West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) has invited bids to empanel agencies to install 50 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar projects on residential buildings in West Bengal. The successful bidder will also have to take care of the maintenance activities of the projects for one year.

The last date to submit the bids online is September 27, 2021, and bids will be opened on September 29. The pre-bid meeting will take place on September 8.

Bidders will have to pay ₹200,000 (~$2,696) as earnest money deposit (EMD). Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have been exempted from paying the EMD.

The successful bidder will have to furnish an amount of 10% of the contract value for five years plus one month as the performance bank guarantee within 15 days from the completion of the project.

As per the tender document, two categories of bidders (Category-A and Category-B) will be empaneled through this tender.

Under Category-A, the bidder should have installed a minimum of 200 kW capacity of grid-connected rooftop solar projects in the residential sector before the bid submission date.

Alternatively, the bidder should have installed and commissioned a 1 MW capacity of any grid-connected systems in any sector, including residential, industrial, government, or other such programs.

All the bidders who are new entrepreneurs and not covered under Category A will come under Category B.

The total approved capacity of 50 MW has been divided among Category A and Category B in the following ratio: Category A (35 MW) and Category B (15 MW).

For Category-A bidders, the average turnover during the last three financial years should be ₹15million (~$202,271) per year. For Category-B bidders, the average turnover during the last three financial years should be ₹1.5 million (~$20,227) per year. Bidders must have a positive net worth in the last three financial years.

The empaneled agency under Category-A will be required to pay a security deposit of ₹1.5 million (~$20,227) within 15 days of the letter of intent (LOI) for empanelment. Under Category-B, the empaneled agency will have to pay a security deposit of ₹500,000 (~$6,742) to WBSEDCL within 15 days of the LOI for empanelment.

The solar modules and cells to be used for the project should be made in India as per the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s requirements.

In February this year, the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency invited bids for the design, manufacturing, installation, and commissioning of 9.9 MW of rooftop solar power projects on a turnkey basis.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Tender Tracker, WBSEDCL has so far floated tenders for 284 MW of rooftop solar systems in the state.