The Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company Limited (GESCOM) has reissued the tender to empanel agencies to design, supply, install, and commission 10 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar projects under net metering arrangement on residential buildings in seven districts of Karnataka. The districts are Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari, and Vijayanagara.

The successful bidder will also have to take care of the maintenance activities of the project for five years.

The tender has been floated under the ‘Soura Gruha Yojane’ for the financial year (FY) 2021-22.

The last date to submit the bids is September 24, 2021, and bids will be opened on September 27.

Interested bidders are not required to pay an earnest money deposit to participate in the bidding process.

The tender was earlier floated in March this year.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) recently issued benchmark costs for grid-connected rooftop solar systems for the financial year (FY) 2021-22, which will be applicable for this tender. The difference between the earlier benchmark costs and the new benchmark costs is given below:

If the discovered lowest price is higher than the benchmark cost of MNRE in each category, the above benchmark cost will be treated as the lowest price.

The project should be commissioned within 90 to 150 days from the date of the execution of the power purchase agreement (PPA) by the consumer.

To participate in the bidding process, the bidder should be either a system integrator or a module manufacturer, or both. The bidder should have experience in executing a minimum cumulative capacity of 80% of the capacity put to tender, i.e., 400 kW in the last five financial years. Alternatively, for the bidder registered as a micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME), he should have experience of successfully executing a minimum cumulative capacity of 40% of the capacity put to tender, i.e., 200 kW in the last five financial years.

Regarding the financial criteria, the bidder’s minimum average annual turnover should not be less than 100% of the amount put to tender, which comes to ₹25.5 million (~$348,828) in the last three financial years. For MSMEs, the minimum average annual turnover should not be less than 50% of the amount put to tender, which amounts to ₹12.7 million (~$173,730) in the last two financial years.

The liquid assets of the bidder as on the bid submission day should not be less than 25% of the amount put to tender, amounting to ₹6.3 million (~$86,181).

For MSMEs, the liquid assets should not be less than ₹3.15 million (~$43,090) before the bid submission day.

The successful bidder should use indigenously manufactured solar modules (both cells and modules manufactured in India) for the project.

Central financial assistance of 40% on the benchmark cost will be provided for systems up to 3 kW. For systems above 3 kW and up to 10 kW, a CFA of 40% will be applicable for only the first 3 kW capacity; for others, it will be 20%. The CFA will be restricted to 20% for common facilities up to 500 kW for group housing societies and residential welfare associations.

Earlier, GESCOM had floated five tenders inviting bids totaling 2,990 kW of grid-connected rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) projects on government buildings located within its jurisdiction in the state of Karnataka.

According to Mercom’s India Solar Tender Tracker, GESCOM has so far floated tenders for 23 MW of rooftop solar projects.