Purchasing from an established tech company was the next option explored. Smith obtained a quote of $$25$ million upfront from TechConglomerate, a leading provider of autonomous driving systems. Annual licensing fees were estimated at $$1$ million. Integration, training, and support staffing would add $$300,000,$ $$100,000$ and $$350,000$ respectively each year. Smith projected $$12$ million in annual benefits over five years. However, Smith had concerns about lock$-$in effects and losing control over critical vehicle systems.

Evaluates for the cost effectiveness of the acquisition, considering upfront investment, ongoing costs, and the projected return on investment $($ROI$)$ over a $5-$year horizon and dicount rate $5\%$