What to Include in a Mobile Cath Lab RFP

A hospital preparing to rent a mobile cath lab needs more than a price and an available trailer.



The hospital needs to know whether the temporary lab can support its procedures, fit the site, integrate with existing systems, arrive on schedule, support staff workflow, and remain available for the full project period.

A well-written mobile cath lab RFP helps procurement teams compare vendors against the same requirements instead of evaluating proposals that describe completely different solutions.

The RFP should therefore be developed with input from more than procurement alone.

Cath lab leadership, facilities, IT, clinical engineering, project management, infection prevention, finance, and other appropriate hospital stakeholders may all have requirements that affect the temporary lab.

Hospitals still defining the type of temporary solution they need can review Atlas Medical's mobile cath lab rental solutions before developing the RFP.

An RFP can become overly focused on equipment specifications before vendors understand why the hospital needs temporary capacity.



Begin by describing the project.

Provide enough information for a prospective vendor to understand:

• Why the permanent cath lab will be unavailable
• Expected shutdown date
• Required temporary go-live date
• Anticipated rental duration
• Renovation or replacement schedule
• Expected procedure volume
• Proposed location for the temporary lab
• Known site limitations
• Expected project milestones
• Possibility of schedule extensions

This context matters because a mobile cath lab rental is part of a larger hospital project.

For renovation and replacement projects, the temporary and permanent timelines should be coordinated rather than managed independently.

Atlas Medical's existing Mobile Cath Lab Rental Timeline provides a useful overview of the stages hospitals may need to coordinate from initial planning through clinical go-live.

1. Define the Clinical Requirements

Before specifying a particular system, define what the temporary lab actually needs to support.

The RFP can ask vendors to confirm whether the proposed configuration is appropriate for the hospital's intended clinical use.

Information may include:

• Types of procedures expected
• Estimated case volume
• Physician requirements
• Existing cath lab platform
• Preferred imaging manufacturer
• Required clinical applications
• Supporting equipment requirements
• Patient types expected
• Expected hours of operation

This information helps prevent a common procurement problem:

Comparing units based on availability and price without first confirming that they fit the hospital's clinical workflow.

Atlas Medical's Temporary Cath Lab Options resource provides additional context on temporary configurations and the equipment hospitals may consider when planning procedural continuity.

2. Specify the Imaging System

"Mobile cath lab" is not a complete equipment specification.

The RFP should clearly state the hospital's requirements or ask vendors to provide detailed information about the proposed imaging system.

Request information such as:

• Manufacturer
• System model
• Software version
• Detector configuration
• Installed clinical packages
• Available imaging applications
• System age or installation information when relevant
• Configuration of the proposed temporary lab

If the hospital prefers a specific OEM, state that preference.

Atlas Medical's current mobile cath lab fleet includes imaging systems from major manufacturers such as Philips, Siemens, Canon, and GE.

The hospital may also want to explain what equipment its staff currently uses.

If the permanent department operates on Philips equipment, for example, maintaining a similar platform temporarily may reduce the amount of change the clinical team experiences during the transition.

3. Ask Vendors to Describe the Complete Temporary Lab

The imaging system is only one component of the solution.

Procurement should understand exactly what is included in the proposed mobile environment.

Ask the vendor to describe:

• Procedure room
• Imaging system
• Patient table
• Displays and monitors
• Control area
• Patient entry
• Staff entry
• Scrub facilities when applicable
• HVAC
• Storage
• Patient lift or accessibility equipment when applicable
• Included supporting equipment
• Optional equipment

If the vendor offers multiple configurations, require each option to be clearly identified.

That makes it easier to determine whether two proposals are actually comparable.

4. Include Unit Dimensions and Site Requirements

A mobile cath lab may meet the hospital's clinical requirements and still be unusable if the site cannot accommodate it.

The RFP should request the physical specifications of the proposed unit.

Ask for:

• Overall length
• Width
• Height
• Expanded dimensions when applicable
• Weight
• Required parking or pad area
• Leveling requirements
• Delivery clearances
• Turning requirements
• Patient-entry configuration
• Staff-entry configuration
• Required distance from the hospital
• Access requirements for delivery and removal

The vendor should also identify the infrastructure the hospital is expected to provide.

For example, Atlas Medical's Philips Azurion site preparation checklist covers considerations involving footprint, delivery access, electrical service, networking, utilities, and other site-specific requirements.

Actual requirements vary by unit and project, so the RFP should require specifications for the exact unit being proposed rather than assuming one checklist applies to every mobile cath lab.

5. Define Electrical and Utility Responsibilities

Temporary imaging equipment requires appropriate infrastructure.

The RFP should clearly separate what the hospital provides from what the vendor provides.

Ask the vendor to specify:

• Required voltage
• Phase
• Amperage
• Connection type
• Cable requirements
• Maximum cable distance
• Generator considerations
• Water requirements
• Drain requirements
• HVAC requirements
• Medical gas requirements, if applicable
• Other required utilities

Avoid writing only:

"Hospital will provide power."

Instead, require the vendor to state exactly what electrical infrastructure the proposed unit requires.

Facilities and electrical teams can then evaluate the requirement before the contract is awarded.

6. Require a Site-Planning Process

A strong RFP should ask more than whether the unit will "fit."

Ask vendors to explain their site-planning process.

Questions may include:

• Is a remote site review available?
• Is an on-site survey available?
• Who reviews the proposed location?
• Are site drawings provided?
• Who confirms delivery access?
• Who confirms final placement?
• What documentation must the hospital submit?
• How are site deficiencies communicated?
• When must site readiness be completed?

This can be particularly important when the temporary lab needs to arrive before a permanent cath lab is shut down.

Site problems discovered late in the project can affect deployment.

7. Include Patient and Staff Workflow Requirements

A technically suitable parking location is not necessarily an operationally suitable location.

The RFP should explain how the hospital expects patients and staff to use the temporary lab.

Consider:

• Patient route from the hospital
• Stretcher access
• Wheelchair access
• Staff access
• Supply movement
• Patient preparation
• Recovery location
• Emergency response
• Weather exposure
• Communication with hospital departments
• Connection between the temporary and permanent facility

Ask vendors to describe how their proposed unit supports these requirements.

The temporary lab may be used for months, so day-to-day workflow deserves consideration during procurement rather than after delivery.

8. Define IT, PACS, EHR, and Network Requirements

IT should be included in the RFP process early.

Atlas Medical states that its mobile cath labs can connect with existing PACS/EHR environments.

The hospital should still document its own technical requirements and ask the vendor to identify what is necessary for the proposed system.

The RFP may request information about:

• Network connections
• PACS connectivity
• DICOM workflow
• Worklist requirements
• EHR connectivity when applicable
• Network drops
• Remote support connectivity
• Cybersecurity requirements
• Vendor access
• Testing responsibilities
• Go-live support

The RFP should also identify who is responsible for each part of the integration.

Vendor responsibility + hospital IT responsibility + testing responsibility

should be clear before deployment.

9. Ask What Applications Training Is Included

Experienced cath lab technologists may still need training when moving onto a different imaging system or temporary environment.

The RFP should ask:

• Is applications training included?
• How many training days are included?
• Is training performed on-site?
• What OEM/system experience does the specialist have?
• How many staff members can participate?
• Can multiple shifts be supported?
• Is training available before go-live?
• Is go-live support available?
• Is additional training available if needed?
• What is the cost of additional training?

Hospitals requiring additional system-specific support can also review Atlas Medical's Imaging Applications Training & Technologist Staffing.

Applications support and clinical staffing should be treated as separate requirements if the hospital needs both.

10. Define Service and Maintenance Expectations

The hospital should understand what happens if the temporary imaging system has a technical problem during the rental.

Ask vendors to explain:

• Service coverage
• Support hours
• Technical support process
• Response expectations
• Preventive maintenance responsibilities
• Parts support
• Remote service capabilities
• On-site service availability
• Escalation process
• After-hours procedures
• Responsibility for equipment downtime

Avoid relying only on general statements such as:

"Full service included."

Ask the vendor to define what that means.

11. Request Documentation Before Award

Procurement, clinical engineering, facilities, risk management, and other hospital teams may require documentation before approving a vendor.

Rather than requesting these documents one at a time later, identify them in the RFP.

Depending on hospital requirements, requested documentation might include:

• Equipment specifications
• Unit drawings
• Utility requirements
• Service documentation
• Insurance documentation
• Vendor credentials
• Equipment records
• Preventive maintenance information
• Training documentation
• Site-preparation documentation
• Other hospital-required vendor information

The exact list should come from the hospital's own policies and procurement requirements.

12. Make the Project Schedule Part of the Vendor Response

Do not ask only:

"Can you deliver by this date?"

Ask the vendor to provide a proposed project schedule.

The response might identify milestones such as:

Award

→ Site review

→ Final equipment confirmation

→ Site preparation

→ IT coordination

→ Delivery

→ Installation/setup

→ Testing

→ Applications training

→ Hospital readiness activities

→ Clinical go-live

This makes it easier to compare how each vendor plans to move from contract award to operational readiness.

Hospitals can use the Mobile Cath Lab Rental Timeline: What Hospitals Should Plan For as a supporting planning resource when developing these milestones.

13. Address Rental Duration and Extension Terms

Hospital construction schedules can change.

The permanent cath lab may not reopen exactly when originally planned.

The RFP should therefore ask vendors to define:

• Minimum rental term
• Initial rental period
• Monthly extension options
• Extension notice requirements
• Availability beyond the original term
• Early termination terms
• Mobilization charges
• Demobilization charges
• Other schedule-related costs

This information can be just as important as the initial monthly rental rate.

A low monthly price may become less attractive if the project requires an extension and the commercial terms change substantially.

14. Make Pricing Comparable

One of the most important functions of an RFP is making proposals easier to compare.

Ask vendors to separate major cost components rather than providing only one total.

A pricing response might include:

The hospital can customize this structure based on its procurement policies.



The important point is consistency.

If every vendor responds to the same pricing categories, procurement has a much clearer basis for comparison.

15. Ask Vendors to State Hospital Responsibilities



A strong proposal should explain what the vendor does not provide as clearly as what it does.

Ask each vendor to list the hospital's responsibilities.

These may involve:

• Site preparation
• Electrical work
• Network installation
• Water/drain connections
• Permits
• Inspections
• Accessibility requirements
• Patient pathways
• Hospital credentialing
• IT configuration
• Clinical policies
• Staffing
• Security
• Other project-specific requirements

This reduces the chance of discovering an unassigned responsibility after the contract has already been signed.

For complex projects, consider requiring vendors to complete a responsibility matrix.

The final matrix should reflect the actual agreement.



Its value is simple:

Everyone can see who owns each task.

Hospitals do not have to select the lowest-priced proposal.

The RFP can explain the evaluation criteria in advance.



For example:

Hospitals can assign their own weighting based on project priorities.



For one hospital, OEM familiarity may be critical.

For another, deployment timing may be the deciding factor.

The RFP should make those priorities visible.

18. Don't Evaluate Price Until You Know the Proposals Are Comparable

Consider two hypothetical proposals.

Vendor A proposes a lower monthly rental but excludes applications training, certain service support, and some transportation costs.

Vendor B has a higher monthly rental but includes those items.

Looking only at the monthly rate would not provide a fair comparison.

Procurement should first ask:

Are these vendors proposing equivalent solutions?

Then compare total project costs and commercial terms.

This is why detailed scope requirements are important.

A Practical Mobile Cath Lab RFP Checklist

Before issuing the RFP, confirm that it addresses:

Project

• Project purpose
• Required go-live date
• Expected rental duration
• Permanent project schedule
• Extension possibility

Clinical

• Procedures
• Expected volume
• Physician requirements
• Preferred technology
• Clinical applications

Equipment

• OEM
• Model
• Software
• Detector/configuration
• Supporting equipment
• Unit layout

Site

• Dimensions
• Footprint
• Delivery access
• Electrical requirements
• Utilities
• Patient access
• Staff access

Technology

• PACS
• DICOM
• Worklist
• EHR
• Network
• Cybersecurity
• Testing

Support

• Applications training
• Service
• Maintenance
• Technical support
• Project management

Commercial

• Monthly rental
• Delivery
• Setup
• Removal
• Extensions
• Training costs
• Optional equipment
• Other fees

Responsibilities

• Hospital responsibilities
• Vendor responsibilities
• Shared responsibilities
• Required documentation
• Project milestones

If an important requirement cannot be placed into one of these categories, add it separately rather than leaving it for post-award discussion.

Questions Procurement Teams Can Ask Mobile Cath Lab Vendors

Before finalizing a vendor, consider asking:

1. What exact mobile cath lab configuration are you proposing?
2. What OEM, model, and software will be provided?
3. Is that exact unit available for our required dates?
4. What clinical applications are included?
5. What does our hospital need to prepare before delivery?
6. What are the exact electrical and utility requirements?
7. How will the unit connect with our PACS/EHR environment?
8. What applications training is included?
9. What service and maintenance support is included?
10. Who manages delivery and installation?
11. What happens if our permanent project is delayed?
12. What are the extension terms?
13. What costs are not included in the quoted monthly rate?
14. What documentation will you provide?
15. Who will manage the project from award through removal?

The answers can reveal important differences between proposals that may not be visible from price alone.

Mobile Cath Lab RFP vs. Vendor Quote

An RFP and a vendor quote serve different purposes.

A mobile cath lab RFP defines what the hospital needs and how vendors should respond.

A vendor proposal or quote explains how that vendor intends to meet those requirements and at what cost.

The stronger the RFP, the easier it becomes to evaluate whether the proposal actually meets the hospital's needs.

That is particularly important for temporary cath lab projects because the hospital is not simply renting imaging equipment.

It is coordinating a temporary clinical environment that may need to operate throughout a renovation, replacement, or expansion project.

Planning a Mobile Cath Lab Project With Atlas Medical

Atlas Medical provides mobile cath lab rentals for hospitals that need temporary cardiac and interventional capacity during renovations, equipment upgrades, overflow, and other temporary requirements.

Atlas's current mobile cath lab offering includes systems from major imaging manufacturers, PACS/EHR connectivity, applications training, and support for temporary hospital operations.

Hospitals still deciding which temporary configuration is appropriate can review Temporary Cath Lab Options.

If a larger temporary environment is required, hospitals can also compare modular cath lab solutions.

For hospitals already building a project schedule, the Mobile Cath Lab Rental Timeline provides additional guidance on site readiness, delivery, IT coordination, training, and go-live planning.

These resources can help procurement teams develop a more complete scope before requesting proposals.