By Vvon Engineering Team | Published | Updated
Planned maintenance and breakdown response are two different purchases. How to write an AMC that names the spare parts, holds them inside the country, and is priced against what a day of downtime really costs you.
Medical equipment RFQ checklist (TXT)
Equipment downtime can arise from faults, missing parts, incomplete records or an unclear service arrangement. A useful annual maintenance contract identifies the assets, permitted work, response process, parts coverage and responsibilities before a breakdown occurs.
Two different services get bundled under one three letter abbreviation and then argued about at renewal. Planned preventive maintenance is scheduled work carried out whether or not anything is wrong: inspection, measurement, cleaning, replacement of wear items before they fail, and a written record of readings. Breakdown response is what happens when the machine stops. A contract that covers one and not the other is not automatically a bad contract, but you should know which one you have signed.
The commercial logic differs too. Breakdown response is an option on the supplier's engineer time, priced according to how quickly you want that option exercised. When a quotation looks unusually low, read the response clause before congratulating yourself.
A planned visit should leave a dated report identifying the device, work performed, required measurements, acceptance criteria and unresolved defects. Trends can support maintenance decisions, but not every fault is preceded by measurable drift.
Set maintenance intervals from the manufacturer’s instructions, applicable requirements, equipment risk, use and operating environment. Time, cycle and condition-based tasks may all apply; a local risk assessment should not silently replace a mandatory manufacturer task.
Parts coverage, availability and service competence can affect restoration time. Define each element of the proposed contract and how unavailable or obsolete components will be handled.
Imported parts can extend repair time through sourcing, freight and clearance. Ask for the current location, availability and expected lead time of critical parts; neither a universal delay nor local stock should be assumed.
Agree critical spares by part number and the consequences of failure. For a bed this may include controls and actuators; for lighting, a permitted light-source or suspension service part; for a steriliser, specified seals or controls. Confirm exact compatibility, storage location, price and replenishment commitments with the supplier rather than treating these examples as a manufacturer’s parts list.
Calibration establishes the relationship between a device indication and a reference under stated conditions, including uncertainty. It differs from maintenance, adjustment and a pass/fail verification. The required tolerance and intended use determine how the result is assessed.
Ask for the relevant measurement range, method, results, uncertainty and traceability. Where accreditation is required, check that the laboratory’s scope covers the measurement, not simply that a logo appears on the report.
Request as-found results and, if adjustment is performed, as-left results where applicable. An out-of-tolerance finding may require a documented impact assessment; a single calibration result cannot establish that all previous clinical results were valid or invalid.
| Equipment | What gets calibrated | Why the reading matters |
|---|---|---|
| Steam steriliser | Chamber temperature and pressure sensors, cycle timer | Compare the measured parameters with the specified tolerance and validated process; a display alone does not establish sterilisation. |
| Laboratory incubator and water bath | Temperature at the working position, plus the gradient across the chamber | The spread across a chamber is often wider than the offset at the setpoint, and it moves results |
| Centrifuge | Rotational speed and timer | Protocols are written in relative centrifugal force, so a speed error changes the sample without changing the display |
| Dialysis chair with integrated weighing, such as the Comfort-3 Scale or Comfort-4 Scale | Weighing platform against certified masses | The renal team uses verified weight measurements within its clinical protocol; a scale’s resolution is not the same as measurement accuracy. |
| Radiotherapy dosimetry equipment | Chambers and electrometers against a secondary standard | Every measurement downstream in the treatment chain inherits the error |
Assess downtime using the hospital’s own activity and cost records. Avoid double-counting costs already included in a contribution-margin calculation, and separate financial loss from patient-service and safety consequences.
Use risk, utilisation, available in-house competence and contractual costs to choose the support arrangement. Even manual furniture needs inspection and maintenance; whether it needs an external contract is a local decision.
| Clause | What to agree |
|---|---|
| Response | The logging channel, clock start, remote assessment and any on-site response window, including working hours and travel. |
| Restoration | Feasibility, parts dependencies, escalation and any agreed restoration target or temporary arrangement. Do not assume every fault can have a guaranteed fix time. |
| Planned maintenance | The manufacturer- and risk-based tasks, schedule, responsible personnel and handling of missed work. |
| Reporting | A dated report with asset identity, work, required measurements, defects and recommendations in an agreed retrievable format. |
| Parts | Exact coverage, stock commitments if offered, lead-time assumptions, substitutions and exclusions. |
| Renewal | Price basis, scope changes, cancellation and any review or adjustment terms. |
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