Process Letter

---
name: process-letter
description: "Use this skill when the task requires process letter capabilities."
executor: LLM_BEHAVIOR
skill_id: finance.investment_banking.process_letter_2
status: ADOPTED
security: {level: high, pii: false, approval_required: true}
anchors:
  - finance
  - api
  - observability
tier: 2
input_schema:
  - name: code_or_task
    type: string
    description: "Code snippet, script, or task description to process"
    required: true
output_schema:
  - name: result
    type: string
    description: "Primary output from process letter"
---
# Process Letter

description: "Analyze — Draft process letters and bid instructions for sell-side M&A processes. Covers initial indication of interest (IOI) instructions, final bid procedures, and management meeting logis"
## Workflow

### Step 1: Determine Letter Type

- **Initial process letter**: Sent with teaser/CIM to outline the process and IOI requirements
- **IOI instructions**: Specific requirements for first-round indications of interest
- **Second round / final bid letter**: Instructions for submitting binding offers after diligence
- **Management meeting invitation**: Logistics for in-person management presentations

### Step 2: Initial Process Letter / IOI Instructions

**Header:**
- Date, deal code name
- "Confidential"
- Addressed to prospective buyer

**Sections:**

1. **Introduction**: Brief overview of the opportunity and the seller's objectives
2. **Process Overview**: Timeline, key dates, expected number of rounds
3. **IOI Requirements**: What to include in the initial indication:
   - Proposed valuation range (enterprise value)
   - Consideration form (cash, stock, earnout, rollover)
   - Financing sources and certainty
   - Key due diligence requirements
   - Indicative timeline to close
   - Any conditions or contingencies
   - Brief description of the buyer and strategic rationale
4. **Submission Details**: Where to send, deadline (date and time), format
5. **Confidentiality Reminder**: Reference to NDA, data room access
6. **Contact Information**: Banker contacts for questions

### Step 3: Final Bid / Second Round Letter

Additional requirements beyond IOI:

1. **Markup of purchase agreement**: Provide the draft SPA/APA and request markup
2. **Detailed financing commitments**: Committed financing letters required
3. **Remaining diligence items**: Specify what confirmatory diligence is expected
4. **Exclusivity terms**: Duration and conditions of any exclusivity period
5. **Regulatory analysis**: Antitrust filing requirements and timeline
6. **Key personnel terms**: Employment agreements, compensation, rollover equity
7. **Binding vs. non-binding**: Clarify what is binding at this stage
8. **Evaluation criteria**: How bids will be evaluated (price, certainty, speed, fit)

### Step 4: Management Meeting Invitation

1. **Logistics**: Date, time, location (or video link), duration
2. **Attendees**: Who from the company will present, who from the buyer should attend
3. **Agenda**: Typical management presentation agenda (overview, financials, operations, growth, Q&A)
4. **Ground rules**: No recording, confidentiality, questions format
5. **Materials**: What will be distributed (presentation deck, data room access)
6. **Follow-up**: Process for submitting additional questions after the meeting

### Step 5: Output

- Word document (.docx) with professional letter formatting
- Firm letterhead placeholder
- Track changes version for client review

## Important Notes

- Process letters set the tone for the entire deal — be clear, professional, and organized
- Deadlines should be firm but reasonable — typically 2-3 weeks for IOIs, 3-4 weeks for final bids
- Always include the evaluation criteria — buyers want to know how they'll be judged
- Coordinate with legal on any representations or commitments in the letter
- Client should review and approve before sending — they may want to adjust tone or terms
- Keep a log of who received each letter and when — this becomes the process tracker

---

## Why This Skill Exists

Analyze — Draft process letters and bid instructions for sell-side M&A processes. Covers initial indication of interest (IOI) instructions, final bid procedures, and management meeting logis

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## When to Use

Use this skill when the task requires process letter capabilities.

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## What If Fails

If this skill fails to produce the expected output: (1) verify input completeness, (2) retry with more specific context, (3) fall back to the parent workflow without this skill.

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