West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company (WBSEDCL) has invited bids for installing and commissioning 10 MW of solar power projects at Gangapur (Phase I&II) in the Birbhum district of West Bengal.

The successful bidder will also have to take care of the operation and maintenance of the project for five years.

The total estimated value of each project (Phase I and Phase II) is ₹622.92 million (~$7.79 million).

The last date to submit the bids online is September 26, 2022. Bids will be opened on September 28.

The bids have been invited for two packages -Gangapur I and Gangapur II.

Bidders will have to pay ₹12.5 million (~$156,451) as an earnest money deposit. The successful bidder must submit a performance bank guarantee for an amount not less than 3% of the total contract value within 15 days from the letter of award.

Bidders should have executed contracts in planning, design and engineering, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning with comprehensive O&M of at least one similar project costing not less than 50% of the proposed capacity. Alternatively, they should have executed two similar projects, each costing not less than 40% of the proposed capacity, or three similar projects, each costing at least 30% of the proposed project capacity, during the last five years up to the bid submission date.

The projects should have been operating for at least one year before the bid submission date.

Bidders should have an electrical contractor’s license issued by the relevant statutory authority at the central or state level.

Bidders should have a minimum average annual turnover of 30% of the estimated cost of packages during the last three consecutive financial years. They should have liquid assets or availability of fund-based credit facilities of not less than 10% of the estimated cost of the project.

Their net worth for each of the last three financial years should be positive.

Bidders should ensure net minimum guaranteed generation at 1.529 MU/MW for the first year after the final commissioning of the project and at a reducing rate of 0.8% per year for subsequent years of the project’s life.

If the contractor fails to complete the works on time, a sum amounting to 0.50% of the contract value as liquidated damages for such delay for every week or part thereof, subject to a maximum of 10% of the contract value, will have to be paid.

Last October, the West Bengal Power Development Corporation issued a notice inviting tender from engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors to set up two 10 MW grid-connected ground-mounted solar projects in two phases at the Santhaldih Thermal Power Station, Purulia, West Bengal, on a turnkey basis.

Earlier, WBSEDCL had issued an expression of interest for EPC contractors to develop a 125 MW solar park project. The project was to be developed on a turnkey basis in Ramnagar-II block located in the Purba Medinipur district.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Tender Tracker, WBSEDCL has issued tenders for 306 MW of solar power projects to date.