Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments Limited (REIL) issued a notice inviting tender for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) projects of 2,000 kW installed in Rajasthan.

The last date for submission of bids is August 12, 2021, and the bids would be opened on August 13. The contract period of the project, located in Jaipur, is two years and could be extended further.

The contract is effective from the day of its execution and would continue until the commissioning and hand over the project to the beneficiary and is renewable as per mutual agreement. The project capacity may vary from 10 kW to 1,000 kW.

Scope of work

The winning bidder will supply material (including REIL solar PV modules) from their warehouse for installation work at the site and would continue to be responsible for their safe custody until they are installed in position, tested, commissioned, and handed over to beneficiaries.

The successful bidders must clean the solar PV modules once a week or as per the requirement to maintain a 15% capacity utilization factor (CUF) of the project and submit a monthly CUF certificate to REIL. The equipment to clean modules will be arranged by the winning bidders, including water, PVC pipeline, tap, and motor.

The winning bidders must make visit the site every month and submit the maintenance certificate to REIL, duly signed by the beneficiary or REIL in charge, and submit the quarterly report of the project CUF to REIL. Photographs (mentioning longitude and latitude with time and date under script) of the project must be uploaded on the REIL portal before or after cleaning the modules.

Breakdown maintenance service must be provided, and faults must be rectified within 48 hours of receiving the complaint by either REIL or the beneficiary. Repair or installation of any part or component of the solar PV projects provided by REIL would be without any charge (REIL would bear the cost of the item).

Eligibility criteria

Prospective bidders must have experience in installing, commissioning, and maintaining a 10 kW solar project for a minimum of one year for institutions, industries, government departments, schools, and corporate offices. They must also provide a certificate to maintain a solar PV project greater than or equal to 10 kW for at least one year. The competent authority would duly verify the same.

Mid-size enterprises (MSEs) will get preference. Procurement from scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and women entrepreneurs would be as per the government guidelines.

Payment schedule

The first payment installment, i.e., 50% payment, would be released after six months of successfully maintaining the project from the date of issuing the letter of intent (LoI) along with submission of maintenance certificate, signed and sealed by the beneficiary, along with the submission of CUF report (15% CUF is mandatory for release of payment).

The remaining 50% payment would be released after 12 months of successful maintenance from the date of LoI along with submission of maintenance certificate by the beneficiary and submission of CUF report (15% CUF is mandatory for release of payment).

In July last year, REIL invited bids to empanel business associates to market, install, and commission 10 HP of off-grid solar water pumps in all districts of Himachal Pradesh.

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