The Katihar Division of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), acting on behalf of the President of India, has floated an open e-tender for the development of a 1MWp ground-mounted solar power project in West Bengal. The project will be set up at the Dy.CMM/NJP Store Depot campus in New Jalpaiguri under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

According to the tender notice (Tender No: 08_2026), the project will be executed on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) basis under the RESCO model. Under this structure, the selected Solar Power Developer (SPD) will take full responsibility for the project’s lifecycle. This includes design, engineering, procurement of equipment, financing, installation, testing, and commissioning of the grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) system. The developer will also be required to develop the necessary distribution and transmission infrastructure.

A key feature of the contract is the long-term commitment. The selected bidder must provide comprehensive operation and maintenance (O&M) services for 25 years from the date of commissioning. The total advertised value of the project stands at ₹165,072,999.

To qualify, bidders must meet defined financial and technical criteria. Financially, applicants must demonstrate an average annual turnover of at least ₹150 lakh during the last three financial years and maintain a positive net worth. On the technical side, bidders should have successfully installed either a minimum aggregate of 200 kW of grid-connected solar rooftop systems or 1,000 kW of any grid-connected solar system in Developer or EPC mode.

The tender permits participation by Joint Ventures (JVs) of up to six members and consortia with up to 16 members. The bidding process will follow a two-packet system, where technical and financial eligibility will be assessed before opening the price bids.

The bidding process will commence on March 4, 2026, and close on March 18, 2026, at 5:00 PM. The Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) has been set at ₹1,068,000, while the tender document fee is ₹34,810. The period of completion for the project is 240 days, and offers will remain valid for 180 days.

The railway administration has made it clear that manual submissions will not be accepted. Bidders must possess a valid GSTIN and submit self-attested copies of their PAN card and identity proof. The tender also aligns with the Public Procurement (Make in India) Order 2017, requiring participants to declare the percentage of local content in their proposals. Non-compliance or submission of incorrect information could lead to forfeiture of deposits and a five-year business ban.