Prime Bank is offering your company the use of their cash collection service. They estimate that by speeding up your access to cash you can receive benefits with a present value of $1,138,500. The current cost of money is .011% per day. Prime Bank will charge your firm an annual fee of $27,500 (paid at the end of each year) plus a $39.60 processing fee (paid daily).

Required: Assume a 365-day year.

a. What discount rate should you use to discount the $27,500 annual fee?

b. Without prejudice to your part a answer, assume the annual discount rate is 4%. What is the present value of the annual cost of Prime Banks services in perpetuity?

c. What is the present value of the daily processing fee in perpetuity?

d. What is the net present value of the proposed service? Should your company use the service?

e. What would be the net present value of the proposed service if the annual fee were to grow at a 2% rate -- the annual discount rate is still 4% from part b? Should your company use the service?