Public procurement notice: Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice
Published: 2017-03-24
Buyer: The University of Birmingham
Country: UK
Region: Birmingham
Contract type: Supplies
Procedure: Contract award without prior publication
CPV classification: 33100000 | 38000000 | 38300000
Estimated value: 410000 GBP
Award criteria: Compliance with the specification

Technical requirements: Compliance with the specification
University of Birmingham has determined that Elekta Neuromag is the only choice to fulfil its magneto-encephalography (MEG) requirements due to several reasons: Many of the features of the Elekta Neuromag are state-of-the art, with no rival in the MEG field. This includes sensor density, sensitivity, and inclusion of simultaneous EEG, various electronics features and software functionality. University of Birmingham, in its efforts to reach a position at the forefront of scientific investigation with MEG, requires that every feature of the MEG be up to date. The MEG will be located at a busy campus setting with other imaging equipment located nearby. 1 of the keys to high-quality functional brain imaging is the accurate measurement of the tiny brain signals in the presence of interference that is billions of times larger. The Elekta Neuromag has unique environmental interference suppression characteristics which are unavailable from any other vendor. This is a function of the shielding used, the MEG hardware itself and proprietary algorithms/software. Elekta maintains patents on each of these aspects.
Furthermore, the Elekta Neuromag noise suppression system is also capable of handling interference arising from impurities on the subjects themselves, such as braces, metallic remnants from previous surgeries (for example in burr holes), etc. Our overarching goal with the instrument is to perform measurement of brain signals from some of the very most challenging subjects. That is children, many of whom will be severely ill. Even with healthy subjects, some will be very young and therefore uncooperative. The MEG technology offered by Elekta is the only 1 available with the capability to monitor head motions and correct the resulting brain signal measurements. We consider this capacity essential to our scientific studies.
Elekta has extensive experience directly applicable to delivery of a turn-key magneto-encephalography laboratory including but not limited to managing construction of purpose-built facility for this purpose with a track record of keeping the time schedule.
No other presently active vendor of magneto-encephalography system is known to have such experience rendering them inadequate considering the requirements and time-line of the project.
University of Birmingham may in the future explore the possibility of entering into a scientific collaboration with the MEG vendor. Elekta has the scientific and technical depth to fulfil its end of such collaboration. Furthermore, it is our intention that the instrument ultimately be cleared for clinical use within the UK. Elekta has the required Quality Assurance, Regulatory Affairs and management staff to ensure that this will be possible. Other possible choices for the collaboration partner have no experience with achieving a CE Mark. Due to the requirement to begin measurements by the end of 2017 with a standard MEG system, University of Birmingham requires that the chosen supplier have experience in delivering fully functional equipment on time. Elekta is committed to provide an MEG system including temporary house. University of Birmingham is unwilling to purchase from a vendor that is able to quote a system specification, but has no demonstrated track record of delivery.
Should the funding body withdraw their support from the Project the University of Birmingham reserves the right to withdraw its requirement off the market.