NTPC Renewable Energy Limited (NREL), a wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC Green Energy Limited, has invited online bids for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of four pooling substations at the 4,750 MW Khavda Renewable Energy Park in Bhuj, Gujarat. The tender has been issued through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal under bid number GEM/2026/B/7706808, dated July 7, 2026. The contract has been floated under the Ministry of Power and aims to ensure the reliable operation of critical power evacuation infrastructure at one of India’s largest renewable energy projects.
According to the tender document, the selected contractor will be responsible for operating and maintaining the four pooling substations for a period of three years (36 months) from the date of the Letter of Award or Purchase Order. A mobilization period of seven days has been provided, requiring the successful bidder to begin work within a week of receiving the award.
The bidding process will follow a two-packet system, where technical and financial bids will be evaluated separately before the final selection. The bid submission deadline has been scheduled for July 21, 2026, at 3:00 PM, while the technical bids will be opened on the same day at 3:30 PM. Bidders are required to keep their offers valid for 120 days from the date of bid closing.
To participate in the tender, bidders must submit an Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) of INR 20 lakh. The EMD can be deposited online through NEFT or RTGS into NREL’s designated Axis Bank account or submitted as a bank guarantee or insurance surety bond. The tender also specifies that no electronic Performance Bank Guarantee (ePBG) is required. EMD exemption has been provided only to eligible Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) registered under the Udyam Registration scheme. However, traders and dealers are not eligible for this exemption.
NREL has also prescribed detailed technical and financial qualification requirements. Bidders must have prior experience in either the installation and commissioning of a 220 kV or higher voltage substation or the operation and maintenance of such a substation for at least one year during the last seven years. On the financial side, applicants must have achieved an average annual turnover of at least INR 356 lakh during the previous three financial years. In addition, their net worth should be equal to or greater than their paid-up share capital as of the last financial year.
The tender further states that only Class-I local suppliers with 100 percent local content are eligible to participate, in line with the Government of India’s domestic procurement policy. It also includes restrictions on bidders from countries sharing a land border with India unless they are registered with the competent authority. NREL has instructed bidders to submit physical copies of key documents, including the Power of Attorney and Integrity Pact, to its Contract Services office in Greater Noida before the bid submission deadline.
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