waive the right
either to require  prompt  payment when due of all other  amounts  payable under
this Agreement or under any of the other  Financing  Documents,  or to declare a
default for failure to effect such prompt payment of any such other amount.

         SECTION  11.05  ENTIRE   AGREEMENT.   The  Financing   Documents  shall
completely  and fully  supersede  all other  agreements,  both written and oral,
between the Lender and the  Borrower  relating to the  Obligations.  Neither the
Lender  nor the  Borrower  shall  hereafter  have any  rights  under  such prior
agreements  but shall look solely to the Financing  Documents for definition and
determination   of   all   of   their   respective   rights,   liabilities   and
responsibilities relating to the Obligations.

         SECTION  11.06  SURVIVAL OF  AGREEMENT;  SUCCESSORS  AND  ASSIGNS.  All
covenants,  agreements,  representations  and  warranties  made by the  Borrower
herein  and in any  certificate,  in the  Financing  Documents  and in any other
instruments or documents  delivered  pursuant hereto shall survive the making by
the Lender of the Loans and the  execution  and delivery of the Note,  and shall
continue  in  full  force  and  effect  so long  as any of the  Obligations  are
outstanding and unpaid.  Whenever in this Agreement any of the parties hereto is
referred  to,  such  reference  shall be deemed to include  the  successors  and
assigns of such party;  and all  covenants,  promises  and  agreements  by or on
behalf of the Borrower, which are contained in this Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of the successors and assigns of the Lender, and all covenants, promises
and  agreements  by or on  behalf of the  Lender  which  are  contained  in this
Agreement  shall inure to the benefit of the permitted  successors and permitted
assigns of the Borrower,  but this Agreement may not be assigned by the Borrower
without the prior written consent of the Lender.

         SECTION 11.07 EXPENSES.  The Borrower  agrees to pay all  out-of-pocket
expenses of the Lender  (including the reasonable fees and expenses of its legal
counsel) in connection with the  preparation of this Agreement,  the recordation
of all financing statements and such other


                                       34





instruments  as may be required by the Lender at the time of, or subsequent  to,
the execution of this Agreement to secure the Obligations (including any and all
recordation  tax  and  other  costs  and  taxes  incident  to  recording),   the
enforcement  of any  provision  of  this  Agreement  and the  collection  of the
Obligations.  The Borrower  agrees to indemnify and save harmless the Lender for
any liability  resulting from the failure to pay any required  recordation  tax,
transfer taxes,  recording costs or any other expenses incurred by the Lender in
connection  with the  Obligations.  The provisions of this Section shall survive
the  execution  and  delivery  of  this  Agreement  and  the  repayment  of  the
Obligations. The Borrower further agrees to reimburse the Lender upon demand for
all  out-of-pocket  expenses  (including  reasonable  attorneys'  fees and legal
expenses)  incurred by the Lender in  enforcing  any of the  Obligations  or any
security  therefor,  which  agreement  shall  survive  the  termination  of this
Agreement and the repayment of the Obligations.

         SECTION  11.08  COUNTERPARTS.  This  Agreement  may be  executed in any
number  of  counterparts  all  of  which  together  shall  constitute  a  single
instrument.

         SECTION  11.09  GOVERNING  LAW.  This  Agreement  and all of the  other
Financing  Documents  shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of Maryland.

         SECTION 11.10 MODIFICATIONS. No modification or waiver of any provision
of this Agreement or of any of the other Financing Documents, nor consent to any
departure by the Borrower therefrom,  shall in any event be effective unless the
same shall be in  writing,  and then such waiver or consent  shall be  effective
only in the specific  instance and for the purpose for which given. No notice to
or demand on the Borrower in any case shall entitle the Borrower to any other or
further notice or demand in the same, similar or other circumstance.

         SECTION 11.11 ILLEGALITY. If fulfillment of any provision hereof or any
transaction  related hereto or to any of the other Financing  Documents,  at the
time performance of such provision shall be due, shall involve  transcending the
limit of validity  prescribed  by law,  then ipso facto,  the  obligation  to be
fulfilled  shall be reduced to the limit of such validity;  and if any clause or
provisions  herein  contained  other than the  provisions  hereof  pertaining to
repayment  of  the  Obligations  operates  or  would  prospectively  operate  to
invalidate  this  Agreement  in whole or in part,  then such clause or provision
only shall be void,  as though not herein  contained,  and the remainder of this
Agreement  shall  remain  operative  and in full force and  effect;  and if such
provision  pertains to repayment of the Obligations,  then, at the option of the
Lender,  all of the  Obligations  of the  Borrower  to the Lender  shall  become
immediately due and payable.

         SECTION  11.12  EXTENSION  OF  MATURITY.  Should  the  principal  of or
interest  on the Note become due and  payable on other than a Banking  Day,  the
maturity thereof shall be extended to the next succeeding Banking Day and in the
case of  principal,  interest  shall be  payable  thereon  at the rate per annum
specified in the Note during such extension.



                                       37





         SECTION 11.13 GENDER,  ETC.  Whenever used herein,  the singular number
shall include the plural,  the plural the singular and the use of the masculine,
feminine or neuter gender shall include all genders.

         SECTION  11.14  HEADINGS.  The  headings  in  this  Agreement  are  for
convenience  only and  shall  not  limit or  otherwise  affect  any of the terms
hereof.

         SECTION 11.15 WAIVER OF TRIAL BY JURY.  The parties hereto hereby waive
trial by jury in any action or  proceeding to which both of them may be parties,
arising out of or in any way  pertaining  to (a) this  Agreement,  (b) the Loan,
Obligations, and Collateral which are the subject of this Agreement, and (c) any
and all notes, guarantees, assignments or agreements of any kind relating to the
Loan. It is agreed and understood that this waiver constitutes a waiver of trial
by jury of all  claims  against  all  parties to such  actions  or  proceedings,
including claims against parties who are not parties to this Agreement.

         This waiver is knowingly, willingly and voluntarily made by each of the
parties hereto, and the parties hereby represent that no representations of fact
or opinion  have been made by any  individual  to induce this waiver of trial by
jury  or to in any way  modify  or  nullify  its  effect.  The  parties  further
represent  that they have been  represented in the signing of this Agreement and
in the making of this waiver by independent legal counsel, selected of their own
free will,  and that they have had the  opportunity  to discuss this waiver with
counsel.

         SECTION 11.16 LIABILITY OF THE LENDER.  The Borrower hereby agrees that
the Lender shall not be chargeable for any negligence,  mistake, act or omission
of any accountant,  examiner,  agency or attorney employed by the Lender (except
for the willful  misconduct  of any person,  corporation,  partnership  or other
entity  employed  by the  Lender)  in  making  examinations,  investigations  or
collections,  or otherwise in perfecting,  maintaining,  protecting or realizing
upon any lien or security  interest or any other  interest in the  Collateral or
other security for the Obligations.



                  [REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]


                                       38





         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  parties  hereto  have signed and sealed this
Agreement on the day and year first above written.

                                             Borrower:

WITNESS OR ATTEST:                           FORENSIC TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL
                                             CORPORATION


- --------------------------                   By:
                                                --------------------------(SEAL)
                                                Name:
                                                Title:

                                             Subsidiaries:
  
WITNESS OR ATTEST:                           TEKLICON, INC.


__________________________                   By:
                                                --------------------------(SEAL)
                                                Name:
                                                Title:

                                             Lender:

WITNESS:                                     NATIONSBANK, N.A.


__________________________                   By:/s/ Barbara P. Levy
                                                --------------------------(SEAL)
                                              Barbara P. Levy
                                              Vice President



                                       39










                                  Exhibit 23.1

                         CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form
S-8 No.  333-19251)  pertaining  to the  1992  Stock  Option  Plan  of  Forensic
Technologies  International  Corporation  of our report dated  January 31, 1997,
with respect to the consolidated  financial statements of Forensic  Technologies
International  Corporation  included in the Annual  Report (Form 10-KSB) for the
year ended December 31, 1996.



/s/ Ernst & Young


Baltimore, Maryland
March 26, 1997













 


5 1 US DOLLARS 12-MOS DEC-31-1996 JAN-01-1996 DEC-31-1996 1 5,893,897 0 9,679,868 376,316 332,828 16,246,328 9,730,435 5,624,060 20,868,425 2,934,613 0 0 0 45,169 17,583,409 20,868,425 30,647,985 30,647,985 17,020,021 27,806,442 0 0 179,523 2,948,721 1,235,194 1,713,527 0 0 0 1,713,527 0.45 0.42