RFI for MRI Scanner Enhancement Software

Bristol & Weston NHS Purchasing Consortium (BWPC) on behalf of University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is doing a pre-market engagement activity where the Trust is looking to engage with qualitied and experienced service providers who can offer a proven solution for a MRI Scanner Enhancement Software.

UHBW Radiology provides diagnostic imaging for many imaging modalities including Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) which encompasses all types of examinations including Emergency Department, Inpatient, Outpatient and referrals primary care.

UHBW provides a wide range of complex MRI examinations which can require the patient to lie still for up to 1hour.

The demand for these very complex examinations has significantly increased, so patients are waiting longer for their examinations especially on the Weston General site only a single MRI scanner is available to accommodate the demand.

In 2023 NHS England (NHSE) provided National funding to procure accelerator software which enables the MRI scanner to reduce scan times while maintaining image quality.

This was widely taken up nationally but was only applicable to new MRI systems.

The Trust is now having 2 MRI systems (1.5T Siemens Magnetom Advanto Refit) which were installed in 2010 and refurbed in 2018, were too old for the funded software.

But as the Trust is in desperate need of improving patient throughput due to rising demand, they would still like to explore what supplier(s) is/are able to provide this accelerator software solution for their 2 legacy scanners in clinical use.

Suppliers are requested to provide a response via the SAP Ariba portal via https://discovery.ariba.com/rfx/20118144.

A questionnaire has been provided to request some further information.

Suppliers may be required to do the registration to the SAP Ariba portal before proceeding to the questionnaire.

If you have any question to access the portal, please kindly email to Eric Chan at eric.chan@nbt.nhs.uk.