The Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) has announced a tender for empanelment of vendors and inviting rate contract for the supply, erection, testing, and commissioning of off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) projects of various capacities.

The tentative capacity is 3 MW, which may widely vary, depending upon the demands received by UPNEDA. The tender includes a comprehensive five-year warranty for systems above 1 kW to 10 kW across various locations in Uttar Pradesh. The estimated cost for the project is ₹420 million (~$5.64 million).

The solar PV projects would be set up in various tehsils, block offices, institutions, premises of individual beneficiaries across locations in Uttar Pradesh as directed and identified by UPNEDA.

The last date for submission of bids is August 2, 2021, and technical bids would be opened on the same day. The work must be completed within four months from the date of award of work or as specified by UPNEDA.

The bidder must be a firm registered or incorporated under the Indian Companies Act, 1956/2013; or a registered partnership firm; or a limited liability partnership. System integrators are also allowed to participate in the bid.

The bidder must hold a valid test report of the complete system or various components (PV module, hybrid inverter, battery complete system, etc.) issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) or National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accredited test lab. The solar module used must be a part of the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM), approved by MNRE from the effective implementation date.

The overall average annual turnover of the bidder in the last three financial years (i.e., FY 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20) should be at least 30% of the estimated cost. The turnover must be of the individual company’s and not that of any group of companies.

The bidder’s net worth as of the last day of the preceding financial year (2020-21) should not be less than 100% of the paid-up share capital.

The bidder should have continuously supplied and installed same or similar category (off-grid solar PV projects) products for 30% of the bid quantity in the last three financial years (i.e., 2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2019-2020) before the bid opening date, to any central or state government organization, (including local body or autonomous institutions working under it), public sector undertakings, or a public listed company.

Last month, UPNEDA had invited online bids for the installation of grid-connected rooftop solar projects under the capital expenditure (CAPEX) model across government buildings at various locations in Uttar Pradesh.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Tender Tracker, UPNEDA has so far floated empanelment tenders amounting to 36 MW.