Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (MEDA) has invited bids to install 50,000 grid-connected submersible solar water pumping systems of 3, 5, and 7.5 horsepower (HP) under component-B of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) Program.

The pumps must be installed within 90 days of the work order. Selected developers must provide five years of comprehensive operation and maintenance service.

The last day to submit the bids is October 17, 2022. Bids will be opened the next day.

The project’s estimated cost is ₹11.73 billion (~$143.66 million). Bidders must submit an earnest money deposit (EMD) of ₹1 million (~$12,247). Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and startups are exempted from furnishing the EMD.

The selected developers must submit a bank guarantee for 3% of the amount equivalent to the 10% of the value of the total state-wise allocation of 100 solar water pumps, whichever is lower. If the number of solar water pumps is more than 10% of the value of total state-wise allocation or 100 pumps, bidders must submit another bank guarantee equivalent to the differential value.

As per the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the cost of solar pumps is ₹170,301 (~$2,171) for 3HP DC, ₹237,035 (~$2,903) for 5HP DC, and ₹329,000 (~$4,030) for 7.5HP DC.

Open category bidders must have previously installed 3,000 solar pumps. SME bidders must have installed 750 solar pumps.

Open category bidders must have an average annual turnover of ₹709.5 million (~$8.69 million), and SMEs must have an average annual turnover of ₹177.8 million (~$2.17 million) for any three out of the last four years. They should have been profitable in at least two of the last four years.

In June this year, MEDA issued an expression of interest to discover a tariff to implement 10 MW grid-connected rooftop solar photovoltaic systems on government buildings at various locations in Maharashtra.

In January this year, MEDA invited bids from engineering, procurement, and construction contractors to set up 1.128 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar systems at 564 primary and upper primary Zilla Parishad schools (2 kW each) in the Nagpur district.

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