Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has invited bids for operation and maintenance (O&M) of the National Thermal Power Corporation's (NTPC) 25 MW floating solar project for 36 months in Andhra Pradesh. The O&M includes the solar project work for 36 months. The work included O&M for the overall project covering the solar array on the reservoir, central control room, inverter cum transformer yards, and 33kV power cables from the inverter to the reservoir. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 39.09 million, and the interested bidder will have to deposit Rs 500,000 as earnest money deposit. The deadline to submit the bids is 17 August 2021, and the bids will be opened on the same date. The winning bidder will have to submit 5% of the total work amount as the security deposit, and 50% of the security deposit should be submitted before the beginning of the work. The balance amount will be recovered from the running bills as 10% from each. To participate in the bidding, the interested bidder should have completed three similar works of not less than 40% of the estimated cost, or two similar projects of not less than 50% of the estimated cost, or just one similar work of not less than 80% of the estimated cost of the tender. The annual turnover of the interested bidder should be 30% of the estimated contract value for the last three years. An amount of 0.5% will be a penalty per week for any delay in the work or if the vendor fails to start the O&M work in two weeks from the date of the notice. In July 2019, BHEL planned to set up a 25 MW floating solar photovoltaic project in Simhadri, Andhra Pradesh. In October 2019, BHEL invited bids for the designing and supply of the floating solar project. It now plans to set up the project with the O&M service provider. The installation will consist of 109,800 solar PV modules mounted on floaters supplied by Quant Solar in 10 individual blocks. Arken Solutions is the turnkey contractor for this solar project. Image Source Also read: GSECL floats tender for 224 MW grid connected solar projects Also read: Indian Railways floats tender for 210 MW solar projects