XML 71 R23.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.8
Strategic Arrangement
3 Months Ended
Dec. 27, 2013
Strategic Arrangement

16. STRATEGIC ARRANGEMENT

In April 2012, VMS entered into a strategic global partnership with Siemens through which, among other things, the Company and Siemens are working on developing interfaces to enable the Company’s ARIA® oncology information system software to connect with Siemens linear accelerators and imaging systems. Under the agreement establishing this collaboration, the Company committed to make certain payments, including up to $10 million in fixed fees and $20 million in license fees, in the event certain product development milestones are achieved. The Company will also pay for additional licenses beyond the minimum quantities set forth in the agreement. The Company made fixed fees payments to Siemens of $2.0 million during the three months ended December 27, 2013 and as of December 27, 2013 had accrued $0.5 million of the fixed fees under the terms of the agreement. As of December 27, 2013, no amount related to achievement of product development milestones was payable under this agreement.  

In addition, pursuant to this agreement, the Company represents Siemens diagnostic imaging products to radiation oncology clinics in most international markets and in North America, and Siemens, in turn, represents the Company’s equipment and software products for radiotherapy and radiosurgery within its offerings to its healthcare customers in agreed upon countries. The Company receives commissions from Siemens for sales agency activities provided to Siemens and makes commission payments to Siemens for sales agency activities provided to the Company as part of this agreement. The Company incurred commissions expense of approximately $0.2 million during the three months ended December 27, 2013 relating to this agreement. The Company did not incur any commissions expense during the three months ended December 28, 2012 relating to this agreement.  This agreement also provides a framework for both companies to explore opportunities to co-develop new imaging and treatment solutions in the future.