Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation (KELTRON) has invited expressions of interest (EoI) to empanel engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors for installing solar power projects and solar streetlights on a turnkey basis in the state.

The selected contractors are required to undertake the project’s operation and maintenance (O&M) for five years from the date of successful commissioning.

The validity of the empanelment will be for one year. Bidders must submit a tender fee of ₹1,000 (~$12.25) plus applicable goods and services tax (GST).

The last date to submit the bids online is December 2, 2022. They will be opened on December 5.

After the empanelment, KELTRON will conduct project-wise bidding amongst them to select EPC-cum-O&M contractors for the development of any new solar projects.

The EPC-cum-O&M contractors will be empaneled under two following categories:

Category I: Bidders will be required to set up solar systems up to 100 kW capacity or 50 solar streetlights.

Category II: Bidders will be required to set up solar systems above 100 kW capacity or 100 solar streetlights.

The bidders can choose to apply for either one or both categories.

According to the terms of the bid, the eligible participants must have an office in Kerala, which should be operational for the last three years. They should have at least one service center across the state of Kerala.

To be eligible for Category I, bidders should have successfully designed, supplied, erected, and commissioned grid-connected solar power projects of a cumulative installed capacity of 100 kW or higher in the last five financial years.

Out of this, at least one installed project should be of 10 kW or higher capacity at a single location and must be operational for at least six months before the bid submission date.

Further, the qualification criteria for streetlight EPC contractor requires experience in the successful design, supply, and commissioning of at least 50 solar streetlights or higher in the last five years.

Out of this, at least one installation should be of 20 streetlights or higher at a single location and must be in operation for at least six months before the bid opening date.

For Category II, bidders should have successfully designed, supplied, erected, and commissioned grid-connected solar power projects of a cumulative installed capacity of 250 kW or higher in the last five years.

Additionally, one of the installed projects should be of 50 kW or higher capacity at a single location. The project must be operational for at least six months prior to the bid submission date.

For solar streetlights under Category II, applicants should have successfully designed, supplied, and commissioned 100 or more solar streetlights in the last five financial years, out of which at least one installation should be of 50 or more streetlights at a single location. The streetlights must be operational for at least six months before the bid opening date.

The average annual turnover of bidders under both categories must be equal to or more than ₹10 million (~$122,300) during the last three financial years. Also, the net worth as of the last date of each of the previous three financial years should be positive.

Last November, KELTRON floated a rate contract tender to empanel vendors to install and commission solar power projects.

Earlier, KELTRON had invited bids for supplying 1,604 multicrystalline solar modules of 330W output for a 1 MW solar project at Ramakkalmedu in the Idukki district of Kerala.

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