NTPC Limited has issued a notice inviting tender for the development of a 1.1 MW grid-connected solar project at North Kanakapura in the state of Karnataka.

The scope of work includes the design, engineering, supply, transportation, testing, commissioning of the project along with operation and maintenance (O&M) services. The project must be completed within six months of award. The winning bidders must provide O&M services for one year after the project is installed and commissioned.

Interested bidders are expected to make an earnest money deposit of ₹500,000 (~$6,675). The last date for the submission of bids is September 29, 2020.

To be eligible to take part in the competitive bidding process, applicants must have executed similar projects of at least 100 kW in capacity each, with experience installing at least 880 kW of such projects cumulatively. One reference 100 kW projects must have been in successful operation for at least six months before the date of the techno-commercial bid opening.

Another requirement is that the bidders should have manufactured and supplied solar modules of a cumulative capacity of at least 1 MW in any one of the last three financial years. These modules could be indigenous or imported PV cells. Also, the power rating of these cells should be 240W or above, which must have been in successful operation for at least six months.

Additionally, applicants must have had an annual turnover of at least ₹43.4 million (~$579,363) in the last three financial years. Their net worth must also not be lower than 100% of its paid-up capital as on the last date of the preceding fiscal year.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Project Tracker, NTPC has 875 MW of large-scale solar projects in operation, and about 2.1 GW capacity is currently under development.

Recently, NTPC invited applications globally to enlist vendors to procure solar modules. The tentative capacity for the procurement of solar PV modules in the current financial year has been set at 1 GW, while 2-2.5 GW has been planned for the subsequent years.

Earlier, NTPC invited bids for 33.6 MW of solar PV modules for a solar project in Solapur, Maharashtra. The scope of work included the manufacturing, supply, packing, forwarding, transporting, and supervising the installation and commissioning of the modules at the project site.