Singareni Collieries Tenders for PMC For 250 MW Floating Solar Project

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Telangana-based Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), a JV between the Government of India and the Government of Telangana, has issued a tender calling for Project Management Consultancy for a 250 MWp (DC) floating solar at Lower Manair Dam (LMD), Karimnagar. For Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), which recently inaugurated 37 MW of solar plants at its sites, the move to a 250 MWp floating solar is an ambitious ramp up.

With an estimated value of Rs 5 crores, the tender involves a pre-bid meeting on October 22nd, and the last date for bid submissions is November 8, 2021. The duration of the contract is expected to be 24 months.

The tender is open to only firms registered in India, with consortiums specifically excluded.

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Bidders must have an annual turnover of Rs 2.5 crore, only from consultancy services for renewable projects in the last three financial years

besides a positive net worth as of March 31, 2021. A cumulative consultancy assignments adding up to to 2 GW_DC  of solar power projects other than rooftop solar in India in the last five years( FY16-17 to FY20-21) is also a must. 20 employees, and at least solar consultancy assignments in the last three years (verifiable) is also a must.

Beyond these, the tender comes with the usual conditions for bidders in government services contracts. Key conditions include  an irrevocable bank guarantee at 3% of the contract value, including Goods and Services Tax.

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The scope of work includes basic engineering, design engineering review services of the engineering procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, site preparation supervision and construction management, inspection and testing services and project handover services, and module inspection services.

Bidder will need experience of  at least five years in solar project works in India, including a detailed project report or management consultancy services for floating solar projects of a minimum 25 MW_DC capacity.

The bidder must have offered either project management consultancy, owner engineering services, or pre-bid engineering services for solar power projects other than rooftop solar of at least 50 MW_DC capacity in a single contract.

No projects executed outside India can be considered or added to the experience list. Prior experience with government agencies, state nodal agencies, public sector undertaking (PSUs) in India has also been mandated.

While the list of conditions seem designed to favour firms out of India, it doesn’t need any deep expertise to see that they are also designed to favour a few specific firms in India. We look forward to see which one actually makes the cut.

Large floating solar projects have been difficult to execute so far, as we have seen with the similar sized Rihand Project, or the slow progress with Omkareshwar 600 MW project.. However, as the industry evolves, and smaller yet significant sized projects go online, expect the pace to pick up.