Gujarat Power Corporation Limited (GPCL) has issued an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) tender to install a minimum of 1 MW of rooftop solar projects at Sun Temple and Modhera town and the surrounding project affected area in the Mehsana district of the state.

The last date to submit online bids is February 28, 2022. The pre-bid meetings will take place on February 11 and February 15. GPCL will communicate the bid opening date to technically qualified bidders.

Bidders must furnish ₹1.86 million (~$24,821) as an earnest money deposit. In addition, the successful bidder should also submit 10% of the EPC contract value, excluding Goods and Services Tax (GST), as a performance bank guarantee within two weeks after the issuance of the letter of intent.

The scope of work includes the development of a smart integrated energy project that comprises 1,000 residential rooftop solar systems with a 1 kW capacity each in Modhera, Sujanpura, and Samalaiyapara village households in the Mehsana district. Of this, a minimum of 500 systems should be grid-connected. The vendors must also install 250 kW of rooftop solar systems on various government buildings in aforesaid villages in the district.

The bidders will be responsible for the design, engineering, supply, procurement, construction, erection, testing, and commissioning of the overall 1 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar systems. After commissioning these projects, the successful bidder must also provide comprehensive operation and maintenance services for ten years.

To participate in the competitive bidding process, bidders must have installed and commissioned rooftop solar projects totaling 500 kW or above capacity after April 1, 2016.

In the last three financial years, bidders’ net worth should not be less than ₹20 million (~$266,763).

The successful bidder must commission rooftop solar systems within 45 days from the date of the letter of intent. If the bidder fails to commission systems within the time, liquidated damages will be levied subject to a maximum of 5% of the EPC contract value.

According to the tender document, the successful bidder should provide solar modules with 72 cells, and modules must be selected as per the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

The vendor must provide a ten-year warranty for solar modules. Solar modules’ peak power output should not be less than 90% at the end of ten years and 80% at the end of 25 years.

In October 2021, the Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (GUVNL) decided to allow registration of residential rooftop solar applications for up to 750 MW capacity from empaneled vendors for the financial year 2020-21 under the SURYA Gujarat program.

Mercom had earlier reported that the Gujarat Development Agency issued a tender for 12 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar systems on government buildings in the state.