X-ray inspection equipment

Tender description

Border Force currently uses a range of detection technologies, including fixed and mobile transmission X-ray, to assist in its operations to detect a range of commodities. These include drugs and chemicals, as well as other dangerous goods and items of security and customs interest, such as currency. The potential length of the contract may be 2 years with an option to extend by a further year. Please note that there will be a need for the supplier to provide 10 years maintenance for the vehicle(s). Border Force is now looking for a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) backscatter X-ray technology from a supplier with a commercial system capable of meeting business needs as per the Border Force mandate and to meet an order for early 20/21 FY. Border Force is mandated to: • Deliver effective intervention in all cases of known threats; • Maximize the detection of unknown threats; and • Facilitate border processes for legitimate travelers, goods and freight to and from the UK. This technology will be used to further improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Border Force operations without affecting flow of traffic across the border. It should therefore facilitate a greater number of searches, offering the ability to discount targets at a greater rate than is currently achievable. This technology would also provide further evidence to allow Border Force to focus on and prioritise targets for further investigation and then assist in carrying out that action. Therefore, there is an interest in a flexible system that will not only triage traffic, but can then subsequently be used to provide more detailed analysis of these prioritised targets to either remove them from interest or help detect commodities that are of interest to Border Force. The technology is required to be inbuilt and integrated in a vehicle borne configuration so it can be utilised in multiple locations quickly with minimum notice. It needs to be operational in busy areas where space may be limited and therefore it is expected that if the system requires an exclusion zone, it must be encompassing a reasonable and manageable area of no greater than 37m. It is essential that the technology is compliant with the Unified File Format, updatable and offers the capability to enable remote monitoring and transfer. The whole system, including the vehicle component, must demonstrate that it can meet EU and UK safety standards and not exceed a weight limit of 3.5 tonnes so it can be driven under a standard full UK driving licence. Border Force complies with the Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017 and expects any technology and vendors to be compliant when providing technologies using ionising radiation. Any UK, EU or international standards that the product meets in respect of the technology should be stated in the response. If multiple suppliers can meet Border Force’s requirements, then a competitive and compliant tender may be pursued under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. If a full tender is pursued, bidders may be expected to provide a full demonstration of their systems in the UK to test feasibility and potential performance as per Border Force business needs. If potential bidders are unable to fulfil this obligation, then it is requested that in response to this Prior Information Notice suppliers provide a response indicating why this is the case and reasonable alternatives to demonstrating in the UK.