The managers of Quince Products (Problem 1-46) decide they will hire a management accountant to help them analyze the decision to expand their product line. They solicit bids from various accountants in the city and receive three proposals. In describing their qualifications for the job, the three state:

Accountant A: “I have recently advised the symphony on how to raise money and therefore I know the local area well.”
Accountant B: “I have advised several small firms on expansion plans.”
Accountant C: “I have advised Pear Company [Quince’s main competitor] and can share its experiences and insights with you.”

All of the proposals have the same price.

Required
a. As the accounting manager of Quince Products, prepare a memo recommending which accountant you would prefer to retain. Be sure to include your reasons.
b. Which, if any, of the accountants making a proposal are violating the IMA’s code of ethics? What is (are) the violation(s)?

Data From Problem 1-46:

Quince Products is a small company in southern California that makes jams and preserves. Recently, a sales rep from one of the company’s suppliers suggested that Quince could increase its profitability by 50 percent if it introduced a second line of products, packaged fruit. She offered to do the analysis and show the company her assumptions.

When Quince’s management opened the spreadsheet sent by the sales rep, they noticed that there were several blank cells. In the meantime, the sales rep had taken a job with a competitor and told the managers at Quince that she could no longer advise them. Although they were not sure they should rely on the analysis, they asked you to see if you could reconstruct the sales rep’s analysis. They had been considering this new business already and wanted to see if their analysis was close to that of an outside observer. The incomplete spreadsheet follows.

                    

Required
Fill in the blank cells.