Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund 10-K

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures. Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures As of December 31, 2020 (the end of the period covered by this report), we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) and our Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer), of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act). Based on that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer have concluded that our current disclosure controls and procedures are effective in timely alerting them of material information relating to the Company that is required to be disclosed by us in the reports we file or submit under the Exchange Act. Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act). The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed under the supervision of its Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) and effected by the Board of Directors, management and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of its consolidated financial statements for external reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting includes policies and procedures that pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect transactions and dispositions of the Company’s assets; provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and the directors; and provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. In addition, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. Management conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020 based on the framework established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this assessment, management concluded that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020 was effective. Attestation Report of the Registered Public Accounting Firm The independent registered public accounting firm that audited our consolidated financial statements has not issued an audit report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, due to exemptions for non-accelerated filers under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and for emerging growth companies under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, as amended. Item 9B. Other Information None. 113 Table of Contents PART III Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance Information in response to this item is incorporated by reference from our Proxy Statement relating to our 2021 annual meeting of stockholders. The Proxy Statement will be filed with the SEC within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Form 10-K pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act. Information relating to our and the Adviser’s codes of ethics, which apply to, among others, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, is included in “Part I, Item 1. Business-Regulation-Code of Ethics” of this Form 10-K. Item 11. Executive Compensation Information in response to this item is incorporated by reference from our Proxy Statement relating to our 2021 annual meeting of stockholders. Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters Information in response to this item is incorporated by reference from our Proxy Statement relating to our 2021 annual meeting of stockholders. Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence Information in response to this item is incorporated by reference from our Proxy Statement relating to our 2021 annual meeting of stockholders. Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services Information in response to this item is incorporated by reference from our Proxy Statement relating to our 2021 annual meeting of stockholders. 114 Table of Contents PART IV Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules (a) Documents filed as part of this report (b) Exhibits The following exhibits are filed as part of this report or hereby incorporated by reference to exhibits previously filed with the SEC: Exhibit Description 3.1 Form of Certificate of Incorporation (1) 3.2 Form of Bylaws (1) 4.1* Description of Securities . 10.1 Form of Investment Advisory Agreement (1) 10.2 Form of Waiver Letter Agreement to the Investment Advisory Agreement (1) 10.3 Form of Administration Agreement (1) 10.4 Form of Custody Agreement (1) 10.5 Form of License Agreement (1) 10.6 Form of Indemnification Agreement (1) 10.7 Dividend Reinvestment Plan (1) 10.8 Form of Subscription Agreement (1) 10.9 Credit Agreement, dated as of December 31, 2019, among Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund, CIBC Bank USA, as administrative agent, and the various financial institutions party thereto (2) 10.10 Amendment No. 1 to Credit Agreement and Lender Joinder, dated as of February 3, 2020, among Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund, CIBC Bank USA, as administrative agent, and the financial institutions party thereto ( 3 ) 10.11* Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Lender Joinder, dated as of November 17, 2020, among Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund, CIBC Bank USA, as administrative agent, and the financial institutions party thereto 10.12 Revolving Credit and Security Agreement, dated as of October 14, 2020, among DLF Financing SPV LLC, as borrower, the lenders from time to time parties thereto, BNP Paribas, as administrative agent and lender, Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund, as equityholder and servicer, and U.S. Bank National Association, as collateral agent ( 4 ) 10.13 Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated as of October 14, 2020, between DLF Financing SPV LLC, as purchaser, and Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund, as seller ( 4 ) 10.14* Amendment No. 1 to Revolving Credit and Security Agreement, dated as of December 11, 2020, among DLF Financing SPV LLC, as borrower, the lenders from time to time parties thereto, BNP Paribas, as administrative agent and lender, Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund, as equity holder and servicer, and U.S. Bank National Association, as collateral agent 10.15* Amendment No. 2 to Revolving Credit and Security Agreement, dated as of March 2, 2021, among DLF Financing SPV LLC, as borrower, the lenders from time to time parties thereto, BNP Paribas, as administrative agent and lender, Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund, as equity holder and servicer, and U.S. Bank National Association, as collateral agent 14.1 Code of Ethics of Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund ( 1) 14.2 Code of Ethics of MS Capital Partners Adviser Inc. (1) 21.1* Subsidiaries of the Registrant. 31.1* Certification of Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) Pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. 31.2* Certification of Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) Pursuant to Rule 13a-14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. 32.1* Certification of Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. 32.2* Certification of Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. * Filed herewith (1) Incorporated by reference to the Company’s Form 10-12G/A filed by the Company on November 19, 2019 (File No. 000-56098) 115 Table of Contents Exhibit Description (2) Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed by the Company on January 7, 2020 (File No. 814-01332) (3) Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed by the Company on March 20, 2020 (File No. 814-01332) (4) Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed by the Company on October 20, 2020 (File No. 814-01332) 116 Table of Contents SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized. MORGAN STANLEY DIRECT LENDING FUND Dated: March 19, 2021 By /s/ Jeffrey S. Levin Jeffrey S. Levin Director and Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) 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 dates indicated. Dated: March 19, 2021 By: /s/ Jeffrey S. Levin Jeffrey S. Levin Director and Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) Dated: March 19, 2021 By: /s/ Venugopal Rathi Venugopal Rathi Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer) Dated: March 19, 2021 By: /s/ David Miller David Miller Chairman of the Board of Directors Dated: March 19, 2021 By: /s/ Joan Binstock Joan Binstock Director Dated: March 19, 2021 By: /s/ Bruce Frank Bruce Frank Director Dated: March 19, 2021 By: /s/ Kevin Shannon Kevin Shannon Director Dated: March 19, 2021 By: /s/ Adam Metz Adam Metz Director 117