The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has invited bids to design, supply, install, test and commission a 70 kW grid connected solar rooftop system across two of its buildings in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The work covers NABARD Tower in Usmanpura (40 kW) and NABARD Vihar in Navrangpura (30 kW) at an estimated cost of Rs 2.63 million.

Issued on 27 June 2025, the tender must be submitted via the Government e Marketplace portal under a two bid system. A pre bid meeting will be held at NABARD’s regional office in Usmanpura at 3 p.m. on 4 July, with bids closing at 3 p.m. on 18 July and opening an hour later.

Prospective contractors must lodge an earnest money deposit of Rs 52,500 by NEFT or RTGS; submissions without the EMD will be rejected. The winning bidder must furnish a performance bank guarantee equal to five per cent of the contract value within ten days of award, to be held as retention money and released 90 days after a two year defect liability period.

The contract includes comprehensive operation and maintenance for 24 months, during which the capacity utilisation factor must be maintained at 19 per cent. Any energy shortfall must be compensated at the prevailing DISCOM tariff, failing which NABARD may invoke the full guarantee.

Technical specifications require mono crystalline, Indian made modules of at least 500 Wp, IEC certified inverters with anti islanding protection sized close to array capacity, and pre galvanised mounting structures rated for 150 km/h winds. Bidders need a minimum seven years’ experience with similar public sector rooftop projects, an average annual turnover of Rs 0.8 million over the past three financial years, a valid electrical contractor licence and municipal registration in Ahmedabad or Gandhinagar.

During the maintenance period the contractor must clean modules, carry out routine services, provide manuals and training, and submit quarterly performance reports. NABARD reserves the right to reject any bid, wholly or in part, and stresses that incomplete disclosures will lead to disqualification. All decisions of the bank will be final.