The North Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited (NBPDCL) has invited a Request for Proposal to empanel vendors to install 20 MW of residential rooftop solar systems in the state.

Interested bidders are expected to submit an earnest money deposit of ₹200,000 (~$ 2,728). The last date for the submission of bids is November 3, 2020.

The scope of work includes the design, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of the solar systems. The successful bidder must also provide maintenance services for five years after the commissioning of the project. The solar systems will be installed on a turn-key basis.

To be eligible to participate in the competitive bidding process, applicants must have executed grid-connected or off-grid solar PV projects with a cumulative capacity of over 100 kW in the past three years. Only solar module manufacturers and system integrators fulfilling pre-determined technical and financial criteria can participate in the bidding process.

In terms of financial eligibility criteria, applicants must have had an average annual turnover of ₹20 million (~$272,823) in any three out of the last five financial years. They must also have a positive net worth at the closing of the preceding financial year.

According to the tender document, rooftop solar systems with around 10 MW capacity will be installed in NBPDCL areas. Another 10 MW will be installed under the South Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited area.

Bidders must quote their price (₹/Wp) separately for the system range of ‘for 1 kW, >1-2 kW, >2-3 kW, >3-10 kW, >10-100 kW, >100-500 kW.

The price submitted under the six categories will be multiplied by weighted indexing factor (0.4 for 1kW, 0.16 for >1-2 kW, 0.16 for >2-3 kW, 0.21 for >3-10 kW, 0.065 for >10-100 kW, and 0.005 for >100-500 kW) and totaled to give the calculated bidding price.

The solar cells and modules used in the solar system must be domestically-manufactured. Central financial assistance (CFA) of up to 40% of the benchmark cost will be provided for systems up to 3 kW. For systems above 3 kW and up to 10 kW, a CFA of 40% will be applicable for only the first 3 kW capacity, and for others, it will be 20%. For group housing societies and residential welfare associations, the CFA will be restricted to 20% for common facilities up to 500 kW.

State Financial Assistance of 25% of L1 price discovered in the bidding will be provided for all categories.

The tender added that the payment for the rooftop solar system, excluding the MNRE and state subsidy, will be made after the execution of the net metering agreement between DISCOM and the beneficiary.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Market Update for Q2 2020, Bihar had only 14.42 MW of rooftop solar capacity installed in the state, as of June 2020.

The state might be trying to turn a new leaf as there have been several rooftop tender announcements in recent months.

Last month, the Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency floated an empanelment tender for 15 MW of rooftop solar systems on government buildings in the state. Earlier, BREDA also invited bids for 7 MW of rooftop solar PV projects on government buildings. Before that, Mercom reported that the South Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited had floated a tender for 5 MW rooftop solar projects for the residential sector.

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