ITI Limited, a public sector undertaking of the Department of Telecommunication, has issued a tender for establishing a 500 MW fully automatic solar photovoltaic (SPV) module manufacturing line on a turnkey basis at ITI Limited, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.

Bids must be submitted by January 23, 2024. Bids will be opened on the same day.

The scope of work for this project includes the supply, installation, and commissioning of the system, process optimization, and a minimum 5-year warranty. It also covers layout design and providing necessary training for the operation and maintenance of the manufacturing line.

The tender involves setting up a 250 MW fully automatic SPV manufacturing line as Phase-I, with the potential to expand it up to a 500 MW capacity in the future.

Additionally, the scope includes the upgradation of the existing 18 MW semi-automatic SPV module manufacturing line to a 50 MW fully automatic SPV module manufacturing line on a turnkey basis.

This includes the supply, installation, and commissioning of the upgraded line, process optimization, and a minimum 2-year warranty. The scope also covers layout design and providing the necessary training for the operation and maintenance of the line.

The project’s estimated cost is ₹650 million (~$7.5 million).

Bidders must submit an earnest money deposit of ₹13 million (~$151,484) and a tender fee of ₹20,000 (~$232.7).

Selected bidders must deliver, install, and commission one set within seven months from the purchase order date.

The detailed scope of work includes the setup of a solar manufacturing line designed to produce modules with a maximum size of 2500 mm x 1440 mm, utilizing cells with a maximum size of 210 mm x 210 mm (up to 22 busbars). Additionally, the line should be compatible with cells having up to 24 busbars.

Bidders will conduct a trial run of the manufacturing line for a minimum of one month following the successful completion of installation and commissioning. During this trial period, at least 500 kW of SPV modules must be produced, with the arrangement of all raw materials being the responsibility of the bidder.

A set of these modules will be sent to Indian laboratories authorized by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) for Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification.

Bidders have to supply three sets of toolboxes along with the manufacturing line. Furthermore, bidders will deploy one official on a 24-hour basis for a period of five years to manage the maintenance and repair of the manufacturing line.

Bidders should also ensure the successful production of a minimum of 500 kW of SPV modules during the trial run. The breakage rate of solar cells across the entire line must be less than 0.2%.

Bidders should supply one golden solar cell each for 10BB, 16BB, and 20BB, along with a laboratory certificate for the calibration of the solar cell tester. The golden solar cells are used for testing and calibration purposes to ensure the equipment used for testing solar cells is accurate.

Terms of Payment:

Payment will be made through a 100% irrevocable letter of credit as follows:

• 50% against supply: Payable with a usance credit period of 90 days from the date of shipment. Payment will be based on a certificate issued by ITI confirming the receipt of equipment/items in good condition, along with submitting the pre-dispatch inspection certificate, internal inspection report/certificate, and warranty certificate as per the purchase order (PO) terms.
• 40% against installation and commissioning (I&C): Payable with a usance credit period of 90 days from the completion date of I&C. Payment will be based on a certificate issued by ITI confirming the successful installation and commissioning of the equipment/items.
• 10% against performance bank guarantee (PBG): Payable with a usance credit period of 90 days from the completion date of I&C or the date of submission of the PBG, whichever is later. Payment will be based on a certificate issued by ITI Limited confirming the successful installation and commissioning of the equipment/items, along with the submission of the PBG as per the PO terms.

Preference will be given to Class 1 local suppliers as defined in the public procurement (preference to Make in India) Order 2017 and any subsequent orders or notifications issued by the relevant nodal ministry for specific products.

Bidders must provide 50% minimum local content to classify as Class 1 local suppliers. They must provide 20% local content to classify as Class 2 local suppliers.

Bidders must have supplied, installed, and commissioned the following projects in India within the last five years:

• Three similar projects with a minimum capacity of 200MW or
• Two similar projects with a minimum capacity of 250MW or
• One similar project with a minimum capacity of 400MW.

Bidders or their subsidiaries must have a positive net worth at the end of the preceding financial year and must submit an auditor’s certificate to verify.

They must have a minimum average annual turnover of ₹200 million (~$2.3 million) over the last three financial years.

Recently, ITI issued a tender for procuring 738,000 polycrystalline solar cells. The tender specified the procurement of polycrystalline solar cells with a 5BB design, each having a minimum power output of 3.58 Wp and a tolerance of -0% to +2%.

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