Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has postponed the deadline to submit bids worth Rs 650 billion for BharatNet phase-III tender for the fifth time. The last date for submission is June 28, 2024, with bids to be opened on July 1, 2024.
The telco rolled out the tender in February 2024, with April 2, 2024 set as the deadline to receive the bids. However, the process has since moved at a slow pace, owing to multiple changes in the tender after industry consultations and clarifications issued to the stakeholders.
As per BSNL, the tender is part of the Rs 1.4 trillion BharatNet project for design, supply, construction, installation of optical fibre cables (OFCs), switches, routers and other telecom equipment. The plan is to connect and upgrade existing 1,64,000 gram panchayats, as well as connect around 47,000 gram panchayats under the new model.
BSNL is the single project management agency of the BharatNet programme and will be paid 1.25 per cent of the basic capital expenditure and operating expenses as charges. In response to approximately 4,400 queries from various companies, BSNL has also relaxed financial eligibility criteria, reduced penalties, and provided guidelines on trusted source certification and domestic value addition. In addition, the tender will open an additional revenue stream for companies like Nokia, Ericsson, HFCL, STL, TCS, Tejas Networks, and local telecom equipment players.
Further, the telco has invited bids across 16 states and union territories (UTs), including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Puducherry, Bihar, West Bengal, Punjab, Haryana and Kerala.
Furthermore, as per the updated tender document, the financial turnover and net worth of the companies participating in the tender has been relaxed by up to 33 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.
