Indian government’s engineering and manufacturing arm Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has launched a tender seeking to freeze techno commercial conditions and specifications to procure wafers for solar cells.

Explaining the rationale behind the tender, BHEL said having a ready list of vendors to source wafers from will bring down the time for conversion of enquiry to complete a purchase order (PO). It will also enable vendors to speedily responds against the agency’s enquiries.

“It has become necessary to cope up with the demand in the market to reduce our cost & procurement cycle by having a prior understanding with prospective suppliers on our procedures, systems, technical specifications and commercial conditions,” it added.

Selected global manufacturers (OEM) of wafers for solar cells will enter memorandum of understanding (MoU) with BHEL who will source wafers as required for specific plant requirement. Wafers sought will of course need to be free from edge chips, cracks, micro cracks, pin holes, stains, water marks and other contamination.

BHEL already has 2×100 MW annual solar module production capacity, and is currently supplying the same to state and central government organizations and other private companies.

It has further specified that purchase from special economic zones (SEZ) will be considered as indigenous purchase for the purpose of purchase preference to Make in India policy.

Launched on October 19, 2021, the tender sets October 29, 2021 as the last date for bid submission by interested vendors. Details are available on BHEL’s website.  

This expression of interest (EOI) follows BHEL’s August 2021 EOI from global solar cell OEMs to deal with ‘unprecedented’ demand for solar PV modules and to lower cost and procurement cycle (see BHEL Wants To Contract Global OEM Solar Cell Suppliers).