NTPC Issues Tender For BESS Site Enabling Works At Unchahar Thermal Power Station

NTPC Limited, a Government of India enterprise, has issued a tender for site enabling works for the installation of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at the Feroz Gandhi Unchahar Super Thermal Power Station in Raebareli district, Uttar Pradesh. The project has been categorized as a service contract with a short execution timeline of one month, indicating a focused scope of preparatory activities ahead of the BESS installation.

The tender follows a single-stage, single-envelope bidding process under the Domestic Competitive Bidding (DCB) route. NTPC has specified that this is a “No Deviation” tender, which means bidders must strictly adhere to all stated terms and conditions without seeking any modifications. As part of the bidding requirements, participants must accept the General Technical Evaluation (GTE) conditions on the GePNIC portal. These include compliance with NTPC’s safety guidelines, fraud prevention measures, and anti-bribery policies.

A key eligibility condition is that the tender is restricted to Class-I local suppliers. This aligns with the government’s push to promote domestic manufacturing and local participation in public procurement. While the Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) typically provides certain benefits, NTPC has clarified that such benefits are not applicable in this case since the tender is classified as a works contract. Additionally, traders and dealers are not eligible for MSE-related advantages under this category.

The tender also requires all bidders to submit an Earnest Money Deposit (EMD), with no exemptions provided. For EMD amounts up to Rs. 1,00,000, payment must be made online through the GePNIC portal. If the amount exceeds this limit, bidders have the option to submit a Bank Guarantee or an Insurance Surety Bond. However, in such cases, a physical copy of the instrument must be delivered to the NTPC office within ten days of the bid opening.

Both techno-commercial and price bids must be submitted online through the GePNIC portal within the timelines specified in the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT). NTPC has not prescribed any tender fee for participation. Interested bidders are advised to regularly monitor the official e-procurement portal for updates, corrigendums, or extensions related to the tender. All communications regarding the bid process are to be addressed to the Contracts and Materials Department at the Unchahar plant.