The deadline for bid submissions is February 13, 2025, with the bids scheduled to be opened on the same day. Participants are required to provide an earnest money deposit of Rs 1.045 million and a performance guarantee amounting to 5 per cent of the contract value, which must remain valid for the contract duration plus an additional 90 days.

The contract, spanning four months from the award date, includes a 12-month defect liability period following commissioning. The selected contractors will be responsible for the design, supply, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of the solar project. Additionally, they must maintain the project for a period of five years and provide quarterly energy usage and performance reports.

Eligible bidders are required to be Class-I local suppliers with a minimum of 50 per cent local content. They should have executed either three similar projects with a cumulative capacity of at least 250 kW, two similar projects with a capacity of 500 kW each, or a single project with a minimum capacity of 750 kW. Moreover, they must demonstrate a minimum average turnover of Rs 78.3 million over the last five financial years, possess liquid assets of at least Rs 13.1 million, and have maintained a positive net worth for the past three financial years. Compliance with the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers for solar components is mandatory.

In recent developments, POWERGRID secured two projects from REC Power Development and Consultancy to establish an interstate transmission system and enhance substation capacity in Gujarat and Karnataka. Earlier in the year, POWERGRID partnered with Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Prasaran Nigam to develop Rajasthan’s intrastate transmission network. Furthermore, in December 2024, POWERGRID raised Rs 42.5 billion through bonds issued via private placement.