Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) has invited bids for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of a 100 MW grid-connected solar power project (Phase-II) for the Gujarat State Electricity Corporation (GSECL) at Raghanesda solar park for ten years.

The last date to submit the bids is April 1, 2023. Bids will be opened on the same day.

The estimated cost of the contract, including GST, is ₹114.94 million (~$1.39 million).

Bidders will have to submit ₹1 million (~$12,102) as an earnest money deposit. The successful bidder must furnish an amount equivalent to 5% of the contract value as a security deposit.

Bidders should have completed one similar work costing not less than ₹91.95 million (~$1.11 million) or two similar works, each costing not less than ₹57.47 million (~$695,496), or three similar works, each costing not less than ₹45.98 million (~$556,445) during the last seven years.

Alternatively, bidders should have completed one similar work having a capacity not less than 80% of the total project capacity (i.e., 80 MW), or two similar works, each having a capacity of 50% of the total project capacity (i.e., 50 MW), or three similar works, each having a capacity not less than 40% of the total project capacity (i.e., 40 MW) for a minimum of one year.

The average annual financial turnover of bidders during the last three years should be at least 30% of the total contract value, i.e., ₹34.48 million (~$417,274).

The contractor should not sub-contract or transfer or assign the contract in full or any part thereof to any other person, firm, or company without BHEL’s approval.

A penalty of 0.5% per week of delay on the value of the work order will be levied if the vendor fails to start the O&M work within two weeks of the date of the notice.

Last month, BHEL invited bids for the O&M of 12.5 MW of solar projects installed at its facility in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, for one year.

Earlier, BHEL had invited bids for the O&M of a 5 MW solar power project at its facility in Ranipet, Tamil Nadu.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Tender Tracker, BHEL has so far floated O&M tenders for 1,024 MW of solar power projects.