Telecommunications Consultants India (TCIL) has invited bids to select a consortium partner for the supply, installation, system integration, operation, and maintenance of smart meters, head-end system software, and a radio frequency/cellular communication network as part of the advanced metering infrastructure project in Kerala State Electricity Board-Phase-1.

The last date to submit the bids is September 3, 2024. Bids will be opened the same day.

Bidders are required to pay a deposit of ₹500,000 (~$5,963) as earnest money. The successful bidder must also provide a performance bank guarantee (PBG) of 3%.

If the successful bidder fails to submit the PBG or fulfill their contractual obligations, the award may be annulled or canceled, and the bid security or performance security may be forfeited.

For the procurement of goods, services, or works where the nodal ministry/department has confirmed adequate local capacity and competition, only Class-I local suppliers, as defined under the relevant order, are eligible to bid for the respective purchase value.

Class-I and Class-II local suppliers can bid in procurements not involving a global tender.

Bidders must be Indian-registered entities under the Companies Act of 1956 or 2013 or be a proprietorship, partnership firm, or government society.

Their average annual financial turnover over the last three financial years, ending March 31 of the previous financial year, should be at least ₹633 million (~$7.5 million) ₹527.5 million (~$6.2 million) for micro and small enterprises and startups] of the estimated purchase cost.

The bidder’s net worth should be positive as of March 31 of the last financial year, and they should have reported a profit before tax in at least two of the last three financial years.

Bidders must have completed and implemented a minimum of 100,000 smart meters, including all the necessary hardware, software, and associated accessories, under one or more contracts or projects with an Indian or global power distribution utility or distribution franchisee within the last seven years (i.e., from FY 2017-18 to the previous date of tender publication), either as the sole/lead bidder or as a consortium member.

These smart meter projects should have been in operation for at least one year.

Additionally, bidders must have experience integrating a head-end system with an MDM using standard interfaces and data exchange models for at least 100,000 consumers/endpoints cumulatively, within an Indian or global utility (power, water, natural gas, or telecom) over the last seven years (i.e., from FY 2017-18), with the integration still in operation for at least one year.

Bidders are also mandated to mention at least one vendor or subcontractor for each of the third-party solution or component providers for the bid. Vendors include smart meter manufacturers, head end system (HES) solution provider, communication provider (cellular/RF) and system integrators.

In June, TCIL invited bids to select consortium partners for a 23 MW grid-connected solar project for Western Coalfields in Nagpur, Maharashtra.

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