SECI Issues BoS Tender for 88 MW Ground-Mounted Solar Project in Chitradurga, Karnataka

Project Overview and Issuing Authority

The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has announced a tender for a Balance of System (BoS) package for an 88 MW (AC) grid-connected, ground-mounted solar PV project in Chitradurga, Karnataka. The procurement is structured as a domestic competitive bidding process featuring a single-stage, two-envelope system followed by an e-reverse auction.

From an industry analyst perspective, SECI’s utilization of the BoS model in this instance represents a strategic partitioning of risk. By centralizing solar PV module procurement as owner-supplied, SECI retains control over the primary capital expenditure risk and module quality, while delegating the complexities of site execution, technological integration, and grid evacuation to the BoS contractor.

Detailed Scope of Work: Balance of System (BoS)

The project will be awarded on a turnkey basis, with the contractor assuming total accountability for the demonstration of performance for the plant and all associated equipment. It is a critical constraint of this tender that solar PV modules are owner-supplied and excluded from the bidder’s procurement scope.

Contractor Responsibilities:

• Engineering and Supply: Design, engineering, procurement, and supply of all materials and equipment (excluding modules).
• Civil and Electrical Infrastructure: Comprehensive civil works, electrical installations, and the development of grid connectivity and power evacuation facilities.
• Quality Assurance: Testing at manufacturer works, multi-level inspections, packing, forwarding, and secure site storage.
• Implementation: Erection, testing, and final commissioning of the PV plant.
• Turnkey Performance: Demonstration of project performance and evaluation on a turnkey basis, ensuring the seamless integration of owner-supplied modules with contractor-supplied infrastructure.

Operation & Maintenance (O&M) and Performance Standards

Post-commissioning, the contractor must provide comprehensive O&M services for a mandatory period of five years. Final operational acceptance is contingent upon the successful completion of the O&M Target Generation Test (OTGT), a 90-day verification period designed to establish the Target Generation and the OTG Test Factor (OTF).

Technical Evaluation Parameters:

• Radiation Correction Factor (RCF): To account for solar resource variability, the RCF is calculated as: RCF = \frac{\text{Measured GHI (GHIm)}}{\text{Reference GHI (GHIref)}}
• Updated Target Generation (GT): The P75 reference target generation (GT_{ref}) established during engineering is adjusted via the formula: GT = RCF \times GT_{ref}
• OTG Test Factor (OTF): The final performance metric is derived by: OTF = \frac{\text{Actual Generation (Ga)}}{\text{Updated Target Generation (GT)}}

Critical Technical Provisions:

• Grid Outage and Warm-up Time: During the 90-day test, measured irradiance must be adjusted for periods of grid outages. This adjustment must include the “warm-up time” required for inverters to return to operational status as per their technical data sheets.
• Equipment Failure Protocols: The 90-day OTGT must be fully restarted if key equipment—including the Power Transformer, Inverter Duty Transformer, or Power Conditioning Unit (PCU)—suffers an outage lasting more than seven days.
• Liquidated Damages (LD): If the OTF is less than 1, damages are calculated based on the Net Present Value (NPV) of the projected 25-year revenue shortfall.

Bidder Eligibility Criteria

Bidders must satisfy rigorous technical and financial benchmarks to demonstrate core competency in utility-scale solar execution.

Technical Experience: Bidders must have commissioned at least one grid-connected solar plant of 44 MW or higher capacity within the last seven years, with at least six months of satisfactory operational history. Alternatively, experience with at least two projects of 9 MW or above each (meeting the same seven-year and six-month criteria) is acceptable.

Financial Standing:

• Minimum Average Annual Turnover (MAAT): Rs. 70.35 crore over the last three financial years. Critically, this must reflect revenue from operations only, excluding other income such as proceeds from the sale of fixed assets.
• Minimum Working Capital: Rs. 39.08 crore per the latest audited statement.
• Bank Lines of Credit: If working capital is insufficient, a letter from a bank with a net worth of at least Rs. 500 crore confirming a line of credit is required.

Bidding Logistics and Critical Timelines

SECI provides flexible payment options for the Earnest Money Deposit (EMD), including Bank Guarantee, NEFT/RTGS, or a Payment on Order Instrument (POI) issued by PFC or REC.

• Tender ID: SECI000252 (Reference: SECI/C&P/OP/11/0001/26-27)
• Tender Fees: INR 25,000 + GST (MSEs are exempt)
• EMD: INR 4.69 crore
• Performance Bank Guarantee (PBG): 10% of total contract value, valid for 81 months. This duration specifically accounts for the 18-month commissioning phase, the 60-month O&M period, and a 3-month administrative buffer.
• TENDER PORTAL: https://www.seci.co.in/tender-details/Ymd1

Project Timeline:

Site Visit Protocols

Prospective bidders are advised to conduct thorough site assessments at the Chitradurga location to evaluate power evacuation arrangements and local terrain. Due to the site’s proximity to DRDO premises, it is classified as high-security.

Registration via the designated Google Form is mandatory and non-negotiable for site entry. Bidders must adhere to the specific registration windows ending on May 19, 2026, or May 29, 2026. Failure to register by these deadlines will result in denied access due to the rigorous security protocols required for DRDO-adjacent facilities.