ITI, a public sector undertaking under the Department of Telecommunications, has issued an expression of interest (EoI) for the installation of 2 MW off-grid rooftop solar systems across Odisha. The deadline for submitting bids is January 24, 2025, with the bids to be opened on the same day. Bidders are required to submit an earnest money deposit of Rs 0.3 million and a document fee of Rs 5,900, including GST. The selected bidders will be responsible for designing, engineering, supplying, installing, testing, and commissioning the rooftop solar systems. Additionally, they will need to provide comprehensive operations and maintenance services for a period of five years. Once awarded the contract, successful bidders must submit a performance bank guarantee equivalent to 5 per cent of the work order value within 15 days of receiving the letter of intent. Eligibility criteria include having completed a 500 kW capacity project in the last three years from the bid submission date. Bidders registered in Odisha must have completed a 200 kW capacity project during the same period. Furthermore, bidders must have been operational in India for at least three years, possess an average annual turnover of Rs 10 million, and demonstrate a positive net worth over the last three financial years. Bidders are also required to either have a project office in Odisha or commit to establishing one within a month of the award. ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications are mandatory for participation. Any project delays will incur liquidated damages of 0.5 per cent per week, with a maximum cap of 10 per cent of the project cost. In a separate development, ITI recently issued a tender for the establishment of a 500 MW fully automatic solar photovoltaic module manufacturing line on a turnkey basis at its facility in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Earlier this year, ITI also issued a tender for the procurement of 738,000 polycrystalline solar cells, each with a minimum power output of 3.58 Wp and a tolerance range of -0-2 per cent, featuring a 5BB design.