(VEAT Notice) - Helium-4 Optically Pumped Magnetometer (OPM-MEG) Supply, Installation, Service and Maintenance

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Aston University is putting out this notice as a VEAT (Voluntary Ex ante Transparency Notice). It is the intention of Aston University to award a 5-year contract for the supply, installation, service and maintenance of a Helium-4 Optically Pumped Magnetometer MEG system (OPM-MEG) to Mag4Health from February 2024 to January 2029. Aston University intends to award the contract without a call for competition in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ((32.2(b) ii. • The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason: • absence of competition for technical reasons Aston University will carry out extensive clinical trials during this period and requires an OPM-MEG that can be operated up to 8 hours a day, with examinations lasting up to 2 hours on a subject. The Helium OPM-MEG technology dissipates 20 mW per sensor, unlike the Rubidium OPM-MEG, which dissipates about 500 mW to heat the Rubidium at 150°C. The absence of heating will make it simpler for us to operate the system for long periods without the need to actively remove heat. Helium OPM technology is being used in space (e.g. satellites) at the moment and has been proven to work continuously for 10 years. Although other manufacturers of OPM-MEG systems exist, they do not supply Helium OPM-MEG and for this reason, we have determined that Mag4Health are the only available supplier in the market. The negotiated contract value estimate reflects a long-term collaboration between Mag4Health and Aston University. The University will not enter the proposed contract before 31 October 2023.

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