The Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) has invited bids to empanel installers to design, supply, erect, test, and commission 38 MW of grid-connected residential rooftop solar systems of various capacities under the capital expenditure (CAPEX) model.

The empanelled vendors will also have to carry out the operation and maintenance activities of the project for five years. They should also make the necessary arrangements to evacuate surplus power to the grid at the interconnection point.

The project must be completed in six months from the date of the letter of allocation or 15 months from the date of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) approval to the distribution companies (DISCOMs), which is November 15, 2021, whichever is earlier. (The last date of the timeline is February 14, 2023).

The duration of empanelment is one year of up to 15 months from November 15, 2021.

The last date to submit the bids online is December 13, 2021. Bids will be opened on December 14.

Bidders will have to submit an amount equal to ₹1,000 (~$13.45) multiplied by offered bid capacity in kW as the earnest money deposit.

The successful bidder should furnish a performance bank guarantee for the installation and commissioning based on the allocated capacity. The performance bank guarantee will equal the cost discovered multiplied by 3% of project cost and allocated capacity.

The projects will be developed under the Phase-II of the grid-connected rooftop solar program of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

The proposed capacity for various categories is given below:

The central financial assistance (CFA) of 40% on 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 20% for the remaining capacity. The CFA will be restricted to 20% for common facilities up to 500 kW for group housing societies and residential welfare associations.

In August this year, the MNRE issued benchmark costs for grid-connected rooftop solar systems for the financial year (FY) 2021-22. The costs are applicable for all projects to be awarded and for empanelment of vendors by state implementing agencies under phase-II of the MNRE’s rooftop solar program after August 28, 2021.

The bidder should have designed, supplied, installed, and commissioned grid-connected rooftop solar power projects having an aggregate capacity of not less than 100 kW, which should have been commissioned before the bid opening date. The minimum capacity of each project should be 10 kW. Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have been exempted from the technical eligibility criteria.

The bidder’s average annual turnover should be at least ₹15,000 (~$241.77)/kW of the capacity offered in its bid in any one of the last three financial years. Alternatively, the net worth of the bidder should be equal to or greater than the value calculated at ₹7,500 (~$100.74)/kW of capacity offered by the bidder in its bid.

MSMEs registered under the MSME Development Act, 2006 of Uttar Pradesh have been exempted from the financial eligibility requirements.

In June this year, UPNEDA invited bids to install grid-connected rooftop solar projects under the CAPEX model across government buildings at various locations in Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier, UPNEDA had floated tenders to empanel agencies for 18 MW of captive grid-interactive rooftop solar projects to be set up at government buildings in the state.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Tender Tracker, UPNEDA has so far floated tenders for 177.6 MW of rooftop solar projects.