NTPC Limited  has reissued a tender for a balance of system (BOS) package for the 735 (3×245) MW Nokh solar power project in Rajasthan. The average annual turnover requirement for the bidders has now increased. In the place of bid security, bidders are allowed to provide a declaration.

The last date to submit bids is December 1. 2021. The bids will be opened on the same day.

In March 2020, NTPC invited bids for the BoS package for the 735 MW Nokh solar project in Rajasthan. The bid submission deadline for the tender was extended thrice during 2020.

The average annual turnover of bidders for the first block of 245 MW must not be less than ₹900 million (~$12 million). The minimum average annual turnover should not be less than ₹1.8 billion (~$24 million) for the second block. Earlier, the minimum financial requirement for the first block of 245 MW was ₹670 million (~$8.81 million), and for the second block, it was ₹1.34 billion (~$17.61 million).

Previously, all bids needed to be accompanied by a bid security amount of ₹50 million (~$657,236). Now, bids must be accompanied by a “Bid Security Declaration” instead of bid security in the form specified in the bidding documents.

The scope of work includes the design, engineering, manufacturing, supply, packing, transportation, unloading, storage, installation, testing, and commissioning of solar projects, excluding the supply of solar modules.

The successful bidder must also be responsible for designing and constructing module mounting structures with tracker technology for solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, including installing modules on the tracker and the interconnection.

To participate in the competitive bidding process, bidders should have supplied and commissioned the BoS package for at least 40 MW grid-connected solar projects. Of this, one solar project must be of a 10 MW capacity or above. In addition, the project should have been in successful operation for at least six months before the date of the techno-commercial bid opening.

Also, the bidder must be a developer of grid-connected solar projects with a total installed capacity of 40 MW. Of this, one project with 10 MW or higher capacity should have been in successful operation for at least six months before the date of techno-commercial bid opening.

As per the tender document, the bidder must have executed an industrial project either as a developer or as an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor in the area of power, steel, oil, gas, petrochemical, fertilizer, cement, or coal mining in the last ten years.

In addition, the bidder must have executed at least one electrical sub-station of at least 33 kV voltage level, including equipment like circuit breakers and power transformers.

In February 2021, NTPC Limited invited bids to build 735 MW of grid-connected solar projects in three blocks of 245 MW each at the Nokh Solar Park in Rajasthan.

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Harsh Shukla is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Previously with Indian Express, he has covered general interest stories. He holds a Masters Degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune.

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