Cost-plus and market-based pricing. Florida Temps, a large labor contractor, supplies contract labor to building-construction companies. For 2012, Florida Temps has budgeted to supply 84,000 hours of contract labor. Its variable costs are $13 per hour, and its fixed costs are $168,000. Roger Mason, the general manager, has proposed a cost-plus approach for pricing labor at full cost plus 20%.

Required

1. Calculate the price per hour that Florida Temps should charge based on Mason’s proposal.

2. The marketing manager supplies the following information on demand levels at different prices:

Price per Hour Demand (Hours)

$16..........124,000

17.........104,000

18...........84,000

19...........74,000

20..........61,000

Florida Temps can meet any of these demand levels. Fixed costs will remain unchanged for all the demand levels. On the basis of this additional information, calculate the price per hour that Florida

Temps should charge to maximize operating income.

3. Comment on your answers to requirements 1 and 2. Why are they the same or different?