Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), a government of India undertaking, has invited bids for the installation of a module washing system for NTPC’s 22 MW floating solar project at Kayamkulam in Kerala.

The module washing system will be installed at Rajiv Gandhi Combined Cycle Power Project (RGCCPP) at Kayamkulam in Kerala. As per the contract, the bidder will also have to take care of the operation and maintenance (O&M) work of the commissioned module washing system for three months.

The last date to submit the bids is December 02, 2020, and the part-I bid opening will take place on the same date.

To participate in the bidding process, the bidder should have completed similar works in the last five years or should have executed the balance of system (BoS) and O&M works for solar power projects involving both supply, installation, and commissioning.

Regarding the financial criteria, the bidder’s average annual financial turnover during the last three financial years should be ₹2.2 million (~$29,645).

As per the tender documents, the vendor should design and install an effective module washing system as per the project’s tentative module washing system layout. The water for washing will be arranged through NTPC’s water reservoir. The vendor should supply and install a pump station at the reservoir for drawing water.

The benefits and facilities applicable for micro and small enterprises (MSEs) will be available to MSEs registered with the government designated authorities as per the purchase and price preference policy. The MSE vendors quoting within a price band of L1 + 15% will be allowed to supply up to 25% of the requirement against the tender. Out of the 25% capacity, 3% will be earmarked for women-owned MSEs, and 25% of the 25% (6.25%) will be reserved for SC/ST-owned MSE firms.

The NTPC had floated a tender for the development of this project in June 2018. This project is financed through NTPC’s internal resources. This was an international tender under which engineering procurement construction services were required by NTPC.

In January 2020, BHEL had floated a tender for the design and supply of a solar floatation platform of 22 MW capacity. In this tender, the vendor had to supply floats and float accessories to fix 95,460 PV modules. BHEL had also issued a tender for conducting a detailed survey for a proposed 22 MW floating solar project in Kerala. Then in May, BHEL was looking to procure the balance of systems for the project.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Tender Tracker, BHEL has so far issued 232 MW of tenders to supply BoS components for solar power projects.

Image credit: isifloating