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					</table>The Varanasi division (electrical) of the <a href="https://ner.indianrailways.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Northeastern Railway</a> has floated four tenders for a cumulative 10.4 MW on-grid rooftop solar systems at multiple buildings in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.
The tender details are as follows:
Tender 1 (2.71 MW) 
Bids must be submitted by February 3, 2025. Bids will be opened on the same day.
Bidders must furnish an earnest money deposit (EMD) of ₹983,500 (~$11,361.47).
The project’s expected cost is ₹166.8 million (~$1.93 million).
Tender 2 (2.8 MW)
Bids must be submitted by January 31, 2025. Bids will be opened on the same day.
Bidders must furnish an EMD of ₹1.2 million (~$13,860).
The project’s expected cost is ₹174.08 million (~$2.01 million).
Tender 3 (2.5 MW)
Bids must be submitted by February 3, 2025. Bids will be opened on the same day.
Bidders must furnish an EMD of ₹921,200 (~$195,436).
The project’s expected cost is ₹1.93 million (~$22,291).
Tender 4 (2.40 MW) 
Bids must be submitted by February 3, 2025. Bids will be opened on the same day.
Bidders must furnish an EMD of ₹890,400 (~$10,285.2).
The project’s expected cost is ₹148 million (~$1.71 million).
Selected bidders must supply, install, test, and commission Mono PERC half-cut solar panels with the latest standard quality solar modules per Solar Energy Corporation of India and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy guidelines. They must install the systems at multiple locations, including building terraces, platform sheds, and platform shed pathways.
Successful bidders must commission the systems with inverters, ultraviolet-protected flexible conduits, 4 sq mm copper tinted DC cables and wires, copper long barrel lugs, bus bars, ferules, and data logger facilities.
They must complete the projects within six months of the award and clean the solar systems every 15 days.
Bidders must have a minimum average annual contractual turnover of ‘V/N’ or &#8216;V,&#8217; whichever is less.  ‘V’ stands for the tender’s expected cost/advertised value, and ‘N’ is the number of years prescribed for the project’s completion.
To apply for tender values above ₹5 million (~$57,759.5), bidders must have completed any one of the following projects during the last seven years:
<ul>
<li>Three similar projects worth a minimum of 30% of the tender’s expected cost.</li>
<li>Two similar projects worth a minimum of 40% of the tender’s expected cost.</li>
<li>One similar project worth a minimum of 60% of the tender’s expected cost.</li>
</ul>
In October 2024, Northeastern Railways <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/north-eastern-railway-bids-rooftop-solar-projects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> bids under two tenders for a cumulative capacity of 2.21 MW on-grid rooftop solar systems (without battery backup) at the railway station, service building, and residential quarters of the SSE/E/West Section of the Izzatnagar division in Uttar Pradesh.
Subscribe to Mercom’s <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/india-solar-tender-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Tender Tracker</a> for timely updates on all solar tenders issued by various agencies in India.

Northeastern Railway Tender 10 MW Rooftop Solar Projects in Uttar Pradesh

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					</table>The Uttar Pradesh New &amp; Renewable Energy Development Agency (<a href="https://www.upneda.org.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UPNEDA</a>) has invited bids to select firms for the strategy, planning, and implementation of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) activities aimed at increasing awareness of PM Surya Ghar Yojana benefits in Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, and Varanasi.
The activities are expected to be developed and deployed within 60 days of the work order date, with a one-year contract validity.
The last date to submit the bids is July 12, 2024. Bids will be opened on the same day.
The project&#8217;s estimated cost, including GST, is ₹20 million (~$239,548).
Bidders must furnish an earnest money deposit (EMD) of ₹400,000 (~$4,791.64). Although registered MSME bidders with a unit in Uttar Pradesh are exempt from submitting the EMD, they must submit a bid security declaration letter.
Bidders must submit a tender fee of ₹11,800 (~$141.37) inclusive of GST.
Their average annual turnover in the last three years should be at least ₹6 million (~$71,878).
Bidders should have had a positive net worth during the last three financial years.
The successful bidders must furnish a security amount equivalent to 5% of the contract&#8217;s total value through a bank guarantee valid for 12 months from the date of execution of the agreement.
Bidders must have worked in Uttar Pradesh, with at least three years of experience in similar work or relevant business in the last five years.
The Ministry of New &amp; Renewable Energy <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/operational-guidelines-pm-surya-ghar-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> the operational guidelines to implement the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. The program aims to install rooftop solar systems in 10 million households.
NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited, an <a href="https://ntpc.co.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NTPC</a> subsidiary, <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/nvvn-invites-bids-for-residential-rooftop-solar-systems-in-uttar-pradesh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> bids to select channel partners to install grid-connected solar systems under the PM Surya Ghar program in the districts of Uttar Pradesh covered under four distribution companies.
Subscribe to Mercom&#8217;s <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/product/india-solar-tender-tracker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Tender Tracker</a> to stay on top of the real-time tender activity.

Uttar Pradesh Invites Bids for PM Surya Ghar-related Awareness Activities

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					</table>The Varanasi Division, Electrical of <a href="https://ner.indianrailways.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Eastern Railway</a>, has floated a tender for 1.15 MW rooftop solar projects at railway stations.
The last date for submitting bids is May 30, 2024. Bids will be opened on the same day.
The cost of the project is ₹61.4 million (~$736,316)
Bidders must pay an earnest money deposit of ₹457,400 (~$5,478).
The winning bidder must furnish a performance bank guarantee amounting to 5% of the contract value within 21 days from the issuance date of the Letter of Acceptance.
The scope of the work involves designing, testing, and commissioning an on-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) system without battery backup, comprising the following components:
<ul>
<li>Mono PERC half-cut PV modules</li>
<li>(b) Grid-connected string inverter with Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) and Data Logger allowing data transfer (RS-485, Wi-Fi, GPRS, RF) to a remote service platform for data storage and analysis, accessible via web app and large screen display</li>
<li>Aluminum mounting structure for PV modules</li>
<li>Array Junction Box</li>
<li>Inverter Interfacing Panel</li>
<li>Fire-resistant DC and AC cables of appropriate length for interconnecting panels, array, junction box, inverter system, and permanent pressurized water line, including all necessary accessories</li>
</ul>
The scope also encompasses the PV modules&#8217; installation, testing, and commissioning with a 25-year on-site performance warranty and a 10-year on-site warranty on the inverter. Materials inspected by RITES will be provided and used.
Bidders must demonstrate a minimum average annual contractual turnover of V/N or &#8216;V,&#8217; whichever is lower. V represents the advertised value of the tender, and N is the number of years prescribed for completing the work.
The average annual contractual turnover is calculated as the average of &#8220;total contractual payments&#8221; over the previous three financial years.
If the balance sheet of the previous year is not yet prepared or audited, the audited balance sheet of the fourth last year will be considered for calculating the average annual contractual turnover.
No financial credentials are required for tenders valued up to ₹5 million (~$59,879).
For tenders valued above ₹5 million (~$59,879), the eligibility criteria are as follows:
Within the last seven years, up to the previous month of the tender invitation, bidders should have completed one of the following:
&#8211; Three similar works with a cost not less than 30% of the advertised value of the tender
&#8211; Two similar works with a cost not less than 40% of the advertised value of the tender
&#8211; One similar work with a cost not less than 60% of the advertised value of the tender
&#8220;Similar work&#8221; entails supplying, installing, testing, and commissioning a solar power generating system of at least 10 kW, whether grid-connected or off-grid.
<a href="https://ser.indianrailways.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Eastern Railway</a> recently <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/railway-rooftop-solar-three-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> bids to empanel agencies to set up 8.383 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar power projects in Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal through public-private partnerships on a design, build, finance, operate, and transfer basis.
Subscribe to Mercom&#8217;s <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/india-solar-tender-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Tender Tracker</a> for timely updates on all solar tenders issued by various agencies in India.

Railways Invites Bids for 1.15 MW Rooftop Solar Projects in Varanasi Division

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					</table>Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam (<a href="https://jn.upsdc.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UPJN</a>) has invited bids to commission a 1 MW grid-connected ground-mounted or rooftop solar project at the Bhelupur water treatment plant in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
The project should be completed within 16 months of receiving the work order, including four months of trial run.
The land and rooftop space for the project will be made available inside the water treatment plant following the detailed design, survey, and feasibility submitted by the installer.
The project’s estimated cost is ₹72.39 million (~$873,192).
The last day to submit the bids is April 4, 2024. Bids will be opened the next day.
Bidders must furnish the document cost of ₹11,800 (~$142) and earnest money deposit of ₹724,00 (~$873).
The power evacuation of the project will be done at WTP Bhelupur, which is proposed to be evacuated through the existing Bhelupur substation.
Bidders must have completed three projects, each with a minimum of 30% capacity. Each project’s cost must constitute at least 30% of the estimated project cost.
Alternatively, bidders should have completed three projects, each with a minimum capacity of 40%, and each project costing at least 40% of the estimated project cost.
Bidders who have completed one project with a minimum capacity of 60%, costing at least 60% of the estimated project cost, are also eligible to bid.
The experience of a subsidiary or parent company in foreign countries will also be considered for qualification.
Bidders must have an average annual turnover of ₹21.72 million (~$261,867 million) during the last three financial years. They should have a positive net worth in the previous financial year.
They must submit a solvency certificate of a minimum of 40% of the project’s estimated cost.
Joint venture bidders should have a maximum of two members, with the lead member an Indian firm. The lead member must hold a minimum stake of 51%, while other JV members should have at least a 30% stake.
The lead member’s turnover and solvency should constitute at least 51% of the total required. Both members must collectively possess a minimum technical experience of 30% required for projects exceeding ₹250 million (~$3 million).
The modules used in the project must be from the latest Approved List of Models and Manufacturers issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
In November, UPJN <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/uttar-pradesh-jal-nigam-solar-project/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> bids to commission a 10 MW grid-connected ground-mounted solar project at Bharwara STP Campus in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on a turnkey basis.
Subscribe to Mercom’s <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/india-solar-tender-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Tender Tracker</a> for timely updates on all solar tenders issued by various agencies in India.

Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam Invites Bids for 1 MW Solar Project in Varanasi

The Uttar Pradesh Small Industries Corporation Limited has invited bids for the supply and installation of 400 lithium ferro phosphate battery solar streetlights for District Rural Development Agency (<a href="http://www.drdavaranasi.org/Default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DRDA), Varanasi</a> under the marketing assistance program.
Similarly, another tender has been floated for the supply and installation of 200 lithium phosphate battery solar streetlights for <a href="https://sultanpur.nic.in/drda/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DRDA, Sultanpur</a>. In another tender, bids have been invited for 36 lithium ferro phosphate battery solar streetlights for DRDA, Sultanpur. For all the three tenders, 12-watt solar streetlights have been specified.
The last date for the submission of bids for all the three tenders is April 29, 2020.
Interested bidders will have to submit an amount of ₹83,000 (~$1,085.89) as the earnest money deposit (EMD) for the supply and installation of 400 lithium ferro phosphate battery solar street lights at DRDA Varanasi.
For the supply and installation of 200 lithium phosphate solar street lights at DRDA Sultanpur, interested bidders will have to pay an EMD amount of ₹43,000 (~$562.56).
Similarly, for the supply and installation of 36 lithium ferro phosphate battery solar lights, interested bidders will have to submit an amount of ₹8,000 (~$104.66) as the EMD.
Recently, the Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (<a href="https://www.eeslindia.org/content/raj/eesl/en/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">EESL</a>), a government entity under the administrative control of the Ministry of Power (MoP), <a href="https://mercomindia.com/eesl-announces-tender-led-streetlights/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">floated</a> a tender for the design, manufacture, testing, and supply of 1.9 million LED streetlights in Telangana gram panchayats and other states across India.
In December last year, the Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (<a href="https://seci.co.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">SECI</a>) had <a href="https://mercomindia.com/seci-tender-solar-street-lights-sanctuary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">floated</a> a tender for 100 solar street lights and 50 solar fox lights in the fringe area of Karikot village in Katerniaghat wildlife sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh.
Previously, Mercom had <a href="https://mercomindia.com/india-304500-solar-street-lights-installation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported</a> that the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (<a href="https://mnre.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MNRE</a>) had received approval to launch phase II of Atal Jyoti Yojna (AJAY) during the financial year 2018-19 and 2019-20. The ministry had also received ₹500 million (~$7.13 million) to meet the pending liabilities of phase I of the program. Under the phase II of AJAY, 304,500 solar street lights are expected to be installed in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, North Eastern states including Sikkim, Andaman &amp; Nicobar, Lakshadweep, and parliamentary constituencies covering 48 aspirational districts.

Uttar Pradesh Invites Bids for Solar Streetlights

The <a href="https://www.aai.aero/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Airports Authority of India (AAI)</a> is on the lookout for an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor to develop a 1.2 MW grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) project at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (LBSI) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
The bid-submission deadline is April 23, 2018. The estimated project cost is ₹74,273,540 (~$1,137,680) and the project completion timeframe is five months from the time the contract is awarded.
The scope of work includes site survey, shadow analysis, complete design for optimal use of space, engineering, manufacture, supply, storage, insurance, civil work, erection, testing, and commissioning of the grid-connected solar PV project.
After commissioning, the successful bidder will be responsible for providing five years of operation and maintenance (O&amp;M) services.
AAI is seeking to use solar as a low-cost and renewable source of power to fuel operations at various airports across India. In <a href="https://mercomindia.com/grid-connected-commissioned-kolkata-international-airport/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">December 2017</a>, a 15 MW grid-connected solar PV project was inaugurated at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport in Kolkata, West Bengal.
The Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport is just one of several Indian airports that have opted to install solar projects in recent months.
In <a href="https://mercomindia.com/sterling-wilson-develop-9-9-mw-grid-connected-solar-at-cochin-airport/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">January 2018,</a> CIAL Infrastructures Ltd. concluded bidding for the development of 9.9 MW of grid-connected solar projects at the Cochin airport. <a href="https://mercomindia.com/rooftop-solar-ahmedabad-airport/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">That</a> same month, a 700 kW rooftop solar PV project was nearing completion at the Ahmedabad airport, and the power generated by that project was expected to be used for captive consumption at the airport.
According to Mercom sources, another 730 kW rooftop solar PV project is also being implemented at the Madurai Airport.
Image credit: By Dennis Jarvis from Halifax, Canada (India-5550) [CC BY-SA <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2.0</a>], via Wikimedia Commons

AAI Seeks EPC Contractors to Develop a 1.2 MW Solar PV Project at Varanasi Airport

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) tendered an 8 MW (DC) grid-connected rooftop solar project on behalf of Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. The bid-submission deadline is July 28, 2017.
The project will be developed on the premises of Banaras Hindu University and the scope of work includes, design, engineering, supply, construction, erection, testing and commissioning of the project.
The successful bidder will also provide operation and maintenance (O&amp;M) services for a five-year period.
Image Credit: SECI

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