Telecommunications Consultants India (TCIL) has issued a call for expressions of interest to select a consortium partner for the implementation of a 120 MW ground-mounted solar project in the Thimphu region of Bhutan. This project, located in Jamjee under Mewang Gewog, is part of Druk Green Power Corporation’s tender. Bids must be submitted by February 14, 2025, with bid openings scheduled for the same day. Bidders are required to submit a tender fee of Rs 20,000 plus 18% GST, along with an earnest money deposit of Rs 5.17 million. The lowest bidder will need to submit an additional Rs 69.83 million. The selected bidders must also provide a performance bank guarantee. The successful consortium partner will be responsible for designing, supplying, installing, testing, and commissioning the solar project, including the provision of solar modules and evacuation infrastructure, such as the pooling substation. To qualify, bidders must have completed at least two grid-connected solar projects with a minimum capacity of 100 MW at a single site over the past five years, with at least one project having been operational for a minimum of two years. Additionally, they must demonstrate a cumulative execution capacity of 1,000 MW of grid-connected solar projects in the last five years. Bidders with experience in high-altitude and variable weather conditions will be given preference, as Bhutan’s terrain and climate present specific challenges. Bidders are also required to have an average annual turnover of Rs 1.551 billion over the past three financial years, with micro and small enterprises having a lower turnover threshold of Rs 1.29 billion. They must also submit manufacturer authorization certificates for solar modules and inverters. In addition to this, TCIL had previously invited expressions of interest in September 2024 for the design and commissioning of a grid-connected 11,775 kW solar project, as well as bids for a 2 MW floating solar project in Mauritius in July. (Mercom)