Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) has issued two empanelment tenders. The first tender is for empanelling engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) cum operations and maintenance (O&M) contractors to set up solar power projects, and the second one is to empanel module suppliers for the bulk procurement of solar modules.

The empanelment will be pan-India and valid for two years.

The last day to submit the bids for both tenders is August 23, 2023. Bids will be opened on the same day.

EPC Tender

There are three empanelment categories based on the bid capacities – a) less than or equal to 100 MW, b) above 100 MW to 500 MW, and c) above 500 MW. Bidders can apply for one or more categories.

The minimum implementation time for category ‘a’ projects is two years from the award date. For category ‘b’ projects, it is two years and four months, and for category ‘c’ projects it is two years and six months.

Selected bidders must oversee the projects’ O&M for three years.

For empanelment in ‘a’ category, bidders must have experience commissioning at least 50 MW of solar projects in the last three years. Among these, at least one project of 20 MW or higher capacity should be installed at a single location.

For empanelment in ‘b’ category, they must have commissioned at least 250 MW of solar projects where at least one project is 100 MW or higher capacity.

For empanelment in ‘c’ category, bidders must have commissioned at least 350 MW of solar projects where at least one project is of 150 MW or higher capacity.

Bidders should have a minimum average annual turnover of ₹350 million (~$4.2 million) to bid for category ‘a’, ₹1.8 billion (~$21.7) for category ‘b,’ and ₹2.6 billion (~$31.4 million) for category ‘c.’

Module Supply Tender

Bidders must be original equipment manufacturers (OEM) of monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and thin film solar modules. OEMs of mono-perc, half-cut, and bi-facial modules can also apply, their selection will be based on certification by HPCL.

Bidders must have a minimum annual module manufacturing capacity of 500 MWp.

The minimum capacity of the solar module for empanelment is 540 Wp.

Bidders must have manufactured and supplied modules of 25 MWp capacity or more for a single project in the last three years. The reference project should have been in operation for at least three months before the bid submission date.

They should have an average annual turnover of ₹2 billion (~$24.2 million) during the last three financial years.

The modules must have a minimum warranty of 10 years against material defects and workmanship failures. Bidders must provide an undertaking to offer service support to the EPC vendor selected by HPCL throughout the entire warranty period.

Modules must maintain at least 90% of peak output wattage after ten years and 80% after 25 years.

In April, HPCL invited bids for the EPC of 11 MW of solar power projects at its Panipat and Jhansi site for captive use in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

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