Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has floated a tender to design, engineer, build, erect, test, and commission a 5 MW grid-connected saffron-based agro solar power plant in Jammu & Kashmir's Pulwama area. The successful bidder would also be responsible for the operation and maintenance (O&M) activities of the project for ten years. April 19, 2022, is the last date to submit the bids.The bids would be opened on the same day. The saffron-based agro solar project is a first-of-its-kind initiative in which the solar project's land would also be utilised for saffron cultivation. As an earnest money deposit, interested bidders would have to submit Rs 4.7 million. The successful bidder would have to provide an amount equal to 4% of the contract value as the contract performance security.Within 12 months from the issuance letter of the award date, the project must be completed. SECI said from April 1, 2022, bidders should take note of the imposition of the basic customs duty (BCD) and bid accordingly.The BCD imposition would not be considered under the 'Change in Law' clause. Moreover, purchase preference would be given to local manufacturers. Only Class-l local suppliers would be eligible to bid in this tender. Class-l local suppliers are those whose goods, services, or works offered have local content equal to or over 50%. About the approved list of models and manufacturers (ALMM), SECI has stated that the cells and modules to be utilised in this project must only come from the models and manufacturers listed in List-I of the ALMM order. Bidders can participate in the tender via Route I or Route II. For participation via Route I, the bidder must have engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) expertise of ground-mounted solar projects with a total capacity of not less than 3 MW in the previous seven financial years as of the bid submission date. For Route II, the bidder should have experience managing ground-mounted solar projects as a developer of a total capacity of not less than 3 MW in the last seven financial years (FY) as of the bid submission date. Image Source Also read: Adani Green inks pact with SECI to supply 4,667 MW green power