The Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency (BREDA) has issued an expression of interest (EoI) for the empanelment of bidders to install 10 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar projects under CAPEX (capital expenditure) model on several government buildings in the state.

The projects will be allocated in capacities ranging from 1 kW to 10 kW for earmarked locations of relevant urban local bodies or DISCOMs.

Each project can have several rooftop units, and each rooftop unit will be separately connected with the grid and might include separate meters as well. The system should be grid-connected and cannot be standalone.

The bid submission deadline is September 14, 2019. Bid security of ₹0.2 million (~$2,779) will be required to participate in this tender. Technical bids will be opened on September 16, 2019. The project should be completed within 90 days from the issuing of the work order.

The winning bidder will have to execute the project on engineering procurement and construction (EPC) basis. The contractor will be responsible for the design, engineering, procurement, construction, and maintenance of the projects. The contractor will also have to fix the defects and issues as per the EPC contract.

The winning bidder will have to provide a contract performance guarantee (CPG) to BREDA 14 days from the date of acceptance of the letter of award (LoA), which will be in the form of an irreversible bank guarantee of ₹0.6 million (~$ 8,337.37). The bidder must submit the next CPG after the receipt of 75% of work order capacity until 100 kW.

The scope of work involves identifying buildings, obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) from DISCOM, supply, and installation of bidirectional meters, design, engineering, manufacture, supply, storage, civil work, installation, testing, and commissioning of the project.

The scope of work is also inclusive of a comprehensive maintenance contract (CMC) for a five-year duration after the project is commissioned. The PV modules should be made in India.

Eligibility Criteria for Bidders

The bidder should be a corporate entity established under the Companies Act, 1956 or 2013. The bidder should have an experience of executing at least 350 kW of grid-connected SPV power projects and off-grid SPV power projects in India over a three-year duration from the date of bid submission. The bidder should have installed at least one grid-connected SPV power project with a capacity of at least 20 kW commissioned in the last three years from the bid submission deadline. The minimum average annual turnover of the bidder for the best three financial years over the previous five financial years should be ₹20 million (~$ 277,912). The bidder should have a positive net worth at the end of the last financial year.

Earlier this year, Bihar had also issued a Request for Proposal to install 10 MW of rooftop solar projects for sale of power under RESCO model.

Recently, Mercom reported that Bihar Sharif Smart City Limited had invited bids for 2 MW of solar projects to be developed on a turnkey basis. Bihar Sharif is a town located in Nalanda district of Bihar.

In January 2019, BREDA also issued RfP for the installation of 15 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar PV systems.