Request for information – Therapy level Co-60 gamma radiation sources

The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) and the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) in Finland host the national metrology laboratories for ionizing radiation. Both laboratories use Gammabeam X-200 Co-60 units by Best Theratronics with high activity Co-60 sources for radiotherapy level calibrations. The Co-60 sources were installed more than 10 years ago and need to be renewed. The authorities therefore now consider to organize a joint tender invitation for replacement of these sources. This Request for Information (RFI) is not a procurement notice or an invitation to tender invitation. It is intended to gather information if there are parties that are capable and interested to provide the sources and services in question, and to provide them with an opportunity to express their interest of a potentially upcoming a call for tenders. No economic compensation will be given for participating in this RFI. The publication of the RFI does not obligate the contracting entity to carry out the actual procurement. Responding to the RFI is not a requirement for participation in any potential future bidding competition. A procurement notice and an invitation to tender may be published later.

The contractor should deliver and replace the existing Co-60 sources at SSM and STUK with new Co-60 sources in the Gammabeam X-200 equipment at the laboratories in Sweden and Finland. The activity of each of the new sources should be at least 400 TBq after installation. The contractor will also be responsible for transport to and arrangements for waste disposal of the replaced sources. SSM and STUK therefore jointly ask potentially interested parties of the following information. 1. Are you able to provide and deliver two (2) high activity Co-60 sources of 400 TBq each to the final destinations at the laboratories in Sweden and Finland? 2. Are you able to install the sources into the existing Gammabeam X-200 equipment on site at each laboratory? 3. Are you able to transport and organize for waste disposal of the old sources in accordance to Swedish and Finnish legislation? 4. What is the approximate time schedule for delivery of the sources (e.g. x months after signing of contract)? 5. Do you see any specific benefits (e.g. economical or technical) of a coordinated procurement? 6. Do you have any other relevant information that you would like to make us aware of? We kindly ask the written replies to the questions above to be given in English 28th by September in 2023 via e-mail: jan.lillhok@ssm.se and reetta.nylund@stuk.fi If you are able to provide sources and services as described above, but need more time to for a detailed reply you should note this in your answers. For further information please contact: Jan Lillhök (jan.lillhok@ssm.se), Reetta Nylund (reetta.nylund@stuk.fi)