The Chhattisgarh State Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA) has issued a tender for the installation of 20,000 solar irrigation pumps in the state.

The tender calls for 12,200 solar pumps of 3 horsepower (HP) and 7,800 pumps of 5 HP. However, the quantity may vary depending on the site conditions and demand.

Apart from the supply, installation, and commissioning of the solar pumps, the successful bidder will also be responsible for the operation and maintenance of these pumps for three years.

Interested bidders are supposed to pay ₹1.5 million (~$19,706.3) as the earnest money deposit (EMD). The deadline for the submission of bids is July 10, 2020.

Registered companies with a solar manufacturing facility as well as system integrators of solar modules or pumps with three years of proven track record in the field of off-grid solar systems can participate in the tender. Prospective bidders in Chhattisgarh should have previously installed 100 solar pumps, while bidders outside the state should have installed 200 solar pumps in the last three financial years (FYs).

According to the tender document, interested bidders must have a net worth of ₹5 million (~$65,687) in the last financial year. Further, the bidders should have an aggregate turnover of at least ₹50 million (~$658,044) in the last three years.

CREDA has mentioned that it will consider awarding installation work of up to 25 pumps on the lowest tariff (L1) to start-ups and new entrepreneurs. If a start-up or a new entrepreneur is interested in bidding for the project, then they need to pay a sum of ₹200,000 (~$2,627) as the earnest money deposit.

Solar modules, solar pumps, and controllers that will be used in the installation must be made in India. The successful bidder must ensure that pumps and controllers have a guarantee of at least five years, while solar modules should have at least ten years of warranty.

Last year, the MNRE had notified new benchmark costs for off-grid solar PV systems and grid-connected agricultural pumps for the FY 2019-20.

In November 2019, Chhattisgarh State Renewable Energy Development Agency had issued two tenders for the supply and installation of 5,000 small solar irrigation pumps and 700 solar trees in the state.

Image credit: Prabuddha Raj / CC BY-SA (4.0)