A maintenance manager is attempting to plan the maintenance workload for the coming nine months. He has obtained a forecast of expected maintenance demand for the planning horizon. The plan must deal with highly seasonal demand; demand is relatively high in periods $3$ and $4,$ and again in period $8,$ as can be seen from the following forecasts.

The department now has $22$ full$-$time employees, each of whom maintains $10$ units per period at a cost of $\backslash (\backslash$$ $6\backslash )$ per unit. There is no carryover work at the start of the first period. Backlog cost is $\backslash (\backslash$$ $10\backslash )$ per unit per period.

a$.$ Will the current workforce be able to handle the forecast demand?

b$.$ Determine the total cost of the plan.