In addition to retaining KPMG LLP to audit the consolidated financial statements for 2000, the Company and its affiliates retained KPMG, as well as other accounting and consulting firms, to provide various consulting services in 2000, and expect to continue to do so in the future. The aggregate fees billed for professional services by KPMG in 2000 for these various services were:

• Audit Fees: $23.9 million for services rendered for the annual audit of the Company's consolidated financial statements for 2000 and the quarterly reviews of the financial statements included in the Company's Forms 10-Q;
• Financial Information Systems Design and Implementation Fees: $11.5 million for services rendered in connection with the design or implementation of hardware or software systems that aggregate source data underlying the financial statements or generate information that is significant to the financial statements taken as a whole; and
• All Other Fees: $13.8 million for tax services; $15.5 million for non-financial statement audit services such as due diligence procedures associated with mergers and acquisitions; and $38.9 million for all other services consisting primarily of information technology consulting and assistance for systems not associated with the financial statements.

Although the Company expects to continue to retain KPMG and other firms to assist in the design and implementation of its financial information systems, GE managers make all management decisions with respect to such systems, and are responsible for evaluating the adequacy of such systems and for establishing and maintaining the Company's system of internal accounting controls.